Shinji Ikari: The Amazing Spider-Man Chapter 33: Sins Past, a Spider-Man + Evangelion Crossover fanfic

Sins Past

IN THE PAST…

"Munch… hmmm, this stuff is so good… yum…"

He hadn't eaten like this in ages. His boss certainly knew how to cook a meal. The bentos he made were the best Shinji ever had.

"Hmmm… I wonder if I'll get another chance soon… hmmm, probably not. I'm late enough as is. He should be calling right about-"

BRRRIIIING

"Now."

That was when Shinji Ikari, homeless teenager, majority time superhero, picked up the phone given to him by his boss.

"Shinji, you haven't called back in a while. Are you okay? Did you get into a fight?"

"Munch, sorry, Mr. Lee…" Shinji had the decency to blush at that. "Got side tracked, eating the lunch you cooked for me, but I got the groceries like you wanted."

"Very good. You know how dangerous it is out at night."

"I do. Don't worry, I'm taking the safest paths, hardly breaking a sweat."

The man on the other line, Martin Lee, sighed into the phone.

"Just be careful. The streets are under a curfew; they aren't safe for anyone out there. If it's not a gang, it's the police who will have you arrested for breaking the curfew. You don't want to be caught by either group, not when you have food we need at the shelter. If worst comes to worst, you can send a GPS locator to an ambulance. I need you to hurry up."

Shinji swallowed the last of the bento, getting up to stretch himself. Even after swinging around for hours in his costume, he could never get used to this.

"I have my ways around the cops, Mr. Lee. I'll be able to defend myself if things go too far."

"Very well. I hope to see you soon, Ikari my boy."

"See ya!"

Shinji hung up the phone, stretching his own arms before pulling the mask over himself. Up on this rooftop, Spider-Man had the clearest view of the city anyone could get. From up here, even the broken shambles of Kokoro had some degree of beauty. Death created nothing, it was the life that remained which helped create hope for a better tomorrow, a chance for survival that had never been considered.

On the one hand, one could say that being so high gave Spider-Man a clearer view of the situation than anyone else. On the other hand, being too distant from the ground can leave you blind to other aspects. The cracks in the walls that, if not treated, would send the metaphorical building careening down.

"It's dirty, filthy even, but…" Shinji shook his head. "No. It's not home. I don't know anyone here. Well, aside from you Banjō."

He had made precisely one true friend during his days swinging across town, if one could count an inanimate statue as a friend. A terrifying Oni, most likely put up as a lucky token, overlooked the city. It was a stone-cold, silent warrior, glowering as if anyone that were caught staring could burst into flames upon eye contact.

Shinji decided to name him Banjō. He found it funny to deflate a creature's self-importance like that.

"I mean, I guess I can't complain about Mr. Lee." Shinji said. "When the lady said there was a shelter I could go to, he was the one running the thing. It was nice of him to give me a place to stay without asking me any questions. My house got blown up in the… incident… you know the one…"

Banjō said nothing, for he was cold.

"You could show a little more sympathy. Geez, it's like I'm talking to my Father."

Shinji burped, which made him blush. He shook his head,

"Nevermind that. Lee said I could stay, so long as I did my part. And I did. I cooked whenever I needed to, kept people warm and comfy, then delivered the food. It felt like… I had a routine again. A purpose. Now look at what I'm doing. I could be over at FEAST right now, celebrating with everyone else. Where am I instead? On this rooftop, waiting for criminals to come out. Sitting with you, Banjō."

Banjō said nothing, for his fierce gaze penetrated upon whom dared to stare at its' visage.

"Hey, you don't take it so personally. I would like to go back there, it was great being at FEAST… but…"

Shinji sighed. He shivered a bit at what he was thinking.

"I feel like if I let my guard down, Mr. Lee will… what if he turned out to be, I dunno, another bad guy waiting to take out his revenge on me, or some other person? What if I'm wrong to trust him?"

Banjō could offer no answers to his questions. No comfort.

"I just don't know if I can take another heartbreak. Inumaru, Shiraishi, Yamagishi… Mr. Lee has been very friendly, but I'm not stupid. Or at least, not as stupid as I used to be. What do you think I should do, Banjo?"

The statue gave no response.

"Of course, you won't say anything. You're an Oni. You probably don't care about humans."

Shinji sat the groceries down to prepare a jump. He should be back in a couple of hours, plenty of time to kill for one more Spider-Man tour. If it was quiet, he got to feel some fresh air. If there was disruption, then even a better grind to clear his head.

So Spider-Man swung another web, forgetting his worries for another, seemingly pleasant evening.

If you were someone looking up high from the gutters, Kokoro was a shit hole.

The city went through a massive upheaval thanks to a freakish hell-storm that wrecked everything in its' path; the winds were noted to have taken a spiral pattern, that which caused massive destruction of property, the ending of countless lives, spreading misery to a city known for its' outward appearance of peace.

From May to July, even through reconstruction efforts set up by the government, crime remained rampant. Multiple armed robberies and assaults were reported across the months. It only confirmed the worst fears about the disaster zone of the city, what once had a bright future sullied into a no man's land. The future seemed lost in the gray.

A short man with a red leather jacket sat on a motorcycle, smoking a cigar. The tips of his hair were spiky, with sideburns around his chin. This was a man who did not care what people thought of him, seemingly unfazed at the prospect of being mistaken for an animal.

From his years of experience, he knew better than to take things at their word. Everything the Yashida Clan had built came with blood on their hands. Evidently, the Clan hadn't changed its' policy much since the 80's, karma coming to bite them in the ass for their troubles. He took a shot when he witnessed Kenichiro Yashida's arrest in broad daylight, his family's reputation now in ruin. It was only the revelation that now the brother, Shiro Yashida, was dead, that prevented it from being a perfect occasion.

"She mourns them, even after all they did to her." He whispered to the wind. "Mariko, you truly are a kinder soul than I am."

The man grabbed the dog tags around his neck, giving it a glance.

LOGAN. WOLVERINE. 1974.

They were all he had to go on about his past. Not that Logan had much reason to care about it these days. Even with the mystery surrounding him, the things he had to do, the things he relished doing, Mariko Yashida was somehow able to love him for who he was. That made all the pain he went through worth the struggle. The two escaped from Tokyo to live a quiet life together, even surviving the horrors of Second Impact when loads of other people did not.

The elusive Weapon-X Program, the mob, the miserable bastard that kept attacking him on his birthday with no explanation, none of that had mattered in a long, long time. Even now, Logan had only one reason to be in Japan. The Kuzuryu had taken someone from him, and he had already promised Mariko a safe return.

With a flick of a switch and a foot on the pedal, Logan started up the bike.

"He should still be in this city… " He sniffed the air. "It's a long shot, but I could probably track his scent. These bastards won't know what hit 'em."

It was hard to pick up any scent in this town, when the whole thing smelled like dead air. Hardly anyone was around to be noticed. Logan had heard about an enforced curfew keeping people from leaving their homes, which admittedly had the side effect of making it easier to weed out the kind of person desperate or greedy enough to dumbly set foot in his path.

Logan drove around for a couple of hours. On a certain level, he could sympathize with trying to make ends meet in a world that seemed to have been shattered. On another, it wasn't his job to be nice. If he had to claw some asshole who tried to kill him, he would without hesitation.

After some time, the sun began to set. Logan realized his search was becoming fruitless. Driving aimlessly would not get him anywhere, he needed to have a focus, something to latch on to.

'Maybe I can pay Mr. Negative a visit after all. If anyone knows anything about Yashida, he should have an answer.'

With that mission clear, Logan decided to take a turn down an alleyway. He thought maybe he could save some gas by taking a short cut.

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a bad call. Suddenly, Logan found his neck wrapped in chains, forcing him off the damn bike, which crashed to the floor because of the sudden stop. He saw that it got scratched quite a bit, which meant that he would have to pay for it after he finished his business in Japan. Fantastic.

He went to grab the chains as a gang of seemingly young teenagers, six of them if Logan could surmise, surrounded him. They were sneering at the man, pulling out knives and laughing to themselves at their latest prey. Two men held the chains tightly.

"Holy shit, it's a white guy! A hairy one too!" One of the gang members, a skinny man with glasses, said. "A friggin' gaijin, a foreigner. What do you say to that, fellas?"

"Kinda ugly looking. Short too."

"We deserve better than a chump with sideburns. Got any last words, you stupid American trash?"

In spite of the rather annoying situation he found himself in, Logan kept his cool. He took a deep breath, the same kind of exercises Mariko taught him during their honeymoon. He dealt with worse things in his day; a couple of stupid kids weren't going to get to him easily.

"I'm only going to say this once." Logan said. "Let me go, or maybe I'll consider not tearing your head off."

The gang laughed harder at this, clearly not thinking much of this older man and his threats.

"Look at this geezer! He says he could take us on, COME ON. We don't need this crap from him."

"Yeah, we kill 'im first. Then we steal the bike."

"I call DIBS!"

"No way seriously, Junji?"

"I'm dead serious, man."

Peace time had been good for Logan. He led a stable life in Canada, hadn't gotten into trouble more than necessary, and loved Mariko with all his heart. Even Second Impact couldn't take away his spirit. But a lifetime of madness doesn't disappear over a few pretty little years.

"Is that a ring on his finger?"

"Someone definitely had low standards for marrying this geezer. She's probably some kind of a slut."

"Or a damned idiot. Maybe we can show her a good time…"

They laughed again, unaware of the vein popping from Logan's forehead. His hands shook in rage upon hearing those troublesome words.

"Hey, we should just steal this guy's bike quickly. You never know if Spider-Man's gonna show up."

"Fuck Spider-Man. He's just a nuisance; we've been careful."

Logan felt the bones in his click and split inside the flesh. He didn't know if he had been born with these appendages, or if they implanted them on the day of the experiment. Either way, it hurt every time he had to let them out. At least the bleeding had stopped some years ago, after his healing factor went through an upgrade.

On each hand, three sharp, deadly metal claws burst to attention. The gang around him were terrified the moment Logan slashed the chains and pointed the claws at the group.

"Last chance." Logan said. "You worthless punks are in the way. You don't want to mess with me."

"Holy... holy shit!" A gang member gasped. "You're one of those freaks! Like Spider-Man or Doc Ock!"

He had no idea who either of those were. Oh well. Logan scratched the claws on each other, causing sparks that horrified the gang further.

"KILL HIM! KILL THAT FUCKER!"

The two men that chained Logan's neck pulled out their own knives to attack. Wolverine immediately slashed through their arms with his claws, making them scream as they bled on the floor. The three other members panicked, abandoning their leader to the crazed man with knives on his knuckles.

"COWARDS! ALL OF YOU" The leader screamed. "You couldn't even outdo a rat! A RAT!"

He pulled out a gun at Logan, threatening him.

"I got a gun. I won't hesitate to shoot a bitch. Definitely not someone like you."

"If that's what you think, then shoot." Logan grinned maliciously at the idiot. "Haha, look at you. All bark and no bite. Come on. Shoot me, you piece of shit, SHOOT ME!"

BANG!

The gang leader dropped the gun as soon as he fired it. The bullet landed on the man's forehead. By all accounts, it should have been blasted to pieces. Instead, the bullet itself dropped to the floor, and the spot where it hit… well at first, it was a freakish, fleshy red. There was definitely bleeding across the face, dripping to the nose and then into the mouth. Then the hole began to morph, shifting to cover the fleshy bits like the scales on an animal regrowing after being shed. Logan stuck out his tongue, licking the blood from his mouth. The gang leader was, understandably frightened as he got on his knees.

"Please... please don't kill me." The leader said with tears forming in his eyes. "We'll spare you, you can have the bike, just don't kill any of- HELP! HELP, SOMEONE PLEASE! SPIDER-MAN!"

A dark chuckle came from Logan. His right arm retracted the claws, using it to pick up the gang leader and aiming his left hand's claw near the neck.

"Bub, I'm the best there is at what I do." Wolverine said. "You wanna make it up to me? Make sure you leave me alone, or I'll have to do something that isn't very nice."

The leader nodded his head violently. He was shaking, eyes bulging, praying to some unseen force for a chance to live. So Logan obliged him, retracting his claws and dropping the leader.

"Okay." Logan cracked his own neck. "Oof that's good. I'm gonna let you and your pals off, now. Let's try not to mess with each other again, alright bub?"

"Frankly, you should go to a barber. The sideburns look terrible on you."

At the much younger voice, Logan turned to spot a smaller figure landing behind him, letting the gang leader cowardly make his escape. Red jacket, white sleeves, and googles that looked oversized on him. He looked at the two other gang members losing their blood, which changed his whole demeanor as he seemed to bore into Logan's eyes.

"On second thought, we could probably get you one in jail." Spider-Man said. "You left enough of a mark down here that your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man had to step up."

Logan frowned. Apparently, this was Spider-Man. And he was a kid, judging by the voice, the posture and the scent. Probably hadn't even started puberty. Whoever he was, he didn't know what he was getting into. Spider-Man pulled out a phone from his pocket, pressing buttons (most likely sending out a message), before putting it back in his pocket..

"They were gonna kill me, Bub. You don't know half of what happened."

"I'd be a terrible hero if I let you go after what you did to these people. You went overboard. Now I'm gonna ask you to calmly stand down while I call some very nice officers to pick you up-"

Having let him ramble long enough. Logan let out his claws and lunged at Spider-Man. The boy seemed to know he would attack though, as he quickly rolled to his knees, raising them up to send Logan flying away with a kick. As Logan fell, he stabbed his claws to the floor to keep himself in the game.

"Kid, I've got a lot more experience than you do." Logan said, standing up. "You're out of your damn league. Back off."

Spider-Man also got up, raising his fists. "Maybe I am. But if I don't stop you, who will?"

He moved fast, sticking to a wall and crawling towards Logan, who tried to stab him just as Spider-Man jumped next to him. It gave Spider-Man an opening to land a punch to his face-

CRRRRRR-CK!

Which cracked Shinji's hand, causing him to back off a bit.

"Owww what are you made of?"

"Indestructible metal." Logan shrugged. "Kid, you don't hold a candle this fight."

His spider-sense tingled immediately. Spider-Man had enough time to dodge another sweep of the claws. The man swung those things like he had them his whole life, aiming with quick precision to skewer his enemy, who only avoided them thanks to his own danger-detecting senses.

Shinji knew that one wrong move would leave him bleeding all over the pavement. A direct hit probably wouldn't work against a man with an indestructible metal skeleton. It would more likely crack most of his other bones than make him hurt.

"Hey shorty," Spider-Man called him out. "Nobody wears jackets like that unless they're Akira cosplayers. You seriously gonna come at me with weebishness?"

Not his best joke, but clearly it made Wolverine annoyed.

"Bub, I was there when that movie premiered. Don't pretend you value high art with that Kamen Rider shit you got."

"Actually it's Ultraman. Not that you care, old yeller."

Spider-Man jumped on top of Logan, throwing his legs around Logan's head and webbing the floor to knock him down. He jumped before the older man could sink his claws into him, with Spider-Man webbing the scratched motorcycle.

"So, big claws you got there. You one of HERZ's guys? I bet you'll get along great with the RHINO!"

The extra emphasis was due to Spider-Man putting all he had into hitting Logan with the motorcycle. It did strike him, temporarily knocking him against the wall, thus breaking the motorcycle into pieces. However, all that did was leave a dent on the wall. What few scratches remained, Shinji's eyes widened in horror as he saw them heal instantly.

"No idea what you're talking about. I never met a Rhino. I did meed a very annoying bug who wouldn't leave me alone."

He snarled at Spider-Man, having realized that with the bike mostly destroyed, he now had a larger debt he had to pay before Japan again.

"Okay, Bub. You're making me MAD!"

He wasn't prepared for Spider-Man's attack- the boy webbed to two different parts of the wall and slammed his kick into Logan, making him crash further into the building and through several walls.

Spider-Man jumped back down to the ground, already feeling his legs sting a bit. He didn't look up to see the hole he made.

"Okay, I know you're not down for the count." Spider-Man breathed. "But I would totally appreciate it if you just… kind of stopped, man. Go home. You're drunk."

His spider-sense rang again, but it was too late. The fearsome man came up to Spider-Man and stabbed him through the stomach. The boy gasped, already feeling blood come from his wounds.

"Leave me alone, Web Head." He yelled at him. "I'm on a mission and I don't got time to play games with you. It's a nonlethal strike anyway. You should heal in a week."

With that, Logan dropped the boy onto the side and ran, leaving him to his fate. Shinji knew would heal from this, like he always did, but it seemed now was one of those days where he could barely get up. He could barely get to his knees at the moment.

"Damn it... he got away…"

Sirens.

For a moment Shinji panicked at the thought of the police being here, but instead, it looked like the ambulance had arrived. Good. The medics got out of the car and tended to the wounded gang members.

"God, they're alive…"

"We need to get them to a hospital quick."

"Losing blood fast, he might not make it."

It was a bit of a blur for Shinji, that a hand on his shoulder jarred him enough to cause panic. The medic waved his hands.

"Whoah man, I'm not gonna hurt you. You don't look so hot," The medic said. "Maybe we can take you with us. You got that injury."

Spider-Man gently shook the hand away. "No thanks, I'm good. I just need a moment… ugh, gotta run"

Before the medics could ask him any more questions, Spider-Man attached himself to the wall and started climbing it. He simply did not want to deal with anyone right now. To think that Shinji was having a decent day up to this point. He quickly swung over across several buildings, trying not to open the wounds again.

'It's such a pain… ugh, it hasn't been this bad since the time I got shot.'

After a while, Shinji came back to the building where he left the groceries. Thankfully, they had not been taken or eaten by birds. Shinji thanked Banjō for his sacred protection. Spider-Man clutched his fists.

"I'll get that asshole next time. Right now… I just need some sleep…"

He would wait another patrol. Shinji wanted to have some rest.

The light seemed to burn through Shinji's eyelids.

He slowly moved his hands to the stomach, checking his injury. He could feel the outline of the scars, but as far his fingers could tell it wasn't bleeding anymore. He healed enough.

Shinji yawned, raising his head up… only to slam on something on top of him.

"Ow!"

Oh right. He forgot about the cupboard. Shinji looked around, his eyes adjusting to the bright wide window next to him. The room he had been given was very small, limited in space, only good for a bed, and a closet. It wasn't a problem for him, as Shinji had few belongings left over from his house getting destroyed. A few uniforms and his camera on the desk.

There was a time he thought about moving into the warehouse where he trained his powers when he started. The first problem was that a warehouse was unsanitary and didn't have any room for a bed or places to eat. The second problem was that it had also been destroyed in the storm.

So the room went about the same as Shinji's usual living situation: spartan with hardly any of his personality. The only difference is that there was so much dirt around. He hadn't clean the room in a while.

"I've been busy." He told himself. "I just… haven't had the time…"

Quickly, Shinji got changed into his regular clothes. He took a step, then realized his foot had been bumped with something thin. It was his costume, still lying on the floor.

"Shoot, that's reckless!" He took the costume and placed it underneath the sheets of his bed. "Thank God that Mr. Lee doesn't do inspections or someone would have figured me out!"

Last night came back to him piece by piece. He bought the goods that Mr. Lee told him to bring, only to encounter that maniac with claws in his hands, then went to sleep as soon as he came back home and delivered the groceries.

The maniac… something told Shinji he wouldn't be seeing the last of him.

"With my luck anything's possible." Shinji told to himself. "Welp, I guess it's time to get going."

He opened the door, looking around a bit, before shutting the door behind him. The FEAST Center was a converted apartment complex, with Shinji living on the second floor. There were stairs that led down to the lobby, where many of the poor and unfortunate sat around on tables and beds. There was bustling activity at the moment, which meant Shinji had to make a couple of detours.

On his way downstairs, he bumped into a couple that bickered with each other playing chess.

"Hello again." He bowed to them. "How are you doing, Naruko and Akito?"

Akito laughed. "If it isn't good ol' Ikari. Quiet little shit arencha? Why you wasting your time with us instead of buzzin' off? I heard the ladies are in the other room."

"You would say something like that, wouldn't you?" Naruko rolled her eyes. "Ignore him, Ikari. He's as delusional as ever."

"I'll be sure to do it." Shinji shrugged. "Anything I can get you two? The usual meal?"

"Nah kid. Scram. We already ate." Akito felt a light slap to his knee. "Ow!"

"What he meant to say was, that we will be fine." Naruko smiled. "Give my regards to Mr. Lee. He has been very kind to give us a home."

"Yeah, very nice for a Chinese guy. He's all heart- OW!"

It was a rather harsh kick. Akito didn't understand why his girlfriend had to be so hard on him, he was just speaking the truth!

"We are very grateful. That is all." Naruko said. "Have a wonderful day, dear!"

Shinji politely nodded and walked away. The FEAST Center was home to people like them, who had no place to go, no one to guide them, and… continued life as if nothing happened. He had found the idea disquieting at first, just forgetting the pain. As if they had died and they just forgot

'I should have known… you were there all along… heh heh… it's obvious now… the two of you are so heroic and kind…'

He shook his head, trying to forget her voice. Perhaps Shinji had been projecting on that front.

"Ah, there you are, Shinji."

If FEAST was a resting place for the deceased, then Martin Lee was the reaper ferrying them. He was a sharply dressed man, always smiling, with a robust jawline that helped exude an aura of virtue. It helped that he also had a practiced charisma that convinced officials to back his project, even against their own investors.

Some have called his efforts condescending, a way to prop himself up. Not that the people here were complaining. A lifeboat is a lifeboat, and they'll cling to it no matter who delivers it. Shinji had easily accepted it the moment he met this man and shook his hand.

"You feel any better from yesterday?" Martin grinned. "You didn't get into a bad stomach ache from my meals, did you?"

Shinji shrugged, being careful not to open wounds just yet.

"Nope, I'm out and about, ready for some fresh air. I'm thinking of taking some photos outside…"

"There we go." Lee rolled his eyes. "You're risking your neck out there doing dangerous stuff. Were you this much of a risk taker like this in school?"

Oh, if only any of his classmates listened to that. They'd just burst laughing at the suggestion he was the type to take risks. Even Shinji had to laugh at it himself.

"It's just difficult when you're cooped up in here." Shinji admitted. "I feel more like… myself out there, let's go with that."

"Ah yes, the never-ending quest to figure out who we are." Lee laughed along with Shinji. "Everyone's always trying to define one another in their own head. Don't let people do that to you, or take advantage of your talents. I know about the snacks you feed Fujiko when I'm not looking."

Shinji opened his mouth and closed it, not wanting to look more incriminating than he already did. "Um, that was just helping a neighbor."

"Right. Well, it's my belief that a bright young mind can do anything when they set itself a goal for themselves and risk it all to take it. It'd be hypocritical for me to keep you from it, but always be cautious of the path ahead. You never know what kind of man you'll change into, or what darker side of yourself can be pulled out by circumstance."

"Thank you, Mr. Lee." Shinji smiled and nodded. "I hope to be as good as you are some day."

"I'm not great." Mr. Lee waved it off. "I just know the right thing to say at the right time someone needs to hear it. Everyone's got something buried in their heart."

Indeed. Shinji was very envious of Mr. Lee's gift to empathize with people, even, or perhaps especially, when they are at their lowest point. Shinji had already seen first hand how a screaming drunk came in with a gun, ready to fire at anyone unless he got food. Mr. Lee took the man's hand and calmly diffused the situation within the span of a single conversation, getting the drunk to surrender the gun and become another supporter at FEAST. Martin Lee was, if nothing else, a great communicator. if only Shinji could reach to others the same way he did.

A stranger came running towards them, stopping to pant. Then she opened her mouths.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lee. Someone at the door intimidating the other staff. He says he knows you."

Shinji and Martin gave her a curious glance, wondering who it could be. Martin brought a hand to his mouth and cleared his throat.

"Very well, send him right in."

The staff member was surprised, but nodded. She went back out and suddenly the man outside came bursting in.

"Just the man I wanted to see. Who would have thought you'd build a life like this, huh?"

His Spider-Sense didn't need to tingle for Shinji to realize the man was bad news. Immediately, Shinji recognized him as the cruel man from last night, the one that nearly killed him, and would have ended those criminals' lives if he hadn't sent coordinates to the ambulance.

"Logan…" Mr. Lee breathed out, his eyes widening. "You are here?"

"In the flesh. There's somethin' I gotta talk to you about. Privately."

Shinji couldn't help but stare panicked at the man, now named Logan. He carried himself like a caged animal, waiting for a moment to strike. Logan himself didn't win any favors by glaring back at Shinji with his own barely disguised contempt.

"Whacha lookin' at me for, Bub?" He sniffed the boy. "You smell familiar…"

Shinji felt a hand on his chest. Martin gave him a reassuring smile, before turning to Logan.

"Pay him no mind, Logan." Lee said calmly. He reached out his hand. "You said you wanted to speak to me."

The other man sneered, slapping Lee's hand away. "Don't pull your nice guy act with me. I'd rather we settle things man to man. In your office."

Lee nodded. Noticing Shinji's growing confusion, Lee gently patted him on the head.

"It is just a minor, temporary situation. It will resolve itself in a few scant moments, then return back to normal. Understood?"

Setting aside the growing fear, Shinji had no choice but to nod. Lee waved for Logan to come with him, walking towards an office not too far ahead. Shinji was not the only one disturbed, as other passerby watched on in despair.

"What's up with that guy?" One said. "Who does that hairy freak think he is?"

"I hope he don't threaten Mr. Lee... man's good to us, we don't need his shit."

"Dammit, please don't let Lee be prey to some kind of scheme."

As a crowd started to gather, Shinji knew he had to witness whatever conversation would happen between Mr. Lee and Logan, if only to make sure it didn't break out into violence. He snuck to a nearby wall with a conveniently placed vent. He broke off the lid, putting it back once he climbed inside of it.

'Luckily for me, my powers include crawling along ventilation ducts.' Shinji thought to himself. 'I said that like it was something to be proud of.'

As he got closer to his goal, Shinji managed to overhear a conversation underway. it started muffled, but then it became clearer, with Shinji being careful not to make noise as he approached the vent entrance to Mr. Lee's office.

"… in spite of our… past conflicts," Mr. Lee spoke. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Wolverine."

"You have been living the good life, haven't you? You got people worshippin' the ground you walk on, like a saint. Betcha really enjoy that."

"I do my best to help. How they see me is irrelevant."

"Whatever you say. I just hope that kid won't be too heartbroken if he ever realizes what kind of shit you used to get up to."

"What do you want Logan?"

A firmer voice than Shinji had ever heard from Lee. What did this Logan have on him?

"I wanna know if you had some names. Maybe old connections. A place. Yashida has taken something from me, and I want it back."

"Don't involve me in this, Logan. I left that life behind long ago. I will not sully myself assisting in another one of your mad rampages."

"That's rich coming from you, Mr. Negative. I bet you still have that demon inside of you, screaming for blood the moment you set it free-"

Fists banged against the table. "ENOUGH! I will not have you coming here to insult me. Either you tell me what it is you want, or get the hell out of here."

At that, Logan decided to take it easier. He sighed. "I'm on a mission. Like I said, Yashida took something from me. I need your help."

"What could he have possibly taken from you that would require ruining my own life?" Martin sneered at him. "Get out Logan, and never return."

Logan went quiet. He hated having to admit it, but he had to tell the truth. It was more important than another stab at protecting his own pride.

"… they took my son."

At that, Lee stilled himself. His eyes briefly widen in disbelief.

"Your son?"

"Yeah. Nineteen. Headed for college real soon. Real shit that one. Six months ago, Mariko and I came back from our vacation and found Kuzuryu guys in our house waiting for us. We found out they kidnapped our son, so I went to track their bosses and figured Akihiro was trafficked here. Why they chose this dump I'm not sure."

Martin had to sit down upon hearing this revelation. "My God… how is Mariko taking this? How can you be sure they aren't over there right now taking her?"

"They're not. I know what they're really after, and it's not her, or even Akihiro. They want me. Which is why I need your help finding these guys."

Martin stared at him in silence. Then, he glanced at the sword he kept mounted on the wall. It was once a gift passed down from his father, the last remains of his family when they passed on. Now, it represented a shameful part of his past he thought he had outgrown.

It seemed fate decided to play him for a fool once again.

"Yes... this is a grave situation…" Martin closed his eyes. "Very well. I may have some contacts I can use to find your son."

Upon touching the sword, his eyes began to glow white. He blinked, causing them to return to normal.

"Once again, I must feed the demon inside me." He shook his head. "It is the only way."

Surprisingly, Logan's face softened upon hearing this. "Look, you can keep your little soup kitchen, I just want some leads. I'll be off your hair as soon as I get my son."

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that." Lee laughed ruefully. "I am indebted to you thanks to your mercy so many years ago. Meet me with me in nightfall. You will have your son by then, Logan."

Logan would have said something else. However, his nose sniffed out a familiar scent. He briefly glanced at the vent, his enhanced hearing picking up the steps of a human with a small frame.

"Is something wrong?"

Logan sighed, having figured out who might have been watching. "Nothing, Lee. I can smell someone's dirty laundry from here."

"Your comedy is a pitiful as your haircut."

"Very funny. I promise I'll make this quick and go home."

With that, their business had been conducted. Logan left Mr. Lee to mope in his office, making sure to make one little detour along the way. His nose could track any scent, and soon he spotted Shinji putting the vent entrance back.

"Guess you're a bit of an eavesdropper, Spider-Man."

The boy was startled. He tried to punch Logan, but the older man grabbed his arm and smirked.

"Nuh uh, kid. No need for violence around here."

Shinji forced his hand away from Logan's grip. "I don't know what your game is, but you're not going to get away with it. You're certainly not dragging Mr. Lee down with you."

"Kid, this shit between me and Lee's personal. You can't get involved."

"Like Hell I'm going to let you do what you want."

"All I'll say is that you should walk away while you still can." Logan sneered. "If I see you there, and you're bleeding on the floor, I won't help you. Stupid kids win stupid prizes."

The older man marched off, having said his piece. It was as much of a warning as it was a threat, which Shinji had no doubt he meant. All this did was make his fists clench in contempt.

"Luckily for both of us, you won't need to protect me." He said to no one. "Not while I'm protecting Martin."

They got into a car and started driving. Good. That meant he could follow them.

Spider-Man realized that he couldn't be seen too close to the car or else there'd be a very awkward conversation at best. Staying a block or two behind was better for camouflage, even if it tried his patience. So that's what Shinji did.

Swinging through the night usually did a lot to clear his head. Usually. However, Shinji was still reeling from what he had witnessed in the office. He couldn't say he knew Mr. Lee too well; Lee was never open about his past, even to his own staff. No one really questioned it, as his resolve was genuine. Shinji himself couldn't throw stones, as he wasn't open about himself for a number of reasons.

But Shinji couldn't ignore the fact that he used to be a criminal. Was he an enforcer of some kind? He talked about feeding a demon inside of him. Did that mean he also had powers? What does Shinji do with this information? Blurt it out into the public? That would dissolve FEAST instantly and leave people without their homes.

But was FEAST even real to begin with? Was this just an effort on Lee's part to hide himself? Or was it his form of redemption for his crimes? People can be complex, and Lee seemed genuinely remorseful, but…

This was a line of questioning that didn't get him anywhere. Shinji realized that if he wanted answers, he would need to speak with Martin Lee himself.

The real problem is still hiding in the same car as Lee. Shinji had seen the kind of man Logan was: a monster. An animal. A murderer, who held no remorse. He may be here for his son, but Logan would leave a mountain of bodies in his wake if he were left to his own devices. So Spider-Man needed to be there to make sure Lee wasn't dragged to Logan's level for this job.

Assuming Lee couldn't go there on his own. He admitted to being spared by Logan at one point… Spider-Man wondered what Lee was capable of when push came to shove. Could he truly save this man's soul? Wrestle him from a darker half? Can he reach him at this point?

"How self centered can you get, ignoring her feelings like that? Have you even talked to her at all? You didn't didn't you? You just assumed. I should just beat the shit out of you right now."

Strange how intrusive the past could be.

Spider-Man realized the car stopped in front of an unassuming abandoned building.

It did look wrecked from the outside. Broken windows, boarded-up walls, probably a cobweb here or there… but Shinji had been in at least two of HERZ's labs. They kept their bases secret by hiding them in plain sight, where no one would think to look. He couldn't take any chances.

Lee and Logan stepped out of the car. They gazed up the building in a forlorn mood. Shinji noticed the sword next on Lee's holster.

"Last chance to turn back, Lee. I tend to be pretty good at this part of the job."

Mr. Lee frowned. "We shouldn't take any chances. Remember the plan."

Lee placed a pair of cuffs on Logan, then brought the sword to his neck as part of the plan. It was a simple idea on the face of it: pretend to be a prisoner of Lee to get inside of the base, then use the time to rescue Akihiro from whatever they were putting him through. Lee went behind Logan and gripped his arms.

"Move."

Logan did so, the two entering the building. Naturally, Spider-Man had to follow suit. He climbed to the upper level of the building, so as to risk being spotted. Shinji dropped inside through one of the broken windows, immediately finding himself in a large dingy space with cracks on the floor and objects being covered up in tarps. If he had to guess, Shinji assumed this was a jewelry story at one point.

Spider-Man carefully tip toed across the floor, the cracks allowing him to overhear a conversation going down below. It seemed as though there were guards inside the area. More reason to suspect a hide-out.

"Yashida is surprised you decided to come back. Even more surprising, you got the Wolverine with you."

"Just bring me to your master. My patience is little and thin."

"Sure, sure, right this way, champ. We gotta take the express elevator."

Elevator… Shinji came across a pair of doors. Yes, this is probably correct. Through no trouble at all, Spider-Man forced the doors open. He could see more advanced cables on the elevator smoothly moving it downward, showing they some maintenance had been happening in this abandoned building. Spider-Man attached to the walls and climbed down alongside it.

Eventually, after a while, the elevator stopped. Spider-Man then carefully removed the lid on another ventilation shaft and entered it.

From what Shinji could see through the ventilation openings, this part of the building was significantly more advanced. Shiny floors, drones and armored henchmen littered the place, almost like an army was being put together in there. It was criminal how they managed to make this much headway without anyone noticing, yet…

He had not done much investigating of HERZ's whereabouts, hadn't he? With the mess they created months ago, Shinji thought they were finished. Evidently they were not. They only got better at hiding their tracks.

'I'll have to shut them down, somehow.' Shinji thought. 'I won't run from this.'

"There you are. The traitor and the Wolverine, here inside my hidden fortress."

Shinji saw how Logan and Mr. Lee stopped upon hearing the voice. There was also a large man encased in an advanced suit of armor made to resemble a samurai, its' material forged in silver, a pair of swords around his waist, the symbol of the Rising Sun on his chest; alongside this man was a familiar opponent to Shinji. The Shocker, still with the same vest and gauntlets he had before, marched next to the Samurai as if he was his bodyguard. Perhaps he was, in this case.

"Kenichiro Yashida." Mr. Lee said. "You honor us, Kokoro's very own Kingpin of Crime."

Yashida? Shinji remembered him now. He had been the one who built the city, who ran organized crime and helped HERZ run their twisted experiments on the Shiraishis, on Inumaru… on her. He had to resist going down there to beat him right then.

"Do not insult me with your false pleasantry, mutt." Kenichiro Yashida spoke in obvious distaste. "I was surprised you contacted me, given your betrayal. You have some nerve coming to me, Mr. Negative."

Lee bristled at the name. "I thought I had left that life behind. The demon disagreed."

"It has, seeing as you have brought one of my sworn enemies to me. You will be rewarded handsomely."

A loud, beaming hum could be heard from the Shocker's gauntlets. "Give me the word, Master. I can incinerate the Gaijin in a single blast."

"No need, Oshiro." Yashida said. "He must suffer something worse than death… the knowledge that he has failed his clan, much like I have had to endure for years."

"What did you do to my son?!" Logan growled. "You took Akihiro from us."

"Your son? Ha, now I remember." Yashida grinned. "Your pup is being experimented on as we speak. As he did not possess your Adamantium bones, his experiences were… painful to say the least. But I believe his healing factor alone will make him prime material for military applications."

That made Logan growl harder. He would have lunged at the fool if it weren't for Lee's own attempt to restrain him further.

"Easy, Wolverine." Lee shook his head. "You are my prisoner here, mutt."

"Mutt. You see what he called you?" Kenichiro Yashida laughed. "Your quest has been rendered meaningless! You escaped your own exile, to return to Japan, only to join your son in the cage. The only fitting revenge for turning Mariko against her own Clan."

"Against you, you mean." Logan smirked at him. "Last time I checked, your brother wasn't the most approving either. I don't see him with you right now."

Kenichiro grit his teeth, bringing out one of his swords. It pulsed with a pink, kinetic energy.

"Speak his name in my presence, and I may decapitate you myself."

"Look at you, little Silver Samurai thinks he's such big shit. Truth is you're a dumb jock playin' cowboy."

"Be quiet, dog!"

"Or what? You gonna kill me? Sure, like that's ever worked."

The sword pulsed harder. "I SAID SHUT UP YOU DISEASED MONGREL!"

"Sir, do not let this dog speak ill of you!" Oshiro said. "I can kill him right now, but you must keep your temper in check! It would not do to disrespect yourself in this manner."

For a minute, Kenichiro seemed ready to strike down the man who had dared to insult him so cruelly. However, he soon calmed, sighing as he put the sword back in his sheath. The other guards instead brought out their guns.

"Yes, you are correct, Shocker. As you have already been." Kenichiro shook his head. "The Wolverine has troubled me long enough. You will all take him to a cell. Any wrong move and not even he will be able to survive the Adamantium bullets we carry with us."

Logan and Lee were starting to sweat, having realized what that meant. Their plan was already going to go to the toilet.

"Oh? Did you not think we would come prepared for you?" Kenichiro sneered. "How foolish to underestimate me. The moment I kidnapped your son, I knew that I had to be vigilant in case you came. So we outfitted our guns with Adamantium weaponry. We already used the ore for our own experiments. Might as well use it here."

Logan growled again. "You cheatin' son of a…"

"No, not cheating. Winning." Kenichiro let out a little laugh. "Any last words? Or should I shoot you down already in the face of your failure?"

That was it. The moment could not have come any later, as suddenly the vent burst, Spider-Man dropping down and bringing all eyes onto him. Even Logan and Lee were startled by his presence..

"Hey! If you're going to shoot somebody, shoot me!" Spider-Man said. "Let these guys go and maybe no one gets hurt."

Lee himself audibly gasped. "Spider-Man… Here…?"

Logan rolled his eyes. "Gimme a break."

Anyone paying attention to the last of the Yashida Clan could notice a crazed fire creeping into his eyes upon seeing the Wall-Crawler right here. In his fortress. In his pride. He viciously snarled out his orders to the remaining soldiers.

"SHOOT HIM! KILL HIM! THE SPIDER-MAN MUST NOT LEAVE HERE ALIVE!"

Logan immediately broke out of the cuffs and brought out his claws. He sliced through two of the guns around him and stabbed the guards to death. Lee also brought out his own sword and struck another guard, although he made sure only to strike the arms, disabling their ability to fight.

"What did I tell you, kid!" Logan yelled. "You don't got a chance down here!"

"I'm sorry, were you the boss of me? Nah, I do what I want." Spider-Man webbed a gun away and used it to hit another guard. "If anything, you should be more grateful. I just saved your life."

"You didn't save shit, you just made the plan more complicated!"

"More complicated than getting yourself caught? You guys seriously need to work out your plans."

"Funny… that's what I told him…" Mr. Lee grunted, feeling the demon flowing throughout his body. "I am grateful for your assistance, Spider-Man. Really I am… but this is a dangerous mission… You have to leave."

Spider-Man avoided more gun fire, smacking the guards in the head. He just wanted to knock them out, not anything fancy.

"With all due respect, Mr Lee, I'm not going anywhere." Spider-Man said. "We have powers, you're just a guy! Go, get out of here!"

"Just a man, you say. Oh how I wish…" Mr. Lee smiled sadly. "The demon has awakened."

Martin Lee had his secrets. He had kept this form in check for such a long time that he had forgotten… the horror… the loss… the pain that powered him through the worst moments of his decades long-career. His entire body blinked in and out, like a film reel, a slow transition from flesh to a photonegative picture of himself. His hair, eyes and suit became as white as snow, while the skin and other parts were dark as the soul could get.

"I will save your son, Logan. You deal with the small fry."

With that, Mr. Negative swing his sword downward, blasting a path for himself. He ran as fast as he could, with not a single one of the grunts being able to stop him. In the end, only the Shocker dared to follow.

"Hey! You will not escape!" Oshiro screamed. "DIE, YOU MONSTER!"

Shinji was frightened at Lee's new form. He had seen powers, but this felt different. It was Lee's own dark side made manifest… perhaps he was too late to save him.

"Focus on the grunts, kid." Logan slashed another one. "We need to do what we can to stay alive. MOVE IT!"

As much as it pained him to admit, Logan was right. The fight was becoming a full-on brawl, so Spider-Man turned his attention back to the guards. He webbed a couple of drones and made them explode across consoles, barely noticing the red alert going throughout the base.

Shinji was doing everything he could to survive without hurting anyone. Yet here he was, teaming up with someone he had just called a killer not too long ago. It may have been an enemy mine situation… but he couldn't help but feel like a hypocrite. It brought to mind his own attempted- no, not attempted, he technically succeeded- murder of Yamagishi's father.

"You hurt so many people… they're all dead because of you! You have to pay for your crimes, Yamagishi… that's why I'll make sure you won't be leaving this house alive!"

At that, the creature laughed his cruel laugh. "You fool… You can burn for your human stupidity, but my angelic body was built to withstand the flames! How could you even hope kill me like this?"

Shinji smirked. "You'll find out soon enough!"

He had smiled at the thought of the Goblin's death. The way Logan conducted his kills… was he the same as him…?

"FOOL!" Yashida let out his own yell. "If I cannot win this fight, then I will have the satisfaction of destroying my most hated enemies."

"Cool, who's your favorite?" Spider-Man punched another man out. "I'd like to think I'm cooler than broody murder-claws over here. You know, noble hero vs the jaded villain? We make a nice contrast, I think."

"Do you ever shut up, Bub?"

"if it annoys you, never."

The Silver Samurai saw no other choice in the moment. He unleashed both of the swords from their sheaths, both as silver as his own armor. They started glowing.

"Neither of you morons will be leaving here, alive."

He swung both swords into the ground, which caused both Spider-Man and Logan to move out of the way to avoid getting hit. Instead, they both panicked upon seeing the burnt trail reaching up to the exit.

"I am the last of my clan, brought low by the likes of freaks and monsters." Kenichito ranted. "I will not lose to a single pathetic attack like last time, Spider-Man. For now, you have incurred the wrath of the one true SILVER SAMURAI!"

"You talk too much, Bub." Logan went for a lunge. "I'm gonna make you choke on that damned sword."

His claws were blocked by one of the swords. The clash was but a few seconds, as Logan could only barely avoid the other sword's strike. He tried to claw at the armor, but it made no dent. He jumped back to avoid another downward slash.

"You dishonor yourself, Logan." Yashida said. "I expected better from the Wolverine. My armor is made of Adamantium and Vibranium, which makes me INVINCIBLE!"

Yashida felt webbing on his back. Spider-Man kicked him to the ground, about to try to land a hit before the Samurai swung an energy blast towards him, which did slash through his chest. Blood spilled as he fell, with Shinji gripping his chest. He had no choice but to rip off his jacket, leaving his torso exposed.

"Ow, ow!" Spider-Man said. "You weren't bragging."

"Brags are only good if you can back them up. Like I can."

Luckily, Shinji's Spider-Sense kicked in just in time to avoid another one of Kenichiro's energy sword swings. They were relentless, no doubt thanks to Yashida's armor enhancing his already nimble strength. Spider-Man couldn't spot a weak point in the armor's design, at least not one so obvious he could exploit it. The Samurai seemed prepared for anything.

At the same time. Logan picked himself up from the floor. He saw Yashida going out of his way to kill the kid. In spite of what he had promised earlier, Logan decided to step in anyway. He launched himself towards Kenichiro's back, not to strike the armor as he knew it would be fruitless, but instead to aim for the neck. He tried to claw around there and see if he could do some damage. However, the Samurai noticed this attempt and simply plunged his right sword into Logan, throwing him at Spider-Man and knocking them back.

"You are useless." He yelled. "Neither of you have what it takes when it comes to true power!"

He brought his swords down again, with Spider-Man reluctantly picking up Logan and webbing them to safety. Clearly, neither of them were getting close to winning this fight on their own. The Silver Samurai started marching towards them, making slow deliberate steps to let them soak in their potential doom.

"You gonna thank me for saving your life, yet?" Shinji asked. "Rhetorical. Even if you don't say anything, I'll know."

"Beat it, kid. This is a war zone, not a place to play dress-up. You shoulda left us to-"

"Listen Wolvie. I could go for several minutes about how, actually, you would have gotten yourself killed if I didn't step in, but I won't. I don't like you, you don't like me, and that's good since I don't think we'd make good buddies. But right now, we're outmatched. How about we put our differences aside and work together to beat this guy, alright? Then we can go back to the part where you get arrested for your crimes."

Logan snorted. "As if you had a chance.'

"Chances better than surviving big dumb and silver over here?"

One brief look at the Samurai, ready to strike them down and that was enough to convince Logan.

"Fine. Let's team up."

The two freaks got up again, ready to continue the fight.

"You got a plan, Bub? Or was that all puff with no bite?"

Spider-Man raised his fists. "I'm thinking…"

Mr. Negative was, fitting his namesake, a man of contrast.

The boy who came to Japan all those years ago was not the teen raised to be an enforcer for the mob. The teen was also not the same as the man who built a foundation devoted to helping the homeless. They were not separate people, but the same man on different parts of his journey through life.

What remained consistent was that he had been a victim. A society that hated the likes of him, even when they shared common roots and used parts of the written language... What good is justice when confronted with a world seemingly dead set on breaking him? Why be merciful?

Why indeed was the question as he swung his sword at the guards. He hadn't killed a single soul since he had barged into the facility. His powers manifested young; a small child's touch could heal his neighbor from any disease. The same child could also sense the dark and twisted thoughts inside people's minds, using said thoughts to enslave people to his own will. These things were fed to the demon…

Himself. Or a photo-negative version of himself, born from his own anger. There was no use denying his sin, any more than he could deny Logan's nature. He came to help a man slaughter thousands, even if they did deserve it. Yet here Martin was, playing hypocrite as he himself did not kill others. If it was in his control the whole time, he would use the powers he possessed to maintain to the principles that he preached.

Mercy got him here. Mercy was what he preached. So mercy, even for the likes of these lowlives, was deserved.

Soon, Mr. Negative felt a presence like Logan's own. He was in a laboratory wing now. Of course they would experiment on children. Those born with power were exploited by those who gained it, lawfully or not.

So with no haste, he blasted down a door. A raven haired female scientist raised her hands up, and a teenager, older than Shinji, had long black hair, his shirtless self revealing a tattoo that stretched from his chest to his arm.

"I am here for the boy." Martin Lee said. "Back down."

"You get back, asshole." Akihiro said, releasing his claws. Two from the knuckles, one from his wrist. He was his father's son. "You're not gonna hurt the doc."

"Your father sent me here to help you. This woman-"

"Saved my life." Akihiro said. "While everyone else called me a useless dog, she protected me. You hurt her and I won't hesitate."

To inspire loyalty like that, it made Mr. Negative curious. He gazed at the woman, spotting the name Dr. Sarah Kinney in her I.D. tags. Unfamiliar name. Perhaps she was someone new.

"I want nothing but what's best for him." Sarah said. "The experiments were becoming too violent for what he could have handled."

Mr. Negative kept the sword trained on her.

"You are here with Yashida. You must have known the kind of person he was beforehand. No one involved with him is an innocent."

"You don't need to tell me that." Sarah shook her head. "I have blood on hands. I only realized now that this is not how I want my life's work to be defined by. That is why I tried to help Akihiro escape. Believe me."

It was strange, but Mr. Negative could sense she was telling the truth. So he put the sword away. For now.

"There is a catch to these things. A price." Mr. Negative said. "Name it."

"There… is a girl." Sarah looked down. "She is troubled. Unstable. All I ask is that you help me get her out of here."

Troubled? Well this certainly got interesting for him.

"Very well. But first, we must leave."

"Where's dad?" Akihiro said. "You said he sent you here, but I know him. The old man can't resist snooping around."

"Last I checked, he and Spider-Man were holding off Yashida. We must make our escape now."

"Spider-Man? The urban legend?" Akihiro raised an eyebrow. "I thought he was just some guy. He's real?"

"Very real." Dr. Kinney confirmed. "He has stopped several HERZ operations in the past months. Do not underestimate him."

If Lee knew who Spider-Man was, he'd give that one a handshake and a hug. He'd deserved it for all the trouble he had been put through this night.

Akihiro looked behind Mr. Lee and pointed past him. "LOOK OUT!"

Mr. Negative was only briefly surprised, letting the shock blast hit him to protect the other two from injury. He glowered when he realized he was attacked by the Samurai's henchman.

"You will trouble my master NO MORE!" Shocker prepared the gauntlets again. "Stand still! DIE!"

Mercy… hold onto that. "You are outmatched. Leave, or suffer."

"I'd rather die." Shocker snarled at him. "I refuse to betray my master."

Welp. He couldn't say he didn't try. Mr. Negative's eyes glowed.

"Then perish."

Shocker fired another blast at Mr. Negative, who slid through the floor to knock the man down, except then Shocker used his gauntlets to boost himself out of the way. Instead, Shocker jumped to the wall and propelled towards Mr. Negative, proceeding to power up his gauntlet for a shock punch.

Reeling from the attack, it surprised Lee how adaptable Shocker was. He brought his sword for a swing only to have Shocker block it with one hand while letting the other do a second shock punch. Mr. Negative moved the sword to block a shock blast, delivering a kick to Shocker's stomach and a full swing down on top of his back.

That only knocked him for a blazing couple of seconds, as Shocker blasted the floor to gain some distance. Mr. Negative went to rush him with another sword swing, which Shocker dodged, but Lee was counting on to deck him with his elbows to the gut. Shocker brought both arms to block another sword swing, which managed to disrupt the energies enough to force Mr. Negative back a bit.

Shocker went for another straight up attack, but this time, Lee was ready for him. Mr. Negative stabbed the sword to the ground and raised his fists.

"I do not think I will be needing this sword." He taunted Shocker. "Do you believe yourself to be on my level?"

Shocker laughed. "I am above the likes of you. Be ready to perish."

"Your mistake."

At that, Mr. Negative blocked a punch from Shocker, then hit him in the waist, then strong punch to the cheek that drew blood. As Shocker tried to recover for another shock blast, .Mr. Negative ultimately got behind him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders..

"There…" Lee stuttered out, his eyes glowing. "Tell me, Shocker, what do you fear…"

In that moment, Shocker was no longer the supervillain. Instead, his eyes widened in fear as he became Shun Oshiro once again… another drone among a sea of useless workers.

"Shun Oshiro, prized worker of the Yashida Corp…" Lee's voice rang through his mind.
"Always trying to please someone to fill the void in your life. Ha… you are an empty vessel, no wonder you serve him faithfully."

"I serve because it is my own wish…"

"Is it? Is it truly? Because it seems like Yashida tricked you…"

Oshiro then realized he was back in the fateful board meeting. The one where his path changed forever. When they rejected the SHOCKER Gauntlets.

"It is because it is impractical." The man in the middle responded dispassionately at the outburst. "We spent a lot of money on it to just produce one pair of those gloves, it would take away jobs from construction workers and we already have much cheaper resources that accomplish the job without this expensive technology."

"So it is rejected then." Shun stated flatly.

"A fine idea-." interrupted the man in the middle. "But ultimately more flawed than it is worth. The project is indeed rejected."

Shun clenched his fist as he looked down at the floor. Oshiro had worked hard on this invention for months, countless hours devoted to getting the details right. But now that work was wasted, washed away in the sea of rejection by corporate business.

"However…" Shun looked up at the voice. "There could still be some use for it."

"Really?" From his earlier gloom, it gave away to joy. Shun was careful to keep a calm composure, though the knowledge work will not be for nothing made it hard to remain so. "What do you mean?"

"You will receive a call tomorrow." The man in the middle turned around, facing the window. "For now, you are dismissed."

"Do you not see?" Lee's voice continued. "Yashida played you for a fool. You could have made a mint with that product, truly revolutionized things… but he played you."

"I do not mind… being a servant…" Shun said unsure. "…I would have been unfit… for the management…"

"Perhaps. But would it not be easier to find liberation? Kill him, take the glory? Or simply run away to find someone new? The possibilities are endless, Oshiro. You do not have to be bound to a master."

He briefly considered that idea. Running away from Yashida, abandoning everything he had worked for the past few months so he could live in peace, sell his inventions… and it made hm enraged.

"Never. I will never do it!" Oshiro shook. "Never take advice from a FILTHY TRAITOR!"

Shocker broke away from Mr. Negative's grasp. By this point, Shun realized he was outmatched in every way, so he needed a diversion.

"Run after me, or save them? You decide!"

Hitting the reverse button, Shocker magnetized a piece of debris and aimed it directly at the laboratory with Kinney and Akihiro.

"NO!"

Mr. Negative abandoned the Shocker, picking up his sword to race towards the flying debris. In one stroke, Mr. Negative destroyed the offending object. He turned only to find Oshiro had escaped. No doubt into the vents.

"Believe it or not, I pity him." Lee sighed. "I thought my destiny was to be a tool for the Yashida Clan. It seems Kenichiro learned too well from his father."

It wasn't a total loss. At least it got rid of a prick on his backside. He instead went to the others in his company.

"You two are safe then?"

"Yeah." Akihiro raised a thumbs up. "Pretty cool what you did back there."

"Thank you. So about your experiment…" Mr. Lee turned to Sarah. "What is the nature of this? Did you kidnap someone else?"

"No. We grew her. Cloned her." Sarah Kinney said. "Her DNA was too unstable, so we needed someone who could match hers. We needed Logan's blood. Using Akihiro, we succeeded in stabilizing her. Now they were torturing her, treating her like a monster. I did not want her to be like this…"

Another an orphan raised to be a weapon. It was getting annoying.

"Very well. You can explain it all once we get Logan and Spider-Man's help."

Meanwhile, Oshiro quickly found himself topside, back on the first floor. He opened his communicator to speak to his boss.

"Yashida, I… I must apologize." Shocker said. "I was unable to defeat Mr. Negative. He was too strong. He tried to… control me…"

"Yes, it is his ridiculous power. You would have been no match. Good choice to run."

"What should I do? I can go over to help-"

"No. I have a battle to fight. You need to carry the future of the Clan. I… do not think I will have the spirit to do so."

Shocker realized in his heart what it meant. But his mind needed to catch up.

"What do you mean? We still have numerous bases, we can escape to! You do not need to do this!"

"I must! I will not rest until my enemies are destroyed, Oshiro. Go, before I send you to an early grave!"

"BUT MASTER! YOU ARE ALL I HAVE! I DO NOT WANT TO LOSE YOU!"

He knew he would fail. Oshiro was not an idiot, he knew Yashida was aa prideful man. However, he had to try, if even for a slim chance…

"Then I renounce you! Die for all I care! You mean nothing in my quest for revenge. Go, live a life away from your master."

"… Yes sir…"

With a tilt of the head and tears starting to form, Oshiro ran off to do as his master had commanded. He cursed those freaks, especially Spider-Man for ridding him of his purpose. He will have his revenge… one way, or the other.

The fight was still going down.

At the moment, the Silver Samurai was being kept busy. Between the kinetic energy swipes and his enemies dodging, it was only a matter of time before they fell by his hand. If only the rancid wall-crawler would simply shut up while he did so.

"Are you still sore about that punch?" Spider-Man said. "I mean, I understand how embarrassing that can be, but it's not like you're the first one to do that. I mean, I keep beating the Shocker by webbing his gloves, I'd say that's way more humiliating."

"GAH! You infuriate me with your worthless insults."

Spider-Man webbed several pieces of debris from the fight in an effort to try to clobber Yashida. However, the Silver Samurai did not even need to use his sword as the armor protected him from the assault. The Wolverine wasn't having much better time either, as not even his claws could phase the legging.

"See, that's the thing about you Yashidas." Logan decided to put in his own two cents. "You just HATE it when people take a crack at you."

"My family is no more. All I have left is my own revenge! YOU SAW TO IT, AND THAT IS WHY YOU MUST DIE!"

"Is that all you can sing?" Even Spider-Man was starting to get annoyed. "It's always die, die die, not let's just live and quietly go on our daily lives!"

The Samurai swung his kinetic blasts again, which Wolverine dodged. It was clear the fight was going nowhere fast. They needed a way to beat him.

Spider-Man noticed that the Samurai only seemed to be using the kinetic blasts of his swords when they're in conjunction with each other. Always two to swipe, never one at a time. Perhaps if one sword was taken…

"Wolvie, it's a long shot, but maybe try taking one of the swords? If nothing else, it should get rid of those laser blasts."

"Bub, I like the way you think. Throw me at him!"

Wolverine did not waste any time. Spider-Man webbed Logan and threw him straight at the Silver Samurai. Instead of trying to decapitate him, Logan retracted his claws to land next to Yashida, avoiding another sword swipe only to grab onto the thing.

"Okay. Give it to me now you-AAAAACCKKK!"

The kinetic energy burst was too much for him to handle, apparently. Instead, Logan was dropped to the floor on the floor, his arms burning while he felt dazed. Yashida laughed at the terrible mistake Logan had just.

"The energy flowing in this sword was made to burn the likes of you." He raised both swords. "BEGONE, FOUL CREATURE!"

Was this how it ended for him? Logan heard a proverb once, he who lived by the sword, died by the sword. Perhaps it was right he died this way. A lifetime of madness could not be cured by a few pretty years. It was only a shame that he couldn't die seeing his wife one more time. Logan closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable outcome.

Only, it never came. He opened his eyes instead in amazement to see Spider-Man was holding both swords in his hands. The energy of the swords was burning through his gloves, and a bit of his mask, leaving him more exposed. They burned faster than he could regenerate.

Logan could see what he knew all along, that underneath Spider-Man was just a boy… a boy who now risked everything for him.

"FALL! FALL, YOU MISERABLE SPIDER! DIE ALONG WITH THIS MONGREL!"

"Grrrrrr… sheesh…" Shinji spat out. "You think I'm gonna let anyone die… just because they don't deserve to live? I'm not a god… and neither ARE YOU!"

He shoved Yashida off, knocking one of the swords to the ground. The Samurai went to grab it, but Shinji webbed the sword to himself, ultimately carrying it in his hands.

"Huh… this thing's heavy…."

The sword felt as though it carried a burden of death on whoever opposed the wielder. Shinji had seen the shadow of death, the way his own anger consumed him, the day he ended Yamagishi's life, in retaliation for a girl he had no right to seek vengeance for. Not after his own part in her demise.

Shinji's eyes opened quickly, in time to block one of the Samurai's swings. Logan was able to bear witness to a sword fight between two opponents, equal in dignity, dueling for their lives. The Samurai's strokes were harsh and powerful, but Spider-Man kept the defensive, not allowing an inch.

"Why do you torment me so!" Yashida screamed. "You took away my brother, now you are prepared take my own life?"

"No offense, but you're not worth the effort of killing." Shinji said. "I thought I could rest easier knowing that as long as I won I'd be alright. I once condemned a man to death and smiled at it, thinking I would die along with him. It was sick and wrong. I don't get to choose the fates of men. That'd just another bully with powers, just like you!"

"I am trying to defend the honor of the family YOU DENIED! We built Kokoro, we built this city, provided jobs! The lives of every man, woman and child belong to us!"

"Correction, you have about as much ownership of a person as you do common sense: none! You killed people, pounded them to dust for your own games!"

"Bah! The supervillains I financed were all in response to you, Spider-Man. I had to upgrade so I could remain in the game, as you had changed it."

"Then for all those people, I'll bring you to justice."

Finally, Spider-Man had enough. With his enhanced agility, he swung his own sword to slash through the armor. Bit by bit, it began to burn off, leaving more bits of Yashida's flesh exposed. The giant soon became a man, as all such villains became in the end. For a minute, Spider-Man's victory was assured.

However, the Samurai was a master of his cract. He took advantage of a small window of opportunity to knock the sword away from Spider-Man, then slashed him to the ground. Spider-Man's mask had been ripped off by this point, revealing a frightened boy with brown eyes gazing back. Yashida smirked.

"Justice is only what the mighty can create! Now die along with this putrid mutt, Spider-Man!"

He readied the sword for a final stroke. It did not matter to Yashida the age of the child, only his revenge. He could feel Shiro's spirit in the room at the moment.

"FAREWELL, INSECT- ACK!"

A sharp pain in the stomach. It soon burst blood. The Samurai stopped his movements, having realized who could have dealt this blow. He turned around to glance at the man who had finally brought an end to his life.

"Rest in peace, Bub." Logan said. "You lost to a teenager. Accept defeat."

Yashida said nothing. He only closed his eyes, accepting his death with as much dignity as he could muster in his final moments. As he fell into unconscious, Kenichiro could hear the whispers of his brother finally welcoming him home. He saw an image of the flower with thorns rising from the broken pot.

Soon, the proud Samurai fell. The last official member of the Yashida Clan was no more.

Spider-Man did not feel proud of this. Instead, shook his fists as he came up to Logan.

"Why did you kill him!?"

"He would have killed you, Bub." Logan shrugged. "A thanks for saving your life would be much appreciated."

"No! I'm not going to it's just…" Shinji shook his head. "You could have stopped him any other way. He didn't deserve to die."

"Listen kid, I know your type. Wide eyed innocent good boy who wants to make a difference." Logan said calmly. "But the kind of people we were messing with, they don't play by rules. They'll stoop tp whatever low they go to kill you. You're young, still learning. One day you'll be faced with a problem too great… you're gonna have to grow up like the rest of us."

Shinji glared at him, but didn't voice any of his objections. Instead, both men turned to see Mr. Negative, Kinney and Akihiro had arrived.

"Father!"

Akihiro went to hug Logan, who accepted him without a second thought. He was uncomfortable hugging, when it was your own son, you took some leeway. Mr. Negative went up to Shinji, having realized who he was.

"Shinji? You are Spider-Man?"

The boy looked away from Mr. Negative. He couldn't comprehend this form of his, and… well, he didn't want to face the man like this.

Martin was quite surprised to see the boy here, let alone realize he was Spider-Man. However, he decided not to press much.

"You have helped, Shinji." Lee nodded. "I do not think we could have done it without your help."

Shinji frowned. "Then why do I feel so bad about it… everyone else had to die…"

"Sometimes there are no good choices, only bad ones. For what it's worth, there is a chance to save another life."

This intrigued Shinji. "What do you mean?"

"There is something else you must all see." Sarah said. "An experiment down in the laboratory."

It took only forty minutes to find the lab.

By this point, the base was left dark with red alarms peppering the abandoned hallways. The staff seemed to have vanished somewhere else. They most likely had their own means of escape. At least this facility was shut down for the foreseeable future.

"Previous efforts at cloning have resulted in failure." Sarah Kinney explained. "X-23 was the only result that survived the process, thanks in no small part to Akihiro's blood helping stabilize her. We were going to sell both of them to the highest bidder once we grafted the Adamantium to their bones"

Akihiro looked forlorn. "You didn't have to remind me of that…"

"I'm sorry." Sarah said sympathetically. "Yours are still bone, at least."

"I would have killed you if you'd done that." Logan snarled. "Now I hear you made a damn clone."

"Yes. She… needs support."

"Certainly not from this place." He was getting angrier by the second. "Just show us."

"We are here."

Eventually, the group stopped outside of a glass door. What they saw through the glass was, in fact, a little girl. She had long black hair that covered her eyes, reaching down to her legs; she was much younger than either Shinji or Akihiro, she trashed about violently, only the restraints keeping her in place. Blood was splattered across the walls, showing that others had died here before.

One thibg was sure. She had been hurt for a very, very, long time.

"The hell is this…" Logan said, getting a sense of deja vu. "What did you do to her?"

"She was treated like an animal." Sarah's voice shook as she spoke. "Even though I told them, begged them not to do it… I am tired of the violence. That's why I tried to get Akihiro out of here. Fortunately, you had arrived on time."

Logan was not in a hopeful mood. A further inspection and he sighed. "She's far gone. The blood she has… it's not gonna leave her so easily."

"There is another way." Martin Lee shook his head. "I can take away her pain, make her forget it."

"Whoah, what do you mean?" Spider-Man interrupted. "You can do?"

"A part of my power set is the ability to tap into another's mind." Martin explained. "Focusing on their own negativity. I could feed it to make them my slaves… or take them into my heart…It makes me more powerful, at the cost of my sanity. I have not done this in years… if I do this…"

"You'll lose yourself…" Logan's eyes widened. "No. Give it to me. You don't have to do this."

"I have to be the one." Lee smiled ruefully. "If you take it, you will go on a rampage and kill us all. No one will be able to stop you. If it's just me… well, you will have the duel we promised."

Sacrificing one man's soul for another? No way. Shinji was done with sacrifices.

"Out of the question." Spider-Man said. "I'll be the one."

That made all the adults pause. Logan seemed to nod his head, finding some approval in the kid. Mr. Lee was far more conscientious.

"Spider-Man, you have no idea what you're asking for…" Lee tried to explain. "This process… it drives people to madness. You might not even survive-"

"If she has a chance at a normal life, I can do it. You're all stronger than I am. You can take me if I go nuts. I'll take her anger into me, just as long as she lives, got it?"

Akihiro stared at Spider-Man in awe. Sarah herself was uncertain, not wanting to intervene. Mr. Lee… he frowned.

"It will be painful."

"I don't want a good man ruined…" Shinji pointed to the others. "Nor do I want any of these other bozos killing each other or other people. It has to be me."

Mr. Lee knew he wouldn't budge. He turned to Sarah, and nodded.

"Very well… let us inside."

Sarah used her own card to open the doors. The girl remained immobile as Lee and Spider-Man approached her, calmly, and carefully. Logan made sure to keep Akihiro at a distance.

"You sure this is a good idea, Dad?" Akihiro said. "He's… well, he's just a kid."

Logan didn't say anything. He hoped that the process would turn out right. Spider-Man… he deserved better than becoming an animal like himself.

"Hey, X-23. I think that's what they call you." Spider-Man said. "Your mom needs to come up with a better name when you get out. My name is Spider-Man. We're not gonna hurt you, we're gonna make sure you get out of here safe. Promise."

The experiment's eyes became visible. She tried to lunge at the pair, but was luckily held back by the restraints. X-23 angrily growled at them as Lee placed a hand on the girl's forehead, and then onto Spider-Man's arm.

"Last chance." Mr. Negative said. "There can be no turning back after this."

Spider-Man nodded, a steely gaze present. "Just do it."

That was all that was needed to be said. Martin Lee breathed in, his eyes and hands glowing at the same time. The same glow could be seen on the girl, who started to feel dazed. The madness was being successfully transferred to Shinji.

At first, he only felt a slight tingle. Then came the shaking of his body. Then he began to feel HATRED.

SORROW

PAIN

MADNESS

BLOODLUST

HATE

"AAAAAAAAUGGHHHHH!"

He screamed as his mind started losing itself. Images burst into his memory, remembering the past in a haze of fury.

His father turning his back on him… he hated him. He should have disappeared, not mother!

The fear he felt while Naoko Akagi had him trapped against the wall… he should have snapped her neck.

The Lizard's rampage, the way he kidnapped Mayumi… He should have finished beating the man to death.

Tachiageru Yamagishi burned the mansion around him… HATE! HATE! HATE! HATRED! HE HATED THE MAN! HE SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM!

"I love you…"

There he was, carrying Mayumi's body in his arms again. She loved him, even after what he had done. She saved him, even though he condemned her father to a fiery doom, and all he had left was himself.

Shinji was so wrapped in this that he failed to overhear a conversation.

"I'll take her… Too dangerous for these parts."

"I will go as well. X-23 will need to be monitored.

"Making up for past sins, doc?"

"Perhaps… there is nothing for me here in Kokoro…"

Then came nothing… nothing but darkness…

The next Shinji awoke, he was in his room.

Thankfully, he had been lying on the side of the bed where he wouldn't have gotten hit by the cupboard. Shinji found himself restrained by metal straps, so he looked around furiously for whoever trapped him.

"You are safe now, Ikari." Mr. Lee said soberly. "I am very pleased to see you have returned to your senses."

Shinji glanced the man up and down. He had returned to normal, no longer the photonegative back in the secret base. Shinji was still wary, however.

"Where… where am I?"

"Back at FEAST." Mr. Lee moved to undo the restraints. "You were unconscious at first. Then violent. I had to make sure you would not escape and hurt innocent people."

"…"

"You hadn't hurt anyone if that was what you were thinking."

Shinji looked at his hand. He examined it, gripping and un-gripping to feel something.

"How… long was I out?"

"I told the staff that you were sick. You had been knocked out for eight days."

That made Shinji's eyes bulge. "Eight days?!"

"Yes." Martin nodded. "I had a medical license for years, so I was able to effectively take care of you in the mean time. You had people worried. I didn't tell a soul about your work as Spider-Man."

"…"

"You did it, Shinji." Mr. Lee smiled. "Dr. Kinney, Logan and Akihiro were relieved when they heard you would be alright. They, and I, can never repay you for what you have done for us to-"

"Why?"

Mr. Lee blinked. "Why what?"

"Why did you let him go?" Shinji asked. "He… murdered those people…"

A sigh from the older man. "I had a debt to repay. I couldn't sully it… I may have left my old life behind years ago, but I cannot begrudge the path others take for their own survival. Especially when we were against a dangerous enemy like Yashida."

"But still…"

Shinji's words trailed off. He clutched his head, trying to keep a migraine from coming. He decided to ask another question.

"You used to work for him." He realized. "What changed? Why did you leave it behind?"

"At the time, I didn't have a choice." Martin explained. "I was a boy when I came to Japan, along with my parents, still trying to find my own way when I had these powers. In spite of how my parents tried so desperately fit in the country, they were violently killed by a mob. I was forced to fend for myself in a country that looked down on the Chinese. The Yashida Clan were the only ones that took me in, so I became a proud assassin for their organization. Kenichiro's father was a ruthless man, and I did his bidding. That was, until the Wolverine came one day and slaughtered that generation."

There it was. The Wolverine, again.

"He had fallen in love with Mariko, who was being used by the Clan as a political tool. During his rampage to save her, we crossed paths and he spared my life. I took his mercy and ran with a lot of money. I could have spent the remaining years under the radar, but after Second Impact… I had no choice but to respond. I built FEAST for lost souls abandoned by destruction, and Kokoro became another ground I planted the seed on."

"..."

"All of us have a darker side, Shinji. The pent up rage and sorrow we hide in our hearts. Mine was a demon, and I could quell it with the fear of what it would do to others. After years of not using it, I was in danger of losing myself again. You prevented that."

"I just didn't want anyone else to suffer…" Shinji scratched his head. "What happened to Logan? His son? The girl…?"

"They already left. Probably back to his home country by now. The girl was unconscious, but you did save her life."

"… he slaughtered those people." Shinji said. "I don't know if I can forgive Logan for that. I'm not sure if I can do the same for you."

"I suspected as much." Mr. Lee smiled sadly. "You do not have to forgive me. Even I lost myself to the demon. You care, and that is a good thing. Never let your darker half take over your kind self. Be true to who you are, and you will find your way."

Mr. Lee got up and started leaving. "Will I still be expecting your work?"

"… Sure."

Shinji wrapped his arms around his legs, and shook himself. The violence on display that night… he realized he may become a monster some day. He will never again go such extremes again.

IN THE PRESENT

"Bruh, you've been holding onto this story for a while and NEVER TOLD US?!"

Kensuke and Touji were obviously bewildered by this fact. Hikari had to sit down still reeling from the horror of the story, and the fact that there were other people with powers that existed in this world. Rei… kept quiet. She was still processing it all.

"It was a crazy story, even for me." Shinji said. "There are a lot of things I haven't said, because they're complicated or they'll make you worry."

"Yeah, I get it, that whole stabby hobo thing's pretty dark…" Kensuke scratched his chin. "But where DOES a guy like him come from? It's like he just had those things."

"Just as long as he's away and not here." Touji crossed his arms. "Dude's messed up, even if he had to do it to save his family."

"Wouldn't wanna tangle with that guy either. Shinji, don't even try to fight him on your own."

"You don't need to tell me twice." Shinji frowned. "I don't know what I'd do if I saw him again."

There was something on the minds of the children. A thought about the future none of them wanted to consider. Rei was the first to voice it.

"It was not just Logan… there are others with powers we are not aware of."

"Yeah, that makes me worried." Touji said. "It's been with us all along, and we're gonna be so screwed."

"What do you mean Touji?" Hikari asked. "There are only a few of them out there.

"For now… but how much longer will that be?" Touji frowned. "People with powers have always been with us. Now they're making more appearances these days. I wonder if it's some sign. Is this how the dinosaurs felt when the meteor hit? The game's changed and humanity's on the brink. What are we gonna do with that?"

"There have been species of humanity that existed together. For a time." Rei said. "We might not be out of the running."

"You said it yourself, for a time. But they might replace humanity some day. Everyone will have powers, leaving the people without 'em in a minority or… gone. That shit's going to be painful to process even at the slow pace we're going. Imagine if there was a small explosion of them in a short amount of time…"

"It could wreck everything we know." Hikari realized. "It's crazy, just… crazy. I don't how society is going to take this."

"Wow, that's awfully introspective of you, Touji." Kensuke whistled. "Did you hit your head while playing with Sakura?"

"I CAN BE SMART SOMETIMES!"

"Only sometimes."

Kensuke rolled his eyes, then heard a ringing sound from his computer.

"Hold on. Got a ring." Kensuke moved towards his computer. "I've been keeping track of police scanners while you were gone, Shinji. Here."

He brought up a map. In it, there was a report in progress.

"We had just reported another sighting this week! While initially assumed to be Spider-Man, this person was identified as female, and seems to be wearing a black costume. She made a name for herself for her brutality, her indiscriminate rampage against criminals leaving many in the hospital. In the footage seen, she had referred to herself as Venom-"

"There's someone swinging around the city, but it's not you, Shinji." Kensuke was startled. "She's got a black suit!"

Shinji frowned. "I need to find her. Now."

"Whoah hold on, do you even know who you're fighting?"

"It's the Angel. The one that possessed Touji." Shinji put on the mask. "I'll explain everything on the way, but I need to head over there right now!"

He swiped an earpiece and swung from the window. As everyone else scrambled to set up communications, Rei was left to herself, her mind wondering...

The girl inside that prison… she felt an odd sort of kinship with her, with both grown to be used and mistreated by their creators. If her clones had disappeared, would Rei have been trapped in like her? Tortured? Treated worse than an animal in a cage?

What did happen to the girl they had? Was she living freely? Or were the scars too great to overcome?

The legacy of NERV, HERZ, and indeed SEELE, were vast and powerful. Rei wondered if she really can be saved, like this girl was, or if she would be swallowed in that madness…

Across the world, Laura Kinney sat in the forest.

She was quiet, examining the claws she had in her hands. Only the two instead of three her… family possessed. It hurt to bring them out, every time. Laura had a lot of time, but she still doesn't feel fine.

It was a slow process to bring her to something resembling normality. Laura had been raised to be a weapon so even pleasant contact felt alien to her. Mariko and Akihiro had plenty of patience for her. Sarah, her mother she supposed, was homeschooling her as she wasn't ready for civilization just yet. Logan… kept his distance. There was a barrier between them as of now.

That was okay. Laura wasn't sure what to make of him either.

She hardly remembered much of her time in Japan. Vague memories came and went, images of being prodded and hurt… it lead to nightmares the first couple of weeks. Laura had eventually adjusted to them, but she would not forget the feeling of being terrified.

There was one memory that stuck with Laura. A voice that rang in her ears and soothed her.

"Hey, X-23. I think that's what they call you. Your mom needs to come up with a better name when you get out. My name is Spider-Man. We're not gonna hurt you, we're gonna make sure you get out of here safe. Promise."

Spider-Man. She looked up the name after she heard it the first time, and found out it was the name of a costumed vigilante over in Japan. She could ask the others about him… but…

Laura surprised herself when she began to carve into a tree with her claws. It was him, or at least his shape. It was a boy with the symbol of the spider on his chest, and for some reason, Laura felt calm hearing about Spider-Man.

"He left an impression on you, eh?"

Laura's eyes widened at the voice. She slowly nodded. "Do you know him?"

"I do. He saved your life, as well as helped your brother's. You wouldn't be here if not for him."

"Really?" Laura frowned, continuing to stare at the drawing. "I wish I could have thanked him. He seems to be a hero."

"That he is." Logan smiled. "The kid's got a ton of potential he doesn't realize. I just know that one day, he'll end up alongside the greats."

He took Laura's hand, and brought her home. Logan meant what he said. He wasn't there the last time he saw him, not yet. But Spider-Man won't stay small for long. If he played his cards right, he's going to end up leaving a mark on the world. Hopefully for the better.

Author's Notes:

I'll be real with you, this chapter was a STRUGGLE.

Not only was college continuing to be a pain, but the first several drafts were so unsatisfying I had to go back to the drawing board several times. Even this more completed form is my least favorite chapter of the entire series. As my friend mentioned, it felt like an Omake blow up to a huge beast. I hope to never write something like this again.

That's not to say it's all bad, Bits of this, such as Shinji's development and the ending were highlights, but it still isn't exactly what I wanted to write. Luckily, the next chapter will focus more on advancing the real plot.

Time for reviews:

RealRemainder: The symbiote may or may not have changed it's goals, but our heroes don't actually know for sure. We'll have to see next time when we meet Venom.

SirSomebody1: Mana has actually appeared in Chapter 30, near the end where Shinji was lying in bed. We'll be seeing more of her next time.

Jredor13: Maybe, maybe not. After writing this chapter, I think I'll keep actual crossover stuff to the minimum.

Truenofan86: Shinji will be getting a more advanced suit, and it will be a mix of his previous outfits! The suit will come just in time for the grand finale. As for Mana, we're gonna go a slightly more original path for her. Let's see if you enjoy it!

lautaro94: Shinji/Rei isn't really something we're going for here, but I'm glad you liked the chapter. I do wonder what you'll think of Logan's use here. Let me know what you think, good or bad!

DragonGod926: You're assuming "this" Captain America was a publicly known figure back in the day. Much like Isiah Bradley, there were shady politics involved with her, and records of Noriko's existence wouldn't uncovered until well after WW2 ended.

Next Chapter: Venomous

Omake:

"Friendly Ride" by Johnny Freeman

It was noon already, and Shinji rode the train down town.

As expected, the train was filled to the brim with people, so he simply pulled out his SDAT player and stuck the headphones in. Or he would have, if Shinji's ears hadn't caught the not too far off beats of someone else's melody.

Shinji turned to spot another young man like himself leaning his backpack on the train seat. His large headphones lowered down to his neck inadvertently letting the music spill out while he looked over his phone. Shinji was drawn to the melody, getting closer so he could hear the lyrics a bit clearer. The beat also goy smoother as he did so.

You're the sunflower
I think your love would be too much
Or you'll be left in the dust
Unless I stuck by ya
You're the sunflower
You're the sunflower

The young man looked up from his phone, staring at the approaching Shinji, who just realized how creepy he started to look!

"OH! I am sorry!" Shinji exclaimed while waving his hands, "I mean not- Your music good!"

"Oh! Wait hang on." The young man went to check his backpack for a second. He pulled out a book that Shinji was able to make out English to Japanese translation. The young man flipped through the pages and looked back to Shinji, finally organizing what he wanted to say:

"Thank you very much" he said, "Sorry for being loud, I thought I was gonna give a brief text before- well, I'm glad you liked it at least."

The young man noticed Shinji's own headphones, and spotted the SDAT player on his hands.

"That is…" He looked back to the notebook quickly to find the word. Shinji had to at least throw him a bone.

"I understand english. Not speak it well!"

"Oohh!" the young man exclaimed, nodding. "I wanted to say that I like your cassette player. Really retro!"

Shinji raised an eyebrow, having never heard of that word. Retro.

"What do you listen to?" The young man asked again. "Bet it's something neat."

Shinji sat down next to him, handing him an earbud. Shinji rewinded to his favorite track.

Anata wo michibiku basho he to

Tori no mure ga habataite yuku

Kawaita daichi ni aru no wa

Hibiwareta takusan no kokoro

"This is really nice!" The young man replied with a smile, "You're a real retro guy, aren't you?

Shinji tilted his head. "Sorry, what retro… is?"

"Retro is like…" The young man snapped his fingers trying to think of it. "Old school, like you know, stuff from the past."

Shinji never thought saw himself a retro guy. On the other hand, everything he had listened to tended to be music handed down from his Father. Or Guardian. He did have a habit of holding onto relics, didn't he?

"What is thing?" Shinji said, pointing to the phone. "Never saw before."

"Oh this is an iPhone. It lets you call whenever you like and even has, like, a thousand songs in it."

"Many music?" Shinji was astonished. "Examples?"

The young man nods, taking off his headphones, offering them to Shinji. As Shinji put on the headphones, the young man scrolled through the phone for a good song. Shinji then started hearing one, already captivated by that synth opening. Then came the lyrics…

This morning I woke up in a fortress of distortion

I'm at war with my emotions

I'm at war with they enforcement

Tryna fight for what's right and got sidetracked

Where your mind at? Never mind that

Can we think in a blink, you swimmin', you sinkin'

You win, you leavin' a head where

Shinji's mind was completely blown away. It felt like he was introduced to a brand new world, one that not only unleashing a wave of rich audio dopamine that made him feel alive, but connected to it all things. The young man smiled.

"Pretty cool huh?"

Shinji nodded quickly. "Very cool!"

The train let out the little ding, followed by a voice proclaiming the arrival of the destination. Shinji and the young man pouted.

"Oh, that's my stop. Are you…?"

"Stop much further!"

"Well, I'll see you around uhh… Sorry, what's your name?"

"Ikari Shinji." He said, raising his hand to him. "Pleased to meet."

The young man smiled as he reciprocated the handshake.

"Miles Morales. Hope to see ya again."

As Miles followed the crowd out of the stop, Shinji sat back and came to a stark realization.

'God, I need to keep up with the times. I wonder if Asuka knows some good tracks?'

Miles walked down the street, pretty satisfied with the day he had. He even got to briefly meet another Spider-Man. It was almost too good to be true.

His spider-senses kicked in, warning him that days can go bad quickly.

Two pairs of hands dragged him into an alleyway. Miles panicked for a moment, until he realized he was looking at his friends. Peni Parker and Spider-Ham were glaring at him.

"DON'T EVER GO RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT AGAIN!" Penny yelled. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA THE AMOUNT OF TROUBLE YOU COULD CAUSE BY JUST BEING OUT THERE? MY SP/DER HASN'T EVEN BEEN FIXED YET!"

"Hey I'm sorry!" Miles defended himself. "The city looked really nice and I thought I could take a tour! Maybe you guys were doing the same?"

"Well geez Miles," Spider-Ham shrugged. "I would really love to be on such a tour but one tiny little issue: I AM A RADIOACTIVE CARTOON PIG!"

"And this isn't our dimension! We need to get you to yours before-"

The three spider people started distorting out of reality for a second, the brief experience of pain lingering to the both of them.

"Let's just get going, I think I got a headache…" Peni muttered under the pain as she pulled out the portal gauntlet, creating a tear in reality before they left Tokyo-3.