James: RED ALERT! RED ALERT! SOMEBODY COPIED OFF THE AUTHOR!
Jessie: I'll grab Arbok and Seviper! This is going to be a slaughter.
Meowth: I've been waitin' ta use dese!
Inkaliber: WHOA-WHOA-WHOA-WHOA! Guys, stop! It's alright.
Meowth: But Chief, dis guy even used the title 'n everyt'in'.
Inkaliber: I know, but see how it's listed as being inspired by? That just means the author of that story is doing a work based on this one. It's fine as long as it's not directly copying or not giving credit.
James: Well… if you say so chief.
Inkaliber: Having said that, hey readers! There are now two stories that this one has inspired so that's some fun news. A Harmony of Heroes is strictly a story that is similar to this one and inspired by it, being written by BlueBlaze_Kitsune(name ends in three sixes but I personally don't use that number). Then there's the Miraculous Gamer Guild - B-SIDES story written by Penumbral_Writer that is not canon to this series but currently has ONE thing I'm interested in implementing at some point in the series. I recommend giving both a read, especially the B-Sides if you came for Harley X Ivy as that relationship won't be happening here.
In any case, we have a rather fun chapter to get to! There's no use holding out any longer! Let's get started with some reviews!
BlueBlaze_Kitsune- Thanks for the extra kudos! Let's just say, if the pairing idea works out, it'll be very interesting. Blushing guys and marriage jokes can be rather fun.
P69822- Sounds interesting. I'll see if I can find time for it. Now get your Deadpool out of here before mine starts arguing with him about which one is cooler… among other things. LOL!
Lilyofthestars- I'm glad you enjoyed the reactions and the chapters in general. I could definitely see Sam's parents pushing her towards a rich boyfriend.
Fuyu_FoxWriter- Rose loves everyone and Ellie is just an innocent kid that needs good people in her life. Peter is definitely very confused, lol!
Wanderingsage7- You'll see what kind of situation Jack's talking about, lol! I guess we'll see if Tim and Sam end up working out. Ellie becoming the guild mascot would be hilarious and wholesome.
LunarCouncillor- LOL! Well you're about to see her, lol! The Granny chat would be fun to see as well.
Fregreg- There are some heroes in the chat Marinette has yet to realize are heroes.
OceanaMM- LOL! I quite enjoyed adding that one. Hopefully this won't be too much spoiling, lol!
deathfang1920: Thanks!
darknessslayer- Yup. Rose is very innocent in a lot of ways and VERY excitable. We'll see if Sam can keep her not-a-date from being a date.
Skully13- I guess you'll have to see what happens. I can't spoil anything.
Guest99- Not entirely sure. I guess we'll have to see what happens on the way to that point.
Gwen- LOL! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed everything.
Chase- Indeed there would be.
Rocky- LOL! Luka casually changing the conversation by a large margin.
Speedykitten1643- Thanks! Here's hoping everything will be good and fun.
Classiccartoon27- Angry Rose is indeed fun, lol! Ellie sounds like she's having a rather interesting time. It won't be too much longer.
XxXNightcoreQueenXxX- Thanks! I will say that is a fun setup for what could happen.
Ravenhawk9999- I will consider it for the series but it's a bit late to add it into this story.
Cat (Guest)- No problem! Whatever happened won't take too much longer to figure out. The reactions to Ellie were fun to write and Bruce would indeed be rather interesting to see a reaction from.
Fencer22- Welcome to the most up to date level of chaos, lol!
Penumbral_Writer- First off, I don't think we've met so welcome to the story. Secondly, no one's gonna stop you from writing stories as the fun of fanfiction is a community inspiring each other to have fun with things. As for Jack Spicer, you're about to see more of him real soon.
With all that said, let's begin. I don't own Miraculous, Danny Phantom, Marvel, DC, or any other series that show up here. I do own any original characters, concepts, creatures, and places that work their way into the story unless stated otherwise.
Username List
Miraculous Gamer Guild
Moderator:
CircusMouse- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie/Mousie)
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
Paris People:
CircusMouse- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie/Mousie)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
PhantomTigress- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
HoneyBee22- Chloe (Bee)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
Sk8terBunny – Alix (Sk8ter, Bunny)
HoundLover- Sabrina (Hound)
MajorScaless- Luka (Scaless)
SkullWolf- Ivan (Skull)
WolfTamer- Mylene (Wolf)
AresArt01- Nathaniel (Nath, Ares)
DJShell- Nino (DJ)
NekoModel- Adrien (Neko)
YuganaRyu- Kagami (Ryu)
Haunted Folks
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
GQueen- Sam (G)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
PassionBird- Jazz (Blue)
Blue-Jay- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
ValkyrieGray- Valerie (Val)
ShadowRider13- Johnny 13 (Rider)
KissyKitten- Kitty (Kitten)
Kids of America
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)
WallMan- Wally
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
TheCoolerKent- Connor
HelloMegan- M'Gann (Megan)
SpicerBee- Jack (Spice)
IronPadawan67- Peter (Padawan)
Tech Guru
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
SpicerBee- Jack (Spice)
IronPadawan67- Peter (Padawan)
Watchlist
SpicerBee- Jack (Spice)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
GhostWatchers
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
GothQueen- Sam
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
Miraculous Mysteries
BugFighter- Marinette (My Lady, Ladybug) & Tiki (Sugarcube)
Chataclysm- Adrien (Chat, Chat Noir) & Plagg
BeeFriend22- Chloe (Bee) & Pollen
Gotham Knights Communication
Oracle- Barbara (Babs)
DarkKnight- Bruce (Batman, B, Father)
AgentA- Alfred (A)
Wraith- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
Robin- Damian (D, Robin)
Red- Tim (Red Robin)
Nightwing- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
OperativeH- Harley
Super Kids
BloodRobin- Damian (D, Robin)
Duckling- Jon
PhantomChild- Danielle (Dani, Ellie)
PinkDragoon- Haley
Bat Boys
MrHood- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
Mini-Bruce- Damian (D, Robin)
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
CircusBird- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
War Room
HoneyBee22- Chloe (Bee)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
PhantomTigress- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
Sk8terBunny – Alix (Sk8ter, Bunny)
HoundLover- Sabrina (Hound)
MajorScaless- Luka (Scaless)
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
PassionBird- Jazz (Blue)
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)
Paranormal Paladins
Robin- Damian (D, Robin)
NeoSuperboy- Jon
Geist- Danielle (Dani, Ellie)
Ryuna- Haley
Nightwing- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
Raven- Rachel Roth/Raven
Other
BluePassion- Jazz (Blue)
FoxBlogger- Alya
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also, surprise at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
Rand: Chat/text message
Rand: Chat/text message in irl sections
"Talking in game and out of character/Talking in flashback."
"YELLING IN GAME AND OUT OF CHARACTER/YELLING IN FLASHBACK!"
"Whispering in game and out of character/Whispering in flashback."
Amity Park, Illinois
Sam could be seen watering her garden, making sure to give each plant adequate attention. She took a moment to smell some flowers, sighing as she enjoyed this part of her life. She was actually wearing a black sun hat, her hair being much longer than usual. She gave the plants a look over before standing up, stretching a bit. She walked through the area, her purple gardening boots coming off as soon as she reached the concrete.
"That's done now," sighed the goth girl. "I'll have to come back later to trim the hedges and prune the hydrangeas." She picked up the boots, quickly taking them to the shed before walking back into the house. She took her hat off, revealing that a fair amount of her hair had grown out to where the blonde was showing back through. She passed by a mirror, taking a few steps back to look at her reflection.
She looked over the follicles, humming to herself as she noticed the amount of blonde. "It's been a while since I've had it dyed, hasn't it?" She speed-walked towards her bathroom, checking her dye bottle as she squeezed lightly. "There's not enough here for a full head of black and there's too much for me to hide it… I can always wait for the next shipment."
She picked up a pair of scissors, smiling at her reflection on them. "Not like anyone who knows me is coming over." Black hair hit the floor, followed by the sounds of a running shower. Sam eventually rummaged through her closet while wearing a towel, humming at the different outfits she rarely wore. She eventually settled on a black babydoll dress with a surplice neckline, a dark green scarf with a pattern of Panda Face Ginger flowers and black foxes, a pair of black chunky sandals that had purple spiked bands for aesthetic, and a lavender cloth belt with a silver buckle and silver studs.
She held a purple hairband in her hand, looking at herself in the mirror of her vanity as she hummed. "Now there's a look I haven't seen in years. I wonder if the guys would even recognize me if I went out like this." She pulled her hair up into her usual style, only to hum as something felt off.
She tried a more standard ponytail that included all of her hair, resembling Chloe a bit save for the much longer tail. She looked tempted before she shook her head in denial, letting her hair fall back to its length at her upper back. "You know what? Let's have fun with this."
She played around with her hair, carefully moving it and even braiding it. She finally worked a half-up French Braid, letting the rest of her hair flow naturally as she felt the area. She smiled at herself, only to jerk as she heard a knock on her door. "Um… I-I'm finishing up!" She heard an elderly chuckle, causing her to sigh slightly.
"I suppose that means you don't have time to let Grandma Ida have a look at ya," joked the woman. "You usually don't take so long after getting a shower." Sam looked at herself in the mirror, slowly thinking it over.
"…My hair dye ran out and I'm trying something new. It's a bit weird for me." She heard a hum, looking back towards the door.
"Bubeleh, you know I'll support you no matter the choice. You won't get any demands from me." Taking a deep breath, Sam walked towards the door. She opened it, seeing an old woman looking up at her from her seat in a scooter. The natural blonde took note of the woman's expression, running a hand through her hair.
"I-I know. It's very different for me but-" Ida suddenly cooed, holding her hands together.
"I haven't seen that hair color in several years. Give me a turn!" Sam slowly did as told, shivering a bit. "It's like seeing the old you shine through and pick up the fun stuff you learned along the way. Very goth but old fashioned."
Sam giggled a bit, rolling her eyes at the woman. "I think you look adorable, Bubeleh. You could even keep this style after you dye your hair again. You'll find yourself a good young man looking like that, and I have a few friends with single grandkids~." Sam laughed, shaking her head.
"Grandma, you're sweet but I'll find a guy in my own time. I may be getting over Danny but there aren't a lot of good boys in town." Ida pouted, putting her hands on her hips.
"Bubeleh, you can't wait too long. The right guy will pass you by, speaking from experience." The goth girl put a hand on her hip, giving her grandmother a sassy smirk.
"Grandma, it's not like the right boy is gonna walk up and knock on the front door." As she said this, the doorbell suddenly rang. "…Just because they rang instead of knocking does not disprove my point. I need to get that since Mom and Dad are with their rich friends again, probably bragging about what college they're gonna send me to." Ida simply smirked as she made her scooter back up, Sam walking past her to get to the front door.
She opened the front door, perking her brow at the guy on the other side. Tim stood at the door in a red long-sleeved dress shirt, a black leather belt, khaki pants, and black loafers. He had a suitcase in his hand, looking down at his watch as if trying to tell the time.
"Good afternoon," greeted the Red Robin. "Is Sam… home?" The boy looked up from his watch, going straight as he saw the blonde girl slowly smirk at him. "… GQueen." Having seen the boy at rich parties before, the goth girl leaned against the doorway a bit.
"CoffeeLord, I presume. Tim, right?" The young man tugged at his shirt collar, smiling back at her.
"Yeah. I know we're in the guild but I've seen you at a few galas. You look… different. It's a good different but-" Sam huffed a short laugh, moving to the side a bit.
"Thanks. Come on in. I'm guessing you wanted to surprise us so you'd see if the pastries are genuine. Perfect time to see you brew the coffee too." Tim nodded his head, raising the suitcase slightly.
"Well that's what I brought this for. It could take a while so I hope you don't mind the company." Sam was about to speak up, only for Ida to snicker.
"Oh, she won't mind~," teased the elderly woman. "You could stay forever if you wanted." Sam suddenly turned bright red, turning towards the woman.
"GRANDMA!" cried the goth girl. "Not now!" The elderly woman laughed, having many more fun ideas to go with the blackmail she had built up for years.
Jackson, Mississippi
Ellie yawned, laying on top of the coach bus as it drove into the city. Ever since the Parisian group found out about her, they insisted she stay close so they could get to know her better. This came from Rose unleashing the puppy eyes on her, of course. The plus side to this arrangement was that she could spend time with Juleka and keep a close eye on the group while the rest of her team watched from far away. The bus suddenly drove over something sharp, causing it to bump up and down a bit as Ellie and the people inside cried out in shock.
"Hang on, kiddos!" cried Stan from the driver's seat. He quickly regained control of the coach bus, moving to a set of unoccupied parking spots and throwing on the emergency lights. Dick quickly ran out as soon as the door opened, sighing in annoyance as he saw a large shard of glass in the side of the tire.
"Just perfect," sighed the lead Titan. He looked towards the door, watching as Bruce looked out at him with his signature Bat Glare. "We ran over a piece of glass, probably from a wreck or something. We'll need to take some time to replace the tire." Tony groaned as he popped his back, rolling his shoulders a bit.
"Well, I should have it fixed before the hour is over," stated the iron man. "Talk about a time to have a surprise stop in Jackson Mississippi." Jagged suddenly shot up, a grin on his face.
"No way!" cried the rock star. "Me an' me ol' pen pal wanted ta do a performance 'ere! We gotta check it out! At least look a' the stadium!" Bruce looked up to where Damian was, waiting for the boy to nod in understanding before looking towards Dick.
"Dick, take Jagged, Miss Roling, and the others to stretch their legs. The stadium isn't too far from here and we won't be long." Dick sighed at this, slowly nodding his head.
"Right," accepted the man. "I'm sorry, Mr. Stone, but Fang will have to stay here this time." The rockstar pouted at this, only to have Penny rub his shoulder reassuringly. Ellie slowly floated towards the ground on the other side of the vehicle, turning back to normal as she took a deep breath. Scamp hopped onto her shoulders and rubbed his face against hers, Rose suddenly hugging her from behind and squeezing them both.
"I have the Phantom Baby!" cried the sweet blonde. "You're not getting away from me this time!" Ellie groaned at this, kicking her legs in a way that wouldn't hurt the blonde.
"Hey!" cried the ghost girl. "I'm not a baby!" She turned intangible as she dropped out of Rose's arms, causing the girl to gasp.
"Hey! Come back!" Ellie quickly hid behind Juleka, the young woman giggling as she rubbed her head.
"Rose, I think Ellie's had enough love for a while," joked the tigress. "How about you let me have some time with her, seeing as she's going to be part of my life with Danny?" Rose suddenly cooed at this while looking disappointed, holding her hands together.
"Okay." Ellie sighed in relief at this, leaning against Juleka as the older girl continued to run her fingers through her hair. Marinette cooed at the sight, holding her hands together.
"They're already so adorable together," said the ladybug heroine. "I hope I can be close with my own kids like Jules is trying to be." Chloe smirked, crossing her arms.
"Already thinking about kids, huh Nettie?" joked the blonde. "Should I help Peter pick out a ring?" Marinette suddenly went red, covering her face as she groaned into her hands. "You, Danny, and Dick are so much alike. I was just teasing."
She stretched a bit as Marinette looked her way, smirking. "I already have fun plans of my own for when I'm ready for Jack to give me a ring." She suddenly heard her phone ding, pulling it out as she grinned. "Speak of the grease monkey and he will message. I-"
She looked over the message, her grin turning into a scowl as she read over the message. "'Meet me at the nearest alley by flight'?... Cover for me. I need to check this." She ran for the nearest public restroom, ducking into a bush before a flash saw Honey Bee fly across the city.
She quickly reached the area Jack described, looking around carefully as she floated through the air. "Jack? I'm here. Is everything alright?" She saw movement out of the corner of her eye, something long disappearing behind a dumpster.
"S-Sorry," apologized the voice of Jack. "I'm just… having technical difficulties." Chloe landed on the ground, frowning at the dumpster.
"Jack, what's going on? You don't show up for days and now you're acting ridiculous, utterly ridiculous." She heard Jack sigh, the sound accompanied by an almost animalistic whine.
"Look, Chlo, something's happened to me. My folks freaked out when they saw it and I had to run. If you see it, you're not gonna like me as much." The blonde frowned softly, slowly approaching the area so as to not startle the redhead. She spotted his huddled figure, squatting down to look at his closed eyes between his arms.
"Jackson Spicer, you listen to me. You had me worried sick when you barely messaged anyone at all, let alone ignoring direct messages. I didn't know where you live so I couldn't send anyone to find you. No matter what happened, the only thing I'm going to feel for you is concern that you hurt yourself. Please, Jack."
She watched his visible eye open, spooked that a bright red iris was looking right at her. Jack slowly stood up, the brown jacket he wore after the fight with Wuya being ripped at the sleeves as red fur was on the back of his hands. His shirt wasn't much better, being torn in different places as his toned stomach was visible. His black jeans were slightly ripped as a red monkey tail slowly waved around, his boots having been left behind at some point. The young man now stood a head taller than Chloe, his face being framed by wild red bangs as his helipack was firmly on his back with a spot for the Monkey Staff to rest in.
"See? Ever since this stupid Wu chose me I've become a freak." He looked down at the shaking girl, only to see the huge blush on her face and how she was rubbing her legs together. "Um… Chloe?" The blonde quickly shook her head before rapidly patting her cheeks, looking up at the monkey genius.
"Get it together, Bourgeois! Jack, you're not a freak. You're a bit taller and a bit hairier but you're still my guy. You're just a hot monkey man… Pretend I didn't say that, please." She did her best to hide a squeal of adoration as his tail wagged, the redhead clearing his throat into his fist.
"R-Right. Guess that's one person who doesn't see me as a freak but I still have no idea what's happening to me." Chloe unashamedly looked at her guy's arms before shaking her head again, gaining a serious frown.
"I'm calling Raven. We'll figure this out together."
Amity Park, Illinois
Tim set the case on the kitchen counter, putting in a combination based on the year he became Robin. He opened it, taking a satisfactory deep breath as the jar of coffee beans was perfectly preserved. He looked to his left, watching as Sam hung her scarf on the closest coat rack and put on a dark purple apron with gothic designs on it. He watched her pull out a packet with a homemade mixture inside, laying it out for Ida to look over. The old woman cooed, pinching Sam's cheek lightly.
"The mixture is perfect, Bubeleh," stated the old woman. "Now, I'll need your help making them this time as my arms aren't what they used to be." Sam nodded her head, quickly grabbing the remaining ingredients from the fridge.
"Mind if I help?" offered Tim. "The coffee would be done before the pastries at this point." Sam looked towards him, a challenging smirk on her face.
"Oh?" teased the goth. "So the rich boy knows how to work in the kitchen? I thought you had a butler to take care of that for you. It feels like the only thing you handle yourself is coffee." The Red Robin smirked at this, rolling up his sleeves.
"Alfred is getting old and we like to help out whenever we can. At the very least I can knead dough." The blonde hummed, getting a wicked idea.
"Alright, but you have to wear Dad's apron the whole time. By the way, he LOVES pink." She held up the cloth in question, Tim mentally wincing at how pink it was before stomaching his pride and putting it on. The moment he heard a camera snap, he frowned expectantly at Sam. "That's going in the album." The young man cracked his neck a bit, nodding his head.
"Blackmail isn't new to me. You just watch your back and don't mess with my coffee, Sam." Ida secretly snapped a photo, giggling to herself as the duo got to work. A book with her own recipe in it sat before them, Tim working the eggs as Sam poured the mixture into the bowl. The Gothamite added the eggs to the mixture as the mixer worked the dough, turning it into the gooey form one would expect from the substance.
"That's just about how Grandma Ida likes it. Now we just have to let it rise for thirty five minutes." Sam quickly covered the bowl with a towel, Tim humming in interest.
"Most dough takes around forty-five minutes to rise, save for drier and less moist kinds. What's the secret?" Sam grinned, Ida playfully hitting him in the arm with her cane.
"That's a family secret I've only taught my Bubeleh," said the elderly woman. "If ya want it, you'd have to marry her." The blonde's grin went away as she blushed again, glaring at the laughing woman. "Not like it's a lie, Bubeleh. That's how family secrets work."
Tim chuckled nervously at the woman's words, only for her to gasp as she held her hands to her face. "I need to take my medication. You two go find something fun to do while the dough's rising. I'm sure there's something you two could do." Ida made her scooter move backwards, the beeping sound creating an awkward air until Sam held her hands behind her back.
"So… wanna see the garden? I don't think we'd have time for a movie or a game so-" Tim smiled, nodding his head.
"Sure," accepted the son of Batman. "It would be nice to get some fresh air, especially fresher than Gotham air. No pollution, no remnants of fear gas or joker toxin… I swear Gotham's getting a lot better." Sam rolled her eyes with a smirk, leading him to the area that was mentioned.
The two of them walked amongst the plants, taking in the sights around them. Tim followed along, watching the way Sam walked as they went. He stopped to smell some roses on a bush taking a whiff of them with a hum. "These roses smell amazing, and the petals are very vibrant in color." The goth girl turned around, smiling at him while inspecting one of the roses.
"Yeah. They gave me a scare last summer but they've come around a lot. We don't exactly have servants as it's not the biggest house so it's all hard work for me. Mom sometimes works on the 'pretty' flowers but-" Tim looked towards her, humming in interest.
"You take care of this whole garden by yourself? That's actually amazing." The blonde couldn't help but play with her hair a bit, looking away with a shy smile.
"I mean, it's not THAT amazing. I pride myself in my ultra-recyclo-vegetarian pursuits but gardening is also really fun." She noted the raised brow, deadpanning a bit. "It means I don't eat anything that has a face, like a more direct version of vegetarianism that allows for milks and cheeses." The Gothamite hummed in understanding, nodding his head.
"Nothing wrong with that. I just had never heard the particular term before." He then noticed one of the plants nearby had a headset beside it, walking towards it in interest. "Is this playing poetry for the plant?" Sam squatted down next to him, nodding her head.
"Oh! I was looking for those after Tucker spooked me last week. Guess it's still connected to the radio." Tim picked the device up, holding his ear up to one of the speakers as he listened. He looked towards the girl, giving her a smirk.
"Edgar Allan Poe, specifically the Raven. Classic dark poetry and literature. Not bad. I'm partial to The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge." The goth grinned at him, a sparkle in her eyes.
"I've been meaning to read that one. I've heard it's one of the best-known English-language poems of all time, one of the landmark achievements of the Romantic movement." The young man nodded, handing the headset back to her.
"I can vouch for that. You like poems a lot, don't you?" Sam quickly put the device over her shoulders, nodding her head.
"I mean I lean towards gothic and horror literature but I will say I like a good poem. Don't tell my folks but I sometimes listen to dark classical music while reading a few poems." Tim smirked at her, nodding his head.
"Only if you don't tell anyone I actually didn't like the meme cup Dick gave me for Christmas one year. I wasn't a big fan of the meme but he used those 'soulful eyes' so I just kept it." Sam couldn't help but laugh, making the coffee lover roll his eyes. "Yeah, yeah." The blonde shook her head, a warm feeling in her chest.
"Sorry. That just sounds like something one of us would do if Danny got a cringey meme gift. He's BIG on memes. I wouldn't put it past him to try to give everyone a meme gift one year just for laughs." The two of them shared a laugh this time, Grandma Ida watching them from the window.
"That's it, Bubeleh," stated the old woman to herself. "Show that young man what you've got." She continued to watch the duo, sipping a cup of tea with a sigh.
Jackson, Mississippi
Jack stood in the alleyway, his arms crossed as Raven was examining him. He felt exposed just standing out in the open, though the Titan needed to have a full view of him. Chloe stood a bit away, powered down as Pollen was chewing on a honey treat Marinette had made for her a while back. Raven hummed as she held out a hand covered in her dark power, the demon child feeling the magic and life energy running through the monkey man. As soon as she stopped, Jack held his arms to the sides.
"Well?" questioned the genius. "Did you get anything?" Raven looked around a bit, crossing her arms with a frown.
"Frankly, I don't know how the Wu is doing this," informed the magic Titan. "The Monkey Staff is only supposed to turn the user more monkey-like the longer they use its power, returning them to normal when they lose it. The magic coursing through you has modified your chi, making this change more permanent. I don't know if this can be undone without serious damage." Chloe walked over, a hand on her hip.
"Well that doesn't help much," huffed the Parisian blonde. "We know how he changed but still not why." Pollen landed on Chloe's head, giggling.
"Do not worry, My Queen," reassured the Kwami. "I seem to recall you rather enjoyed the new appearance of your future king." Chloe giggled nervously, rubbing the back of her head as Jack groaned.
"This stupid Wu is making it where I can't show my face in public," growled the redhead. He pulled the Monkey Staff out, looking it over. "Why are you doing this to me? You didn't do this when I was working with Wuya and Chase." Raven frowned at the sight of the Wu, only to grab her head as she groaned.
"Raven!?" cried Chloe. "What's wrong!?" The gray skinned girl opened her eyes, looking towards the civic center.
"Another Shen Gong Wu has become active," informed the magic user. "It's over that way, along with a dark presence." Chole shivered at this, clenching her fists.
"The others went that way! They're about to be right in the middle of that fight! Pollen: Buzz On!" The heroine ran forward, transforming into Honey Bee before flying off. Jack looked conflicted for a moment, only to activate his helipack as he took off after her.
At the civic center, a convention seemed to be going on as people in cosplay walked around. Jagged was distracted by fans who didn't expect to see him there, taking selfies with them while Penny tried to control the chaos. At the same time, Ellie walked around with Juleka as the two of them checked out different booths. The ghost girl pointed out a statuette of a rather endowed woman, holding her hands out in the space below her chest and walking about in a way that caused the model to laugh. Scamp, being invisible, jumped onto the older girl's shoulder and rubbed up against her face while Ellie walked with a bit of a skip.
"I can't believe how unrealistic those things are," laughed Ellie. "Seriously, what girl is gonna have boobies that big?" Juleka rolled her eyes, rubbing the younger girl atop her head.
"It's made that way for a reason, Sweetie," reassured the tigress hero. "It shouldn't be too much longer until the tire is repaired so let's try to wrap this up." Ellie grinned, grabbing Jules by the hand and quickly pulling her along. They passed by a shop with fake weapons on display, the ghost girl gasping as she saw something on display.
"No. Freaking. Way." She ran ahead, stopping at one of the shop booths as she looked down into a case with sparkling eyes. "Look at these old ocarinas!"
Juleka hummed as she looked over them, noticing the blue one with a wave pattern the ghost girl was looking at. "I've never seen an actual Ocarina before! I've heard kids play with toy ones before but not an authentic one. These are all in such good condition!" The model smiled, looking towards the girl.
"You know, my Mom has one at home that Danny played one time. Maybe we can get him one for when we get there." The ghost girl grinned at her, clenching her fists.
"You think so!? That'd be amazing!" Before the duo could do anything, Ellie felt a shiver as she looked around the area. "Did… did you feel that?" Scamp suddenly growled, jumping back to his owner's shoulders as his eyes glowed.
"It's over there!" cried a voice. The duo looked over, watching as Omi and Kimiko ran towards the weapon shop with Dojo on Omi's head. "It's somewhere in that booth. It's giving me a rash." Omi huffed a laugh, crossing his arms.
"I wonder how Jack Spicer lost this Wu," questioned the yellow boy. "This will be a pie jog." Kimiko groaned, rubbing her temples.
"'Cake walk', Omi," corrected the Japanese girl. "Let's just get the Wu before someone starts trouble. Even if we haven't faced Jack and Wuya in a while, there's always other threats out there. Like Katnappe, Tubbimura, or even-" A sudden cry of fear rang through the air, a stand being tossed to the side. A group suddenly landed on the ground, one of them standing up.
"If it isn't the Xiaolin Monks," greeted a man. The first notable member of the group was a large and rotund man. His wide body was clad in a dark maroon ninja outfit that hugged his frame, accented with a stark white belt and matching trim, which emphasized his girth. A menacing pair of sharp, narrow eyes peeked through his form-fitting mask, which left only a portion of his round face exposed, giving him an intense yet comical air. His belly was a prominent feature, his belly button looking like a swirl-shaped mark.
The next individual was a sleek and feline-themed girl. She had short blonde hair, fair skin, and striking green eyes. She wore a tight, black catsuit with silver-striped gauntlets on her forearms, adding a touch of menace to her otherwise playful look. The catsuit featured cat-like ears on the hood and a long, flexible tail that swished behind her, enhancing her feline resemblance. She sported a gold belt with a circular emblem at the center, breaking up the simplicity of her outfit. The girl was hunkered down a bit, a sly smirk on her face that showed her cunning mentality.
The third and undoubtedly wackiest member was a tall, slender figure whose exaggerated features and attire embodied the classic look of a street mime. He had jet black hair that was slicked back neatly to frame his face, pale skin, small red circles on his cheeks, black eyes, dark curved eyebrows, and thin lips that curled into a smug smile. He wore a black bowler hat with a white band, a red and white horizontal striped shirt, small white gloves, oversized black trousers, and black loafers. The mime made a mocking shocked face before bowing to the duo as if they had met before. His mannerisms seemed to be more unsettling than that of a regular mime, especially to the monks that knew him.
The last member of the group, and the one to speak, was a rotund, imposing man whose panda-inspired appearance combined a mix of menace and comedic charm. He had short white hair that was neatly styled with black tufts that looked like panda ears; a small, dark nose; thick furrowed brows; and yellow eyes. He wore a formal, double-breasted white suit with black trim, resembling a tuxedo and designed to mimic a panda's natural black-and-white coloring. The suit was further embellished with golden buttons, giving him the air of a sophisticated yet villainous crime boss. The monks took their stances, Kimiko frowning in annoyance.
"...Both of them with PandaBubba… and that mime from France."
Amity Park, Illinois
The oven in Sam's home suddenly dinged, Sam pulling the pan out of the oven as a collection of coffee cakes and croissants were on display. The coffee machine made a noise as well, Tim pulling the pot off of it as he poured three cups. The duo looked back at each other, the goth girl quickly moving the pastries onto a large platter as the coffee lover added a bit of cream to the top of each cup of coffee in the shape of his logo. The two of them set their hauls on opposite sides of the table, sitting down in front of their goods while Grandma Ida sat on the other end. Sam smirked, running her hands over one of the croissants.
"Coffee Cake and Dark Chocolate Croissants," introduced the nature lover. "Grandma Ida's family recipe." Tim smirked at this, sliding one of the cups of coffee towards Sam.
"Coffee made from plants grown by Ivy," offered the Red Robin. "Her powers and botany knowledge produced the best coffee beans Gotham has ever seen, good enough that coffee lovers around the city began funding legal environmental initiatives just to get a cup." The samples were divided out evenly, Grandma Ida smirking as she simply watched the outcome with a portion of her own. Sam took a sip of the coffee at the same time Tim took a bite of the dark chocolate croissants, the duo letting the flavor sit on their tongues. Sam couldn't help but moan in delight, her spine tingling as she imagined the world around her experiencing a range of red bird and black fox emojis across a gothic background.
"Oh my gosh. The bitterness is hitting just the right places like the blackness of my soul is experiencing warmth for the first time… I may have been listening to too much poetry lately. That sounded a bit much." Tim had a similar reaction to her, slowly using his own cup of coffee to wash down the cake.
"Don't apologize. The coffee cake is drawing in the coffee's flavor and adding to it with a sweetness that's so close to being like caramel." He then bit down on one of the croissants, moaning a bit deeper. "And this dark chocolate is divine." Grandma Ida sighed, having taken a sampling herself.
"They make a great pair," stated the old woman. "Maybe that says something about the two of you." Sam rolled her eyes, hiding the slight blush on her face.
"Thank you for the input, Grandma," thanked the blonde in a slightly sarcastic tone. She then smirked at Tim, leaning forward with her head propped up by her right palm. "So, sounds like we have a deal. A bag of coffee beans for a box of pastries once a month." Tim leaned forward in response, the positioning of his arms being open and inviting.
"That would be a crime," responded the Gothamite. "I get a medium sized bag of beans every month and that's more than one box can support. A box every two weeks so that the pastries don't get stale. Plus insurance for if the others try to sneak into the stash." Sam hummed, sitting up straight.
"Well I can't exactly keep the coffee to myself in the household. My folks would go over my head to get the coffee from the source otherwise. It'd be easier on you too if there were enough of the pastries to dissuade your folks from stealing your personal stash." Ida leaned forward, a small grin on her face.
"I might be old but I do have ideas," stated the woman. "I'm always happy to make my sweets for my Bubeleh and I'm sure you'd love some time away from the hustle and bustle of Gotham's madness. The two of you can meet every weekend or so to hang out, I can make the pastries from scratch, and whoever leaves from the other's home can return with their well-earned goods. I could even start now with the rest of the cakes and croissants. Keeps everything fair on both ends."
The duo looked from the old woman towards each other, gauging each other's thoughts on the situation. "It's the best of both worlds, and I get to see you two be adorable." Sam rolled her eyes, only to return to her leaning position.
"I guess we could watch a movie while we're thinking about it. You into horror movies, CoffeeLord?" Tim smirked, leaning back a bit.
"Compared to what we see in Gotham on the weekly?" questioned the Red Robin. "Nothing can top that." Sam smirked, liking the sound of the challenge.
Jackson, Mississippi
Juleka narrowed her eyes, keeping herself between the combat to come and Ellie. On one side of the combat, Omi and Kimiko stood at the ready. On the other, PandaBubba stood calmly with his newly hired goons standing around him. The tigress hero looked back at the ghost girl, seeing her eagerness to become involved in the fight. She quickly stopped her, shaking her head.
"Too many witnesses," denied the older girl. "Let's back away until we can find a good moment to change forms." Ellie wasn't overly fond of the idea, though she nodded nonetheless and followed her lead. Omi growled at the villains, pulling out his signature Wu.
"PandaBubba," sneered the yellow monk. "I see you are out in the open for this battle." The mobster man huffed a laugh, shaking his head.
"You could say a recent power vacuum in the States allowed me some wiggle room here," informed PandaBubba. "Now, before you monks arrived, I had planned on purchasing the Wu and being on my way as a noble tourist. No need for 'unsightly' activity when something can be so easily done. Seeing as you decided to meddle in my business, however, I will have to allow my associates to deal with you." Kimiko scowled at this, a star-shaped relic with a ruby in the center held tightly in her hand.
"Like we'd just let you get your hands on the Shen Gong Wu," huffed the monk. "You'll just use it for your crime syndicate." PandaBubba frowned at this, clenching his fist.
"Get rid of them. I want the Wu and their Wu." Tubbimura jumped into the air, throwing shuriken towards the duo as they leapt out of the way. Katnappe ran towards Kimiko, the confident smirk on her face becoming a bit wilder. The two girls exchanged a few chops and kicks before the feline-based villain pulled out a shroud.
"SHROUD OF SHADOWS!" cried the blonde. She disappeared from sight, Kimiko looking around frantically before a kick to the gut sent her stumbling backwards. "Now this is the steal of a lifetime. Help an old man get a Shen Gong Wu, get paid, and then swipe it from under his grasp." The monk quickly spotted one of the ears on Katnappe's suit, her eyes narrowing.
"PandaBubba would sooner have you removed than let that happen," warned Kimiko. She kicked at the blonde, only to wince as she hit air like it was a solid wall. "DARN THAT STUPID MIME!" Unable to be heard outside the box, Le Mime giggled mischievously at the girl. She then felt around, finding a door knob as she made the door open.
Le Mime looked towards her with a coy smirk, bowing with a nervous look before a kick from her sent him flying backwards dramatically. As this was happening, Omi found himself fighting off attacks from Tubbimura as the fat ninja continued to try and strike him. The little monk used his size to his advantage, making his enemy break a few stands before holding up his trusty Wu.
"ORB OF TORNAMI: WATER!" cried the cheeseball. The water quickly pushed Tubbimura into the air, the large ninja throwing out a chain to wrap around one of the columns in the room. The shinobi held out a turquoise statue shaped like a rabbit, clenching it slightly.
"DENSHI BUNNY!" cried the large man. He suddenly turned into electricity, Omi's eyes widening as he had to cut off the stream in order to avoid being electrocuted. As soon as he did, however, Tubbimura came flying at him like a wrecking ball.
"Uh oh." The monk screamed as he was rammed into, the electricity shocking him as he and Tubbimura crashed into the weapon booth. Kimiko looked towards the scene, watching with wide eyes as Omi crashed into the wall with a pain filled groan.
"OMI!" cried the Japanese girl. She ran into another invisible wall, her voice being muffled by Le Mime's invisible box. The boy still held tightly to his Wu, showing that he was still conscious despite looking burnt in a few areas. A pile of goods were on the ground where the vendor's stall was, PandaBubba smirking as he approached it. He soon spotted his prize, rubbing his hands together.
"What good fortune," stated the panda-themed mobster. "It would be remiss of me to not take the Wu and call for a retreat." The man was about to enact his plan, only to cry out as a hit sent him flying backwards into the stairs. Clay stood tall, the Fist of Tebigong on his left fist as usual. The cowboy tipped his hat, nodding to the man.
"Hold on there, pardn'r," denied the Texan. "Can't let you do that." He was about to step forward, only for Tubbimura to come flying back around while still being transformed.
"INCOMING!" roared the large man. He let go of the chain as he began rolling across the ground, Clay turning around just in time to see the man's approach. He dodged out of the way, the shinobi rolling across the ground before he crashed into the fire alarm. This caused the sprinkler system to go off along with the alarms, causing a larger streak of panic throughout the building. Back at the bus stop, Dick and Bruce looked towards the building immediately with Tony looking that way only a split moment after.
"The kids," stated Dick. "Suit up." Tony pressed down on his watch, his suit forming quickly after.
"Yup," agreed the Ironman. Tony took off before the others could, racing through the air to get to the building. Back at the civic center, Raimundo was seen running towards the pile of fake weapons. He looked through them for a moment, only to cry out as he was smacked aside by a blue sash. PandaBubba sighed, shaking his head.
"You want something done right, you have to do it yourself," groaned the mobster. "THIRD ARM SASH!" Raimundo quickly pulled out an ornate sword, preparing it in defense.
"I don't think so," denied the Brazilian. "The Wu is ours. SWORD OF THE STORM: WI-" He cried out as he received a kick to the gut, a punch to the chin sending him reeling back. Katnappe uncloaked from the Shroud of Shadows, smirking at him.
"What's wrong?" questioned the thief. "Cat got your tongue?" Raimundo quickly dodged an attempted claw swipe, Clay running past them as he struck Tubbimura in the head. The large ninja hit him back, the Texan blocking the attack as he stumbled backwards. The sounds of guns being cocked suddenly filled the air, Clay and Raimundo looking towards the main area as men dressed in suits similar to the one PandaBubba wore were aiming weapons at them.
"Ah," sighed the mobster himself. "It would seem the extra insurance I called in has arrived. This should be much easier for you to understand now. Hand over your Shen Gong Wu and leave this one to me. Do that, and there won't be unfortunate calls to your relatives."
Raimundo gulped as the weapons were high caliber, making the situation much more tense. The number of men in the room was also something of note, meaning the enemy was serious about obtaining these Wu. PandaBubba dug through the pile, quickly pulling out the Wu they were fighting over. "It's a small start but allowing a Wu like this to go into circulation was a rather lucrative business practice. This Wu in particular has a shared past between us, one based on a shared annoyance."
He held up the Wu, revealing it to have the appearance of the Monkey Staff. "This will be the start of my criminal empire. Oh, and time is up for my offer. End them." The men prepared to open fire, only for their weapons to be coated in dark power.
"AZARATH METRION ZINTHOS!" cried an eldritch voice. The weapons were yanked away from the men, Raven floating overhead as the objects were twisted like pretzels. "The party's over. Hand over the Wu." PandaBubba growled, snapping his fingers.
"Get rid of them all." Le Mime spun something around, tossing it towards Raven as the Titan floated to the side. She gasped as an invisible rope wrapped around her arms, the unsettling villain trying to pull her down towards him. Before anything could be done to her, Honey Bee flew in and struck the villain hard in the face. The empowered mime spun around a bit while looking dizzy, falling to the floor with a thud as Kimiko was released from the invisible box.
"Get your friend and get to safety," ordered the bee themed heroine. "We'll take it from here." Kimiko looked like she wanted to object, only to nod her head as she ran for Omi.
"Oh no you don't," argued Katnappe. "SHROUD OF SHADOWS!" She disappeared from view, rushing to grab the Orb of Tornami from Omi. Before she could, however, Honey Bee flew straight in her path and crashed into her. Outside, black vans with panda logos suddenly pulled up as men with guns jumped out of them.
"Get the building surrounded and cut off any hostages," ordered one of the men. "PandaBubba wants this place locked up tight." Before the men could carry out his orders, he was suddenly pulled up by a web and made to dangle from a streetlight.
"Sorry, but the civic center is closed to gang violence," quipped a voice. The villains looked up at the top of the light, noticing that Spiderman was standing on top of it in a more traditional red and blue suit. "I hear the next event is selling tickets at the nearest prison. This might not be my neighborhood but I'd be willing to help you swing by and grab some." The men quickly aimed at him, only for red beams of energy to tear through their vehicles from above.
"Talk about a bad day to be a villain in Mississippi," stated a voice from up above. Some of the men looked back, watching as Neo Superboy lowered through the air while Ryuna flew into view. Robin landed nearby, his sword already drawn. Some men who were already inside were sent flying out, rolling down the steps as the active Miraculous heroes walked out with Geist and Scamp in tow. Ironman quickly flew in, whistling at the sight.
"Hope I'm not late to the party," stated the billionaire. "Had to pick up a couple of friends." The criminals suddenly shivered as a motorcycle approached, Nightwing driving as an ominous dark shadow was behind him. The shadow jumped up, gliding towards the ground via a cape shaped like bat wings. Batman landed on the ground just as Nightwing pulled over, the Dark Knight glaring at the men who were well and truly surrounded.
Inside the building, Raven jumped out of the way as Tubbimura launched a strike at her. The fat man turned on a dime, hitting the ground once again as she flipped in a somersault. The villain held out his Wu, growling in anger.
"DENSHI BUNNY!" roared Tubbimura. He turned into electricity as he dashed at her, Raven dodging as Clay struck him hard in the face with a rubber boxing glove on his right arm. The big villain stumbled back, falling on his rear as he groaned. At the same time, Katnappe was seen dodging strike attempts from Honey Bee before jumping away. The bee hero slung out her spinning top, wrapping the bandit up.
"This is for making Chat and Tigress look bad, you utterly insufferable floozy!" cried Chloe. She hit the blonde villainess hard in the face, letting her roll out onto the ground. She took deep breaths, Kimiko picking Omi up as the boy needed medical attention.
"Guys!" cried Dojo from his hiding spot. "The Wu!" PandaBubba suddenly spun the Monkey Staff around, a dark grin on his face.
"MONKEY STAFF!" ordered the villain. "THIRD ARM SASH! [Chinese (Traditional)] TRANSFORM ME, DARK MAGIC!" The sash and the staff reacted at the same time, the cloth relic wrapping all around him to make a blue shinobi-like suit as the arm part looked more like a clawed tail behind him. "Now I do this the hard way."
The big man blitzed towards Raimundo, the boy about to protect himself before the Monkey Staff was used to knock him aside. He then grabbed him with the sash tail, slamming him around a bit before holding him up by his foot. He dropped the Brazilian monk, not even bothering with taking his Wu.
"RAI!" roared Clay. "Now yer askin' for it!" He jumped forward to slug PandaBubba, only for the "tail" of his new apparel to block the attack and send the Texan flying into Raven who flew towards the fight. Honey Bee flew at the villain, her fist reared back as he looked almost too gleeful. She pulled on her power, the large stinger gauntlet forming over her fist.
"VENOM!" cried the blonde heroine. She threw her attack forward to try and stun him, only for the villain to disappear in an unweaving of cloth. "What!?" She cried out as she was slammed into the ground, her stinger hitting Le Mime and keeping him stuck to the floor. PandaBubba laughed almost uncharacteristically, a dark grin on his face.
"A lesser known fact about the Monkey Staff, lost to ancient and dark texts, is that it is said that the one who uses it at the same time as the Third Arm Sash and speaks the ancient command can achieve the power of a mythical being," stated PandaBubba. "Sun Wukong was his name, a legendary mischief maker of great power. Thank you for acting as my demonstration." He reared his free fist back, slugging the bee heroine in the face as she cried out. The cloth suddenly tightened, acting as a sixth sense as he glanced back.
"ORB OF TORNAMI: WATER!" cried the voice of Omi. PandaBubba tossed Chloe to the side, spinning the Monkey Staff in front of him to block the incoming water blast. Kimiko jumped into the air, her signature Wu held out.
"HANABI STAR: FIRE!" cried the Japanese girl. The fire streamed towards PandaBubba, the villain laughing as he spun the staff faster to catch both elements. He launched them right back, Kimiko jumping away while Omi rolled.
"This is the power I now possess! No power on this Earth can stop me!" He laughed as it looked like he was losing his mind, Raven looking towards him as dark veins were appearing on his face.
"Not good," stated the Titan. "The dark magic is taking him over, twisting his mind. We have to stop him before-" She suddenly shivered, pausing mid-sentence as an overwhelming presence filled the air. Sensing this too, PandaBubba slowly looked towards where the pressure was coming from.
Jack held Chloe in his arms, the redhead slowly growling as his face was turned towards the welt on her cheek. His tail slowly wagged in a violent mannerism, the fur on it looking bristled. PandaBubba chuckled almost as if he had heard a joke, looking towards the boy.
"Mister Spicer," greeted the mobster. "Come to take the Wu? Well, I suppose if you offer up your services I might allow you the chance to hold one for the last time. Is your little spirit master leashing you along or-" The monkey man glared forward, the red of his eyes looking brighter as they focused on his target.
"Shut. up." ordered Jack. The young man slowly stood up, letting Chloe lay on the floor as he walked past her. His Monkey Staff shook in its holster, the redheaded genius pulling it out and holding it like a bo staff. Everyone around looked shocked, the near identical weapons seemingly glaring at each other. Dojo shivered, rubbing his eyes.
"Am I seeing things or are there TWO Monkey Staffs?" questioned the little dragon. "That doesn't exactly sound right." PandaBubba suddenly chuckled, taking a step forward.
"I see you found a way to imitate the Wu you lost," stated the mobster. "You won't be parted with the real deal for too long!" The villain dashed forward, the weapon raised high as he prepared his attack. Jack suddenly raised his hand, catching the Wu as a resounding smack filled the air. He gripped his own weapon tighter, rearing it back.
[Play Sonic Heroes - "What I'm Made Of" (Natewantstobattle Cover)]
"THIS is how you use a staff, Tubby," growled the red furred warrior. He let go of his enemy's weapon, striking him hard in the gut with the swing of his own staff. PandaBubba coughed up a bit, a sudden and swift kick following the hit to his gut as he was sent crashing into one of the columns. The villain opened his eyes to see Jack was already upon him, his jacket beginning to rip as his version of the Monkey Staff looked longer than the original. He broke through the pillar with one sweep, PandaBubba having dodged thanks to the Third Arm Sash.
'HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!? HE CAN'T BE STRONGER THAN ME!' The mobster flipped onto his feet, striking Jack hard in the head as a shockwave pulsed out. The villain was grinning, only for his face to morph into an expression of shock as Jack slowly turned his head towards him as he pushed the fist back. Much like PandaBubba had done to Raimundo, the redhead grabbed PandaBubba by the arm and slammed him repeatedly into the ground.
He then jumped back as the Third Arm Sash swung around wildly, his opponent getting up as the two of them glared at each other. They suddenly disappeared, clashing in the center of the room as their eyes were locked on each other. Strikes and blocks were exchanged at high speed, the shockwaves blowing a strong breeze. As the two fought, Jack's Wu began to glow brighter and brighter while the monkey head pommel opened its mouth wider. "YOU'RE MINE, SPICER!"
PandaBubba suddenly used the Third Arm Sash to swing a piece of column at Jack, the boy spinning his staff as he actually tore through the stone. As the weapon continued to spin, the rest of his jacket tore to reveal that the red fur was completely covering his arms. His staff molded and shifted, slowly changing shape to look more uniform and thin. As soon as he stopped spinning the weapon, the wood of the staff turned red in color with a golden cap depicting a cloud on each end. Dojo watched as a long tail connected each golden cloud, the dragon gasping as he hid more.
"IT CAN'T BE!" cried the little dragon. "MASTER DASHI SPOKE OF IT IN ANCIENT TEXTS! THE WU TORN FROM THE JADE EMPEROR'S PALACE AND INFUSED WITH ITS MASTER'S CHI! IT'S-" Jack snarled suddenly, the ripped pieces of his fabric suddenly turning into a brown leather sleeveless vest with ripped edges around the arm holes and a white fabric pulling it together.
"RUYI JINGU BANG!" roared the redhead. He held out his staff, the weapon extending forward and striking PandaBubba in the face. Jack suddenly began to howl and hoot like a monkey, bouncing around with the staff as he repeatedly struck at PandaBubba. The mobster panted as he felt his energy leave him, the villain looking up. The monkey warrior was already there, crouched against the area as his eyes were blank white.
Jack snarled, his canine teeth extending like fangs. "DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH MY GIRL AGAIN!" He bounced forward at high speed, spinning his weapon around as he prepared it for a slamming strike. PandaBubba tried to cushion the blow as best as he could, the wrapping of the Third Arm Sash covering his head entirely. The attack connected, causing the mobster to scream before the force of the attack knocked him out.
[End Track]
Jack took deep breaths, the Monkey Staff rolling away from PandaBubba as the Third Arm Sash returned to normal. The redhead took deep breaths, the color slowly returning to his eyes as Ruyi Jingu Bang shrunk down to the length he was used to carrying the weapon at. The sound of a miraculous beeping drew his attention, causing him to look towards Chloe in concern. Raven was already over her, nodding towards him. Seeing the healing magic working itself into use, the genius slowly nodded his head in response.
"JACK SPICER!" cried the voice of Omi. Jack looked over towards the cheeseball, watching him walk with a slight limp. "You will not have the Wu! They are too dangerous to fall into the hands of evil!" The redhead looked the boy in the eye, taking a deep breath.
"Then just take them all and leave," ordered the monkey man. "I don't have any use for them. This one won't leave me so you're gonna have to suck it up on that one. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to deal with." He walked away from the monk, Omi looking baffled.
"Jack Spicer… abandoning Wu? My mind is being boogled." Raimundo groaned, holding his face in pain. Jack ignored the group, picking up the healed heroine from Raven. He looked her in the eye, his gaze giving off a small amount of his pressure.
"Tell your little friends out there that one of those cures is needed. I'll take her from here." Raven could only nod her head, allowing Jack to vanish. The redhead was standing atop a roof, laying the healed Chloe down as ladybugs flew around in the distance. The blonde slowly opened her eyes, Pollen flying over her.
"MY QUEEN!" cried the Kwami. "PLEASE SAY YOU ARE WELL!" Chloe pushed herself up, rubbing her head in pain.
"Nothing some medicine won't fix," groaned the bee themed hero. "Where's everyone?" She shivered as she looked forward, noticing how Jack was sitting down on the ledge of the building.
"The bad guys got beat, you got hurt, and I fought to make sure they paid for it," stated the genius. "Nothing a freak like me can't accomplish. I couldn't just sit around and do nothing." Frowning at this, Chloe handed Pollen a honey treat before walking over to Jack. She sat beside him, rubbing his shoulder.
"Jack, you're not a freak. You saved good people back there, including me. That's what I call a true hero. Your parents would be proud if they heard about it." Jack huffed a laugh at this, looking at the ground.
"Yeah, if they could look past this hairy ape." He shivered as he suddenly felt a hand on his tail, the furs being rather sensitive to the soft touch. He looked towards Chloe, seeing the alluring look on her face. The range of smell he now had made a scent that came from her more apparent than what he would normally perceive, his eyebrows raising as his chest began to heave a bit. The blonde smirked, gently rubbing the young man's furry cheek.
"Well then you're MY ape. I think you need a reminder of that. You, me, and a nice private spot. Now~." Feeding off her emotions, Jack picked up Chloe and jumped off with her as Pollen quickly followed along.
Amity Park, Illinois
The sounds of screams suddenly filled the air, the movie on the screen playing at loud volumes. Sam snickered at this, eating the salty popcorn that sat between her and Tim. True to the Gothamite's word, he seemed more inclined to point out where the scenes were not as realistic. He made sure to check that the goth girl was okay with it, of course, and stuck to scenes where the criticism was welcomed. It felt like she was hanging out with Tucker or Danny, only Tim had a personality all his own that acted as a relieving fresh air.
"Well that was an obvious trap," stated the coffee expert. "Not only was the door practically wide open but the hands were on the wrong arms of the chair." Sam snorted at this, leaning over slightly.
"Well, some people aren't that bright," joked the goth girl. "You should see Paulina, one of the A-listers, trying to order the smallest thing on the menu but smaller." Tim rolled his eyes, huffing annoyance.
"Please tell me she's not actually that dumb. If someone is that dumb that'd mean I need a triple cappuccino night." Sam couldn't help herself, bursting out laughing as she leaned over onto the coffee lover. She remained in that spot, making her guest look towards her. She suddenly blushed brightly, shifting slightly.
"S-sorry. I don't know what-" She shivered as she felt his arm move, the limb now resting over her shoulder.
"Don't move away now. This part looks like it's getting good." Sam didn't know what to do, remaining in the spot as her core began to heat up. She hadn't felt this way since the few moments she had with Danny when they were younger. Even then the ones that were casually sweet or romantic like this were often few and far between, leaving her slightly starved for this level of connection.
After a while the movie ended, Sam still snuggled into Tim as the two of them were enjoying the moment. The sound of a door jiggling suddenly caught their attention, making Sam sit up. The girl began to panic, bringing her scarf over her head.
"My parents! They're back early! If they see us like this they'll try to force it and ruin the feeling! I can't let them see me like this." Tim narrowed his eyes, going into Red Robin mode.
"I have a plan." Sam looked at him, shivering at the look in his eyes. Not long after, Sam's parents walked through the door looking extremely tired. Ida hid the pastries she was making away, turning off the oven as the couple walked past the hallway. Sam's father groaned, rubbing his forehead.
"The drive was exhausting," moaned the man. "I'll be so happy to get some sleep." He looked towards the theater room as he passed by, only to stop for a moment as he walked backwards a bit. He looked inside, having thought he saw something. He spotted two of Sam's cardboard standees of monsters from her horror movies close together, shrugging as he trudged to keep up with his exhausted wife.
Sam did her best to hold the same pose as the cardboard figure in front of her, Tim doing the same as he seemed all too familiar with awkward positioning. Soon the door to the upstairs bedroom slammed shut, allowing the duo to breathe. The blonde giggled, moving some of her hair out of her face.
"That was way too close," stated the goth girl. "I think it's time for you to head out." Tim nodded his head, knowing that his welcome would have normally ended quite a while to go. The coffee lover now had his briefcase under his arm while the other one held a box of the pastries that were made, the young man standing outside of the house. He nodded his head, a small smile on his face as he turned towards Sam.
"I think your grandmother's deal is a good idea," stated the coffee lover. "Maybe we could also spend time together at any shared galas to avoid the intricacies of meeting people who just want your money." Sam rubbed her arm, not letting herself step out of the doorway more than she had to.
"Not gonna lie, that'd be an awesome distraction." She noticed he was about to turn away, holding out her hand. "Hey, Tim?" She watched him look towards her again, taking a few deep breaths to settle herself. "I know things in Gotham can be busy but maybe we could find more time to see each other… just the two of us."
Her nerves bundled up, making it harder for her to speak as she rubbed her arm. "I mean, it doesn't HAVE to be a date but… It could be fun. Maybe-" Tim smirked, nodding his head.
"I have coffee days every morning on Thursdays. You could say I'm in the know on everything so it'd just be a Boom Tube away. After this 'not-date', an actual one must be exciting. Just do me a favor and don't attract the attention of Gotham's mixed bag of loons and psychos. I deal with them on a daily basis at this rate and that's not exactly the kind of attention you want on you."
Sam looked him in the eye, getting the feeling there was more to that sentence than he wanted others to perceive. "Also, come over however you like. Black hair or blonde, strong goth or casual goth. If this is going to become a relationship then I want the real you, whoever you decide that is." The blonde slowly smiled, running a hand through her hair again.
"Alright, CoffeeLord. It's a date, for real this time. Let's just hope my parents don't have a panic attack if I go full goth." Tim laughed at this, shaking his head. While this wasn't the expected outcome of this visit, it wasn't exactly unwelcome.
Inkaliber: And THAT is the end of the chapter! We've got Jack getting a serious glow up, Juleka and Ellie bonding, some more Shen Gong Wu madness, and a brand new ship to run with!
James: Hey boss! We've got an emergency! Someone let those green alien thingies out again!
Inkaliber: UGH! I told Wade not to leave the Saibamen door unlocked! I gotta end this chapter fast, folks.
What did you guys think about the chapter? Did you like the bonding and relationship growth? What kind of chaos is coming next!? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to respond ASAP, the next chapter at the latest. This is Inkaliber, signing out.