*Five Years Ago...*
Argeste Threads HQ
"Do you even realize what you've done, Toomes?!"
"I can assure you, Mr. Agreste, it was only a slight miscalculation on my part."
Gabriel Agreste rarely if ever got angry but Adrian Toomes, founder, president and CEO of Toomes Aeroworks, was really pushing his buttons.
The two had made a business deal with Toomes providing new security measures in the form of his patented 'Tech Flight'; a personal anti-gravity suit that enabled the user to glide through the air.
However, one of Gabriel's most trusted workers had been tasked with testing the technology...and lost his life when it went haywire and he fell to his death.
What really infuriated Gabriel was how dismissive Toomes was of the loss of life, only caring about his precious technology and how it could be improved. The whole accident was seemingly just a minor inconvenience to the old man.
"Miscalu…? A man was killed, Toomes!" Gabriel snapped.
"You have other workers." Adrian remarked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"That's not the…!" Gabriel started, only to realize he might as well be speaking to a wall. "This is the last straw. Get out!"
The Agreste family bodyguard, affectionately known as 'The Gorilla' came behind Gabriel and took Adiran by the shoulder.
"Ater today, I am suing Toomes Aeroworks for every penny I can get for the grieving family, and I will not rest until the company is liquidated." Gabriel promised.
"What?!" Toomes shrieked. "You can't sue me! This company is my life!"
"Sorry, you old buzzard, but you're out of the game." Gabriel scowled. "Might as well go into the retirement home where you belong, I have very good lawyers. We don't need men like you endangering the lives of good-working people."
With that, Gabriel turned and took his leave, slamming the door in Toomes' face as he did so.
*Present Day*
Toomes growled as he sat in his dingy apartment. After the lawsuit, his company had been bankrupted and everything he had worked for in life taken from him...
Well, ALMOST everything.
No, hidden in his closet was the remnants of his Tech Flight, his pride and joy. He had used it to commit a string of robberies lately to make ends meet and slowly build it into the perfect battle suit. So far, he had managed to stay under the radar, not even getting the attention of those meddlesome teenagers in spandex. But he knew sooner or later, they would trail him down and he still needed time for his ultimate revenge.
Sipping a glass of wine, Toomes turned his attention to a dartboard with Gabriel's picture on it. Said picture was riddled with holes made by darts.
"Soon, Agreste, you will pay for taking everything from me!"
Suddenly, his phone rang and, not wanting to risk if it was the police or some nosy telle-caller, he answered.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Adrian Toomes?"A charismatic baritone voice spoke on the other end, making Toomes' eyes widen.
"Fisk?! Why are you calling?"
"I've heard about your monetary troubles ever since the tragic loss of your company all those years ago. I've also noticed a little pattern about this thief that's been flying around."
"What are you talking about?" Toomes asked, feigning ignorance.
"Don't think I haven't recognized the technology. An ingenious use of your Tech Flight, I must say." Fisk said on the other end. "In fact, I very much think that, if you're willing to accept my job application, you can get your revenge on Mr. Gabriel Agreste for his transgression against you."
Toomes clenched his hand around the phone with a scowl at the mention of that name. He didn't need any further convincing than that.
"I'm listening..."
MIRACULOUS
At Lee Kane High, Adrien Agreste nervously made his way to his locker. It was only his second day and already things were rotten. He had shied away from just about anybody, even those who tried to approach him and be friendly.
"Why would anybody want to be friends with a spoiled dweeb like me anyway?" The boy sighed.
He honestly didn't know why his parents suggested he go to school and try to make friends. It never worked out at any of the previous schools he went to, why would this be any different?
Suddenly, a fist came dangerously close to hitting him. He let out a short yelp of fear before turning around to see his attacker.
"Well well well, if it isn't widdle Adwien Agweste." Carl King, the biggest bully and punk in school, said with a grin and a furrowed brow. "What's wrong, rich boy? Cat got your tongue?"
"U-Um, n-no, I'm not really doing anything so I'll just be on my way!" Adrien nervously laughed only to be grabbed by the collar and pinned to the locker.
"What? Think you're too good to talk to us poor folk?" Carl asked with a sneer. "Seems like somebody needs to knock you down a few pegs."
"Hey, King!"
The punk turned around, only to suddenly be punched in the face by a sort of familiar-looking older boy with slicked black hair and narrow blue eyes. Adrien fell on his butt as the bully went down like a sack of bricks, clutching his broken and bloodied nose as a hand was offered to the Agreste heir.
"Hey, Adrien. Long time no see."
"B-Bruce?" The younger blonde nervously asked as he was helped to his feet. "I-Is that you?"
"Surprised you recognized me, it has been a while. I saw you in the cafeteria the other day but you didn't seem to want to talk." Bruce smiled. "How's it been? Haven't seen you in years."
"I-It's fine..." Adrien said, rubbing the back of his head. "Mom and Dad figured it'd do me good to go to a public school, make some friends and all that."
"Well, it's a good thing you were enlisted here," Bruce said. "How are your folks doing anyway?"
"Oh! Mom and Dad are fine, for the most part." Adrien said. "What about you? How's Alfred doing?"
"He's doing alright. Keeps me up at night with those soap operas of his." Bruce chuckled as the lunch bell rang. "Come on, I have a few people who'd love to meet you."
The younger teen was nervous, unsure if any of them would be accepting of him. Thankfully, his worries would soon be proven unfounded.
"Sup, bruh?" Nino smiled as he sat next to Adrien, Bruce already sitting on the other side next to him. "The name's Nino."
"H-Hey, Nino. I'm Adrien."
"I know this is a little forward, but do you wanna hang out with us after school?" Nino asked.
"If you can, that is." Alya added, sitting across from Adrien along with Marinette, Juleka, Peter, and Rose.
"Um..." Adrien turned to Bruce, who smiled and nodded as he turned back with a smile. "Sure! I'd love to! I'm probably gonna have to check my schedule first but I think I'm free!"
"Awesome!" Rose beamed before turning to Marinette. "You hear that, Marinette? You get to hang out with THE Adrien Agreste! And he's such a sweetie, too!"
"ROSE!" Marinette shushed as Bruce chuckled while .
"She's a big fan of you." He whispered to Adrian. "And yes, I mean you, not your modelling ads. Although she does…"
"BRUCE!" Marinette shrieked, leaping to silence her big brother figure, who casually bobbed and weaved as Peter smiled and held his hand out to Adrien.
"I'm Peter Parker, welcome to the Loser's Club."
"Oh, you read IT by Stephen King?" Adrien asked. "I watched the movie...well, the version with Tim Curry anyway."
Peter beamed, his liking for Adrian now assured. "YES! Tim Curry is a gem but Bill Skarsgard is great too!"
"Honestly, I think Skarsgard was TOO scary." Adiran recounted. "I spent half the movie thinking 'no way I'd trust a clown that creepy' if I was a kid."
"THANK YOU!" Alya shouted to the heavens, making herself known. "Oh, um…. sorry, Alya. School paper paragon and big sister."
Adrian shook Alya's hand before adding.
"I got no insider knowledge on mom and dad's work."
"…Wow, you really have only met the worst press." Alya grimaced. "I am so sorry."
Adrian now felt ashamed and worriedly shook his hands to apologize.
"Oh no! No, no, no! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed!"
"
Bruce smiled, glad to see that Adrien was already making friends that he knew were trustworthy. The billionaire playboy didn't notice out of the corner of his eye that Chloe Bourgeois was staring with an annoyed twitch of her eyebrow.
"Come to think of it, the Bourgeois and Agreste families have been close for a long time..." Bruce recalled. "Guess she must be feeling left out. Then again, that attitude of her/'s doesn't do her any favors…."
MIRACULOUS
Taking a break from their fashion empire, and wanting be there for their only child, Gabriel and Emilie Agreste decided to pick Adrien up from school.
"Gabriel, please calm down." Emille begged her husband, holding his hand in her own. The hints of a smile crossed his face, but he remained serious and stewing in thoughts.
"Sir, if anything bad had happened to Adrian, I'm sure we'd have heard it by now." Nathalie, Emilie's best friend and VP of Agreste Threads, tried to assure her friend.
"…You're lucky you were never bullied, Nathalie." Gabriel said, unpleasant memories filling him. Of the Agreste parents, he had taken the longest to allow his only son to go to school after receiving a home education. For good reason, he assured; on top of Adrian's 'fans' and the paparazzi, Gabriel's educational years had been…less than ideal.
So, you can imagine his surprised and elation when he saw his son animatingly chatting and joking with a gaggle of students, at least one of whom looked familiar….
"Bonjour, sweetie!" Emilie beamed as she helped herself out of the car and hugged her son, who blushed in embarrassment. "I take it you've had a good day?"
Adrian nodded as he saw Nathalie and his father step out.
"Mom, dad, Nathalie. These are some of my classmates: Nino, Alya, Rose, Juleka, Peter and Marinette."
Bruce had moved to the side as was on a call with Lucius Fox at the moment, plus Adrian thought his parents would recongize the Wayne Heir.
"Um..if its okay with you?' Juleka said. "We had invivited Adrian to hang out with us for a few hours."
Emmile beamed.
"Only a day and already an invivte with friends? My, oh quickly you work, sweetheart."
"Mom….!" Adiran groan, not noticed Marinette coo at his embrassment..but Gabriel did.
"Well, I certainly won't hold you lot back." Gabriel muttered, but with a smile on his face. "Schedule?"
"The cameraman for Adrian's shoot had to reschedule, so he can have three free afternoons." Nathalie said after checking her pad.
At this time, Bruce ended his call with Lucius and overheard that last bit of information.
"Three free afternoons eh?" He smirked to Adrian. "I think we can squeeze in some making up in that."
"Bruce? Bruce is that you?" Emilie asked. "Goodness! You're looking more and more like Thomas each day."
"Merci, Emilie." Bruce bowed respectfully. "And I see Adrian is taking after the best of you too as well."
"Oh please, Adiran takes more after her than me. But it is good to see you still haven't lost your heart, Bruce." Gabriel smiled. "Especially after what happened to Thomas and Martha."
The air went cold at that…And Gabriel tensed and stomped on the ground at bringing that up.
Bruce nodded sadly.
"No worries, Msr Agreste. I've...been holding up. Peter and Marinette have helped in that regard."
"Ah, yes, the Parker boy." Gabriel nodded. "I've heard he's the smartest in his year."
"Possibly the city too." Rose added, pushing Peter forward to give a modest wave of greetings.
"And…Marinette, was it?" Gabriel asked, spying the Chinese-Parisan girl. "Your last name wouldn't happen to be Dupain-Chang, would it?"
Marinette, for her credit, managed to nod and respond with a timid:
"Um, y-yes sir. W-why do you ask?"
Adrian immediately began to grimace, as did Emilia; Gabriel rarely meant it, but he was an incredibly stern and serious man
Gabriel handed Mari a card.
"I imagine running such a successful bakery is busy, so whenever you and your parents have some free time, come over and we can go over the paperwork for starting the selling of your designs."
Marinette, frozen in place, managed to inwardly squeal
'Happiest. Moment. Of. My life!'
Before more conversation could be had, the sound of soaring wings was heard as everyone turned to see a winged humanoid fly in. As it got closer, they noticed it was a man in a dark green armored suit themed after a Vulture with a respirator styled after a a beak and an orange visor.
"AGRESTE!"
Gabriel gasped, realizing that the man was aiming for him. Before he could get out of the way, the man scooped him up by the shoulders with talons from his boots and carried him off into the air.
"GABRIEL!/DAD!" Emilie and Adrien cried.
"OH NO!" Marinette cried.
"W-What do we do?!" Rose asked in panic.
"Call the cops!" Peter urgently said.
"Already on it!" Nathalie said, taking out her phone, having speed-dialed the police.
"We'll get help!" Bruce said as he and Peter rushed off, heading into separate directions after making sure nobody saw them before donning their costumes.
As Gabriel struggled in the hold of his flying assailant, he looked up to recognize the face of his abductor.
"Toomes?!"
"Not Toomes now! I'm what you called me all those years ago, Gabriel! I'm THE VULTURE!"
"I called you a BUZZARD!" Gabriel snapped indignantly. "Seems you really are going senile if you can't even get the name right!"
Toomes, or rather The Vulture, merely sneered as he threw Gabriel into the air, causing him to scream as he plummeted to the ground, only to be caught again and dragged through the air once more.
"Toomes, stop! What will any of this accomplish?!"
"A means to an end, Agreste!" Toomes smirked. "You will reimburse everything you took from me in that lawsuit and publicly apologize for your transgressions against me!"
"You really are a self-centered old fool!" Gabriel scoffed. "That man had a family, you know! The fact that you would so callously brush off the loss of a human life! 'Testing phase', please!"
"I may be an old fool, but I am NOT a patient one!" Vulture snarled.
Suddenly, Gabriel was grabbed by a web and pulled out of Vulture's grasp. The Fashion Mogul found himself caught in the arms of a very familiar red and blue spandex-clad teen hero.
"Whoa! You play Hot Potato hardcore!"
"Spider-Man?!" Vulture scowled. "I should have known sooner or later you'd snoop your nose around where it doesn't belong!"
Suddenly, a cable wrapped around Vulture's leg, yanking him back as he tried to give chase and giving Spider-Man time to get Gabriel to safety, setting him carefully back on the ground.
"You do realize that this doesn't mean I advocate for you."
Spider-Man shrugged. "Eh, I'm mostly freelance, so don't worry."
Gabriel merely nodded and headed inside, taking out his phone to contact his family and let them know he was safe as Spider-Man jumped into the air after Vulture, who had ended up dragging Batman along when he tried to hold him down.
"Sheesh, for an old man, he sure pulls his weight!" Spider-Man noted as he swung beside his partner.
Batman just rolled his eyes and disconnected the cable from Vulture's leg, spreading his cape out and gliding across the city streets as Spider-Man zipped up to the flying fiend and kicked him in the stomach.
"Trick or treat!" The Webhead taunted as he began web-slinging backward while Vulture gave chase. "I mean, you ARE celebrating Halloween in February, right?"
"You and I are certainly ones to talk," Batman said, having used his Grapnel Gun to shoot himself across the building to extend his airtime and glide above Vulture.
"Why do you two defend that fool?!" Vulture growled. "Do you realize everything he took from me?!"
Batman grappled onto Vulture's back and held on tightly, grabbing the old man in a chokehold, making him spin out of control and crash into a nearby billboard.
"I remember that lawsuit. Gabriel had a very good reason for doing so!" Batman said. "YourTech Flight resulted in an innocent man's death and you refused to take responsibility for it."
"It was only a testing phase!" Vulture said as he got up and flew at Batman. "You can't perfect something without making mistakes!"
"Causing a guy to death from testing your crummy tech is more than just a mistake, Beaky!" Spider-Man said, suddenly slamming on Vulture's back, slamming him onto the rooftop mid-flight before flipping off him and joining Batman's side.
"And now, with attempted murder, you're going away for a long time." Batman said, reaching into his belt and taking out a pair of cuffs.
Vulture snarled, refusing to give up as he sprung to his feet and swiped his wings, sending out feather-like daggers at the two, making them jump out of the way and giving Vulture the opportunity to fly off.
"Oh no, you ain't flying away from us!" Spider-Man said as he resumed web-swinging after the villain, Batman calmly tapping the side of his cowl.
"Alfred, call in the Bat-Copter."
"Right away, sir."
Spider-Man continued chasing the Vulture across the city skies, the flying fiend looking desperately for Gabriel so he could hunt him down again. However, he was smacked in the face by a Web Ball, causing him to stop mid-flight and struggle to pull the webs off as Spider-Man stuck to a building beside him.
"Come on, Gabriel is no fun! Play with me instead! I'm the life of a party!"
Vulture scowled and flew at Spider-Man thrusting one of his wings to stab him, only to punch through the window as Spider-Man jumped out of the way. As the Wall-Crawler dodged, he noticed a black helicopter coming in and saw Batman piloting it, giving him a thumbs-up.
"I see what you're planning, Bruce. Two birds, one stone!"
Spider-Man then flipped above Vulture and clung to the underside of the Bat-Copter. As the flying fiend pulled his arm out of the window he punched through, he turned and flew back toward the Web-Head.
"Did you really think you could hide from me there?!"
"He wasn't planning on hiding!" Batman said as Spidey jumped onto Vulture's back and forcibly dragged him into the rotors of the Bat-Copter, forcing his wings through it and tearing them up.
"Sorry, Bats! Hope that didn't cost too much!"
"It's fine! This can be repaired easily!" Batman said as he piloted the Bat-Copter away to a safe area.
Meanwhile, Vulture's destroyed wing was making him fumble in the air as Spider-Man kept hold of him.
"M-My wing! I can't steer!"
"Yeah, but we're both still airborne!" Spider-Man noted before smirking underneath his mask as he punched his fist through Toomes' suit and pulled out some kind of high-tech battery. "You know for a guy who got sued to heck and back, you certainly were able to afford some fine tech!"
"YOU IDIOT! YOU'LL KILL US BOTH!" Vulture cried in horror as without the battery, his suit had no power and both he and Spider-Man plummeted to the ground.
"Uh, you do realize I have webs, right?" Spider-Man scoffed as he webbed up Vulture in a cocoon and hung him upside-down by a nearby lamppost before swinging onto the nearby rooftop. "No scraps for you tonight, Vulty!"
"…I think I hate you more than Agreste."
MIRACULOUS
Vulture was quickly arrested, snarling and hissing as the police took him away.
The kids quickly reunited with the Agrestes, just as Peter and Bruce returned.
"Oh, thank goodness! I lost sight of you after six blocks and then followed the police cars." Peter said, feigning gasps for air.
"At least you kept looking." Bruce said with shame. "Vicky and her press friends cornered and followed me."
The Agrestes all growled at that, having dealt with paparazzi. Meanwhile. Alya tensed, her reporter instincts taking over.
"Wait…Vicky? As in Vicky Vale?! You know THE Vicky Vale?!"
"Who?" Adrian asked.
"Alya's heroine; about our age and already managed to write some award-winning stories." Nino said. "Queen Industries inheritance scandal, Lew Moxon…Wait, DO you know her, Bruce?"
"…Regretfully." Bruce grumbled through his teeth, fighting the urge to throw up as he continued. "We…um…we dated."
Rose was about to coo before Juleka stopped her.
"I'm guessing she's NOT...?'
"DEAR GOD, NO!" Bruce snapped. "Nope! Nuh uh! Never! I'd sooner get back with Talia! She is NOT Sel…Um…I mean…Oh, merde."
And now he was blushing, having almost revealed who his 'special lady' was. The girls were intrigued and cooing, Peter and Nino grimacing and wondering just how bad things had gone for Bruce to act like that.
Also, who the heck was this 'Talia' he similarly didn't speak highly off….
"Huh. So that's what I look like." Marinette and Adrian said together. Realizing what they'd done, they chuckled and turned in embrassment, hiding blushes as they did so.
"So, what exactly happened?" Peter asked, half to save Bruce from embarrassment. "I think I overheard the cops saying something about 'masked men'?"
"Both Spider-Man and Batman saved me." Gabriel explained.
"AND WE MISSED IT?!" Ayla, Nino and Rose all gasped.
"Guys!" Marinette snapped at her friends. "Tact!"
The trio looked down in shame as Adrian once again asked his father.
"Are you sure you're okay, dad?"
"Toome's claws only scratched my suit, son. Nothing even the most basic stich job can't fix.
"Well, no matter what that blowhard Jameson says?" Emile said with a gracious smile. "Those two will always have the Agrestes in your corners."
Peter beamed and fought back tears of gratefulness at those words. Bruce smirked, his mind then returning to Chole.
'I know I shouldn't be asking for it, but it would be nice if something happened so that her dad would support us too…Ah well, no need to think about that now.'
"I'm guessing the hangout is cancelled…." Adrian sighed; knowing his parents, they'd want to keep him close.
"Why?" Emilie asked.
"In fact, it might be best for you to be with your friends, son." Gabriel said, looking to Natahlie.
"The press release is an hour and after that you'll need to make some statements notr only to the police but also the Board." She explained, already annoyed, then smiling at Adrian. "Go and have some fun."
"..,Really?" Adrian beamed. The Agreste driver playfully shooed him away as a limo pulled up.
"Lift to Wayne Manor for Master Bruce and friends." Alfred announced as they kids raced in, Peter and Bruce entering last, so they could have a quick chat:
"Say…where is your…?' Peter asked his best friend.
Bruce simply pointed to his bag, which shocked Peter.
"What? You expect me to duck into a phone booth or closet?" Bruce asked.
Peter tensed and blushed, before asking:
"What's a phone booth?"
Meanwhile in Metropolis, a bespecled farmboy sneezed.
"…Yeah, I need to hang with you guys more, Alfred's soaps are getting to me."
MIRACULOUS
"You're lucky my lawyers were able to bail you out, Toomes." Kingpin said as the old man came into the room. "You will have your revenge in due time, but for right now, you must lay low."
"I WILL have my revenge not just on Agreste but Batman and Spider-Man as well," Toomes growled.
"And you will, old friend." Kingpin nodded. "Take this time to improve on your failures and prepare for your next confrontation. Learn from your mistakes and you will be stronger for it."
"Thank you, Fisk." Toomes nodded as he left the room. "I will..."
Kingpin sighed as he turned to his computer, where several of the other notorious crime lords of the city were on a video conference call.
"Gotta say, you nabbed yourself a good one, Fisk." Carmine 'The Roman' Falcone said. "Don't suppose you could lend the old buzzard to us for a day or two."
"Toomes is strictly under my employment now, Falcone." Kingpin advised. "But I'm sure you and your family can manage without his assets."
"All these freaks with their fancy toys and costumes." Roman 'Black Mask' Sionis scoffed. "People in this town used to know who called the shots. Now any loser can dress up like it's Halloween and go out thinking they own the joint!"
"True, times are changing, for better or for worse." Kingpin nodded. "And even we have to adapt to these changes, my friends."
"The only problem is...I don't think Vulture will be the first of these 'Super-Villains' to show his face in town." Lonnie 'Tombstone' Lincoln noted.
"And trust me on this, Mr. Lincoln..." Kingpin smirked. "We shall place our own monopoly on them in due time..."
Knightmare Lord A/N:
We have our first supervillain; The Vulture! Next chapter will have a Batman Supervillain and after that, we'll finally bring in Ladybug and Chat Noir!
Mrotrax A/N:
To clear up a few thing: Carl King, the bully highlighted here, is a lesser known Marvel supervillain known as The Thousand, who Knightmare Lord and I do plan to have show up in this story at some point.
And this story's version of Vicky Vale is based off her depiction in 'My Adventures with Superman' and the comic she first appeared in, where she ACTUALLY figured out Bruce was Batman by his mouth alone (he'd got cut in a fight) and basically blackmailed him into helping her.
So, apologies to fans of the Burton version of Vale.
And finally, Lew Moxton was, in the first continuity of DC comics, the man who hired Joe Chill to kill the Waynes for revenge on Thomas for getting him arrested. Since Falcone is a member of Kingpin's inner circle in this story, I thought it'd be a nice nod.
Hope people don't mind that we made Gabriel a little social akward but well meaning, to kind of show Adrian is indeed his son and to make him a foil to another future major character who is both a father and something of a scientist himself.
See you soon!