A/N: I do not own Legend of Korra or Spider-Man
A humble Model T automobile barreled down a country road. The cloud of dust it kicked up went unnoticed as the driver went as fast as he could. Thankfully, the moon was out and shined some light on the dirt road. He thanked his lucky stars that he hadn't encountered any check points or bootleggers running illegal goods. As he closed in on his destination, he contemplated the situation that put him on the road in this ungodly hour. The thought of his wayward little brother causing chaos in the boonies crumbled his face. He had thought, hoped, he wouldn't cause much of a fuss in a small town. He needed some peace after his stint in the army and this town provided it. He worked as a farm hand for a little over a year before returning to the big apple. It was simple but honest work that helped ease his way back into civilian life. He thought it would do the same thing for his little brother and for a while it was good. He got letters and the occasional call from his brother. Aside from the crippling boredom, his time there was peaceful until the town sheriff gave him a call.
"God Damit Richard…" He said to himself.
After hours of driving, he was finally approaching his destination. It didn't take long to find the town bar. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before stepping out of the car. Deputies were posted at the bar's entrance. He thought it was a little overzealous on their part, but then again he didn't have a full picture on tonight's events. He gripped the steering wheel with a white-knuckle grip to help ease his wraith. Cool heads were needed now and adding fuel to the fire wouldn't help things. He released his grip and exited the car.
As he approached the bar, the deputies sized him up.
"You Ben Parker?" He barked.
"Yeah." Ben ignored the tone said plainly.
"Sheriff Stilwell is waiting for you inside sir." The other deputy replied.
"Thanks fellas." It was all he stated as he stepped through the entrance.
Signs of the chaos that brought him here was obvious. There was broken glass all over the floor. Chair and table fragments were strewn about. Spilt drinks and blood stains were here and there. The bar keep was in a frenzy, hurling accusations and curses in his tirade. Ben arrived hours later and the owner was still irritated. The brawl must've been biblical. The man of the hour was seated on a surviving bar stool with a pair of handcuffs restraining him. Richard Parker sported an impressive shiner and a busted lip. He spotted him with is open eye, smiled and waived at his older brother. Ben wanted to sneer at the cockiness but he kept his mask of stone as he ignored him and approached the small town Sheriff.
Sheriff Stillwell's eye caught Ben and told the barkeep to go outside and talk to the deputies outside. The barkeep complied and gave the three parties some much needed privacy.
Stillwell reached and shook the man's hand. "Ben, good to see you. Wish it was under better circumstances."
"You and me both Jasper." Ben turned to look at his brother. "Thanks for calling me, I got here as soon as I could."
"It's all right, I know you're a ways a way."
"What happened?"
"Welp, Richard here came into this fine establishment to blow some steam after a long days work at the Kirby farm and got into a disagreement with his fellow ranch hands." He explained and placed a firm hand on Richard shoulder. "The disagreement grew into a shouting match, then a good ol' fashioned brawl. They tore up the place real good. I spoke with the ranch owner and he assured that he'll pay for the damages and have the ranch hands help renovate the place."
"What about my idiot brother?" Ben cut to the chase, much to Richard's dismay. He wanted to say something but Ben's cold glare stopped him in his tracks.
Stillwell released his grip on Richard and approached Ben. "Let's step outside for a bit." He regarded Richard. "You're going to stay put and behave kid, or do I have to get one my deputies in here to keep an eye on you while I speak with your brother?"
"Yes sir, Sheriff Stillwell. All the fight's out of my system." Richard replied.
"Good boy." He patted him on the back. Let's go Ben."
Stillwell directed him out the back door so they could talk privately. "Your baby brother really stepped in it Parker."
"No kidding Jasper. What did you want to tell me?"
"Well, this whole brawl started when one of the ranch hands accused him of talking to his girl."
"Christ all mighty." Ben shook his head with the added stress.
"Yeah, it gets better."
"He took offence, escalated things instead of falling back. He told a joke, embarrassed the ranch hand, and he threw the first punch." Ben predicted. "That about what happened?"
Jasper scoffed at his old war buddy. He always was a perceptive one. "You missed the part when Richard knocked the guy out cold and the barkeep broke in, shooting a guy with a rock salt 12 gauge."
Another spell of stress washed over Ben. He wanted to strangle the little hellraiser.
"I'm going to get to the brass tacks here Ben. Richards got to go, tonight.
"Jasper for Christ's sake—"
"Let me finish!" Stillwell barked. "The talk around town is that I'm being lenient because I know him, and frankly they're right. It took everything I had to talk the bar owner out of pressing charges on him. That and the young man he assaulted are probably planning on dishing out some payback. So, either I leave him to his fate or—"
"I get him out of here." Ben finished.
"Good." Stillwell confirmed. "Were on the same page then."
"You're talking like I have a choice in the matter."
"Ben, I know you're in a tight spot, but this is the best I can do for you."
"I know Jasper."
"I know it's not my place but you need to think of a more permanent solution to Richard's rebellious streak." Jasper suggested.
"This was the solution, Jasper."
Stillwell took his hat off and scratched his bald head. "Look, just take him back to the city and sleep on it. I'm sure something will come to mind."
Ben took a moment to digest his predicament. This out of the way town helped him after his time in the army. It was quiet and lacked the hustle and bustle of the city. This place did him so much good and thought it would do the same for his wayward brother.
"…Yeah…" He stepped closer and shook the sheriff's hand. "I appreciate everything you did here tonight, Jasper."
"Don't worry about it brother. You watched my back back in the Philippines, I'm just returning the favor."
The two men stepped back into the bar. Sheriff Stillwell uncuffed Richard and allowed him to vacate town immediately. The brothers walked through the double doors with both men getting stared down by the bar owner. The walk to the car was silent and oddly quiet until the younger broke the silence.
"That was something huh?" Richard tried to bring some levity on the situation.
Ben couldn't contain his wrath after the chide comment. He grabbed his younger brother and shoved him into the car.
Richard regained his footing and regarded his brother with shock. "WHAT THE HELL BEN?!"
Ben got in his face. "Get in the car now!" He growled.
Richard locked eyes with his older brother for a tense moment before ultimately complying with his demand. His only form of protest was slamming his door shut as Ben got to the driver's seat. The drive back to New York City was a quiet one for the first leg of the trip. Both were stubbornly tight lipped for an hour or so before Ben decided to act his age.
"Rich'…you can't keep going like this." Ben consoled. "This was my last card little brother. I can't send you anywhere else."
Richard was wrecked with new found guilt from his brothers' words. "Ben I'm—"
"I know kiddo, you don't have to say it." Ben interjected.
Another moment of silence went by before Richard spoke up.
"I could find a gig back in the city." The younger brother suggested. "It doesn't have to be flashy or anything, just something to get me on my feet. Plus, I still got a nice nest egg from the ranch."
"Home was what got you in this spot in the first place Rich'. Besides, me and May can't support you in our dinky little apartment. We barely fit in the damn thing." Ben explained.
"I could work in the shipping business. Who knows, maybe I'll be a better deck hand than a farm hand."
Ben quietly humored the idea for a moment before bursting out in laughter.
"What so damn funny about that?" Richard asked. He found it odd that this was the same guy who wanted to rip his head off a couple of hours ago.
"Sorry Richard, just picturing you trapped on a ship for months at a time losing your mind pretty funny to me, that's all." Ben let out another bout of laughter. "You'd last a month before they'd tie you to the anchor or something."
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself while I'm trying to figure something out old man." Richard shot back.
"It's your own damn fault Rich', I'm not the one who he blew a good thing out on the country." Ben reminded him. "And I'm not that old."
"I don't know what to do next. I'm too old for military school." Richard scoffed.
An idea popped in Ben's head. "You could join the military."
It was Richards turn to laugh at the apparent joke. "Good one Ben."
"I'm serious. 3 hots, a cot, and a roof over your head. Sounds like a winning combo to me."
"You forgot to mention the part about getting yelled at by the guys in the funny hats and getting pushed around by the pocket dictators." Richard shot back.
"That part only lasts for a month or two, and we all have to answer to someone Richard." Ben explained. "And you don't have to make a career out of it. Just spend a couple of years in and you'll come out with a trade under your belt and some structure in your chaotic life."
Richard didn't respond immediately. He simply turned his head to the endless wilderness trailing past his window and digested Ben's words. "I'll think about it."
"Good, I still got some contacts in the Army. I'll give them a ring in the morning. In the meantime, you rest up and we'll get a stake on that shiner of yours."
"For the record, I won that fight."
"Oh, I don't doubt it Rich'." Ben agreed. "No one raises hell quite like you."
"Yeah yeah Ben" Richard didn't bother raising a fuss. By the way, I said 'I'll think about it', not 'yes'."
Ben grinned. "It sure as hell wasn't a 'no' little brother."
XXXxxx Republic City: Peter's apartment xxxXXX
The air in the humble apartment didn't feel stagnant for a change. The window was ajar and the cool winter winds complemented the radiator's heat, turning Peter's living quarters into his personal oasis. Smooth jazz played through his radio as he was putting the finishing touches on his latest innovation. It took him much longer than expected due to the usual chaos in his life, but now his hard work took shape. He soldered a few more wires, completed the surprisingly simple circuit, and closed the panel to his web shooter. He placed the device on his hand and adjusted the heavy leather strap around his wrist. A pressurized cannister was placed in the wrist portion of the web-shooter. Peter meticulously checked the canister's ejection mechanism and was reassured by the auditable click as the web fluid 'ammunition' shot out of his wrist. The easy part came and went, now for the moment of truth. Peter flipped his wrist in his usual web shooting motion. He avoided a negligent discharge by altering the form ever so slightly, and that was exclusive to the shooter. A web line shot through the wrist mounted nozzle with incredible velocity. He estimated it around 210ft/sec, but he didn't have enough time to get real world numbers yet. The artificial webbing hit a support beam in his apartment. He gave the line a good tug and was satisfied by its sturdiness.
"Okay, second test." He said to himself as he pointed the web-shooter towards a load bearing beam overhead.
The second line shot true and hit the beam. He lifted his feet and suspended himself with the line. Another successful test completed. It was a good first foray with the web-shooter, but now a field test was desperately needed. If his invention could stand the proving grounds in the wild then he would feel comfortable adding them to his arsenal. Despite all that, he was confident his web-shooters would pass with flying colors.
He returned to the ground and slumped on his easy chair and fiddled with the launching mechanism on his outer wrist. The web shooter portion was redundant compared to the general launcher system. The web-shooter started out as a preventative measure more than anything. When he first came to the bending world, he wasn't sure if Madame Web's gifts would fade with him being away. They ultimately were here to stay, but he still wanted to see his idea through. The launcher, name pending, was an open book in functionality compered to this webbing function. Smoke bombs, flairs, stun darts, electrical attacks, the applications were practically endless. The only limitations lied in the size and range of the payloads. He would inevitably circumnavigate these obstacles and make a more potent tool, but time wasn't on his side at this juncture. He was disappointed at his circumstances but it was far from dower. He was more than confident in his wits and abilities and it didn't hurt that the world's top bender was in his corner. Korra may have been green, but she did exceed all of his expectations the other day.
The radio program shifted from music to current events. The disk jockeys did the usual schpeal with a weather report accompanied with a few mentions of their respective sponsors. Peter perked his ears when they got into current events.
:/The Equalists really gave this city a good one-two in theses last couple of days but last night, the city gave a little bit back to Amon and his goon squad./:
The announcement put a smile on Peter's face as he reached for a couple of pencils from the coffee table and placed them in the launcher. He would test payload the launcher with something mundane to see how it would happen.
:/The Police and the powers that be are on the back foot, but it seems our young Avatar took the initiative and delivered a blow of her own to Amon's forces. She took it upon herself and discovered an Equalist weapons depot before even our top cop could find them. Despite her ill-advised actions according to Chief Beifong, she put a stop to the Equalist's plot to distribute those nasty shock gloves. It seems Amon is the one with eggs on his masked face for a change instead of our befuddled leaders./:
Peter grumbled at being omitted entirely out of the official story as he adjusted the projectiles on his wrist. He wasn't too broken up by this though. It was always a long shot but he was happy the people that counted on him knew what really happened that night. His only regret was that he couldn't stick around to see Beifong's face when she learned that he was still active in spite of her best efforts. He would have to ask Korra to describe the encounter in detail next time he saw her.
The radio station went back to its regularly scheduled music as Peter brainstormed different gestures to differentiate from his traditional web-slinging sign. He balled up his hand in thought before quickly scrapping the idea. The simple hand sign would invite negligent discharges of valuable payloads. He moved on to a two fingered hand gun. It had promise, but he couldn't shake this overwhelming sense that he was overlooking better options. He ultimately settled on the two-finger gun to get the primer in his palm and a single finger to fire. He was satisfied with the idea and it wouldn't take him longer than an afternoon to get it working. A simple pressure switch was in place for testing purposes. He pointed his pencil gauntlet at an empty can on his dresser and tapped the pressure switch with his free hand and watched the magic.
The cluster of pencil's launched out of the gauntlet at incredible speeds. His shot hit, skewered the tin, and imbedded itself into the drywall.
"Huh.." Peter let out. He placed his thumb on his forehead and continued to think of ways to improve what he just saw. "Maybe an adjustable gas block is needed."
Before he could opine on the statement, the phone rang. He removed the web shooter and went to address the ringing phone.
"Hello?" Peter answered.
"Takuya, how are you ?!" Mr. Sato said through the phone.
"Everything's fine Mr. Sato, great actually. It feels like I'm finally in front of the eight ball for a change." Peter admitted.
"That's good to hear son. I wish I could say the same." Mr. Sato replied.
"What happened? The PH levels in your pool are a little off this morning?" Peter asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Mr. Sato chuckled at the playful jab. "I wish it were that simple. A shipment of goods got tied up in customs in Omashu. I was up bright and early smoothing things over with some associates. I'm not complaining, comes with the territory. We all get a bloody nose every now and then."
"No kidding Sir. Lord knows I had more than my fare share. May I ask why you're calling?"
"I… are you pulling my leg?"
"Not at the moment."
"Try to recall our arrangement. Ring any bells?"
"…OH YEAH! Sorry Mr. Sato, it was a crazy couple of days since the last time I saw you."
"I see. If I recall, the Avatar whisked you away before I could show you what I've been working on. If you don't mind me asking, why did she want to talk to you in the first place?"
"It wasn't as serious as she made it out to be. Korra only wanted to run some wild ideas past me and get my opinion on them, since I'm the smartest person she knows." Peter never stopped surprising himself at how easy it was for him to lie. He silently wondered if it was hereditary or not. "I don't know if it was worth anything, but I'd like to think it helped her take down that Equalist site."
The line went silent for a moment before Sato continued the conversation. "Well, it's any ones guess I suppose. I'll cut to the chase Takuya, I'm going to share my research with you today and I wont take 'no' for an answer. Do we have an understanding?"
Peter didn't know how to take what Sato just said. It sounded like a joke but his tone felt strangely ominous. "Well, it's a good thing my schedules all cleared up then. How are we going to do this? You want me to swing by the estate or did you have something else in mind?"
"How well do you know the Dragons Flats Burrough?"
"Like the back of my hand at this point." Pete winced at the break in his personal 'Takuya' continuity. Spider-Man knew the flats well, but Takuya didn't frequent the area. He ultimately figured there was nothing to worry about since it was just Mr. Sato and he wouldn't check him on it. "Why do you ask?"
"I want to meet up with you in the Municipal Gardens in an hour or so. I may have sounded a bit pushy earlier. You don't have any prior engagements, do you?"
"No sir I do not." Peter was relieved by Hiroshi's admission. He was worried over nothing. "Out of curiosity, why do you want to meet there? Can't you just send a car my way so we can cut to the chase?"
Hiroshi let out a hearty laugh through the phone. "I thought I was supposed to be the impatient one Takuya. Just meet me at the garden kid, it'll all make sense when you get there."
Peter chuckled and the little mystery Sato presented. "Sure thing Mr. Sato. I'll see you there."
He hung up the phone and quickly got dressed. A pair of slacks and a sweater fit the bill.
Before he stepped out of his apartment, he entertained the idea of letting Mr. Sato in on his double life. His experience with Korra, while rocky at first, was surprisingly fruitful. Maybe letting him in on the big secret would turn out the same. He could even show him his web shooter and get his take on his invention.
The idea was quickly dismissed however. One person knowing was enough for the time being. Korra was a happy accident considering, the infamous Parker Luck was still in effect. He didn't feel like trying to catch lighting in a bottle so close to the first time.
He left his mangy apartment with haste and tried to formulate the best trolley route to the Flats.
'Wonder what Korra's up to?'
XXXxxx Air Temple Island: Tenzin's Office xxxXXX
'Wonder what Poindexter's up to?' Korra thought as Tenzin was giving her an earful for her exploits with the Spider-Man.
Most of her attention was on her past life's stature standing proudly outside the window. She would check in on Tenzen's ramblings periodically before returning her gaze to the monument. Her teacher was going on about the dangers of collaborating with a dangerous vigilante or something to that tune.
'I bet this revolution would be wrapped up and done if you were running the show.' She thought.
She cross referenced her actions with Tenzin's criticisms of them as she looked on. She didn't regret collaborating with Peter or rubbing their success in Beifong's face. The latter was open for debate if she was being totally honest. Regardless of the morals, she was paying for her actions with a lengthy diatribe early in the morning. Peter owed her big time for this.
"—Do you have any idea how much danger you put yourself in dealing with this….this…hoodlum?!" Tenzin paused to catch his breath. "Are you even listening?!"
"Um Hmm…" Korra tailed off as she gazed through the window.
"Korra!"
"Alright alright, I'm listening."
"What do you have to say for yourself?!"
"I did what I felt was right." She stopped and let out a large yawn. "Excuse me. And I remember you saying that you trusted my instinct."
"Oh, so you were listening then. I assumed you were daydreaming there for a moment."
"I was. But you know, I can also chew gum and walk at the same time. I'm just full of tricks." Korra's sleep deprivation was making her cranky. "Doing multiple things at once is in my job description."
"Guiding and guarding you is in mine. I meant what I said to you that night, but I can't just stand idly by and let you make a monumental mistake. Criminy, I should've known. I thought you were with your pro-bending friends, not the Spider-Man!" Tenzin exclaimed. "How could you put your faith in such a dangerous individual?!"
"Hold on, you're okay with me doing dangerous missions with little support, but me being with Spider-Man is where you have a problem?"
"Because he's dangerous Korra!" Tenzin shouted and jumped to his feet. He took a breath and returned to his seat. "I'm sorry for shouting."
"It's alright Tenzin. I think we're all on edge here." Korra reasoned. Seeing an outburst like that spring from her normally sage teacher was a surprise. He now had her full attention.
"Look Korra, you have to understand. This Spider-Man character is a menace, not some kind of…folk hero that people are making him out to be." He frowned and rubbed his bald head thinking how to convince his young charge. "You're putting yourself through so much unnecessary risk. You have to ask yourself: is it wise to put faith in this troubled young man?"
"I thought you trusted me Tenzin." Korra protested. "Call me crazy, but this doesn't sound like trust. It sounds like you're second guessing my choices."
"That's not…criminy…I know what I said and I meant every word. This isn't me second guessing you I'm trying to warn you." Tenzin rummaged through his desk, pulled out a file, and slid it to Korra.
"What's this?"
"It's Chief Beifong's official report of your new 'friend's' exploits during…what did they call it again?…Operation Spider-Slayer. Are you aware that he put several officers in the hospital that night. I don't think you're aware of how much danger you're putting yourself into by moonlighting with that criminal."
Korra looked at the file before her. The word 'CLASSIFIED' was stamped in big red letters. She considered looking at it but ultimately slid it back to Tenzin.
"I know you're only looking out for me, but whatever Beifong said did or didn't happen that night doesn't concern me. I know how much danger I'm in Tenzin, but we're not going to win this thing risk free. I know I'm not a full-fledged Avatar, but I always knew this life wouldn't be safe or simple. Amon has to be stopped and I know I'm not ready to shoulder this crisis alone. I tried to rely on conventional forces, but he's been running circles around them since his debut. Here's the ugly truth Tenzin: the only way we're winning this fight is not playing to Amon's beat. Who's better suited for that than Spider-Man?" Korra laid out her argument the best she could.
A mix of pride and anxiety washed over Tenzin with Korra's words. Amon's insurrection seemed to be maturing his young charge faster than he could imagine. Her argument was sound but she was ignoring the hazards of collaborating with an unstable vigilante. He didn't lie to Korra that night. He couldn't shake the feeling that she was going down the wrong path.
"Alright then, I'm done. You know what you're getting into and you accept the risk." He grabbed the file and placed it in a locked drawer. "If you ever valued my guidance in the past, then heed my words now. An unpredictable ally can be just as bad, if not worse, than an enemy."
Korra let out another yawn before responding. "I appreciate the advice Tenzin, but right now I'm exhausted and I really want to go back to bed. Are we done; did you say everything you wanted to say?"
"No, were done here. Rest up, you still have some training to do later."
Korra stood up and stretched. "Sounds good, see you then." She made her way to the door and turned at the last minute. "There's always two sides of a story Tenzin. Just because Beifong says he's a criminal doesn't mean he is one. I mean, 'innocent until proven guilty', right?"
Korra left the room before Tenzin could respond.
Tenzin marinated on Korra's words for a moment before catching up on some paperwork. He didn't say it, but Korra had a point.
As Korra walked to her room, she wondered how Peter managed the double life thing all while working a job and hanging around with the others every now and then. She spent one night in his shoes and she wanted to collapse in her bed. How does he do all this with such little sleep?
"I wonder how he's doing?"
XXXxxx Republic City: Dragon's Flat Burrough Gardens xxxXXX
As Peter walked through the bustling city streets, he wondered why everyone he crossed looked so calm. They went on about their day like there wasn't a masked man psychopath threatening their way of life. Hell, Amon's supporters should've have had a pep in their step by now, thinking that they would finally have their day. The 'evil' benders were about to get theirs and no one seemed to care. No one was happy or scared, just indifferent. Were they waiting for definitive proof that what they were seeing was actually happening, or was this all some strange coping mechanism? Either way, he found the 'calm' unnerving. He was lost in thought as he reached the gardens and didn't even notice the pair of eyes tracking him as he entered.
The Dragon's Flats Gardens was the brainchild of Republic City's parks department. From what little Peter knew, it was an effort to doll up a rough part of town with flowers and miscellaneous produce. A huge greenhouse laid in the center and was surrounded by browning plant life. The trees stood strong with most of their leaf's laid on the lawn. Upkeep was on point despite being located in a low-income area. And from what little he heard; it was hollowed ground. There weren't any muggings or assaults, and the once proud Triads didn't do business there. It really was a shining light in a bleak part of the city. There was no such arrangement in New York. Every inch of the city was fair game save for the occasional cathedral and some parts of Manhattan.
"Must be nice." Peter mumbled as he scanned for his mentor.
"Takuya, over here!"
Peter turned to see the man in question sitting on a park bench around the great greenhouse's entrance. A little picnic box was next to him. He was clearly snacking while he waited. Sato's driver sat on the opposite park bench next to his employer. He was reading the paper while sipping piping hot tea from a thermos.
"Hey Mr. Sato!" Peter waved and approached the industrialists. "I hope you weren't waiting for me too long."
Hiroshi rose from his seat and shook Peter's hand. "Not at all Takuya. We arrived a little earlier than expected, that's all. Me and Fat just decided to take advantage of this nice weather to get some fresh air while I waited for you."
"Well, glad I wasn't a burden sir. I know I've been a little preoccupied these last couple of days."
"Nonsense, Takuya, it was a blessing in disguise. Like I said earlier, I've been on my own little adventure these last couple of days. And now both our calendars have cleared up and we can get to the matter at hand." Hiroshi explained.
Unbeknownst to Peter, the last forty-eight hours was some of the most harrowing he had faced in quite some time. The Spider-Man's machinations with Avatar Korra, or vise-versa for all they knew, played havoc on their supply lines and he had to work around the clock to iron out the problem. It was a herculean effort but he managed to get the ball rolling while mitigating most of the damage. What he couldn't fix was the moral boost their enemies received from this debacle. Thankfully, Beifong was too proud to mention Spider-Man on the official story. He didn't show it, but Sato was a nervous wreck at the moment. He even went so far as to involve a couple of plain clothes Equalist agents and his driver/confidante to accompany him today. For the first time in a long time, he didn't have absolute confidence in his negotiating skills.
"Right. Again, I'm sorry you had to go through all that."
Sato let out a sigh, dropping his mask for a much-welcomed moment. "Thank you, Takuya."
The brief moment of weakness didn't go unnoticed for Peter. He down played what he was dealing with. If he had to guess, the Equalist insurrection was playing havoc with his business and it was clearly affecting him. He must've needed this little distraction more than he did.
"So, when are we starting?" Peter asked with a reassuring smile.
"Calm down Takuya, we have all day." Sato motioned towards the green house. "Come on, lets take a walk and unwind for a bit. That'll give Fat plenty of time to get the Satomobile."
Fat folded his news paper and collected his thermos. "On it Mr. Sato." He got up with haste to accomplish the task laid before him.
"Take your time Fat, there's no need to rush. Once you get to the limo just circle the block until we're done. I'll wave for you to pick us up." Mr. Sato instructed.
"You got it Mr. Sato." He walked at a much more relaxed pace before stopping to tip his hat at Peter. "Takuya."
Peter waved and stepped into the green house with Mr. Sato. The humidity smacked them both in the face and forced them to wipe the condensation off their glasses. They walked quietly for a moment before Hiroshi broke the ice.
"You know, I grew up around here right." Hiroshi announced. "The third biggest industrialist this city has ever seen came from its underbelly. Hard to believe huh?"
"Not really." Peter answered as he gazed on the wide verity of flora around him. "Great things can come from anywhere, from the lowest gutter to the heist mountain top." He said as if it was a matter of fact.
"Ha, I like that! Did you make that up?"
"No, it's something my aunt used to tell me growing up." Peter admitted. "Corny, right?"
"Not at all Takuya. I couldn't have put it better myself." Sato assured. "I don't come to my old stomping grounds too often."
"Why is that?"
Sato paused and searched for the right words. "I have a complicated relationship with my home town. I built my company here and started a family here as well. Those were some of the hardest days of my life. I've doubted myself, struggled, but it was all worth it in the end."
Peter wasn't used to seeing this side of Sato. His mind was a million miles away.
"I had this greenhouse commissioned with the city. You wouldn't believe how many arms I had to twist to get them to build it here. My finances weren't as concrete as they are now. I think I started to go grey after the dust settled."
"Then why did you try so hard to get this off the ground? I don't see how Future Industries could benefit from this."
"You're absolutely right Takuya. I wanted to throw in the towel so many times. I had an easier time creating the Satomobile than dealing with all the bureaucracy." He stopped at an impressive display of flowers at the center of the green house. White, red, and green flowers dotted the large rose bush. "But it made Yasuko happy." Sato turned and saw the confusion on Peter's face. "My late wife. All this was her idea. She said something about 'giving back to the city'. We weren't on the same page on that one." Hiroshi chuckled to himself, remembering decades old conversations he had with his wife. He used to dread those arguments back then and now he'd give his entire fortune to feel that again. "When I made it Takuya, I wanted nothing to do with this place ever again. I plan on keeping this place so far behind me that everyone might forget that I grew up here. That spite propelled me to great heights, but Yasuko was of a different mind. Now I come here every now and then. And in my own way, I get to see my wife again."
Hiroshi's words moved Peter. They reminded him of his own lost loved ones. He removed his glasses to whip stray tears from his eyes. "That's beautiful Mr. Sato."
"Yeah…she loved these flowers."
Both parties shared a moment of silence for the loved ones that weren't with them anymore.
"How are you're living arrangement Takuya?" Hiroshi changed the subject. "Is everything alright? Do you feel safe where you live?"
Peter wondered why he was asking all this until he realized that he was the victim of a violent 'mugging' not too long ago. "I'm alright Mr. Sato. I had more then enough time to handle it. Asami really came through for me, getting Kung Lei to teach me how to defend myself."
"Good ol' Lei." Sato chuckled. "I'm sure he'd disagree with that statement. He'd say something to the effect of 'training is never done'." He mocked the martial artist's booming voice. "I did have a chance to catch up with him a while back. He's a little sore that you've been skipping lessons."
Peter smiled. "That's Sifu alright. I've been busy. Plus, I feel that I've reached a good stopping point to his training."
Hiroshi shook his head at the admission. "Alright Takuya, your funeral."
Peter cocked his brow "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Never mind that." He changed the subject while parking his rear on a bench. "What do you know about Future Industries' history?"
"You built the company from the ground up not to far from here. You pulled small contracts here and there helping Cabbage Corp manufacture parts for their airships. Then you hit it big when Councilman Sokka helped launch your Satomobile. That about cover it Mr. Sato?"
"That's good Takuya, this won't take very long then." He peaked at his pocket watch to keeping track of the time. "There was a quite war between me, Cabbage Corp and Varrik industries. I was the underdog in that fight. Cabbage Corp. was the juggernaut while Varrik was the rising star. We all locked horns for a couple of years, chasing contracts and territory wherever we could. Things played as you said, but it was much harder trying to sell the Satomobile to potential investors. They told me it would be a niche gimmick while Gon Long banked on airships and Varrik on public transit. It didn't look good for me but councilman Sokka came to my rescue. I wanted to give him more credit, even tried to name it in his honor but he refused. He told me to take pride in what I've done and that the Satomobile was mine and mine alone. Councilman Sokka was just happy to invest in the future. Of course, I'm not doing the story justice. It was much more…bombastic. The councilman would get carried away."
"I know the feeling." Peter grinned. "Is that why you brought me here Mr. Sato? You wanted to take a stroll down memory lane?" His words sounded insincere out loud and he quickly caught himself. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."
"Well, it's a good thing I'm not offended my boy." Sato assured as his face went deadly serious. "To answer your question, I brought you here to illustrate a point. I ushered in a means of transportation that this world has never seen and I'm too modest to admit that I've changed the world overnight. But I didn't do it alone. My wife and daughter kept me going while Councilman Sokka believed in me enough to invest in my crackpot idea. I wanted to know if I could hold you up in the same light."
Hiroshi approached the alert young man before him. He wasn't an imposing man, but he looked ten feet tall in Peter's mind. The jovial industrialist shifted into the veteran business mogul that locked horns with Republic City's titans. Peter didn't dare interrupt him. All he could do now was brace himself and match his stern gaze.
"Will you have faith in me Takuya, like the shining lights before you?"
Peter didn't answer immediately. A simple response wouldn't suffice. He weighted himself to Sato's expectations and pondered if he could live up to his grandiose expectations. He searched his soul for a moment and the answer came to him.
"I've always had Mr. Sato. No use changing things now."
Hiroshi's face didn't react at first. He simply regarded Peter before letting out a great big belly laugh. "I'm happy to hear that Takuya!" He slapped his arm in celebration. "I apologize for the antics, I had to know if you were onboard before we got serious."
"I don't mind. I like a good history lesson every now and then." Peter admitted. "So, what now?"
"Now we get started. Come on, Fat is probably waiting for us outside."
Peter stepped aside to let Hiroshi lead the way and he paused out of nowhere. The familiar jolt of his spider-sense danced across his spine for a split second and vanished. He turned around searching for possible threats, but nothing. The only thing before him was the statue of Hiroshi's late wife.
"Is something wrong Takuya?"
"…No. I just got a funny feeling, that's all."
"You're not getting cold feet, are you?"
"Absolutely not."
"Good. Are you still coming?"
"Yeah."
Peter ultimately decided against acting on the strange occurrence. He chalked it up to a false positive that sprung beyond the green house's walls. This wasn't the first time his sixth sense jumped the gun, but it hadn't happened in a long time.
"Destiny awaits."
XXXxxx Sato Estate xxxXXX
The indoor pool was one of many wonders of the Sato compound. It was adorned with different ornaments along the pool, as well as being fully furnished.
Asami sat at the bar, sipping an ornate drink while reading the paper. The front-page article had her full attention. The headline photo had chi-blockers and Equalist agents doing the perp walk to a police truck while Chief Beifong spoke to another officer. Korra stood behind the assailants, striking a heroic pose. She smiled at the childish display. The article spoke glowingly of Chief Beifong and the police force as a whole but virtually nothing was said from Korra. The article didn't even have a quote from the Avatar. She looked closer at the photograph and their clothes seemed looked torn and cut in odd places. She got her answer upon taking a closer look. A patch of webbing laid bare on a chi-blocker's shoulder. There wasn't a doubt in her mind who else was involved.
"Hey babe. You and your brother rubbed shoulders with Spider-Man in the past, right?" Asami asked.
Mako was laid out on a floating lounger, taking a much-needed breather from the Arena incident. "Yeah, me and Korra ran into him a while back. We were looking for Bolin after he started working for the Triple Threats again."
"Hey!" Bolin protested. He was playing catch with Pabu at the edge of the pool. "I wasn't running for the Triple Threats again. I was only trying to get some spare scratch for the championship pot, that's all!"
"By working for them."
"I was doing Shady Shin a favor!"
"And getting paid for it." Mako stated flatly. "Which makes it a job."
"It…we needed the money!"
"Guys, can you focus please?" Asami cut the argument short. The brothers turned and gave her their full attention. She let out a sigh and continued. "What kind of person is he?"
"He's awesome!" Bolin cried out. "He swoops in from out of know where, beats up the bad guys, and saves the day. I should know, me and him are like brothers." Bolin sneered.
Mako glared at Bolin. "Very funny." He turned his gaze back to Asami. "To answer your question…he a good guy but he can be a little crabby. He and Korra butted heads the first couple of times we met."
"So, he knows Korra then?"
"Yeah, but I don't know how well. Me and Korra only met him twice."
"Does she trust him enough to actually work with him?"
"I'm sorry babe, I just don't know." Mako admitted. "Why do you want to know?"
Asami considered telling him what was on her mind but decided against it. She set the paper down sat at the edge of the pool. "It's nothing Mako, I'm just curious."
"Speaking of Korra, I haven't seen her since the attack. And now she's out taking on the Equalists by herself. Freaking wild, am I right?" Bolin chimed in.
"I hope she isn't working herself too hard." Asami responded as she dipped her feet in the pool. "I know she's the Avatar but she's still in training, right? And with all this craziness going on…I'm just worried about her, that's all."
"I wouldn't. When me and Bolin were training her up for Pro-Bending, she didn't have trouble keeping up with us. Hasook took longer to train than Korra." Mako assured. "I'm not saying she doesn't have her work cut out for her or anything, but she's more than capable of handling herself."
"Still…She shouldn't be taking the Equalists alone."
All parties remained silent for a moment. It appeared that the feeling was mutual. Bolin and Mako were ashamed to admit that they didn't respect the threat at large when they should have. They, along with Korra, were mainly focused on the pro-bending tournament. With everything happening as of late, a small amount of guilt washed over the three teens. Maybe the Fire Ferrets should've just given up on their quest for glory. Going through with the tournament was intended to be a much needed morale boost for the city, but in instead it ended up playing in Amon's favor.
"She won't." Mako declared. "I'll back her up when the time comes."
"Hey, don't forget me and Pabu!" Bolin stressed.
Mako sighed. "My bad bro."
Asami played with the idea of joining the brothers in their promise, but she couldn't see herself fighting alongside Korra. She was up to the task but something was telling her that she didn't belong in the cause. Maybe she placed her faith in the proper authorities, or she was just plain afraid. Either way, she didn't hear the call to action. Thankfully, Bolin changed the subject.
"I know it isn't any of my business, but have you heard anything from Takuya?" Bolin asked Asami. "I thought he would've showed up for the championship bout. He was there for the first two rounds; you'd thought he'd show up for the final round."
"He's alright, from what I heard he caught a cold, or something like that." Asami answered with an eye roll. "I think he's just afraid of the Equalist threat."
Mako looked at his girlfriend quizzingly. "You and Takuya not getting along anymore?"
"No, it's not like that. It's just… I didn't think he was the type to get scared easily. I didn't think the guy who stood up to Beifong would duck the Equalists like that. I guess, I'm just a little disappointed in him, that's all.
"I get it Asami, but you saw him that night; we all went out. He looked like he got hit by a truck." Mako reasoned. "That's not something you just get over."
"I know babe, but if I'm being totally honest, that's not my only problem with him. It feels like he's MIA most of the time. Dad's given him a lot of space and I wish he'd rein him in a little. I don't want him to get into any trouble or anything like that. I just want him to appreciate all the opportunities my dad has given him, that's all." Asami confessed to the brothers.
"Takuya isn't wasting your dads' gifts Asami." Bolin asserted as he leaned on the edge of the pool while Pabu sat on his head. "I might not see him on a regular basis, but that doesn't mean we're not buds, right? Takuya's just out there figuring things out his own way, like we all are. We'll cross paths again when the time's right."
Both Mako and Asami looked at Bolin like he had a second head.
"What?" Bolin asked. "Did I say something stupid?"
"No." Asami answered. "That was actually sage advice."
"So why are you guys looking at me funny?"
"It's weird hearing something like that come from you Bo," Mako said frankly.
"No offense," Asami softened the blow.
"None taken." A smug smile crept on his face. "I try not to advertise my genius."
The young couple shared a laugh. Bolin brought some much-needed levity to the room, but Mako still had a few reservations.
"Still, it feels like I should be doing more than sitting around waiting to see who wins." Mako thought out loud. He turned to his girlfriend and knew his statement needed some context. "Its not that we don't appreciate you letting us crash here Asami, it's just hard seeing Korra getting things done while we just hang out."
"Can't say I blame you Mako." Bolin asserted. "Amon pretty much blew our house to smithereens."
"Our room is fine though."
"I said 'pretty much, didn't I?"
"I know what you mean Mako." Asami cut in preventing another pointless argument. "You want to fight so your home…our home doesn't fall to Amon."
"More or less, yeah." Mako agreed. He looked down thoughtfully at his empty glass contemplating his place in this conflict. "My gut's telling me this is going to get a whole lot worse before it's over and I think the Equalists are going to decide for me."
"Mako—"
"I'm not going to site on the side lines when that happens Asami." Mako asserted calmly. "I'm just not cut out for that."
"I know Mako. I was just going to tell you that I'll stand by you regardless of the outcome." She held his hand and smiled.
Mako smiled back. "Good to know."
The two kissed much to Bolin's annoyance.
"Why can't I get a girlfriend?" Bolin sulked.
XXXxxx Sato Estate: South Wing (Sometime later) xxxXXX
The loose snow clashed with the patches of brown grass on the road towards Hiroshi's private workshop. Sato dismissed Fat's services and gave him the rest of the day off. He opted to take his time and escort Peter personally to his secret shop. Truth be told, he was dragging his feet towards a make-or-break ultimatum. He couldn't help but smirk at himself for how timid he was being. This whole ordeal was a very humbling experience.
"Room temperature superconductor?" Peter said.
"I don't know why you're insisting on ruining the surprise Takuya. And no, unfortunately I'm not that smart." Sato replied.
"Don't sell yourself short Mr. Sato. Your one of the brightest minds this world's ever seen. Plans for an underwater expansion for the city?"
"I appreciate the vote of confidence young man, but it isn't in one's best interest to support an inflated ego." Hiroshi advised. "And no."
"I'm not trying to inflate your ego Mr. Sato. All I'm doing is acknowledging your innate talents in the scientific field, that's all. It's called having a healthy ego. A direct energy cannon?"
"I'm fairly certain you made that up. You're starting to sound like Varrick, hawking his latest snake oil. And no again. Now I know your messing with me."
"I'm sorry, this whole thing just got me all giddy." Peter admitted. "I feel like a kid on Chris- his birthday."
"Can't say I blame you. I haven't done a terribly good job at staving your expectations." Hiroshi reached into his pocket and pulled out a bundle of keys as they approached their destination. " 'Energy cannon', now you're just being silly."
"I guess so. By the way, I thought we would've run into Sifu Kung on the way here. Is he still around here?" Peter had walked past their little makeshift dojo as he was surprised he didn't see him in the middle of doing some complicated kata.
"Kung-Li is a busy man Takuya. He had other obligations to address."
"Like what?"
"I'm not entirely sure." Hiroshi admitted. "All I know is that it isn't too pleasant."
Peter tilted his head. "I thought you and Sifu Kung went way back."
"We do. He was a soldier of fortune when I hired him back then. I'm not sure if he's still doing that kind of activity though."
Peter paused as he imagined his humble teacher sneaking over a no man's land and getting the drop on some of the Kaiser's merry men. Now he regretted not utilizing him more.
"Oh. You wouldn't happen to know where he's shacked up would you?"
"I don't know, but if I had to guess, he probably has a place close to the sea ports. Asami would know more than me, you should ask her later."
The two made it to the garage.
"Let's not worry about that right now." Hiroshi said as he fumbled with the pad lock. "We need to focus on the here-and -now. Ready?"
Hiroshi swung the door open and lead Peter inside. He flipped the light switch and didn't reveal anything too spectacular. It looked like a normal garage save for the expertly detailed hot rod in the center. Its hood was opened with tools laid within arm's reach.
"Pleas don't tell me your big to-do is a new Satombile sir." Peter said outright. "Don't get me wrong, its nice and all I just thought—"
"Please Takuya." Hiroshi interrupted. "This is just a little project I work on in my spare time." He then walked towards one of his work benches and pulled a section of the surface away to reveal a large button and pressed it.
The floor opened up revealing another level to the workshop. Peter's interests were peaked at this point.
"Follow me." Hiroshi instructed.
The two parties stepped into the opening and revealed a freight elevator to a lower level. Hiroshi pressed another button and they started their decent.
Peter didn't expect anything like this. This whole setup must've taken years to develop.
"All this for a secret project?"
"Not exactly. The tunnel is a byproduct of a botched panic room. One thing led to another and I got a little carried away. So now I have a secret tunnel." Hiroshi grinned.
"You have a secret tunnel leading to a secret hideout." Peter stated the obvious for his own sake.
"Yes. This is all pretty tame next to Varrick."
"I'm going to have to take your word on that Mr. Sato. But still, this must've cost you a fortune. Even your bottom line must've felt this."
"It did." Sato admitted. "I had a field day trying to explain this to my accountants." Hiroshi's face lost its cheerful glow as he looked down the abyss. "Besides, it's not always about the money Takuya."
Sato's slight mood swing didn't go unnoticed by Peter. He must have inadvertently struck a nerve.
The elevator came to a stop and Hiroshi continued to lead Peter. He stopped at an industrial breaker and flipped the switch, bringing light to the darkness. The area looked like a satellite factory to the main complex back at Future Industries HQ. Different tool boxes, fork lifts, and even an overhead crane was found in the miny factory. A scorched concrete wall had caught Peters eye, along with industrial sized cable spools tucked away in the corner. There was a line of industrial engine blocks, along with a sophisticated turbine, all tucked around the back end. Hiroshi even had an impressive chemistry set as well. He didn't know what kind of operation was going on around here, but it wasn't a single project. None of that mattered at the moment. Sato already told him that he had been down here for years.
Hirohi stepped towards a large vehicle that was covered with a tarp. "Here we are Takuya. The main event. For years humanity has been—"
"With all due respect Mr. Sato, can you please spare me the sales pitch. I'm already on board, I don't need any more convincing."
"Where's the fun in that?" Hiroshi sighed. "Oh well, I suppose I've kept you waiting long enough. Fine, have it your way."
Hiroshi pulled the tarp away to reveal a blood red winged craft. Peter was no stranger to the bi-plane, but it was a revolutionary machine for this world. Despite the familiarity, he was still in awe of the aircraft. It was similar in principle to his world's bi-planes but differed starkly in key areas.
"I call this beauty the biplane. It's faster and more robust than an airship at a third the cost." Hiroshi announced his invention like a kid at show-and-tell.
Peter's reaction was reserved but he was still grinning like a mad man. "Hiroshi this is…this is spectacular. How long have you been cooking this up?"
"Four years, give or take." Hiroshi answered. "I was in rough waters at first. I had to do most of the R&D on my own to keep this under wraps. I started with gliders and eventually with powered flight. Honestly, I think this bad boy was twice as hard to make than the Satomobile. But enough of my rambling, what do you think?"
"I think you've revolutionized travel twice in one lifetime Mr. Sato." Peter replied as he scanned the alien biplane. He approached the wing and dragged his hand across it. "What material did you use?"
Hiroshi smirked. It was refreshing to talk shop with another gifted individual. "It's an amalgamation of wood and metal. I haven't ironed out the details for the metal yet, but aluminum is looking promising at the moment." He grabbed a rolling stool and took a seat. "I'm sure you've got more to ask than that Takuya. Don't be shy, I'm an open book."
"Why three engines? Does the main one not pushing enough power.?" Peter obliged.
"Stability. The wing engines help with lateral movement of the aircraft along with the tail. I had to slave the two engines with the primary. They darn near ripped themselves free when I was doing engine runs."
"How did you adjust for the extra weight? Hardpoints?"
"In a manner of speaking. They're essentially cut down motorcycle engines and they're fairly light, so I didn't have to compensate too much. I integrated some load bearing columns into the frame. I didn't want to risk it, so I went with reinforced steel to keep them up. They're the second heaviest components next to the main engine." Hiroshi answered confidently. It was refreshing to speak openly on his hard work. "Anything else?"
"Just one more question. Did you fly it yet?"
Peter's question caused Sato to look visually uncomfortable. "I did…it was not my proudest moment."
"What happened?"
"Where do I start?" Hiroshi mumbled. "We went on a test flight a couple of months ago. We had to go out close to sunset so we wouldn't get any unwanted attention."
"We? There was someone else?"
"Yes." Hiroshi chuckled. "You asked me about the engine and the building materials, but you didn't notice it had two seats?"
Peter took another look at the plane and shrugged. "Huh, guess I didn't. Who was your copilot? I'm sure it had to be someone you trust to keep a secret."
"Very true. It was Fat."
"You're driver? Is he even a little qualified to do that?"
"It's the world's first aero plane Takuya, no one's qualified to do anything. Besides, he's one of the few people I know that can keep a secret." Hiroshi explained. "So anyway, we both went up and everything was going swimmingly until a vicious cross wind hit us. It messed with the engines air-fuel ratio and killed it. We glided for a while but we were losing altitude fast. I didn't have many options so I took the biplane into a dive. The rush of air restarted the engine and we managed to land safely. It took us a while to get our bearings back after the ordeal. We're older, so we don't bounce back as fast as you Takuya. We sat in the aeroplane for twenty minutes trying to catch our breath. Poor Fat darn near had a heart attack."
"Glad you two made it in one piece." Peter smiled. This whole exchanged reminded him of his uncle's old war stories. "Did you have to mess with the engines design to fix the problem?"
"Oh no, all they needed was a tune up to increase performance at altitude. The range isn't as good but I have a much better chance landing safely. That and mandatory parachutes. I might've shaved a few years off with that little incident but it was extremely educational." Sato concluded.
"In all seriousness Mr. Sato, this is incredible." Peter praised as he dragged his hand against the fuselage. "This is going to change the world."
The smile on Hiroshi's face faded away at his protégé words. He savored the moment and cherished it, but now it was time for the hard part.
"Thank you, Takuya this little number took me years to get off the drawing board. I must confess, your notes helped me tremendously in my affairs." Hiroshi admitted.
"My notebook? Oh right, that was just some doodle I wrote up on my spare time. A loose idea I wanted to write down." Peter explained. "I guess they just sparked something that was already there Mr. Sato." He tapped at his temple and smiled.
Hiroshi chuckled at his words. "Oh Takuya, those were so much more than little ideas. I'll be honest with you, I read your notebook cover-to-cover and the ideas I saw…genius…simply genius." He gave Peter his full attention, gradually dropping the façade. "If you really put your mind to it, dropped all the little Avatar and probending distractions, you'd have the world eating out of your hand. You'd make me, Gon-Long, and even Varrick look like pitiful side shows next to your greatness."
"Wow Mr. Sato. I don't know how I feel about that." Peter couldn't help but notice the change in the air. This was feeling more like an interrogation than a simple show-and-tell. "Thank you. I'm glad you have so much faith in me."
Sato looked away and chuckled at a silent joke. "There it is, that accursed modesty. Faith has nothing to do with it Takuya. I've dedicated my life to enriching the everyday lives of the common man. I've spent sleepless night tolling away at this endeavor so I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that your potential far outshines my own. The ideas you wrote in that notebook is world changing. I couldn't come up with half of the things you did Takuya." He took a moment to remove his glasses and looked at Peter directly. "So please drop the act. Stop insulting your own abilities."
Peter's carelessness had come back to haunt him. He would curse himself if it weren't for Hirohi's odd behavior eclipsing his mistake. Was this animosity, jealousness maybe? No, he wouldn't bare his soul like he did if he held such petty notions. This was something else.
"Right. Is everything alright Mr. Sato?" Peter asked as he quietly analyzed his body language. He wasn't angry but he was deadly serious. He looked like he was about to go through with something he wasn't entirely on board with, but would see it through regardless of the outcome.
"I'm fine Takuya, more than fine actually." Sato replied. "I'm on the cusp of creating a world that people like you and my daughter can live in peace. A world Yasuko would be proud of."
"I didn't mean to keep anything from you Mr. Sato. I wasn't holding out on you or anything. I just wanted to live my life, you know? I'm not the kind of guy who wants to see his name in lights or change the world. Well, I do want change for the better but…I want to be a part of it, not lead from the front."
"That's fine Takuya. I wouldn't put you in a position you aren't ready for. I'd be more than happy to direct your talents until you're ready to take the reins for the time being. Your current contributions have helped us tremendously already."
Peter's senses, the ones he was born with, screamed at him. Hiroshi's words went from strange to alarming.
"Hiroshi, what the hell are your trying to tell me?" Peter said flat out.
"Hiroshi Sato is an Equalist!" A haunting voice cried out from the shadows catching both parties off guard. "He's more than that really. He's one of our founding members." A bone white 'face' started to materialize. "And since we're all being so honest with each other, I don't know what the revolution would do without him" Amon finished his declaration as he stepped into the light.
Peter was dumb-struck by the appearance of his sworn adversary. He barely registered his pale blue eyes shooting a menacing glare as he stepped next to his co-conspirator.
"That's not…no…No! This isn't…THIS CAN'T..." Peter struggled to transfer his thoughts into words.
"I had things under control Amon." Sato scolded. "You barging in here like this isn't helping."
"My apologies Hiroshi. I got tired of waiting for you to get to the point, so I made an executive decision. Better to rip the bandage off than peel it off slowly, right?"
Hiroshi cursed his partners misplaced initiative. He now had the harder task of defusing Peter's panic.
"Takuya, I need you to—"
"What does he have on you?!" Peter blurted out.
"Nothing. He—"
"It's alright, I can help you!"
Amon folded his arms and leaned against the biplane. "It's like I said young man, we've built this movement together. He's not being coerced by me or anyone. What part of that don't you understand?"
"Shut up!" Peter barked back with pure hate.
Amon beamed a side eye to at the outburst but ultimately ignored it. "I thought you said he was smart."
"He is. This is all just a shock that you brought on." Hirohi snapped.
"I got tired of you beating around the bush, but all that is in the past now. Relax Hiroshi, I got you through the hard part. Now I'll be quiet and leave the rest to you." He explained as he regarded the distressed Peter one last time. He scoffed before bowing his head and closing his eyes making good on his word.
"Takuya, I know this is a lot to take in but Amon is telling the truth. Me and my company are the brains and purse of the revolution." Half way through his explanation, Hiroshi saw that Peter was still in shock. His breath was labored and sweat started to dot his forehead. He hated seeing him like this, but he had to continue. "He came to me years ago and when he explained his vision to me. I had to join his cause. I brought you here today to ask you to join our fight against the tyrannical benders and their corrupt system. With your intellect at our disposal nothing could stop us. Not the Republic Forces, the three kingdoms, not even the Avatar! We can save the world Takuya!"
Peter's mind was racing, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. He hoped this was just one of Kumo's fever dreams, but knew that wasn't the case.
"Are you listening to yourself? 'Tyrannical Benders'? You're sponsoring a pro-bending team, your daughter's dating Mako, you have bending employees for crying out loud! Is this a cry for help or have you totally lost your mind?!"
Hiroshi took a deep breath and treaded carefully. He didn't want this devolving into a shouting match. He hoped logic would see them through this rough patch in their relationship. "I sponsored the Ferrets for Asami's sake. She's a fan of that drivel and refusing would be problematic towards our ends. I was furious when she brought that street rat to my doorstep but, as much as it pains me to admit, their relationship was a good cover. Believe me Takuya, it took everything I had not to choke the life out of that worm. And no Takuya, I'm quite sane."
A mix of rage and stress flooded Peter. He was reeling from the betrayal and struggled to keep his mind on the here-and -now. Should he out himself as Spider-Man and attempt to take Amon down? Or should he keep the ball rolling as Peter Parker? He considered his options all while grappling with Sato's treachery.
"Why partner with him of all people." Peter pointed to the dormant Amon. "The man's going to sink this city and take you and everything you worked for with him."
He decided against taking Amon on and instead tried to goad information out of Hiroshi. Emotions were running high but he wagered that he had more control of them than he did. The best course of action was to play it cool, as much as he could manage, and wait for an opportunity to slip away and call in the cavalry. This ad hoc plan wasn't foolproof; he didn't know if he could keep his anger in check.
"This is all his vision Takuya. You wouldn't know this but this, all of this, has been in the making for years now. All I've done was help accelerate his plans."
Amon stirred at his mention. He had a feeling where this conversation was heading and was glad he made the proper arrangements ahead of time.
"What makes you think I would just up and join your little crusade Sato? I'm friends with the Avatar and those 'street rats'. You'd think I'd betray them?"
"You're mistaken Takuya. They're not your friends. You're just a novelty. A little sideshow they keep around to prop themselves up." Hiroshi spat.
Sato's blind judgment shook Peter. He was seeing more than he bargained for. "All this time…how long have you been bottling up this hate?"
Hiroshi shook his head in shame. He spoke out of turn. "Longer than I care to admit Takuya. If Amon hadn't come to me when he did…I believe 'living dead' would be the apt term."
Concern started to swell in Peter, not for himself, but for Hiroshi. He saw his friend and mentor at the edge of a cliff and Peter found himself now trying to talk him down. It became blatantly obvious what was happening. He fell for Amon's con.
He approached Sato, completely ignoring Amon.
"Hiroshi, listen to me. You can still walk away from this. I'm begging you, don't throw your legacy away for a sham cause."
Hiroshi shook his head and pushed him away. "This 'sham' has given me life. It's given me purpose. I'm fighting against a hopelessly corrupt system. I'm fighting for a world for people like me and my daughter. It's a shame, I thought you of all people would understand."
Amon lot out a breath and stood to his imposing height and motioned his entourage to close in. They were surrounded in moments.
"It seems we couldn't see eye-to-eye after all." He stepped in arms reach of Peter. "I suppose it can't be helped. I will respect your wishes Takuya, but I can't just have you roaming around."
Peter fought every fiber in his being not to cave-in Amon's mask. His eyes locked with his even as the chi-blockers closed in with handcuffs.
"This will go a lot smother if you don't resist." Amon sternly advised.
Peter held his hands up and allowed the chi-blockers to retrain him.
"Oh right. I almost forgot to thank you Takuya. Your contributions have been a tremendous help in our fight against our bending oppressors." Amon twisted the knife before motioning his detail to take Peter away.
"This may sound hollow now Takuya, but I am sorry things turned out like this. I assure you that your detainment will be as com—"
"You're throwing me in a cage because I didn't want you join in on your vendetta Sato. Don't try to sugarcoat it." Peter growled. "By the way, is Asami in on the big secret?"
Sato's face soured at the mention of his daughter.
"Figures. Well, I'm sure that conversation will go better than this." Peter chided as he held up his cuffed hands like a trophy.
"Take him away." Amon ordered the detail.
"Don't forget to mention the 'street rat' boyfriend." He called back.
Sato's face went red and was about to shout a retort but was stopped by Amon.
"Calm yourself old friend." Amon advised.
Sato didn't listen and chucked a wrench as hard as he could before storming away.
As Amon let his partner vent his furry, he questioned a strange feeling he had while they were trying to recruit Peter. He couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of déjà vu he had with the boy.
It was about a ten-minute walk to the underground tram system. It gave Peter plenty of time to silently seethe at Sato betrayal. He pieced together that Sato was using his research to develop the enhanced shock gloves, and that was only the tip of the iceberg. Sato had to have developed other weapon systems off of his work. The web fluid formula would be easy to synthesize, so he probably had it tucked away somewhere. He'd need more time to assess the damages.
The chi-blockers pushed him towards the cart and forced him down. The operator flipped a few switches and they started to make their way to their base. He didn't say a word as they trekked to their destination.
'Idiot!' Peter thought. 'It was so obvious! Why didn't you see it?!"
The truth was painfully obvious in hindsight. Sato fit the bill to a tee. He had been dancing around it this whole time. Perhaps he just didn't want to believe Sato, of all people, could be the culprit.
"You were foolish not to join us kid." One of the chi-blockers chastised. "The benders are practically beaten already. It makes more sense to stick with the winning team."
"Winning team?" Peter scoffed. "Is that what you all think you are?"
"Sure." A female chi-blocker chimed in. "The benders' society is on the verge of collapse and we aren't even trying yet. If that's not a winning team I don't know what is."
"It's alright, he'll see the light in time."
"You're right, I'll see the light in about…two minutes. Four and a half tops." Peter quipped.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's nothing. It's just some punk kid trying to sound tough." The operator said. "He doesn't want to be a part of the mission? Fine. We don't really need him to beat the benders."
"Your 'mission' is one of envy. You've all been duped into focusing on what you lack instead of what you have. We all have innate talents that we can nurture and hone in time. But that can't happen since you're all too blinded by your hatred of benders. I almost feel sorry for you guys…almost."
"We weren't born lucky like benders kid, and everyone here trained themselves to the bone to master chi-blocking." The operator shot back. "Every Equalist is no stranger to hard work. We all had to become strong to live in this unjust world!"
"…Right…" Peter poked his head and looked ahead. There was a dark spot approaching. "Luck does have a hand in success. It doesn't hurt to have friends in high places either."
As the cart entered the darkness, Peter broke free and went to work. The chi-blockers didn't see it coming despite having sight enhancing googles. They didn't even have time to react as they each felt a hand knock against their heads, and then nothing.
The cart emerged from the darkness with five dispatched chi-blockers and Peter in the operator seat activating the breaks. He jumped off and started running down the tunnel. It didn't take long to find light shining through a manhole cover. He jumped up, kicked through it, and landed atop on the street above. He was in the outskirts of the city.
"I have no idea where I am." He complained to himself.
That was the least of his troubles at the moment. He didn't even know where to go from here or who to go to. He did know he had to get moving. Peter Parker was a marked man.
A/N: Well its been a while but I'm finally back. Sorry it took so long, life happened and I thought I could write and deal with my job at the same time. Needless to say, that was not the case. This is the longest stint I've been away from you all and again I'm sorry it took so long. I even had to part this update out to 'speed' things up.
Any who, Sato's true intentions are out in the light and Peters on the run. The Book 1 portion of the story is coming to a close and I'm excited to see years of planning coming to fortition. Feel free to pm me if you want something answered quickly.
PS: should I get a discord server up? I don't think this story is that popular for such a thing but I'd like your feedback.
Bucio: I really wanted to show how Peter's influence cased Korra to mature faster then she did in the show. And Peter slowly learning to trust people is his lesson through their relationship. That's what I was going for and I'm glade the message came through as nicely as it did. I'm glade the royalty joke landed for you.
hunter 139: 'Hey, I know you just wrapped your head around the fact that I'm a guy with spider powers. But did you know that me and four of my friends, two of them are alternative versions of myself, beat up a bunch of other superpowered bad guys across the multiverse- yeah there's a multiverse by the way- and saved the world only to get thrown into your reality. I know it's a lot to take in Korra but…Korra…Korra?'
I'm going to have fun writing that one. And did I confirm Maphisto…did I really?
Alex: It really took a year to make FML. I wish you luck with your story.
PrudishSet: I dipped out of Loki after the first episode, just didn't click with me. But yes, Peters memories are in conflict with the cannon events from the original graphic novel (FYI I didn't see across the spiderverse either)
I won't say for sure why he's there since I'd be spoiling it for you but I'm sure you can piece things together since were nearing the end of the story.
Wizardwolf 1020: Had a long conversation with my buddies with your review and I agree with you. Korra wasn't full fledged through the first book and it she had a little bit of a complex because of it. You see her cockiness in book 2 with wasn't too far fetched since she attained the avatar state and all. Rest assured, that moment will come and it'll dawn on Peter who he's really been trapsing around with all this time.
I do love expanding small story beats into greater narratives. I always have fun doing it and it usually comes out pretty smooth. Literally thought of that on the spot while typing out the chapter too.
ABNALLDAY: Seriously, thank you. I try my damndest to give you guys my best, which doesn't always land admittingly. But I'm glade it did for the last chapter.
I use the same words in real life as well. It's a bad habit that seeped into my work but as long as its not too glaring I can live with it.
As for the latest ASM work, it really feels like Spider-Man's writers have a hard on for causing him as much pain as humanly possible. Seriously, loosing is apart of the spider-man experience but you have to pepper in the wins too. From what I've seen (I don't read the story outright but I see video here and there) he's only been taking Ls. In short, not a fan.
Mtm1997: I think maturing Korra was one of my goals when I started writing. It's always fun introducing characters like Peter to someone like Korra. He doesn't care about her status and is one of the few people she knows not sucking up to her. She apricates his honesty, my take anyway.
B1ack0ut: That's the trick while I'm writing Spider-Man and keeping him in character. It's never what would I do in a situation but what would he do if X happens to him. It's really helpful to study the character before hand to get the characterization down. I remember reading the first 2 noir graphic novels after playing the game. I still watch legend of Korra episodes to get the feel for the atmosphere and characters every now and then.
I've stated in earlier chapters that the twin's involvement was purely self-serving. I was playing the game around the time was I was writing the first chapter and decided that they were a good fit for the story. Of course, I didn't want them to pull focus away from the actual story so they just pop in periodically.
Dante C. Emerys: The sites been acting weird for a while now. They don't even track the metrics for the story anymore so that doesn't surprise me. I don't even get email alerts for reviews either.
Prime138: Won't lie to you, no midnight suns involvement isn't happening. I'm not too familiar with them and I've already wrote out a plan for how this is going to go down. Plus, I don't want to add too many characters from other realities.
Carnage will appear in some capacity.
gontheone:
-The pairings are pretty much set for the foreseeable future. It was up in the air early on in the story but it isn't now.
-A chi-blocking Spider-Man is an avenue I could explore so we'll see how that'll play out in the future.
-No on the guns, at least for Peter. Writing around guns into the avatar world will be difficult and giving Peter his revolver from cannon would complicate things so I'm choosing to omit it.
-He did and he didn't kill vulture in this story. It'll make more sense in the future.
-He might train like Grimm when the time is needed it I can't see it myself. The whole thing was more about Peter understanding himself and his abilities then getting physically stronger.
-I like the idea of Peter manipulating electrical forces and using it in new ways. Its not in the cards for Book 1 but I'm much more open to exploring that idea in book 2. I think I set up a solid base for such a thing in the story (around the street war portion of the story when he fought the cops in the slayer armor.)
-The current situation with Spider-Man is deplorable at the moment but things are starting to look up with ultimate comics coming back. Fun fact: I started my comics journey with ultimate Spider-Man trade from my local library. I don't like Miles in the sense that he isn't really a character. His writers are so afraid to offend someone and they don't introduce any personal challenges to him. He's essentially a race bent Peter Parker. Every other spider-man has a unique feel about them except miles. He's just so safe and boring. Make him have trouble at school, or maybe have him not have such an ideal home life. These types of things make characters interesting and no one really made an honest attempt to address this so I don't like him. And he could never replace Peter for that reason.
-Peter will more of less make those types of webs in the future. I've finally introduced the delivery system in this chapter.
-I'm always motivated bro. Just takes me a while to get things too you. Thank you.
gamaleddin: This is Pattrick
Guest: Did I miss something?
Guest2: I agree with the sentiment. Followed a Halo/Mass effect story back in the day and the author made some creative choices that didn't agree with me and you know what I did? I stopped reading it. No messages or nonsense I just stopped reading the damn thing. I'm going to assume that home slice deleted his review or something but regardless I don't really care all that much. This story isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea and I've come to terms with that fact quite a while ago.
Abolfazl: LEGENDS NEVER DIE!
tigerdancer21: A version of that could be arranged. I had something similar like that cooking in my head a while back.
