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File: MaxSpiderBanner.jpg (388 KB, 1440x900)
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You are Ben Parker, super-powered criminal and thief extraordinaire. After being bitten by a radioactive spider, you underwent a miraculous change, and adopted the identity of "The Huntsman"! You also adopted the identity of "Spider-Man", for anyone that doesn't know about your illegal exploits, but that's besides the point.

Archive:
https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Max%20Spider%20Quest

Last time:
After rescuing Cindy Moon from the horrible fate of becoming sewer monster chow, Ben found himself in the sights of a vampire cult that wanted the little girl out of the picture. Now, he must find a way to shut them down, without attracting the attention of the authorities.

Rules:
Most dice rolls will be 1d100. Modifiers will be added depending on the situation or on the alien being used(Usually +10 or -10). Crit successes and crit fails apply. Crit fails can be overridden by crit successes, but crit failures cannot override crit successes.

How to Roll:
To roll dice, type “dice+1d100” in the options field without the quotations. To roll dice with positive modifiers, type “dice+1d100+modifier number” in the options field without quotations, and with an actual modifier number. To roll dice with negative modifiers, type “dice+1d100+-modifier number” in the options field without quotations, and with an actual modifier number.

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

If you have any suggestions that might improve the quality of the quest, feel free to share them! Good luck and have fun!
>>
All in all, you were pretty content with the movie you’d chosen. It was the type of mindless action that Felicia seemed to enjoy in a movie, and it proved to be a decent distraction for whatever had been on Cindy’s mind.

And while you weren’t nearly as invested as she was, you and the others made at least a vague attempt to keep up with the plot. What little there was to keep up with, that is. In between fight scenes, you, Felicia and Prowler would question Cindy on the weaknesses and tendencies of vampires.

“Wooden stake to the heart?” you asked.

Cindy glanced back at you, clicked her tongue and dragged a thumb across her throat. That meant that it would kill them instantly.

“Silver?” Felicia suggested.

Cindy repeated the gesture and nodded, letting you know that silver was far more potent than you originally thought. Sunlight was an obvious one, but you were completely surprised to learn that garlic was actually effective in sapping the strength of vampires. There was also the matter of vampires not being able to enter a private residence, but you doubted that that would come in handy when you kicked their door down and raided their base.

“What about crosses?” Prowler said.

Cindy paused, brought out a notepad and started scribbling. According to her, religious symbols are effective for staving off an attack, but they’re only effective in the hands of someone who believes in the faith. You’re not sure how many believing Christians there are left in the world. The existence of aliens and literal gods has done a bit of a number on organized religions. People just don’t have that same type of zealous faith that they used to.

“How do you know about all this stuff?” you asked, giving voice to the question that was undoubtedly on everyone’s minds.

Cindy went back to scribbling in her notepad. She then turned it around so that everyone could see.

“Your parents made this a part of your training?” Prowler confirmed.

Cindy nodded and scribbled something else. In summary, the “Hand of Khonshu” must be well versed in dealing with any and all creatures that stalk the night.

Feeling as if you’d learned more than enough on the topic of killing vampires, you began to wonder whether you’d need it for your encounter with Michael Morbius. Just because Cindy knew where to find him didn’t mean that he or his patrons were going to be friendly to a bunch of humans walking into their territory.

That being said, there was now way that you could get your hands on pure silver on such short notice. Garlic, wooden stakes and religious symbols were easy enough to obtain, but you didn’t know how effective those things would be in an up close and personal fight.

“We’re lucky that there was some truth to those cheesy horror movies that you and Prowler like. At least you’ll have a few tricks up your sleeve when you go to meet this ‘Morbius’ guy.” Felicia said.

(Cont.)
>>
“Actually, I was hoping that you guys would be willing to come with me on this one.” you admitted.

Felicia and Prowler exchanged a long glance before returning their gazes to you. “Look, Spider. We like you and all, and your kid is cute as a button,” she began, her tone sounding apologetic in its delivery. “But we’re not talking about common crooks, or even super crooks. We’re talking full-blown supernatural creatures, here. I’ve got a beautiful neckline, and I don’t know about you, but I’m in no mood to see it ruined by a pair of filthy little fangs.”

As much as you hated it, you had to agree.

“And there’s only so much that we’re willing to do for free. We’d be putting ourselves at serious risk here.” Prowler added.

What will you say?

>“I understand. I know I still owe you guys from that Tombstone job.”
>”I’ll pay you. Whatever it takes. Just name your price.”
>”This is a threat that concerns all of us. We do our best work at night, and things won’t stay that way if our city becomes overrun by bloodsucking vampires!”
>”I didn’t see any of you complaining when we were saving those people from that burning building.”
>”Come on, guys. You can’t say no to this face.”(Command Cindy to use her puppy dog eyes.)
>Write-in.

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5202192
>”This is a threat that concerns all of us. We do our best work at night, and things won’t stay that way if our city becomes overrun by bloodsucking vampires!”
>”Come on, guys. You can’t say no to this face.”(Command Cindy to use her puppy dog eyes.)
>>
>>5202192
>>”This is a threat that concerns all of us. We do our best work at night, and things won’t stay that way if our city becomes overrun by bloodsucking vampires!”
but
>“I understand. I know I still owe you guys from that Tombstone job.”
>>
>>5202192
>>“I understand. I know I still owe you guys from that Tombstone job.”
>>
>>5202192
>”I’ll pay you. Whatever it takes. Just name your price.”
>”This is a threat that concerns all of us. We do our best work at night, and things won’t stay that way if our city becomes overrun by bloodsucking vampires!”
>>
>>5202192
>>“I understand. I know I still owe you guys from that Tombstone job.”
>>
>>5202192
>“I understand. I know I still owe you guys from that Tombstone job.”

>Contact Matt. He's the kind of sucker doing this jobs for free usually.
>>
>>5202192
>>“I understand. I know I still owe you guys from that Tombstone job.”
>>
>>5202214
Wouldn't Matt be kinda shit at fighting vampires because he won't be able to hear their heartbeats or is his hearing more bullshit than I think it is?
>>
>>5202220
We should probably give Matt a heads up about a potential vampire infestation when we get a chance.
Also he'd probably be great at fighting them so long as he has a crucifix. He's a devout Catholic right?
>>
>>5202192
>”This is a threat that concerns all of us. We do our best work at night, and things won’t stay that way if our city becomes overrun by bloodsucking vampires!”
>”Come on, guys. You can’t say no to this face.”(Command Cindy to use her puppy dog eyes.)
If it doesn't work
>“I understand. I know I still owe you guys from that Tombstone job, and I don't exactly know if there'll be something to grab at that club."
except the club itself, maybe we'll be able to take over.
On the other hand, we know Matt prayed before eating whit us just over some burgers and stuff. And, he and Angela are good guys, they'll likely help for free.

Anyway, we still need to come up with a plan, and get a crossbow.

Also, like we scraped on last thread we should compartmentalize our persona's of Huntsman and Spider-Man, best with different costumes and slightly alternate movesets. This is a hero-job
>>
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>>5202197
>>5202204
>>5202205
>>5202210
>>5202212
>>5202214
>>5202219
>>5202226
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>>5202220
He's got full-on radar sense. All four of his remaining senses are so sharp that they can create a 3D map in his brain of everything going on around him.

>>5202224
>yfw Matt pulls out the crucifix combat batons
>>
>>5202226
If you wanted a last minute costume that you could throw together for a different persona, I think something like the Hunter Rose/Grendel outfit would be kinda nice
>>
>>5202226
>Anyway, we still need to come up with a plan, and get a crossbow.
Crossbow? Nah, we only need some wooden wooden bolts and we can shoot it with our modified hidden-gun

I was even thinking in making some shotgun amunition filled with salt rocks and garlic powder, or even just garlic power. Surely that's something that's going to hurt them if they're close to the garlic cloud, or just debilitate
>>
>>5202204
>Support
>>
“This is a threat that concerns all of us. We do our best work at night, and things won’t stay that way if our city becomes overrun by bloodsucking vampires!” you proclaimed.

“We’re not saying that we don’t care.” Prowler said. “Believe me, we’re all worried about it. It’s just that we’re not the ones who’re equipped to deal with something like this. You wanna help? Pass it on to someone who actually knows what they’re getting themselves into. Hero types, I mean.”

Felicia nodded her agreement.

It seemed that arguing this point any further would only amount in wasted time, and you were short on that precious resource. The sun was going to set soon, and you needed some protection for your meeting with Morbius. Going there without anything to defend yourself with just felt wrong.

“I understand. I know I still owe you guys for that Tombstone job.” you admitted.

“How nice of you to remember.” Felicia said. If there was any sarcasm or malice in her voice, you couldn’t detect it.

“Just let us know when you plan on moving that stuff you got from Toomes. We can split the cash after we find a buyer.” Prowler added.

“Already did. Ran into some weirdo trying to steal it the other night, but I scared him off after I broke his suit.” you said.

After giving them a brief description of Slip and updating them on Flint’s current situation, you escorted the two to the door and promised that you’d call if you needed anything urgently. Cindy waved at them as they left, before returning her expectant gaze to you. You were running out of daylight, and you had to do something fast.

What will you bring with you to the meeting?(Choose 2)

>Crucifix/Wooden Stake combo
>Hand-carved wooden darts/bolts(Hidden Gun ammo)
>Garlic pepper pellets(Hidden Gun ammo)
>Silver Knuckle rings
>Write-in.

(Also, if you're going to call Matt to come with you to the meeting, include it in your vote.)
>>
Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

Reposting this in case you wanted to call someone else.
>>
>>5202271
remind me, which meeting have we had planned?
just a stake out of the place before night falls for the vamps to show up?
>>
>>5202284
Cindy wants you to talk to Michael Morbius at his secret vampire club before you hit any of the locations. He's something of a leading figure in the community, and most people(alive and undead) have to go through him first if they want something. He offers information, equipment, and manpower to those that are willing to pay his price.
>>
>>5202271
>Garlic pepper pellets(Hidden Gun ammo)
Gee Huntsman! How come your gun has both garlic AND pepper spray in one?
>Write-in.
CALL IN THE DAREDEVIL
THERE'S VAMPIRES TO SLAY
>>
>>5202271
>Choose two
Whoops. Add
>Silver Knuckle rings
to my vote in >>5202291. Hand carved wooden stuff is too time-consuming right now, and Matt should be better with stakes and crucifixes.
>>
>>5202271
>>5202288
Ah yeah, I thought it was just the next step, not already tonight
well then
>call Matt
>Hand-carved wooden darts/bolts(Hidden Gun ammo)
>Silver Knuckle rings
If Matt can't come I say we delay for a day, as I don't think we're fully prepared, especially not when we go in alone, even if it's just to talk
>>
>>5202271
>>Silver Knuckle rings
>Garlic pepper pellets(Hidden Gun ammo)

>Write-in.
>call matt
>>
>>5202271
>Garlic pepper pellets(Hidden Gun ammo)
>Silver Knuckle rings
>Call Matt
>>
>>5202291
>>5202295
>>5202302
>>5202375
Taking these. Writing...
>>
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>>5202385
>>
>>5202425
Holy shit, I'm definitely including that in Matt's utility belt
>>
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>>5202436
The Strain has some pretty awesome moments
>>
You need a few things before you’d be comfortable with visiting this club. Finding powdered garlic shouldn’t be terribly hard, and you know a guy who should have at least one pair of silver Knuckle Dusters. Whether it’s pure silver or not remains to be seen, but it’s certainly better than nothing.

Changing out of your suit and into your civvies, you decided to give Matt a call before you headed out with Cindy. After about 3 or 4 rings, Matt finally picked up.

“Benny? What’s going on?” he asked.

“I’m surprised you knew it was me.” you admitted.

“Misty told me before I answered the phone. Sometimes I’ll have Angela read my texts to me when I don’t feel like running them through a program.” Matt explained. “Did you need something?”

“Yeah, I do. Are you busy tonight?” you asked.

“Well, I am in the middle of a poker game right now. Why?” he answered.

“Wait, hold up. You play poker?”

“Quite often, yes.”

“How!? You can’t even see the cards! Does Angela help you with that too?” you said.

“Sometimes. But tonight, it’s Misty’s turn. She tells me what’s been played and what’s in my hand. In return, I give them a cut of the profits.”

“We’ve only got one eye between the two of us, so I feel like I should be getting paid double.” someone on the other end of the line complained. You assumed that it was this “Misty” person.

“One eye’s better than none.” Matt shot back. You heard Misty grumbling a retort, but you couldn’t hear it very clearly.

“So I take it that you’re a good player?” you asked

“Let’s just say that I’m not well-liked at these tables.” Matt said, and you could practically feel the smirk forming on his face as he said it.

“Well that doesn’t tell me much. You rubbed me the wrong way when we first met.” you said with a shrug.

“Is that what people call it these days when they get their ass kicked?” Matt asked with a fair bit of challenge in his tone.

“Just wait until our rematch, pal. Then, I’ll show you who’s-!”

“Are y’all done with your little dick measuring contest?” Misty interrupted. “Because if you are, either get to the point or get back to playing cards.”

“Right.” you said, clearing your throat before continuing. “I could use your help. I found a lead on this whole Cult thing, and Cindy thinks that there are vampires involved.” you explained.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line.

“...Did you say ‘vampires’?” he asked.

“Yeah. I haven’t seen one for myself, but Cindy wants me to meet some guy called ‘Michael Morbius’. Apparently he’s some big boss in the vampire community. I don’t know what I’ll find going in there, so I was wondering if you’d be willing to help cover our backs.”

(Cont.)
>>
“‘Our’?” he said, sounding a bit angry. “You’re bringing the girl.”

It clearly wasn’t a question, so you didn’t waste time dancing around the issue. “She knows more about this than either of us, and I don’t think Morbius would let us in without her being there.” you said. “I don’t know about you, but I’m in no mood to kick down the front door and open up a can of worms that I can’t close.”

Matt paused to consider this, before sighing deeply. “...Alright. Give me a time and place, and I’ll meet you there.” he said. “Come on, Misty. We’re cashing these chips in.”

You heard the other players protesting his decision, clearly having thought that they were about to steal the large pile of chips out from under his nose. You would’ve told him to be careful in the parking lot, but then you remembered who it was that you were talking to. You thanked him profusely, hung up and prepared to head out the door. You had some shopping to do.

—-------

Later that night, you were back in costume, staring at a nondescript building with a glowing, crimson neon sign on the front that read “Eternal”. You noticed that the “T” was in the shape of a cross, which admittedly, tickled your funny bone as you considered the implied irony of that gesture.

You spotted Matt approaching you from behind, now wearing all his armor and gear, plus the items that you requested he retrieve before coming here.

“...Was this really necessary?” he asked, showing you the Silver Crucifix/Knuckle Duster combo!

“Jesus, Matt! I was just joking earlier!” you confessed, laughing uncontrollably. “Where’d you even get those?”

He grunted and put them away. “I know a guy that does custom jobs for me on short notice. Should I not have brought them?”

“No, no! They’re perfect.” you said, trying to get your breathing back under control. “That is like, two anti-vamp weapons mixed into one. They only work in the hands of a true believer.”

Matt stared at you for a long moment, and then turned his head towards the building. “Hm. When do we go in?” he asked.

Before you could answer, your phone started ringing. It was your sister. Why was she calling now?

What will you do?

>Let it go to voicemail. You’ll call her back sometime later.
>Go somewhere far away and answer the call.
>Turn your phone off. You don’t need any distractions tonight.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5202473
>Go somewhere far away and answer the call.
>>
>>5202473
>Go somewhere far away and answer the call.
"sorry for cucking you in this job but if i dont answer this, something very bad will happen,"
>>
>>5202473
>Go somewhere far away and answer the call
Please, don't...
>>
>>5202473
>>Go somewhere far away and answer the call.
Good thing it happened before we go in, we don't have an appointment anyway
>>
>>5202489
>>5202491
>>5202493
>>5202504
Writing...
>>
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50 bucks on he hears it anyway
>>
>>5202547
I can't take that bet
>>
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It’s probably nothing. But, you couldn’t deny that the timing was uncanny.

“Hold on. I’ve gotta take this.” you said, stowing the phone back into your pocket and launching yourself into the air. After swinging a few blocks away, you felt somewhat comfortable enough with the distance between you and Matt to pick up the call.

Clinging to the side of a building now, you brought your hand up to tap your Bluetooth earpiece. “Hello?”

There was shallow breathing on the other end of the line, and you immediately started to worry. Did someone get to Vic and the kids!? Was it the cult, or someone else looking for revenge?

Your heart started to hammer in your ears as your mind raced and your imagination kicked into overdrive. With each passing second that went by unanswered, you could only assume the worst.

“...Hello?” said a familiar voice in your ear.

“Pete!?” you said, not able to hide the relief in your voice. “What’re you still doing up, bud?”

“I wanted to say goodnight.” he admitted.

You chuckled softly and flexed your free hand several times. It was still shaking.

“You didn’t have to stay up for that. Next time, you can give me a call as soon as you start feeling sleepy.” you said, before pausing to consider something. “Oh, wait. You don’t have a phone, do you? I should get you a phone when I get back. Hey, Pete. What’s your favorite color? Don’t think about it. Just tell me the first thing that pops into your head.”

“Uhhh…”

“Ah! I told you not to think about it.”

“Blue! It’s blue!” he finally said with a laugh. “Or red!”

“Aww, man! You took the best ones!” you said with mock disappointment. “Leave some for the rest of us, huh.”

“No! They’re MY favorite colors.” Pete declared.

“Unbelievable. Does Aunt Vicky know that she’s got a little tyrant living under her roof? Keep this up and you’re gonna become the next Dr. Doom.”

Pete laughed, and the sound alone was enough to stay your shaking hands. And after a noticeable delay, he asked “When are you coming home?”

It was a simple question, but it was enough to make your breath catch.

“Uh, I…I’m not sure, buddy. I’ve got a lot of work to do, but I’m working as hard as I can so I can get back to you guys.” you said, hoping that it was convincing enough to put his mind at ease. “I promise that I’ll come back after I’m done here.”

“Okay…” he mumbled, still clearly disappointed. “Goodnight, Uncle Ben.”

“G’night, Pete.” you whispered.

The next thing you heard was some light shuffling, and the sound of your sister talking away from the receiver. A few seconds later, you heard her voice much clearer.

(Cont.)
>>
“Hey, Ben. Pete was trying to stay up because he thought that you’d be coming home sooner than I told him you would.” Vic explained. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’m alright. I’ve got a lead on this whole cult thing, and I brought in a friend to help me with it.” you said.

“Good. I was getting worried. Thinking of you taking these people on all by yourself was a scary thought.” she admitted.

What will you say?

>”You worry too much, Vic. I’ll handle things over here, no problem.”
>”Well my friends are scarier. These cultist freaks won’t know what hit ‘em.”
>”I didn’t mean to scare you. I promise that I’ll take care of this without letting anything happen to you, Pete, or Cindy.”
>”I feel bad about leaving Pete like I did. Do you think he’ll be alright?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5202555
>>”I didn’t mean to scare you. I promise that I’ll take care of this without letting anything happen to you, Pete, or Cindy.”
>>
>>5202555
>”Well my friends are scarier. These cultist freaks won’t know what hit ‘em.”
>Write-in.
Internally resolve to do right by this kid.
>>
>>5202555
>>”Well my friends are scarier. These cultist freaks won’t know what hit ‘em.”
>>”I feel bad about leaving Pete like I did. Do you think he’ll be alright?”
"I want to do right by him... but I... My life's... look well talk, later."
The kids already been abandoned by one father figure, but I'm not sure if backing out now isn't what's best for the kid in the long run
>>
>>5202555
>>”I feel bad about leaving Pete like I did. Do you think he’ll be alright?”
>”You worry too much, Vic. I’ll handle things over here, no problem.”
>>
>>5202555
>”You worry too much, Vic. I’ll handle things over here, no problem.”
>"Besides, I'm not about to get into trouble if Pete's concerned, ya know? Gotta be responsible, all that jazz..."
>>
>>5202555
>>”I didn’t mean to scare you. I promise that I’ll take care of this without letting anything happen to you, Pete, or Cindy.”
>"The guy I'm with is actually one of the good guys, trying to make me go all straight and stuff."
>>
>>5202571
>support
>>
>>5202571
>>5202651
Taking these. Writing...

Ironically enough, Ben's current relationship with his nephew is very similar to Miles' relationship with Aaron Davis. As for whether you want to remain in his life, that's entirely up to you. There is certainly a danger of negatively influencing his life through your involvement with him, but guidance and companionship are also important at a young age. There are various things to consider here.
>>
>>5202989
I don't want to involve Pete in any of this personally.
But more than that, I want to find Richard and tell him to start taking responsibility for his fucking kid.
>>
>>5202997
We'll get into that very soon! I've got a lot of plot points that I'm excited to introduce into the story.
>>
“Well my friends are scarier. These cultist freaks won’t know what hit ‘em.” you boasted.

You could practically feel the eyeroll from your sister before she started to respond. “Okay, tough guy. Just try not to get shot, or you know, sacrificed on a stone altar at midnight.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible, Vic. You see, those guys want to sacrifice virgins. Crazy cultists love them some virgins. And me, being the irresistible stud that I am, is the furthest thing from what they want. You on the other hand…well, if I were you, I’d be careful of who I open my door to tonight.” you said.

“Oh, screw you!” Vic said while laughing.

“I’m serious! I have literally never seen you bring a guy over for Thanksgiving, or Christmas, or any of those other dumb family holidays. You need to get out more, Vic.”

“My sex life is none of your business, Benjamin Parker.” your sister said in reply.

While you were in no mood to do so, you felt it prudent to press your sister on this every once in a while. It made you feel like a nagging parent, but there was some merit to their arguments. You didn’t particularly care about which team she played for, if that was what she was worried about. Loathe as you are to admit it, Vic’s a young, intelligent, attractive woman, and you’re genuinely surprised that she doesn’t have more guys barking up her tree. It’d be a shame to see her waste all that and end up alone in the future. As far as you could remember, Vic’s been single her entire life.

“Alright, fine…” you sighed. “Hey, Vic? I feel kinda bad about leaving Pete like I did. Do you think he’ll be alright?”

“He’ll be fine. I think he’s just scared that you’ll leave him like Richard did.” she said. “Peter needs a father figure in his life, and if his actual father doesn’t want to step up, then I suppose you’re the next best thing.”

“I thought you said that it wasn’t a good idea for me to get involved with him.” you shot back.

“That was before. I thought that you had no interest in kids back then, so I didn’t want you acting as a corrupting influence in his life without thinking about the consequences. But when I see you dote on him and play with him like you do…well, it makes me feel like I don’t have a right to break that up.” she admitted.

“I want to do right by him, but I…my life’s kinda…” you muttered, before trailing off with a sigh. “Look. We’ll talk later, okay?”

You got the distinct impression that your sister had more to say on the matter, but you didn’t give her the chance to. This wasn’t a conversation that you wanted to have right now.

“...Fine. Be careful out there, Ben.”

“I will. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

(Cont.)
>>
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You hung up, braced yourself against the wall and took a long, relaxing breath.

“Pull yourself together, Parker.” you muttered to yourself, before firing a webline at a nearby building and swinging back in Matt’s direction.

—-----

When you reunited with Matt and Cindy, both gave you a sparing glance, but kept their main focus on the vampire club.

“Everything alright?” Matt asked.

“Yeah. Everything’s fine.” you replied, a little too fast. Matt simply nodded and gestured towards Cindy.

“She’s ready to move.” he said, and Cindy nodded for confirmation.

You walked over, scooped her up, made sure that she had a tight grip on you, and leapt from the roof. Matt followed close behind, using some sort of grappling hook built into his batons. Maybe you should get Cindy something like that. Having her cling to you all the time could become problematic in the future.

—---

After landing in front of the club, you walked down a few flights of stone steps and found yourself face to face with a large man with bloodshot eyes, pale skin, and slightly pointed ears. He had a noticeable lack of hair, and was wearing a tailored suit that looked reasonably expensive. From the way he was standing, you had a feeling that he had no intention of letting you inside.

Nevertheless, you followed Cindy as she approached him without fear. The large man looked down and grunted at her. “Password.”

Cindy scribbled something in her notepad and showed it to the man, who only smirked. “What’s the matter? Bat got your tongue?” he said in a European accent that you didn’t quite recognize.

Cindy let out a frustrated huff, but you were the one to reply.

“She’s mute, asshole.” you said, stepping up beside her.

The bouncer rolled his massive shoulders and flexed his fingers a few times before looking at you. His gaze could only be described as predatory, and you had the distinct impression that violence was an inevitability. But before either of you could act, the man froze and his eyes glazed over for a moment. His ears twitched a few times, and he immediately straightened, abandoning his aggressive posture from before.

“So sorry for the inconvenience.” he growled between two sets of tightly clenched, razor sharp teeth. “The boss would like to see you inside.” he said, stepping aside to open the heavy, iron door. “Right this way.”

You cast a wary glance at Matt and Cindy, before entering first, with Cindy in the middle and Matt in the back. This seemed like the safest formation for the young girl.

(Cont.)
>>
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Another pale gentleman wearing a similar suit gestured for you to follow him, and you did so. The atmosphere and lighting in these hallways immediately reminded you of the Crucible. And it wasn’t until your guide led you down several more flights of stairs and opened two more doors that the stench finally hit you. It was hard to put into words, but luckily, Matt did it for you.

“That’s…a lot of blood.” he said, scrunching up his nose and wiping at it.

“Is that what that is? I can practically taste it.” you said with a groan.

“Yeah? Well I can literally taste it.” Matt grumbled.

Your guide said nothing, despite being within earshot. Instead, he led you through one final door, where the smell had been the strongest. The room was very poorly lit, having no artificial lighting, and instead relying on candlelight.

As soon as you entered, all manner of conversation stopped all at once, and multiple sets of glowing red eyes settled on your group. The sight was enough to make your blood run cold. You absently felt for your silver knuckle dusters and wondered whether you’d have to fight your way out of here after all.

“Something smells awful.” said a slight voice in the back of the room. “Did you bring garlic in here?” he asked. It sounded like he was whispering, but it was somehow loud enough to bounce off of the walls and reverberate in your ears.

Before you could answer, Cindy stepped forward and gave a slight bow.

“Ah, is that you Miss Moon? It’s been so long. Just look at how big you’ve gotten!” the dark figure said, finally rising from his throne. As he stepped into the light, you noticed that he was very tall, very well built, and much paler than most of the patrons in this club. His nose was scrunched up, like that of a bat’s, and his eyes were nothing more than blood red slits. His hair was black as night and settled atop his head like an unruly mop. He had a thin beard that was made all the more noticeable by his sharp, angular facial features and the complexion of his skin. Somehow, without an introduction, you knew that this was Michael Morbius.

“I heard about what happened to your parents. They were…good people. You have my sincerest apologies and my deepest condolences.” he said, returning her bow. It was only then you noticed how sharp his claws were. They were like tiny little knives.

“Now,” he began focusing his attention on you and Matt. “What is it that I can do for you? Something tells me that it is more than a social call.”
>>
What will you say?

>”Cindy’s parents were killed by vampires that belonged to a cult. We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”
>”We’re planning on attacking some vampire strongholds. Just wanted to make sure that we weren’t stepping on your toes, or anything.”(Show him the map of their locations)
>”We could use some gear, if you have it on hand. Figured you’d keep it in back, for when you needed to take care of your own.”
>”We need some muscle, if you can spare the manpower. Taking on a bunch of savage vamps is gonna be tough with just the three of us.”
>”How do you know Cindy and her family?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5203066
>>”Cindy’s parents were killed by vampires that belonged to a cult. We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”
>>
>>5203066
>”Cindy’s parents were killed by vampires that belonged to a cult. We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”
>>
>>5202187
i wanna ask one thing before i start reading from the beginning, why Ben Parker? Like, it feels weird since Black Cat and Silk are running around, why the name change?
>>
>>5203073
>why Ben Parker?
It was one of the choices given when we were prompted to give our name in-character.
I'm fairly certain each choice would have changed certain things about other characters as well as our pre-existing relationships with them.
>>
>>5203073
Because this is an alt universe and there have been times where alternate versions of characters have existed further along in the future or further back in the past than they were originally meant to. Plus, it won the vote as a write-in for the protagonist's name. I figured that it was very doable, and opens up a ton of possibilities for interesting story elements.

Try not to think about how far forward or backward these events are taking place in. As far as you're concerned, this is a modern day Uncle Ben, and he is the Spider-Man of this universe. Peter will have a different identity and origin story.

>>5203074
What he said. Each choice would have resulted in a different set of characters and family members to interact with. I was almost tempted to add Miles to the list, but thought better of it before I posted the update.
>>
>>5203079
thats cool, so essentially the Parker family has been pushed forward 2 or 3 decades and Ben (temporarily) took Peter's place because of it
>>
>>5203066
>>”Cindy’s parents were killed by vampires that belonged to a cult. We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”
>>
>>5203080
Yeah, pretty much. Plus, Peter's kinda too young to have been born yet(considering this Ben's age), but with sliding timescales, I figured that it wouldn't be too much of an issue. It also adds a fair amount of drama to Ben's life.

Ben also took on the mantle much later than Peter did, which changes the dynamic that Ben might have with some characters. By this point, there are already a few villains running around, and certain important events have already happened. This is mostly because I don't intend to have you sit through an entire event where all sorts of stuff happens off-screen. There will also be multiple time skips taking place in this quest when you hit key milestones in the story.
>>
>>5203079
>I was almost tempted to add Miles to the list, but thought better of it before I posted the update
I am almost certain anons would have voted for Miles after we picked the Criminal background just for shits and giggles.
>>
>>5203086
yeah no, this ain't the best place to write a fanfic staring Miles
>>
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>>5203087
Are you telling me that the userbase of 4chan.org couldn't take a CYOA revolving around a young black man seriously?
Surely you jest.
Surely.
>>
>>5203090

It would've died in a few days due to shitposting.

I don't even think OP would be able to handle that.
>>
>>5203080
>>5203079
I feel sorry for this Peter Parker his Uncle Ben is a villain this time around and has so many messed up implications for his future character development. Especially once he finds out the truth about his Uncle Ben the 'evil spiderman', the villains who are friendly towards the evil spiderman and despise the new spiderman due to opposing the old order with the 'arrangement' that was set up.

Basically Peter Parker is gonna suffer a lot in about ten years or so...on the plus side at least he won't be broke as fuck and actually have the money to take advantage of his genius...too bad he will be being bankrolled by a villain oh man. The family drama and character development are gonna involve so much suffering. The spiderman identity will also have so much baggage for him to inherit and deal with thanks to shady ass uncle Ben...
>>
>>5203090
There was new!mutant quest with Kojo, it was... alright. At least I think it wasn't the main character that killed it.
>>
>>5203066
>”Cindy’s parents were killed by vampires that belonged to a cult. We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”
>”How do you know Cindy and her family?”
>”We’re planning on attacking some vampire strongholds. Just wanted to make sure that we weren’t stepping on your toes, or anything.”(Show him the map of their locations)
>>
>>5203066
>>5203105 +1
>>
>>5203066
smalltalk first
>>”How do you know Cindy and her family?”
>>”Cindy’s parents were killed by cultists. We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”
don't point fingers at vampires.
>"I want to make sure they are not after her too."
>"As I understand those cultists are of similar nature to your own, and may reflect poorly on you. I don't want to assume, but you might have an interest in handling the situation as well."
>"My motivation is to help a child sleep better at night."
if he takes well to that.
>”We’re planning on attacking some vampire strongholds. Just wanted to make sure that we weren’t stepping on your toes, or anything.”(Show him the map of their locations)
>"My hope is you don't rip my head off right here and now, preferably though to extend a helping claw, or just don't care about our operation at all and not tip off the others either."
>>
>>5203213
+1
It doesn't matter what do you say, but how you say it. Better if we try to make that small talk, saying our concern of Cindy and having a weird vampire-moon cult going after her, her parents, and apparently any older member of the original club.

And then, of course, see if he can help us
>>
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>>5203066

>”How do you know Cindy and her family?”
>”Cindy’s parents were killed by vampires that belonged to a cult. We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”
>Write-in.
"Nice claws, how come nobody else gets them?"
It should be fine to imply stuff about what we're going to do, but common sense opsec demands that we do not mention any specifics about our future plants.


...Also, that call with Victoria reminded me that I read way too many porn comics and it gets in the way of me enjoying things the way other people do, sometimes.
>>
>>5203071
>>5203072
>>5203081
>>5203105
>>5203127
>>5203213
>>5203240
I'll try to combine these votes as best as I can. Writing...
>>
“How do you know Cindy and her family?” you asked.

Morbius’ posture seemed to straighten when you addressed him directly. “We worked together on several occasions. Her family had a vested interest in preventing this city from falling into darkness. And at certain times, our interests aligned.” he explained, before turning his gaze on Cindy. “I taught Miss Moon here how to best kill a vampire. She was very young back then.”

Cindy nodded her acknowledgement, but didn’t otherwise let her emotions show on her face.

“Cindy’s parents were killed by cultists.” you carefully said, not mentioning that vampires were involved. “We were wondering if you knew anything about that.”

Morbius turned to look at you, and in that one moment, his expression was unreadable.

“I want to make sure that they aren’t after her too.” you continued. “As I understand, these cultists are of a…similar nature to your own, and may reflect poorly on you. I don’t want to assume, but I’m guessing that you’ll want to get in front of this as soon as possible.”

Morbius took a step towards you, and…smelled you?

“Your blood smells strange. Are you sick?” he asked.

“Not…that I know of?” you answered with a shrug.

He gave you a considering look, before sighing and folding his arms over his chest. “And where exactly do you fit into all this?”

“I just want to help a kid sleep easier at night.” you easily said.

Morbius remained silent for a long moment, his crimson eyes boring into you without mercy as he tapped a long talon on his forearm.

“Very well.” he finally said. “But let’s stop prancing around the issue and get down to business. Miss Moon’s family was indeed targeted by vampires. And not just any vampires, either. They are servants of Lily Cromwell. Otherwise known as ‘Baroness Blood’.”

“You know who did it?” Matt said, finally speaking up.

Morbius nodded. “I do. Snowsnake and Baron Blood were spotted entering Miss Moon’s home that night. And while I do not doubt the young lady’s ability, I haven’t the slightest idea as to why they would allow her to escape.” he mused, glancing over at Cindy. “Blood can be sloppy sometimes, but Snowsnake usually doesn’t make those kinds of mistakes. She is very skilled in combat, and in tracking.”

“You think they let her go on purpose?” you said.

“It’s possible. It’s either that, or…they were too preoccupied to continue chasing her.” Morbius said.

The vampiric patrons that you couldn’t quite see were now murmuring amongst one another. You could now see multiple sets of pearly white fangs glinting in the faint candlelight, and you were certain that they were sizing you up like a slab of meat.

“Do either of you think you might have been followed?” Matt asked, looking at both you and Cindy.

(Cont.)
>>
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You paused, and then shook your head. “I can sense when someone wants to hurt me. If we were being followed by bloodthirsty vampires, I think I would’ve known by now.” you proclaimed.

Morbius looked slightly skeptical, but he couldn’t disregard the confidence with which you declared this.

“You think Blade might have interfered, sir?” said a calm voice to your right. You turned to see a pale figure emerging from the darkness. His hair was pink and spiky, and whatever wasn’t shaven completely had been draped over his left eye. His clothing was similar to what Morbius was wearing, but it had more of a “punk rock” feel to it.

“No. He is still in Los Angeles, I believe.” Morbius confirmed.

“What about his daughter, Fallon Gray?” the young vampire asked. His behavior was far more mild mannered than you would’ve guessed from looking at his appearance.

“She is in Chicago. And I hardly think that she is skilled enough to take on Snowsnake.” Morbius replied. “Could it have been Elsa Bloodstone?”

“Last I checked, she was in an alternate dimension.” the punk vampire said.

“Hm. Then this is quite the conundrum. It would appear that our fair city has a new hunter of sorts. And a skilled one at that.” Morbius declared.

“That’s a good thing, right?” you said.

“That depends on whether they plan on stopping at Cromwell’s thralls, or kicking in my front door and clearing us out entirely.” Morbius said with a sigh.

“You think they’re that good?” Matt asked.

Morbius just shrugged. “We won’t know for sure until we encounter them.”

You pulled out the map that Cindy made and offered it to the club’s owner. He took it from your hands and examined it closely.

“I hope we do run into them. We’re planning on attacking some vampire strongholds. Just wanted to make sure that we weren’t stepping on your toes, or anything.” you explained.

Morbius nodded approvingly. “This is good work. You did this all by yourself?”

You glanced at Cindy and shrugged. She looked just as proud, if not more. “I had a bit of help from some people that I know. And since you haven’t ripped my head off by now, can I assume that you’d be willing to lend a helping claw, or at least let us operate within your territory?” you asked.

Morbius shoved the map back into your hands and gave you a pat on the shoulder. You didn’t like the way that his claws dragged against the fabric of your suit. It was only then that you were reminded that he could easily tear your arm off and beat you with it. Probably. Okay, you weren’t 100% sure that he was stronger than you, but you didn’t want to find out tonight if you could help it.

(Cont.)
>>
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“Do not worry. I am not affiliated with any of these cabals, and there are more than a few operating within my territories. Shutting them down would be within both our best interests. If these ‘cultists’ attract too much attention, then it is possible that this city’s superhumans will devote all of their effort into exterminating our kind.” Morbius said with a large, toothy grin.

“So you’ll help us?” Matt said.

Morbius nodded. “I cannot help personally, as I need to protect my people by providing a safe haven during these troubling times. With a new hunter on the loose, there’s no telling what might happen.” he said, gesturing towards the shifting figures in the dark. They didn’t look or sound anywhere near as innocent and helpless as Morbius was making them out to be. “Instead, I will have B-Negative look into these cabals for me. If you wish to request his services in this matter, you need only give me a call.” he declared, gesturing towards the punk vampire from before.

You were about to thank him for his hospitality, but Cindy beat you to the punch by flipping to a prepared note that she’d written for him earlier.

“You are very welcome, Miss Moon. So long as you continue to fulfill your role, you are always welcome in my domain.” Morbius said while gently patting her head. “And you are also welcome to the many suppliers that I have positioned around the city, should you require additional equipment. These services will not be free, however. I do have a business to run, after all.”

You supposed that seemed reasonable. All in all, this went far better than you could’ve hoped. Either Morbius had a better handle on things that you thought, or his patrons were more well behaved than their feral mannerisms implied.

>You’ve gained Michael Morbius as a contact!

How will you spend the rest of tonight?

>Strike while the iron is hot! Hit one of the vampire strongholds!
>Stock up on silver at one of Morbius’ suppliers.
>Try to track down this mysterious vampire hunter. If they’re after this cult, then you might want to consider joining forces with them.
>Stay a bit longer and find out more about the history of the vampires that you’ll be hunting.
>Head home and rest up. Rushing in without a plan will just get you killed.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5203445
>Stay a bit longer and find out more about the history of the vampires that you’ll be hunting.
>Try to track down this mysterious vampire hunter. If they’re after this cult, then you might want to consider joining forces with them.
But of course, let's see if Matt's willing to stay in a place like this or if he wants to go out and wait. Or if he's just going back home, we asked for his help but that didn't meant that we're dragging him up and down in our shit. If he wants to just go then we just thank him and tell him when we're going to strike
>>
>>5203456
+1
>>
>>5203445
>Head home and rest up. Rushing in without a plan will just get you killed.
All we needed was information and we got that.
Now we just need to rest up and make a proper plan.
Plus it'll give us a chance to fill Flint in on what's been going on while he's been in observation.
Okay real shit we need to get home fucking NOW. If there's even a 1% chance Snowsnake is still active, they DEFINITELY has Cindy's scent. It's not a matter of if, but when they follow it to Vic's house. Vic and Pete are in mind-boggling danger.
>>
>>5203456
+1

>>5203459
We cant stay home 24/7. The less often we're home, the less likely Snowflake is to paying our family a visit. We need to kill these vampires tonight, even if we need to chug several espressos.
>>
>>5203445
>>Stay a bit longer and find out more about the history of the vampires that you’ll be hunting.
>Write-in.
Once we're away from this place, ask Cindy if she got the moonarang from this mysterious new vampire hunter, because he might have seen us before... though those moonarangs had a bunch of gas coming out of them.

>>5203459
>metagaming vote
shiggy diggy doo
>>
>>5203456
support
>>
>>5203445
whew, that was intense
>"Can you perchance elaborate on what role she has to fulfill?"
>Stay a bit longer and find out more about the history of the vampires that you’ll be hunting.

>Try to track down this mysterious vampire hunter. If they’re after this cult, then you might want to consider joining forces with them.
>Stock up on silver at one of Morbius’ suppliers.
>>
>>5203471
>Good point but why fight vampires at night when they make much easier prey during the day?
>>5203445
>Stay a bit longer and find out more about the history of the vampires that you’ll be hunting.
>Head home and rest up. Rushing in without a plan will just get you killed.
>>
>>5203472
right, Cindy is probably the best person to ask on the grizzly details of the time her parents were killed, but... ya know
>>
>>5203546
Asking her to describe this one heroic dude who showed up isn't the same as asking her to relive the entire moment, silly. Besides, she's hardened as fuck and her balls are probably bigger than Ben's.
>>
>>5203549
I'm not enough of an armchair psychiatrist to tell you how triggers work
I'm also not saying to not do it, I'm just saying that we should be aware of it being able to trigger her and we (the players) should have that on a more serious vote than an offhand mention as a write-in
>>
>>5203445
>>Strike while the iron is hot! Hit one of the vampire strongholds!
>>
>>5203445
>Try to track down this mysterious vampire hunter. If they’re after this cult, then you might want to consider joining forces with them.
Then.
>Head home and rest up. Rushing in without a plan will just get you killed.
>>
>>5203445
>Try to track down this mysterious vampire hunter. If they’re after this cult, then you might want to consider joining forces with them.
>Go to Vic's house and try to vampire proof the place, just in case.
Better to be safe than sorry.
>>
>>5203456
>>5203458
>>5203471
>>5203485
Writing...

Gonna try and squeeze out a few more updates today, if possible.
>>
>>5204266
you are good people
>>
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“If you don’t mind, I’d like to know if you’d be willing to tell me more about these vampires.” you said.

Morbius’ smile disappeared as he nodded and took on a more grave expression. “Certainly. But if it’s alright with you, I would appreciate it if we took this conversation somewhere more private.” he suggested, glancing around at the shifting figures in the dark. Your Spider-Sense has been blaring on and off for a while now. A lot of these guys wanted to hurt you, but were well aware of the consequences of doing so in front of the club’s owner.

“I think that sounds like a great idea.” you said, looking around along with him. Your gaze eventually landed on Matt, and you remembered that he was probably struggling to stay in this room with all these pungent aromas. With his superhuman senses, you imagined that the mere act of breathing was probably excruciating for him. Even Cindy was making faces, despite having been here several times before. “Hey Matt, would you mind waiting outside? Me and Cindy are gonna stay behind and ask a few questions.”

He gave you a grateful nod, and then glanced warily at Morbius and his guards. “Just shout if you need anything.” he said, before turning around and walking back out the way you came.

After he was gone, Morbius showed you to a private room of his on a deeper level within the compound, while B-Negative stayed behind to make sure that none of the other patrons got too riled up.

Once you were alone, in what you could only describe as an overly gothic subterranean CEO’s office, you and Cindy took a seat on a plush leather couch in the center of the room. The floor and walls seemed to be carved from large, deep red marble tiles. The color was quite striking. But not nearly as striking as the massive coffin sitting in the corner of the room. Did he really sleep in that thing?

“So,” Morbius began, snapping you out of your trance. “What do you wish to know?”

“I want to know what we’re up against.” you said, leaning forward a bit. “You mentioned a lot of names back there, but I have no idea who any of those people are. Should I be worried?”

Morbius leaned back against his desk and glanced up at the ceiling. “That depends…” he said with a sigh.

“Depends on what?”

“On whether Baroness Blood is directly involved, or if she just sent her minions to do her bidding in this city.” he replied, glancing between you and Cindy. “Don’t eat that.” he said to the young girl, who had a dark brown orb of what you thought was chocolate floating near her open mouth.

She sniffed it, recoiled from the smell and tossed it back into the bowl. Apparently it wasn’t chocolate.

“Is she that strong?” you asked.
>>
“Very. Aside from Dracula himself, she’s one of the most powerful vampires still walking this earth.” he explained.

You chuckled at that. “Wait wait wait! Dracula’s real!? You’re joking, right?”

Michael Morbius didn’t look amused in the slightest. His burning red eyes were firmly locked on yours, not even blinking. You glanced at Cindy, who was nodding her agreement.

“Shit…” you muttered, wishing you hadn’t been burdened with the knowledge that such a creature actually existed, and still roamed the earth.

“Indeed. It is important for us to thwart the Baroness’ plans before she can sink her claws into this city.” Morbius said.

“Then tell me about the Baroness and her cronies.” you demanded.

Morbius nodded and cleared his throat. “The Baroness is something of an influential figure in the vampire community. She all but worshiped the first Baron Blood, despite him having killed her father and stolen his identity. Eventually, she made a name for herself, and became a loyal underling that answered directly to Dracula. She is very powerful, and highly resourceful. If she truly is in this city with her minions, then we might be in trouble.” he explained.

“And the other two? Snowsnake and Baron Blood?”

“Snowsnake is a three-hundred year old Japanese vampire that served her lord as a resplendent warrior before she was turned. Now, she acts as Cromwell’s right hand. Usually to crush her enemies.” Morbius said, stroking his beard with a clawed hand. “Be careful of that one. She fights using two katanas, and is very adept at using them.”

You nodded and waited for Morbius to continue talking. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Cindy taking notes on every description in her notepad.

“As for Baron Blood, I do not believe that this is the original. Probably some pretender that adopted his mantle and inherited his costume.”

“Who was he?” you asked.

“A fool who sought to manipulate Dracula, only to be hypnotized and turned into a vampire by Vlad himself. The Impaler gave the Baron orders to wreak havoc on England, saying that the country repulsed him. So Blood put on a costume, and sided with the Germans during both World Wars.”

“Baron Blood was a Nazi Vampire!?” you exclaimed.

Cindy simply nodded along and studiously scribbled a swastika onto the page where she was taking notes on Baron Blood.

“Yes. He’s something of a talking point amongst my people.” Morbius said with a groan. “Every now and again, he’ll pop somewhere in history. There are even stories of him fighting with Captain America, Namor, and the Original Human Torch.”

“There’s ANOTHER Human Torch!?”
>>
Morbius held up a hand and smiled slightly. “That is a story for another time. I do believe that is enough revelation for one night. As for Baron Blood, I do not think that this one is the original. He is merely a pretender that does not possess his strength, skill or experience.” he said, in what he probably assumed was a reassuring pep talk.

“Thanks for the history lesson. We’ll be on the lookout for them when we’re patrolling tonight.” you said, rising from your seat.

Morbius raised an eyebrow at you and pushed off of his desk. “Patrol? What is it that you are looking for?” he asked.

“Isn’t it obvious?” you said in disbelief. “We’re gonna find that mysterious new hunter!” you declared. And Cindy seemed to mirror your enthusiasm.

Morbius shook his head, but he didn’t protest your decision when he let you out of his office and led you back upstairs. By some miracle, nothing awful happened to you or Matt when you and Cindy met up with him outside. Morbius’ parting words implied that you were welcome to come back, should some new developments arise. But the bouncer’s expression gave you the distinct impression that he didn’t agree with his master’s sentiment.

—-
Shortly afterwards, you thanked Matt and watched him swing away until you couldn’t see him anymore. The guy had done you a solid on short notice more than once, and he never asked for anything in return. You were starting to like working with people that had a morally upright disposition. It was a cheap and reliable service.

Silently, you forced yourself to realize that you probably owed Matt more in favors than what you owed Felicia and Prowler in cold, hard cash.

Putting that aside, for now, you still had a job to do. You and Cindy needed to locate that mysterious monster hunter. If you were lucky, they’d be reasonable enough to join you on your totally wholesome and justified crusade against Moon God worshiping, bloodsucking mutants.

>Roll 1d100+10, bo3!
>>
Rolled 81 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5204289
>>
Rolled 62 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5204289
Let me plummet the usual good rolls of the quest
>>
Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>5204289
>>
Rolled 99 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

too bad you guys didn't wait for THIS
>>
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>>5204313
Nice scripts dude
>>
>>5204313
Damn, we missed on a 100+
>>
>>5204338
hey, 91 is still pretty good
>>
>>5204290
>>5204291
>>5204304
Taking these. Will start writing once I get back home in a few.

>>5204313
OOF!
>>
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>91

You’d think that following the tracks of a vampire hunter in a society that barely acknowledged the existence of vampires would be difficult, right? Because it’d have to be, right? How else would it remain a widely known secret?

Well Cindy pretty much flipped your perspective on its ass, because she was like a Bloodhound for the supernatural. You were starting to see the products of her parent’s training kick in as she tracked this hunter and retraced their steps from their old hunting grounds. Considering how vampires turned to ash when they died, it was pretty hard to find any traces of their existence at the scene of the murder. But not for Cindy.

With her acute senses, she was able to sniff out the remnant ashes and follow them towards the hunter’s next destination. Considering how much you were moving around, this guy didn’t have a permanent home, or anything. They just went around dusting vamps until the sun rose, and then they would do it again the following night.

Interestingly, Cindy noted that the scene of each hunt was vastly different from the last. So much so that she assumed that you were tracking more than one hunter. That complicated things. By following more than one trail, your chances of catching either of them became hopelessly slim.

And right when you were about to give up hope, Cindy made another startling observation. The hunter that you were following was leading you in circles, on purpose. But it wasn’t like they were attempting to flee. From the way that she described it, it was like they were playing a game, or testing you.

You didn’t like being toyed with, but it probably said something if your target didn’t disappear as soon as they caught wind of your presence. This game went back and forth, as you tracked the hunter, and then they circled back and started tracking you. The whole thing felt a bit ridiculous, really. But Cindy seemed to be having fun with it. She was in her element. The “Hunter’s Moon”, hard at work.

—----

Eventually, the trail led you to an abandoned construction site. There was no sign of any vamps being dusted, so you were 80% sure that you’d just been led into a trap. And almost as if the universe wanted to prove your suspicions right at every turn, you heard footsteps coming from behind. Both you and Cindy turned to see a striking woman with long blonde hair tied into a ponytail, with the sides shaved down. Her facial features were soft, but her determined expression was harsh and spoke of someone who had been through many hardships in their life. She wore a dark brown cloak that was wrapped around, what you could only assume was, a bodysuit with lightweight armor padding slipped underneath.

Her gaze was sharp as she turned it on you, and then Cindy. Those brown eyes seemed to sweep across the room in an instant, taking in every detail and stowing them away for later. Your Spider-Sense wasn’t acting up, so you took comfort in the fact that she wasn’t immediately hostile towards you.
>>
“Why have you been following me?” she said in heavily accented English. You weren’t an expert by any means, but she sounded Russian.

What will you say?

>”I think we have similar goals. You’re killing vampires, I want to kill vampires.”
>”You do good work. Must’ve come across more than a dozen of your kill-sites on the way here.”
>”I should ask you the same. You could’ve run or taken a pot-shot at us before we even caught a whiff of you.”
>”I was honestly hoping we could either team up, or exchange information on a mutual interest of ours.”
>”We were trying to figure out who you and your friends were. We caught multiple trails out there, and I guess we just so happened to follow yours to the end.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5204338
>>5204340
A 100+ would've allowed you to find both hunters in one night.
>>
>>5204555
”I was honestly hoping we could either team up, or exchange information on a mutual interest of ours.”
>”We were trying to figure out who you and your friends were. We caught multiple trails out there, and I guess we just so happened to follow yours to the end.”
>>
>>5204555
>”We were trying to figure out who you and your friends were. We caught multiple trails out there, and I guess we just so happened to follow yours to the end.”
>>
>>5204555
>”You do good work. Must’ve come across more than a dozen of your kill-sites on the way here.”
>”We were trying to figure out who you and your friends were. We caught multiple trails out there, and I guess we just so happened to follow yours to the end.”
>”I was honestly hoping we could either team up, or exchange information on a mutual interest of ours.”

not sure if this one was better to find than the other one desu
>>
>>5204555
>”I was honestly hoping we could either team up, or exchange information on a mutual interest of ours.”
>I'm new to this business, but I know that you are new to the city. So it seems we have something that the other lacks, right?
>>
>>5204555
>”I should ask you the same. You could’ve run or taken a pot-shot at us before we even caught a whiff of you.”
>"Trying to cover for your friend?"
>>
>>5204558
>>5204562
>>5204566
>>5204571
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...
>>
You US based? >>5204602
>>
>>5204608
Yes, I live in NA. I work night shifts at my job currently, so I sleep during the day and work at night. This'll most likely change once I move in a few months, but I'm trying to make sure this quest doesn't die before then.
>>
>>5204611
Damn, that's gonna make things a lot less convenient for us eurofags.
>>
>>5204618
I'll try my best to find a good balance. I find that going to sleep early in the morning and waking up a few hours later works well for me.
>>
“We were honestly trying to figure out who you and your friends were. We caught multiple trails out there, and I guess we just so happened to follow yours to the end.” you explained.

She raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow at that. “Friend?” she asked, right before her eyes widened in recognition. “Ah. You refer to the White One. We have met in passing, but I would not go so far as to refer to him as an ally or an acquaintance. His work is that of a butcher’s.”

You exchanged a glance with Cindy, feeling hopeful for the first time in many long hours. She seemed to be strangely excited, for some reason. “You know the other hunter?” you asked.

She gave a small nod. “I have observed him from afar, yes. He is a very peculiar individual.” she said, drawing her cloak tighter around her torso. “His fighting style, tactics and mannerisms seem to change each time I encounter him. It is a tactic that I employ rather often, but I have never seen anything quite like this. It is like he can become a completely different person in the blink of an eye.”

Cindy wrapped her fingers together and gave the woman a questioning look. She frowned in response.

“Don’t be ridiculous. I am merely interested in him…from a purely scientific perspective, of course. If possible, I would like to study him further.” she thought aloud.

“If I’m being entirely honest, I was hoping that we could either team up, or exchange information on a topic of mutual interest.” you said.

“I did not come to this concrete jungle for ‘team-ups’. I am here to slay great, and powerful beasts. Only then can I bring honor to my family name.” she proudly declared with her hands on her hips.

“What is your family name, anyway?” you asked.

She studied you for a moment, and then raised her chin and straightened her back. “Kravinoff. Anastasia Kravinoff. You would do well to remember it.” she advised.

“Alright, Ana…” you began, pretending not to notice the way her eye twitched when you called her that. “Here’s what we know so far.”

—---

Over the next several minutes, you relayed the information that Morbius gave you at the Eternal Club. You purposefully left out the fact that such a club existed, because you didn’t doubt that Ana might try to stake Morbius if she ever found out about him. Throughout the course of your retelling, she didn’t interrupt once. She simply nodded and waited for your story to reach its conclusion.

“So this…’Baroness Blood’ is the mightiest among them?” she asked.

“No. That’d be Count Dracula. I’m told that she’s pretty powerful and influential, though.” you explained.

“Then she might yet be worthy prey.”
>>
Cindy waved at her and held up her notepad. There, she briefly explained how neither of you were completely certain that Baroness Blood was even in the city.

“If that is the case, then I shall find out for myself.” Ana said, flapping her cape as she made a dramatic turn and started walking away from you.

It didn’t escape you notice how she didn’t share any information of her own. She was either unwilling to provide anything of substance, or she had truly just stumbled into this whole mess.

“Wait! Wouldn’t it be better to take her on together? Even great hunters need help sometimes.” you argued.

She stopped and glanced back at you over her shoulder. “What is your name?”

“I go by ‘Huntsman’, these days.” you proclaimed.

Ana scoffed and turned around completely to face you. “You? A hunter?” she said in disbelief. “What have you, an American, hunted down that wasn’t already deep-fried, packaged and processed?”

How will you respond?

>”I shot down a flock of giant, man-sized Vultures about two weeks ago.”
>”I hunted and gutted a giant Lizard/Spider creature in the sewers a few days back.”
>”I fought a giant Tarantula, a ferocious White Tiger and a fiendish Devil-spawn with my bare hands! All in one night!”
>”Please, lady. I’m a New Yorker. I’ve stomped rats bigger than your head.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5204611
Hope you keep this up, better than fate redux
>>
>>5204637
>”Please, lady. I’m a New Yorker. I’ve stomped rats bigger than your head.”
>"What have YOU done besides trespass in another hunter's territory and steal small game?"
>>
>>5204640
I appreciate all the support. So long as you guys keep coming back, I will keep writing
>>
>>5204637
I shot down a flock of giant, man-sized Vultures about two weeks ago.”
>”I hunted and gutted a giant Lizard/Spider creature in the sewers a few days back.”
>”I fought a giant Tarantula, a ferocious White Tiger and a fiendish Devil-spawn with my bare hands! All in one night!”
>>
>>5204637
>”Please, lady. I’m a New Yorker. I’ve stomped rats bigger than your head.”

Better underplay our achievements. Don't want to be a challenge for her right now, not while the vampires still need a-stakin'.
>>
>>5204637
>”I shot down a flock of giant, man-sized Vultures about two weeks ago.”
>”I hunted and gutted a giant Lizard/Spider creature in the sewers a few days back.”

So Moonknight is fighting vampires, probably to get his money from Dracula. I wonder what Cindy thinks of him
>>
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>>5204651
He can't have her, she's our daughteru now.
>>
>>5204637
>”Please, lady. I’m a New Yorker. I’ve stomped rats bigger than your head.”
>"Now now, quit joking, I surely got into some problems. If you wanna know, maybe there's something in the internet..."
>If one of our phones is a modern one, try to use some data to search for some news about the Vultures battle and something linked with Doctor Connors, of course just showing the fight footage surely someone recorded.
>>
>>5204637
>I fought an army of metal vulture men, dueled a blind man that can see and his aprentice, magical white tiger woman, a lizard spider in the sewers, a bunch of insane, heavily armored murderers. I also fought a woman that was dressed in tarantala themed clothings, but she was so easy that it barely counts.
>And that was all in the same week I got into the hunting business.
>>
>>5204654
She's our ward. Moon Knight can come to our rooftop barbecues though.
>>
Y'know what? Changing >>5204656 to >>5204649 don't wanna start flexing and having this bootleg Kraven looking-ass behind our back
>>
>>5204649
Supporting this
>>
>>5204637
>”I shot down a flock of giant, man-sized Vultures about two weeks ago.”
and
>”I hunted and gutted a giant Lizard/Spider creature in the sewers a few days back.”
>>
>>5204637
>”I shot down a flock of giant, man-sized Vultures about two weeks ago.”
>”I hunted and gutted a giant Lizard/Spider creature in the sewers a few days back.”
>”Please, lady. I’m a New Yorker. I’ve stomped rats bigger than your head.”
I've also escaped the IRS on multiple occasions. Let me tell you, they dont fuck around. Seriously I'm pretty sure they sent meta humans after me once.
>>
>>5204667
He better bring some marinated or dried meats for us to cook. Should we prepare anything? Season kabobs? Marinated chicken? Home made burger patties? Ribs?
Should we use charcoal? Apple wood? A combo of both? Will we use charcoal or propane?
>>
>>5204644
>>5204651
>>5204659
>>5204799
>>5205081
Taking these. Writing...

Apologies to anyone that voted for the option to be discreet in their dealings with Lady Kraven. The vote would've swung in your favor if I was able to finish the update in time. Gonna take a nap after this update so I can stay awake in between voting periods.
>>
>>5205082
Presumably he does have accesses to some authentic ancient Egyptian recipes. Say what you will about them but they knew how to preserve meat.
>>
Fuckdammit, dealing with Nasty's shit is the last thing we need right now with all these other plot threats dangling their urgency over Ben's head. It's like dealing Nick Spencer's shit all over again, except it's not even the writer's fault.
>>
>>5205322
Would you like a "Loose Ends" pastebin listing any unfinished business?
>>
>>5205323
Would probably keep things nice and tidy
>>
>>5205324
That depends on what you consider to be a threat.

So far, it's:

>Drago escaped, has been horribly scarred, and is plotting his revenge
>Green Goblin exists
>Tombstone was spurned
>Maria Hill has been giving you the stink eye
>Slip escaped, and is continuing to knock out power in certain sections of NY
>The mystery behind Connor's sudden transformation
>Arcade's fuckery
>Cindy's vampire problems

Some of these problems aren't as pressing as others, but will develop into problems in the future. Some of those problems can be turned into advantages if you're savvy enough
>>
You briefly considered boasting about your previous conquests, but then thought better of it when you realized that she just might refocus her efforts on you, instead of these vampires. She didn’t seem to be above targeting sentient creatures.

“Please, lady. I’m a New Yorker. I’ve stomped rats bigger than your head.” you said, stepping forward and pointing a finger at her.

Ana just rolled her eyes and shook her head. “Those do not count. Stomping out the life of a creature lower than yourself can only be considered cruelty. I doubt that you would have much to offer in this partnership.” she decided.

“Wait a minute. I wasn’t done listing my many impressive achievements.” you declared.

“Oh?”

“I shot down a flock of giant, man-sized Vultures about two weeks ago, AND I hunted and gutted a giant Lizard/Spider creature in the sewers a few days back.” you proclaimed.

Ana’s eyes widened slightly, but she made a deliberate effort to keep her expression neutral. “So you say. But do you have any trophies to show for these conquests of yours?”

You scratched the back of your head and struggled to recall whether you’d grabbed something from Dr. Connors other than his ID badge.

“Well no, but-”

You were quickly cut off by a sharp whistle from Cindy as she dug into her backpack, and pulled out a long, sharp tooth. It looked exactly like the ones that filled Connors mouth when you fought him.

You were about to ask her when she had the time to extract the tooth, and why she still carried it around in the first place. But during your period of stunned silence, Cindy had already flicked the tooth to Ana, who caught it effortlessly. She then turned to look up at you, and gave you a knowing wink.

She examined the tooth with great interest, most likely comparing it to those of creatures she was already familiar with. “I have never seen anything like this before. Where is the creature now?”

“Being detained. And I don’t think they’re taking visitors.” you explained.

She sighed, and relaxed a bit, her expression returning to the textbook example of stoicism that she'd worn for most of this conversation. “A pity. I would very much like to see it in person.”

“Why don’t you feast your eyes on this instead?” you said, showing her the article on your phone that summarized your public battle with the Vultures. She snatched the phone from your hand and her eyes darted from side to side as she scrolled down to read it. When she was finished, her eyes trailed back up to meet yours. There was something different about the way that she looked at you now. She was reassessing you.
>>
“You are a very strange man, Huntsman. With even stranger targets. Perhaps there is more to be found in this concrete jungle than I had originally thought.” she pondered aloud, before refocusing on you with a glint of excitement in her eyes. “How would you feel about a…friendly competition? What, say…tomorrow night?” she said, handing your phone back to you.

“What’d you have in mind?”

“What else? I propose…a hunt!” Ana declared, clenching her fist tightly. “We will both attack one of the dwelling places of these ‘vampires’, and between the two of us, we shall see who can take down the most prey.”

“Any rules? you asked.

“You may use whichever weapon suits your needs, and any method of subduing your target is allowed. Killing and subjugation are both acceptable. However, you must not let any of your prey escape.” she proclaimed. “Are these terms acceptable?”

What will you say?

>”Sure thing. Hope you’re prepared to lose.”
>”Sorry, but I don’t have time to play around, and I certainly don’t have to prove myself to you.”
>”So I get to use my guns, and you’re just gonna use daggers and darts and shit? Aren’t you handicapping yourself, here?”
>”We still need a referee. I don’t trust you not to lie about your kill count.”
>”Wow! It’s almost like this is exactly what I was trying to get you to do in the first place!”
>”Why don’t we sweeten the pot and wager something of value?”(Write-in.)
>Write-in.
>>
>>5205335
Why don’t we sweeten the pot and wager something of value?”
A date
>>
>>5205335
>”Wow! It’s almost like this is exactly what I was trying to get you to do in the first place!”
>>
>>5205335
>”Sure thing. Hope you’re prepared to lose.”
>>
>>5205335
"I don't know, I usually hunt to assure my and my kin's survival. The point of finding you and teaming up was to increase those odds. Splitting up and doing something reckless to win a pointless wager goes against that."
>>
>>5205335
>>”Wow! It’s almost like this is exactly what I was trying to get you to do in the first place!”
>”Why don’t we sweeten the pot and wager something of value?”(Write-in.)
A favor. Within reason, though, so she can't make us murder someone we like or want to keep around, for instance.
>>
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>>5205341
>sticking your dick in the crazy
>>
>>5205335
>”Wow! It’s almost like this is exactly what I was trying to get you to do in the first place!”
No bets!
>>
>>5205335
>”Wow! It’s almost like this is exactly what I was trying to get you to do in the first place!”
>>
>>5205365
We're all a little crazy anon
>>
>>5205335
>”Wow! It’s almost like this is exactly what I was trying to get you to do in the first place!”
>>
>>5205344
>>5205414
>>5205435
>>5205486
Writing...
>>
“Wow! It’s almost like this is exactly what I was trying to get you to do in the first place!” you exclaimed, earning you a flat look from Ana.

“Are all Americans this obnoxious, or is it a trait specific to you?” she asked.

“Oh, man. If you think I’m obnoxious, then you’ve clearly never been to the MoMA on a Saturday afternoon.”

The Huntress rubbed her forehead, seemingly regretting having made the offer in the first place. “Just give me your map.” she requested, holding her other hand out. You did so, and she marked the location of the vampire den, as well as the time that the competition was supposed to take place. “Here. Don’t be late.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it, Annie.” you said, and that earned you another eye twitch.

Unsurprisingly, she didn’t stay long after that, and you and Cindy were left alone at the construction site. You never caught onto the trail of the “White One” again that night, so you decided to head home after taking a few detours to throw Annie off of your trail. You didn’t need her following you around when you didn’t have your mask on.

—---

After a decent night’s sleep, you woke up late and started making preparations for your outing with the Huntress. So far, you only had a few anti-vamp weapons and a rough idea of what the area around the den looked like. If you wanted a decent chance at winning this competition, then you’d probably have to do a little legwork.

You didn’t like the idea that this woman was playing games with you during such an important period in Cindy’s life, but if it guaranteed you a stalwart ally, you were willing to play along for a little while.

What will you do?(Choose 3)

>Stock up on silver from one of Morbius’ thralls.
>Case the den and try to spot any tactical advantages that could be exploited.
>Craft some more anti-vamp weapons.(Write-in.)
>Head to the Library and check out the Oscorp Flash Drive.
>Deliver the Vulture suits to Phin’s shop. It’s time to cash in.
>Catch up on the local news. It’s always good to stay informed.
>Write-in.

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5205541
>Stock up on silver from one of Morbius’ thralls.
>Catch up on the local news. It’s always good to stay informed.
>Deliver the Vulture suits to Phin’s shop. It’s time to cash in.
>>
>>5205548
This plus call him out on the fake dagger
>>
>>5205541
>>Head to the Library and check out the Oscorp Flash Drive.
>Catch up on the local news. It’s always good to stay informed.
>Deliver the Vulture suits to Phin’s shop. It’s time to cash in.
tell Phin that we know the knife is coated
>>
>>5205541
>Stock up on silver from one of Morbius’ thralls.
>Deliver the Vulture suits to Phin’s shop. It’s time to cash in.
>Case the den and try to spot any tactical advantages that could be exploited.
>>
>>5205568
>>5205568
+1
>>
>>5205541
>>Stock up on silver from one of Morbius’ thralls.
>Craft some more anti-vamp weapons.(Wood stakes)
>Deliver the Vulture suits to Phin’s shop. It’s time to cash in.
>>
>>5205541
>Stock up on silver from one of Morbius’ thralls
Craft some more anti-vamp weapons. fragmentation grenade with silver shards and uv flashlight
>Case the den and try to spot any tactical advantages that could be exploited.
>>
>>5205548
>>5205555
>>5205568
>>5205580
>>5205579
>>5205592
>>5205598
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>Stock up
>Deliver the Vulture suits
>Catch up on the local news
>>
First and foremost, you had to stock up on silver in order to expand your anti-vamp arsenal. If Morbius’ map was anything to go by, then there was a thrall relatively nearby that worked at a corner store. You should be able to make it if you hurry.

—--------

On the way there, you decided to use your Bluetooth to listen to local news reports. People were still pretty spooked about those terrorists that the Avengers have been fighting. Their frustration with the renowned hero team was reaching its peak, with almost all of the pressure being placed on Tony Stark to come up with a solution. You almost felt bad for the guy, even if he was a filthy rich asshole.

The next report was also covering an event that you had a hand in. Judging from the description that the reporter gave, you were fairly certain that Slip was still running around somewhere. And everywhere he went, the lights went out, along with anything that operated on electricity. The phenomenon was causing massive pile-ups, power grid failures and an increased amount of crime that went unpunished due to dead surveillance cameras and lack of artificial lighting.

Reed Richards actually chimed in on this one, admitting that the suit that Slip was using was actually an experimental prototype of his that went missing not too long ago. He went on to explain how it worked, but there was a lot of paraphrasing involved due to time constraints. Apparently, anyone who wore the suit was capable of freely rearranging their molecular structure by absorbing any and all available energy to power the suit. This involved any sunlight, electricity, plasma, etc.

When you broke the doohickey on the side of his belt, you probably cranked the suit’s absorbing properties up to max, making him a walking black hole for any sort of potential energy. And to top it all off, he couldn’t take the damn thing off until the suit was repaired, but you knew that the stupid kid probably didn’t know how to fix it. The only reason he could even see at all was due to the special lenses in the suit.

As bad as all this sounded, you were certain that the situation would solve itself now that the Fantastic Four was aware of the problem. Surely, they couldn’t lose to their own invention. Surely!

Putting the issue out of your mind, you were surprised to hear that the next report was about the Green Goblin, of all people! According to the reporter, Gobbie was amassing a cult following by spreading his message of anti-corporation and pro-eco sentiment. It had pretty much become a major movement that was sweeping through the city at a breakneck pace. He even had a bodyguard now. They were described as having a shield similar to Captain America’s. They also called themselves “The Green Beret” and dressed in full body armor with the Green Goblin’s color scheme. Because that wasn’t on the nose, at all!

Just more shit to worry about later, you guessed.

(Cont.)
>>
—-----

When you finally arrived at the corner store, you made a point of changing into your civvies before walking inside. You casually approached the clerk, offered him the secret phrase that Morbius told you about, and the heavy set Mexican man offered you a range of options to choose from.

Their selections weren’t exactly stellar, so you went with what you already knew would be useful. A 5lb bag of ice(22 Silver Bullets), and a carton of eggs(Two Silver Knives).

He wouldn’t let you open either, but he suggested that you let the bag of ice sit in the sun for a while. If every bullet was frozen like you suspected, that would probably be ideal.

>Transaction: -$8,002
>Funds: $2,015,423

—---------

After dropping the bag off at home and instructing Cindy what to do with it, you left her to her own devices and grabbed the hauled the extremely heavy Vulture tech into a truck you rented and drove down to Phin’s shop. It was only then that you were reminded just how bad New York traffic really was. You aren’t ashamed to admit that you leaned onto your car horn and cursed out more than a few drivers on your way there. Due to Slip’s malfunctioning suit, traffic was even MORE backed up than usual.

About 2 hours later, you’d finally arrived at your destination and began dragging your haul through Phin’s front door. Being the frail old man that he was, he simply watched you move back and forth with some interest. If you didn’t have enhanced spider strength, you’d probably be pretty pissed about having to do this yourself. But no, you were pissde for another reason entirely today. And you were gonna give Phin an earful about it when he least expected it.

—-------

“Do you think I’m stupid?” you asked.

Phin stopped working on the Vulture suits and glanced up at you with an annoyed look on his face.

“Excuse me?”

“I know about the ‘Vibranium Dagger’, Phin. You totally screwed me on that deal!” you exclaimed.

The Tinkerer sighed and threw his hands up in defeat. “I never said that the knife was pure vibranium. You just assumed that-”

“Don’t bullshit me! You know full well that you did that on purpose.” you shot back. “That’s still technically misinformation, and it hurts both your reputation, and the store’s reputation.”

Phin leaned back in his chair, giving you a serious glare. You held his gaze, and after about a minute, the old man relented. “Fine! What do you want?” he asked.

What will you do?

>I want another freebie. But this time, I expect full honesty.”
>”Give me a bonus when I cash in these parts.”
>”My suit could use a few upgrades.”(Write-in. Keep it within reason, and I will decide whether your favor covers the full price.)
>”I want to know how to get REAL vibranium. Do you have a supplier around here somewhere?”
>Write-in.
>>
Meant to say that there were 200 Silver Bullets in the bag of ice! My bad.
>>
>>5205665
>”My suit could use a few upgrades."
>"I need the lenses mirrored, preferably with silver if you can, and I need the the neck made puncture resistant."
Those are pretty modest modifications, right?
>>
So I've made some corrections to the Equipment pastebin. Following the advice of another anon, I've given you guys an equipment limit for when you're trying to use something in a pinch.

This is your total inventory, signifying everything of importance that you own:

>Handgun x 2
>Upgraded Hidden Gun x 1
>Electrified Web Bomb x 2
>Vibranium Dagger x 1
>Additional magazines x 2
>Lightly armored, heat resistant suit
>Thermal Lenses
>Smart watch w/Bluetooth
>Burner phone
>Silencer x 2
>Oscorp Flashdrive
>Slip’s suit component
>Garlic Pepper Pellet x 3
>Silver Knuckle Dusters

And this is the inventory that is immediately available to you when you're wearing your Spidey suit:

Inventory(12/16):

>Handgun x2
>Upgraded Hidden Gun x 1
>Electrified Web Bomb x 2(Fits into One Pouch)
>Vibranium(Coated) Dagger x 1
>Additional magazines x 2
>Burner Phone x 1
>Real Phone x 1
>Silencer x 2(Counts as 1)
>Garlic Pepper Pellet x 3(Fits into One Pouch)
>Silver Knuckle Dusters x 1

The rule goes as follows:

Any gadgets exceeding 3 in quantity will have to be put in another pouch. Further modifications can be made to give yourself more inventory space, but this is how it stands currently. Anything that isn't lightweight or small is likely to take up multiple slots.
>>
>>5205665
>>”I want to know how to get REAL vibranium. Do you have a supplier around here somewhere?”
>>
>>5205665
>”My suit could use a few upgrades.”(Write-in. Keep it within reason, and I will decide whether your favor covers the full price.)
Second hidden gun, with the same upgrades if possible. UV flashlight. Gas mask.

Extra bullet output is good for any situation if we can use whatever bullets we want, and the gas mask is in case someone like Moonie turns against us with their chemical warfare capabilities.

>>5205672
Bit too modest if you ask me. What would literal silvered lenses even do? Are we attacking people with our eyeballs now?
>>
>>5205665
>"Tell me what I could do with this..." (Show him Slip's suit component)
>>
>>5205685
>What would literal silvered lenses even do?
Not a big fan of Bela Lugosi, are you?
>>
>>5205685
>support
>>
>>5205685
I don't think those are suit upgrades...
>>
>>5205678

Oh shit, please add >>5205688 to my vote

>>5205689

Nope, I'm still in the "functional penis" stage of my life.
>>
>>5205694
>Nope, I'm still in the "functional penis" stage of my life.
You'll get there my friend.
>>
>>5205665
I want to know how to get REAL vibranium. Do you have a supplier around here somewhere?” also I want a freebie or I'll make your egg head into scrambled eggs.
>>
>>5205665
>”I want to know how to get REAL vibranium. Do you have a supplier around here
>>
>>5205688
+1
>>
>>5205685
>>5205688
>Support
>>
>>5205678
>>5205688 +1

Making the neck of the suit puncture resistant is also a good idea
>>
>>5205685
>>5205691
>>5205688
>>5205717
>>5205694
>>5205752
>>5206120
Half the update was already written, so I'm gonna finish it up now. Writing...
>>
“My suit could use a few upgrades.” you said, before listing out your demands one at a time. Phin listened silently and nodded until you were done.

“The UV flashlight is pretty simple. I can add it as an alternate setting to the one on your belt. As for the gas mask, I can probably install a thin film that filters out most poisons and toxins. Keep in mind that it won’t work for everything.” he explained, massaging his jaw as he spoke.

“And the gun’s gonna eat up most of your budget. I’m gonna need some money up-front for that project. The parts involved are pretty pricey.” he continued.

“That’s fine. Just give me an estimate.” you replied.

“Let’s say…give me 5K and we’re square.”

“5K!? You’re supposed to be doing me a favor!”

“I am!” Phin exclaimed, slamming his hands down onto the table. “Do you have any idea how expensive vibranium is?”

You shook your head slowly.

“11K a gram! For a gram!” he shouted. “If I charged you full price for something made of pure vibranium, you’d have to sell your blood, hair, bone marrow and all your organs 100 times over just to afford it!”

Phin rose from his chair in a rush, poking a boney finger into your chest. He was practically fuming at this point. “So don’t go telling me that I screwed you over, because the price I gave you for it was a fucking steal!”

You honestly didn’t have anything to say in response to that. You knew Phin was technically right, and if it weren’t for the knife, you would’ve never made it out of the sewers alive when you went to rescue Callisto. But you didn’t want him to know that.

After a minute, and several calming breaths, Phin sat back down in his chair and started to examine the upgrades that Prowler made to your Hidden Gun.

“One more thing.” you said, and you could already see that Phin was trying his best not to look at you. “Tell me what I can do with this…”

When Phin looked up to see the device that you held in your hand, his eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. You allowed him to take it from you, and he was so careful in his movements that you thought he truly expected the thing to fall apart with the slightest provocation. His jaw was working the air, opening and closing wordlessly as his talented mind reeled from the shock.

“W-where in the blazes did you get this…?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“Took it off some kid when he was trying to rob me. Apparently, it belonged to an experimental suit that Reed Richards made.” you explained.

He looked at you in alarm, then. “The one from the news!?”

“Yeah! That’s the one!” you confirmed. “Think you can make it work for me?”

Phin swallowed hard and placed the device down on the table in front of him. “I’ll…see what I can do.” he promised.

(Cont.)
>>
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You nodded and left him to his own devices. Quite literally.

—----

A couple of hours later, you were back to find him drawing up what looked like holographic schematics for your potential upgrades. He was manipulating the fine lines with his slender, wrinkled fingers, but he stopped working once he noticed you coming in.

“Ah, Benny! You came at just the right moment!” he said cheerfully, clearly having forgotten your earlier spat. “I’ve discovered a few ways that the component can be used for your benefit. But first, I must explain a few things to you.”

He gestured for you to sit down across from him, and you did so.

“As Richards detailed in his interview, this component finely tunes the absorbing properties of the suit. Without it, the user is likely running around sucking up any and all forms of available energy. If he ever learned how to control it, it would become almost impossible for anyone to contain him.” he explained.

“How so?”

“He can manipulate his molecular structure like Mr. Fantastic, absorb and refract light like the Invisible Woman, become as sturdy and dense as The Thing, and redirect energy like the Human Torch. With enough knowledge and self discipline, the little thief could become a one man army all on his own.”

That’s…actually a terrifying thought. Especially since you’re the one that sent him packing. You started to wonder what the likelihood of him coming back for revenge would be.

“Okay…” you muttered, sitting up in your chair. “What does this have to do with me?”

“I’m giving you options. I can simulate any of these effects for you, with limited success and functionality. But you can only pick one.” he said, waving the component in your face. “And, I’ll have to wire the component into your suit directly, so that will take some time.”

You squinted at him. “What’re my options, exactly?”

A mischievous grin touched his lips as leaned in close and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Who’s your favorite member of the first family? How would you like to do what they do?”

How will you answer?

>”Mr. Fantastic”: Slightly increase the range of your strikes by stretching your limbs momentarily. This effect cannot be maintained for more than a second.
>”Invisible Woman”: Absorb all incoming light for 4 seconds and render yourself temporarily invisible to the naked eye.
>”Human Torch”: Store energy from your Mark of Kaine for 4 seconds and release it in a massive explosion.
>”The Thing”: Temporarily increase your density to improve your durability for 4 seconds.
>>
>>5206198
>”The Thing”: Temporarily increase your density to improve your durability for 4 seconds.
>>
>>5206198
>”Mr. Fantastic”: Slightly increase the range of your strikes by stretching your limbs momentarily. This effect cannot be maintained for more than a second.
>>
>>5206198
>”Human Torch”: Store energy from your Mark of Kaine for 4 seconds and release it in a massive explosion.
A miniature cannon. Awsome.
>>
>>5206198
Ohhhhhh, shit, it's Owen. Fuck, did we seriously become enemies with that guy? What's next, we give The Sentry a wedgie? Fuckballs!

Okay, right, the vote.

>”The Thing”: Temporarily increase your density to improve your durability for 4 seconds.

Also, what's the cooldown on this thing?
>>
>>5206198
Human torch
>>
>>5206206
It's more like an AoE that bursts forth from your body.

>>5206207
I have yet to make my final decision on the cooldowns for these abilities, but here's where I'm at currently:

>Mr. Fantastic: Thrice per day.
>Invisible Woman: Twice per day
>Human Torch: Once per day.
>The Thing: Once per day.

The cooldowns on these are ranked by their raw game-changing potential and the energy that it uses from the component.
>>
>>5206211
Thanks for the info. In that case I'm changing my vote >>5206207 here to

>”Invisible Woman”: Absorb all incoming light for 4 seconds and render yourself temporarily invisible to the naked eye.
>>
>>5206198
>”Human Torch”: Store energy from your Mark of Kaine for 4 seconds and release it in a massive explosion.
>>
>>5206198
>”Human Torch”: Store energy from your Mark of Kaine for 4 seconds and release it in a massive explosion.
Guys what do you think about doing something nice for Phin? I didn't expect him to blow up like he did about the vibranium thing.
>>
>>5206231
We are gonna pay him, that's nice. And he's already over it.
Also, I thought we were gonna kill less to get on Matt's good side, isn't the torch upgrade a bit counterproductive. We could be a literal daddy long legs instead.
>>
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>>5206231
We just did. You think he didn't make himself a blueprint of the Reed Richards original we just handed him? He should be sucking our dick right now.

>>5206233
Yeah, as underwhelming as being able to slightly stretch 3 times a day for 4 seconds sounds, it's still way better than a power that releases enough uncontrollable energy to destroy buildings, kill nearby allies and swarm the place with glowies almost immediately whenever it is used. It makes no sense to take it now that thread 1 firmly established us as not being on a murderous path.
>>
>>5206237
>>5206233
FIIIIIIIIIINE

>>5206198
changing my dumb vote from >>5206231 to
>”Mr. Fantastic”: Slightly increase the range of your strikes by stretching your limbs momentarily. This effect cannot be maintained for more than a second.
>>
>>5206240
Spineless
>>
>>5206241
Thinking about it, the Mr. Fantastic upgrade should work in the bedroom too, yes?
>>
>>5206242
We're already at 10 inches and 6 inch girth. We don't need anymore
>>
>>5206241
There are literally no scenarios where not being super durable or turning invisible isn't preferrable to us literally exploding considering our characterization and MO right now.

If we'd killed the Vulture, and/or if we hadn't voted to associate with SHIELD, I'd totally vote for it so we can go kamikaze Tombstone, Silvermane, and any other gang consisting mostly of non-invincibles, probably entering and exiting rapidly through the sewers with help from Callisto, but it's over now, and it would be a retarded story with an inconsistent protag and heroic theme if we did that right now.

>>5206242
For 12 seconds a day, yes. Also, shame on you for reminding me of Chris Evans' joke from that horrible movie.
>>
>>5206249
Holy flames of fire to purge all. You are unclean heathen.
>>
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>>5206253
You are basically the reason people rarely ever do quests anymore, you know that?
>>
>>5206255
Richard's is the lamest guy with the lamest powers. We'd be better off with invisibility. Not stretchy arms.
>>
>>5206261
That's literally what I voted for. I'm literally the only one who voted for that.
>>
>>5206262
Well looks like neither of us get what we want
>>
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>>5206263
No, your retarded vote is actually winning right now.
>>
>>5206266
Cool
>>
>>5206233
>>5206237
Yeah, Phin's slick like that. His customers literally can't stop him from memorizing whatever he's working on and trying to replicate it later. The stretching might seem underwhelming, but being able to catch someone off-guard by suddenly extending your range can be super useful in a fight. No one would ever see it coming the first time you whip it out.

Plus, I couldn't think of anything else "Mr. Fantastic-like" that wouldn't make Ben's powerset absolutely ridiculous

As for the killing thing, that's entirely up to you guys. It might sound weird as the guy who's writing for Ben, but I'm very excited to see his development over the course of his career. Since this is a CYOA story, it's literally a mystery to me as of right now!

>>5206244
And yes, Ben's ability to sling pipe borders on the supernatural

>>5206262
I honestly thought invisibility was gonna be more popular

>>5206206
>>5206208
>>5206215
Looks like "Human Torch" won the vote. Writing...
>>
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M-Muh phasing...
>>
>>5206273
Remember we can still get more mutations.
>>
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>>5206273
Never forget...
>>
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Time to barbecue some folks.
>>
>>5206272
can we go back to Phils shop and change it to one of the other settings whenever we want?
>>
>>5206291
No, he hardwired that shit into your suit. It's stuck on the one setting. Now, if you wanted to get another suit and pay him to create another "Slip component" so he can install it in that one...
>>
>>5206292
Slip suits for everyone! Invisible Cindy moon!
>>
>>5206293
Keep in mind that it would be much more expensive next time, because Phin would have to recreate it from scratch with his own materials, instead of retrofitting an already existing component
>>
>>5206294
Time for a crime spree! Also we got gypped on the diamond price if it was as large as was described.
>>
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>>5206294
Can we explicitly ask him how much? Because it occurs to me that there are a whole lot of spider species to name suits after and a whole lot of ideas floating in my head.

I guess widow and tarantula are taken, but there's the harvestman with the long legs, wolf spiders who are known for their speed and agility, brown recluses that can kill grown men with their venom, orb weavers who specialize in trapping their prey with web, diving bell spiders who are adapted to live underwater, trapdoor spiders great at burrowing, building and ambushing, and jumping spiders who... jump.

We need at least two suits if we're to keep up this Spider-Man/Huntsman charade for any appreciable amount of time anyway, and there were multiple dope ass ideas for suits in thread one. Why would we ever pick just one? Crime should be fun!

(it is with great reluctance that I link to you this relevant pinterest page: https://www.pinterest.com/stryperman/alternate-spidey-suits/)
>>
You shrugged. “I always thought that the Human Torch was pretty cool. Why?”

After Phin explained what his plans were, your jaw dropped. You were more than eager to let him work on your suit for a few more hours. In the meantime, you decided to kill time by grabbing a bite to eat in a Vietnamese restaurant. It was only then that you realized just how quiet things were without Cindy around.

Okay, that was a stupid thought, but your heart was in the right place. Without Flint, Vic, Pete, or Cindy, you were once again reduced to a life of solitude. It really hadn’t bothered you this much until you moved in with your sister. Maybe you were starting to get soft.

Yeah, that had to be it.

—----

By the time you’d come back, Phin was just putting the finishing touches on your suit. He assured you that the resulting explosion wouldn’t burn you or damage your suit, but he did go through the effort of replacing your pouches with a more heat resistant material.

You thanked him and asked him what you owed him for the job, but he just shook his head and said that he’d take his cut out of your profits. When you inquired further, he went on to explain that he’d also finished calculating the price that he was willing to pay you for the equipment. And you nearly fainted, right then and there…

—----

Transaction: $32,000,000
Funds: $34,010,423

After you started hugging Phin and forcing him to dance a happy jig with you, you were promptly kicked out of his shop with your new gear and a suitcase full of money in hand. There was absolutely no way to seem inconspicuous when you were hauling as much cash as you were right now.

You were on Cloud 9. At the top of the world! In fact, the only thing preventing you from skipping all the way home like a giddy schoolgirl was your ability to web-swing. It certainly saved you some embarrassment, and a bunch of time avoiding mid-day traffic.

—----

When you got home, you were greeted by an excited Cindy Moon, who was now holding a soggy bag full of water and silver bullets. You tossed the bag aside, and forced her to start dancing with you, in Phin’s place. The two of you were so busy celebrating that you forgot to inform Felicia and Prowler of your financial success. You still owed them a cut of the proceeds, and then some. If you didn't have prior arrangements, you totally would've taken Cindy out for ice cream.

But as night rolled around, you and Cindy finished your preparations and headed out to meet with Annie, instead. You were now much more confident about your chances of impressing her tonight.

—----

(Cont.)
>>
The three of you met at what you could only describe as a large scale crematorium with some sort of stone watchtower built alongside it. The roof was flat, but the building took up an impressive amount of space on this property. You couldn’t tell if there was anything terribly suspicious going on inside, because there weren’t any lights on, and your thermal vision couldn’t pick anything up from this range. Did vampires even have body heat?

“Be prepared, Huntsman.” Annie said over the phone. “We shall begin our attack in 15 minutes. I wish you good fortune in your endeavors.”

“Likewise, Annie.” you replied.

Your only response was an audible groan from the other end of the line.

Alright. How’re you gonna play this?

>Go in quietly and pop as many vamps as you can without getting caught.
>Swing around like an idiot to attract a massive amount of attention, and blow them all up when they get too close.
>Follow Anastasia and steal her kills at every given opportunity.
>Herd them into Annie’s path with your UV flashlight and Electrified Web Bombs.
>Write-in.

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5206320
>>Go in quietly and pop as many vamps as you can without getting caught.
>>
>Go in quietly and pop as many vamps as you can without getting caught.
We leave the explosion for when the midboss vampire shows up.
>>
>>5206320
>Go in quietly and pop as many vamps as you can without getting caught.
>>
>>5206312
I'll figure it out sometime later. Sounds like you wanna go the Batman route and have a bunch of different suits for different scenarios. You're more than welcome to, but first, you've gotta get this second secret identity off the ground. There are, in fact, multiple ways to fool Maria Hill into thinking that your two identities are separate people. You just need to find out what they are and make it look convincing.
>>
>>5206320
>Herd them into Annie’s path with your UV flashlight and Electrified Web Bombs.
>>
>>5206320
>Go in quietly and pop as many vamps as you can without getting caught.
>>
>>5206323
>>5206330
>>5206328
>>5206334
I usually don't call the roll order this quickly, but I desperately need a nap.

>Roll 1d100, bo3!

I'll update when I wake up again.
>>
Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>5206339
>>
Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>5206339
>>
Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>5206332
Hmm. We know of one potential shapeshifter and one guy who can do hardlight holograms, but neither are in our contacts right now. Only other thing I can think of right now is to give Phin a web fluid sample and hope he can put together a "web-shooter" of sorts so a trusted accomplice or some sort of machinized decoy Huntsman can use it while we go be Spidey somewhere else.
>>
>>5206341
Savior
>>
>>5206341
>>5206341
Halleluia.
>>
How long did Ben 10 quest last?
>>
>>5206320
>Go in quietly and pop as many vamps as you can without getting caught.
Oh damn, I missed the vote. I would have gone for invisibility, or the invincibility, they were the most useful ones as either utility or a panic button.
>>
Qm go to bed?
>>
>>5206341
god like
>>
>>5206436
There are 48 threads with a chance Qm will go back to it
>>
>>5206624
That's like 28 years
>>
>>5206340
>>5206341
>>5206343
Gonna start writing in a minute. Ended up sleeping a bit longer than I expected to
>>
We need to do more shit with our money besides personal investment. We have the money to start a criminal empire, after this vampire business we have to start buying more tangible things besides suit and combat upgrades.

We could buy a house for our sister, get our own proper house, a base of operations, people that work under us, more warehouses, start setting up illegal ways to make money.

We have the foundations right now to start working at taking out the big guys.
>>
>>5206683
Have any good dreams?
>>
>>5206696
Better to not invest in a house for Vic, so she won't get in trouble with the police.
We can give her money and help though.
>>
>>5206696
Real estate is the key to money personal experience talking. For us though
>>
>>5206696
Maybe we should make some really good papers and maybe have some constant money flow with some legit business.

First we need to make sure this money is somewhat clean, find a good house in a really good area with a nice school to take Cindy, maybe try and see the scope of the gangs in the city and know where are we going to set. Y'know? Maybe we could buy those warehouse and use them legit, with maybe some under the table business for the crime bosses so they can sneak some of their illegal goods and reunions.
>>
>>5206696
30+ mil means we can do at least a little a bit in the way of personal investment before we start doing business.

I'd say getting us a place Cindy would feel at home at might come before business. We should be able to afford a mid-sized house that looks shabby but way nicer on the inside, with guest rooms, a workshop for Pete, a gym for us and Cindy, some security, and ideally a rooftop you can have a killer barbecue on.

After that I'd say we try to see how cool these Morlocks are with the idea of guiding smugglers through the sewers in exchange for way better living conditions down there.
>>
>>5206745
I just looked up what "personal investment" means, and as it turns out I'm retarded and you shouldn't listen to me.
>>
>>5206697
Probably, but at this point I can't remember any of it!

Just had to get a haircut and take a shower real quick. NOW I'm ready to write
>>
>96

Carefully, you attached the silencers to your pistols and slipped them back into their holsters.

“Keep a lookout, Cindy. Remember to phone in if you see anything weird happening.” you said. The little girl responded by giving you a thumbs up, extending her pinky and then rotating her wrist back and forth.

You nodded and lept from your perch, becoming fully immersed in your role as “The Huntsman”.

Thanks to your superior speed and agility, you were able to move quickly and quietly across the lawn without alerting anyone or lingering for too long. You circled around the left side of the building, scaled the wall with ease and encountered a locked window.

Not wanting to take the time to carefully slip the latch, you sprayed a thick layer of webbing over the glass and shoved your fist straight through it. Due to the webbing holding each shard of glass in place, this action caused very little noise. It more or less sounded like someone tearing open a bag of popcorn. But even that was probably loud enough to attract a vampire’s attention.

Pushing your hand through, you reached up and slipped the latch, allowing you to open the window with relative ease. You quickly crawled through, closed the window with your foot and webbed the opening shut. It wasn’t even two minutes before you heard someone approaching to investigate the sound.

You slowed your breathing, in hopes that most vamps couldn’t hear heartbeats or something, and clung to the ceiling as you activated your thermal vision. Within seconds, a humanoid figure entered the room and was now glancing around the room. His body temperature was far lower than normal, which was to be expected. He didn’t even get a chance to look in your direction before you descended on a webline, lined up the muzzle of your gun with the back of his head and fired a silver bullet through his head and into the mass of thick webbing clinging to the shattered glass, muffling the sound.

One down.

—---

The next hour or so felt like it had slowed to a crawl as you skulked through the gloomy interior of the crematorium. You started out by picking off vamps and webbing them to the ceiling. That worked for a while, but eventually, the black ichor that flowed through their cold, dead veins started to pool onto the ground, alerting the others to your presence.

And so, you decided to use your speed and superhuman reflexes to get the job done. You’d drop down on them, and clear out the room before anyone knew what was happening. At this point, it was very clear that your cover had been blown, but by holding onto the silencers, they had trouble pinning down your exact location. You were also certain that Annie was clearing them out in another part of the building, if all the hissing and howling was any indication.

(Cont.)
>>
Once you were satisfied with your kill count(and comfortable with your lead), you let the remaining vamps head over to where your competitor was fighting. Instead of joining her, you started checking body bags and cremators. And just as you suspected, the pale little bastards were using the metal chambers like coffins. Whenever you pulled them out, their eyes would fly open and they’d bare their fangs. But that’s about as far as they got before you buried a silver dagger into their chests.

Sure, you found a decent amount of human bodies drained of all their blood in those bags, but more often than not, you found an undead minion that didn’t quite like the cold feeling of their metal coffins. You figured that this could probably be considered as a sleeping bag or a bedroll for a vampire.

This ended up working for a weird amount of time, until eventually, the metal latches on the crematory chambers started flying off the hinges as a horde of vampires awoke in a panic.

You immediately swapped to your pistols again and started putting them down before they could get their bearings. Not a single shot was wasted, and you found that you were far more fatal than any of these deadheads could ever hope to be. It was a cold comfort to know that you hadn’t lost your touch.

After the room was clear, you reloaded both guns and moved on to another part of the crematory to repeat the process. Whilst Anastasia seemed to revel in the thrill of the hunt and the heat of battle, you were skulking around in the shadows and putting down any unexpecting vamps that had yet to join the battle.

At some point, you came to realize that the floor was clear and that you needed to descend deeper into this hellhole. A large part of you didn’t want to explore any further. Not out of fear, but out of the contempt that you felt for these creatures. You’ve seen some pretty gut-wrenching stuff on the way here, and you could only assume that it’ll get much worse as you head into the basement.

Suddenly, a hand landed on your shoulder, and you spun on your heels to see Anastasia standing behind you, soaked head to toe in blood, ash and some other gross stuff that you couldn’t quite identify past the mild description of “viscera”. She had a look of tranquility as she brushed your guns aside with her hand and polearm. Her long weapon appeared to be a wooden spear with a sharpened point at the back of it, and a lethal silver blade at the top.

“What are you waiting for? Are we going down, or not?” she asked impatiently.

“Yeah. I was just mentally preparing myself.” you whispered.

Annie nodded approvingly and switched her weapon to her other hand. “I have to admit, I was skeptical about entrusting my back to you, at first.” she admitted.

“No, really? But you hid it so well.” you teased.

(Cont.)
>>
Seemingly not picking up on your sarcasm, she continued. “But you have proven me wrong. You are clearly much more competent than I gave you credit for. You are a magnificent hunter, Huntsman of New York.”

What will you say?

>”Man, you really lay it on thick with the insults and compliments. No half measures with you, huh?”
>”I guess you weren’t so bad, yourself. You were a magnificent decoy.”
>”Do you think I can get that in writing? I’m gonna hang that on my fridge when I get home.”
>”You're only saying that because you know you're gonna lose our little competition. Don't worry, I'll try not to gloat...much."
>Write-in.
>>
>>5206845
>>”Man, you really lay it on thick with the insults and compliments. No half measures with you, huh?”
>>
>>5206845
>>”Man, you really lay it on thick with the insults and compliments. No half measures with you, huh?”
>>
>>5206845
>>”Man, you really lay it on thick with the insults and compliments. No half measures with you, huh?”
>>
>>5206845
>”Man, you really lay it on thick with the insults and compliments. No half measures with you, huh?”
>>
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>>5206845
>Write-in.
Pick her pocket.
>>
>>5206845
Cпacибo любви, вы caми нe тaк yж плoхи. Этoт кpacный цвeт дeйcтвитeльнo выявляeт вaши глaзa.
>>
>>5206845
>"Y-you too."
>>
>>5206845
>>”Man, you really lay it on thick with the insults and compliments. No half measures with you, huh?”
also call her by her full first name if we get to a more serious situation, whatever we find downstairs
>>
>>5207458
Better that we keep to a nickname given how information spreads like fucking life on this city.
She may not be our friend just yet, but I'd hate to hear about her getting eaten by vampires just because her name got out.
>>
>>5207706
call her by /her/ full first name, "Anastasia", which she has given us freely
I meant that she's clearly annoyed by it, and when emotions are high we shouldn't bother her.

while I'm fine with teasing allies in general, we should know when not to do it as well.
>>
>>5206846
>>5206848
>>5206859
>>5206891
Writing...
>>
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You blinked at her. “Man, you really lay it on thick with the insults and compliments. No half measures with you, huh?”

She used the back of her hand to wipe the blood away from her mouth as she gave you a rare smirk. “The world would be better off without them, no? If people simply said what they meant and acted on their impulses, I think everyone would be much happier that way.” she said, sounding a bit wistful as she expressed her idea.

You were inclined to disagree, since people were inherently selfish, and that kind of lifestyle would lead the world to absolute anarchy. However, you didn’t feel like getting into any arguments right now. Especially with someone who was covered in blood and held a rather sharp looking spear.

You simply nodded and gestured at the door, letting her know that you were ready. It didn’t take any prodding at all for her to open the door and go in ahead of you. The two of you descended into the basement with your weapons drawn, ready to put down anything that moved.

The first thing you noticed was the smell. You were surprised that you could smell it, even through the filter in your mask. There was a pungent odor permeating the air, and it reminded you of what you smelled when you entered Morbius’ club. Someone was carving up bodies down here, and you were in no mood to see someone’s corpse being mutilated. But lucky for you, there was no light down here, so you were unable to see anything that you might regret seeing.

However, that also meant that you wouldn’t be able to see if something attacked you down here.

Suddenly, an idea struck you, and you flipped a switch on your belt. A bright, UV light shone out through your belt, illuminating the room and Ana’s back in the process. You rotated slowly, seeing bodies strung about the floor and hung onto meat hooks like pigs. Your stomach turned at the sight of them, and you tried to keep your light on them for as brief a time as possible. And that’s when you saw the clawed hand slipping behind one of the carcasses, just before your light could touch it directly. You quickly whipped the light back, only to see the corpse swinging on the hook slightly.

“Did you-!”

“Yes.” Annie answered easily, her eyes darting around suspiciously.

You swung around and focused your light around multiple points in the dark room, hoping to get a better look at whatever it was darting around the basement. But whatever it was, you could never get a clear look at-

UP! LOOK UP! LOOK OUT!

(Cont.)
>>
It was less of a warning, and more of a feeling that you felt with absolute certainty. You pushed Anastasia out of the way and jumped back just in time to avoid being pounced on by the thing that was stalking you. The thing you saw crouching down next to you was a snarling, impish creature dressed in a purple spandex suit with bat-like wings underneath its arms and large ears woven into the mask. Its appearance matched the description that Morbius gave you for Baron Blood, so you could only assume that this was him right now.

He was on you in the blink of an eye, ending your train of thought right then and there. His skin sizzled and burned under the power of your flashlight, but he didn’t seem to be slowing down at all.

What will you do?

>Toss out your Electrified Web Bombs and hope that you catch him with them!
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet into his open mouth.
>Fill him up with silver bullets!
>Clean his clock with your Silver Knuckle Dusters.
>Write-in.

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5207811
Is he still closing the distance or is he already within arm's reach?
>>
>>5207811
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet into his open mouth.
that's like throwing shards of glass down someone's throat in vampire terms.
>>
>>5207817
He's got supernatural speed, so he's almost within arms reach. If it weren't for your Spider Sense, then he would've been directly on top of you.
>>
>>5207825
Gotcha. May as well use that speed to our advantage then.
>>5207811
>Clean his clock with your Silver Knuckle Dusters.
I hope he's stupid enough to have his jaw open so we can knock it right out of its socket.
>>
>>5207811
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet into his open mouth.
>Clean his clock with your Silver Knuckle Dusters.

Spider-fists are probably stronger than bullets
>>
>>5207811
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet into his open mouth.
Wario tactics.
>>
>>5207811
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet into his open mouth.
>>
>>5207811
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet into his open mouth.
>>
>>5207823
>>5207828
>>5207829
>>5207830
>>5207842
Roll 1d100+10, bo3!
>>
Rolled 85 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5207844
DIE FOUL CREATURE
>>
Rolled 94 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5207844
>>
Rolled 95 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5207811
if we pushed Ana away and he jumped inbetween us, than anything we fire, if he dodges and we get unlucky, we hit her.

>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet into his open mouth.

>>5207845
>>5207846
nat 1 now
>>
>>5207847
>>5207846
>>5207845
>>
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>>5207847
>nat 1 now
I failed, HARD
>>
Man, these poor vampires just can't get a fucking break.
>>
>>5207858
Ben Parker? More like Ben Van Helsing. I'm calling it.
>>
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Ana be like >pic related
>>
>>5207845
>>5207846
>>5207847
>Double crits
Our boy might genuinely have a future in vampire slaying. Writing...
>>
>>5207845
>>5207846
>>5207847
Now those are big numbers
>>
>>5207868
Double soft crits, but crits none the less.
>>
>>5207868
we shot it into his windpipe and he's literally joking to death on a garlic pellet before we can have an epic fight, won't he?
>>
>105!
>M-M-M-MAXIMUM SPIDER!

Before he could get any closer, you raised both hands and fired your Hidden Guns, unleashing a pair of twin Garlic Pepper Pellets aimed right at his open mouth. His eyes went wide as he tried to cover his face or change direction. Ironically, closing his mouth never occurred to him.

Unable to stop his momentum, your target and your projectiles flew right into each other, and Baron Blood immediately flew into a violent coughing fit. It sounded like he was quite literally hacking up a lung. Smoke began to pour from his mouth, and black ichor spilled onto the ground beneath his feet as his eyes watered.

In his distress, he failed to notice Ana creeping up behind him. A silver blade erupted from his chest as she jammed her weapon through his back, and the Baron screeched so loudly that you thought your ears would bleed.

He raised his arms, but before he could do anything else, you aimed both pistols at his head and began emptying your clip. Your silver bullets didn’t penetrate his skin, so much as they pulverized his flesh with each impact. Once your guns were dry, you could see that half his face had been blown away, exposing bone and raw tendons underneath. Ana held him in place the entire time, twisting her spear to deepen the wound in his abdomen.

His lidless, bloodshot eye stared at you with unfiltered hatred, but you didn’t hesitate to fire an additional Garlic Pepper Pellet into his eye socket. It stuck with an audible “squish”, and you immediately followed up by firing a silver bullet from your other Hidden Gun.

The projectile shattered the pellet, pierced his skull and came back out the other side as the burning fumes from your pellet boiled his brain. He twitched violently after that, followed by a fit of unintelligible gurgling as his brains oozed out of the orifices on his face like soup. But a few seconds later, he stopped moving entirely.

As Anastasia pried it off of her weapon, you had already reloaded your guns and placed them back into their holsters. “Well, that wasn’t so bad.” you casually remarked, trying to force your heart to slow down.

Ana’s gaze shifted to you then, and her eyes flashed with an emotion that you didn't quite recognize. There was something primal in that look she gave you.

“What? Have I got something on my face? Is it vampire guts?”

She dropped her weapon and approached you intently. When she got close enough, she removed her gloves and reached for your face. You took a step back, instinctually, wondering why your Spider-Sense hadn’t gone off. She was obviously going to throttle you!

“Look. If this is about me splattering his brains all over you, you have to admit, you were absolutely drenched in blood before we came down here.” you said quickly, almost tripping over a severed arm.

But before you could say anything more, she rolled your mask up, and tenderly touched your face with her calloused hands. And then, she leaned in to kiss you.
>>
>>5207861
More like... VEN Helsing? Eh? Eh? Oh come on, it's a good one!
>>
To say the least, you froze up completely. Your eyes went wide as she pried your mouth open and wrestled your tongue into submission with her own. It was passionate, unexpected and very confusing. What the hell was happening!?

What will you do?

>Return the kiss and embrace her.
>”Hold up. Don’t you think we should at least move to a different room? This underground slaughterhouse doesn’t exactly scream ‘romance’.”
>”Is this my prize for winning the bet?”
>"Cindy's waiting for me outside. Maybe we can put a pin in this for later?"
>Push her away. “Let’s keep things professional, huh.”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5207926
>Return the kiss and embrace her.
It's our duty as a parker to be a professional manwhore
>>
>>5207926
oh yeah, I did get rapey vibes off her
never stick your dick, or tongue, in crazy
>gently push her away and tell her that you still need to be sure that the den is clear, and afterwards let her down to keep things professional
>>
>>5207926
>Return the kiss and embrace her
At least for some seconds, then
>"Cindy's waiting for me outside. Maybe we can put a pin in this for later?"
>>
>>5207926
>Anastasia, we have a job finish, and as much as a fight gets the blood going, I would rather not be covered in it. How about we have a dinner and a spar another time?
>>
>>5207926
>Return the kiss and embrace her.
>>
>>5207926
>gently push her away and tell her that you still need to be sure that the den is clear, and afterwards let her down to keep things professional
>>
>>5207926
>>"Cindy's waiting for me outside. Maybe we can put a pin in this for later?"
and
>>5207939
+1
we still need to give that spider-dick a test drive
>>
>>5207926
Enjoy it while it lasts and once she's done kindly remind her that there might be more bloodsuckers here and once we're done checking the place we can continue on somewhere else.
>>
Spider-Man, Spider-Man,
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size,
Catches thieves just like flies
Look Out!
Here comes the Spider-Man.

Is he strong?
Listen bud,
He's got radioactive blood.
Can he swing from a thread?
Take a look overhead
Hey, there
There goes the Spider-Man.

In the chill of night
At the scene of a crime
Like a streak of light
He arrives just in time.

Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Friendly neighborhood Spider-Man
Wealth and fame
He's ignored
Action is his reward.

To him, life is a great big bang up
Wherever there's a hang up
You'll find the Spider-Man.
>>
>>5207926
>"Cindy's waiting for me outside. Maybe we can put a pin in this for later?"
>Hand her the number to your Huntsman phone
Can't leave Cindy waiting, but Benny would TOTALLY be down
>>
>>5207953
I'm more partial to the '96 theme, but that one's a classic.
>>
>>5207926
>"Cindy's waiting for me outside. Maybe we can put a pin in this for later?"

I don't give a rat's ass what the char sheet says about responsibility, the younglings take priority at all times. We don't have the time to get drained while Cindy could be getting drained another way right now!
>>
>>5207946
>we still need to give that spider-dick a test drive
>>5207962
>Benny would TOTALLY be down
These guys get it - Benny doesn't strike me as the type of guy who'd pass up a decent fling with someone so obviously DTF, even if he isn't a womanizing bastard either.

>>5207926
>Return the kiss and embrace her.
Just don't be weird about it - girl's all about her impulses anyway, so if it's more than that we can talk about it after a quickie.
>>
Did we furnish our new warehouse yet?
>>
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>>5207926
>Return the kiss and embrace her.
>>
>>5207977
>Benny doesn't strike me as the type of guy who'd pass up a decent fling with someone so obviously DTF
Correct.
She's a young athletic huntress who takes the initiative when it presents itself.
If that doesn't do anything for you, you just be gay. And Ben Parker is straight as a fucking arrow I tell ya.
That said, this can wait until we have all our shit settled for the night.
I don't want Cindy to get ambushed because we were in some bush.
>>
>>5207981
I don't remember that we did. Maybe it's something roman style, some beds to sleep and that's all, but apparently there's a TV and maybe some videogames from the update when we asked Prowler and BC to hang out
>>
>>5208004
We need to spend some of our millions on the place then
>>
>>5207977
>>5208000
You guys are crazy. Pussy's for fags, everyone knows that. Real men build awesome hi-tech suits and supervillain lairs.
>>
>>5208023
I want bean bags in our lair, they are comfy
>>
>>5207977
It's not because she isn't hot, it's time and place.
Cindy is the big target of the vampire group we are hunting, and one of their lieutenents was here.
That's why I offered a spar and dinner later, get her in the mood when we aren't busy.
>>
>>5208027
I want a La z boy
>>
>>5208027
>>5208031
Recliner for Benny, beanbag for Cindy, and a sandbox for Flint.
>>
>>5208035
How about a hammock?
>>
Pshh not turning Cindy into a twitch streamer. >>5208035
>>
>>5208038
Whatever keeps the sand contained.
It's coarse and rough and irritating.
And it gets EVERYWHERE.
>>
>>5208043
Well, atleast Flint can get closer to Felicia.
>>
>>5208049
He might be into it
>>
>>5207932
>>5207936
>>5207943
>>5207977
>>5207997
5 for returning the kiss.

>>5207936
>>5207939
>>5207946
>>5207962
>>5207968
5 for putting it off until later.

One vote encompasses both sentiments, so I'll more or less try to combine them. Writing...
>>
>>5208035
>sandbox for Flint
We should actually do this when showing him the place for the first time, just for shits and giggles.

And also figure out how to do a barbeque on a warehouse roof.
>>
>>5208051
Hey, at least our boy isn't scared of pussy. That's a rarity with quests nowadays.
>>
>>5208063
>implying pussy isn't on par with galactus
>>
>>5208061
>And also figure out how to do a barbeque on a warehouse roof.
It should be relatively easy to get a grill, table, cooler, and boom-box up there.
Then we just bring beer and meat.
None of that cheap shit you get at the supermarket though, I'm talking grade A cuts from an old-school butcher.
>>
>>5208066
With the amount of lives it's taken, I'm pretty sure Galactus pales in comparison to pussy.
>>
>>5208067
As long as we have Miller high life all is good
>>
>>5207926
>>"Cindy's waiting for me outside. Maybe we can put a pin in this for later?"
>>
>>5208067
I was imagining the warehouse with a thin-looking slant roof on a long and empty building, like the warehouses I usually see out there, but then I googled what warehouses look like in NY specifically and yeah, we should be okay.

>>5208070
Pleb tastes, American beer literally tastes worse than the piss of a guy who drank German or Irish an hour ago, and those aren't even as good as that good Belgian shit we should be getting.
>>
>>5208086
Let me let you in on a little secret about American beer.
We all know it tastes like shit. We don't drink it because it tastes good.
We drink it for two reasons.
>1. It's cheap as fuck
>2. It can still get you drunk.
That's it.
When we want to enjoy the drinks themselves, we just get actual liquor.
American beer is for partying on a budget.
>>
>>5208086
Dude it's a BBQ on a roof not some gourmet shit
>>
>>5208089
But good beer is good though. And it goes well with barbeque. You're the one ranting about good quality meat, why jew out on the beer?

Although we probably should at least grab a few bottles of Jameson, just in case we have the proportional alcohol tolerance of a spider now.
>>
>>5208086
>Belgian beer drinker
Patrician taste detected
>>
Trappist beers only then
>>
>>5208093
Hey, fair enough. We got the money to splurge on some good beer.
>>
it's not like we're short on cash
we can totally host our own beer sampling event, inviting all our friends
winning beer has to be sokovian or something other fictional, as to not start beer wars here
>>
>>5208102
Asgardian mead
>>
For a few, fleeting minutes, you gave in to those carnal desires welling up inside you. You returned the kiss, leaning into her and appreciating the warmth of her skin, the feel of her well-toned body and curvaceous figure.

She grabbed the back of your head with one hand and pulled you closer as she devoured you. You felt a pinch as she squeezed your ass, and you thought that it was only fair that you return the favor. With all her armor, it was pretty much the softest thing that you had immediate access to, so you took the time to grab a handful. A shiver ran down her spine, then, and she moaned slightly.

Her hands started roaming elsewhere, caressing your chest and massaging your muscular arms. When those same hands started drifting lower and below the belt, your mind nearly went blank. Despite the gore, viscera and carnage surrounding you in this room, you wanted nothing more than to tear her clothes off right then and there.

But…and it was a VERY WELL-TONED BUTT…you couldn’t. Not here. Not now, with Cindy waiting for you outside. There are vampires running around trying to kill her, and you have a responsibility to protect her until you can figure out a way to keep her safe.

Reluctantly, you pulled away from Anastasia, and she nearly took your lower lip along with her as she nibbled on it. You nearly smiled when you saw the pout on her face.

“What is wrong? You…do not want-?”

“NO!” you blurted out almost immediately. Her hand was quite literally on your groan a second ago, so you didn’t doubt that she could feel how much you wanted this. “I do. Trust me…I really do. But Cindy, that little girl, is waiting for me outside, and I can’t leave her out there while we fool around down here.” you explained. “Is it okay if we put a pin in this until later? When we’re done clearing out vamps and making sure that the area is secure?”

Ana was clearly disappointed by your decision, but she wasn’t without reason. She nodded, bent to pick up her weapon and readjusted her armor. “Very well. Lead the way.” she said, pointing to the stairs with the tip of her spear.

You shook your head. “You go on ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

She shrugged and turned to climb the steps. She stopped when she reached Baron Blood’s corpse, however, and bent to tear the mangled mask from his head, before stuffing it into a bag and continuing up the steps. You regretted the fact that she had neglected to wear her cloak tonight. It meant that you had a perfect view of the tight, spandex clad ass that had been in your hands mere moments ago. That made it much more difficult for you to get lil’ Benny to calm down.

“I really hate this responsibility shit…” you muttered once you were alone in the dark room.

—---------

(Cont.)
>>
After checking the rest of the crematorium, you could safely say that there weren’t more than 3 or 4 vamps that’d been cowering a corner somewhere or attempting to escape. Any that actually made it outside were swiftly ambushed by Cindy. You were glad that you’d given her that Silver Knife before you went in, but seeing her covered in blood and gutting vamps like pigs wasn’t exactly a welcoming sight. She was casual in her slaughter. It looked practiced, as if she had no emotional connection whatsoever to the fanged menaces beyond contempt.

It wasn’t something that you thought a kid should be used to. What exactly were her parents teaching her down in that bunker?

When you saw a few vamps still squirming, you banished the thought from your mind and went over to help her put them down.

Once you were certain that they were all dead, you relayed the events of your hunt to Cindy. She grinned wickedly now as she crossed “Baron Blood” off of her list. That left Snowsnake and Baroness Blood. Hopefully, there weren’t any more high ranking vampires lurking around.

“Congratulations, Huntsman.” Anastasia announced, placing her spear on her back. “You have proven yourself more than deserving of your name. You should be proud. Being recognized by a Kravinoff is a high honor granted to very few.”

You gave her a needlessly extravagant bow, and she scoffed. Cindy giggled, and you could see a small grin teasing the corner of Anastasia’s lips.

“I only wish I could have seen the little one fight. She has the heart of a warrior. I can see it in her eyes.” she said, pointing at Cindy, which made her blush slightly.

What will you say to her before she leaves?

>”Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.”
>”We’ve got a bunch of other vampire dens to search through later. We’d appreciate your help if you’re open to the idea.”
>”We should go out to celebrate. Who wants steak?”
>”Be careful out there, Ms. Kravinaw…Kravinova? You know what? I’m just gonna call you Kraven. Cool?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5208107
>”Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.”
>”We’ve got a bunch of other vampire dens to search through later. We’d appreciate your help if you’re open to the idea.”
>”We should go out to celebrate. Who wants steak?”
>>
>>5208103
There's an idea. Just need to befriend Beta Ray Bill
>>
>>5208109
+1
>>
>>5208107
Ms. Kravinaw…Kravinova? You know what? I’m just gonna call you Kraven. Cool?”Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.”
>”We’ve got a bunch of other vampire dens to search through later. We’d appreciate your help if you’re open to the idea.”
>>
>>5208107
>”Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.”
>”We’ve got a bunch of other vampire dens to search through later. We’d appreciate your help if you’re open to the idea.”

Maybe we should at least pretend we remember her name.

>>5208102
You should see the catering 616 Emma Frost has access to nowadays, serving up giant unicorns from space and grapes raised in an actual hell or some shit. It's ridiculous, and we should aim to surpass it.
>>
>>5208107
This too>>5208109
>>
>>5208109
+1 supportarino
>>
>>5208107
>”Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.”
>”We’ve got a bunch of other vampire dens to search through later. We’d appreciate your help if you’re open to the idea.”
>>We can always have a spar, I even know the place where we could make cash while doing it.
>>
>>5208107
@Being recognized by a Kravinoff is a high honor granted to very few.”
>"I'll put it in my resume"

>”Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.”
>"Because, we're one down, two to go. We still have, what you'd consider worthy prey."
>"And warrior she may be, but I will still have to enforce bedtimes one of these days"
>>
>>5208107
I'd also like to ask about the White One she mentioned there >>5204635
>>
>>5208107
>”Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.”
>”We’ve got a bunch of other vampire dens to search through later. We’d appreciate your help if you’re open to the idea.”
>”We should go out to celebrate. Who wants steak?”
>>
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>>5208154
>>
>>5208109
+1
>>
>>5208107
>>5208109 +1
>>
>>5208109
>support
>>
>>5208109
>>5208124
>>5208128
>>5208129
>>5208154
>>5208126
>>5209000
>>5209037
Writing...
>>
“You got a phone?” you asked.

She nodded, as if it should have been obvious. You didn’t know what to expect from someone that ran around at night with a spear.

“Here’s my number. We should do this again sometime.” you suggested. “We’ve still got a bunch of other vampire dens to search through later. We’d appreciate your help if you’re open to the idea.”

>You've gained Anastasia Kravinoff as a contact!

Anastasia beat her chest proudly. “I would fight by your side, Huntsman. So long as these monsters continue making nests, I suspect that we will be crossing paths fairly often.”

You tried to take comfort in that promise, but you couldn’t afford to fight vampires all year round without coming up with a solid way of stomping them out all at once. You have a business to start and a life to live.

But then again, you scored a major victory by taking out one of the major players on the board. You should try to remain positive.

“We should celebrate. Who wants steak?” you asked. Cindy raised her hand immediately, and you started to ask her if she had any places that she liked to eat at. She gave you a puzzled look, and you forced yourself to remember that she hadn’t gotten out much before her parents died.

Thankfully, Annie’s sudden laughter saved you from an awkward explanation. “You wish to eat meat at a commercialized restaurant?” she asked.

“What else did you have in mind?”

She grinned at you, and gestured for you to follow her.

—------

The next hour and a half consisted of you swinging around to gather a list of supplies for your rooftop cookout. Apparently, Ana had brought several pounds of imported meat with her when she crossed over to the States.

You thought to ask where she’d been keeping the meat, but the thought slipped your mind when she nearly slapped you after you made a joke about grilling with propane. Apparently, she didn’t have King of the Hill wherever it was that she grew up. After that harrowing experience, you decided to grab a mixture of wood chips and charcoal. You were pretty sure that she’d appreciate the wood chips more, but you thought that it was better to be safe than sorry.

On the way out, you grabbed some lighter fluid and pretended that you didn’t see Cindy sneaking several candy bars into your basket. It was better than her getting caught shoplifting, after all.

When you went back to the predetermined meeting spot, you were pleased to find that Anastasia had already procured a grill and the aforementioned meat. It was still in the bag, and swimming with blood. Considering the night you just had and the amount of bloodthirsty vamps that you had to put down, you found it strange how the sight of the rare steak made your stomach growl.

In fact, you were so preoccupied with staring at the food that you’d barely noticed how clean Anastasia looked now.
>>
—------

After cleaning and seasoning the steaks, you ignited the wood chips within the grill and savored the sound and smell of sizzling meat. According to Annie, your reward for winning the competition was being granted the honor of cooking the meat from an animal that she’d hunted personally. She reassured you that there were no toxins or drugs used in the beast’s subjugation.

“How do you ladies like your steaks?” you asked while gently poking at them.

Anastasia grinned wolfishly at you. “Cook it with a flashlight.”

“Yes, ma’am!” you enthusiastically replied. “What about you, Cindy?”

She took a moment to scribble in her notepad and turned it around to show you.

“Well done!?”

She nodded readily. You exchanged a horrified glance with Ana and shook your head at the young girl. “There’s no way I’m letting you eat a burnt slab of charcoal.” you declared.

Cindy then wrote out an explanation that brought everything into focus. Her parents never let her eat anything that wasn’t burnt to a crisp. They said it would “give her parasites”.

You just turned and shook your head mournfully. “Poor kid…”

—-------

Being the magnificent chef that you are, the steaks came out perfectly. Annie said that it was “passable”, but judging from the way that she continued to eat, you decided that she was just trying to keep you humble.

No, most of your complaints came from Cindy, who had gotten a steak that was cooked medium rare, instead of into a pile of ash. After she took a bite, however, she quickly changed her tone. It was amusing to watch her struggle to bite into the chewy slab of meat with only her teeth.

Things only got sweeter from there, when Anastasia busted out a bottle of fancy red wine that she’d been saving for a special occasion. Except, instead of being inside of a ritzy restaurant, you were dining on top of an office building, without a roof to cover your heads.

You left the grill’s fire to burn, using it as a bonfire to keep yourselves warm on this chilly night. You and Ana had fur built into your costumes, but Cindy had no such protection. You pulled her close to you when she tried to suppress a shiver.

What will you say?

>”I saw you take the Baron’s mask. Is that enough to bring honor to your family?”
>”I don’t think it’s fair that you got to take a shower while we had to run errands.”
>”Have you seriously never eaten at a restaurant before? Is your family rich, or just too prideful?”
>”I’m surprised that you brought an actual grill instead of chopping a couple of trees down in Central Park.”
>”What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5209136
>>”I’m surprised that you brought an actual grill instead of chopping a couple of trees down in Central Park.”
>>
>>5209136
>>”Have you seriously never eaten at a restaurant before? Is your family rich, or just too prideful?”
>>
>>5209136
>>”What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?”
>>
>>5209136
>”I saw you take the Baron’s mask. Is that enough to bring honor to your family?”
>”I’m surprised that you brought an actual grill instead of chopping a couple of trees down in Central Park.”
>”What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?”
>>
>”What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?”
>>
>>5209136
>”What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?”
>>
>>5209136
>”I’m surprised that you brought an actual grill instead of chopping a couple of trees down in Central Park.”
>Write-in.
Eventually admit that this is way better than a restaurant though.

>”What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?”
>>
>>5209136
>"Passable, hmm? I wouldn't mind picking up a thing or two."
>"I wouldn't even mind providing you with the quality meat."
spider. dick. test drive.
>"But first I need a shower and get the little one to a warm bed."
>>
>>5209136
>”I saw you take the Baron’s mask. Is that enough to bring honor to your family?”
>”What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?”
>Now that we are safe and sound, I think we should continue where we left off.
>>
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>>5209169
>I wouldn't even mind providing you with the quality meat
>>
>>5209176
home grown, baby
>>
>>5209136
Should we tell her that the Baron we killed was probably a fake, and the original one is dead? This Baron is weaker than the original or so we've been told.
>>
>>5209169
I'll back this too, just for the quality joke, but we tuck Cindy into bed first.
>>
>>5209140
>>5209145
>>5209152
>>5209157
>>5209161
Writing and combining...

>>5209169
>>5209176
Not gonna lie, part of me wanted to include this
>>
>>5209227
it's a late write-in people didn't have the time to support
but you have to do what you think makes for a fun quest
>>
>>5209227
>>5209233
I voted for it too. Embrace Puns.
>>
>>5209242
That's not how puns work, anon...
>>
>>5209249
Don't deny spider dick, its a real trip.
>>
>>5209242
it's a double entendre where the meaning is open to interpretation.
a pun uses similar sounding words, homophones, to create a joke
>>
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“I’m honestly surprised that you brought an actual grill instead of chopping down a couple of trees in Central Park.” you casually remarked.

She smiled slightly as she sipped her wine. “What can I say? I am a modern, forward-thinking woman.”

“Oh, yeah. I hear that all the Instagram models are wearing spears on their backs these days. They’re all the rage!”

She stared at you for a long moment before looking away and swishing her drink back and forth.

“I don’t know what that is, and I won’t pretend to. BUT, I am almost certain that it is a waste of time.” she finally said with a raised finger.

“Yup. Just your average, everyday modern woman.” you joked.

She scoffed in reply. “Please. A Kravinoff is anything but ‘average’.” she said while looking down. Her expression had grown sullen all of a sudden. “At least, they’re supposed to be...”

A heavy silence fell over the group, then, and you remembered that Cindy couldn’t be relied on to spice up a conversation in any situation. So, you tried to change the topic.

“What’re your plans after we take out all the vampires?” you asked.

She looked up at you, and her expression softened a bit. “I will remain here for a time. My father wishes for me to look into something. Officially, this is my ‘main reason’ for coming here.” she explained. “But until that is done, I will breathe your stagnant air and run through your concrete jungle.”

Cindy surprised you by asking where Anastasia had been sleeping until now. Annie nodded and ran a gloved finger over the rim of her glass. “The park, mainly.” she said easily. “When your authorities are not bothering me, I am content to relax there with the other nomads.”

“You mean homeless people.” you corrected.

She shook her head. “No. They are nomads. Explorers. Adventurers. People who have lived interesting and colorful lives. The stories that they tell when you stop to listen…they are incredible.” she said, sounding a bit wistful now.

When you asked her to tell you a few of them, she became excited all of a sudden. The next few hours passed with Anastasia retelling events of the past. Some you knew and remembered with decent clarity, and others were tales that went unreported and uninvestigated by the authorities and media outlets.

Cindy listened with rapt attention, apparently having been cut off from civilization by her overbearing parents. It was honestly a magical moment for the both of you. To hear tales of the city that you loved, seen through fresh eyes and heard by virgin ears. It gave you a new appreciation for the things that you normally take for granted.

(Cont.)
>>
Eventually, your little warrior fell asleep, and you rolled her up in a blanket and sat her up in her lawn chair. You glanced at Anastasia, and your eyes met then. Her brown eyes sparkled in the light of the makeshift bonfire, and it was only then that you were reminded she couldn’t see yours.

She gazed at you expectantly, rubbing her thumb over the empty wine glass.

What will you say/do?

>”Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.”
>”Thanks for the steaks, but we’ve actually got to turn in for the night.”
>”Tell me another story. I like hearing them.”
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>Write-in.
>>
>>5209287
>>”Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.”
>>
>>5209287
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>>
Let me know if you guys think that I'm spending too much time on these little moments. I like to slow things down and let people appreciate the little things in between all the action. Especially since Ben doesn't really have much a social life in his line of work.

>>5209233
I would've waited a while longer, but I wanted to update before I took my nap for the day.

Going a bit off topic, I was thinking that I'd start referring to threads as volumes and give them their own titles like:

>Vol 1: The Looming of Vultures!
or
>Vol 2: Stakes and Steaks!

Just to give it more of a comic book feel
>>
>>5209287
>”Thanks for the steaks, but we’ve actually got to turn in for the night.”

>>5209294
I'm not the biggest fan of romance but YMMV.

Your naming sense is great and you should totally do it.
>>
>>5209287
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>”Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.”
>>
>>5209311
>>5209291
What the Warehouse? We cant take her back to Vics.
>>
>>5209287
Okay, if we have to stick our dick in crazy...
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>"Remember you telling me to act on impulses? But I'll have you know I'm not looking for romance."
>>
>>5209287
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.”
>>
>>5209287
>”Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.”
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>Get Cindy to bed.
>>
>>5209287
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>Get Cindy inside before you head out.
>>
>>5209287
>”Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.”
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>Get Cindy to her room before we do the deed
>>
>>5209287
>”Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.”
>Lean in to kiss her, and see where the night takes you from there.
>Get Cindy to her room before we do the deed
>>
Sorry about the delays, guys. My day was a whole lot busier than I anticipated. I'll try my best to update tomorrow, if possible
>>
>>5209714
Its cool, good night.
>>
>>5209714
I'm writing about this in my diary, OP.
>>
>>5209294
I like the little moments that let us flesh out our characters personality instead of moveset
>>
>>5209291
>>5209292
>>5209311
>>5209326
>>5209329
>>5209492
>>5209604
>>5209611
Writing...
>>
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You leaned in, then, closing your eyes as you saw her meeting you halfway. Your lips met, and her warmth was somehow greater than that of the dwindling flame beside you. Like before, her kiss was a hungry one, and you met it with equal fervor and enthusiasm.

She began to undo her clothing, but you placed a hand over hers to stop her. At first, she gave you a frustrated expression, likely thinking that you were trying to lead her on again.

“Wanna come back to my place? I promise it’s more comfortable than the park.” you offered.

Her expression softened then, and you could see a teasing smile return to her lips. “That remains to be seen.” she whispered.

—--

While she worked on cleaning up the evidence of your cookout, you scooped Cindy up in your arms and shook her awake. It was practically impossible to swing back to the warehouse without startling her, so you figured that you’d wake her now and prevent the heart attack.

You told Anastasia to follow you as best as she could, and to your surprise, she was more or less able to keep up with you. The speed and agility that she displayed during your journey was clearly superhuman, and it made you wish that you could’ve seen her fight off that army of vampires back in that crematorium. It was like watching a fierce jungle cat leap from tree to tree, nimble and graceful as can be.

When you finally arrived, you wasted no time in tucking Cindy in for the night and dragging Annie further inside. She gave your home an assessing glance as she tossed her cloak aside, before returning her gaze to you.

“What do you think?” you asked. “Roomy, huh?”

“I suppose I have lived in worse conditions.” she said with a shrug. “At least there are no mosquitos.”

“But you still haven’t even seen the bed.” you argued. “It’s pretty new, so I thought maybe we could…break it in a bit.”

Anastasia gave you a coquettish grin as she looked you up and down. “That is perhaps the best suggestion you’ve had all night.”

You took her by the hand and led her towards your bedroom. Before you let her in, though, you made sure that the room was suitably clean, or at least clean enough that it wouldn’t serve to distract your lady friend. But right as you were about to give her the all clear, the words got stuck in your throat when you saw Anastasia’s naked figure entering the room.

Her discarded clothes littered the floor outside, and she gave you a knowing smile as you drank in her form. She was muscular, but not so much that it would be unappealing. Those rock hard muscles did nothing to hide her curves or the soft complexion of her supple skin. And while it might have been covered by scars and scratches alike, you felt that it didn’t subtract from her beauty.

(Cont.)
>>
“You were taking too long.” she complained.

“Whoa…” you muttered.

Anastasia rolled her eyes and approached you, her hips swaying enticingly. “Why do you still have your clothes on? Would you like help removing them?” she asked. And without waiting for an answer, the huntress began stripping you of your gear and your clothing.

When she started to roll up your mask, you grabbed her hands to stop her. “Not the mask. That stays on.” you stated firmly.

“Very well.” she said, not minding one way or the other. Then, she placed her hand on your chest and pushed you onto the bed with a firm shove. “But I get to be on top.” she declared, mounting you without difficulty.

“We’ll see about that…!” you shot back, but you were quickly cut off by a passionate kiss.

The rest of that night consisted of you and Anastasia literally wrestling for dominance. Even though you were getting used to her usual intensity, you weren’t prepared for her to ride you like an animal. She was an absolute beast in bed, and in that moment, you were endlessly grateful for your spider-enhanced durability. It was honestly a miracle that you didn’t wake Cindy, or the whole neighborhood.

—----

Hours later, you were covered in sweat and basking in the afterglow of what you’d just done. Anastasia was equally sweaty, and clinging to you like a mama bear does her cubs. She was apparently a hugger, and you had no problems with that.

It was the morning after that worried you. Would she think that you were dating now? Should you get up early to make her breakfast? Was she going to show up uninvited to your pad now that you’d slept together?

But all these worries were quickly blown away when your phone started buzzing. Your real one. You tried to reach for it on the nightstand, but Anastasia just moaned and pulled you closer.

Eventually, you gave up and reeled the phone in with a webline. It was from Vic. At this hour?

“Hey, Vic. What’s up?” you asked groggily. “Is it Peter, again?”

“Ben? I need your help!” she said in a hushed tone. She sounded frantic.

You sat up then, not caring whether Annie protested or not. “What’s going on?”

“Someone’s in the house! Peter’s with her, and she’s just…walking around the house. I think she’s looking for me!” she explained, struggling to keep her breathing under control. “Oh, God! She's got swords...! Pleasepleaseplease come back here!”

“I’m on my way!” you promised, before hanging up and jumping out of bed. You quickly threw on your suit and scrambled to find all your usual weapons and gadgets that had gotten thrown around the room.

“What is happening?” Anastasia asked.

You paused for a moment and just looked at her, trying to figure out what you would do with her.

(Cont.)
>>
What will you say?

>”I might need your help. You still good for a late night hunt?”
>”Hey, this might seem kinda rude and sudden, but…do you think you could see yourself out?”
>”Don’t worry about it. Go back to sleep.”
>Ignore her. You don't have time for this shit.
>Write-in.

(If you wish to wake up Cindy, it's best to add it in your vote.)
>>
>>5210488
>”I might need your help. You still good for a late night hunt?”
>>
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>>5210485

I hope we don't have the proportional baby-making ability of a spider. They uh, kinda have a lot per fertilization.

>>5210488

>Write-in.
Literally just tell her that your sister's in trouble so you gotta dash, and that you'll call later as you're getting dressed.

Then head over to Vic's at 120% speed, rocket boosts and all.
>>
>>5210488
>Family emergency. Not to be rude but if you want to keep it casual now is the time to head out.
If she does decide to split therm just ask if we're still on for tonight. Just make it clear we have to get moving NOW
>>
>>5210488
>”I might need your help. You still good for a late night hunt?”
>Wake up Cindy and give her the broad strokes before you head out.
If Cindy wants to follow, she can, but either way she should at least be aware of what's going on.
Also, anybody mind picking up that phone?
BECAUSE I FUCKING CALLED IT!
>>
>>5210493
>Then head over to Vic's at 120% speed, rocket boosts and all.
This, literal beeline. Buildings and bystanders be damned.
>>
>>5210488
>”I might need your help. You still good for a late night hunt?”
I feel vindicated for proposing to vampire proof Vic's house twice.
>>
>>5210488
>”I might need your help. You still good for a late night hunt?”
>"My sister and nephew are being mugged by some nut with swords in their house"
>Then head over to Vic's at 120% speed, rocket boosts and all.
>>
>>5210501
I will support waking up Cindy, anon that also was right.
>>
>>5210515
+1
>>
>Literally just tell her that your sister's in trouble so you gotta dash, and that you'll call later as you're getting dressed.

Then head over to Vic's at 120% speed, rocket boosts and all.
>>
Finally finished reading the first thread. Very excited to catch up here so I can start actually voting in what happens. Scorekeeper you have got me incredibly invested and that's coming from somebody who only has a passing interest and maybe surface level knowledge from reading wikis on Marvel
>>
Just caught up with this quest, very promising. Do you read the Petra threads on /co/, OP? Some ideas seem familiar, though I’m not sure how much of that is simply because they’re both Marvel fanfics.
>>5210493
Support. We move as the crow flies, no horseshit distractions like corners or obstacles.
>>
>>5210492
>>5210501
>>5210503
>>5210511
>>5210515
>>5210516
>>5210517
Writing...

>>5210522
Glad you're enjoying the story so far, anons! I won't beat you over the head with jargon or references, and I'll try to keep things as accessible to new readers as possible. Meta knowledge certainly helps, but it can also lead you to make assumptions!

>>5210541
Are those the Honeybee threads? I've glanced at them every now and again, but I haven't borrowed any ideas.
>>
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>>5210522
You can just pirate them and buy them later if you like. The 2018 volume of The Amazing Spiderman in particular is both full of based moments and relatively free of Marvel's tie-in shenanigans... Relatively.
>>
>>5210501
+1
>>
>>5210548
Yeah, those are the ones. They started getting a little convoluted as of late, unfortunately, and I haven’t bothered keeping up much.
>>
>>5210553
So long as Pete and MJ are a thing, all is right in the world.
>>
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>>5210568
ure waifu a shit, she-venam bset gril
>>
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>>5210572
I know I voted to sling some radioactive spider dick Annie's way, but there is such a thing as too crazy.
>>
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Coming to a decision, you finally said: “I might need your help. You still up for a late night hunt?”

She threw off the covers and leapt out of bed. You tossed some of her clothes her way as you explained the situation further. You left out any compromising details, but you started to wonder how much it would actually matter once you got there. For a smart woman like her, she’d probably be able to put the pieces together eventually. But you’d deal with that later. Right now, you had to get to Vic’s house before that wackjob slices her up!

You woke up Cindy when you passed her bed on the way out. She listened to your brief explanation with bleary eyes, and once she’d gotten the gist of it, she threw on her shoes and jacket, grabbed her bo-staff and gave you a determined nod. She still looked tired, but you appreciated her support nonetheless.

—-----------

To say that you wasted no time in traveling to Vic’s house would be an understatement. You made Cindy travel with Annie, since you were blasting your way through New York in an effort to gain as much speed and momentum as you possibly could without passing out. You couldn’t conceive of holding back or slowing down at this very moment, so you thought that it was the best option for both of their safety.

Sometimes this meant that you literally had to smash through buildings and deface a few structures, but you didn’t care. None of that mattered. Your family was in danger, and it was all your fault! You just hoped that you could make it in time.

—---------

You didn’t slow down until you were getting close to your sister’s house. The neighborhood seemed quiet. More quiet than it should if there’d been a violent break-in mere minutes ago.

That was, until, a piercing screech filled the air, and your Spider-Sense warned you just in time to avoid what looked like a giant fucking bat swooping down from above! Its blood red eyes burned with rage as it bared its needle-like fangs.

“Whoa!”

Its razor sharp claws missed your throat by mere inches, and it quickly circled back for another pass. But before it could get close enough, a long, wooden spear with a silver tip flew in from behind and pierced its chest.

The beast screamed in agony as it flew away from you.

“Go!” screamed Anastasia as she and Cindy pursued the beast. “We’ll keep it busy!”

You nodded and made for Vic’s front door. You hoped that there weren’t many other surprises waiting for you.

You swung onto the porch, pulled out your pistols and kicked the door in, fully prepared to blast the living shit out of anything that wasn’t directly related to you. What you saw before you in the living room made your blood freeze.

(Cont.)
>>
Sitting on the couch, in between your nephew and your sister, was a tall, slender figure with long white hair. She wore a white and red kimono, an oni mask with a similar color scheme, and had two katanas resting by her legs. They were all staring at a broken TV that was displaying nothing but static. Only the white woman’s head turned to greet you as you entered. And she did so far too slowly.

Her oni mask had an angry expression that resembled a snake preparing to strike. Given all the evidence, you thought it was safe to assume that this was “Snowsnake”.

As she rose from her seat, you stepped inside to get a better look at her hostages. Their eyes seemed glazed over, like they were in a trance of some sort. Is that something that vampires were able to do? If so, why hadn’t any of them tried it with you?

So many questions were swirling around in your head, but all of them died when you saw the woman draw her swords simultaneously and level them at both Vic and Pete’s throats.

“Fucking coward…!” you spat.

Snowsnake tilted her head to the left, and then violently jerked it to the right. Without warning, both of them got up and walked towards the back of the room. She wanted you to come inside. And it didn’t look like she was willing to give up her hostages so easily. You had no choice but to fight. And you had to do it without hitting either your sister or your nephew.

That meant that your electrified web bombs were out of the question. How would you get past those swords of hers? Your guns were the only advantage that you held in this matchup, and she’s trying to take that away by using your family as living shields.

What will you do?

>Turn on your Ultraviolet flashlight to blind her.
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet at her!
>Maintain a safe distance and shoot her legs out.
>Get in close and clobber her with your Silver Knuckle Dusters!
>Write-in.

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5210593
These leeches will die screaming!
>>5210599
>Fire webs at the bitch, and cover the door
>Get close like we're going to fight with the knuckle dusters
>Use the whole fucking couch and beat her ass out the window like a baseball.
>>
>>5210599
>Turn on your Ultraviolet flashlight to blind her.
While shes blinded
>Get in close and clobber her with your Silver Knuckle Dusters! Try and get her away from Pete and vick.
>>
>>5210610
+1
>>
>>5210610
Support. Let’s hope her mask doesn’t have special lenses or something.
>>
>>5210593
>she’d probably be able to put the pieces together eventually
Yeah, this is why I didn't want her to come even though it was obviously Snowsnake

>>5210610
This.

In fact, try to get her clear of the building and our allies so we can utilize codename Allahu Ackbar if need be.
>>
>>5210599
>Turn on your Ultraviolet flashlight to blind her.
>Maintain a safe distance and shoot her legs out.
>>
>>5210599
>Get in close and clobber her with your Silver Knuckle Dusters!

Best quest evar
>>
>>5210610
>>5210613
>>5210627
>>5210630
Roll 1d100, bo3!
>>
Rolled 88 (1d100)

>>5210642
SATAN, PRESERVE MY ANUS
>>
>>5210599
>Turn on your Ultraviolet flashlight to blind her.
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet at her!

Maximum debuff prior to engaging in close quarters with the 300 year old samurai who specializes in close combat. Neither the pellet nor the uv light can possibly hurt our family, so using them as shields wont help.
>>
Rolled 64 (1d100)

>>5210642
maximum spider?
>>
Rolled 99 (1d100)

>>5210642
>>
>>5210649
With this I still want to beat her with a couch.
>>
>>5210649
Nice
>>
>>5210649
Should we add "Toretto" to Benny's list of honorary names?
Because we sure don't fuck around when it comes to FAMILY.
>>
>>5210644
>>5210649
Triple dubs, nice
>>
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>>5210649
we argentata now
>>
>>5210644
>>5210648
>>5210649
Checked. Writing...
>>
>>5210649
I hope we grabbed the TV and started to use it like a flail
>>
>>5210675
Just remember that we're paying for everything we break while we go medieval on this bitch.
>>
>99

As quick as you could manage, you lowered your hands and activated the UV light on your belt. A purple version of your usual Spider Signal flooded the room, forcing Snowsnake to cover her eyes. She cowered before the light and hissed at you as smoke rose from her body.

You took the opportunity to lunge at her, putting away your pistols and pulling out your Silver Knuckle Dusters. But right when you were rearing back for the punch, Snowsnake glanced up and tilted her katanas at such an angle that they’d reflect the light back into your eyes.

Momentarily blinded by your own attack, you quickly shut your eyes. An action that you regretted almost immediately after you’d done it. You were sure that the 300 year old vampire would cut you in half, right then and there.

But then…you felt something. Somehow, you knew exactly where she would attack. The exact pathing of her blade as it sliced through the air and its exact trajectory in relation to your throat.

Without the use of your eyes, you twisted in mid-air to avoid it, before landing behind her on the wall beneath the stairwell. You leapt at her again, catching her off-guard as your fist smashed into her ornamental mask, shattering a sizable portion of it in one strike.

Snowsnake slid backwards, shaking her head to clear it. But by the time she’d managed to refocus her attention on you, you were already slamming the flatscreen on top of her head.

-$1,999.99

The force of the blow brought her to her knees just long enough for you to snag the refrigerator with a webline and whip it in her direction. Snowsnake moved her arm to swat the appliance away, but the sheer weight of the fridge seemed to the bones in her left arm.

-$1,498.00

Snowsnake tried to glare at you through the hole in her mask. You could just barely make out a predatory eye narrowing in frustration…and then widening immediately when she saw the massive couch flying at her!

-$3,269.99

Victoria’s newly bought sofa crashed into Snowsnake’s chest, sending her flying out through the front door and taking a hefty chunk of the whole house with it. You couldn’t calculate the damage for that, so you’d have to just play it by ear.

You ran outside to follow her, and she was already back on her feet. You heard some very disturbing cracking noises coming from her left arm, and you were mildly surprised to see that it had already healed. On the bright side, though, she seemed to have dropped one of her swords, and she was no longer holding your loved ones hostage.

Now, you were free to fight her without holding back!

Snowsnake rolled her neck a few times, and then brought her remaining sword up to eye level as she gripped it with both hands. Neither of you moved. It was a showdown so intense that you could only compare it to the old westerns that your Dad loves to watch. Except, instead of a tumbleweed blowing by, you could see Cindy and Ana struggling with a man-sized bat.

(Cont.)
>>
What will you do?

>Toss an Electrified Web Bomb at her.
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet.
>Get in close and activate your Slip Component!
>Attach your Silver Knife to a webline and whip it at her.
>Load her up with silver bullets!
>Pick up her lost sword and cut her to ribbons!
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5210697
>Toss an Electrified Web Bomb at her.
>Load her up with silver bullets!
The Baroness blood better have some good loot in her main hideout
>>
>>5210696
>>Toss an Electrified Web Bomb at her.
and when she tries to dodge that.
>Attach your Silver Knife to a web line and whip it at her.
>>
>>5210696
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet.
>Get in close and activate your Slip Component!
>>
>>5210697
>Pick up her lost sword and cut her to >Toss an Electrified Web Bomb at her.
>>
>>5210697
>>Attach your Silver Knife to a webline and whip it at her.
>>
>>5210697
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet in her face
>Toss an Electrified Web Bomb at her.
>Grab a lamp post and swing for the fences.
>>
>>5210700
>>5210706
Stop that, she's a ninja vampire, that is just going to make us lose our knife.
>>
>>5210697
>Load her up with silver bullets!
WELCOME TO AMERICA.
>>
>>5210697
>>Load her up with silver bullets!
>>
>>5210711
that's what the net's for.
>>
>>5210699
>>5210700
>>5210706
>>5210710
>>5210712
>>5210719
And the winners are:

>Toss an Electrified Web Bomb at her.
and
>Load her up with silver bullets!

Roll 1d100, bo3!
>>
Rolled 79 (1d100)

>>5210731
Fail
>>
>>5210739
Damnit.
>>
Rolled 67 (1d100)

>>5210731
nat 1
>>
Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>5210731
nat 1
>>
Rolled 52 (1d100)

>>5210731
>>
Man, us, the man-spider'd lizard, and now man-bats? If that last one isn't just vampire BS then we should probably look into all this beast man hybrid fuckery; one's an incident and two's coincidence, but three's a goddamn pattern. Hell, if you count Connors as two, you straight up have enough for a warrant!
>>
>>5210779
Maybe the real beast is man?
>>
>>5210780
Or maybe, AND JUST MAYBE, the real monsters are the friends we make along
>>
>>5210746
>>5210752
>>5210753
Writing...
>>
>>5210739
Oh wait. You too
>>
>>5210800
How did you miss the first roll?
>>
>>5210798
>>5210800
>>5210806
this really be a bruh moment
>>
>>5210806
>>5210809
Just kind of, uhh, came back, sat down in my chair, scrolled all the way down, saw three rolls and was like: "Aight cool"
>>
File: Spoiler Image (171 KB, 806x745)
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>79

You were the first to move, reaching into a your utility belt and tossing out a Electrified Web Bomb. Snowsnake reacted by trying to slice it in half. And she succeeded in doing so, but she wasn’t able to escape the tangle of webbing that escaped the spherical projectile as soon as it made contact with air.

Whatever she had done to damage the device, however, seemed to lower its effectiveness in shocking its target. She looked less bothered by the electricity and more so by the webs that had ensnared her arms and hair.

Not caring about the finer details, you drew your pistols and started to fire upon her. Each and every one hit their target. Some penetrated her body completely, but most got stuck part way through. To her credit, she didn’t cry out in pain or convulse like normal people did when they got shot. She kinda just…ignored it while she cut herself free.

Despite being covered in bullet holes and losing massive amounts of blood, her speed didn’t seem to take a hit at all. When she moved, it was a blur. You were barely able to track her with your guns, even with your astounding reflexes. She was so fast, in fact, that you were pretty sure she was leaving actual after-images!

Now, whenever one of your shots was supposed to hit her, she just parried it with her blade and kept running. By the time you’d emptied your clips and moved to reload, you started to notice the bloody, crushed silver bullets that now littered the floor. Snowsnake was actually digging the bullets out! Wasn’t this shit supposed to be lethal to vamps!?

Once you finished reloading, Snowsnake momentarily slowed her movement in order to turn and reorient herself. You were about to fire, when…there was a woman behind her. She wasn’t there before. You were sure of it.

It must’ve come as a surprise to Snowsnake too, because she quickly turned around, only to find a…metal cross pointed at her chest?

The woman’s fingers moved ever so slightly, and Snowsnake suddenly had a gaping hole in her chest and back. Chunks of what you could only assume was her spine flew out as she hit the floor, twitching and bleeding profusely.

“Phew! This one heals quickly!” said the woman in a distinct French accent. “Judging by the state of her, she must only be alive due to sheer force of will at this point. That was quite an impressive display from you.” she continued, giving you a light round of applause.

Not wanting to take any chances, you trained your guns on her, only to have her throw her hands up in surrender.

“I mean you no harm, Monsieur! Your bullets would be far better spent on her than me, non?” she asked, gesturing at Snowsnake. “She will be regenerating shortly.”

(Cont.)
>>
Keeping one of your guns trained on the French woman, you slowly approached Snowsnake. When you were right over her, you aimed for the opening in her mask and emptied your clip into her face. At some point, she stopped moving entirely, and the French woman nodded in approval.

“Very good, sir. You have the makings of a vampire slayer, if I do say so myself.”

“Yeah? And who are you supposed to be?” you asked, not able to take the edge out of your voice.

“Oh! Pardon, Monsieur. How rude of me.” she said, giving you a light bow. She took a step towards you, entering the range of a nearby streetlight and you finally got a good look at her.

She was tall, slender and had dark brown, curly hair dangling past her shoulders. She wore a black bodysuit with the symbol of a large, red cross across her chest and stretching down to where her belly-button should be.

“My name is Louise. I am a member of the Nightguard. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” she said with a bow and a curtsy. When she lifted the edges of her cloak, she revealed an assortment of weapons and gadgets that looked both simple and deadly as hell. Stakes, hand-grenades...a giant fuck-all laser rifle on her back? Why didn't she just use that one instead!?

“I am here to invite you to the Midnight Mission.” Louise declared, pulling out a folded piece of paper and offering it to you.

What will you do?

>”Sorry, lady. I don’t have time to learn about the ‘good news’.”
>”Hold up. Run it back. What’s a ‘Nightguard’, and what the hell is a ‘Midnight Mission?’”
>”Is that a, uh…Cross Pistol? Does that actually work?”
>”If you were here, you should’ve come out to help earlier! I've got two girls over there getting chased by a giant mutant bat!”
>”You wouldn’t know how to vampire-proof a house, would you?”
>”A little young to be killing vampires, aren’t you?”
>Write-in.
>>
>>5210870
>>”You wouldn’t know how to vampire-proof a house, would you?”
>>
>>5210870
>"Walk and talk. I gotta make sure THE FUCKING CIVILIANS aren't in any danger first!" (Head inside and check on Vic and Peter)
If I was Benny, I'd be absolutely pissed off at how she's treating this like a job interview while my family might still be in danger.
>>
>>5210870
>”Is that a, uh…Cross Pistol? Does that actually work?”
Sucks that we aren't a true believer
>”Hold up. Run it back. What’s a ‘Nightguard’, and what the hell is a ‘Midnight Mission?’”
>>
>>5210870
>”Sorry, lady. I don’t have time to learn about the ‘good news’. I've got two girls over there getting chased by a giant mutant bat”
>>
>”Hold up. Run it back. What’s a ‘Nightguard’, and what the hell is a ‘Midnight Mission?’”
>”Is that a, uh…Cross Pistol? Does that actually work?”
>”If you were here, you should’ve come out to help earlier! I've got two girls over there getting chased by a giant mutant bat!”
>”You wouldn’t know how to vampire-proof a house, would you?”

I'd say these 4 are probably best. I don't think we should be joining no nightguard or midnight mission though. We already have so many issues and things on our plate right now I don't know if it's really beneficial to be joining whoever they are, when we are trying to build a criminal empire (assuming we still want to do that, truthfully I'd rather Benny, while obviously a thief become something more of a gentleman thief like lupin the third, with a team of superpowered allies that can help him).

I do however think it might be a good idea to meet the nightguard people, and persuade them to help with the vampire problem, just not join them.
>>
>>5210888
>>5210870
Fuck forgot to reply directly. First time actually taking part in one of these things sorry
>>
>>5210553
I might. I do enjoy comics I just get really autistic about wanting to read stuff from the beginning and following continuity but with Marvel it's obviously completely fucked. So Im familiar with some of these characters, main ones obviously like daredevil, hobbies, vulture etc but plenty of had to look up like typhoid Mary or most of these vampire dudes apart from morbius and that's only due to the movie coming out soon
>>
>>5210895
(Gonna go on a bit of a rant here. You've been warned.)

Marvel's continuity is super fucked at this point. Not nearly as bad as DC's but still bad because of retcons and writers and editors fighting for dominance. Take Spencer's Spider-Man run, for example. He had to spend so much fucking time undoing the bullshit that was Dan Slott's run. A new writer either plays off of the previous writer's works, or they do everything within their power to make it so that none of it actually stuck around for too long.

You'd go crazy if you tried to read a character's history from the beginning, while checking in on their appearances from tie-ins, team-ups and events. This is why a good chunk of people prefer manga, because it usually only has one writer, and the story is generally straightforward with a beginning and end. Comic characters aren't allowed to have endings because they have history, are considered national treasures, and editorial doesn't truly have faith in all the legacy characters that they've been introducing. This is exactly why characters like Miles suffer so much. Marvel isn't allowing him to be considered important, and they have no plans of sidelining Peter, so they just end up stunting Miles' development as a character. He already had it bad enough when he had Bendis writing him, because despite having made so many black OC's, Bendis has absolutely no idea how to write a black character with a personality or a shred of culture.

TLDR:
I'm going to give you the best advice you can possibly hear if you want to get into comics. Read what you like. Continuity be damned.
>>
>>5210905
I will certainly try. At least I have this quest, which is at least introducing me to new characters I may not know or only have passing understanding of.

So yeah thanks for this it's neat.
>>
>>5210870
>I don't know if you noticed, but I'm a bit occupied right now with two civilians usef as hostage and my friends over there sealing with the man bat thing.
>So how about we do this job interview after the place is secured, the people are umhypnotized and the monsters are dead?
>>
>>5210870
>"you can summarize your episode of claw patrol later."
>Dash in to check on Vic and Pete.
>>
>>5210870
>”Hold up. Run it back. What’s a ‘Nightguard’, and what the hell is a ‘Midnight Mission?’”
>”You wouldn’t know how to vampire-proof a house, would you?”
>>
>>5210870
>"Walk and talk. I gotta make sure THE FUCKING CIVILIANS aren't in any danger first!" (Head inside and check on Vic and Peter)
>>
>"Walk and talk. I gotta make sure THE FUCKING CIVILIANS aren't in any danger first!" (Head inside and check on Vic and Peter)
>>
>>5210933
This, pretty much. Gotta help the civilians real fast and go help with the Man-Bat.

Man, you guys basically did everything I would have done anyway but I still feel bad for having fallen asleep MSQ is based as fuck.

>>5210905
Hahaha, do not read the new Hulk comic; you might literally shit your pants and fall dead right then and there like I almost did.
>>
>>5210870
>Turn 360 degrees and go check on Vic and Peter
>>
>>5210870
>"Walk and talk. I gotta make sure THE FUCKING CIVILIANS aren't in any danger first!" (Head inside and check on Vic and Peter)

This goofy bitch is doing her whole intro while vic is basically out of a house. At least we have a reason to get them a proper place now. Unless we're paying to rebuild the current place.


Also the cat's basically out of the bag. We should tell vic about our identity as Huntsman. Further lying about it is just going to create more problems. What would we even say "yeah i was on my way but this superhero guy managed to get here before me lmao"

She's not stupid. She'll probably piece together that Huntsman showed up lile five minutes after she called us. Also if we come clean now we won't have to bullshit about where the money for house repair is coming from
>>
>>5210870
>"Walk and talk. I gotta make sure THE FUCKING CIVILIANS aren't in any danger first!" (Head inside and check on Vic and Peter)
>>
>>5211199
in this case, our superhero persona is spider-man, not huntsman
>>
>>5211199
Nah, people don't know Spidey can and does explosions IIRC, that needs to remain a Huntsman thing.

Look, we just leave the scene after cleaning up this other fangnigger, show up 5 minutes later as Ben all huffing and puffing and ask them if everything's okay.

Then we help them with acquiring new stuff by calling in favors from friends of ours (we'll actually be paying with money though). We'll admit it was probably because of Cindy and her cult-related background, and that it was our fault for bringing her here, so we're doing it out of guilt.

Everything will be squared with way more effort put into maintaining a veil than you see in pretty much any superhero genre work. Noo need to tell them anything yet.
>>
>>5210883
>>5211043
>>5211091
>>5211199
>>5211203
Writing...
>>
>>5211239
nah, we messed up, badly.
we have to tell Vic the truth
>>
>>5211267
we literally don't though
>>
File: 15820.jpg (52 KB, 400x400)
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Instead of taking the paper, you immediately turned around and started running. “Walk and talk. I gotta make sure THE FUCKING CIVILIANS aren’t in any danger first!” you exclaimed.

Her easy smile fell away as she fell into step with you, and she took on a much more serious expression. “Of course. Je suis désolé.” she said, bowing her head slightly. “What happened to them?”

“Snowsnake put them into a trance, I think.” you said, vaulting over the broken sofa and running up the front steps. Louise tried to follow you through the front door, but she was suddenly stopped by Cindy, who was holding her bo-staff up in a threatening manner.

“If it makes you feel any better, I can guarantee that Snowsnake didn’t bite either of them.” Louise explained. “Her hypnosis would not work on a turned human. It’s likely that she spared them because she thought they had more value as hostages instead of as thralls…or food.”

You entered the living room to find both Vic and Pete lying on the floor, seemingly unconscious. You checked their necks for wounds, but couldn’t find any. At least there was some merit to what this crazy lady was talking about.

“Don’t worry. They’re just in shock. Being hypnotized is quite stressful for humans.” Louise said from the door, attempting to peek past Cindy’s staff. “They should be alright after a bit of rest.”

You looked at her, and then fixed your gaze on Cindy’s back. “What happened to the bat creature?” you asked.

Cindy looked back at you, paused, and then pointed at Louise.

“She shot it out of the sky, earlier.” said a familiar voice. It was Anastasia, approaching Louise from behind. Cindy didn’t look like she wanted to let her inside, either. “I have never seen a weapon like that before. What is it?” she asked Louise with more than a little interest.

Louise removed the handheld cannon from her back and held it up for everyone to see. It sort of looked like a portal gun with glowing vents on the front. “This is an Ultraviolet Light Projector. It has the power of 15 tanning beds and can fry a vampire in half a second.” she explained. “It does have a bit of a cooldown period, however. After I used it on Carpathian, I could not use it again for at least 3 minutes.”

“Carpathian?” you said.

“The ‘giant mutant bat’, as you called it. I have been pursuing Carpathian and Snowsnake for some time now. By the time I had arrived, you had already engaged them.” she said, sounding apologetic. “If I had known that they were using hostages, I would have checked on them first. Once more, you have my deepest apologies.”

Since both vamps had been dusted, and Pete and Vic were both safe, you’d have to try and come up with a believable story for when they finally woke up. And then there was the matter of Louise and Anastasia being here.

(Cont.)
>>
What will you say?

>”Everyone except the little girl needs to leave. Like, right now.”
>(Look to Louise)”Let’s talk outside. Then, you’re gonna explain everything.”
>”Did those two come alone, or is there an army of vampires on its way here?”
>”I don’t suppose either of you knows how to vampire-proof a house?”
>”How’d they even get in here? I thought vampires couldn’t enter private residences without permission.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5211290
>(Look to Louise)”Let’s talk outside. Then, you’re gonna explain everything.”
>”How’d they even get in here? I thought vampires couldn’t enter private residences without permission.
>”Did those two come alone, or is there an army of vampires on its way here?”
All very pertinent questions.
>>
>>5211290
>>(Look to Louise)”Let’s talk outside. Then, you’re gonna explain everything.”
>>”Did those two come alone, or is there an army of vampires on its way here?”
>>”I don’t suppose either of you knows how to vampire-proof a house?”
>>”How’d they even get in here? I thought vampires couldn’t enter private residences without permission.
>>Write-in.
"That laser duster wouldn't happen to be commercially available, would it?"
>>
>>5211290
>”I don’t suppose either of you knows how to vampire-proof a house?”
>”How’d they even get in here? I thought vampires couldn’t enter private residences without permission
By what Vic said on the phone us, I think snowflake hypnotized Peter and had him give permission
>>
>>5211301
Well ain't that some fucking shit. Rationally-written villains, man.
>>
>>5211300
+1 except the write-in
Something tells me it's either a weapon made by their faction, and unless we join they're not going to give it so easily

Also anons, what if we call Morbius and ask about Louise, the Nightguards and the Midnight Mission? But of course, after we have the problem with Vic and Pete solved, even maybe tell Cindy to stay with them while Anastasia, Louise and us go for the last of those fuckers

Jeez, after this maybe a little vacation trip to visit Flint would be nice.
>>
>>5211311
Wouldn't hurt to ask, would it? It's not like it's a good weapon to use against nonvampires compared to just, y'know, a normal gun. She doesn't seem autistic enough to take offense at that.
>>
>>5211239
Actually yeah good point this makes more sense. Let's keep the charade going.

>>5211311
Seconding this. Let's get Morbius' thoughts on this. And seeing Flint later wouldn't be bad
>>
>>5211290
Oh shit I forgot to mention
>Grab Snowsnake's swords
Those things are probably fucking QUALITY.
>>
>>5211328
Fuck, this. Good catch, anon.
>>
>>5211308
Rule-lawyers powergaming their weakness away are dangerous.
Next they are going to find a way around their weakness of garlic, flowing water and sunlight on a technicality, like the munchkins that they are.
>>
>>5211290
>"You've been pursuing those two, and when they entered a residential building you didn't think they might have hostages? Have you considered the possibility that you suck at vampire hunting?"
>”How’d they even get in here? I thought vampires couldn’t enter private residences without permission."
>”I don’t suppose either of you knows how to vampire-proof a house?”
>>5211328
+1

>>5211239
>>5211271
>>5211318
fine, but we need to know...

>>5211290
>"What exactly will they remember?"
>>
>>5211340
>Garlic
N95 face mask. Nobody would bad an eye at somebody wearing one now.
>Flowing water
Just go under it.
>Sunlight
Badass sunscreen, hoodies, and sunglasses.
>>
File: 1617056045253.jpg (585 KB, 931x1432)
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>>5211340
See the guy on the upper left, with the minigun? That's Dracula's son. You can look forward to meeting him now that we've dusted a few of his "friends".
>>
>>5211353
Aww hes got a mini Man-Thing on his shoulder
>>
>>5211350
face masks help against bacteria or viruses, the scale of a cell
smells like garlic are the size of molecules
that's why you can smell farts through masks
just claim you'Re going to a cyperpunk rave and wear a legit gasmask
>>
>>5211353
Looks like a swell guy desu.
...You think Ol' Vlad would be mad if we delivered his head to his court?
>>
>>5211363
If he fucked with our family, I don't care if Galactus himself takes umbrage desu. Besides, he and his dad don't always get along.
>>
>>5211365
Oh no trust me, anybody who fucks with the Parker clan is getting a rocket propelled foot up their ass.
Could be some masked goon, could be the Phoenix Force. Doesn't matter.
>>
>>5211350
>>5211362
>>5211353
Shit, it seems he took the advice to heart.
I'm now glad we got the bomb power (both the mark and torch upgrade), we are going to need all the firepower w ecan get.
As for the flowing water, I was thinking of infiltrating the city council and piping the rivers and streams
>>
>>5211384
We COULD just have a moat installed around Vic's place. We'll pretend it's a really long Koi pond.
>>
>>5211290
>(Look to Louise)”Let’s talk outside. Then, you’re gonna explain everything.”
>"You've been pursuing those two, and when they entered a residential building you didn't think they might have hostages? Have you considered the possibility that you suck at vampire hunting?"
>”Did those two come alone, or is there an army of vampires on its way here?”
>Grab Snowsnake's swords
>>
>>5211293
>>5211300
>>5211301
>>5211311
>>5211318
>>5211328
>>5211333
>>5211341
>>5211403
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...
>>
You surveyed the damage that you’d caused during your fight with Snowsnake, and eventually, your gaze fell upon Louise, staring at you over Cindy’s head.

“Let’s talk outside. Then, you’re gonna explain everything.” you said, picking up both Vic and Pete and placing them on the couch. You’d move them to their rooms later. Doing it now would imply that you knew where their bedrooms were, and that wasn’t something that you wanted to reveal to anyone else but Cindy at this very moment.

Louise nodded and stepped away from the door. Cindy finally let her guard down, and you patted her on the head as you passed her on the way out.

“Watch those two.” you quietly instructed her. She nodded and gave you a firm salute before heading back inside.

Once you were reasonably far away from the house, you started asking some of the pressing questions that’d been rattling around in your head.

“Did those two come alone, or is there an army of vampires on its way here?” you asked.

Louise shook her head. “Snowsnake is usually more discreet. She always gives her reports in person. Her bringing Carpathian along while she’s hunting is a bit of a surprise, though.” she said, glancing back at the charred remains of the giant bat. “From what I could tell, Snowsnake was tracking something for several days before she ended up here. I followed her through back-alleys, rooftops, the sewers, and eventually here.”

You hoped that she didn’t run into Callisto on her way here. Judging from what you just experienced, you don’t think she’d be capable of winning that fight.

“I don’t suppose you know how to vampire-proof a house?” you asked.

Louise rubbed her chin thoughtfully and nodded. “Try hanging dogwood blossoms outside your house. Vampires detest the smell. Some runic symbols carved into the sides might also do you some good.” she suggested.

“I was thinking we could build a moat all around the house, actually.” you put in.

Louise snapped her fingers and grinned at you. “That’s not a bad idea, actually. If you can afford it, or if you’re willing to do some manual labor, it might be worth trying out.”

You laughed to yourself, then. This girl had absolutely no idea how loaded you were. You could either buy Vic and Pete a new house, or help them rebuild their current one. Relocating might be the smarter option, but you aren’t sure if it would be well-received. Moving is never easy. Especially for kids.

“Come to think of it, how’d they even get in here?” you said. “I thought vampires couldn’t enter private residences without permission.”

“It’s likely that Snowsnake hypnotized one of them and forced them to allow her entry. She probably targeted the little one.” Louise explained.

“These vampires are getting crafty.” Anastasia groaned.

(Cont.)
>>
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Louise folded her arms over her chest and breathed a long sigh. “It is actually a common trick for modern vampires to use. They have had hundreds of years to think of ways to circumvent their weaknesses. The stronger the vampire, the more difficult it becomes to resist their temptations.”

While the two of them chatted, you pulled out your phone and signaled for them to give you a moment alone. You quickly dialed Morbius’ number on your burner and waited for him to pick up, but to your surprise, no one answered. After two or three more tries, you eventually gave up and decided to leave a message.

You’d been hoping that he could provide you with some context on the whole “Nightguard” and “Midnight Mission” thing. Could something have happened to him? It might be worth paying him a visit sometime later.

On your way back, you spotted one of the swords that Snowsnake dropped during your fight. It must’ve flown all the way out here when you hit her with Vic’s couch. From there, you managed to locate Snowsnake’s body once more. Anastasia must’ve dragged it out of the middle of the road. You easily ripped the remaining sword from her cold dead hands and webbed both of them to your back. You’d have to figure out what to do with them later.

When you returned to the group, both sets of eyes fell on you, and then your swords. Annie in particular looked very impressed by their beauty. Even she could tell that they’d fetch a large price on the Black Market.

“Huntsman,” Anastasia began. “I think this woman knows the ‘White One’.” she said, pointing a thumb at Louise.

You looked at her sharply. “The other hunter?”

Both nodded.

“I probably should have mentioned this earlier, but Monsieur Knight sent me. He expressed a great interest in meeting that demoiselle over there.” she said, pointing back at the house. Was she talking about Cindy?

Once more, Louise pulled out a folded slip of paper and offered it to you. “I have been tasked with bringing you back to the Midnight Mission, so that we might come up with a way to drive Baroness Blood’s forces out of this city.” Louise explained. “He only asked to see the girl, but from what I’ve seen, I believe that you would be of some use to us as well.”

What will you say?

>”So…this isn’t some weird religious recruitment drive?”
>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>”You never really explained the whole ‘Nightguard’ thing. Mind elaborating on that?”
>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
>”I’m not going anywhere with you until I can reach one of my trusted sources.”
>(Accept the paper)”Alright, fine. Does it matter when I show up?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5211480
Info dump time
So…this isn’t some weird religious recruitment drive?”
>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>”You never really explained the whole ‘Nightguard’ thing. Mind elaborating on that?”
>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
>>
>>5211480
>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>"Is there a reason "Monsieur Knight" sent you as opposed to coming himself? Seems like this would have been right up his alley."
>>
>>5211480
>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>”You never really explained the whole ‘Nightguard’ thing. Mind elaborating on that?”
>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
We should move Vic and Pete to a safer place until their house is safe and intact
>>
>>5211504
Remember we're still huntsman. They don't need to know. Benny can provide them a place but huntsman shouldn't.
>>
>>5211480
>”So…this isn’t some weird religious recruitment drive?”
>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
>”I’m not going anywhere with you until I can reach one of my trusted sources."
>>
>>5211504
+1 to the votes and the part of movin Vic and Pete.

Man, this really is a shitshow and I love it. Good to see we're taking part not only in the gang aspect of the city but also the supernatural.
>>
>>5211509
What if once Pete and Vic woke up, we tell Cindy to hide somewhere and say that where here for a favor?

Remember the Calisto problem in the sewer? It was a bunch of weird shit happening in the call, and also the final message. We can easily sell the narrative that us, as Huntsman came here because of Calisto, maybe say we came here as a favor of a friend or something. Once Vic ask us as Ben, we can say that we called our friend that got in trouble that called her and maybe that's why Huntsman appeared

Of course let's not say names at all, and say that in our way here there was something weird and the taxi we took lost it's energy with all the street, so that's why we came so late.
>>
>>5211518
Agreed. I don't want them to know we're huntsman bc I don't want Pete to see us as a killer.
>>
>>5211509
>Remember we're still Huntsman. They don't need to know. Benny can provide them a place but huntsman shouldn't.
We'll just say that we purchased some property, which is 100% true, and invite them to stay until the repairs and renovations to Vic's house are finished.
Said renovations being
>A new garden (Dogwood blossoms)
>An extended water feature (Moat)
>Exterior Lights (Dual LED/UV projectors)
>New doors for the whole house (Wards scribed onto the door knobs and door frames)
That last one might require somebody with more supernatural expertise, but I get the feeling we're about to meet the right people for that.
>>
>>5211524
Sounds like a plan
>>
>>5211480
>"Do we know why this family was attacked?"
>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>”You never really explained the whole ‘Nightguard’ thing. Mind elaborating on that?”
>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
>>
>>5211480
>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>”You never really explained the whole ‘Nightguard’ thing. Mind elaborating on that?”
>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
>This better not be something about a moon cult, it has hurt her enough.
>>
>>5211526
Oh I also forgot, we're getting Vic a gun.
Now I don't expect her to be an expert marksman or anything, but we're not always gonna be around and she clearly needs some means of protecting herself.
Also, one more thing.
Are we gonna tell Vic that was a vampire?
Obviously we're not gonna tell Pete, but Vic might need to know in the future.
>>
>>5211543
Yes, ninja vampires are a thing, and she needs to know, she also needs a smoothbore shotgun with silver slugs.
>>
>>5211543
We already told her about cult looking for Cindy, so why not?

But of course, we need to tell her not to be a complete paranoid psycho about it
>>
>>5211554
I think what we need to do is get her some anti- vampire hypnosis charms for herself and Peter, in addition to some silvered bullets, a permit to carry and own a firearm, and a glock. We should probably ask how Vic and Peter feel about moving some place else and if there were any down payments on the house. Did she own it, or still paying for it?
>>
>>5211567
I'm sure neither of them want to move, not should they have to.
All we need to do is make sure intruders can't just walk into the house, be they mundane or supernatural.
>>
>>5211480
>>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>>”You never really explained the whole ‘Nightguard’ thing. Mind elaborating on that?”
>>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
>>(Accept the paper)”Alright, fine. Does it matter when I show up?”

>>5211543
I'm fine with telling her if we can spin the info as having come from our "contacts" and the Huntsman isn't mentioned whatsoever, other than maybe us have a passing knowledge of him being a thing.

>>5211524
That sounds time- and money-consuming to the point where if we have the top two done and go all out on dusting the leeches after them it would do a lot more to keep them safe.

Also pretty sure that an untrained normie like Vic is basically nothing to a vamp with or without a gun, regardless of caliber or gauge, silvered munition or not.
>>
>>5211579
Do you think Vic can get some insurance money out of this?
>>
Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>5211603
let's see what the dice says
>>
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>>5211606
>mfw legally labeled an act of god
>>
>>5211616
Well, God is technically responsible for Cain's curse.
It probably isn't the origin for vampires in this universe, but the judge doesn't need to know that detail.
>>
>”Tell me more about this ‘Midnight Mission’. What exactly is it?”
>”You never really explained the whole ‘Nightguard’ thing. Mind elaborating on that?”
>”What’s this other hunter like? Why’s he want to see Cindy?”
>>
>>5211480
hey QM can this count?
>>5211603
>>5211606
>>
>>5211630
Straight from the Marvel Database...though the World of Darkness origin is ten times more interesting.
>>
>>5211640
Oh wait shit, apparently this Varnae dude fought Conan.
That Conan. Fucking baller.
I wonder if his sword is still around...
>>
>>5211643
We already got a violent fuck machine with kitty Kraven, she will turn into a lamprey and drain Benny's soul through his balls if he does the Conan pose.
>>
>>5211509
Okay, if Vic doesn't figure out that Ben is a costumed individual with superpowers, then the hypnotism must have leeched half her brain.

Her chronically crime prone brother who has never had much money on hand shows up one day out of nowhere after being out of touch for who knows how long. He is now buff as hell, might actually be taller, and looks better than he did when he was a teen. At he same time he seems to have a ton of disposable cash to throw around and buys his nephew a bunch of gifts that he probably couldn't afford normally. He keeps truly bizarre hours, shows up with bruises and cuts that seem to disappear overnight, and gets vague but threatening phone calls. After said phone calls he rushes out like his ass is on fire and doesn't return. When he does come home he has a mute little girl with him who seems stuck to his side, but who obviously isn't his daughter. Then a Japanese vampire dual wielding katanas with a snake skull on her head breaks in. Shortly after calling said brother for help the entire house is trashed and the vampire is dead.

Anything OTHER than superpowers is actually WAY worse at this point.
>>
>>5212332
Clark Kent
>>
>>5212332
>He is now buff as hell, might actually be taller, and looks better than he did when he was a teen
Been working out and standing up straighter as a result.
>At he same time he seems to have a ton of disposable cash to throw around and buys his nephew a bunch of gifts that he probably couldn't afford normally.
Just finally made it big by doing some jobs for a big name, say, like Tombstone.
>He keeps truly bizarre hours, shows up with bruises and cuts that seem to disappear overnight, and gets vague but threatening phone calls.
Bizarre hours come with the territorry, since she knows we're a criminal, and she never really caught the bruises. Callisto's weird call was because of the moon cult as well and it's how we originally became Cindy's guardian.
>After said phone calls he rushes out like his ass is on fire and doesn't return.
We're responsible in our own way.
>When he does come home he has a mute little girl with him who seems stuck to his side, but who obviously isn't his daughter.
Just found her on the street and our fatherly instincts kicked in.
>Then a Japanese vampire dual wielding katanas with a snake skull on her head breaks in.
She's from the cult, it's all Cindy's baggage and not ours.
>Shortly after calling said brother for help the entire house is trashed and the vampire is dead.
This city's apparently as full of notable vampire hunters as it is full of notable vampires. It's Marvel's NYC, weirder things are true about this place, and sometimes civilians like us and Vic get caught up in them.

After a lifetime of knowing that we're a mundane human, her idea of who we are isn't immediately going to jump to "super". It's going to jump to "causes trouble" like it habitually has, in this case by being involved in cult shit. Thus, there's no logical reason to tell her yet, and it's not convenient either before we properly separate Spider-Man from the Huntsman.
>>
>>5212340
I'm reading this as Ben employing the shaggy defense against Vic's accusations.
>>
>>5212348
that's why I wanted to ask what they'll remember of tonight.
to come up with a good excuse quickly
we're also really tired, having cleared one vamp boss, fucked to dehydration and then ran to fight another.
>>
>>5212353
It would be harmless and useful to ask but I'm too lazy to go properly support it outside of this post
>>
>>5212348
>the shaggy defense
Which is?
>>
>>5212447
actual legal terminology where you answer each segment of an acusation categorically and treat it as basically just a pile of unrelated oddities that all have their explanation
>>
>>5212449
Thank you for the explanation, I'll be sure to employ this more irl
>>
>>5211482
>>5211500
>>5211504
>>5211510
>>5211530
>>5211534
>>5211595
>>5211635
Taking the most popular rolls. Writing...

>>5211603
>>5211606
>>5211616
>>5211637
You know, what? Sure. She'll just have to see how much of it her "Metahuman Disaster Premium" actually covers. Keep in mind that an investigation will be required to prove whether there were actual Metahumans present during the incident.

Make sure you get your excuses in order, anons. You'll need them for when Vic and Pete wake up eventually.
>>
I'd like to keep a closer eye on the two of them until the vampire stuff is taken care off
that's why I think should we owe up to the fact that they were after Cindy
And when everyone who might feel the need to go after Cindy, us, or them by extention, Vic can go back to her life and hate us.
>>
>>5212488

Meh, just feign ignorance for now, and a few days later we can just tell her stuff we heard from our "contacts", like how the cultists are vampires going after Cindy and tracked her there, and that this new guy in town is apparently hunting vampires along with these other guys, and they arrived just before we did thankfully and must have smashed her things in the fight.

We'll pay for all of it because we're at fault for bringing her there.

We lately have more money and info because we got "in" with an unspecified bigshot. Some of these vamp-killing vigilantes must run in similar circles sometimes for vampire-tracking purposes which is why the money and info is available to us.

If people know Cindy was here, the vampire hunters brought her because she also knows how to hunt vampires, but we weren't with her when this happened.

The real question is if it was Spider-Man or the Huntsman who was here, and my vote on that is the Huntsman because we chose to use Mark of Kaine Spidey isn't known for using (I think), and because we brought Ana, who acts far more like a villain than a hero.

Hopefully we'll get separate suits for these two personas soon because it's getting real dangerous with us doing a buncha noise with the same look.

What else am I forgetting?
>>
>>5212501
We haven't made any choice on what our identities can or cannot do or if we even have different identities. We haven't even made any effort to distinguish them and just saying "Huntsman did it" isn't gonna change anything because our current look is already known by the public eye and it's tied to "Spider-Man".
>>
>>5212508
I guess I might have arbitrarily assumed the hero version shouldn't have explosion powers because of how murdery explosions can be. Does seem like an obvious give-away if both use the Mark though.
>>
>>5212509
I don't think it's that unlikely for multiple people to have the same power, isn't there a ton of Hulks.
>>
If you guys want to start spit-balling for "Spider-Man" costumes, go right ahead. It might help to start thinking of ways to make your identities visually distinct. It won't solve all your problems, but it'd be a start.
>>
>>5212512
I think we're going to make another commission to Phin, where our current suit can change different color palates at will in addition to minor accessories.
>>
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>>5212510
They already share webs, strength, speed, agility, etc. So explosions on top of all that seem really specific to me.

>>5212512
Hmm. Picrel seems mildly amusing in its current relevance.

Part of me wants to commission two suits at once, one reskin for Spidey, and one built from the ground up for vampire-hunting for example.

There is a type of spider called argiope argentata that might serve as a model for that second one; it is nothing but a common type of garden spider with the special property of being silver in color and weaving X-shaped stabilimenta into their webs but it's the most appropriate species I could find.

We could commission a version of that UV cannon built into the suit with a vulture core attached to it to make it more viable, and built-in silver weaponry like an extending wrist blade on one side and a silver-shooting gun on the other, or web-bombs with silver woven into them, or neck armor to make that one anon who keeps voting on it happy. There could be a tiny pressurized tank of garlic gas on it with a mask that would protect our mouth and eyes from how irritating that would be, and any number of other weapons that wouldn't be useless against vampires built in on top.

I think it might be worth the money.
>>
>>5212515
Supporting that.
Fur retracting, color changing, maybe some web-armpit wing-like, with the black and neon green palette?
>>
>>5212515
>>5212534
That's cool and all, but uh, what're you gonna do with all your guns and shit? Those won't just disappear. Unless you were planning on having "Spider-Man" use firearms as well.
>>
>>5212537
backpack have been working for Peter Parker in years. What about a transformer harness turning in backpack we can web around in all confidentiality when we switch persona?
>>
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>>5212537
>>
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>>5212534
Neon green stuff I can pull up right now is either this or another one I saw a while ago that looked like Spidey fucked Prowler.

>>5212537
Hidden guns are hidden, right? We'll get rid of the normal guns we keep around, try to upgrade the hidden guns yet again with silencers and just never reveal them as Spider-Man outside of extreme emergencies. The extra clips can go into really hidden pockets.
>>
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>>5212543
I remember thinking that this Miles'/Prowler suit concept was neat
>>
>>5212543
Yeah, I like this one.
>>
So we need a primary set for huntsman and a primary set for Spider-Man, and all the gear one has that the other doesn't, we should be able to quickly remove, even if just by webbing to an out of reach place. That'd also mean that if we do a quick change, we also have the least paraphenalia on hand, yes. But the quick changes should not be the main goal of our ensemble, but always a quick fix so we can do something more characteristic to one persona.

>>5212526
>strength, speed, agility
those are less noticable when compared to webs and explosions at the fingertips.
We should keep explosions and guns to huntsman, obviously. Even if we keep the hidden gun as Spidey, but not the others.
I want to request a tool from Phineas to color our webbings as it comes out, so Huntsmans can be black (or grey to camoflauge on concrete)

We also totally should hire someone (Prowler) who can wear the other outfit to show up as Huntsman/Spider-Man while the other is present, or Benny needs to be.
>>
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>>5212544
That is definitely much better than what I would have posted, yeah. Here's a different thing instead.

>>5212552
Sounds good, except I'm not sure if this Prowler is trustworthy.
>>
>>5212559
>Sounds good, except I'm not sure if this Prowler is trustworthy.
Well, he already knew where we lived, and where we now have our warehouse.
Metagaming, but he did appear as Spider-Man for real Peter in the comics
>>
>>5212559
Cursed
>>
“Tell me more about this Midnight Mission. What exactly is it?” you asked.

Sensing that you wouldn’t accept the invitation right away, Louise stashed the paper away once more. Before speaking.

“The Midnight is a sanctuary that was created by Monsieur Knight as a sort of service to the travelers of the night. There, he accepts their requests for assistance and protection. He says that he believes it to be his new purpose in life.” she explained. “The house is a bit creepy, but I feel like it has some potential in making this city a safer place.”

So…something like a Heroes for Hire situation, but only for one guy. And he probably doesn’t get paid, either.

“What about the Nightguard. You never really explained much about them.” you said.

“That is because there is not much to say. Nothing that you couldn’t have guessed for yourself, at least.” Louise began. “The Nightguard is an ancient and sacred order that devotes itself to combatting the Army of Darkness. Primarily, that includes vampires. Although, we have been known to hunt other creatures from time to time.”

“I just thought you’d have a lot more to say on the matter.” you shot back.

“For all intents and purposes, it is a secret order. I’m not eager to make any of this common knowledge. Any information you have has the potential to fall into the hands of vampires.” she said, her expression becoming hard.

“Why limit yourself to only one type of prey?” Anastasia asked. “With your skills and resources, you would be effective against creatures far deadlier than this.”

Louise thought for a moment, and then clasped her hands together. “Think of vampires as an…invasive species. They prey on other humans, and they have no natural predator. Thus, they throw the ecosystem into disharmony, and hunters like us are the ones putting things right.” she said, clearly constructing the analogy to appeal directly to Annie’s sensibilities.

Anastasia nodded. “That makes sense. You aren’t hunting for personal pleasure, but you see it as a service.” she concluded.

Louise gave her an almost reverential bow. “Just as well. The Nightguard do not seek to gain anything from the extermination of vampires, other than the safety of the common people.”

You weren’t sure how much of that was true, but Louise seemed genuine enough on the surface. You had no immediate reasons to distrust her words.

“What about the other hunter? What’s he like?” you asked. “And what’s he want with Cindy?”

Your question seemed to catch Louise off-guard, as she paused to stare at you pointedly. She thought for a long moment before responding. “He is…hard to describe. Monsieur Knight is a colorful individual, but he is also one facet of a whole man.” she offered.

(Cont.)
>>
You crossed your arms and shifted your weight to another leg. “You’re gonna have to give me a better explanation than that.”

Her mouth twisted to one side and she seemed to consider her next words more carefully. “Direct contact with his God has left his mind…fractured. It is to my understanding that he possesses multiple personalities that he freely switches between, each one representing another face of Khonshu. And he believes that ‘Cindy’ is another representation of Khonshu’s will.” she proclaimed.

“So…he’s crazy.” you said.

Anastasia nodded in agreement.

Louise frowned at both of you. “I suppose it may seem that way to anyone that hasn’t been touched by the divine, but I am confident that Monsieur Knight wouldn’t harm anyone that didn’t deserve his wrath. He only enacts vengeance on those that harm the travelers of the night.”

Well that’s worrying. You’re pretty sure that you’d fall into that exact category. You might have to be careful meeting this “Monsieur Knight”.

Louise cast a glance over her shoulder and sighed. “It appears that we are running out of time. The sun will be rising soon, and I have other matters to attend to.” she said, brandishing the slip of paper once more and pushing it into your hands. “Please give my offer some thought. If not for the girl, then for the good of the city.”

Before you could say anything else, she gave you a curtsy and turned to walk away. You and Anastasia watched her until she disappeared around a corner.

“I will drag the bodies into the sunlight.” she said, stepping away to fetch Snowsnake’s corpse. The sun should take care of most of the evidence. You took this opportunity to walk back into Vic’s house and check on everyone.

Cindy stifled a yawn as soon as she saw you. Vic was laid out on the couch, but Pete was nowhere to be seen. You had to assume that she brought him up to his room.

Now that there was some natural light entering the living room through the windows, you were once again reminded that you were at fault for trashing your sister’s house. You resisted the urge to start cleaning it up, though. They’d probably need to see this so you can make your story all the more convincing. You just hoped that the cops wouldn’t get involved in this whole mess.

“Looks like I’m not getting a wink of sleep anytime soon.” you groaned.

—---

After Anastasia left, you told Cindy to go hide somewhere as you changed into your civvies and ran back to the house. Just in case anyone was watching, you made a show of looking shocked by the whole scene as you walked up the steps.

When you entered, the door was already hanging off its hinges, despite the fact that you tried your very best to close it behind you. Victoria was still on the couch, tossing and turning in her sleep. You knelt down next to her and gently shook her.

“Vic. Hey, Vic…” you said in a hushed tone.

(Cont.)
>>
Vic’s eyes flew wide open, and she backed away from you screaming. It took a whole two minutes to calm her down before you could hold an actual conversation with her.

“W-what happened? The lady with the swords…!” she muttered, before her breath caught in her throat. She looked at you sharply. “Where’s Pete!? Is he alright?”

You patted her knee and sat her back down when she tried to get up.

“Pete’s fine.” you said in a reassuring tone. “He’s upstairs sleeping. I just checked.”

Victoria nodded and tried to calm down. But her face fell when she started to survey the damage that had been done to her house during the battle.

“Goddammit…!” she cursed, placing her face in her hands and letting out a soft sob. You sat down next to her and pulled her in for a hug. The two of you sat there like that for several, long moments before either of you spoke again. You know that this couldn’t have been easy for her.

“What happened?” Vic asked. “To the lady, I mean. Did you…?”

She was clearly asking if you “took care” of her. What will you say?

>”Yeah, Vic. I ‘took care’ of it.”
>”I made a few calls to a few friends, and I think they must’ve gotten here before I did.”
>”It wasn’t me. The neighbors say that they saw Spider-Man swing in here last night.”
>”No. By the time I got here, everything was already over. I don’t know what happened.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5212580
>”No. By the time I got here, everything was already over. I don’t know what happened.”
>Write-in.
"I'll let you know as soon as I find out what happened."

The neighbors didn't tell us shit so she'd immediately find out if we picked that trap option.
>>
>>5212580
>>”Yeah, Vic. I ‘took care’ of it.”
moment of truth
>>
>>5212580
>”I made a few calls to a few friends, and I think they must’ve gotten here before I did.”
You're insured right?
>>
>>5212580
>”Yeah, Vic. I ‘took care’ of it.”
>>
>>5212587
Support
>>
>>5212580
>”Yeah, Vic. I ‘took care’ of it.”
>>
>>5212580
>”Yeah, Vic. I ‘took care’ of it.”
>>
>>5212590
>>5212610
>>5212618
>>5212626
Writing...
>>
You nodded and gently stroked her head. “Yeah, Vic. I ‘took care’ of it.” you admitted.

Victoria blinked at you in surprise. “Just like that? I thought she might have been a…a metahuman or something.” she said, stammering a bit as she continued. “Did you get hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital, or-?”

She’s not letting up. It looks like you’ll need to explain “just how” you “took care” of things.

What will you say?

>”Actually, Vic. What you encountered last night was a…ninja vampire. I killed it with a silver bullet.”
>”Don't worry, I’m fine. It’ll take a lot more than that to put me down.
>”Eh, she wasn’t so tough. She just looked a little scary. You wouldn’t have called me if you thought I couldn’t take care of things.”
>”I didn’t want to tell you this, but…I’m actually a meta too. You might’ve noticed that I’ve been healing a lot faster than usual these days.”
>”I should be asking you the same thing. She didn’t hurt you, did she?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
Depending on your answers, the next few posts might just be your sister grilling you for info while you fill in the blanks.
>>
>>5212661
>”Don't worry, I’m fine. It’ll take a lot more than that to put me down."
>”I should be asking you the same thing. She didn’t hurt you, did she?”
>>
>>5212661
>”I didn’t want to tell you this, but…I’m actually a meta too. You might’ve noticed that I’ve been healing a lot faster than usual these days.”
>”Actually, Vic. What you encountered last night was a…ninja vampire. I killed it with a silver bullet.”
>>
>>5212661
>”I didn’t want to tell you this, but…I’m actually a meta too. You might’ve noticed that I’ve been healing a lot faster than usual these days.”

She's going to notice the lapse in her memory and her thrashed house and the wreck we left behind rushing precisely here appearing on the news, sooner if not right away.

We might as well not insult her to her face now at this point.
>>
>>5212661
>”Actually, Vic. What you encountered last night was a…ninja vampire. I killed it with a silver bullet.”
>”I didn’t want to tell you this, but…I’m actually a meta too. You might’ve noticed that I’ve been healing a lot faster than usual these days.”
>”As you’ve probably already guessed, I’ve been using my powers in ways… not entirely legal. Don’t tell Peter?”
>>
>>5212667
Support
You others are going to get vic or Pete killed
>>
>>5212580
>>”Yeah, Vic. I ‘took care’ of it.”
>>
>>5212686
Why? Vampires aren’t Chaos Daemons, knowing about them doesn’t make them any more dangerous. Unless I’m missing something about Marvel vampires, of course.
>>
Fuck man, why the fuck are you gonna spill the beans this way? There's literally no reason to tell it was us, and we even pretended we came here late and all that shit just in case.

We could literally said we called for some favors and shit, fuck.

>>5212661
>Write-in.
>"Remember my friend that left me a message that other time? Well, she said she knows people, so I called her to see if they could come here"
>"If I didn't call her, maybe I would be here late..."
>”I should be asking you the same thing. She didn’t hurt you, did she?”
>>
>>5212744
Support instead
>>5212661
>>
>>5212744
I feel the same way, but the QM picked the votes and now we said too much already for her not to look at the evidence and piece things together anyway. I don't think lying's gonna work long-term and it might even make her hate us and keep us away from Pete.

I really want him to have a giant awesome workshop at our place to work his big brains, which only ends up happening if we either get Pete to lie to her or tell her the truth now and hope she at least appreciates our (somewhat late) candor.
>>
>>5212744
Supporting.
>>
>>5212667
Adding this >>5212674
>>
>>5212744
She heard Callisto's message asking Benny for help you know, that's just gonna raise more questions .
>>
>>5212661
>Write-in You've always been bright, Vic, you can tell I've changed a fair bit recently, why don't we start with you telling me what you've pieced together, then I'll fill in the blanks.
>>
>>5212911
This is pretty good, it gives her some agency. Changing my vote to this.
>>
>>5212900
She doesn't know the nature of the problem or how did we helped her. She could make things like imagining we are a meta or there has being something 100% worst.

We can literally say we picked her up and take her to somewhere else from some bastards, or we got in a gun fight with some freakish shit while trying to escape. Surely she will think where lying, but she's our sister, if we are meta our family would know from waaaay back, or even if she thinks we're a mutant then that doesn't make sense we are the only mutant ever in the Parkers.
>>
>>5212661
>>5212911
This, Vic has stood by us, she doesn't deserve to be jerked around with a ton of lies.

This also gives her an out if she really just doesn't want to know. Honestly she suspects or she would have just called the cops instead of her loser brother who lives across town.

>>5213082
metahuman abilities crop up all the time with no warning whatsoever in Marvel. You can be bog standard normal one day and heir to the God of Thunder the next.

Plus lying to her at this point is going to strain credulity. Especially going forward. If we want Vic and by extension Peter to be part of our lives going forward, then we will need to come clean sooner or later. This is as good a time as any. And Vic clearly isn't too moralistic to deal with us and our lifestyle so that's a plus.
>>
I appreciate the deep discussion regarding this. But since I woke up late from my nap, I'll be leaving this vote open until tomorrow morning. Just don't want to rush out an update without time to make it a quality one.
>>
>>5212661
>”I should be asking you the same thing. She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

>”I didn’t want to tell you this, but…I’m actually a meta too. You might’ve noticed that I’ve been healing a lot faster than usual these days.”
>>
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>>5212512
I don't have strong preferences for the new costume, but I do think we should make the new costume the Huntsman identity, and keep the current costume as Spider-Man. SHIELD has seen us up close in this costume, so it would be way too obvious to switch costumes and tell them to ignore the caped criminal running around that just so happen so happens to wear our former suit.
>>5212661
>”Actually, Vic. What you encountered last night was a…ninja vampire. I killed it with a silver bullet.”
>”I didn’t want to tell you this, but…I’m actually a meta too. You might’ve noticed that I’ve been healing a lot faster than usual these days.”
Why yes, I do like honesty, how could you tell?
>>
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>>5213486
We could get new versions of both. Cosmetic changes to the Huntsman costume shouldn't cost us a lot compared to what we have, and the Spidey suit needs a new loadout anyway because we're getting rid of the lethal stuff.

Some people did mention the possibility of a transforming suit though, with palette changes and retractable fur and moving parts and stuff to hide the lethal equipment or something. That might also be viable.
>>
>>5212744
>>5212749
>>5212838
3 votes for bringing up Callisto

>>5212911
>>5212988
>>5213120
3 votes for write-in

We're a bit tied here. Gonna wait a little while longer to see if we get anymore votes, or if anyone wants to change their vote.
>>
>>5213612

I don't know where I am, what I am doing, and what is going on, so on that basis alone I'll let whoever Vic is explain what is going on.
>>
>>5213613
You are Ben Parker, a thief with loose morales. Bitten by a radioactive spider while stealing some shit at Oscorp, you became a meta-human called Spiderman when being nice, Huntsman the rest of the time (90%).
Your best bro is Flint Marco, currently entering sandman following a fuck-up from us with Vultures.
Vic is your sister, she's in charge of your nephew Peter. And due to us adopting Cindy Moon, tracked by Vampire, Vampire knocked at her place, hypno her and Pete, and we went and wreck vampire face. Now, time to cover us up or spill the bean. I am wildly IP-Hoping, but I voted for covering us using Callisto
>>
>>5213612
I'm changing my vote to letting Vic ask questions so it wins.
>>
>>5213613
>>5213626
Taking these. Writing...
>>
oh thank fuck the clumsy lie vote lost, I nearly shit my pants when I saw it updated
>>
>>5213621
>loose morales
Let’s hope not.
>>
>>5213632
Yeah, I got nervous too since I counted a three way tie between coming fully clean, letting her ask questions and lying by mentioning Callisto, instead of a tie between the write-ins only.

>Don't worry
>>5212667
>Ask if she's hurt
>>5212667
>Admit to meta
>>5212672
>>5212674
>>5212876
>Ninja Vampire
>>5212672
>Callisto
>>5212744
>>5212749
>>5212838
>Questions
>>5212911
>>5212911
>>5213120 (maybe?)
>>
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“You’ve always been bright, Vic. You can tell that I’ve changed a fair bit, recently.” you began, trying to keep your voice steady. “Why don’t we start with you telling me what you’ve already pieced together, and I’ll fill in the blanks.” you offered.

She narrowed her eyes at you suspiciously, seeing this for the evasive move that it was. “Well…you’ve definitely bulked up some since I last saw you. You’re taller, and you’re healing way faster than you should.” she observed. “At first, I thought you had just bought a gym membership and hit a late growth spurt.”

“Growth spurt”? Seriously?

Your face must’ve given it away, because she immediately grew defensive. “What? Adult males technically don’t stop growing until they hit 25, and you've still got some time left.” she argued. “But that doesn’t quite cover the healing thing. That was a recent development, too.” she mused, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

You just remained silent and watched her while she contemplated the issue. Chances are that the conclusions she draws won’t be anywhere close to the truth. If you let her tell a different version of your truth, then you won’t have to lie as much.

“Have you been doping?” she asked suddenly.

“What? No! I’m not doping, Vic.” you said with a laugh.

Vic rolled her eyes and slapped her knees. “Then how come you’re eating pizza and Chinese takeout all day, and you’ve still got rock hard abs!? We eat the same food. I would know, because I’m the one that cooks most of the time!” she exclaimed.

“For your information, I’ve been doing a bit of cardio everyday.” you said easily. “And my new jobs have been helping me to build up some muscle.”

Vic nodded and gazed at you with renewed interest. “Right. And are these ‘new jobs’ the reason why you’ve been making all these big purchases recently?”

You nodded, but said nothing more.

“Are you sure you’re not gambling again? Is that why that lady with the swords-?”

“I’m not.” you stated firmly, looking her right in the eye as you said it. “I’m not in that kind of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble is it, then?” she asked, leaning a bit closer. “More ‘cult stuff’?”

You rubbed the back of your head and sighed. “Yeah. More cult stuff.”

Vic was massaging her cheek and letting out a slow groan, when her eyes went wide with sudden realization. “They were after the girl.” she said, not phrasing it as a question. “They came here because you helped the girl, and they thought she might still be here…”

“...Yeah. They were after Cindy.” you confirmed.

Vic’s expression turned into one of shock and horror. “Is she…?”

“She’s safe.” you confirmed. “I told her to hide while I came to check on you.”

(Cont.)
>>
“Who the hell are these guys…!?”

“Bad news.” you said with a grim expression. “I honestly didn’t think that they’d trace this back to you. That’s my bad. I never should’ve brought this to your front door.”

Vic placed a hand on top of yours and shook her head. “Don’t blame yourself. If I turned that little girl away after she’d just lost her parents, then I don’t think I’d be able to live with myself.” she said with genuine sincerity. “It’s just…this is all getting so crazy! If these people are dangerous enough to send assassins after people, then you need to get help! No more running off on your own chasing after murderous psychopaths.”

She was right. This wasn’t a job for Ben Parker, but the Huntsman might be the only hope that Cindy had if she wanted to live another night. You’d also have to do a better job of covering your tracks and protecting your kin.

“I know.” you said, gripping her hand tightly. “I won’t let anything happen to you guys. But I can’t just abandon Cindy, either.”

Vic smiled softly, then. “Oh my God. You are such a big softy when it comes to kids.” she said with a soft chuckle. “What ever happened to my super macho baby bro?”

“Oh, he’s still here. You probably just don’t recognize him because he somehow got even more buff and handsome. I didn’t even think it was possible.” you said, leaning back with a small grin.

Vic just rolled her eyes and suppressed a grin. “Alright then, macho man. Why don’t you tell me how I’m doing so far.” she said, straightening slightly. “I think you’re bullshitting me about the whole cardio and weightlifting thing. With the way you eat and the way that you laze around the house when you’re not ‘working’, there’s absolutely no way that you can keep those abs. And you shouldn’t be getting taller at your age when you’re supposedly slamming it at the gym! Even if you’re not doping, you’re definitely doing something.”

“Why do you keep bringing up my abs?” you asked.

Vic’s face flushed slightly, and she quickly shook her head before continuing. “Unimportant! The point is, I know that you’ve done something to yourself. You’ve been going through too many changes too fast. But I can see that I won’t get anywhere with that topic, so let’s move onto the money.”

Oh, boy…

“Assuming that you’re not gambling, you must be taking on some pretty shady, and dangerous, jobs. Which I don’t approve of, by the way.” she stated, fixing you with an ice cold glare. “But…I’m not Mom, and I won’t try to tell you how to live your life. All I can do is tell you to be careful, and not risk your life doing stupid shit and getting involved with dangerous people, but I’m more or less used to being ignored.”

(Cont.)
>>
“Vic, I do listen when you-” you tried to say, but she cut you off with a raised hand.

“No no no. I don’t want to hear it. ‘Listening’ implies that you actually intend to apply some of what I’ve told you. But during your time living here and ‘listening’ to my advice, would you say that your life has gotten easier, or more complicated and filled with risk?” she asked.

You honestly couldn’t answer. Nothing you could say would satisfy her at this point.

Victoria sighed and let herself sink a little deeper into the sofa. ”You know? I can almost believe that you’re genuinely telling me the truth about half of this stuff.” she began, speaking softly. “But what I still don’t understand is how you managed to get here before that sword lady did anything to us. I mean, she must’ve knocked me out somehow, but why the hell didn’t she do anything else before you showed up? That’s weird, right?” she asked, clearly not wanting to bother with your guessing game.

What will you say?

How will you explain your sudden arrival?

>”You actually did pretty good. You should look into becoming a detective or a P.I. someday.”
>”I was in the neighborhood when you called. It was dumb luck.”
>”A friend of mine ran over and held her down until I showed up.”
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”I know how to get around this city. There's shortcuts that even you don't know about."
>Write-in.

(and)

How will you explain the “weird physical changes”?

>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>”I don’t know what’s going on with me, Vic. Honest. But I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
>”Are you really about to lay into me just because I gained some muscle and heal a little bit faster? None of that actually affects you or Pete in any way.”
>”Wow. You, uh, pay a lot more attention to me than I thought.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

CAPTCHA: 04NTR
>>
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>>
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>>”I don’t know what’s going on with me, Vic. Honest. But I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
>>
>>5213697
>>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>>
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up."
>"I smuggled myself into a labd during an open day for some school trips - full disclosure would be that I tried to swipe something - but one of their exhibits got loose and injected some of it's venom into me."
>>
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>>
>>5213697
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
And
>”Wow. You, uh, pay a lot more attention to me than I thought.”
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”


>>5213695
>“Why do you keep bringing up my abs?” you asked.
>Vic’s face flushed slightly, and she quickly shook her head before continuing. “Unimportant!
Possible Spidercest route confirmed?
>>
>>5213704
Support
>>5213697
>>
Just to be absolutely certain, are you guys saying the radioactive spider bit as a joke, or are you trying to let your sister figure things out on her own? Only asking so I know how to phrase it in the write-up.
>>
>>5213734
Let her know what happened and how much we truly don't get it
>>
>”Wow. You, uh, pay a lot more attention to me than I thought.”
>”I don’t know what’s going on with me, Vic. Honest. But I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth.”
>>
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>>
>>5213734
Both
>>
>>5213734
First as a joke, and than go
"No seriously, that's what happened"
>>
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>>
>>5213760
support
>>
>>5213760
yes, this

>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>>
>>5213697
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Wow. You, uh, pay a lot more attention to me than I thought.”
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>>5213760
This.
>>
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>>5213697
>>>”You actually did pretty good. You should look into becoming a detective or a P.I. someday.”
>”That’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you. That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages until me and Cindy showed up.
>”Would you believe me if I said that I was bitten by a radioactive spider?”
>”Wow. You, uh, pay a lot more attention to me than I thought.”
Especially that last one.
>>
>>5213827
>>5213760
>Support
>>
>>5213697
>>5213734
This>>5213760
Its about perfect.
>>
Our qm has left us.
>>
>>5214155
Let him go to bed, anon. Creativity is fueled by sleep. Trust me, I'm an insomniac art school dropout.
>>
You blinked in surprise. “Wow.” you let out.

“What?”

“Nothing. It’s just…you, uh, pay a lot more attention to me than I thought.” you said.

Vic shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I’m just…very observant.” she replied at a volume that was just barely above a whisper.

“I can see that.” you chuckled softly.

“You’re deflecting again.” she said with a slight glare.

“Sorry, sorry. There’s a reason for why the sword lady did what she did. It’s because she wasn’t trying to hurt you.” you declared. “That sword lady wanted to use you and Pete as hostages for when me and Cindy showed up.”

Vic’s face fell and she shook her head slowly. “What do they want with her?”

“Not sure.” you answered honestly. “But I’m gonna find out soon.” you said, remembering the slip of paper that Louise left with you.

“I still never got an answer to my earlier questions.” Vic protested.

You half turned and grinned at her. “Would you believe me if I told you that I got bitten by a radioactive spider?”

She chuckled nervously, and you chuckled with a bit more enthusiasm. That went on for about a minute, before you stopped smiling and started to walk away. The sudden shift in your expression caught your sister off-guard.

“That was a joke, right Ben?” she called out.

You stopped dead in your tracks and turned to face her. “No, seriously. That’s what happened.”

Her brittle smile collapsed right then and there. “...You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.” she muttered to herself as she got up to chase after you.

—------

As you helped to clean up, you pointedly refused to answer any further questions on the matter. This seemed to trouble her, but her mind was put at ease when you reassured her that you would cover the damages to her home. This, of course, brought on even more questions relating to how you had enough money to do so without batting an eyelash, but you refused to answer those as well. Gift horses, and all that.

At some point, Pete woke up and came downstairs. As soon as she saw him, Vic dropped what she was doing immediately and pulled him into a big hug. Pete was delighted to see that both of you were alright, but he became practically starry-eyed when Vic told him that you rescued both of them from the big, bad superhuman burglar.

You didn’t try to brag, but Victoria knew that you were drinking in the praise and adoration. Maybe that was her way of repaying you. You didn’t think that you’d ever become a genuine hero in your lifetime, but it sure did feel good to be treated like one.

—--

(Cont.)
>>
Once the worst of the damage had been cleaned up and assessed, you checked your phone to see what time it was. And to your surprise, Silvermane left a voicemail. Apparently, he had an important job to offer you. You weren’t able to grasp much from the vague details, but you were pretty sure that it had something to do with that “Slip” kid.

What will you do with the rest of your day?

>Move Vic and Pete into Flint’s vacant house for the time being.
>Agree to meet Silvermane about this job of his. You’d like to know more about it.
>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
>Head to your local library and check out the data on that Oscorp flash drive.
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
>Head home and take a nap. You and Cindy could really use one if you're planning on going out again tonight.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5214254
>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
See if he's OK with us using his house
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
Settle our debts
>Head home and take a nap. You and Cindy could really use one if you're planning on going out again tonight.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights.
Head home, update Matt, collapse
>>
>>5214254
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
>Write-in.
Ask them where one might best temporarily stash a civilian family with vampire troubles.
Then move Vic and Pete somewhere based on their advice, perhaps to Flint's, perhaps not.

>>5214260
Seems like a bit much for one day.
>>
>>5214254
>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
To start us off.
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
Good friends pay their debts.
>Head home and take a nap. You and Cindy could really use one if you're planning on going out again tonight.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights.
If after all that then
>Agree to meet Silvermane about this job of his. You’d like to know more about it.
>Ask Silvermane if he knows anybody good for anti vampiring a house.
>>
>>5214272
Its easily doable.
>>
>>5214260
+1
It's time for the good old "superhero colapses in bed after a lot happened" shtick
>>
>>5214254
>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights.
>>
>>5214272
Flint should be the longest thing honestly. Felicia and Prowler is just a hand off and letting them know we'll fill them in later. Matt is a phone call.
>>
>>5214254
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
>Head home and take a nap. You and Cindy could really use one if you're planning on going out again tonight.
>Pass some info to Vic on how to vampire proof her house, every little bit counts.
>>
>>5214260
+1
>>
>>5214254
>Move Vic and Pete into Flint’s vacant house for the time being.
Get the family safe, make sure the place is vampire-proofed both against actual vamps and any living thralls who are immune to regular anti-vampire measures. Proceed to collapse onto and sleep on the couch for an entire day.
What’s everyone’s views on this thing with Vic? It kind of creeps me out.
>>
>>5214254
Move Vic and Pete into Flint’s vacant house for the time being.
>Agree to meet Silvermane about this job of his. You’d like to know more about it.
>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
>Head to your local library and check out the data on that Oscorp flash drive.
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
>Head home and take a nap. You and Cindy could really use one if you're planning on going out again tonight.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights

Get some discreet contractors to upgrade flints pad
>>
>>5214298
Don't worry. I'm not getting into incest shit. I am, however, going to have a lot of fun with her "questline". I'd say that she has the most interesting background out of anyone in the Parker family.
>>
>>5214301
I feel disappointment and relief in equal measure
>>
>>5214301
I read a long winded sentence that says fun?
>>
>>5214254
>>Agree to meet Silvermane about this job of his. You’d like to know more about it.
>>
>>5214254
>>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
>>
>>5214254
Write-In: Call Flint and let him know we will be coming by tomorrow, also vampires can you believe this shit?
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
because business.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights.
Over the phone
>>
>>5214254
>Agree to meet Silvermane about this job of his. You’d like to know more about it.
>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights.
>>
>>5214301
What are you doing Step-Spider?
>>
>>5214301
Joke's on you, I already figured it out
>>
>>5214260
>>5214272
>>5214282
>>5214297
>>5214274
>>5214284
>>5214292
>>5214300
>>5214400
>>5214474
>>5214629
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>Pay Flint a visit up at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier.
>Call a meeting between Prowler and Felicia. You still owe them their money.
>Head home and take a nap. You and Cindy could really use one if you're planning on going out again tonight.
>Update Matt on the events of the last two nights.

Alright, let's see how many events we can cram into one day!
>>
>>5214697
Hey QM, by choosing those options are we instantly declining the Silvermane offer? Because I hope not, it's just that there's a lot of shit we have to settle before going to do a job
>>
>>5214725
Nah, it just means that Silvio's gonna have to sit on it for a little while. He's not calling you about an offer with a hard time limit. It more or less involves a lot of prep, and he wanted to confirm a few things before he started moving forward with certain decisions.

It's possible that he might go to someone else if you don't get back to him about it sometime this week, though.
>>
>>5214729
because we need to sort our personal vampire business out first
we also seriously need to catch up on some sleep
>>
>>5214733
I'll try and space these events out a bit more. My eagerness to reveal cool shit is getting the better of me.

>>5214650
Go ahead, anon. Make your guess!
>>
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You were thinking of letting your family stay at Flint’s vacant apartment for the time being. At least until you could find a suitable place for them to live long-term. But before then, you should probably pay Flint a visit and ask his permission first. You’ll save that one for last, though. You definitely wanted to spend as much time with him as possible before you had to take care of business.

Once you were absolutely certain that Vic and Pete would be fine on their own, you headed back out and met back up with Cindy. She’d been killing time in an ice cream parlor and playing with your real phone. You really had to get her one someday.

After you’d gotten changed and reconnected your bluetooth, you gave Matt a call to fill him in on everything that’d transpired after your meetup with Morbius. He seemed relieved that you managed to cross Snowsnake, Carpathian and Baron Blood off of the list, but he was deeply troubled by the fact that these vampires were smart enough to circumvent their weaknesses and track down your loved ones.

You informed him of Louise’s arrival and her invitation to the Midnight Mission. Just like you, Matt was deeply suspicious of the offer. But since it was one of the only new leads that you’d gotten, you couldn't afford not to follow it up. He at least made you promise to bring him along whenever you decided to head on over to the address.

—--

Shortly after your call, you and Cindy had arrived back at your base, practically dragging yourselves towards your beds. Already, the weariness had crept into your bones and your thoughts felt slower than usual. You couldn’t keep going full throttle at every issue that popped up. This was the other reason that you were tempted by Louise’s offer.

You hated being led around the nose, but reacting to unseen attacks by an elusive enemy was sure to lead you, or someone you love, to an early grave.

You hadn’t bothered to peel off your costume when you collapsed into bed. It still smelled like Anastasia. That being said, your last thoughts before sleep took you were admittedly pleasant ones.

—-----

It was a real, physical effort to peel yourself out of bed and turn off your alarm. Alarm clocks were noticeably less effective when you could just snag them with a poorly aimed webline and rip it out of the wall socket.

You were still a bit exhausted, but you were at least capable of functioning like a decent human being. Or…whatever it was that you were now.

Cindy’s attitude wasn’t much better, but you figured that you could let her sleep while you waited for Felicia and Prowler to arrive. While you did consider them to be allies, you didn’t feel comfortable leaving your back to them while you slept. Stealing from you is one thing, but peeking under your mask while you were unconscious was a whole other thing entirely.

(Cont.)
>>
When they’d finally arrived, you greeted them by showing off your cool ass ninja swords!

“You said you got these from a…ninja vampire?” Prowler asked, giving you a quizzical look.

“Yup. Totally kicked her ass, too.” you proclaimed, taking a number of action poses and swinging your swords around.

Felicia took a step back before she spoke. “Well, they look gorgeous! I’d bet we can make a killing on these. Antique swords in pristine condition can go up to 7 mil, easy.” she said, nibbling on one finger as she fought back an eager grin.

“Speaking of money,” Prowler interjected. “How about we skip to business before we start making postings on eBay.”

Felicia feigned a weary sigh. “Ever the charmer.” she said with a roll of her eyes. But you could sense that she was quivering with anticipation as well.

Well? How much are you willing to share?

>Split it three ways. $11 Mil, each. You’ll have to treat each other as equals, after all.
>$5 Mil, each. That’s more than generous enough.
>$1 Mil, each. It’s more than Tombstone would be willing to pay.
>$500K, each. You’re trying to save up for some big purchases in the future.
>Write-in.

Funds: $34,010,423

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5214744
>>Split it three ways. $11 Mil, each. You’ll have to treat each other as equals, after all.
>>
>>5214744
>$10 Mil each, $2k for being the one organizing the plan and selling it is more than a fair percentage.
>>
>>5214747
This.
>>
>>5214744
>Split it three ways. $11 Mil, each. You’ll have to treat each other as equals, after all.
>>
>>5214747
2 Mil, not K, sorry.
Basically we are equals, but take a slightly bigger cut. If one of them come up with the next job and get the buyer, then they get the right for the small % of that job.
>>
>>5214744
I have the sneaky suspicion you're not going to let us have this much money just laying around, so we can at least make friends with it.
But we shouldn't just give away two thirds immediately
>>$5 Mil, each. That’s more than generous enough.
>>
>>5214744
$5 Mil, each. That’s more than generous enough

Sent from my LGE - LM-V600
>>
>>5214744
>Split it three ways. $11 Mil, each. You’ll have to treat each other as equals, after all.
No dick moves.
>>
>>5214744
>Split it three ways. $11 Mil, each. You’ll have to treat each other as equals, after all.
Fuck it, it’s plenty enough and haggling isn’t worth the hassle.
>>
>>5214761

We literally only got 32 mil, giving them each 11 and keeping a cut of only 10 for ourselves despite inviting them to the whole thing might as well be the criminal dealings equivalent of letting them fuck our wife and eating the cum out of her pussy.

It's not haggling, it's self-respect.
>>
>>5214747
+1
>>
>>5214761
I don't see as haggling, just a fair division of the 33 mil.
10 mil for each member, 1 mil for the one that came up with the plan and 1 mil for the one that sold the goods. It just so happens we are the one that did the last two on top of our share, if one of them do that part in the future, they get that cut.
>>
>>5214792
Wait, one of the mils is missing.
Math is hard.
>>
>>5214744
>Split it three ways. $11 Mil, each. You’ll have to treat each other as equals, after all.
Or take a little bit off from our share since we did upgrade our suit and gadgets beforehand.
>>
>>5214746
>>5214750
>>5214759
>>5214761
>>5214798
Taking these. Writing...

>>5214751
>>5214771
>>5214792
You're fully welcome to use this business model in the future, however.
>>
>>5214796
Ok, we could just say that it would be 1,5 mil instead of 1 mil. That would be around 4,5% for the planner, and a 4,5% for the seller, that way everyone is garanteed a 30% cut.
>>
>>5214848
Alternatively we could do for 5 and 5%, so that way we can split the 90% between the rest, might be more flexible split if there are more or less participants on a job.l in the future.
>>
When you hefted the gym bags containing their share of the cash and explained what you intended to do, they were absolutely dumbfounded. Felicia’s jaw was quite literally hanging open, and Prowler’s eyes were uncharacteristically wide. The two of them sat in stunned silence for a long moment.

“Y-you’re serious!?” Prowler finally said.

You nodded. “Fair’s fair. We’re partners, and we’re supposed to treat each other as equals.”

“No take backs!?” Cat asked, clearly struggling to contain her excitement.

“Stop asking questions before I change my mind.” you said, tossing the bags on the floor before them. Both knelt and ran their fingers through the fat stacks of cash, laughing in disbelief.

You let them celebrate for a while longer. You felt the same when Phin let you walk out of his shop with all that cash. Prowler eventually composed himself, but Felicia practically threw herself at you once she’d finished counting.

Before you knew it, you were swinging her through the air as she hugged you and peppered your mask with kisses. You immediately regretted the fact that you hadn’t pulled it up beforehand.

“I knew this partnership was a great idea!” Felicia declared, despite the fact that she’d been opposed when you had first met. But you decided to let that one slide.

You let her back down and watched Prowler as he approached you slowly. “You didn’t have to give us as much money as you did,” he began. And from the death glare that Cat gave him, you were worried that she might tear his throat out before he got a chance to finish speaking. “But you did, and I respect that. It’s not everyday that you find someone honest in this line of work.”

Felicia finally calmed down, and both of you stared as the Prowler extended a hand towards you. You accepted it, careful to avoid the sharp claws.

“If you ever get into a jam and can’t find a way out, give me a call.” he proclaimed. “Can’t guarantee that I'll be all that much help, but I’ve got your back.”

You both nodded, and Felicia stepped in between you to wrap a gentle hand on top of yours and Prowler’s. “That goes double for me, Spider. Whatever you need, I’m your gal.” she declared, not at all bothered by the implications of that statement.

Before any of you could break the team huddle, a fourth hand piled on top of Felicia’s. It was noticeably smaller, so you immediately recognized it as Cindy’s. With all the commotion, she must’ve woken up and overheard your conversation.

You thought it was cute that she wanted to be a part of the team, but you weren’t sure how you felt about bringing her along on heists and high profile missions just yet. She’d need gear, training and…

(Cont.)
>>
Wait. Was it really okay for you to induct a child into a criminal organization? She was competent, without a doubt, and is probably one of the bravest people you’ve ever met. But maybe it would be best for her to try and live a normal life once all this “cult business” was dealt with.

“So,” Cat began, interrupting your thoughts. “We got a name for this team?” she asked.

Now that WAS an important question. Team names were usually never organically made. You’d been thinking about it for a while, but you feared that bringing it up would come across as cheesy or forced. You’re just glad that you weren’t the one that had to bring it up.

Everyone seemed to be considering it carefully, though. Even Prowler was wracking his brain over it.

What will you name your little group?

>”The Nightcrawlers”
>”The Blackguard”
>”The Moonlighters”
>”The Midnight Men”
>”The Guilty Party”
>”The Offenders”
>”The Desperados”
>"We'll put a pin in it. It'll come to us eventually."
>Write-in.
>>
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>>5214875
>”The Desperados”
>>
>>5214875
>>"We'll put a pin in it. It'll come to us eventually."
>>
>>5214890
+1 for the funny
>>
>>5214875
>”The Desperados”
All we’re sayin’ is give thievery a chance!
Told you boys that haggling wasn’t worth it.
>>
>>5214875
>>”The Guilty Party”
>>
>>5214875
>”The Desperados”
>>5214898
It's not haggling, it's setting up a model for when we get bigger.
>>
>>5214875
>”The Guilty Party”
>>
>>5214875
”The Moonlighters”

Sent from my LGE - LM-V600
>>
>>5214890
>The Crafty Jews
>>
>>5214875
>”The Desperados”
>>
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>>5214875
>The Desperados
>>5214890
>>5214894
>>5214898
>>5214970
Wind blows, rain falls, and MGR memes never get old.
>>
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>>5214977
It's a timeless masterpiece
Also an excuse to use Raiden's idea of a disquise
>>
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>>5214890
+1
fuken need this
>>
🤓:yaranaika::laughingw::Aquacry::FeelsBadMan::MarisaFace::cockmongler::kiss::rofl:

what the fuck
>>
>>5214875
>”The Desperados”
>>5215002
>>
>>5214983
We can even call ourselves "El Hombre araña" if we go that route.
>>
>>5215023
>>
>>5214875
>Nightcrawlers
>>
>>5214875
>”The Nightcrawlers”
>>
>>5214875
>”The Blackguard”
>>
>>5215116
A little on the nose innit?

Sent from my LGE - LM-V600
>>
>>5214744
>>Split it three ways. $11 Mil, each. You’ll have to treat each other as equals, after all.
this is an investment in friendship after all
>>
>>5215165
Well fuck, nevermind on that
>>5214875
>”The Desperados”
>>
>>5215165
>>5215168
lol
>>
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Future power?
>>
>>5215846
That's very literal, but frankly, not literal enough.
We're a spider man, right?
I say we just start eating people. Show these vampire shits how it's really done.
>>
>>5215854
part of me did wonder what would have happened if we ate Connors's heart
>>
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>>5215854
That literally happened in a Spider-verse tie in, tho. It played out like a B-Rated 80's horror movie

>>5215983
Surely, that would be rather alarming to the young girl that you'd just rescued. It'd also be more than a little awkward to explain to Mockingbird.

>>5215846
But what about Spiders-Man, who's just a sentient pile of spiders that thinks they're Peter Parker?
>>
>>5216005
But m-muh mutation points.

Also holy shit that pic is hysterical, what's it from?
>>
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>>5216005
>But what about Spiders-Man, who's just a sentient pile of spiders that thinks they're Peter Parker?

Never forget the thousand.
>>
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>>5215846
>>5215854
>>5216005
could be worse, could be Carl King (Earth-616)
>Carl King received his powers similar to the way Spider-Man obtained his except there was a horrible turn of events for Carl. King’s body actually broke itself down and changed itself into literally a thousand spiders that inhabited his human shell. The spiders contain Carl's consciousness, and are able to take over another human's body by eating them from the inside out, devouring everything except the skin.
>His consciousness is spread throughout the swarm, so if one spider out of The Thousand's swarm survives, he can survive and multiply.
basically what our Flint Marco (Earth-5152685) can do, but spiders
>>
>>5215846
That would have been the upgrade if we went for the spider control power.
>>
>>5214890
>>5214894
>>5214898
>>5214903
>>5214970
>>5214977
>>5214997
>>5215023
>>5215168
Damn. Guess I don't need to count these, huh? Writing...

>>5216013
Edge of Spider-Verse Vol 1: Issue #4

>>5216014
>>5216017
Carl was an absolute madlad. Could've done any number of things to research the fucking thing and he just swallows it.

>>5216018
More or less, yeah. If you wanted to sick them on people, you'd have to make use of your prep time, since there wouldn't just be a billion spiders loitering around the immediate area. Unless, of course, you brought them there yourself. But I think Ben would've turned out to be a much creepier guy if he could talk to spiders. His warehouse would be an absolute sty.

Kinda reminds me of that greentext where some anon was treating a spider in his bathroom as his gf and giving it flies to eat as he talked about his day.
>>
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>>5216020
Here you go, OP. For old times' sake.
>>
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>>5216020
We would just need to show off the more well behaved ones first to get pe8ple at ease.
>>
>>5216021
Thanks, anon. This one always gets to me.

>>5216022
You know what? You're absolutely right. Having color-coded spider friends that you give names to would pretty adorable.
>>
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>>5216028
I was just making a joke, but now I actually want to spend our next mutation point on getting that power.
>>
>>5216041
Yeah imagine talking to the end boss stalling for time as a highly venomous spider crawls in his ear and bites his ear drum or something.
>>
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>>5216045
No need to imagine, plenty of antics similar to but not exactly like this can be found in Worm, the web serial to end all web serials.
>>
>>5216060
>Worm
Mary Sue's advendure to never lose, except that one time where the bullies are unfair to her for sympathy, but, for contrived reasons she solo's the final boss
>>
>>5216060
Only if ends them through boredom.
Just kidding, I never actually read it since dark hero stories are not my cup of tea
>>
>>5216062
That's not what happens at all though.
>>
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“Wait! I’ve got it.” you declared.

Everyone turned to look at you, and you let the heavy silence hover in the air for a bit for dramatic pause. “The Desperados!”

Prowler gave you a pointed look, while Felicia and Cindy rocked their heads from side-to-side as they gave your decision some consideration. Your eyes locked with Prowler’s, and just for a brief moment, the creases of his eyes crinkled, and you had a feeling that he was hiding a smile under that mask of his.

“I kinda like it.” Cat decided. Cindy nodded her agreement.

Prowler cleared his throat before answering. “Yeah, I guess it’s alright.” he said.

“Then it’s settled!” you proclaimed. “Come back sometime later this week for your complimentary company t-shirts, baseball caps and mugs.”

They denied your suggestion vehemently, and the three of you fell into your usual rhythm of banter. While it was nice to see them again, you were forced to cut your meeting short. Part of it was because you had to go and meet Flint later. The other part was because you had noticed the way that Cindy seemed to withdraw from a conversation that she had no way of meaningfully contributing to. None of you knew sign language, and you weren’t even sure if she did either. That’ll have to change in the future.

-------

Once they were gone, you shot a message to Bobbi and asked her to pick you up. She responded fairly quickly, but it was only to tell you that she couldn’t make it in time. You were saddened by this, but she reassured you with a follow-up message by informing you of a designated replacement that should be there to meet you at your usual spot.

After Cindy had returned with her bag, you picked her up and took to the skies. If you were meeting someone new, you wanted to at least arrive before they did.

—-----

Long minutes passed as you and Cindy waited on the rooftop of a news station. You paced back and forth impatiently, wondering what kind of person Bobbi sent out to meet you. But just then, your Spider-Sense went off. It wasn’t the usual warning “buzz” that you normally get when someone’s trying to shoot you. It felt more like a gentle prodding. You were being watched.

You quickly turned to face whatever it was creeping up on you, only to find a woman with long black hair and a red, skintight bodysuit clinging to a wall behind you. Cindy had clearly just noticed her too, because she was staring in absolute shock at this ridiculous display.

“You’re here early.” she said easily, not showing any signs of hostility or tension in her voice or body language. “Or maybe I’m just late?” she muttered to herself, before abandoning the notion with a shrug.

“Who’re you?” you asked.

Her ruby red lips spread into a smile. “The girl who’s name you stole.”

(Cont.)
>>
You exchanged a glance with Cindy and then returned your gaze back to the strange woman. “Wait! You’re the original ‘Spider-Girl’?” you asked.

The woman shook her head and dropped down from the wall before placing her hands on her hips. “It’s Spider-WOMAN.” she clarified.

“Oh, my bad. You said ‘girl’ before, so-” you began to say, but Spider-Woman just scoffed and let out a sigh.

“Sheesh! You sound like Hill. Is nitpicking your superpower too?” she said in a mocking tone.

You frowned at that, but made an effort to maintain your cool. “I’m guessing she doesn’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs on her desk?”

The woman’s mood seemed to brighten almost instantly, and she gave you an easy smile. “I don’t even know if she deserves a ‘#1 Acting Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.' coffee mug.” she said with a laugh. Her bodysuit left little to the imagination, so you weren’t entirely sure where to look. The big white eyes were probably a safe bet.

“So,” she continued. “This one's ‘Spider-Girl’? Where’s her costume?” she asked, pointing at Cindy.

You winced and pointedly avoided the excited look Cindy was giving you. “We’re…still working on that.” you admitted.

“Can she do anything ‘spider-like’? How’s about spinning a web?”

You shrugged. “Nope. That one’s mine.” you said, firing a webshot at the ground near her feet.

“Aw, sick!” she said, seeming genuinely excited. “Can you stick to walls too?”

“Yup. Looks like you’ve got that covered too.”

She nodded. “How about Venom Blasts?”

You paused and stared at her. “Venom what-now?”

You glanced at Cindy, but she just shook her head and shrugged.

“Yeah, we don’t-”

A bright flash of emerald light burst forth from Spider-Woman’s hand and left a scorch mark on the floor beside you. Cindy jumped back in surprise, but you were more or less able to see everything happening in slow motion. Your Spider-Sense never went off, so you felt safe in assuming that she wasn’t intending on hitting either of you with that.

That’s a Venom Blast.” she announced.

“No, yeah. Neither of us can do that.” you confirmed.

The strange lady apologized to Cindy for scaring her, but then her gaze fell upon her scar. When she inquired about it, Cindy brought out her notebook and explained that her voice had been “stolen”.

Spider-Woman frowned, knelt down to meet her at eye level and started making a series of hand gestures. When Cindy didn’t respond to any of them, she tried again, but this time, she slowly sounded out each meaning with her mouth. It was only then that you realized that she was using sign language.

(Cont.)
>>
Cindy nodded and laughed. With the use of her notebook, she informed Spider-Woman that she was mute, not deaf. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agent blushed at that, clearly embarrassed by her blunder. But before either of them could communicate any further, Spider-Woman touched a hand to her ear and straightened.

“The transport’s almost here. We’ve gotta catch it before it passes.” she reported.

“What do you mean?” you asked.

“I mean we’re literally going to latch onto the roof as it flies by. So long as it doesn’t come to a complete stop, it doesn’t get stored in the transport log, and Hill won’t suspect a thing. It’s totally fool-proof.” she said, giving you a thumbs up. This must’ve been Bobbi’s idea. It was an awful one, but it was entirely possible for people like you and the red lady.

You cast a worried glance at Cindy, and Spider-Woman seemed to understand the meaning behind that gaze. “Should she wait here while we-” she began to say, but Cindy quickly shook her head.

The little girl reached into her backpack, pulled out a red scarf and wrapped it around her face like a mask. This didn’t seem to put Spider-Woman’s mind at ease, so she cast a questioning look in your direction. You hesitated, before nodding slowly.

“I’ll hold onto her.” you declared. “Don’t worry. I’ve got sticky fingers.”

Spider-Woman smiled slightly as she watched you wriggle your fingers. “Sure, sure. Lemme just radio this in so the boys take us up slow. You appreciated the gesture. Probably more than Cindy did, from the looks of it.

—---

Shortly afterward, the shuttle came into view and dropped down to pass the building that you and the others were perched on. On Spider-Woman’s mark, you all lept all at once. Your hand made contact with the sleek, metal surface, sticking fast as you readjusted your grip around Cindy’s waist. Spider-Woman was right beside you, rapping her knuckles loudly on the shuttle’s roof to inform the pilots that you were outside. The aircraft slowed noticeably, and you nodded at her. She gave you a small salute in response.

What will you talk about on the way up?

>”How come you’re not wearing a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform? Doesn’t Hill get on your ass about that?”
>”That’s a cool costume! Do you think you’d be able to get Cindy one like that? Maybe in a different color?”
>”I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give Spider-Girl some ASL lessons once this is all over?”
>”Thanks for doing this. I know it can’t be easy to try and work around someone like Hill.”
>Nothing. You don't want to make a habit of befriending S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5216104
>>”I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give Spider-Girl some ASL lessons once this is all over?”
>>
>>5216104
>>”I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give Spider-Girl some ASL lessons once this is all over?”
>>”Thanks for doing this. I know it can’t be easy to try and work around someone like Hill.”
>>Write-in.
We should also learn ASL ourselves.

I do NOT want a costume like that for the daughteru. Do you know how many gallons of cum a day are self-extracted with the aid of that costume of hers? Nuh-uh, not Cindy, no fucking way.
>>
>>5216104
>”I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give Spider-Girl some ASL lessons once this is all over?”
>So, what's up with all these spider themed metas around? I have met around 5 since I started.
>>
>>5216104
>”Thanks for doing this. I know it can’t be easy to try and work around someone like Hill.”
>”I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give Spider-Girl some ASL lessons once this is all over?”
>"And uh...me too? She's my sidekick and all, so I kinda have to be able to understand her."
>>
>>5216108
Adding
>And maybe to me too, we been having to comunicate through notes and guessing.
>>
>>5216104
>”I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give Spider-Girl some ASL lessons once this is all over?”
>>
>>5216104
>”That’s a cool costume! I'm still figuring out my own style, and hers too. I don't suppose you have been doing this since you were her size and have an old one laying around somewhere, do you?”
>"If you want to give this big happy spider-meta-family a try, I've got to tell you in advance: We're not inviting Uncle Connors to Thanksgiving dinner."
>"So is the spider god visiting more people in their dreams to choose them as his champions, or is that just my story?"
>>
>>5216162
Bro. We can't just steal Moon Knight's gimmick.
Here's what we'll say;
We were a veteran of the Marine Corps who's family was brutally slaughtered by a gang of spiders during a picnic in Central Park. Now we live solely to enact our vengeance on all organized arachnids in New York City.
>>
>>5216164
Clearly we were abandoned in the sewers and raised by giant spiders.
>>
>>5216167
Born on Planet Spider, we narrowly avoided its destruction by journeying to Earth an infant.
In time, we soon found ourself in possession of spectacular abilities.
Faster than a rent-a-cop!
More powerful than a thug on PCP!
Able to fly over NYC traffic in a single web-swing!
>>
>>5216173
We're actually the heir of an amazing high-tech company, out parents died when we're just a teen and we we're just left with a lot of money and the company left

Now we are the head of the company, making incredible technology with our genius mind that we use to right the wrongs of the city, and sometimes fighting our alcohol addiction
>>
>>5216179
Does that one come with the hot redhead secretary?
>>
>>5216184
No, but it comes with a spiderbike, spidercar and spiderplane.
>>
>>5216104
>”I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give Spider-Girl some ASL lessons once this is all over?”
>”Thanks for doing this. I know it can’t be easy to try and work around someone like Hill.”
>>5216185
No robot?
>>
>>5216179
No, no, you didn't quite get it.
We just woke up that way with no explanation whatsoever the other day.
>>
>>5216202
We broke into a lab and took a bunch of experimental chemicals, gaining the strength of one million exploding spiders in the process
>>
>>5216238
We found an ancient relic while on tropical vacation, and gained the totemic powers of the spider.
>>
what have I started?
>>
>>5216252
Something fun
>>
>>5216104
So why don't we have phin create a device that rests on the larynx and picks up the movements and emits speech? Cindy can even pick out her new voice
>>
>>5216277
I agree that we need to figure out a way to communicate in fights, but simply slapping a gadget on a genuine disability feels disrespectful
>>
>>5216287
What kind of logic is that curing a disability is a disrespect? Not only thay but she wasn't even born that way, someone cut her vocal cords out.
>>
>>5216287
Please be trolling. Why wouldn't we give her the ability to speak if we could? Where's the logic in that?
>>
Pic for reference
>>
>>5216295
>>5216299
sorry, different sensibilities here
I meant that she needs fixing because we are uncomfortable with it

It's like picking clothes for someone. Just let them choose what to do about it.
>>
>>5216104
How much money do we need to shill to get Cindy her voice back with magic or science?
>>
>>5216318
32 million
>>
>>5216308
But anon was even letting Cindy pick what she wanted, and by saying her voice was "stolen", means it was took without her concent.
>>
>>5216308
No, anon, we should FORCE her to wear it by punching her in the face until she relents. Obviously that's how everyone here meant it.
>>
>>5216295
Curing it would involve just getting her reconstructive larynx surgery, or possibly even finding a transplant.
That said, we don't even know if that's what she wants yet. For all we know she might be cool with being mute, weird as that sounds.
>>
Oh hey guys what's going on in this thr-

>>5216104
>”Thanks for doing this. I know it can’t be easy to try and work around someone like Hill.”
>”How come you’re not wearing a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform? Doesn’t Hill get on your ass about that?”
>>
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Ahhh update when?! >>5216330
Lol
>>
>>5216106
>>5216107
>>5216108
>>5216117
>>5216110
>>5216149
>>5216194
>>5216450
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>>5216162
>>5216164
>>5216167
>>5216173
>>5216179
>>5216184
>>5216185
>>5216202
>>5216238
>>5216246
Wow! I had no idea that Ben had such a padded resume!

>>5216824
Right now!
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>>5216834
Man you're great
>>
>>5216845
Jarburg is best place in ER and no one can change my mind
>>
“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to teach me and Spider-Girl ASL after this is all over?” you said, trying your best to make your voice heard over the whipping winds and the hum of the transport’s engines. “I’d really like to learn how to communicate with my sidekick.”

Spider-Woman stared at you for a long moment before returning her gaze forward. “Sure. Yeah, okay. I can do that.” she reasoned. “But if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather we have our lessons down there. Coming to pick you up every single time sounds pretty annoying.”

“Fair enough.” you nodded. “And hey, thanks for doing this. I know it can’t be easy to try and work around someone like Hill.” you added.

She shrugged and leaned back a bit. Her grip on the shuttle was tenuous at best. It was as if she didn’t particularly mind if she fell off or not. “Don’t worry about it. This is as much of a favor for you as it is for Bobbi and Hill.” she said, before pausing to snicker at her phrasing. “Hill doesn’t need anything else on her plate. She’s stressed out enough as is.”

You wondered if they’d feel the same way if they learned what you were really about. Then again, you knew that S.H.I.E.L.D. had a history of employing criminals. Black Widow was an international criminal before she went legit. Now…she’s probably an international criminal again, on account of her going full Jason Bourne and dropping off the grid.

And S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were allowed to use lethal force when necessary. It wasn’t your methods that caused problems, but your motives. You just haven’t gotten big enough to draw their attention. At least, you thought you hadn’t. It seemed like Hill wanted to know everything about you for some reason. That’s what made coming back here so damn stressful. If she ever caught up to you one of these days, you’re not sure if you’d be able to sweet talk your way out of that conversation.

The rest of the trip passed with you and Spider-Woman making idle chit-chat. Eventually, she gave you her number for those promised ASL lessons, and to your surprise, it was a number for an actual cellphone instead of one of those weird S.H.I.E.L.D. communicators.

>”Jess”/Spider-Woman has been added to your contacts!

She even gave you part of her name? For a high ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent, she sure was laid-back. Even more so than Cho, in some ways.

---------

After you’d arrived, you, Jess and Cindy made it a point to creep inside the Helicarrier without drawing too much attention. That, however, proved to be fairly difficult when you were wearing flashy costumes and riding atop a military transport instead of inside of it.

(Cont.)
>>
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As you were walking through the halls, Jess turned to stop you with a finger raised to the air. “Oh, right! Almost forgot.” she said, walking backwards at the same pace at which you were walking forwards, which was in no way a brisk one. “Dr. Connors, the Lizard guy, he’s awake now.”

You stopped dead in your tracks. “How is he?” you asked cautiously.

“We managed to cure him of…whatever that was. Temporarily, at least. The lab techs can tell you more about it than me. He’s actually been asking to meet you ever since he regained the ability to talk and think rationally.”

Dr. Connors is cured? And he asked to meet you specifically? You weren’t at all prepared for that development.

What will you do?

>”Don’t let him know that I’m here. I’m not trying to stick around any longer than I absolutely have to.”
>”What’re you guys planning on doing with him?”
>”Can you find out how this happened to him? I’ve had some...interesting experiences with genetically engineered spiders.”
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>”Did he ever tell you why he wanted to meet me? I didn’t think he’d be able to remember anything from our last encounter.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5216920
>>”What’re you guys planning on doing with him?”
>>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”

gonna go with the least suspicious votes here
>>
>>5216920
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>>
>>5216920
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>”Did he ever tell you why he wanted to meet me? I didn’t think he’d be able to remember anything from our last encounter.”
>>
>>5216920
>”What’re you guys planning on doing with him?”
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>>
>>5216920
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>But after I meet my friend Flint, it's been a while since I seen him
>I hope you guys have a thigh security with this reverse meta things, imagine if someone got rid of our powers while we were swinging around.
>>
>>5216920
>>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>”Did he ever tell you why he wanted to meet me? I didn’t think he’d be able to remember anything from our last encounter.”
>”What’re you guys planning on doing with him?”
>>
>>5216920
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>”Did he ever tell you why he wanted to meet me? I didn’t think he’d be able to remember anything from our last encounter.”
But Flint first.
>>
>>5216920
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
First and foremost I think it would be polite if we apologize for shanking the ever loving crap out of him.

Hey so has anyone else been wondering why one of our mutations is called The Mark of Kane? Wasn't Kane an original Vampire, or am I thinking of The Vampire Masquerade thing?
>>
>>5217570
Kaine is just the guy who had the power in the comics I think.
>>
>>5216920
>”What’re you guys planning on doing with him?”
>”Can I meet him? I’d like to ask him a few things.”
>>5217570
>>5217578
Yeah, Kaine Parker is a Marvel character with a similar power. My Wikipedia scan revealed that he's a clone of Peter Parker except he blows Peter the fuck out by every physical metric. Classic trope.
Cain (a figure in the Bible) was cursed to be the first vampire in WOD. No relation.
>>
>>5216923
>>5216925
>>5216948
>>5216954
>>5216958
>>5217474
>>5217498
>>5217570
>>5217669
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>>5217578
>>5217669
What these guys said. Kaine isn't capable of blowing people the fuck up like Ben, so I just made it up. The mutation mechanic as a whole is just there to spice things up and give the players more options to play around with.
>>
“What’re you guys planning on doing with him?” you asked.

Jess gave you a confused look. “I don’t know. Take a few samples, run a few tests and let him roam free once we’re sure that he won’t change back into a giant man-eating Spider/Reptile thing?” she said.

You didn’t think that Hill was charitable enough to let Doc Connors go without getting something out of it, but maybe his blood and DNA samples would be enough of an incentive to do so. You didn’t think Jess was lying to you, at the very least. You didn’t know what her role in all this was, but she seemed very honest and straightforward by default.

“Alright. Do you think I can meet him? I’ve got a few things to ask him.” you said.

Jess nodded, turned around and waved a hand at you to follow her. You protested at first, saying that you would like to see him after you met up with Flint, but she countered by saying that you were closer to the lab where they were holding the Doc. Bobbi must’ve convinced her to babysit you while you were on the base, as well. It was mildly annoying, but you figured that it was better than getting in trouble or running into Hill again. So, followed in silence.

—-----

Upon navigating these seemingly endless, winding hallways and descending several elevators, Jess led you through a sliding door that had a lab number beside the frame. There was very little equipment to speak of, and you only saw two tables pushed against the far side of the wall as you entered. But in the very back of the room, you saw a spacious enclosure made with thick glass panels, reinforced steel bars, fake foliage and a series of lighting fixtures that seemed to simulate natural lighting in an otherwise dark room. And standing in the middle of all that was a shirtless Dr.Connors. Despite being a bit more haggard in appearance than when you had last seen him(in human form), he honestly didn’t look terrible. He didn’t have the miserable look of a man who’d been tortured day in and day out. It was more like…boredom, rather than anything psychologically compromising.

His eyes remained firmly locked on you the entire time as you approached him. You returned his gaze, and after about a minute, his eyes drifted to Jess. “Agent Drew, would you mind giving us some privacy?” he asked.

She looked back and forth between you and the Doc, mentally weighing the risks of doing so. Eventually, she came to a conclusion, nodded and took a few steps back.

“I’ll be outside if you need me.” she said, looking at Connors, and then back to you. He nodded, but neither of you said a word until you heard the door open and close again.

“Now,” Connors began. “Before we get into anything, I’d like to thank you for…preventing me from doing something that I’d deeply regret. I’m glad that no one was seriously hurt during my…episode.” he said, speaking softly now.

(Cont.)
>>
Your slashed back and fractured wrist would beg to differ, but you wouldn’t say as much out loud.

What will you say?

>”You’re…thanking me for stabbing you in the back repeatedly?”
>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>”Does your family know what happened?”
>”I hear they’ll be letting you go soon. What do you plan on doing after this?”
>”Boy, Doc. You’re the king of understatements. Can you really call what happened back there an ‘episode’?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5217717
>”You’re…thanking me for stabbing you in the back repeatedly?”
>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>”I hear they’ll be letting you go soon. What do you plan on doing after this?”
>>
>>5217717
>>”You’re…thanking me for stabbing you in the back repeatedly?”
>>
>>5217717
>>”Boy, Doc. You’re the king of understatements. Can you really call what happened back there an ‘episode’?”
>>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>>Write-in.
Try to milk out some scientific buzzwords out of him to help track down any relevant devices, processes, etc. in terms of spiderification. Mutagenic enzymes, genetic accelerator, regenerating serum, anything will do.
>>
>>5217723
Support
>>
>>5217717
>”You’re…thanking me for stabbing you in the back repeatedly?”
>”Boy, Doc. You’re the king of understatements. Can you really call what happened back there an ‘episode’?”
>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>"Is it because I stole your watch?"
>>
>>5217717
>”You’re…thanking me for stabbing you in the back repeatedly?”
>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>”I hear they’ll be letting you go soon. What do you plan on doing after this?”
>>
>>5217728
+1
>>
first of: does he have all his limbs?

>>5217715
>"Hey, don't worry about it. Since you caused no casualties, that means you can be the season finale villain in a two-parter once I get my own saturday morning cartoon. I'm planning to sell out. Would you be willing to voice yourself?"
>"But you didn't ask for privacy to just thank me, did you?"
>>
>>5217728
>>>"Is it because I stole your watch?"
That's genuinely hilarious, but he might figure out our identity if we say it and maybe snitch us to his handlers.
>>
>>5217734
Hey Conners is a smart guy, I'm betting why he asked for privacy is because he already knows who we are.
>>
>>5217736
Why gamble at all?
>>
>>5217717
>”Boy, Doc. You’re the king of understatements. Can you really call what happened back there an ‘episode’?”
>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>>
>>5217717
>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>”Does your family know what happened?”
>So do you have a plan on how to stop it if you have a relapse?
>>
>>5217717
>>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>>”I hear they’ll be letting you go soon. What do you plan on doing after this?”
>Write-in.
>"I have some questions for you as well" Then shoot out a web line to grab something on the other side of the room, preferably a shirt or lab coat for conners
>>
>>5217794
>outing the source of our powers to a total stranger who will recognise our face
Heap big foolishness. If we really want info then we can just go to his lab in our Huntsman persona.
>>
>>5217717
>”You’re…thanking me for stabbing you in the back repeatedly?”
>”How’d you end up like that? I’m guessing that wasn’t a chronic condition.”
>”Does your family know what happened?”
>>
>>5217733
My bad. I should've given a better description. Allow me to do so in this following update.

>>5217718
>>5217721
>>5217723
>>5217725
>>5217728
>>5217730
>>5217729
>>5217749
>>5217756
>>5217832
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...
>>
You exchanged a confused glance with Cindy and looked back at Connors. “You’re...thanking me for stabbing you in the back repeatedly?”

The Doc cleared his throat nervously. “Well, not in those exact words. I’m more grateful for the outcome than I am of your methods or your sentiments regarding the matter.”

“Boy, Doc. You’re the king of understatements. Can you really call what happened back there an ‘episode’?” you said, seeing Connor’s pink, muted flesh getting a little redder upon hearing your comment. “Something tells me that wasn’t a chronic condition. How’d you end up like that?”

He fidgeted nervously for a moment, before letting his eyes rest on Cindy. Maybe he felt that she was scrutinizing him as the monster that he had once appeared before her as. You considered asking her to take a few steps back, but Connors seemed to straighten then. You saw conviction in his eyes, as well as fear and resignation.

“That’s…actually what I wanted to talk to you about.” he began, before steeling himself with a calming breath. “You were bitten by one of our genetically engineered spiders, weren’t you?”

A heavy silence fell over the room. Even with your mask disguising your features and expressions, you gave him a careful and slow nod. There was no point in lying about something so obvious. Especially for the man that was supposedly responsible for a good chunk of the experiment's success.

“Let me guess. It was sometime during that public tour of our lab?”

You said nothing. But perhaps you didn’t have to. You weren’t sure if he remembered who you were exactly, but he certainly seemed to have a grasp on the exact day that the incident occurred. There were so many people going in and out of that building that he probably couldn’t keep track of them all.

Connors smiled ruefully at that. “I knew it.” he said, running a hand through his hair. And it…shouldn’t have been there, right? Didn’t Connors only have one arm due to some accident he had in the past?

He must have noticed you staring, because he stretched his arm out to give you a better look at it. “Hm? Oh, this? A convenient side effect of my current condition.” he said, turning around to allow you to see his back. It was covered in scattering of pale, green scales. They were dry and flaky, almost as if they were peeling. “The doctors here think I might lose it once they finally manage to cure me of my condition completely. But…I’m not sure if that’s possible anymore.” he said, a tortured look on his face.

Cindy appeared to be staring at his back with more interest than disgust.

“Anyway,” he continued, trying to glaze over the moment. “Assuming that you’re already aware of the reason for why your body has undergone such drastic changes, I think you already have an idea of what might have happened to me.”

(Cont.)
>>
“I get the spider mutation part,” you began, rubbing the back of your head. “But what about that whole ‘lizard’ thing?”

Connors’ eyes darted around the room nervously. “I, uh…I might have been using my own body to conduct a series of rather…controversial experiments.” he muttered

“Define ‘controversial’.”

“...I injected myself with reptile DNA.” he said quickly.

WHAT THE FUCK!? Why? Why would anyone do something so stupid and not expect there to be any side-effects?

“And that seemed like a good idea to you?” you asked in complete disbelief. “There’s ‘crazy’, and then there’s ‘batshit insane’. Wanna guess which category you fall into, or should I give you a hint?”

“...I did it to regrow my arm. And my experiment was, more or less, a success! But there were…unfortunate side effects.” he said, feeling at his scales. “For the most part, I was able to hide them from my family, and I was taking daily doses of a genetic cleansing agent that was helping me to keep things under control.”

“But then you got bit by one of your spiders and it gave your DNA a juice boost.” you concluded. Connors nodded slowly.

“But I’m not clumsy enough to let one of our spiders out of their enclosures. Especially on a day when there would be so many people entering and leaving our lab. Someone’s been letting them out, I think.” he proclaimed, before staring directly into your eyes. “I think someone’s using us as…test subjects.”

It was a declaration that made your blood run cold. Just the idea that your very origin as a metahuman could’ve been orchestrated, or even worse, monitored.

“Do you know who might be behind this?” you asked carefully.

Connors shook his head. “This experiment has changed many hands over the past couple of years. Between my people, the bioengineers at Oscorp and Horizon Labs’ specialists, I can’t say for certain who might be directly responsible for this. It could be one person, or it could be an entire team.” he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

He returned his gaze to you then, his expression being one of confidence. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but if you could help me get to the bottom of this, then we might be able to save a lot of innocent people.” he declared.

What will you say?

>”I owe you more than you think, Doc. I’ll see what I can do.”
>”If you want my help, then I’m gonna need a list of the most likely suspects that you can think of.”
>”I’ll need access to your lab, and anything else that might prove useful during my investigation. I also charge by the hour.”
>”What’ll you give me in return? I’m a busy guy.”
>”How many of these spiders did you make? Can they create more people like you and me?”
>”Just out of curiosity, what would happen if one of these spiders bit me again?”
>Write-in.
>>
Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5218454
>”I owe you more than you think, Doc. I’ll see what I can do.”
>”If you want my help, then I’m gonna need a list of the most likely suspects that you can think of.”
>”How many of these spiders did you make? Can they create more people like you and me?”
>Because if there are even more spider themed metas than the ones I encountered so far, things are going to be wild.
>>
>>5218454
>>”How many of these spiders did you make? Can they create more people like you and me?”
>”Just out of curiosity, what would happen if one of these spiders bit me again?”
>”If you want my help, then I’m gonna need a list of the most likely suspects that you can think of. Also i’ll need access to your lab, and anything else that might prove useful during the investigation."
>>
>>5218454
>>”I owe you more than you think, Doc. I’ll see what I can do.”
>>”How many of these spiders did you make? Can they create more people like you and me?”
>>”Just out of curiosity, what would happen if one of these spiders bit me again?”
>>”If you want my help, then I’m gonna need a list of the most likely suspects that you can think of.”
>>”I’ll need access to your lab, and anything else that might prove useful during my investigation.

We don't really need his money, I think, though we should grab a good compact camera and few spare flash drives on the way to the lab.

I got 50 bucks on that Jackal guy, not that I've actually read much of anything with him in it.
>>
>>5218468
>support
>>
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>>5218468
+1
>camera
And never let this happen
>>
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>>5218496
Yeah, thankfully our criminal sensibilities should protect us from that kind of explicit retardation, but I personally think we're not being nearly paranoid enough when we show up at shield with the same costume all our criminal contacts know we use, for example. These guys aren't bros like Flint or Matt, and this whole thread my autism has been screaming at me to spam suggestions of face-obscuring masks or helmet, needlessly expensive voice modulator, one hundred million burner phones, suits upon suits, a gadget to scramble non-spider trackers and a second mask to wear under our visible one.
>>
>>5218452
>that color scheme
Thanks Doc, I really needed my daily dose of spider aids
>>
>>5218454
>>5218520
>“For the most part, I was able to hide them from my family, and I was taking daily doses of a genetic cleansing agent that was helping me to keep things under control.”
>daily doses
THANKS DOC
>>
>>5218468
+1

>>5218496
THIS TOO
>>
>>5218468
>>5218482
>>5218496
>>5218539
Writing...

>>5218516
Until someone says or does something about it, it's gonna keep happening. Because it's currently the only suit you have.
>>
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“I owe you more than you think, Doc.” you said quietly. “I’ll see what I can do.”

The smile that Curt gave you then could’ve lit up a room. Especially one as dark as this lab.

But before he could start profusely thanking you, you held up a hand to stop him. “But I’m gonna need a few things from you first.”

“Is it money? I can get you-”

“I don’t need your money.” you interrupted. “I need a list of the most likely suspects you can think of, as well as full access to your lab.”

He nodded quickly. “Done. Is that all?” he asked.

“I’m also gonna need some information.” you continued. “Like, a list of how many spiders you made, and how many are still alive. What’ll happen if someone gets bit? Does it create another one of you and me? What if I get bit again?”

Curt held up both hands to stop your rapid-fire string of questions. “Hold on, now. One question at a time.” he sighed. “First, we should go over the list of possible culprits.”

You nodded, crossed your arms and waited patiently for him to continue. You caught Cindy mimicking your gesture out of the corner of your eye.

“Spencer Smythe was always opposed to our project, but I couldn’t imagine him sneaking into my lab to alter anything directly. Plus, I think he would sooner see those spiders destroyed, rather than letting them out to alter the DNA of innocent people.”

You’ve never really heard of Smythe, but you’ll keep his name in mind.

“There’s Dr. Mendell Stromm. He’s more of a roboticist, but the program he wrote to study the process of the spider’s web building tendencies and capabilities saved us a lot of time.” Curt explained. “I don’t think he has much of a motive, but I know he and Norman Osborn have always butted heads when they were partnered together.”

Connors paused as he said that, becoming lost in thought all of sudden.

“What?”

“No, it’s probably nothing. I was just thinking about Norman.” he responded.

“What about Norman?”

Curt began to pace and mutter to himself, completely ignoring your previous question. He was only brought back to reality by Cindy violently banging on the glass, startling him in the process. Several seconds later, Jess came barging in to check on the situation.

“We’re fine!” he reassured her.

Jess looked at him, then you and Cindy, before slinking back and letting the door close behind her. You all waited several seconds before continuing again.

“I highly doubt that Norman would be capable of tampering with our research, considering the current position he’s in. He’s got one hell of a motive, but-” Curt said, before you interrupted him again.

“What do you mean?”

(Cont.)
>>
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“Ah, yes. I forgot that this wasn’t common knowledge, but Norman Osborn is no longer the primary shareholder of Oscorp. The Board voted him out after a long string of failures following that nasty chemical spill and the lack of care taken in the cleanup process.” he explained. “Norman hasn’t been in charge of his company for a while now. He’s more of a…figure head or a mascot for the sake of brand recognition. The man was devastated by the decision, and he rarely comes out when it isn’t for an announcement or a press conference.”

Wow. Just…wow. Why wasn’t anyone else talking about this? You never considered the possibility that “Stormin’ Norman” could lose control of his entire company. You’re not especially fond of the guy, but even you can’t help but feel bad for someone in that type of situation.

“What makes you say that he’s not responsible?” you asked.

“He’s not authorized to enter our more secure facilities. And I think I would have noticed if Norman Osborn entered my lab during tour day.” he confidently declared.

Fair enough. But that doesn’t mean that his hands are clean. Just like the others, it's possible that he would have hired someone to do the job for him.

“The only other person I can think of is that specialist that they brought in.” Connors continued. “I believe her surname was…’Octavius’? I believe she’s currently working at Alchemax, but I could be mistaken. I know she has a brother that works at an Atomic Research Center. Nice guy, if a little gloomy at times.”

“Connors.”

“Right, right!” he hastily reminded himself. “I don’t know much about her, but I know that she oversees some of the more ‘sensitive’ portions of the project.”

>Smythe
>Stromm
>Octavius

“Got it.” you nodded. “Now, about those spiders…”

“I don’t have an exact count of the ones that we made. But the last time I checked, there were two still alive that were being considered for further testing. The others were either deemed too dangerous, or died early on.” he said. “As for whether they can grant metahuman abilities…I really can’t say. We’re in uncharted territory here. The experiments were never supposed to reach the stage of human experimentation.”

Maybe HE didn’t want it to happen, but you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that one or two of the Board directors signed a military contract for yet another “supersoldier serum alternative”.

“So you don’t know what would happen if we were bitten again?” you said.

Connors shook his head. “I can only assume that there would be a more aggressive, unexpected mutation involved. If I were you, I wouldn’t risk it.” he warned.

“Understood.” you said simply. “I’ll look into this whole ‘spider-business’ and report back what I find.”

(Cont.)
>>
Curt breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed at his shoulder. “Thank you. Thank you so much. How can I ever repay you?”

You turned away and lightly tapped Cindy’s back so that she’d follow. “Just focus on getting better and not turning into a giant lizard, for both our sakes.” you advised with a wave of your hand. Dr. Connors watched you go as you knocked on the door and asked Jess to be let out. You felt bad seeing him locked up like that, but you figured that it was better than being in the ground or tied down like a mindless animal.

You had a lot to think about as you made your way to Cho’s lab. At least you would get to see Flint again.

—-----

When you arrived, you were surprised to see Flint Marko, back in living color. Like a macho version of Steve from Blue’s Clues.

Ecstatic, you had a joyous reunion with your good ‘ol pal and asked what he’d been up to. Apparently, he’s been experimenting with some light shapeshifting, and he’s gotten much better at retaining his form. Somehow, he was able to simulate most of the organs necessary to maintain his five senses, as well as adding some color to his appearance. He was incapable of taking on the appearance of anything other than plain sand and himself, however.

“YOU’VE BEEN FIGHTING GODDAMN VAMPIRES!?” Flint shouted at an impressive volume.

Cindy gladly showed him her notebook, which had written and illustrated documents on vampires, their history, weaknesses, as well as the ones that you were supposed to be looking out for.

“Yup. Apparently, Dracula’s real too.” you added. “Crazy, right?”

Flint shook his head in disbelief. “What am I supposed to do if I get bit?” he lamented.

“Dude. You’re literally a walking pile of sand. I don’t think you can get sick from anything anymore.” you reminded him.

The expression that he gave you led you to believe that he had somehow forgotten that important fact. Soon after, Cho chimed in.

“You’ve been fighting vampires?” he asked. “Why didn’t you tell any of us? S.H.I.E.L.D. literally has a supernatural task force for this very same reason. They’re called the Howling Commandos.”

You were about to answer, when Flint barged in to block your line of sight with Cho.

“Forget that! When were you planning on letting me in on the action?” he said, smacking a fist into his open palm, causing a handful of sand to fall onto the floor. “I’ve been itching to get out there and clobber something!”

Cho was frowning over his shoulder.

(Cont.)
>>
What will you say?

>”The sooner you can get out of here, the better. I don’t think I can keep dodging Hill much longer.”
>”I hope you’re in the mood for a little revenge, because those blood bags went after my family.”
>”Cho, what’s this about a supernatural task force?”
>”Before you do any of that, I wanted to ask if it was alright for my sister and nephew to stay at your place for a little while.”
>”That’s good to hear, because you’re being recruited as a Desperado!”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5218677
>”The sooner you can get out of here, the better. I don’t think I can keep dodging Hill much longer.”
>”Before you do any of that, I wanted to ask if it was alright for my sister and nephew to stay at your place for a little while.”
>"Oh and uh, we got some real exciting shit to talk about in private. Trust me, you're gonna love it." (Invite Flint to the Desperados when Cho's not in earshot)
>>
>>5218675
>Somehow, he was able to simulate most of the organs necessary to maintain his five senses
Dude he can just, like... turn his smell and hearing off if he wanted to. Or his sense of touch, or anything else. That's a very neat trick that could save his life or those of others in key situations. What if a baddie uses knockout gas? Or knockout infrasound? Or electric shocks? Or worse?
>>
>>5218685
+1; save the hard-hitting stuff like all the conspiracy shit for later
>>
>>5218677
>>5218685
This, but not mentioning the desperados at all in the heavily recorded lab.

Plus
>Write-in. Make sure to get Cho alone to speak with him. Hill clearly wants to turn our friend into an asset.
>>
>>5218685
>>5218704
+1
>>
>>5218677
>>”The sooner you can get out of here, the better. I don’t think I can keep dodging Hill much longer.”
>”Before you do any of that, I wanted to ask if it was alright for my sister and nephew to stay at your place for a little while.”
>”That’s good to hear, because you’re being recruited as a Desperado!”
>>
>>5218677
>”The sooner you can get out of here, the better. I don’t think I can keep dodging Hill much longer.”
>”Before you do any of that, I wanted to ask if it was alright for my sister and nephew to stay at your place for a little while.”
>”That’s good to hear, because you’re being recruited as a Desperado!”
>>
>>5218685
>>5218704
Support
>>
>>5218685
This
>>
>>5218685
+1
+ask about vampires
what can they tell us about Snowsnake, Carpathian, Baroness and Baron Blood,as well as the Night Guard
>>
>>5218685
This. Excited for Flint to kick some ass with us now that he's powered up. We should have him test his limits sometime.
>>
>>5218677

>”Cho, what’s this about a supernatural task force?”

plus >>5218704
>>
>>5218677
>”I hope you’re in the mood for a little revenge, because those blood bags went after my family.”
>”Before you do any of that, I wanted to ask if it was alright for my sister and nephew to stay at your place for a little while.”
>Write-in. Make sure to get Cho alone to speak with him. Hill clearly wants to turn our friend into an asset.
>"Oh and uh, we got some real exciting shit to talk about in private. Trust me, you're gonna love it." (Invite Flint to the Desperados when Cho's not in earshot)
Make sure rgere aren't bugs (not us, the other kind) around too
>>
>>5218901
Oh, we could totally get Flint to scan for bugs. It would be super easy since he can fit into every possible hiding place.
>>
>>5218685
>>5218693
>>5218704
>>5218743
>>5218783
>>5218793
>>5218826
>>5218864
>>5218885
Writing...

>>5218692
Well you see, it wouldn't affect him in the first place. He's immune to toxins and disease of any kind.

>>5218914
Your Spider-Sense also works to detect surveillance. Like, if you tried to take off your mask in this room, it would start blaring like crazy. This is because you perceive it as a threat to your personal safety
>>
>>5219017
I'm taking a nap so I'll vote now for whatever the third option is.
>>
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>>5218692
2 dicks that can endlessly cum

except the cum turns to sand afterwards

he is not free of the curse :(
>>
“The sooner you get out of here, the better. I don’t think I can keep dodging Hill for much longer.” you said, feeling mentally exhausted. And physically exhausted. All this running around was really starting to wear on you.

“But before you do any of that, I was wondering if it would be alright for my sister and nephew to stay at your place for a little while.” you asked.

Flint shrugged. “Sure. It’s not like I’m using it right now, anyway.” he said easily. “Tell ‘em I said hi, too.” he added, with a smile.

“Of course. And thanks again, bro.” you said, lightly patting his shoulder and shaking off the granules of sand that stuck to your gloved hand. He gave you a reassuring slap on the back in return, but it honestly felt like someone smashing you in the spine with a bag on concrete. It was all you could do to remain standing upright.

There was so much that you wanted to talk about with him! You had to tell him about the Desperados, and your massive score, and-

Before you could blurt any of this out, you quickly became aware of Cho’s presence in the room. “Hey, Cho? Would you mind stepping out for a minute? I’ve gotta talk to my buddy about a few things before I go.”

To your surprise, he didn’t protest and cast a suspicious glare at you. He simply grabbed his soda, pulled out his phone and opened up some sort of gacha game. “Sure. Just try not to take or break anything while I’m gone, alright?”

And just like that, he was out the door and conversing with Jess, who stood guard patiently. You could hear them talking about Cho’s mobile game just outside. It seemed like they were both into it.

Feeling a bit more secure now that they were both gone, you returned your attention to Flint. “Flint, buddy! You wouldn’t believe what happened!” you said in a hushed tone. “We started a new team called the-”

Before you could finish your sentence, however, a light pressure in the back of your head had built up to a roaring crescendo. It was barely noticeable at first, but now you couldn’t even attempt to ignore it. What the hell was it?

“Benny?” Flint asked, looking concerned.

You held up a finger and shushed him. “I think they’re still listening to us. Either that or…this lab’s been bugged.” you whispered. It honestly wasn’t a groundbreaking revelation by any means, considering you were on one of the most secure facilities in the entire world.

You were a bit surprised when no one searched you for weapons, but you figured that everyone was packing on the Helicarrier. If you drew, so would everyone else. And there wasn’t nearly enough room for you to get out without a scratch.

Briefly, you instructed Cindy to get Flint caught up by using her notepad to communicate. That way, no one would be able to listen in or decipher your messages via camera footage.

(Cont.)
>>
While she did that, you decided to corner Cho and get him to spill the beans on a few things that’ve been rattling around in your mind.

—-

Both Cho and Jess gave you a surprised look when you abruptly opened the door and stepped out.

“Done already?” Cho asked.

You shook your head and pointed a thumb back at the door. “Cindy’s still inside with him.” you said. You could already hear Flint freaking the fuck out about something that Cindy had written. He sounded excited. Cho and Jess exchanged a concerned glance.

“They’ll be fine.” you reassured them.

What did you want to ask?

>”You were talking about a supernatural task force before?”
>”What can you tell me about a group called ‘The Nightguard’?”
>”Have you ever heard of something called ‘The Midnight Mission’? If so, what’s your take on it?
>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5219054
>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?”
>I think you noticed that he doesn't really like authority figures, so I doubt you are going to get him to work for you unless you shell put the big bucks.
>”You were talking about a supernatural task force before?”
>>
>>5219054
I'm fairly certain that Flint wasn't able to keep his Identiry a secret, so they for sure ran a background check on him.
>>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?"
>"He's totally Avengers material, isn't he? What would I need to do to get a letter of recommendation too?”
>>”What can you tell me about a group called ‘The Nightguard’?”
>"Does Hill allow a group even more secret than hers to run around?"
>>
>>5219054
>”You were talking about a supernatural task force before?”
>”What can you tell me about a group called ‘The Nightguard’?”
>”Have you ever heard of something called ‘The Midnight Mission’? If so, what’s your take on it?
>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?
>>
>>5219054

>>”You were talking about a supernatural task force before?”
>>”What can you tell me about a group called ‘The Nightguard’?”
>>”Have you ever heard of something called ‘The Midnight Mission’? If so, what’s your take on it?
>>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?”
>>
I don't think we should talk about the Nightguard. They are two different organization, and maybe the Nightguard and the Howling Commando could have some rivalry. If we start talking about some more underground anti-paranormal organization, we're having Hill more up in our ass and wanting to know why we have such information about the Nightguard or who are they, and even more reasons so Hill have someone on us to see who are the Nightguard

We need to keep it as a secret, and maybe if Cho tell her something about our fight with the vampires is going to draw more of her attention that before. Don't spill the beans, better if we ask what's the deal of Hill regarding Flint and about the supernatural task force of S.H.I.E.L.D

>>5219054
>”You were talking about a supernatural task force before?”
>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?”
>>
>>5219054
>”You were talking about a supernatural task force before?”
>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?”
>>
>>5219054
>”Give it to me straight. What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?”
>>
>>5219100
Support
>>
>>5219062
>>5219074
>>5219075
>>5219083
>>5219096
>>5219100
>>5219118
>>5219127
Taking these. Majority vote goes to depriving Cho of info. Writing...
>>
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“You were talking about a supernatural task force before?” you said.

Cho nodded and started leaning against the wall. “Yeah. Their primary task force is called the Howling Commandos, but the official name of their division is ‘S.T.A.K.E.’.”

“S.T.A.K.E.?”

“Special Threat Assessment for Known Extranormalities. It was Dugan’s idea, I think.” Jess explained. “They use supernatural creatures to fight supernatural creatures. Cool, right?”

“Vampires, werewolves, witches, warlocks, fishmen. You name it.” Cho said, listing names off on his fingers. “They don’t see a lot of action these days, but it’s always nice to have a team of specialists on hand in case something goes wrong.”

“Don’t worry. You don’t have to be afraid of the things that go bump in the night.” Jess said, casting a reassuring glance in your direction. “We’ve got Blade for that.”

Cho shook his head. “He’s out of town. So’s his kid.” he confirmed.

“Damn. Bloodstone?”

Cho hissed. “In another dimension.”

Jess grimaced at that. “Alright. You should probably be a little afraid.” she advised, before returning to her earlier position next to the door.

“I’ll be sure to keep a tight grip on my purse when I’m walking home at night, thanks.” you said in a mocking tone.

“Something tells me that they won’t be interested in your money.” Cho added.

“He can fill it with hard candy and swing it at them when they get too close.” Jess suggested. “That’d hurt like a bitch.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of mace mixed with garlic juice. But your suggestion was good too.” you put in.

“Maybe add a silver clasp to the purse for extra damage?” Cho said, finally joining in on the fun.

“We’re so good at this.” Jess blurted.

“Maybe we should apply for S.T.A.K.E.” you said.

“To my knowledge, none of us are supernatural creatures, so I don't think we qualify.” Cho informed you.

Jess shrugged. “I don’t know, Cho. You could’ve fooled me.”

Cho let out a laugh that held equal parts malice and amusement. “While I am well aware that I possess the devilish good looks of an Incubus, I assure you that I am 100% human.”

Jess scoffed at him. “Ugh. You sound like Stark. What do you brainy guys eat to have your heads grow so big?”

Cho was about to answer, but you held up a hand to stop both of them. If you didn’t then they’d probably go on forever.

“Alright Cho, give it to me straight.” you began. He was clearly confused by the sudden shift in topic, if his head tilt was any indication. “What’s Hill planning to do with Flint?”

(Cont.)
>>
Cho straightened a bit and shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “As far as I know, she hasn’t said anything that strikes me as ‘diabolical’, if that’s what you’re asking. She asked me to find out how this happened to him, as well as the simplest way to disable him, should he go on another rampage.” he said easily.

“You’re seriously telling me that you don’t think she has any ulterior motives?”

Cho put his hands up defensively. “I never said that. I just said that if she’s planning on doing anything more than that, she hasn’t said anything to me about it. It’s possible that she might try to replicate the incident, but I doubt that there would be many takers in that regard. Being blasted by radiation doesn’t sound like anybody’s idea of fun.”

“I hear that she’s been more interested in you, actually.” Jess added, pointing a finger at you. “She asked me a while back if I knew anything about you. I guess she thought that all spider-people stick together, or something.”

Well that’s deeply upsetting. Is Hill already catching onto you?

“If you guys hear anything else, will you let me know?” you asked.

“Depends on what it is and whether it's classified or not.” Jess said, glancing at you out of the corner of her eye.

“If it’s just harmless gossip, then sure.” Cho put in.

That’ll have to do for now.

—---

Upon returning to the lab and checking on Flint, he greeted you with a wide, goofy grin. Cindy must’ve told him about the money.

“I CAN’T WAIT TO GET BACK HOME!” he exclaimed, drawing you into a huge bear hug that caused your bones to creak.

According to Cindy, he was extremely excited about the prospect of you and him getting your business off the ground. You were one step closer to reaching the big leagues. Now if only you could get this whole "vampire" situation dealt with.

—--

Where will you go now?

>Swing on over to Morbius’ nightclub. He hasn’t been answering your calls, and you’re starting to get concerned.
>Head to the Midnight Mission with Matt. You were invited, and they never really put a time limit on the offer.
>Call Silvermane about that job offer of his.
>Help Vic and Pete move into Flint’s place.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5219255
>>Help Vic and Pete move into Flint’s place.
Family comes first. Afterwards,
>>Head to the Midnight Mission with Matt. You were invited, and they never really put a time limit on the offer.
Be silly to reject potential help if we're both hunting vamps anyway.
>>
>>5219255
>>Swing on over to Morbius’ nightclub. He hasn’t been answering your calls, and you’re starting to get concerned.
>>
>>5219255
>Swing on over to Morbius’ nightclub. He hasn’t been answering your calls, and you’re starting to get concerned.
>Ask him why his movie is so bad
>>
>>5219271
Oh, and
>Help Vic and Pete move into Flint’s place.
We know how to vampire proof the place, so it would be a good idea to do that.
>>
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>>5219271
Really? My sister said it was a fun enough flick especially compared to Venom, which is high praise for the superhero genre these days.
>>
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>>5219271
You better watch your mouth, lad. All the hardcore Morbius fans are gonna be on your ass for talking shit

Who would've thought that a bunch of out-of-touch Sony execs couldn't make a decent movie by examining flowcharts and using a character that can't carry a movie on his own.

>>5219281
I'm not gonna go out of my way to see the movie, but I might catch it when it becomes free. I don't expect to be impressed by it, though. The first Venom was okay, but the second one was absolutely dreadful. The final boss battle was the only thing I came for.

I think a lot of people tend to "settle" for superhero movies these days. There are a fair amount of unimpressive MCU movies and tv shows that get a pass because they're MCU related content.
>>
>>5219281
My friend said it was some generic story with subpar special effect and some edge sprinkled over. But then again he watched it after the new batman movie he loved, so maybe it was because it raised his expectations.
I'm not personally into cape movies so I can't judge, for me it's all the same bo matter what. Well, except Joker, but I feel like that one broke the formula too much to be comparable.
>>
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>>5219290
Venom 2 basically raped Carnage and made me sperg out and ruin the movie even more for everyone else it was that fucking bad. I had to rewatch No Way Home like 3 times to stop tarding out randomly throughout the day every time the memories hit me. Poor Tom Hardy, his acting in those movies was fucking everything.

>>5219291
Joker wasn't a superhero movie, was it?
>>
>>5219290
Yeah, that's what I feel, the majority of superhero movies got too stale and formulaic.
I think the Avengers got popular to begin with because it broke the mold taht was going on at that time, by having a big cast of multiple heroes and skipping a bit of origin stories, but eventually it carried the other Marvel movies due to name recognition. Guardians of the Galaxy too I think.
That or I got old and keep thinking that the old days were better, that's equally likely.
>>
>>5219300
No, although is related to comics the movie was closer to a paichological thriller than anything.
That's why I said it broke too much to be comparable, it isn't even in the same genre anymore.
>>
>>5219302
You're right about most of it, I think. Avengers was purely carried on by hype and was massive undertaking/cinematic event/experiment. But the fact of the matter is that movie aged like milk. Avengers 1 is kinda generic, and Avenger 2 is just shilling future Marvel projects.(Also ruined Ultron, but whatever)

Guardians is the best example of a team of literal who's becoming popular through popular media. People love the concept of a bunch of misfits becoming a family. They tried to replicate that success with the Eternals, but literally who gives a fuck about the Eternals? No one I've met.

People more or less have a sort of Stockholm syndrome where they're too invested to stop, and the studio makes you feel like you're missing out if you don't see every single movie. Kinda like Kingdom Hearts, I guess.

>>5219300
The second half of No Way Home was so cathartic for me. It felt like someone actually addressed every single complaint that I had about the new movies. Like the guys in the writers room were just pretending to be retarded for several years, and now it's just "PSYCH, WE KNEW WHAT YOU WANTED ALL ALONG!"
>>
>>5219255
>supporting
>>5219264
>>
>>5219255
>Call Silvermane about that job offer of his.
>Swing on over to Morbius’ nightclub. He hasn’t been answering your calls, and you’re starting to get concerned.
We can make the call on the way, right?
>>
>>5219290
They should have shelled out for Wesley Snipes and just made it a Blade movie.
>>
>>5219255
Help vic and Pete, check on morbius and head to the midnight mission
>>
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>>5219326
Blade's filming rights reverted to Marvel in 2012, apparently, and I'd say they did good by picking Ali instead considering Snipes' chin meat is drooping halfway to his nips nowadays.

So what do you guys think about getting bit again? I'd say everything would be fine, and we'd get free mutation points out of it, probably. I mean what's the worst that can happen, right guys?
>>
>>5219352
If all you want is free mutation points, we can just make Doc Connors our regular physician.
>>
So I'm reading:

>4 for Vic and Pete
>3 for Morbius
>3 for Midnight Mission

Now, I'm gonna need you guys to roll me a 1d100, bo3!
>>
Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>5219642
>>
Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>5219642
>>
Rolled 28 (1d100)

>>5219642
>>
>>5219646
>>5219649
>>5219654
Alright. Taking these. Writing...
>>
>61

Once again, Jess volunteered to drop you off. She wasn’t able to fly like Bobbi with her wingsuit, but she was somehow capable of gliding back down to New York with you and Cindy in tow. When you asked her what gliding had to do with being a spider, she was unable to give you a good answer.

—--

Somewhere along the way, you decided that you would meet up with Louise and “Monsieur Knight” at the Midnight Mission. But before any of that, you would help Vic and Pete move into Flint’s place. You would also be checking in with Mike to make sure that he was alright. Him not answering any of your calls was distressing in itself.

—---

After a quick shower and change of clothes, you and Cindy raced over to Vic’s place. Since you called ahead with the good news, they had already started packing without you. Pete was trying his best to help, so Vic would give him light things to work with. Cindy decided to watch over him and make sure he didn’t hurt himself. You were pretty sure that you’d gotten up all of the broken glass and splintered wood, but you could never be too safe.

The moving process was made much easier with your superhuman strength and stamina. You weren’t trying to hold back as much as you had before your little heart to heart with your sister. Although, you could feel her eyes on your back as you single handedly moved a particularly heavy piece of furniture out of the living room. It was mildly unsettling to say the least. She didn’t have enough evidence to figure out what it was you were doing exactly, but as “Spider-Man” gained more and more press coverage, she would eventually piece everything together. Your job was just to make sure that the Huntsman never made the news. Pete would be devastated if he ever found out. You aren’t sure if you can take that.

—--

Several hours later, most of Vic’s stuff had been loaded up into a truck and was sent to Flint’s current address. It took far longer than it should’ve, mostly due to the heavy traffic caused by Slip’s presence in the city. Day by day, more and more roads were shutting down due to dead cars clogging up the lanes. People were packed like sardines in subway cars, whole entire neighborhoods were losing power and streetlights were going out left and right. It was the darkest that you’d ever seen the city in your entire life.

At that very moment, you regretted the fact that you couldn’t just pick up the entire truck and drop it off at your destination. Vic had to have known that you were a meta by now, but you didn’t want her to know anything terribly specific yet.

On several occasions, you had to stop Cindy from showing Pete her “Vampire Diary”. She was under the assumption that he was just a simple kid, but you knew better. Pete was a lot smarter than he let on. You would just have to be more careful around him in the future.

—----

(Cont.)
>>
Once you arrived at Flint’s apartment, Victoria couldn’t help but gape at the absolute state of your buddy’s hovel. The wallpaper was peeling in some places, the drywall had a huge crack in the wall by the couch, and the sink was full of dirty dishes. There was an undeniable smell about the place too. In hindsight, you probably should've stopped by to clean the place up a bit while Flint was away from home.

“Jesus Christ…” Vic gasped, staring wide eyed at a line of ants trailing down the kitchen counter. “If the cult doesn’t get me, the roaches will. How does Flint live like this?”

“Look on the bright side.” you said in a cheery tone. “At least he doesn’t have rats.”

As if to prove you wrong in that very moment, something shifted in the corner, causing all of you to jump back reflexively. Cindy reached for her bo-staff immediately, but you grabbed at her hand and shook your head slowly.

“Well…it’s a bit of a fixer upper.”

Vic tried to laugh, but it came out sounding more like a whimper. You spent the better part of that evening helping them to clean and move their essentials into the apartment. Luckily, Flint’s mattress was big enough for both of them to sleep in it together. Although, Vis spent at least half an hour checking for fleas or bedbugs. You’d nearly forgotten how much of a clean freak she was.

While she did that though, you instructed Cindy to hang up some baskets full of dogwood blossoms and carve some basic wards into the walls. Peter eventually took some interest in what she was doing and asked to help. Cindy just shrugged and instructed him on how to draw the runes. She didn’t allow him to hold the knife by himself, and did more to guide his hand with her own placed firmly on top.

And in that very moment, Vic came out to check on things.

“So the bedroom’s clean. ‘Clean’ being a relative term, but—OH MY GOD!” she exclaimed, moving to snatch the knife out of the kid’s hands. “What are you guys doing!? This is someone’s home! The landlord’s gonna freak when he finds out!”

Suddenly, she scrunched up her nose and recoiled in disgust. “What is that smell!? Who brought these flowers here?”

Vic was having a full-blown meltdown. You had to calm her down.

What will you say?

>Pull Vic aside and explain the whole vampire situation to her.
>”I brought them here. I thought they’d freshen up the place. I hear they drive away pests.”
>”I'm pretty sure this passes for modern art these days. You shouldn’t stifle their creativity.”
>”Don’t worry. I’ll buy some wallpaper tomorrow and cover it all up. No one will ever notice.”
>”If it makes you feel any better, I’ll start looking for a new place for you guys tomorrow. This is all just temporary.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5219689
>Pull Vic aside and explain the whole vampire situation to her.
>”Don’t worry. I’ll buy some wallpaper tomorrow and cover it all up. No one will ever notice.”
>”If it makes you feel any better, I’ll start looking for a new place for you guys tomorrow. This is all just temporary.”
>>
>>5219689
>>”I brought them here. I thought they’d freshen up the place. I hear they drive away pests.”
>Pull Vic aside and explain they tracked Cindy by super-smell. You have friends who assured you these help.
>>
>>5219689
>Pull Vic aside and explain the whole vampire situation to her.
”If it makes you feel any better, I’ll start looking for a new place for you guys tomorrow. This is all just temporary.”
>>
>>5219689
>Pull Vic aside and explain the whole vampire situation to her.
>>
>>5219689
>Pull Vic aside and explain they tracked Cindy by super-smell. You have friends who assured you these help.
>”I mean, at least the only bloodsuckers in here will be the bedbugs.”
>>
>>5219689
>>”I brought them here. I thought they’d freshen up the place. I hear they drive away pests.”
>"I'll not let anything happen to you. I know now how to ward them off. I can tell you the truth or I can set you at ease."
>>
>>5219766
Shit, I messed that up. It was supposed to be
>Pull Vic aside and explain the whole vampire situation to her.
>”I mean, at least the only bloodsuckers in here will be the bedbugs.”
>>
>>5219689
>Pull Vic aside and explain the whole vampire situation to her.
>”Don’t worry. I’ll buy some wallpaper tomorrow and cover it all up. No
>”If it makes you feel any better, I’ll start looking for a new place for you guys tomorrow. This is all just temporary.” one will ever notice.”

QM, how old exactly are Cindy and Pete? I don't remember if you said.

Also, I want Pete to learn magic now, what the hell. Inventor-Wizard Peter could probably approach Doom levels of threat.
>>
>>5219807
>QM, how old exactly are Cindy and Pete? I don't remember if you said.
Cindy, when meeting early was described as "maybe pre-teen" I think.
>>
>>5219696
>>5219736
>>5219740
>>5219801
>>5219807
Taking the most popular votes here. Writing...

>>5219810
What he said. Ben's guess is that Cindy is between 12 and 13 years old. Pete recently turned 6 years old.

>>5219807
>I want Pete to Learn magic now
;^)
>>
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Before Vic could say anything more, you grabbed her by the arm and gently pulled her aside. She quickly yanked her arm away and pointed at the kids.

“What are you doing? We have to take that knife away from them.” she urged you in a hushed tone.

You shook your head. “No, we don’t.”

Your sister gave you an utterly confused look. “Why the hell not!?” she asked.

“Because we need them to finish. The wards, the dogwood, the garlic cloves, we need all of it.” you proclaimed.

“...Is there something you’re not telling me?” she said.

“I’m getting there. Just…let me get my thoughts together.” you pleaded. After taking a deep breath, you were ready to rush through this whole explanation. “So those cultists I told you about, they’re not normal people.”

Victoria nodded. “I thought that was made obvious by the assassin that they sent after the girl.”

“You don’t understand, Vic. It’s a vampire cult, with ACTUAL vampires!” you whispered at a volume that you hoped Peter couldn’t hear.

And of course, your sister’s first instinct was to laugh at you. She laughed for so long that you were certain that all of the rage and indignation from before had all but drained out of her. But after taking one good look at how serious your expression was, her face took on a similar quality.

“...Wait. You’re serious right now?” she asked.

You nodded slowly. “I wanted to tell you before, but-” you began to say. But you were quickly interrupted by your sister slapping you hard on the shoulder.

“Ow! What the hell, Vic?”

“Why would you wait so long to tell me that!? Why did I have to literally drag the information out of you!?” she hissed, keeping her voice at a reasonable volume. “We could’ve died, and you were just sitting there on my busted couch making me play 20 questions!”

“I thought that telling you would put you in even more danger.” you admitted.

Victoria rolled her eyes at you. “Oh, don’t give me that bullshit. You were just trying to take control of a situation that’s clearly gotten away from you.” she said, gesturing at the run down apartment.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” you asked, unable to keep the frustration out of your voice.

“You seem to be under the misconception that you can somehow control everything and everyone in your life. I mean, were you just planning on keeping us in the dark until you ‘handled’ everything by yourself?” she said, taking a step towards you. You stepped back without even thinking.

(Cont.)
>>
“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been? Me and Pete are only alive right now because some psycho vampire cultist didn’t feel like killing us yet!” she continued, her anger building with each passing second. “And now you’re telling me that you’ve been running around shooting at vampires, and getting hurt, and-”

Victoria trailed off, sputtering uncontrollably as she covered her face with her hands. It was about half a minute before she was calm enough to look you in the eye again.

“You can’t keep doing crazy shit without telling me, Ben. Especially if we’re the ones that have to suffer the consequences.”

What will you say?

>”This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you. I knew you would freak out like this.”
>”You’re right. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to get you wrapped up in my shit.”
>”You seriously think I’m a control freak?”
>”That’s why I’m telling you now. I never wanted any of this to reach you guys, but I don’t have a choice now..”
>”You told me not to talk about work when I’m around you, so…”
>"This isn't just me trying to make a quick buck, Vic. Cindy would've died if I hadn't done anything. And I can't just go to the police about this shit."
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5219840
>>”You’re right. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to get you wrapped up in my shit.”
>>”Besides, you told me not to talk about work when I’m around you, so…”
>>
>>5219840
>”You’re right. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to get you wrapped up in my shit. That’s why I’m telling you now. I never wanted any of this to reach you guys, but I don’t have a choice now.”
>>
>>5219840
>"In my defense, I didn't know they were vampires when I told you about the cultists"
>>
>>5219840
>”That’s why I’m telling you now. I never wanted any of this to reach you guys, but I don’t have a choice now..”
>The last time I told someone directly, another person with superhearing fou d out my identity immediatly Vic. Thankfully he was a good man and we are friends now, but what would happen if it was someone more malevolent?
>I'm new to all this, so I'm trying to go by my gut instincts and what I see around. And it tells me that there is a reason all these meta either have secret identities or are hobos without loves ones.
>For example, just having Cindy stay in your house lead them to your doorstep, and it was before I knew about the vampire cultist, and I had to to stay at your place to begin with because a meta had attacked my last home.
>>
>>5219840
>"It's a combination of multiple things, really."
>"A: Not telling people about the shit I'm up to is my default way of doing things. It's not a habit I can just drop instantly."
>"B: I knew you would freak out like this. Not telling you the threat is meta or even supernatural allows you to think it can still be handled by regular folks too."
>"Which leads me to C: I never wanted any of this to reach you guys, but I don’t have a choice now.."
>"I literally brought this to your door. I brought Cindy's smell to you, that is 100% my fault. Even if, at the time I didn't know they can track her like that, or that it was vampires."
>"Me just saying I'm sorry doesn't right that wrong,but I am. I am sorry, Viv. "
>>
>>5219840
You’re right. I’m sorry. I just didn’t want to get you wrapped up in my shit.”
>”You seriously think I’m a control freak?”
>”That’s why I’m telling you now. I never wanted any of this to reach you guys, but I don’t have a choice now..”
>"This isn't just me trying to make a quick buck, Vic. Cindy would've died if I hadn't done anything. And I can't just go to the police about this shit
>>
>>5219840
>”That’s why I’m telling you now. I never wanted any of this to reach you guys, but I don’t have a choice now..”
>"This isn't just me trying to make a quick buck, Vic. Cindy would've died if I hadn't done anything. And I can't just go to the police about this shit."
>>
>>5219687
How do Ben and Jess not know gliding spiders are actually a thing? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7vG8Kw-l9s
>>
>>5219890
Dunno how common knowledge that is anon, I didn't know either
>>
>>5219890
Ben has not been in the Spider-Business for long
Jess, no excuses
>>
>>5219897
>>5219898
That's a shame, spiders are cool.
>>
>>5219903
I kill them, I'm sorry.
>>
>>5219904
Don't be, they'd do the same to you in your place.
>>
>>5219855
Supporting. This is the most comprehensive choice I think
>>
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>>5219904
but they are so pretty
>>
>>5219915
It's the eyes and stuff. I used to also kill house centipedes but not anymore.
>>
>>5219840
>Write-in. Okay! Complete honesty from now on, but you might not like all of it.
>”You seriously think I’m a control freak?”
>"Seriously?"
>>
>>5219855
+1
>>
>>5219855
I knew you would freak out like this. Not telling you the threat is meta or even supernatural allows you to think it can still be handled by regular folks too."

I really hate this phrasing. In fact most of the options presented in this choice boil down to either deflecting blame, dodging the issue, downplaying things majorly, or trying to low key blame Vic.

And that is all absolutely in character for a guy like Ben.

Hell, only one of the options presented apologizes in any meaningful way while still not acknowledging that Ben's intentions meant jack shit compared to the reality that his family almost got turned into high iron content juice boxes.
>>
>>5219855
>>5219912
>>5220156
Writing...

>>5219890
It was more a dig at her not doing anything particularly spider-like aside from the wallcrawling. Which is ironic, because Ben blows shit up with his hands and feet, so he can't judge Jess for firing bioelectric blasts out of her hands.

Also, Jess is mentally younger than most people realize. She fell into a medically induced coma when she was a child and woke up a full grown woman as a side effect of the experiment that her father conducted. This is why she seems so immature sometimes.

>>5219904
>>5219915
I mostly leave spiders alone if they aren't bothering me in any meaningful way. They eat flies and mosquitos, and I have a strong hatred for both. The women in my family would always ask me to kill them and freak the fuck out whenever they saw a harmless one

>>5220225
Ben's still got some growing up to do. Let's see how life as a metahuman influences his development!
>>
>>5220244
That's funny, some spiders use electrostatic to make their webs stickier and even fly, tho extrapolating that to being able to throw dbz fireworks is a bit of a stretch. And on Ben's case there aren't any spiders that explode that we know of, but there are cases of insects using volatile chemical reactions as self defense mechanisms like bombardier beetles or termites fontanellar guns, so maybe we could chalk up the Mark as evolution or something out of Dr. Connor's design.
>>
>>5220266
Based on the description I'd just assumed it was an artistically licensed take on the hair-shedding defense tarantulas have
>>
>>5220279
Yeah, that's good enough too.
>>
“It’s a combination of multiple things, really.” you began. “A: Not telling people about the shit I'm up to is my default way of doing things. It's not a habit I can just drop instantly. B: I knew you would freak out like this. Not telling you the threat is meta or even supernatural allows you to think it can still be handled by regular folks too." you explained, listing facts off on your fingers. “Which leads me to C: I never wanted any of this to reach you guys, but I don’t have a choice now."

Vic just sat there with her arms crossed, waiting patiently for you to finish. You could already see that the fight was draining out of her. She was tired and frustrated, but not entirely placated by your flowery language.

"I literally brought this to your door. I brought Cindy's scent to your house, and that is 100% my fault. Even if, at the time, I didn't know they could track her like that, or that it was vampires." you continued, sighing deeply. "Me just saying I'm sorry doesn't right that wrong, but I am. I am sorry, Vic."

She stared at you for a long moment, probably trying to find sincerity in your words. When she found what she was looking for, she let out a loud huff and started to glance around the room.

“Fine.” she said with a shrug. “What do we do now?”

“Just lie low for now. I’m gonna meet with some people that are gonna help me fix this.” you said, glancing at Cindy and Pete to make sure that they were okay.

Vic nodded, reluctantly at first, but then she began to put her faith in your words again. “Okay. Keep me posted. And be careful.”

You nodded and thought about hugging her, but you weren’t sure if it would be the right thing to do after an argument. However, Vic took the decision out of your hands by wrapping her arms around you and giving you a quick squeeze before letting go.

Shortly afterwards, the two of you returned to the living room with the other two. Cindy and Pete gazed at Victoria expectantly, but she only gestured for them to continue what they were doing.

Once Cindy had finished carving out the runes that Louise had told her about, you grabbed the gym bag that had your suit and equipment inside, hugged both your nephew and sister, and headed out to meet up with Morbius.

—-------

You were thankful to not have to deal with the heavy flow of traffic and the clogged up roadways. A decent amount of people were now incredibly motivated to walk, run, or cycle to most places within a reasonable distance. Since the buses were no longer running, it was either that, take the subway, or take a cab. Not that you expected anyone in their right mind to try and drive through this mess.

(Cont.)
>>
>>5220244
Is there a martial arts that would synergyize well with Ben's application of the Mark of Kane in combat? You know when he uses the explosions to make his kicks and punches all that much more faster and harder? Muay Thai? MMA?
>>
It took a little under half an hour to make it to the Eternal Club from Flint’s apartment. But when you got there, you weren’t sure if it qualified as a nightclub anymore. The place was an absolute wreck! The walls were riddled with holes, the windows were smashed and there were large chunks missing from the entrance. You didn’t see the bouncer anywhere, either.

“Sheesh…”

You leapt down from your perch with Cindy in tow. She noticed her pulling out her Moonrang, and decided that she had the right idea. You pulled out your pistols and silently made your way past the police tape that was being used to cordon off the whole area. Even as you entered the club and made your way through the winding tunnels in the catacomb, you weren’t met by any opposition. But right before you could open the final door, the hairs on the back of your neck stood on edge.

Your Spider-Sense flared up like crazy, and your attention was immediately drawn to the ceiling, where several pairs of blood red eyes were glaring down at you hatefully. Cindy crept closer to you, and you directed your guns skyward, just waiting for someone to make a move.

But instead of pouncing on you, they quickly turned their heads to the side, slinking back into the inky darkness. Just like that, the prickly feeling was gone, and the door opened by itself.

Inside, you found a crumbling, destitute nightclub, with Michael Morbius standing at the center. The place was in ruins.

“Ah. The Huntsman, was it?” he said in a subdued tone. “I am afraid that you have come at a rather bad time. We are…still recovering from an earlier altercation.”

You put away your pistols immediately and strode over to the tall vampire. “What the hell happened here!?”

Morbius turned away from you, staring at a still figure being carried off into another room by two other vampires. Peking through the pale sheet, you saw a tuft of vibrant, pink hair. You remembered that B Negative had similarly colored hair.

“We were attacked by some sort of large, oddly shaped aircraft. The pilot was using silver rounds of a fairly large caliber.” he claimed, clenching his fists in anger. “It would appear that Miss Cromwell is not alone in her mission to subjugate the city. I might have underestimated them.”

What will you say?

>”Any idea who it might have been?”
>”I’m sorry for your loss.”
>”Are you telling me these vamps are doing strafing runs now!?”
>”Something that big couldn’t have gone unnoticed. Did you try to follow it?”
>”If Cromwell’s attacking you directly like this, she must mean business. She wants to take you out of the game for good.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5220392
You'd have to discover that yourself through constant practice, training and experimentation. Spider-Man invented the Way of the Spider as a martial art with Shang-Chi's help. Ben can probably do something similar. A martial art made specifically for metahumans like him
>>
>>5220394
>Write-in.
Need help? By the way we just notice someone leaving your night club.
>>
>>5220394
>>”Any idea who it might have been?”
Damn, first his comic gets cancelled and here he just straight up dies. B-Negative just can't win.
>>
>>5220394
>>”Any idea who it might have been?”
>>”I’m sorry for your loss.”
>>
>>5220394
>”I’m sorry for your loss."
>”Any idea who it might have been?”
>>
>>5220394
>”Any idea who it might have been?”
>”I’m sorry for your loss.”
>Some pair of glowing ref eyes hanging in the ceiling gave me a very hostile feeling before they left, even though they didn't attack or anything. Just wanted to warn you in case they are not your people or something.
>Baron Blood, Carpathian and Snowsnake were taken out of the picture, and a Nightguard and Midnight Mission are involved. It seems that some other person connected to Cindy's old cult is going after the our enemies. Also S.T.A.K.E might do something since some people on S.H.I.E.L.D. know about higher vampire attacks, but most of their heavy hitters are still put of town.
>Consider me giving you the info upfront as a thanks for what you gave me last time. Is there anything you know about these organizitions? I only know that they exist and what they do
>>
>>5220394
>>”I’m sorry for your loss.”
>Write-in.
"What do you need me to do?"
>>
>>5220394
>>5220423
Actually I'd like to add

>Share all relevant information except identities
>Ask if there's anything we can help with
>>
>>5220423
>>5220435
+1
His series never comes out, he makes one appearance in Marvel before disappearing forever and dies in his /qst/ debut. B-Negative cannot catch a fucking break, can he? At least there was no internet gas involved.
>>
>>5220410
>>5220454
Not to worry, lads. He's not gone out of existence. He's simplytrapped in Limbo. On account of him not being a true vampire(similar to Morbius), his soul hasn't been damned to hell, so he's in-between and no one knows what to do with him.

Gonna be headed to work soon, so I'll be leaving the vote open. Have a good night, anons.
>>
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>>5220477
Shoulda told him to send his regards to my wife.
Goodnight.
>>
Get Kraven with us. Did we ever seal the deal?
>>
>>5220523
Yes, before Vic called us.
>>
>>5220526
No condom?
>>
>>5220527
None were mentioned. Our offspring may be devouring their way out of her body as we speak.
>>
>>5220394
I must say, I'm not too beat up about the vamps that wanted to kill us when we visited, being killed themselves. But we still need to do some networking.
>”I’m sorry for your loss.”
>"I ran into a few other vampire hunters. I tried calling you a few times to issue a warning, but I that didn't come in time."
>"and here I wanted to ask you to decorate yourself with my feathers. Baron Blood, Silverfang and Carpathian have moved to a happy farm upstate to live with old pets and grandparents. My family and I don't need this kind of heat and I thought we could make it known that you took care of them. Well, Carpathian wasn't my kill..."
>>
>>5220423
>>5220435
>>5220454
Taking these. Writing...

>>5220527
>>5220569
She told Ben not to worry about it. She's got her own form of contraceptive.
>>
“I’m sorry for your loss.” you said, staring at the still figure being carried off by formally dressed vampires. “Is there anything that I can do to help?”

Morbius turned to you and smiled ruefully. “Actually, we could use some help removing the silver from the premises. It is difficult for us to touch it, even with protective equipment.”

You nodded and had him point out where the largest accumulation of it had been detected. You and Cindy spent the next hour and half scouring the ruined nightclub with metal detectors, prying chunks of silver shrapnel out of the walls, ceiling and floors. You and a few others made use of pliers, powerful magnets and various other tools to remove the precious metals.

While you worked, you shared everything that you’d learned since the last time you had spoken to him. You left names out, of course. Including those of Anastasia and Louise. Upon hearing that you had encountered two vampire hunters, and were now pursuing the trail of a third, Morbius was pleasantly surprised. You doubted that either of them would do anything like this, so you felt the need to mention that as well.

This attack was far too indirect for someone as hot blooded as Anastasia. And Louise’s methods were far more discreet. However, you weren’t about to divulge sensitive information about either women to Morbius, and vice versa.

You reported your success in taking down Baron Blood, Snowsnake, and Carpathian, as well. He gave you a wolfish grin as soon as you confirmed that you’d unloaded an entire clip of silver bullets into Snowsnake’s unprotected face. She must’ve been one of the ones that he was the most worried about. Carpathian was also troublesome due to his aerial maneuverability. The way that he described the Baron made him sound like a rabid dog, and after your encounter with him, you couldn’t entirely disagree with him. At least the other two managed to employ some manner of strategy, even if Snowsnake was the brains, AND the brawn behind the operation.

Lastly, you mentioned that you were planning on visiting the Midnight Mission after this. And to your surprise, he nodded his approval.

“The Moon Knight is a bit odd, but he is a trustworthy and stalwart defender of those that travel during the night.” he confidently said.

“Wait. ‘Moon Knight’? Does that have anything to do with…?” you asked, glancing in Cindy’s direction.

Morbius gave you another slight nod. “I believe they worship the same God, but their methods of worship are very different. Also, I do not think that Marc Spector agrees with the cult’s leadership.”

So he’s against the cult, but he worships the same God? Maybe that’s why he wants to talk to Cindy. She did say that she was being raised to be an important figure in their organization. Your worries were only beginning to multiply with this additional information. You were suddenly very glad that Matt was coming with you.

—---

(Cont.)
>>
Once Morbius was satisfied with your work, he gave you a congratulatory pat on the shoulder, while Cindy got a pat on the head. “You have my thanks, Huntsman. These are dark times indeed, but it is good to know that I have allies that would think to check on me.” he said, his smile becoming more genuine.

“Don’t mention it.” you said easily. “But if you don’t mind me asking, do you have any idea who might have been behind the wheel the night of the attack?”

Morbius nodded slowly, his crimson eyes burning with hatred. “The aircraft was…crescent-shaped. Like a crescent moon.”

You stared at him in silence and glanced at Cindy, who was staring up in confusion. “You don’t think that-”

“I don’t know.” Morbius said quickly. “I am aware that he owns such an aircraft, but he has never displayed such overly aggressive behavior before. At least, not towards us.” he quickly amended. “I do not want to ruin our current working relationship by pointing fingers. However…” he trailed off, gazing intently at you. “I would be eternally grateful if you could…discreetly inquire about such matters during your meeting.”

You nodded slowly, trying not to pay attention to the troubled expression on Cindy’s face.

“What’ll you do in the meantime?” you asked.

Morbius flashed a grin, exposing his razor sharp teeth. “Oh, I intend to get even for this unwarranted attack. I believe Miss Cromwell is overdue for a visit from ‘Terminal’.” he declared.

“Terminal? Who’s that?”

Just then, you heard a rasping cough from your right, and you quickly turned to find a tall, slender man standing beside you. He wore tight, white spandex, and had a red mask with a skull imprint on it. His hands and feet were the only other parts of his costume with some color, as they were both dyed in a deep shade of red.

“Huntsman, I would like you to meet Terminal.” Morbius said, gesturing towards the scarecrow-like man. “He is the deadliest man that I know of.”

You took a moment to drink in the sight before you. This Terminal guy looked like he desperately needed a sandwich. You could easily see the outline of his ribs through his suit. That little thing he did where he crept up on you was cute, but he’d need more than that if he wanted to be an effective assassin.

“Oh and…do be careful where you touch him.” Morbius advised. “Terminal’s body hosts an incredibly lethal bacteria that destroys anything it touches. There is no known cure for it.”

You and Cindy leapt back several feet without hesitation, causing Morbius to throw his head back in laughter. Terminal just shook his head in derision.

“What the fuck’s so funny!?” you hissed.

“Oh…forgive me. I love introducing him like this.” Morbius weezed. “It always guarantees the most genuine reactions from my guests.”

(Cont.)
>>
At that very moment, it wasn’t terribly hard to understand why someone would blow this place to smithereens. Mike’s bedside manner was downright atrocious!

“Relax, man.” Terminal said in a heavily modulated voice, raising a gloved hand. “This suit keeps it contained, so there’s no chance of contamination unless I breach it myself. Trust me, it's sturdier than it looks.”

That didn’t fill you with confidence in the slightest, but you were at least willing to remove your hands from your guns.

“Terminal’s disease is unique, you see.” Morbius explained. “It can terminate other bacteria, making it deadly to biological life forms and virtually any disease. This includes ‘supernatural’ diseases.

Your mouth fell open and your eyes went wide. “But that means-”

Morbius nodded and grinned wolfishly. “Terminal’s virus can cure vampirism, lycanthropy, zombification, you name it.”

“Makes ‘em easier to kill.” Terminal casually put in.

What will you say?

>”Doesn’t that make him incredibly dangerous for you to be around?”
>”Why haven’t I heard of this guy before? He sounds like he’d be a pretty big deal in the underworld.”
>”Thanks for not ending all life on earth, I guess.”
>”If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer if he stays far, far away from me and anyone else I care about.”
>”What would happen if he tried to infect someone huge like Galactus or Thanos?”
>”I can see why he wouldn’t get much work. Who would want to be in the same room with a walking pandemic?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5220987
>”Doesn’t that make him incredibly dangerous for you to be around?”
>”Why haven’t I heard of this guy before? He sounds like he’d be a pretty big deal in the underworld.”
>”Thanks for not ending all life on earth, I guess.”
>>
>>5220987

>”Thanks for not ending all life on earth, I guess.”
>”Doesn’t that make him incredibly dangerous for you to be around?”
>”Why haven’t I heard of this guy before? He sounds like he’d be a pretty big deal in the underworld.”
>”What would happen if he tried to infect someone huge like Galactus or Thanos?”
>”If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer if he stays far, far away from me and anyone else I care about.”


Yeah they can go take care of the Baroness by themselves, I'm not working with this guy until our equipment's Iron Spider tier. Remember the last guy we saw who was relying on his suit to keep things in check? This sounds like basically that, except instead of energy it's AIDS.

>“The Moon Knight is a bit odd, but he is a trustworthy and stalwart defender of those that travel during the night.”
>implying you can trust anyone's face staying attached to their skull while he's within a ^5-mile-radius
>>
>>5220987
>>”If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer if he stays far, far away from me and anyone else I care about.”
>”What would happen if he tried to infect someone huge like Galactus or Thanos?”

I also have some ideas for costume modification if we're going the dual secret identity route.

Since several shield agents know our voice the huntmsn suit should get some kinda voice modulator, maybe some fake tech on the gloves and soles of the feet to make it seem like we use tech for wall crawling and finally an altered web formula in case someone ends up comparing it with Spiderman's web.

As for the Spider-man suit I think we should reserve the web bomb for that identity just like we only use the mark of Kaine as Huntsman
>>
>>5220987
>”Thanks for not ending all life on earth, I guess.”
>”Why haven’t I heard of this guy before? He sounds like he’d be a pretty big deal in the underworld.”
>Or the normal world even, it sounds the type of power that agencies would keep an eye on and or have PSAs so there would be a mass panic.
>>
>>5220987
>"Can it spread outside your body, like a regular bacteria? I imagine it wouldn't be controllable if that were the case. So, I guess it doesn't make him any more dangerous than a guy with a gun to the average person."
>Fingerguns
>>
Did we ever agree to get Cindy a voice modulator?
>>
>>5221001
I'm waiting for the spider storyline to continue where goblin tries to experiment more and Cindy gets her powers when I roll another 1.
>>
>>5221003
The race for the remaining spiders is gonna be a stressful experience for everyone involved. I was even considering giving you guys a list of individuals for who they might bite if they survive or escape captivity. Would you guys like me to keep it a surprise, or would you rather pick from a list and play through that person's origin for a bit?

There's also the matter of who will get to bond with Venom
>>
>>5221005
Surprise
>>
>>5221005
It was a successful bond with our DNA, so by comic/videogame logic, if I were a mad scientist, I'd experiment on people who have a similar genetic makeup

I don't want to hop characters
>>
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>>5220995
Sure. Especially if we end up recruiting Phin we should give him web fluid samples so he can work on creating web-shooters. We can then give them to someone (like Prowler) to impersonate us wearing a second suit to establish an alibi.

I guess we can also give a pair to Cindy, but I feel like without the spider-sense and agility and stuff it would be dangerous for her to use.

The fake tech gloves can also be real tech gloves in the form of Widow's Bites, for more convenient nonlethal takedowns in Spidey mode, and the voice modulator could be extra creepy in Huntsman mode to help intimidate fellow criminals.

We just have to remember to vote for it during the next downtime phase we get. Although it might be good to look into the flash drive first.

>>5221001
Stop persecuting the differently-abled, anon. It should be considered a hate crime for you to even dare suggest this.

>>5221005
Surprise please. I love the AU surprises you plant around so goddamn much. I also trust the dice with these things whenever they come into play.

Question for you: Should I stop it with the onslaught of pics? Image limit on /qst/ is 350.
>>
>>5221005
How about Vicky? She has some reason to be upset at Ben and and if she also suspects that one of the identities is fake it will make even more sense for her to attack both, at least until she tells us she is venom and we reveal the truth
>>
>>5220987
I pity this man. He can never masturbate without setting off quarantine alarms.

>>5221012
Mindy's senses and her agility are already phenomenal, ordinary ninja assassin girl or not.

We should probably save up cash to get her throat fixed. Cash, contacts, and favors.
>>
>>5220995
>finally an altered web formula
you know it's not a formula, but organic?
but I already suggested here >>5212552 that we could use something to change the webs color, at the very least

>>5221005
can we have a vote soon whether or not we do want to juggle multiple personas in the first place and how to go about differentiating between them?

>>5221014
Parker Luck
>>
>>5221009
>>5221010
Gotcha

>>5221012
I appreciate it, man. I just love playing around with settings like this and fiddling with people's origins. Especially since this dimension isn't stuck in an eternal time loop like 616. There are a couple of things that I'm dying to get to, but I know that good pacing is a must for most quests.

And I don't mind. We were really risking it in the first thread, but I think we're at a good number right now.

>>5221014
That is an interesting concept. I'll think about it.

>>5221015
He unironically hasn't touched anyone that he hasn't had to kill in years.

>>5221017
If you guys want to hold that vote right now, go ahead.

>Do you wish to juggle multiple personas?
>If so, what will be their name/theme/concept/personality?
>What will their signature weapon/fighting style be like? What weapons or gadgets will you carry, if any at all?
>Anything else to add?

Also, don't forget to vote on the last post if you're voting on this one!
>>
>>5221005
Please no multiple characters or PoV changes.
Also I think origin stories is the nost overdone part of comics, right after the whole hidden identity from loved ones for contrived reasons, since everytime a line resets it gets to go through one. And comics love resetting.
>>
>>5221020
I'm retarted, don't mind my previous deleted post.
I personally don't like the multiple personas, I would prefer if we kept the whole Spiderman thing as an excuse we made on the spot.
But if we already in too deep, than just hunstman and spiderman is more than enough.
>>
>>5221025
Agree with just hunts and SM
>>
>>5221020
I CUMING FOR THE SYMBIOTE BOOTIE
VENOM SHOULD BE AFRAID
>>
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>>5221020
1. Yes, we kinda have to at this point since we already lied to SHIELD and allied with them.

2. Spider-Man and Huntsman, for now. Later we might get rid of Spider-Man entirely if the lie becomes a pain in the ass to maintain. Let someone else pick up that mantle, wink wink.

Spidey should be a bit more quippy than Huntsman and maybe slightly play up the righteousness angle.

Huntsman shouldn't be an unfunny edgelord either, though, just a bit darker and more pragmatic in temperament, still a bro to his friends but reading as more dangerous to those less familiar.

3. No guns, killing gadgets or Mark for Spidey. No lethal takedowns. Less stealthy in behavior and appearance. Altered webbing with fake web-shooters. Maybe some other stuff.

Huntsman should use anything he can and be a total piece of shit if it's what he needs to do to win. Again, not an edgelord since we did vote to leave Toomes alive and ally with morally gray people rather than black.

He should look stealthy, intimidating and more explicitly armed and armored, but not hesitate to abandon stealth and start shooting and rocket-boosting in melee when the situation does actually demand it. The gun/Mark flashes could even be advantageous to him in the dark depending on the vision mode we're using.

4. Huntsman is our main identity, so that's the suit we invest in more. We'll probably have to have another extensive re-vote for the exact particulars of the loadouts though, and which one gets to keep the fur and everything.
>>
>>5221020
odd timing because of the other question
>>Do you wish to juggle multiple personas?
I want for Ben Parker to be able to run around as both Huntsman and Spider-Man
I don't want to be in control of other characters

>>If so, what will be their name/theme/concept/personality?
Lets collect what the good guys know about us first
Spider-Man so far has:
- helped fend off Arcade players there having had an affiliation with Black Cat and Prowler -> but none of these three personas were known by name by Beta Ray Bill, so we can get away with having ran into him while doing hero work, with some affiliates of us, but not that either of us were usually criminals
- fought against the vultures and has gotten his friend, whom they now surely know a lot about, pulverized. SHIELD doesn't know why we were there nor why we were fighting them.
- non-lethally caught Dr. Connors who transformed into a spider-lizard monster in the sewer. SHIELD also doesn't know how we knew of that monster, nor about our affiliation with Calisto and the Morloks.
- apparently a pre-teen ward he calls Spider-Girl. They may know her name is Cindy, but not her last name. The connection to the korean-american couple who got brutally killed a while back would be somewhat far fetched. We don't know if "a simple murder" is even on SHIELDs radar. I'd also like to note that Cindy grew up in a bunker, so maybe the authorities don't even know that this couple had a kid, nor do I think that they kept family fotos around for an easy identification.
So Spider-Man has only really appeared for relatively big fights, not known to stop petty crime

now Huntsman:
- there were no surviving witnesses to our early outing before we got our costume to what it is, except Tombstones and Toomses crew
- the small OSCORP heist has had its footage deleted, except Goblin
- the museum heist with Black Cat and Prowler also has no evidence linking to us, except them and Silvermane
- vulture raid, all the above
- vampire raid, only Morbius.

in general:
the name Huntsman shouldn't yet have leaked anywhere yet in relation to high crimes
the person swinging around New York should not really have a name attached to, but the costume is likely that we ought to use for Spider-Man now.

We did not yet wear our current costume when we announced ourselves as Huntsman in the fight, if memory serves.

And you surely have noticed I left someone out, because
Matt knows pretty much everything, but he is, in the hero hierarchy, a vigilante, not an official hero, he can somewhat be trusted to keep our secret safe. Since it's not in his personality, and we also know his.

How I see it right now is: the current costume is more affiliated with Spider-Man than Huntsman, when the good people of New York are asked.

charlimit
>>
>>5221096
to continue on him and myself:
The current costume is more Spider-Man's than Huntsmans
this costume needs to flow over into something more public friendly while Huntsman needs an almost complete rework
unfortunately that means losing our iconic pelt.
Spidey can keep it for a while, get a big spider on it, and change the color scheme to Pete's favourite colors
Huntsman should go to a more tactical look upgraded from what you could buy at an army surplus store
and webs, as I said a few times now, be discolored.


>>5221037
I'm not sure if we want to get rid of Spider-Man, maybe we like being praised as a hero every so often

Behavior: Yes, Spidey more quippy. Huntsman, when in public, more stoic with a sense of humor, and batman voice.

Spidey no visible guns, even if I like to keep our hidden ones just to be sure.

but I pretty much agree with everything you said
>>
>>5220987
>>5220997
I'd also like to pocket some of the silver
>>
>>5221112
>>5221115
why do I have a new IP ten minutes after posting?
>>
>>5221116
Did you have a dynamic IP and your internet went down? Or are you on a phone using mobile data?
>>
>>5221137
I do, but I don't think it went out.
and this is my mobile data IP
>>
>>5221219
which has now also changed
jeez
I'll stop spamming
>>
>>5221223
Mobile data seems to change when you move around, or if you turn it on and off.
As for the IP, maybe your Internet provider could also be doing something around in your neighborhood. Or your router is haunted.
>>
>>5221223
That's why I use a trip. Don't think there's been any samefags so far though so you should be OK
>>
>>5220987
Write in
Send Kraven a dick pic
>>
>>5220991
>>5220994
>>5220995
>>5220996
Gonna take the most popular options in these votes. Writing...

>>5221096
Mostly just wanted to see where everyone was at regarding that issue. Want to make sure that I've got a good grasp on what anons want to do in the future. For the most part, it looks like we're just sticking with Spider-Man and Huntsman. We'll figure out the details about costume and equipment sometime later.
>>
“Thanks for not ending all life on earth, I guess.” you said cautiously.

“You're welcome.” he enthusiastically replied. “It’s actually pretty hard to avoid spreading the virus. I have to burn every corpse that I put down. Can’t get involved in any huge team fights, either.”

“Why haven’t I heard of you before? You sound like you’d be a pretty big deal in the underworld.” you inquired.

Morbius puffed his chest out in pride. “He is my most well kept secret. If anyone ever found out about him, then it would surely plunge the world into complete and total chaos.” he explained.

“Big Mike pays for my room and board, and all I have to do is take on a few jobs every few months.” Terminal added, pointing a thumb at Morbius. “Pretty sweet deal, right? I’ve got the apartment building all to myself.”

Morbius nodded graciously. “Proper procedure for quarantine is required to ensure that his disease does not escape his containment suit.”

“I’ve more or less got control over it.” Terminal claimed, becoming a bit defensive. “Even without my suit, I can keep contamination to a minimum for a few hours. It’s kinda like holding in a sneeze.”

“Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer if you stay far, far away from me and anyone I care about.” you declared.

Terminal just shrugged. “S’cool. Only guy I get to hang out with these days is Deadhead. I don’t think anything can kill that dude.” he said, sounding mildly amused.

“Ah. How is he these days?” Morbius asked.

“Still got that stupid helmet on, so I guess he’s still kicking.” Terminal said.

At this point, you were losing track of the conversation, so you said your goodbyes to both men and made yourself scarce. Cindy was all too eager to leave the room and get as far away from Terminal as she could.

If that guy was going after Baroness Blood, then you might not have to worry about her. Still, you should meet up with Moon Knight and see what his deal was. Hopefully, he wasn’t actually responsible for the attack on Morbius’ nightclub.

—------

It took almost an hour of swinging, but you finally reached the address that Louise had given you on that slip of paper. At least, you thought you had. It was so damn dark in this neighborhood. Almost all the streetlights were out, and people had to use bonfires, candles and lanterns to provide light for themselves. Slip must’ve hit this area hard.

Finally, you stopped in front of a reasonably tall, refurbished office building. You wondered if it was just your imagination, but you could’ve sworn that there was a faint glow, or aura about the place.

Matt was already waiting near the front door, having navigated the city without any problems. You guessed that a blind person wouldn’t necessarily feel lost in the presence of absolute darkness.

(Cont.)
>>
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You all exchanged resolute nods before heading inside. And as soon as you entered, you could already tell that this was going to be a strange night.

Sitting behind a desk was a tall, slender young woman with dark skin and short, kinky hair. She wore a black leather jacket and a plain tan shirt underneath. When she looked up to meet your eyes, you immediately noticed that ehrs weren’t normal. Her irises were blood red, and her sclera were like a pitch black abyss. She was a vampire for sure. But by the time that you had figured out what she was, Cindy was already pouncing on her.

Her eyes went wide as the little hellraiser brandished a silver knife and lunged at her. Luckily, Matt managed to grab hold of her and pull her back before anything serious happened. She was no longer typing away at her computer, and was now probing for the intercom on her desk without taking her eyes off of any of you. When she found the recording button, she firmly pressed it and leaned in to speak.

“Marc, you’ve got visitors.” she announced. Long minutes passed with no response, and Cindy had finally started to calm down. The woman pressed the button again. “Jake? Steve…?”

You all started looking around as she fidgeted uncomfortably. The more you relaxed, the more this seemed like a normal old waiting room. You didn’t think there was an ambush waiting for you on the other side of that door either.

The woman sighed deeply and pressed the button one final time. “Mr. Knight?” she said questioningly.

“Yes, Reese?” answered a tranquil voice on the other end of the line.

The woman called Reese rolled her eyes and let out a long, suffering sigh. “You’ve got visitors, asshole.”

“Wonderful. Send in the girl.” he replied, seemingly taking no offense to her slight.

Reese’s dark eyes fixed on Cindy for a long moment, and she gestured for her to enter the room further down the hall. By this point, Cindy had calmed down considerably, no longer foaming at the mouth and stabbing at empty air. Matt set her down gently and she started walking towards the door.

What will you do/say?

>Let her go. She and this “Moon Knight” probably have a lot to talk about.
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>Stop her. You want this “Mr. Knight” to come out and meet you in the reception area.
>”What’s a vampire doing working as a receptionist?”
>”You wouldn’t happen to have any refreshments, would you?”
>”Sorry about that. She doesn’t know many nice vampires.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5221494
>>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>>
>>5221494
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>>
>>5221494
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>”What’s a vampire doing working as a receptionist?”
>”You wouldn’t happen to have any refreshments, would you?”
>”Sorry about that. She doesn’t know many nice vampires.”
>>
>>5221494
>”Sorry about that. She doesn’t know many nice vampires.”
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>>
>>5221494
>>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>>
>Before being turned into a vampire, Reese was a vegan.

I will metagame using this information I obtained from the wiki and double down on my decision not to converse with her any further.
>>
>>5221494
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>I hope you don't mind her, she is distrustful of most vampires, specially ones that are involves with moon cultists.
>As long as you aren't a preachier holier-than-thou like a vegan she should eventually warm up to you.
>>
>>5221542
It should be "someone" instead of "a"
>>
>>5221494
>>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>”Sorry about that. She doesn’t know many nice vampires.”
>>
>>5221494
>Write-in: I have so many questions, and I'm about to have more when I come out aren't I?
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>>
Hate to leave this on a cliffhanger, but I'm gonna have to head out soon. I'll post an early update tomorrow morning and try to squeeze out a few more later in the day. Hope you guys have a good night.
>>
>>5221594
Don't leave us baby daddy!
>>
>>5221005
I'm personally hoping it's Aunt Meg because we still haven't seen this version of her and it will be hilarious to see how Venom reacts to bonding with a human female with those kinds of maternal instincts.

>>5221020
I think juggling multiple personas should be kept temporary until Peter gets older.
So far we have two alter egos. A heroic persona and a villain persona. I personaly think its best to keep the heroic persona nonlethal or at least try. While allowing the usage of guns and the like for the other for maximum deadly hunter effect. Maybe a difference between traps and kinds of webbing utilized?

>>5221494
>Let her go. She and this “Moon Knight” probably have a lot to talk about.
>>
>>5221658
>Carnage gets picked as Captain Universe
>>
>>5221494
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>>
>>5221494
Absolutely not.
>>Stop her. You want this “Mr. Knight” to come out and meet you in the reception area.
>"We just spend the better part of a week fighting through our own cabal of vamps. Coming here and seeing one as receptionist doesn't inspire safety. You guys wanted to talk to us, not the other way around."
>>
>>5221594
>Stop her. You want this “Mr. Knight” to come out and meet you in the reception area.
>"We just spend the better part of a week fighting through our own cabal of vamps. Coming here and seeing one as receptionist doesn't inspire safety. You guys wanted to talk to us, not the other way around."
Should we consider enrolling Cindy in a school once her throat gets fixed? Being home schooled in a basement isnt good for her social development.
>>
>>5221494
>Go with her. There’s no way that you’re letting her be alone in a room with this guy.
>”Sorry about that. She doesn’t know many nice vampires.”
>>
>>5221502
>>5221503
>>5221515
>>5221519
>>5221521
>>5221542
>>5221549
>>5221549
>>5221584
>>5221699
>>5221868
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>>5221608
Sorry! I need to get that bread, anon!

>>5221658
I think I have a real good idea of what I want to do with May, MJ and Gwen. I want to give them interesting roles in the story without bastardizing their characters completely.
>>
Despite not having been invited to join their meeting, you trailed behind Cindy anyway. There was no way that you were gonna let that creep be alone in a room with her after all she’s been through. Your contacts might have a high opinion of the guy, but you’re still suspicious about this whole “Khonshu” and “Moon-Copter” thing.

Reese watched you as you went. Her dark eyes tracked your every movement, but she didn’t say or do anything to stop you. “Third door on the left. Can’t miss it.” she informed you, keeping her expression neutral.

Matt stayed behind, deciding to watch the door in case someone suspicious came through. You were grateful to have his support. Even more so because he brought those silver cross knuckle dusters again.

Following Reese’s instructions, you found a door with a crescent moon logo on the front. You motioned to knock before entering, but Cindy beat you to the punch by pushing the door open and walking inside.

The best way that you could describe this office was “cramped” There was so much Egyptian crap cluttering the room that there was barely any room to walk around. The walls were covered in hieroglyphs, there were desert palm trees planted in all four corners, and you glimpsed a multitude of highly decorated sarcophagi lined along the walls. And sitting in the back of the room, near a desk shoved against the wall, was a masked man wearing a pristine white suit. He seemed to glow in the poorly lit room, and you felt as if the eyes of his pure white mask were penetrating the depths of your very soul.

“Ms. Moon.” he spoke in a soft, polite manner. “Welcome to the Midnight Mission.” he said, gesturing at his cluttered office. “Please, sit anywhere you’d like.”

Cindy did just that and sat directly across from him. You went to sit next to her, and Mr. Knight gave you a nod of acknowledgment. He seemed neither surprised nor disturbed by your presence here. “You must be her guardian.”

You were about to reply, when you noticed the thing that was sitting directly across from you. It was another man in formal wear, but it was far less pristine, as it was covered in cobwebs. Not to mention that it had a giant fucking bird skull! What is this, a taxidermied pterodactyl in a suit? Why would he set up this creepy ass thing in an upright position in his office?

Your earlier assessment if this guy being a weirdo was sounding more and more accurate by the minute. First the vampire receptionist, and now this thing.

“I hope you don’t mind him sitting in on our meeting.” Mr. Knight said, gesturing at the taxidermied bird-man. “He was very eager to meet you, and I would rather discuss the terms of your new role with myself present. As you already know, I am Mr. Knight, otherwise known as the Fist of Khonshu, or, the Avatar of Khonshu. I’m not terribly particular about titles at the moment.” he said with the wave of a hand.

(Cont.)
>>
Cindy glanced at the dummy nervously and nodded to both of them.

What the fuck is happening?

“First off, tell me what you know of the duties and responsibilities of the Hunter’s Moon?” he asked.

Cindy nodded and started scribbling in her notebook. To his credit, Mr. Knight waited patiently for her to finish. Occasionally, he would glance in your direction, then to the bird-man and nod at him.

“Yes, I know. It was likely stolen by the vampires that were pursuing her.” he said to the inanimate object. Cindy glanced up nervously at the creepy thing and went back to writing.

Mr. Knight pointedly ignored all of the strange looks that you gave him and continued on as if all of this was completely normal. Once Cindy was done, she lifted her notepad to show the man what she’d written.

He nodded appreciatively at her. “Yes. You have a very good grasp on what it is you’re meant to do. Our goals are actually very similar.” he proclaimed. “You exist to enact Khonshu’s will as his left hand. Effectively, you are my replacement.”

Cindy went wide-eyed and glanced between him, the bird-skull, you and back to Mr. Knight. She started to shake her head, which only made the man sitting across from her begin to nod.

“In all truth, I have not been acting within the best interests of my God. Long ago, such a thing would have been unthinkable for me, knowing what I know now.” he said, leaning back in his chair and clasping his hands together. “So tonight, I am here to undercut his efforts in indoctrinating you completely.” he claimed, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes. “You are under no obligation to obey his every word.”

Suddenly, Cindy’s eyes shifted to bird-skull, and the air within the room began to freeze. A chill ran down your spine, and you could practically see your own breath!

Cindy was breathing heavily now, and Mr. Knight was glaring at the bird-skull.

“You will alienate her completely if you do not show some decorum and let me do the talking.” he growled with an intensity that could only be reserved for a living, breathing thing.

What will you say?

>”Can anyone tell me why we’re talking to a literal bag of bones!?”
>”You want Cindy to be your replacement? What exactly is it that you want her to do?”
>”Why wouldn’t you want Cindy to listen to your God? Isn’t that the whole point of worshiping a God?”
>”Morbius was wrong about you. You’re not odd. You’re completely off your damn rocker!”
>”Well this has been the strangest and creepiest thing that I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing, but we should really get going now.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5221914
>”Can anyone tell me why we’re talking to a literal bag of bones!?”
>”You want Cindy to be your replacement? What exactly is it that you want her to do?”
>”Why wouldn’t you want Cindy to listen to your God? Isn’t that the whole point of worshiping a God?”
>>
>>5221914
>You know, nornally I would just think you are a regular madman, but after all this vampire seal and Cindy awknowledging the corpse, I willing to believe that thing is your god.
>Why do you want Cindy do disobey your deity? Isn't an avatar suposed to be an extension of them or something? Not that I disagree with it, after all that the cult has done to harm her, I think she deserves to have atleats a bit of normalcy and happiness in her life. Well, unless there would be some kind of plague of egypt style divine wrath throw at us.
>Before we leave, I was told a helicopter that looked like a moon attacked a few vampires that are helping us against the ones that hurt her. Do ypu know anything about that? I initially thought that it might have been you, but seeing your secretary changed my mind.
>>
>>5221917
Agree with you, not it
>>
>>5221914

>”Can anyone tell me why we’re talking to a literal bag of bones!?”
>”You want Cindy to be your replacement? What exactly is it that you want her to do?”
>Reassure Cindy that she doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to.

I am fully willing to take on Khonsu, Spector, and everyone else to ensure she doesn't end up as some divine slave.

>>5221917
>>5221919
anon...
>>
>>5221914
>>”Can anyone tell me why we’re talking to a literal bag of bones!?”
>>5221921
He's correcting his write-in
>>
>>5221914
>*thwip* the bird skull.
>"I'm on Team Free Will, no destiny stuff. You don't get an avatar by bullying them into it. More carrot, less stick."
>Reassure Cindy that she doesn't have to do anything she doesn't want to.
>>
>>5221914
>>5221921
>>5221927
I will also support this.

>>5221926
Oh, I see. It was hard to parse.
>>
>>5221921
I thought of deleting it to just fix the minor mistake but felt it was not worth it.
Maybe I should put the words in quotes or use a * to show it was correction.
>>
>>5221927
to clarify, by *thwip* I mean just a small annoying thing, like we'd shut its mouth, not completely tie it down
>>
>>5221933
>>5221928
To clarify, the thwip I support is yanking the whole head off so we can irreverently play around with it
>>
>>5221917
Support.

>>5221927
…Why are we even considering thwipping a god inside its own stronghold? It’s one thing to disagree with Khonshu, but quite another to fucking attack the thing.
>>
>>5221937
why aren't you considering attacking some one that makes Cindy feel uncomfortable?
It's a love-tab, wouldnt even hurt the thing
>>
>>5221937
It's just a piece of decor, and whatever talking is happening is only in Marc's head (and possibly in Cindy's). You don't have to assume it's an actual god, anon, it's just some entity that has, in the past, been worshipped. If it was truly worthy of the epithet of "god", this would be a completely different situation.

Also, he's probably about to reveal himself to be a grade-A faggot in the very next post. Not the good kind of faggot like Frenchie, but the bad kind, like Chris-chan.

Fuck Khonsu, and fuck any other Being X who tries to scare Cindy. She's been through enough shit and he don't scare me.
>>
>>5221914
I'm voting against punching a god in general, seems like a short way to not live long by getting on the bad side of one.
>>
>>5221945
Dude there are vampires, aliens, super natural shit. This thing being a god is the least crazy bat shit insane thing we've hears so far. We even mentioned Thanos and that Galactard guy?
>>
>>5221941
Instigating a feud with a supernatural being when we don’t need to is stupid.
>>5221945
I get that you’re going with the Warhammer god theory, but just because Khorne isn’t a god in the classic sense doesn’t make him any less of a threat, and the same applies to Khonshu. It doesn’t matter if Khonshu is a god or not, what matters is that he’s influential enough to be considered one by a lot of powerful people. The fact that both MK and Cindy respond to it implies Khonshu is real. The fact that the temperature dropped implies Khonshu is real. The fact that there are multiple magical cults around Khonshu implies Khonshu is real. And even in the unlikely event that Khonshu isn’t real, Moon Knight definitely is.
I’m fine with calling Khonshu mean names or swearing at him or whatever, but avoiding physical violence at this stage is only common sense.
>>
>>5221967
he started it!
I can see this going either way tho.
they could like our fighting spirit
>>
>>5221965
I'm saying this thing isn't a god exactly because we know about figures like Thor and Galactus. This is just some douchebag without a body going ABLOOBOOBOO trying to scare a little girl because his house Jew is being uppity and he wants a better slave. He's very obviously less powerful than something worthy of being labeled a "god".

>>5221967
>comparing a whiny little faggot like Khonsu to one of the greatest pancosmic influences ever conceptualized
No. Khorne is one step down from a figure like Death or Eternity, not some shitty little specter. I know he's real, I just don't recognize him as a credible enough threat to play nice with when he's threatening our ward.
>>
>>5221970
Oh I know the mannequin isnt a god, but it would regardless piss off their god to no end, which is why we shouldnt touch it. Magic bullshit is involved in some capacity, and everyone knows to never piss off the magically inclined or else they'll skidaddle skiddoodle and turn your dick into a noodle.
>>
>>5221977
I mean, my vote is there specifically to piss him off, so "what if he gets pissed" is not much of a counterargument. I don't think this guy has dick-noodling powers and I'm calling his bluff because I hate the way he's treating Cindy.
>>
>>5221982
You dont think but if he is a god, which canonically he is, he can do really bad things to us. If not directly then through his follower, which also means a bad time for Cindy. So by fucking around we'll find out, and it'll not only bite our ass but Cindy's too.
>>
>>5221927
Support
>>
>>5221996
I think it'll bite us in the ass more if we let him walk all over us right here and now and lose respect in the eyes of everyone here to boot. Remember, we have connections when it comes to combating supernaturals and we know that he needs people to act as his avatars, unlike other "god"s we know of who can vaporize entire city blocks in less than a minute without breaking a sweat.

And his follower is against him, like literally actively working against his god while said god is in the room making things cold and shit. He won't do anything to us since he's trying to get Cindy not to follow Khonsu and we're trying to get Cindy not to follow Khonsu.
>>
>>5221917
>>5221919
+1
as much as I want to back >>5221927 >>5221933 I think being careful is more in-character here for Ben. He's a thieving liar gaining cool powers, but then responsibility and being thrust into serious supernatural shit way over his pay grade. He'd want to understand more about the shit surrounding him before he makes big decisions... until the point where he needs to be like the Spidey we know, and act first before anything bad happens. Something like that, perhaps?
>>
>>5222001
Knowing better than to punch a god-analogue is not the same as letting them walk all over us. We can deny Khonshu his prize without throwing hands.
>>
>>5221914
>”Well this has been the strangest and creepiest thing that I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing, but we should really get going now.”
>Write-in: Glad to see both of uh, you want to pressure a young girl into... whatever this is, but for lack of a better candidate I'm Cindy's guardian. And as far as I'm concerned neither you nor your bag of bones is very convincing. Have a good night.
>>
>>5222194
It should also be noted out of character that the Egyptian goddess of spiders is also the goddess of the loom, war, mother of the sun, and absolutely not to be fucked around with.

Of course the connection is tenuous at best due to the spider attribution largely being a later addition added by who else, the Greeks. Though Neith WAS a goddess of the loom prior to her syncretic relationship to Athena another goddess of the loom with a more direct relationship to spiders.
>>
>>5221914
>>5221917
>>5221921
>>5221927
All three of these, but start off with the Thwip. We are too stupid to be scared of a Moon God.
>>
>>5221927
>>5221928
>>5221937
>>5221999
>>5222224
Taking this

>>5221917
>>5221937
>>5222065
>>5222224
And this

Now this should be interesting. Writing...
>>
File: Khonshu.jpg (181 KB, 645x1122)
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Amidst all the drama, you decided that you didn’t like the turn that this meeting was taking. Specifically, you hated the fact that Cindy felt as if she were being pressured into a role that she didn’t want to fulfill.

So against your better judgment, you fired a webshot at the place where its lower jaw would be if it were still there. The room went deathly quiet, and all eyes fell on you. Cindy was quite literally shaking at this point, and you didn’t think it was from the cold.

“I’m on Team Free Will, destiny be damned. You don’t get an avatar by bullying them into it. More carrot, less stick.” you advised both Mr. Knight and his bird doll.

You turned to Cindy, who was still wide-eyed and breathing irregularly. “You don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to. No matter what you decide, I’ve got your back.” you reassured her.

Cindy gave you a nervous half smile and glanced at the bird-thing. She still seemed troubled by what had transpired.

“That is more or less what I was already building up to.” Mr. Knight nodded. “However, I suggest that you refrain from displaying such crude behavior before Khonshu in the future. He is not a patient being, you see.” he advised.

You grinned at him from under your mask. “What, you mean this?” you said, firing another webshot at his shoulder. Cindy practically jumped, and she was now shaking her head frantically in an effort to dissuade you.

Mr. Knight crossed one leg over the other and folded his hands in a polite manner, sitting up straight now. “Yes. That.” he said, sounding more amused than he should, considering the situation.

You looked at Cindy and patted her gently on the head. “Relax, Cindy. If you’re worried about me ruining the furniture or getting his suit dirty, it looks like somebody beat me to it.” you joked, framing your fingers to form a rectangular shape and bringing it up to your eyes. “In fact, I think I might’ve made him look a little better.”

THUMP!

What the fuck was that?

You looked around curiously, before turning around and seeing a pair of long, bandaged legs standing before you. You were staring at its shins. This thing must’ve been huge! Another idol maybe? But how’d it get behind you? You were fairly certain that it wasn’t here before. Was MK investing in animatronics?

You looked up, and up, and up, until you saw another giant bird skull, at least three times larger than the one that you’d been redecorating mere moments ago. It was wrapped in bandages and garbed in resplendent Egyptian regalia befitting that of a pharaoh. And then…it looked down at you. The thing didn’t have eyes, but you had the impression that it was gazing at you intently. He raised his massive staff, which appeared to be just as tall as he was!

Suddenly, the gentle moonlight that’d been filtering in through the window was turning a deep shade of crimson. Soon enough, the entire room was bathed in red.
>>
I fucking told you guys this would happen.
>>
>>5222325
Smiles were protected.
>>
“The Great Weaver’s power is wasted on you, worm.” the giant said in words so verbose that they alone were thrumming with power. This wasn’t just some big dude. This was something else. Your Spider-Sense was giving you a subtle, but constant mental prodding. The thing had an aura of menace about it. It was like watching a punch flying towards your face, but knowing that you could do nothing to avoid it.

“He doesn’t know any better, Khonshu. Leave him be.” Mr. Knight insisted, seemingly unaffected by this whole display. “Besides,” he continued. “If you scare her guardian half to death or harm him, then you are less likely to win her favor.”

The being known as “Khonshu” froze, then. His massive head shifted slightly to the side, and he saw Cindy silently pleading for him to have mercy. He then returned his gaze to you.

“See that it doesn't happen again,” he declared. “Or else I’ll possess both of you and kill him where he stands.”

“Well, actually,” you cut in. “I’m not technically standing…”

Khonshu whirled on you so fast that you thought he might strike you right then and there. You wanted to move out of the way, but found your body firmly rooted in place by some unseen force.

“Khonshu.” Mr. Knight said with the patience of a saint. “Do not forget what you yourself said about this one not too long ago.” he urged him.

“Well, I take it back! This one is unworthy of-”

“Keep in mind,” Mr. Knight interrupted him. “They are currently guests of the House of Shadows. If they are harmed, you will have to explain why we shouldn’t have our right of residency revoked.”

Khonshu gripped his staff so tightly that you could hear the fabric of his bandages grinding against the metal. He remained perfectly still for several long moments, before disappearing in the blink of an eye. Just like that, the room returned to its normal coloration, and bird-skull before you was now clear of any webbing that you might’ve added to the decrepit figure.

“Thank you.” Mr. Knight said to the thing. “I will see to it that this doesn’t happen again.” he promised.

Cindy breathed a sigh of relief, and you quickly found yourself doing much of the same.

“You know,” you began, rubbing at the side of your head. “Normally, I would just think that you were a regular madman. New York’s full of ‘em, you know? But after all that…I’m willing to believe that that thing is your God.” you accepted.

“I’m glad we’ve cleared that up.” Mr. Knight said.

(Cont.)
>>
Clearing your throat and readjusting your position in the chair, you sat up a little straighter. “Why do you want Cindy to disobey your deity? Isn’t an avatar supposed to be an extension of them or something?” you asked. “Not that I disagree with it. After all the cult has done to harm her, I think she at least deserves to have a bit of normalcy and happiness in her life. Well, unless she has some sort of Plague of Egypt-style divine wrath brought down upon her as a result of her disobedience.”

“I am not saying that I wish for Ms. Moon to disobey my God.” he began. “I simply said that she does not have to comply with ‘everything’ that he asks of her.”

Both of you tilted your heads in confusion, unsure of the distinction between the two.

“When I first entered Khonshu’s service, the sheer power of his presence dominated my mind. His purpose, his mission, became my entire reason for being. Serving him was my whole life.” he said, turning his attention to Cindy. “But it doesn’t have to be yours. Khonshu wishes for you to replace me, but I will continue serving him in the way that I think best. I advise that you do the same.”

She gave him a skeptical look, and Mr. Knight chuckled lightly. “Oh, don’t worry. Just keep doing what you’re doing. Protect the innocent, strike fear into those that would harm the ones who travel under the moon’s light, seeking safe passage. I implore you to adopt this mission, Ms. Moon, but for your own sake, make it your own. Find your own way to serve Khonshu. Find a way that doesn’t lead you to ruin. Cindy Moon is just as important as the Hunter’s Moon.” he said, sounding genuinely concerned for her.

Cindy nodded, her eyes filled with determination. Mr. Knight returned the nod, seemingly pleased by her attitude.

“Oh! One more thing!” you put in, startling Cindy. “I was told that a crescent moon shaped helicopter attacked a few vampires that were helping us to put down the ones that hurt her.” you said, pointing at Cindy. “Do you know anything about that? I initially thought that it might have been you, but after seeing your secretary, I’ve changed my mind.”

Mr. Knight sighed and visibly sank into his chair. “Yes, I know who it is.” he admitted. “Not too long ago, a fair bit of my property was stolen from a secret bunker. Out of those items, one of which was the Mooncopter that your friend spotted over the city. It was stolen by my brother.”

“Your brother? Is he a vampire?” you asked.

Mr. Knight shook his head. “No. He is merely a heretic and a fool that wishes to hand the night over to those that would prey on the innocent. We have surmised that he is working with the one known as Baroness Blood.”

(Cont.)
>>
based, I regret nothing
>>
You nodded and narrowed your eyes slightly. That makes a lot of sense. His brother must be the one that took over as the leader of the vampire cult, while Cromwell hides behind the curtain and pulls the strings.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Matt ran inside, batons at the ready. His whole body was tense, like a cobra poised to strike.

But when he saw that everyone had been quietly conversing with one another, he immediately calmed down, looking slightly embarrassed.

“I, erm…heard a noise.” he bashfully admitted.

“By all means,” Mr. Knight said. “Join us, Matthew. We were just in the middle of a riveting conversation.”

Matt nodded at him.

“Marc.”

What will you say?

>”Actually, we’ve been talking about religion for the past 10 minutes. Sounds like your kind of thing.”
>”How do you two know each other?”
>"What was all that stuff you were talking about with Khonshu, earlier?"
>”Yeah, Matt. Take a load off. Just move the stuff in that chair over there.”(Point at Khonshu’s chair)
>”Hey, Matt? I know I’m not too well-versed in religious practices, but have ever seen your Lord and Savior try to throttle someone before?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5222333
>”How do you two know each other?”
>So I might have insulted an ancient egyptian god, can Jesus grant me political asylum for taking a stand against the pagans?
>>
>>5222333
>"Hey Marc, I Thwiped God, what have you been doing?"
>”How do you two know each other anyways?”
>Use a web to pull Marc a seat.
>"Ignore the bird, he's rude and crusty."
>>5222338
That's good too.
>So I might have insulted an ancient egyptian god, can Jesus grant me political asylum for taking a stand against the pagans?
>>
>>5222340
+1
>>
>>5222333
>”How do you two know each other?”
>”Hey, Matt? I know I’m not too well-versed in religious practices, but have ever seen your Lord and Savior try to throttle someone before?”
>Write-in.
Ask him about the Nightguard.
Ask him for tips on how to kill vampires.
Ask him about what precisely qualifies as "harm" and who exactly is counts as a "traveler seeking safe passage under the moon's light".
...Ask that last one for a friend though.

I will be making a mental note to ask SHIELD how to best combat malevolent apparitions and extradimensional entities.
>>
Oh, that actually went pretty well. I was expecting more evisceration and locusts. We probably shouldn’t push our luck, though.
>>5222338
This.
>>
>>5222333
”Actually, we’ve been talking about religion for the past 10 minutes. Sounds like your kind of thing.”
>”How do you two know each other?”
>"What was all that stuff you were talking about with Khonshu, earlier?"
>”Yeah, Matt. Take a load off. Just move the stuff in that chair over there.”(Point at Khonshu’s chair)
>”Hey, Matt? I know I’m not too well-versed in religious practices, but have ever seen your Lord and Savior try to throttle someone before?”
>>
>>5222333
>Write-in: So let me see if I've got the jist of this. Konshu is real, a diety, and protects those who travel by night. Vampires hunt exclusively at night which makes Konshu mad at them. Unless of course they've found a way to not murder people at night which in turn makes them fellow "travelers by night".
>”How do you two know each other?”
and
>Write-in: What exactly does the Hunter's Moon do? I'm not really well versed in ancient Egyptian cults.
>>
>>5222340
+1
>>
>>5222338
>>5222340
>>5222342
>>5222347
>>5222385
Taking these. Gonna pop out a quick update before I have to leave.
>>
File: clean (4).jpg (781 KB, 1821x2800)
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You waved at him. “Hey Matt, I just thwip’d God! What’ve you been doing?” you asked.

Cindy’s expression quickly turned to one of panic, and Matt was quick to notice.

“Talking with Reese, and a strange man who calls himself the ‘Sun King’.” he said, stepping further inside the room.

Mr. Knight seemed to perk up at that. “He’s back already? Neither the House, nor Reese informed me of his arrival.” he said, sounding slightly upset.

“How do you two know each other, anyway?” you said, looking between Matt and Marc.

They exchanged a quick glance before returning their attention to you.

“I’ve worked with Matthew on more than one occasion. We run in the same circles, after all.” Marc answered.

“Marc has worked with some of my friends in the Heroes for Hire for a brief period of time. It’s not entirely uncommon for us to cross paths when I venture outside of my territory.” Matt added. “Although, he’s something of a pariah in our community. The ‘Bushman Incident’ put more than a few people on edge.”

Marc sighed. “Really, Matthew. That was ages ago. Don’t you think it’s about time that you and everyone else just let it go?”

Matt glared at him. “You carved a man’s face off and wore it home, Marc. That’s not exactly the kind of thing that you can just sweep under the rug.”

You and Cindy looked at Mr. Knight with new eyes. Cindy had a scandalously shocked expression on her face. This guy was even more hardcore than you initially thought!

“I was having a rough week.” he replied easily.

“That doesn’t excuse your behavior!” Matt growled. “I don’t care what your God says, but it’s not okay for you to take a life or torture a man without a second thought.”

Marc folded his hands and leaned back in his chair. “Your people have waged entire wars, purged whole civilizations and destroyed cultural heritages in the name of your God. So, I’m going to give you the same answer that I’ve always given you when you’ve asked me why I feel the need to resort to such base violence in order to mete out justice.” he declared.

“Don’t you dare say that it’s-” Matt tried to warn him, but it was too late.

“It’s part of my religion, Matt. And as such, you have no right to judge me.” Marc replied automatically.

Matt just threw his hands up and stalked off to a different corner of the room. But before he could get far, you snagged an additional chair with a webline and pulled it up beside you.

“Take a seat, Matt.” you offered. “Ignore the bird, though. He’s rude and crusty.”

Matt pointedly did not ignore the bird as he sat down next to you.

Mr. Knight chuckled then. “That’s funny. He says the same things about you.”

“He called me ‘crusty’?” you asked, frowning in disbelief.

(Cont.)
>>
“I’m paraphrasing, of course. He may or may not have made use of an extensive list of expletives that I am not allowed to repeat in front of a child.” he announced. “And if I were you, I’d try to avoid pissing off the guy that provides you with natural light during your ‘working hours’. As I understand, that is in very short supply these days.”

You nodded and turned to face Matt, who was now staring at the Idol of Khonshu. “So, I might have insulted an ancient Egyptian God tonight. Is there any way that Jesus could grant me some sort of…political asylum as a reward for denouncing a pagan deity?”

Matt frowned at you. “I don’t presume to speak on the Lord’s behalf, Benny. Try prayer. Or a priest.” he admonished.

“Nah, I don’t think he’d listen to a guy like me, anyway.” you shrugged.

Was there anything else that you wished to discuss?

>"So Khonshu's cool with killing? What exactly are the rules behind that?"
>"Doesn't Cindy need a costume before she can 'mete out justice'?
>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>"Do people actually buy that 'righteous killing' bullshit? Because if so, I should've tried that ages ago."
>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5222463

>>"So Khonshu's cool with killing? What exactly are the rules behind that?"
>>"Doesn't Cindy need a costume before she can 'mete out justice'?
>>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"

Wow, that really was a quick update.

>crusty
phasing upgrade confirmed
>>
>>5222463
>"Yeah well tell your god, at least I don't start of a conversation with enslaving a child soldier and act high ad mighty about it."
>"Being a bad influence on kids is one thing, but I'd prefer she have a life and not dog tags...or whatever Tucan Sam uses for you guys."
>"Wait...did I accidentally steal from you Sammy, and that's why you act like I pissed in your Fruit Loops?"
>"So my criminal history aside, does that still count against me when I mug other gangsters? Lying to you and Moon Knight seems kinda pointless. In any case"
>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with? Not that I approve of skinning people alive, since I apparently have to say that."
then
>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"
>>
>>5222475
Support
>>5222463
>>
>>5222475
I feel like there was a crystal fucking clear signal given in both of these last two updates that we've pushed this guy about as much as we can while getting away with it.

Are you absolutely sure you want to escalate things this aggressively, after MK personally intervened to prevent a conflict from happening right here and now, with Cindy in the room?
>>
>>5222481
Hmmmm, fine. I still want to call him Toucan Sam.
>>5222463
>>5222475
>"So my criminal history aside, does that still count against me when I mug other gangsters? Lying to you and Moon Knight seems kinda pointless. In any case"
>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with? Not that I approve of skinning people alive, since I apparently have to say that."
>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"
>>
>>5222463
>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"
>So if Konshu fine with brutal killings, I think we need to define what exactly is "those who do harm in the night"
>And hey Matt, after everything I seen so far, I couldn't discount the far fetched possibility you were some sort of saint that had a direct line with upstairs.
>Also what is this Nightguard all about? It was Louise that passed your invitation along, but she was very secretive about it.
>>
>>5222463
>>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>>
>>5222463
hmmmm so crusty big birdo is the god of the moon but does the moon not just reflect the suns light? actually if he stopped supplying me nightlight.... that would actually be cool having a beam of darkness from the moon covering me. also like what even qualifies as a god, is it like a title for any powerful enough being or is this a thing about believing something hard enough until it becomes real due to magic?
>>
>>5222463
alright, time to double triple and quadruple down.
>"Look, Khonshu, buddy. There is/was a cult of vampires worshipping you. The very thing that, by its nature, preys on the innocent travelers in the night."
>"And right now you are trying to get a girl to do something you want without asking her consent."
>"You're a God of - What? Five-, Sixthousand years? Maybe you're going through mid-life crisis. You need to take a look in the mirror and think about if the ideals you strive for in their youth still are what you are currently doing."
>"What legacy do you want to have? Vampire cults and forcing yourself on little girls? I don't think that's who you want to be."
>>
>>5222475
>>5222477
>>5222614
>>5222686

Jesus, look can we please stop antagonizing the ancient Egyptian deity? It was kind of funny for a second or two, but the second an actual capital G God showed up it pretty quickly stopped being funny.

He has directly said that he will possess Moon Knight AND Cindy to kick our ass if he needs to. Do you really want Ben to have to fight his own protégé and another super on their turf while they are possessed by a literal God?

And we get NOTHING out of it! All the sass in the world won't convince Konshu to give up Cindy. At best we will end up cursed, at worst the aforementioned fight. For WHAT?

Because you guys don't like Konshu? Because you think Ben still thinks he's a fake after he actually showed up? The only thing this is doing is making Ben Parker look like a petulant asshole or a moron instead of someone with an ounce of cunning.

It is entirely possible to free Cindy of Konshu's influence given enough time and magical bullshit, but petty insults won't do anything other than hurt our current goals.

>>5222463
>Write-In: First off, I want to apologize to Matt, Mr. Knight, and Konshu. This all looks a bit odd to the uninitiated and I didn't take this very seriously. Let's go forward on a more professional footing agreed?
>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"

Let's avoid all talk of murdering, it makes Matt upset and I don't want our daughteru killing anyone yet.
>>
>>5222710
second hunter's moon was supposed to be the costume question.

Because in his secret heart of hearts Ben just wants to unlock all the costumes for himself, his daughter, and friends.
>>
>>5222710
until a minute ago we didn't know he was real
we learned his name in relation to a grizzly murder cult
we found out said cult is consisting of vampires
then another guy from a different cult says that the God is about protecting people of the night, the exact opposite of what we experienced first hand
Then he shows up, we learn he is some real supernatural being and he behaves in a way to scare a kid we protect.
I want Cindy to be able to do what she wants, and I want to reprimand a hypocrite.
>>
>>5222710
If you guys are really interested in fucking with Konshu long term, then it is absolutely possible through the use of Hekau.

Hekau is essentially ancient Egyptian magic (and a diety in its own right).

One of the most important parts of Hekau is the concept of a being's Name being an integral part of their real self. For example, Isis was once not a supremely important deity. Until that is she took Ra's "ren" or true name.

This by the way transformed her from merely an important Goddess, to a being of universal cosmic significance and perhaps the most powerful deity of the pantheon for a time. YMMV, the Egyptians shuffle their deities around a lot.

A being's Ren is actually one of the five components that make up their soul so having their Ren gives you power over them. This works even if, perhaps especially if, the target is a god. It is also far more accessible than the other parts of the soul.

For anyone interested.

Ren is the name you are given at birth
Sheut is a person's shadow, like their actual shadow.
Ib is the seat of the soul, a type of spiritual or metaphysical heart that houses your willpower and emotions.
Ba is the personality of the individual
and Ka is the vital fire that animated a person. When it left the person would be dead and cold.

Incidentally only the Ren is "easily" captured as all you need to obtain it is secret knowledge or trickery.
>>
Can we stop annoying Khonshu for five minutes, please? We’ve had our fun, but now he’s made it abundantly clear that he’s at the limit of his patience and that he’ll maim us if we keep acting up.
>>5222463
>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"
>>
>>5222710
>>5222729
I'm willing to meet you halfway.
>call out the hypocrisy without antagonizing too much further
I'd copypaste everything but am too lazy to do so on my phone
>>
>>5222728
We have no idea who that is, but we do know Tucan Sam's grandpa loves Fruit Loops.
>>
>>5222728
Or what that is either. You are basically saying an in depth plan that Sam could take as an assassination attempt. Your off the deep end when we can keep it to a dressing down and insults.
>>
>>5222725
>>5222730

He just proved he is real.
Free will means he likely doesn't control who or what gets done in his name.
He clearly doesn't like vampires given that Cindy's job description seems to be murder all vampires.
Again, rogue cult.
Yes, Konshu is trying to manipulate Cindy. But MK is acting as a devil's advocate, AND Ben is there to act as her guardian. This is hardly supernatural brainwashing. She clearly has a choice.

By needlessly antagonizing Konshu we aren't protecting Cindy. That won't help her. And in the long run it doesn't matter if Konshu is a hypocrite or not. MK is already arguing that she should have her own life free of manipulation.

So, how does calling him out actually help Cindy?

Calling someone out ONLY works if there is a relatively equal balance of power between the two individuals. Why don't people walk up and punch the president every time he lies on TV?

Because they can't.
>>
>>5222733
>>5222738
You think an actual God is going to stand for being bitched out by a mortal without cursing him?

To be clear, the Hekau bit was just because I find the vagaries of Egyptian magic and metaphysics cool. I don't think we can or should pursue it.
>>
>>5222741
>He just proved he is real.
existence doesn't prove divinity

>Why don't people walk up and punch the president every time he lies on TV?
when tyranny becomes law, revolution becomes duty. or something like that
>>
>>5222751
But all of this belies the actual hypocrisy here.

By continuing to antagonize Konshu Ben would be betraying the fact that he doesn't trust Cindy to make her own decisions. To see through bullshit without his help.

Also Konshu probably saved her life after her throat was cut exactly like what he did with Marc Spector. Just food for thought.
>>
>>5222710
Ew. Not antagonizing him any further is not the same as being a little bitch. Stop trying to make us show the abusive asshole our belly.

>>5222728
Sounds like a cool thing to coincidentally find out about IC. I guess doing some research on ancient rites and practices through our crime friends might be better than my idea of going to SHIELD since the latter would reveal our familiarity with Mr. Knight.

Maybe if we ask around with our main contacts, we'll find out that at least one of them is into ancient tablets or something and happens to owe us a favor, y'know, just coincidentally.

>>5222751
I agree with this guy that we should never acknowledge this as-yet mysterious entity's claims of godhood
>>5222745
But also I agree with this guy that we gotta stop attacking him for now. Knight did us a solid by intervening; it would be tactless and tasteless to ignore his efforts and hospitality, and Cindy's agitation, to start shit right now. Especially since we have enough things to deal with, and not enough information about the enemy.

We'll definitely go up against him at some point if we stay being the Huntsman, on account of all that harming of the travelers in the night we'll probably end up doing, but now isn't the time to make that enmity explicit.
>>
>>5222463
I'm too tired to think so I'm voting against antagonizing the god again.
>>
>>5222775
Ugh, pre-coffee posts. I mean apologizing that explicitly would be us being a bitch. Not antagonizing him any further would be sensible.
>>
>>5222471
>>5222483
>>5222486
>>5222710
>>5222729
>>5222777
So, there's a lot to parse through and dissect here. I'm just gonna throw together the most popular votes since most of the write-ins haven't been supported directly and are almost all different in phrasing and tone. I think I'm pretty decent at weaving different votes together, but these are just too different for me to attempt such a thing.

>"You still haven't explained what a 'Hunter's Moon' is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?"
>"Let's talk shop. Vampires. What's the best way to kill them? What're your methods like?"

That's what I have so far. I think there were a few votes asking about Khonshu's view on killing as well, but the phrasing was pretty different on all of them.

Would you guys like some more time to talk about this, or should I start writing?
>>
>>5222781
This seems good.
>>
>>5222781
I think it's important to know what exactly will give Khonsu casus belli on removing our face meat.

But if that feels unsupported to you then I guess we'll have to feel our way around it.
>>
>>5222781
Nah, you can write. Tho I'd like to ask about Khonshu's view on killing while in exchange giving our own, which I think it resumes to "Answer killing intent with killing intent"
>>
>>5222786
>>5222787
I thought about that too. How's about I toss it in there without the flavortext? Technically, the option got 4 out of 9 indirect votes, so I guess it counts.

I'll start writing now, and if something changes, I'll make alterations as I go.
>>
>>5222789
Sure, that's fair.
>>
>>5222789
I'll support it to, even if I had other plans
>>
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“You still haven’t explained what a ‘Hunter’s Moon’ is supposed to do. Is there anything that I have to help her with?” you asked.

“You must understand something, first.” Mr. Knight began. “Khonshu’s purpose for her is to correct my failings and carry out his original mission. The first thing he would do is use her to kill Reese. He hates the thought of me associating with vampires and other creatures of the night.”

Cindy looked thoughtful for a moment, before scribbling in her notebook and showing it to him.

“Your parents introduced you to Morbius?” he asked. Cindy nodded. “Ms. Moon, it would appear that you were being simultaneously influenced by both Khonshu and his cult. Both parties were working towards separate goals, and as such, they imparted different values.”

She tilted her head in confusion.

“Khonshu gave you strength and agility beyond what is normal, along with the righteous heart of a warrior. The cult, however, taught you how to be compassionate to those that you were meant to kill without hesitation.” Mr. Knight explained. “You don’t need me to tell you what you’re meant to do. You already know it.” he claimed.

Cindy flipped through her notebook, stopped somewhere in the middle and showed it to everyone in the room. It was a fairly well drawn picture of her and B-Negative holding hands. Her finger traced his face, and Cindy smiled sadly as she gazed down at the page.

Marc nodded slowly. “Not all vampires, or creatures of the night, are evil. It is possible for us to co-exist. I know this now.” he said, running a gloved hand over the page. “Khonshu wants his butcher, but I think you’re meant to be something more. A new breed of acolyte that he himself has yet to realize how desperately he needs.”

He took her hands into his, and she visibly flinched. Cindy looked up to meet his eyes, and she found them to be steely and unwavering.

“You do what you believe is right. Neither of us has the right to guide your hand.” he continued. “Become a fist when you need to be firm and unyielding. Become an open hand when others need support. And learn to know the difference. I need you to teach him that there is another way.” he said, pointing at Khonshu. The bird idol didn’t move. It didn’t even stir.

Cindy still looked a bit overwhelmed and frightened, but after a minute, she inhaled deeply and gripped Marc’s hands. She gave him a resolute nod.

“A supernatural diplomat without a voice.” Matt observed, a smirk forming on his face. “It’s almost poetic.”

You had to agree. You were particularly grateful that Marc was trying to convince her to carve her own path. It raised your opinion of him slightly.

“Out of curiosity,” you said, interrupting their touching moment. “What’s Khonshu’s rule on killing?”

(Cont.)
>>
Marc and Cindy pulled away from each other, and the Moon Knight seemed to consider this for a moment. “He’s never chastised me for my behavior when it comes to taking lives. There were even times when he encouraged brutality. I only kill those that deserve it. Murderers, rapists, the physically abusive. Anyone who causes harm to an innocent under the light of the moon, really.” he explained.

“As far as I am aware, you are not yet one of those people. All of your killings have been those of gangsters, criminals, and mercenaries of the like, correct?” he asked.

You thought back on your life thus far, bringing up every face that you could remember. The faces of dead men. Some haunted you to this day, but most didn’t. They were in the ground now. Dead and gone. Lived as nobodies and became ashes in the wind.

You nodded slowly.

“So long as it stays that way, you and I will have no quarrel.” he declared. “But watch yourself, Huntsman. You are walking a slippery slope, and when you slip up, I will be there.”

You nodded slowly once more. It wasn’t a threat. There was no malice or contempt behind it. The Moon Knight just made you a promise that he fully intends on carrying out, should the time come.

The mood became heavy then, and you noticed that Matt was starting to become upset. So, you changed the topic once more.

“Let’s talk shop.” you suggested, drawing everyone’s attention. “Vampires. What’s the best way to kill them?”

Marc rested his head on one hand and leaned to the side slightly. “What do you know of them so far?” he asked.

You relayed everything that you'd heard from Morbius, Cindy and Louise. He nodded, reached into his jacket pocket and brandished a tiny crescent blade.

“Most people know about crosses being effective in repelling vampires. Even fewer know that any religious symbol can be deadly in the hands of a true believer.” he said, holding the blade up so the reflection of the moonlight danced on its shimmering surface. “And very few know that ‘any’ symbol will work, so long as it is widely recognized as a symbol of that God, and your faith is genuine. So, these will work against them.”

Cindy gave him a questioning look and pulled out her Moonrang.

“Try it out next time.” he advised. “Considering your upbringing, I won’t doubt your faith.”

While Cindy went to add this new information to her Vampire Diary, Marc refocused his attention on you and Matt.

“As for any additional methods, I do believe that you will have better luck approaching Louise with that issue. She is…quite creative when it comes to killing vampires. I’ve seen her use holy water hand grenades, crossbows that launch garlic roasted stakes, and silver plated glue traps.” Marc said, listing off Louise’s accomplishments one by one. “Apparently, she makes them herself.”

Damn! Why is it that the cults and secret orders have all the coolest shit!?

(Cont.)
>>
Cindy was dutifully scribbling all of this down, when you felt a physical shift in the air around you. Everyone else seemed to have felt it too, because they were all looking around with curious looks on their faces.

“Something is coming.” Marc announced in an ominous tone. You looked at him, and did a double take as he appeared to have changed his costume in the blink of an eye! He now wore a flowing white cape, a hood, and a skintight, white bodysuit with a utility belt wrapped around his waist and a crescent moon adorning the center of his torso. “Khonshu informs me that there is a large group of vampires approaching our position as we speak. And…it would appear that they have brought my Mooncopter along with them.” he growled, narrowing his eyes at nothing in particular.

“They’re coming here!?” you exclaimed, jumping out of your seat. At this point, your Spider-Sense was ringing like crazy!

“What should we do?” asked Matt.

“Prepare for a fight.” Marc declared. “They have superior numbers, but we have time to strategize. Since Sun King and Louise are here, I will make use of their services. If you require armaments, go see Louise downstairs.”

Cindy gave you a worried look, and you tried to reassure her with a firm pat on the shoulder.

"Everything's gonna be fine." you promised. You just hoped that you weren't lying.

What will you do?

>Check out Louise’s stash. You might need a little extra versatility in your kit.(Rearranging your inventory might be necessary here)
>Create some barricades using your webs and anything sturdy nearby.
>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.
>Try to convince everyone to abandon the building and scatter. There’s now way that they’ll be able to follow all of you.
>Lead the horde of vampires away from the building and see if you can’t call in some backup.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
Sorry that took so long. It was a lot to address, and I'm a bit tired. Also fucked up the color tags a bit.

Gonna take a nap and see about updating after I wake up.
>>
>>5222833
>Create some barricades using your webs and anything sturdy nearby.
>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.
>>
>>5222833

>Check out Louise’s stash. You might need a little extra versatility in your kit.(Rearranging your inventory might be necessary here)
>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.

If there is no time for both, only do the second one. We know what the damn thing can do to a fortified position; taking it out is the number one priority.
>>
>>5222833
>>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.
>>
>>5222833
>Create some barricades using your webs and anything sturdy nearby.
>Lay some traps throughout the building, garlic powder bombs and whatnot. Maybe Louise has something matching the description.
>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.
We should gum up its rotors with webs and suspend it above the street PS4-style.
>>
>>5222833
>Create some barricades using your webs and anything sturdy nearby.
>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.
>>
>>5222844
Adding
>Lay some traps throughout the building, garlic powder bombs and whatnot. Maybe Louise has something matching the description.
Maybe we can ask for help so the workload is divided.
>>
>>5222833
>Instruct Cindy to raid Louise’s stash.
>"I'll have you know that helicopter comes from helix and pteron. Spiral and wing, you know. so just 'Mooncopter' is a weird usage. I read it on the internet. Also, you have insurance on that, right?"
>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.
>>
>>5222842
+1
>>
>>5222833
>Create some barricades using your webs and anything sturdy nearby.
>Slip outside and see if you can’t get the jump on that Mooncopter when it flies close enough. Taking it out would make a huge difference.
Asking Moon Knight if he has his Mooncopter insured should also be something Ben does.
>>
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Was it MK or Cindy that helped us at the warehouse?
>>
>>5222842
>>5222844
>>5222846
>>5222925
Writing...

>>5222988
Good question! You can ask them if you're curious!
>>
After everything that happened tonight, your mind was a bit of a jumbled mess. You met(and taunted) a God, interacted with more vampires than you did normal humans, spoke with an insane war priest, and you found out that Cindy was being groomed to be some sort of intermediary between the normal and the supernatural world. And while all this was a lot to take in, you took some sort of strange comfort in knowing that you had to prepare to fight a horde of vampires marching on your position. Fighting was simple. There were no politics involved, at least.

You instructed Cindy to fetch Louise while you inspected the building’s overall layout. It might be possible for you to lay a few traps using your weblines as tripwires. You couldn’t place them everywhere, or else your people would be tripping them by accident. You might get more value out of them if your front load them at the entrance for a big impact. However, spreading them out could also affect the rate at which they move through the building. If they’re cautiously searching each room for traps, it staggers their forces and gives you time to regroup after each wave.

While you contemplated these strategies, Cindy returned with Louise, who was hastily rolling a large suitcase behind her. She skipped the introductions and pleasantries, laid down the suitcase and unzipped it. Inside, was the holy grail of all vampire killing armories! There were more weapons shoved in there than there were clothes!

“Merci, Monsieur.” she said with a hand on her chest. “I left the majority of my weapons in my car, and I am unable to get to them. Will these suffice?”

You nodded slowly. Cindy’s mouth was literally agape as she drank in the site. You’ve never known a woman to be this good at packing her belongings in a suitcase. You might have to get Louise to teach Vic and your Mom a thing or two.

“Oh, yeah.” you quietly responded. “This’ll do nicely.”

—---------

Upon laying the traps and informing everyone of where they were, you slipped out by yourself and started to tear scraps of metal and chunks of stone out of your environment. You grabbed whatever was available, from benches to busted streetlights, and glued them to the front door as makeshift barricades. You were well aware that you wouldn’t be able to get back in through that entrance anymore, but you weren’t terribly worried about that right now. Because if you failed to take out that Mooncopter, none of this would matter.

You asked Moonie for the specifics earlier, and he made you wish you hadn’t.

(Cont.)
>>
>Top speed: Upwards of 220mph
>Maximum Altitude: 19,000ft
>Has to refuel every 1000 miles.
>Twin-engine craft. Seats up to 3 passengers and a pilot.
>Equipped with twin 30 millimeter automatic chain gun cannons, 2.75 inch folding fin aerial rockets, and 6 Hellfire anti-tank missiles.
>Maximum range: Untested
>Aircraft is propelled by three under-mounted rotors
>Noise-free whisper capability which, combined with a white noise system that disguises the noise of the rotor blades, rendering the craft virtually noiseless.
>Submersible

“I sure hope you’ve got insurance, Moonie.” you muttered, scaling a building to get into position. While the Mooncopter wouldn’t make much noise, you could more or less “feel” which direction it was approaching from.

After a few minutes, you managed to spot it in the distance. Seeing it now, though, it resembled a “Moon Spacecraft” more than a Mooncopter. It had a very alien feel to it. You didn’t think that it spotted you yet, but you didn’t want to linger for a terribly long time. You’d only get one shot at this.

How do you plan to take it out?

>Latch onto the aircraft and activate your Slip component.
>Crawl onto the bottom and try to gum up the propulsion system.
>See if you can’t break into the cockpit and take out the pilot.
>Carve up the circuitry connected to the weapons system with your Vibranium Dagger.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5223192
>Latch onto the aircraft and activate your Slip component.
Time put it to use, go big or go home.
>>
>>5223192
>Latch onto the aircraft and activate your Slip component, preferably so that it won't crush a bunch of civilians.

No fucking about while we have so many squishy allies about, even if it wrecks the copter.
>>
>>5223192
>Crawl onto the bottom and try to gum up the propulsion system.
>>
>>5223192
>Latch onto the aircraft and activate your Slip component.
>>
>>5223192
>Crawl onto the bottom and try to gum up the propulsion system
Wait a minute, I just had a brainwave. We’re a spider, right? That means we’re the best at what we do, and what we do is trap flying things in webs.
What if we spin a giant web between some buildings and bait it into getting stuck? We could also use the web as a net, or any number of alternative strategies. It would also prevent anyone from getting squished by a giant letter C.
This is all assuming we can weaken the thing’s propulsion to the point where it can’t break the webs or the buildings they’re attached to, of course.
>>
>>5223232
If we have time to shoot off a few dozen lines real quick to catch this thing when it crashes I'll support this, though I'm not entirely sure we do and can also lure it over.
>>
>>5223235
There’s a good chance it’ll just fly after us if we pester it enough, I’d say. As long as we’re enough of a nuisance that it can’t effectively attack the MM, the pilot will consider us the priority target.
>>
>>5223192
>Crawl onto the bottom and try to gum up the propulsion system.
>Carve up the circuitry connected to the weapons system with your Vibranium Dagger.
>>
>>5223241
It's a helicopter though, not a guy. It can just hover and shoot from a shitton of angles no matter where we go. With dual GAUs and Hellfire missiles. It'll be really bad if we succeed, and even worse if we fail the taunt roll and it goes after Cindy instead.

Nah, the more I think about it the more this needs to be a blitz.
>>
>>5223256
What if we activate the Slip component directly into the rotors, then? I can’t think of anywhere else that is both relatively unarmoured and incredibly important to the craft’s function. On a normal vehicle I’d go with the cockpit, but I don’t know if we could even break the Mooncopter open.
>>
In addition, what about gumming up some of its weapons? The missiles in particular would be nice to remove from the equation, assuming the pilot isn’t a retard who launches them anyway and ends up blowing up the entire thing with us along with it.
>>
>>5223281
I think we should just glomp the thing as fast as possible, yell Allahu Akbar, and go from there.
>>
>>5223273
Rotors would be the weakest spot since by the nature of it being mobile means it can sustain the least amount of armoring. That's if we use the slip drive. The cockpit is likely a trap option since 1 Everyone will target it to take out the pilot and 2 it needs to the most heavily armored to protect said pilot.

>>5223281
If we web the missiles they won't be able to fire. Depending on the type of guns equipped they can also be disabled with webbing. Since it uses chain guns we can actually disable them by gumming up the rotors with webbing. Clogging the exhaust is also an option. Bad things happen when it can no longer vent.
>>
>>5223282
As long as we take out its means of attack (which I’m starting to consider more important than its mobility), it’s nothing more than a big flying crescent. Which is still a very dangerous thing, mind you, but reducing the pilot’s attack options to ramming would make our allies significantly safer than trying to explode it through armour of unknown durability with a tool of unknown potency.
As you said, we should totally blow it up with our new toy, but I think stopping its ranged weaponry before it can open fire on the MM takes priority.
>>5223285
Oh, clogging the exhaust is a good idea too. We should do that if we can’t just tear it open or break the rotors.
>>
>>5223192
>See if you can’t break into the cockpit and take out the pilot.
I just catched up with the quest.
I got remarks I haven't seen discussed regarding Connor.
I think I know who did that to him : Green Goblin.
We might have to extend the list to find who's hunder the goblin's hood, but a skilled one with either a grudge against Connor, or just wanting to stir shit, could have taken the glidder way, get into the lab, stole spiders and go their merry way with them. We'll need to confront Gobbie about that next time we cross road.
>>
>>5223192
>Latch onto the aircraft and activate your Slip component.
>>
>>5223195
>>5223204
>>5223214
>>5223597
The tie was finally broken. Roll 1d100, bo3!
>>
Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>5223679
Oh boy, here I go rolling again!
>>
Rolled 86 (1d100)

>>5223679
>>
Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>5223679
A critfail/crit success would be real funny
>>
>>5223688
Well good work and good dubs.
>>
>>5223682
>>5223688
>>5223690
Checked. Writing...
>>
>86

As the plane flew closer and closer to your position, you began weaving a giant slingshot, with yourself as the ammunition. You could hear the web fibers tightening as you pulled, and you felt some resistance as you took several steps backwards.

You watched, waited, and did a few quick mental calculations. If you didn’t get this exactly right, you’d probably end up as a smear on the window over there. And Cindy would end up as a stain on the concrete.

That thought seemed to bring everything into focus. Made the whole situation feel real again. Life came at you fast these days, but that didn’t mean that you could afford to take it easy or get sloppy. People got hurt when you got sloppy. You had more than yourself to worry about now. Vic, Pete, Cindy, Matt. All of them were counting on you right now.

When the craft came into view, you leaned back, took a few deep breaths and released your grip on the weblines. In an instant, your entire body was whipped forward at a speed that would probably make any normal human pass out. If it hadn’t been for the special lenses in your mask, your eyes would probably be watering right now. Either that, or they’d have been flung to the back of your head.

The sheer fact that you were able to move your limbs at all in this scenario was a testament to your inhuman strength. And thanks to that, you managed to grab hold of the Mooncopter as it sliced through the skies, your hands and feet sticking fast.

When you were certain that you’d made it past the first phase of your plan, you finally let go of the breath that you’d been holding and cast a cursory glance over your surroundings. Nothing about the flight path had changed after your arrival, despite the fact that your landing was quite noisy. If you were lucky, that would mean that the sound of the engines masked your clumsy maneuver.

“Alright. Here goes nothing…” you said, pressing a series of buttons on the Slip Component that Phin installed on your belt. Like he had instructed, you attached the rest of your equipment to your belt, causing it to feel bulky and a bit uncomfortable. But that way, you were at least able to avoid melting them into slag.

The device flashed red, and you felt a surge of energy flow through you, making the hairs on your arm stand on end. Your skin started to tingle with the warmth that followed, and you released a large plume of the fiber-like catalyst that was necessary to detonate your explosions, allowing them to stick to the aircraft’s hull so that they wouldn’t get blown away in the wind.

With every passing moment, the heat’s intensity increased and you felt that the only reason you were able to bear it was because of the wind chill that resulted from sitting atop the fast-moving Mooncopter.

(Cont.)
>>
File: 4d3tp1.png (1.12 MB, 1400x700)
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After about 30 seconds, you heard a click, and then a bright flash of white light engulfed your vision. The devastating blast filled your ears, and the sheer force of it ripped you away from the Mooncopter and sent you flying in the opposite direction!

You didn’t have the best view from your position, but the results of your efforts were immediately made apparent. Where you had been crouching mere moments ago, there now sat a large hole in the ship’s hull, spewing smoke and giving off an amber glow as multiple fires broke out. The ship’s pilot was clearly having trouble maintaining his current course and keeping the ship steady, because you could already see it leaning dangerously to one side as it tried to clear past a nearby building. You could even see some pieces falling off as it flew away.

From the looks of things, you did some serious damage!

You quietly celebrated as you fell, refastening and rearranging your gear the same way that you had it before. Once you were satisfied with the layout of your inventory, you fired a web at a nearby wall and used it to swing back up to safety. But by the time you’d gotten there, you were immediately aware of the fact that you were being watched.

In the moon’s light, which somehow seemed to become brighter than it was before, you saw multiple sets of eyes on you. Glowing red eyes that were eyeing you up like a piece of meat. You recognized the stares from the patrons at Morbius’ nightclub.

You went to reach for your guns, and at this point, you were vaguely aware of the fact that there was a faint haze radiating off of your suit. You were putting out a crazy amount of heat right now. Must be a side effect of the blast from before. You were just lucky that this suit was so well insulated. For the amount of shit that you gave Phin, he did phenomenal work in a short amount of time.

But no wasn’t the time to dwell on that, because right now, you were completely surrounded by a horde of bloodthirsty vampires.

What will you do?

>Death Blossom! Shoot your way out!
>Attach your silver knives to weblines and fling them around like a ninja.
>Use your explosions to make a hasty retreat and circle back around to the Midnight Mission.
>Toss out both electrified web bombs and tangle up as many vamps as you possibly can.
>Ignore them and continue chasing after the Mooncopter. You want to try and ground that thing if possible.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5223722
>Toss out both electrified web bombs and tangle up as many vamps as you possibly can.
Sticky Fingers time
>>
>>5223722

>Ignore them and continue chasing after the Mooncopter. You want to try and ground that thing if possible.
>Take potshots at any vamps that get too close.
>>
>>5223722
>Toss out both electrified web bombs and tangle up as many vamps as you possibly can.
>Ignore them and continue chasing after the Mooncopter. You want to try and ground that thing if possible.
>>
File: Ka9PmS3.jpg (47 KB, 461x684)
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>>5223722
>Quickly distract the vamps by tossing out both electrified web bombs to tangle up as many vamps as you possibly can before ignore them and continue chasing after the Mooncopter. You want to try and ground that thing if possible.

and if we're in a bad place, try to fight on the side of a wall and not on even ground like >pic related
>>
>>5223722
>Ignore them and continue chasing after the Mooncopter. You want to try and ground that thing if possible.
Just jump over them.
>>
>>5223775
+1
If we can make it so they take a little more time to reach the Mansion, that's another win for us.

More guerrilla tactics should work
>>
What happened to our swords?
>>
>>5223803
If they haven't melted, we should make plans to learn swordsmanship and coat them with various phlebotina.
>>
>>5223722
>Toss out both electrified web bombs and tangle up as many vamps as you possibly can.
>Ignore them and continue chasing after the Mooncopter. You want to try and ground that thing if possible.
We can throw and run
>>
>>5223803
In our base, surely
>>
>>5223738
>>5223767
>>5223786
>>5223853
Sorry about that. Had to rest up for a bit. Taking these. Roll 1d100+10
>>
Rolled 15 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5224206
big money
>>
Rolled 58 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5224206
>>
Rolled 86 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5224206
Big numbers come on
>>
>>5224227
>96
Once again, the 1996 Chicago Bulls inspire Benny to achieve greatness.
>>
>>5224227
nice
>>
>>5224210
>>5224215
>>5224227
>>5224238
>>5224240
This'll have to become an in-universe quest meme at some point. Writing...
>>
>>5224242
Maybe Benny's a former Jordan dickrider, who knows?
>>
File: clean (14).jpg (1.02 MB, 750x1139)
1.02 MB
1.02 MB JPG
>96

Quickly, you switched to your thermal vision in order to get a better grasp on where the vamps were hiding. A cursory glance revealed multiple cold-blooded individuals closing in on your position from all angles moving impossibly fast. You reacted before they could reach you, tossing out both web bombs to the left and right of you. They detonated on contact ensnaring anyone close enough to get hit and cutting off the approach of anyone behind the vanguard.

Instead of using this time to take out as many vamps as you possibly could, however, you continued to pursue the Mooncopter by following its smoke trail. Even if it had a built in stealth system, there was no way that it could hide after taking that much damage.

You felt numerous clawed hands reaching up and out at you as you fled, hissing and cursing your name. Well, your superhuman identity, at least. You began to wonder how they’d discovered it in the first place, but there were more pressing matters to focus on right now.

“Sorry fellas, but I’ve got a plane to catch!” you called out as you swung around the corner of a building.

—---

It didn’t take you long to find the damaged Mooncopter. But upon seeing it glide through the night sky without making so much as a peep, you immediately became aware of how it was that a room full of vampires managed to miss this thing coming. It was as if someone had thrown a giant frisbee through the air. You couldn’t hear the engines or the propellers at all!

While you marveled at the technological innovation that this vehicle represented, you noticed both 30mm chain guns rotating to face you. The barrels flashed, and you wasted no time in moving to avoid the oncoming fire. Thick, high caliber rounds slammed into the glass pane that you’d been running across to catch up with the plane. Even as you pushed off of the sheer surface to swing towards another building, you were surprised by how closely the pilot was able to track your movement. Most goons that you met were barely able to track you with their eyes when you moved, but this guy seemed to be trying to predict where you would be. And he wasn’t too far off, either!

Eventually, the Mooncopter stopped firing and retracted its guns. You were beginning to wonder what the pilot was planning to do…when the vehicle suddenly switched off its engines, flipped end over end in a barrel roll and stopped so that its nose now faced you. You froze suddenly, as two sets of missiles flew out of the sides. And those weren’t just any ordinary missiles! They were Folding Fin Aerial Rockets!

Your body started moving before your brain did, and you found yourself diving down to avoid a plethora of mini-missiles that were now chasing after you.

“Of course they’d be heat-seeking, too!” you cried. “Because, why wouldn’t they!?”

(Cont.)
>>
You needed a way to shake these things!

What will you do?

>Swing back around and trick them into hitting the Mooncopter.
>Distract the missiles with a hastily thrown trashcan bonfire.
>Load a high caliber silver round into your Hidden Gun and fire it into the nose of the leading missile.
>Allow the missiles to explode harmlessly on a gargantuan gallery of hideous public art as you weave your way through the obstacle course.
>Write-in.
>>
Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5224296
>>Distract the missiles with a hastily thrown trashcan bonfire.
>>
>>5224296
>>Distract the missiles with a hastily thrown trashcan bonfire.
>>
>>5224296
>Allow the missiles to explode harmlessly on a gargantuan gallery of hideous public art as you weave your way through the obstacle course.
I fucking loved that scene.
>>
>>5224296
>jump away last second and web the missiles to throw back at the mooncopter
>>
>>5224296
>Allow the missiles to explode harmlessly on a gargantuan gallery of hideous public art as you weave your way through the obstacle course.
Frankly speaking, we'll be doing the city a service.
>>
>>5224296
>>Allow the missiles to explode harmlessly on a gargantuan gallery of hideous public art as you weave your way through the obstacle course.
fuck modern art
>>
>>5224296
>Allow the missiles to explode harmlessly on a gargantuan gallery of hideous public art as you weave your way through the obstacle course
Might be prudent to disable those weapons now, before anything more important than modern art gets damaged.
>>
>>5224296
>>Allow the missiles to explode harmlessly on a gargantuan gallery of hideous public art as you weave your way through the obstacle course.
>>
>>5224296
Use Mark of Cain to heat up some bullets as you pray to whatever God that it works
>>
File: 1633157946346.png (520 KB, 695x666)
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520 KB PNG
>>5224363
what
>>
>>5224372
Explosive bullets
>>
>>5224363
>>5224378
I’m not sure heating up our bullets makes them explosive. God help Benny if you want to place our explosive hairs inside the barrel.
>>
>>5224390
Yeah, I was asking because I wanted him to elaborate how exactly he thinks that would go down but stopped asking because I actually don't want to know and in fact need to not know.
>>
>>5224307
>>5224326
>>5224327
>>5224343
>>5224358
Taking these. Writing...
>>
You searched around desperately for something that might help you, when you caught sight of a series of particularly hideous public art pieces that would make for pretty good cover if you could get behind them in time. When you got closer, you were able to see that there weren’t many people in the area.

This was, in part, due to the massive blackouts that were now plaguing your city. There was a sort of unspoken curfew for people that didn’t want to risk getting mugged in the dark. Thankfully, this cleared the way for you to try something a little reckless.

“It’s worth a shot…” you muttered, increasing your velocity with a quick webline as you dropped down towards the art gallery. Just in case you missed something, you made your presence well known with some shouted warnings. Seeing as how nothing moved, you put the thought out of your mind and gave yourself over to a more primitive part of your brain.

“Spider-sense, work your magic!”

You dropped down in what you could only describe as an entanglement of tubes, chutes and slides made entirely of thick layers of plaster and old newspapers. You never stopped for a moment as the mini rockets slammed into the art piece from all directions, rocking it to its very foundations. Once your cover had been destroyed, your senses told you that there were many more undetonated rockets closing in on your position.

You turned quickly, slipping through the hole of a diamond shaped slab of marble and granite. On your way out, you clogged up the hole with a cluster of webs and swung your way onto the top of the formation. The rockets snagged on the web and exploded once they were impacted by additional projectiles. The resulting explosion forced you to backflip off the diamond’s precipice mere moments before the jagged rock and shrapnel could lodge themselves into your legs and chest.

With yet more rockets rapidly approaching your position, you shot a webline at a nearby mesh of metal and sturdy metal wire that had been spray-painted gold. Without needing to think, you traversed the precarious metal maze with nary a scratch nor a bruise, only popping up to circumvent a blocked passageway every now and again.

Your body moved with an almost supernatural level of coordination and grace. There were no wasted movements in your acrobatic display of sheer athleticism. Any time a missile came close to hitting you, you twisted your body out of the way, or ducked back into the maze.

Eventually, you ran out of room to move around, so you latched onto a coiled, silver installment of loops, ramps and holes. It was fairly easy to avoid the last group of missiles at that point. There was no saving the art piece, though. Not that you were complaining. Fuck public art.

“You’re welcome, New York!”

(Cont.)
>>
Feeling as if you’d done the city a service, you happily swung away from the hellish scene of carnage and smoldering debris that you’d left in the wake of your epic performance. Now to catch up with that Mooncopter!

—-----

While you were distracted, the damaged vehicle circled back to fly back towards the Midnight Mission. It looked like a decent amount of vampires were following it, too.

If you wanted to take this thing down, you were gonna have to act fast.

What will you do?

>Smash through the cockpit by breaking the glass with your Vibranium Knife.
>Cling to the Mooncopter and start disabling its onboard weaponry.
>Tear open the compartment that carries the Hellfire Missiles and prime them with a delayed explosive Mark.
>Crawl onto the bottom and gum up the propellers.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5224479
>Smash through the cockpit by breaking the glass with your Vibranium Knife.
>>
>>5224479
>Tear open the compartment that carries the Hellfire Missiles and prime them with a delayed explosive Mark.
>>
>>5224475
Fucking based.
>>5224479
>Tear open the compartment that carries the Hellfire Missiles and prime them with a delayed explosive Mark.
>>
>>5224479
>>Cling to the Mooncopter and start disabling its onboard weaponry.
>>
>>5224479
>Crawl onto the bottom and gum up the propellers.
>Cling to the Mooncopter and start disabling its onboard weaponry.
>>
>>5224479
>>Tear open the compartment that carries the Hellfire Missiles and prime them with a delayed explosive Mark.
>>
>>5224479
>Smash through the cockpit by breaking the glass with your Vibranium Knife.
>>
>>5224479
>Cling to the Mooncopter and start disabling its onboard weaponry.
>>
>>5224479
>Tear open the compartment that carries the Hellfire Missiles and prime them with a delayed explosive Mark.
>>
>>5224479
>Tear open the compartment that carries the Hellfire Missiles and prime them with a delayed explosive Mark.
>>
>>5224507
>>5224676
>>5224509
>>5225069
>>5225074
Writing...
>>
As far as you knew, none of the vampires had sensed your return. This was, of course, an assumption you made purely based upon the fact that none of them had turned to face you yet. Either they were all extremely good actors, which you highly doubted, or they were too caught up in chasing after the Mooncopter. It could be that you were downwind of them, so your scent hadn’t reached them yet. You don’t really know how keen vampire senses are.

Not wanting to waste this opportunity, you advanced on the Mooncopter, utilizing your explosive potential to propel yourself forward, abandoning any pretense of stealth in favor of speed. Time was everything, tonight.

Once you’d caught up and latched onto the rear fin, you crawled underneath the vessel, and located where Moon Knight had told you he stored his hellfire missiles. You didn’t particularly think that his brother had a reason to dramatically change the structure of the Mooncopter, so you decided to take his word for it.

You jammed your fingers into the tiny gap between the metal plates and started to pull with all the force you could muster. The ablative plating creaked and strained under your might, bending slightly as you pulled back to create a tiny opening. Another plate covered the compartment, and you found yourself using your webs as leverage in order to yank it free. Once that was done, you gently placed a hand on the exposed missile silo, creating a burning mark that would explode after about 7 seconds.

Feeling like you’d done all you could, you leapt from the vehicle and let your body descend, where the vampires who’d been trailing after the Mooncopter had been waiting to reach up at you.

You quickly pulled out your guns to shoot at the nearest ones, before firing a webline to pull yourself further into the air. These guys might be super fast and strong, but they had nowhere near the amount of maneuverability that you possessed.

Counting down the seconds, you replaced your pistols in their holsters and braced yourself for the incoming explosion. And you were NOT disappointed!

A brilliant flash of orange light was immediately followed by a deafening boom, shaking the air around you, shattering nearby windows and setting off numerous car alarms in the process. It was perhaps the biggest and brightest explosion you've seen since the last major alien invasion.

When you could see again, it was quite clear to you that there wasn’t much of a ship left. Most of it had been obliterated by the initial blast, while the rest of the debris was now flying out in multiple directions, along with a less than inconspicuous figure gliding away from the scene.

(Cont.)
>>
Every single vampire stopped dead in their tracks, gazing up at the ruined aircraft with despairing eyes. The majority of the remaining wreckage was now descending rapidly towards the streets. And it seemed like the vampires were busy deciding whether they still wanted to attack the Midnight Mission without the Mooncopter to clear the path for them.

What will you do? You probably only have time for one thing.

>Catch up with the pilot and web him up. You’re not letting him off that easily.
>Try to stop the flaming wreckage before it can do any more damage.
>Use this opportunity to get the jump on the stunned vampire horde.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5225162
>Catch up with the pilot and web him up. You’re not letting him off that easily.
NO PREY ESCAPES THE HUNSTMAN!
>>
>>5225162
>Use this opportunity to get the jump on the stunned vampire horde.
>>
>>5225162
>Try to stop the flaming wreckage before it can do any more damage.
>>
>>5225162
>>Catch up with the pilot and web him up. You’re not letting him off that easily.
>>
>>5225162
>Catch up with the pilot and web him up. You’re not letting him off that easily.
>>
>>5225162
>Try to stop the flaming wreckage before it can do any more damage
It’s going to crash and take a chunk out of the nearest building, killing innocents. Web it up before we do anything else.
>>
>>5225162
>Catch up with the pilot and web him up. You’re not letting him off that easily.
We're no hero!
>>
>>5225162
>Catch up with the pilot and web him up. You’re not letting him off that easily.
>>
>>5225215
That's funny, anon! Because that's usually what people say before they become heroes!

>>5225164
>>5225175
>>5225182
>>5225215
>>5225232
Taking these. Writing...
>>
>>5225233
I mean yeah... but would a hero... SAVE A CHILD... FROM A WEIRD MOON CULT? oh wait... uhmmm, they would actually. But we're totally notahero™
>>
I just hope that debris doesn’t crush anyone or cause a gas explosion or something.
>>
>>5225238
Yeah if I was here a second earlier I would have asked how much of the debris is headed towards the Mission because mild NPC casualties are fine for the Huntsman but leaving our allies out to dry isn't.
>>
Ignoring the distracted vampires, you turned around to chase after the fleeing pilot. From a distance, you almost mistook him for Moon Knight. But as you got closer, you began to notice the subtle differences in their costumes. This guy’s cape and cowl was noticeably more worn and ragged.

When you were close enough, you fired a few shots at his back. Your silver bullets hit home, forced him to close his cape and drop down onto a nearby rooftop. Upon landing, he broke into a roll and whirled on you, revealing a ghoulish face that was probably a halloween mask. At least, you hoped so. His deep scowl revealed yellowing, sharp teeth that looked as if they were made for tearing, and his piercing red eyes seemed to puncture through the shadows that obscure the upper half of his face.

The man rose to his full height, not showing any signs of having been slowed down by the bullets. You saw them penetrate his cape, so he must either be incredibly durable, or he’s wearing body armor.

Hoping to catch him off guard, you fired a couple of webshots at him, binding his arms to his torso. But it wasn’t long before he was tearing through them as if it were plastic wrap. You’d have to find another way to take this guy down.

What will you do?

>Cover him in MORE webs, of course! Let’s see how tough he is when he can’t breathe.
>Score a couple headshots with your twin pistols. Kevlar won’t cover that!
>Pull out your Vibranium Dagger and get up close and personal!
>Use your explosive Marks to send him rocketing upwards, and then slam him back down onto the street below.
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Silver Knuckle Dusters!
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5225260
>Pull out your Vibranium Dagger and get up close and personal!
>>
>>5225260
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Silver Knuckle Dusters!
It worked so well last time that we got laid, surely that same luck applies! or not
>>
>>5225260
>Pull out your Vibranium Dagger and get up close and personal!
>>
>>5225260
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Vibranium Dagger
>>
>>5225260
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Silver Knuckle Dusters!
>>
>>5225260
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Vibranium Dagger
Now THIS is a knoife…
>>
>>5225260
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Vibranium Dagger and Silver Knuckle Duster
>>
>>5225260
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Silver Knuckle Dusters!
>>
>>5225260
>Blind him with a Garlic Pepper Pellet and go to town with your Vibranium Dagger and Silver Knuckle Duster.
Then a couple silver bullets to the back of the head. Just to be sure.
>>
>>5225429
Support
>>5225260
>>
>>5225265
>>5225295
>>5225299
>>5225300
>>5225377
>>5225428
>>5225429
>>5225439
These are pretty much the same vote, so I'm counting them as well.

Roll me a 1d100, bo3!
>>
Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>5225537
SATAN
>>
Rolled 72 (1d100)

>>5225537
>>
Rolled 2 (1d100)

>>5225537
>>
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14 KB JPG
>>5225542
>>
>>5225542
That was way too close.
>>
>>5225542
....I'm not rolling anymore today, you fuckers roll before me.
>>
>>5225538
>>5225540
>>5225542
What's wrong, anons? Everyone's been begging for a crit fail for some time now, so I thought you loved them! 1 must be a more popular number than 96 around these parts.

Also, writing...
>>
Rolled 5 (1d100)

>>5225565
There's time to critfail yet, OP.
>>
>>5225542
>>
>94

Discreetly, you brought your hands into your cloak and loaded your last remaining Garlic Pepper Pellet into one of your Hidden Guns. And when he least expected it, you brought your hand up and fired the pellet at his face.

The impostor snarled in a fit of rage and pain as the chemical solution stung at his eyes. You used that opportunity to draw your Vibranium Dagger and close in on him. As if motivated by instinct alone, the Mooncopter pilot drew a Moonrang and raised it to parry your attack.

But instinct alone wasn’t enough to deter you. You pressed on, slashing away at him and clashing with his melee weapon, drawing sparks with each pass. It wasn't that he was a bad fighter by any means. If anything, his knifework gave evidence to him having had military training at some point. In a normal confrontation, he might have even had an edge over you. But there were about two or three deciding factors here.

He was still dazed from the explosion and his sudden ejection from the cockpit. You were also, without a doubt, much faster than this guy on any given day, o account of your enhanced physique. And lastly, he had a face full of mace and garlic powder, and you bet it didn't feel great.

Eventually, you managed to disarm the monstrous mummy and plant the blade firmly between his ribs. Your vibranium-coated blade was sharp enough to carve through whatever armor he had been using to absorb the damage of your ranged attacks.

The question was, did you want him dead or alive? Killing him would definitely be easier, but Marc might want to interrogate him later.

>Plant the blade into his heart.(Kill him)
>Give him some debilitating wounds, but leave him alive. For now.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5225595
>Plant the blade into his heart.(Kill him)
>Carve up his brain and everything, making double extra sure he's dead

He's working with the moonshitters going after our family, why is this even a question?
>>
>>5225595
>Plant the blade into his heart.(Kill him)
Interrogations are shit, just get it over with it.
>>
>>5225595
>Give him some debilitating wounds, but leave him alive. For now.
>>
>>5225595
>Plant the blade into his heart.(Kill him)
He fucked with the senpai, and having him alive doesn't really do anyone favors. If this punk stole a whole Mooncopter and lead a militia of vamps, he could very well escape interrogaton and stalk us and our relatives.
>>
>>5225607
+1
>>
>>5225595
>>Plant the blade into his heart.(Kill him)
>>
>>5225595
>Give him some debilitating wounds, but leave him alive. For now.
Interrogate first, kill later. If we can’t get info out of him, Moon Knight probably can.
>>
>>5225607
+1
>>
>>5225595
>Plant the blade into his heart.(Kill him)

We don't leave a hunt unfinished.
>>
>>5225595
>Plant the blade into his heart.(Kill him)
>>
>>5225595
I'm not sure why everyone is so gung-ho about killing this guy. He is obviously worth more alive, and we don't even have to mess around with interrogating him since MK will be handling that.

Hell he might even have information leading to the cult's leadership who we CAN eliminate thereby safeguarding Cindy and our family in one fell swoop.

Plus it would level up our social links with Matt whom we just had a conversation about this.

I miss the clever and pragmatic Ben Parker from episode one who did what he had to do, but didn't go out of his way to piss people off or make enemies.

I mean this guy isn't even a vampire, He's just a dude.

>Give him some debilitating wounds, but leave him alive. For now.
>>
>>5225879
No. We're in combat mode, and I am very cross with him, so we murder him, go murder the other vampires, get Cindy the fuck out of here just in case, and maybe then try to get clever and pragmatic with things. Right now, we have things to lose.
>>
>>5225607
>>5225628
>>5225691
>>5225617
>>5225625
>>5225639
>>5225833
Writing...
>>
>>5225879
Sparing him requires the assumption that it will not come back to bite us. This is comic logic and therefore it always without fail will because you are too stupid to plant the baddy in the ground before he can come back and cause yet more problems. This Ben Parker is streetwise enough to understand this simple fact unlike the heroes.

Ben doesn't kill anyone just because he can. He only does so if it's not worth the risk to keep them alive. In that regard, he is a cold hearted bastard but he also understands that sparing the wrong people will cause even far more harm than being willing to get your hands dirty to prevent it from ever happening. Therefore I would argue Ben would get along a lot better with the Punisher if you know he wasn't a fucking criminal over Matt any day. As Ben understands the Punisher actually has a good point.
>>
>>5225898
Well if we're getting technical about the rules of comic books, killing villains doesn't always matter if they're popular enough. They just get brought back for cheap drama. Like, no matter how many times the Joker dies, he'll always come back. This is, of course done for the sake of preserving fan favorites and not having to create OC's left and right.

Death is almost never permanent in most cases, and there are times when characters are killed off for very trivial reasons. Not saying that any of that will happen often at all in this quest, but there is the slight possibility of people being brought back to life, one way or another.
>>
File: inhyuk-lee-1 (1).jpg (285 KB, 900x1367)
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Without missing a beat, you yanked the knife out of his flank, raised it up and plunged it into his chest. A breathless gasp escaped his lips, and his blazing red eyes burned into you, searching your face for any emotion or motivation. Even if you weren’t wearing the mask, you wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of making him think that you were weak.

He wasn’t Cromwell, but if what you heard was anything to go off of, he seemed to be taking a leading role in the perversion of the Cult of Khonshu. Cindy’s face flashed through your mind. This guy played a part in the murder of her parents. Letting him live would be an injustice to their memory. Why should he get to go free when they’ve been put in the ground with their daughter scurrying around in the sewers with her throat slashed.

Feeling the fury burning through your veins, you pushed the blade deeper, eliciting a pained grunt from the man. Desperately, he clawed at your arm, making one last desperate attempt to pry himself free and slink off to whatever shithole he crawled out of. You weren’t having any of it tonight.

You twisted the knife, and the imposter stopped moving altogether. Even after he breathed his last breath, a ragged exhale, you sat there for a long moment, just staring at him, unsure of what to feel.

—----

A few minutes later, you were back in the action, fighting off the horde of vampires and forcing them to retreat. Your unintentional pincer maneuver seemed to turn the tide a bit. And thanks to those traps that you’d set beforehand, there were minimal injuries among your allies. Cindy and Louise were a bit scratched up, and Matt and Marc were covered in the blood of their enemies.

They appeared happy to see you relatively unharmed, and the news of your success in dealing with the Mooncopter was well received. Marc didn’t seem to care much that you’d blown it up beyond salvaging. But his expression quickly changed when you told him that you’d killed the imposter. His brother.

He didn’t look particularly sad or angry, just…surprised. It might hit him hard later, when it has time to sink in, but he didn’t make a single move. He simply asked you to bring the body to him. You did so, trying not to notice the obvious disappointment in Matt’s face. Cindy and Louise didn’t seem to have very strong feelings on the matter.
—---

After you brought the body back, Moon Knight took him from you, carrying him in both arms. He looked down at his brother’s monstrous face, and spoke without meeting your eyes.

“Thank you for the part that you played in protecting the Midnight Mission, myself and my friends.” he said, bowing his head slightly. “You will always be welcome here, whether it is for business or pleasure. But for tonight…I must ask you to leave. Please.”

You nodded and took Cindy’s hand, feeling an overwhelming force urging you to vacate the premises, post haste. You didn’t fight it.
>>
You, Matt and Cindy were quickly ushered out the door by Reese and Louise, and you watched Moon Knight’s lonely back as he retreated deeper into the Midnight Mission.

You stared at the door for a while, before casting a cursory glance at Cindy. She was now wearing a utility belt of some sort. It looked very similar to the one that Moon Knight had worn during that weird little split-second costume change of his.

You warily glanced at Matt, who was surveying the carnage before him, a remorseful look on his face. The litter of vampire corpses that would turn to ash as soon as the sun rose. You wondered whether you should be concerned about them being piled outside on the street like this.

What will you say?

>”Thanks for your help, Matt. I’m sorry for getting your wrapped up in all this.”
>”You’ve been pretty quiet tonight. What’s on your mind?”
>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
>”There was no other way. You know that as well as I do.”
>”Don’t tell me you pity these things too. They’re parasites, Matt.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
Good job you murderers!
>>
>>5225915
Thanks for your help, Matt. I’m sorry for getting your wrapped up in all this.”
>”You’ve been pretty quiet tonight. What’s on your mind?”
>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
>>
>>5225915
>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
No pussy-footing around it, we're gonna have this talk here and now.
>>
>>5225915
>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
>"They came after my family, Matt. There was no other way."

>>5225916
I do feel bad, not gonna lie.
>>
>>5225915
>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
>>
>>5225915
>You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
>>
>>5225915
>>5225917
Supporting.

Its worth noting, that letting someone go has had unforeseen consequences already. Slip. Had we finished the job then, the city would be better off now. Not that I think killing him then was the right call, but I think its something that would be on Ben's mind.
>>
>>5225908
True but Ben IC doesn't know that yet. Many villains are pretty damn hard to make sure they stay dead. Ben isn't naive enough to spare enemies when he knows it will come back to bite him and others. He just doesn't go out of his way to kill people for no reason.

>>5226001
As far as Ben knew he was just a thief. Not a good excuse to kill someone in his book and as a fellow crook he didn't see any reason to chase him down ASAP. Was that a poor decision? Well yeah if he was a hero, but Ben isn't someone who is actively hostile to every villain. You have to be a real piece of shit for him to come after you and he has no problems with working with many fellow crooks. Coming from someone who is setting up his own villain team it's no surprise he is a shit hero but he is willing to intervene. He'll make up for it by raising the future spiderman tho.

>>5225915
>”Don’t tell me you pity these things too. They’re parasites, Matt.”
>>
>>5225917
+1
>>
>>5225915
>”Thanks for your help, Matt. I’m sorry for getting your wrapped up in all this.”
>>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
>>
>>5225915
>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
I was all for lodging a chunk of silver in the guy’s spine so as to immobilise him without risk of regeneration.
>>
>>5225915
>”Thanks for your help, Matt. I’m sorry for getting you wrapped up in all this.”
>”You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
You guys are coping hard if you think we really needed to kill that guy, but oh well.
>>
>>5226134
>coping
If we're throwing around buzzwords, seethe and dilate harder, anon. It is done.
>>
>>5225915
>You think I was wrong to kill that guy.”
>"Look, Matt, I'm not an expert on what is and isn't moral behavior. Vampirism may not have been a choice - look at Reese - but behaving like a monster was conscious decision they took."
>"I fought someone who accidentally got turned into some dumb lizard monster the other day, and that guy I helped get better. Even reported it to the authorities and everything."
>>
>>5226001
Not killing him isn't what had unintended consequences.

Killing him was entirely unwarranted in the situation.

We caused those unintended consequences by breaking his suit. Ben Parker is 100% to blame for that situation even if he had no idea what would happen.

That makes it even more absurd that you would use that specific example as grounds to argue that we should have killed him because it completely misses the point of what happened there.

>>5226019
>Thinking Peter Parker will still look up to his uncle once he learns the truth.

>>5225915

>”Thanks for your help, Matt. I’m sorry for getting your wrapped up in all this.”
>”You’ve been pretty quiet tonight. What’s on your mind?”

It seems to me like the best and most lucrative choices we've made have always been the moderate choices.

Imagine if we had MoK'd Black Cat and Prowler and stolen everything in the museum?
>>
>>5225915
>"They came after my family, Matt. There was no other way."
>"Look, Matt, I'm not an expert on what is and isn't moral behavior. Vampirism may not have been a choice - look at Reese - but behaving like a monster was conscious decision they took."
>"I fought someone who accidentally got turned into some dumb lizard monster the other day, and that guy I helped get better. Even reported it to the authorities and everything."
>>
>>5226192
>Thinking Peter Parker will still look up to his uncle once he learns the truth.
Don't hit me with that bro, that thought scares me. How are we going to balance our criminal and "hero" personas?
Perhaps we need to differentiate the two even more? One anon mentioned that Spiderman should focus on nonlethal takedowns, while Huntsman can go ham-mac-and-cheese. Instead of webs, maybe huntsman can use grappling hooks? Jets?
>>
>>5226192
Peter's still 6, we still have plenty of time to brainw- adjust his perspective on things.
>>
>>5226192
When Peter finds out the truth it will be personal development hell courtesy of typical hero angst and development. Don't forget Peter already met the Sandman. I think it will play out more towards the 'actually an evil mentor all along' and 'heroes are made by worthy villains'. All in all though yeah its really gonna suck so bad to be Peter when he finds out. Not to mention confusing for why would a villain go through so much trouble to raise him and teach him right when he so spectacularly failed to be that way in his own life? What a hypocrite or did he simply not want Peter to make the same mistakes?

Probably gonna suck a lot more for Peter than Uncle Ben. Who actually would see it coming considering how much of a good boy Peter is and noticing his budding powers. I personally think in the end Peter would look more at what his Uncle DIDN'T want him to be like him but someone better. Still gonna destroy the poor kid though. Especially when he has to clash against his uncle and villain alliance who secretly helped him grow up. Like damn, imagine the angst in that...
>>
>>5226203
Oh its so much deeper than that.

I have nothing but respect for Score for accurately portraying Ben's hang ups.

Vic absolutely nailed both Ben, and the player base's need to control and manipulate people in Ben's life.

Our opinions towards Peter range from planning every step of his life, through dodging heroic responsibility by shoving it off on him, past surrogate father figure, and into villainous mentor.

But never, never have we used him as a reason to be a better person. Because we don't want to.
>>
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>>5226232
almost like we think we are the only living, feeling person in the universe where only our own decisions matter
>>
>>5225917
>>5225919
>>5225967
>>5225984
>>5226001
>>5226030
>>5226031
>>5226134
>>5226192
Taking these. Writing...
>>
>>5226232
I want to.
>>
>>5226232
Being a good person is pretty gay if you really think about it
>>
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“Thanks for your help, Matt. I’m sorry for getting you wrapped up in all this.” you said, hoping to break the uncomfortable silence. He grunted in response, but offered no further conversation.

“You’ve been pretty quiet tonight. What’s on your mind?” you asked.

“Hm. I was just wondering how much of what happened tonight was necessary.” he said in a gentle voice. “The vampires made their own bed. There was no way for the authorities to properly handle something like that. But seeing Cindy carving through them without hesitation...I don’t think it’s something that I can easily forget.”

You remained quiet and watched him carefully as he spoke. “You know, my friend Danny has a companion around her age too. Her name’s Pei. Maybe it’ll be good for her to have a friend her age.” he suggested with a tacked on smile. This wasn’t the topic that he wanted to broach. He’s just changing the subject.

“You think I was wrong to kill that guy.” you said, not phrasing it as a question. It was an indisputable fact that he felt strongly about killing.

Matt let out a long, suffering sigh. “Yes. I don’t know. I just feel like the decision was made far too quickly.” he admitted. “While you were gone, Mac told me about him and his brother’s extensive history with mental health problems. He wasn’t right in the head, and a God’s influence might have driven him over the edge. No one can say for sure.”

“‘Mental health problems’ aren’t an excuse for what he did tonight, or this past week.” you argued. “The guy was blowing people up with a stealth helicopter and commanding an army of vampires! Institutions are too good for him.”

Matt looked at you, then. An unreadable expression on his face. “Not too long ago, Marc was peeling faces off, carving bloody crescents into people’s foreheads and having arguments with himself in dark rooms. Could you imagine associating with a guy like that and having him hold a decent conversation in an office setting?” he asked. “I don’t know what exactly is going on with Marc, but he’s showing remarkable progress, dealing with his illness, turning it into something positive. I’m ashamed to admit that I used to think that such a thing was impossible for him. But if he can get help for his condition, who’s to say that his brother couldn’t have changed?” he said, shrugging and gazing off into the distance.

“We’ll never know now. If he wasn’t beyond helping before, then he certainly is now.” he continued. “There are too many uncertainties. So many options and avenues that haven’t been explored. I don’t think any of us can say that we tried our best to do anything that wasn’t in our own best interests. We took the easy way out, and we’ll have to live with that. That’s what I’ve been thinking about, I guess.”
>>
What will you say?

>”I know you don’t agree with me, but I don’t like making enemies and letting them roam free.”
>”This was a victory tonight. Plain and simple. We’re one step closer to getting these leeches out of our city.”
>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
>”I hadn’t considered all of that. I just wanted to protect you guys.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5226263

>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”


Never liked the look on a DM's face when he's tearing up a character sheet. It does happen sometimes though. Sorry.
>>
>>5226263
>”I know you don’t agree with me, but I don’t like making enemies and letting them roam free.”
>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
These two feel like they fit what Ben has been doing so far.
>>
>>5226263
>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
The whole “I don’t like leaving enemies alive” thing is a very fucking slippery slope that we shouldn’t go down.
>>
>>5226254
I don't want to. Enjoy the shitty edit.
>>
>>5226263
>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
Shoulder that blame and burden
>>
>>5226270
It's not the right thing to say to Matt, sure.

But it's definitely what we should in actuality be doing when going after folks like Negative and Kingpin.
>>
>>5226263
>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
>"At the end of the day, you have to balance the effort and sacrifices to fix someone like that."
>"When it comes to killing thugs like me, that's one thing, but the things that guy did, and just to normal people, would be a cover page on every tabloid possible if the police had the chance to shoot him."
>"They'd make that decision too, same result I did, don't forget. Not everyone is a mutant, some science experiment that didn't kill someone on the spot, and since I found out tonight, literal war priests."
>"Even that wasn't enough to stop a guy like this when he was alive, he'd got literal monsters that were bed time stories under his thumb."
>"What do you think would happen if he was sent anywhere? Gotten help? Who would even know how to start with a guy like that?"
>"I am a killer sure, but its a job for me, hell, its a job for at least a good fourth of this city in some shape or form."
>"It's the small difference in doing it just to make as many bodies as possible, vs trying to get through the day."
>"You may be walking with clean hands, but don't forget anybody can do it.
>>
>>5226263
What will Peter think when he finds out we're a cold blooded killer?

This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
>”I hadn’t considered all of that. I just wanted to protect you guys.”
>>
>>5226263
>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
>"But they DID come after my family just to get to me. There's a lot of things I can tolerate, but that sure as shit isn't one of them."
>>
>>5226263
>"I know, I know. If you snuff out a guy, you don't just kill what he is but what he can ever become, all that potential and stuff."
>"But they already came after my family, that's not a hypothetical threat."
>”I know you don’t agree with me, and I also understand why, but I need you to understand why I couldn't let them roam free.”
>>
>>5226285
Oh, absolutely. Kingpin and the other bosses are going straight to hell. I’m just saying we should consider sparing more people than we do.
>>5226277
D A M A G E D
>>
>>5226263
+1 >>5226296
>"Look, Matt... I'm used to this, maybe i'm not a lunatic killing every human being I found, I want to think that i'm someone sane... I have a tendency of wanting to have control of things, even if it bring me more troubles. And yet, I try to solve them"
>"They went after my family just to get to me, Matt... Cindy and I just spent a night there because we didn't have another place, and we were on a hurry, and they just didn't killed them because they were more worth alive than dead."
>"Shit, I-I got out of topic, but what i'm trying to say is that, even if i'm used to that doesn't mean I don't know how you feel... I still remember faces, voices, and that's something that people like us have to live with."
>"From the first day I took a life I turned into a murderer, I admit it. I might not have come fully to terms for what I did, but I did to some point."
>"Those vampires, for my, were worst than the normal mook... Yeah, I got to gun point some dude or a lady, or use a knife, but I wasn't going to outright kill them. The vampires? They could see someone like you or me their next meal, they would kill is with their fangs and claws or suck us dry, they could..."
>"And still, there's this Morbius guys and his 'crew' that, from what I know, don't do that..."
>"What I want to say is, that things could have go so much wrong without us. Giving a second chance, or even lend our hand could cost us, because we don't know if the other person is going to return the favor or actually do good. And from what I have seen, I don't find apealing giving second chances... But I hope that when i'm in front of the barrel, who ever it is, can give me one"
>"It's fucking hypocrite, I know, and I might need to change it, but only time will tell."
>"Just... Don't beat yourself up, for me this have turned in something really personal since I meet Cindy, but even more after they went for my family."
>"But you?... You were backing a friend. You weren't here because you love killing vampires, looking for a challenge or anything, and if I knew this was going to be this hard for you, I wouldn't asked you to come, like at all..."
>"I have a couple if things to do, but after that I could have a watch over Hell's Kitchen while you try to rest a little. Idk, talk to White Tiger about today, or some other hero friends that are willing to listen, because if there's something that I know, is that those things you feel, it's better if you talk about it."
>"And yeah, if you accept my offer I won't kill anybody... I can promise you, that you can sleep safe knowing that your good friend Huntsman will keep Hell's Kitchen people safe at night"
>>
>>5226330
Are you sakurautist?
>>
>>5226263
>>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
>>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
>>
>>5226263
>>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
What if all it takes to keep our family safe is to stop, can we do that?
>>
>>5226263
>”I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.”
>”This one’s on me. Don’t blame yourself for something that I did.”
Seems like we made a significant error in judgement. We're a pretty shitty good guy, and a soft bad guy. Maybe its time we re-evaluate our moral code, whether we're Spiderman or Huntsman.
>>
>>5226335
I hope that cunt isn't going to infest THIS quest too

>>5226394
>We're a pretty shitty good guy, and a soft bad guy.
Most /qst/ players end up schizophrenically becoming that, yes
>>
>>5226266
>>5226270
>>5226281
>>5226346
>>5226387
>>5226394
Writing...
>>
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“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my family safe. Even if they hate me for it.” you declared, becoming a bit defensive.

Matt nodded slightly. “I know. I can’t fault you for feeling that way.”

“This one’s on me. Don’t beat yourself up over something that I did.” you said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Matt shook his head. “No, this is my fault too. I should’ve said something before letting you run around when you’re like this.”

You removed your hand and took a step back. “Like what?”

He gave you a serious look. “You’re a raw nerve, right now. You and Cindy both. You’re just reacting to everything that comes your way with violence and panic. You’re confused and scared, unsure of what to do in an unfamiliar situation, so you’re trying to scrape through by resorting to your ‘tried and true’ methods.” he observed. “That little girl has gone through more than most grown men in only the last two weeks, and I haven’t seen her shed a single tear or process anything in a remotely healthy way. Both of you need to slow down.”

“We can’t afford to slow down right now.” you replied. Cindy nodded her agreement. “Not while these parasites are running free. I just hope that Morbius, Marc and Louise can put a dent in their numbers.”

Matt’s shoulders slumped slightly, and he wiped a bit of blood from his mask. Droplets of rain were now falling from the sky, washing his costume clean of the deep red and black stains from the battle. “Yeah, me too.” he said, turning to walk down the street. “Be careful on your way home, you two. Lot’s of crazy people out tonight.”

You watched him leave until he turned a corner and could no longer be seen from where you stood. Both you and Cindy just waited there for a moment and allowed the rain to soak your clothes.

“Let’s go home.”

—-----

The way back was somewhat refreshing, as you no longer had to hold onto Cindy with a vice grip. Among the other tools that Moon Knight had given her, was a grappling hook that allowed her to more or less keep pace with you during travel. You were more than a little worried at first, but she reassured you that she was properly trained in its use. She was already an athletic little thing, but with that grappling hook, she seemed to move like Matt or Anastasia over these darkened city streets.

When you’d gotten back home, the first thing you did was hop into the shower, before heading to bed and passing out. Cindy did much of the same, finally letting her exhaustion win out in the end.

—---

The following morning, you woke to realize that Morbius left you a voicemail and a series of texts. In it, he detailed that Terminal had driven Cromwell out of the city, but failed to kill her. He was intercepted by a man that Morbius believes to be the "Son of Dracula".
>>
It took your sleep-addled brain another minute or two to fully process that information. As horrifying as it was that there was another high profile vamp running around, Morbius reassured you that they both fled when faced with Terminal’s terrifying ability. All that was left was deconstructing the remaining dens that B-Negative identified before he died.

The news was considerably better than what you had been expecting! You might’ve underestimated Morbius’ resourcefulness, but you figured that he wouldn’t be one of the head honchos if he couldn’t handle his business. However, this situation created two big problems.

One, was the fact that Baroness Blood and the Son of Vlad managed to get away. That was less than ideal, but you were confident that they’d have a much harder time getting a foothold in your city once Blade and co. returned. The other, and the most worrying of the two, was the fact that both vampires were now aware of Morbius’ secret weapon.

If Terminal’s existence ever became public knowledge, all hell would break loose. You just had to hope that these immortal assholes didn’t have loose lips. But that, like many other things, was a problem for another day.

What will you do today?

>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
>Pay Silvermane a visit. You want to see about that job.
>Have a look at that Oscorp flash drive.
>Create some more gadgets.(Which ones?)
>Call Prowler over to see if you can come up with a new invention.
>Call Felicia over and have her help you design a new costume.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5226473
>>Pay Silvermane a visit. You want to see about that job.
Now thats out of the way, can we deal with Slip now?
>>
>>5226473
>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
Family is way too important.
>Pay Silvermane a visit. You want to see about that job.
>Have a look at that Oscorp flash drive.
We been putting this off for too long.
>>
>>5226473
>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
>Convince them to go on vacation with you.
>Shop for a new place to stay for Vic and Pete from the comfort of a 5 Star Hotel
>Inform our contacts that we're out of the city for a few days
>>
>>5226335
?
>>
>>5226473
>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
>Pay Silvermane a visit. You want to see about that job.
>>
I'm between >>5226476 and >>5226484

Maybe a little vacations would come handy for our guy, in the other I have curiosity about Silvermane job.
>>
>>5226484
+1
>>
>>5226473
>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
ay Silvermane a visit. You want to see about that job.

We can at least hear the man out and if it isn't anything time sensitive we can take a break after the visit and otherwise after we help him
>>
>>5226471
>>5226262
Oof.

>>5226473
>Oscorp. Drive.
>Pay Silvermane a visit. You want to see about that job.
>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
>Call Felicia over and have her help you design a new costume. (Vampire Hunter persona)
>Call Prowler over to see if you can come up with a new invention. (vampire hunting gadgets inspired by Louise's arsenal)

In reality we just want to hang out and might never even use the costume or gadgets again, but we feel like we need the excuse. Plus I like giving Ben surplus identities.

>>5226484
Didn't we just have a major hand in ousting two super powerful vampires from the area? It might not be the best time to go on a holiday with our family.
>>
>>5226554
Support
>>5226473
Also ask Cindy if she was the one who helped out at the warehouse battle against vulture.
>>
>>5226473
>>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
>Have a look at that Oscorp flash drive.
first we look at the flash drive, only look dont decide anything, then we head over to Pete and Vics and stay the night or two.
>>5226557
+1
>>
>>5226554
whats your argument?
That we shouldn't leave town - the place they explicitly won't come back to? Alright, I see that.
I don't expect Benny to have gone on vacation often, so maybe we should do that to rethink our life for a little while, break the pattern
>>
>>5226473
>Check on Pete and Vic. They’re probably worried sick about you.
And assuming that we’re currently on some relatively safe downtime between missions,
>Convince them to go on vacation with you.
Daredevil was right, Cindy needs some time away from all this. Not only that, it’s high time Peter spent some time bonding with his Uncle Ben. Let’s try and get a four-person holiday booked.
>>
>>5226583
In fact, on second thought, I’ll hold back on the holiday, we can do that after the turbomurder whatever vampire bosses are left.
Changing my vote to >>5226554.
>>
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>>5226473
>Have a look at that Oscorp flash drive.
This thing is about to become a cursed item at this point.
>Call Felicia over and have her help you design a new costume.
I've had this idea for the Huntsman costume crawling all over my head these last few days: Green lenses Splinter Cell-style, except instead of Sam Fischer's three we get 8 of them. Obviously the glow could be turned off for stealth but for cinematic effect I think it would be badass when paired up with dark, spidery, non-cute fur.

And then Spidey could have shorter, comfy-looking patches of fur instead, with more heroic colors.
>>
>>5226554
>>5226557
>>5226559
>>5226600
>>5226475
>>5226476
>>5226492
>>5226523
Taking these. Writing...

If you have a design and a name for this "Vampire Hunter" persona, start throwing your ideas out there.
>>
>>5226672
The Silver Stake?
>>
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>>5226672
I think I made a pitch for Argentata up there somewhere already.
>>
>>5226677
We didn't do much staking, and we don't have that much silver.
>>5226672
>>5226682
That sounds good.
>>
>>5226672
What about "Fang"?
It references spiders AND vampires while being associated with the latter strong enough to where it's not immediately obvious it's referring to the former.
We could also change up our demeanor while we're fighting vampires to distance ourselves from Spider-Man and Huntsman further. Some stuff off the top of my head;
>Be dead silent and without visible expression.
>Walking upright as we approach our prey, even if the surface is completely vertical or upside down
>Choking bitches left and right
All that super intimidating type shit.
>>
>>5226702
Oh, I thought we were just doing a suit. Are we pretending to be a third person now?
>>
>>5226705
I mean, if it's just a costume why not have it be a palette swap of our standard Huntsman outfit.
And as far as the demeanor goes, we don't have to be pretending to be another person to incorporate that into our vampire hunting schtick.
If anything it would probably stick better if it was the person known to be a loud and gregarious asshole who suddenly stopped fucking around.
>>
>>5226705
>DC Henchmen intensifies.
Why not. Professional if snarky hero by day, thug part time for morning and noon, and grizzled vampire hunter by night.
>>5226702
Fang is a silly name only a vampire would come up with and think their clever.
Skulltula?
>>
>>5226711
I dunno, I think Moon Knight already has this covered.
>>
>>5226716
He just the crazy, but now functionally crazy guy that scares everyone that sees him coming.
>>
>>5226716
By that logic nobody besides Frank is allowed to be comically intimidating just because he already fills that niche.
>>
>>5226714
>Fang is a silly name only a vampire would come up with and think they were clever.
Shut up bloodbag. I ain't a vampire.
>>
>>5226727
....bloodbag? Want to try again? Here I got you some soup.
>>
https://petpress.net/pet-spider-names/
>>
>>5226729
I can't eat this shit. Go get me some AB+.
>>
Wait where did all this vampire hunting bs come from? The goal was to murder the sons of bitches that keep going after Cindy and iced her parents, right? We already have enough vampire hunters in the city and havent even properly figures out how to juggle 2 identities, let alone 3. For once I want to listen to Matt and take a breather to reassess our goals and motivations, and also spend time with family.
>>
>>5226719
I'd rather not do a similar thing desu. What we're doing with Ben/Huntsman/Spider-Man is more than burden enough. It doesn't help us do anything other than cater to the tastes of a few anons who already got outvoted on the "how many personas" front. We're lying to the people care about more than enough already.

>>5226722
Being intimidating is not anywhere near as specific as using multiple personas in a very similar manner to Moon Knight.
>>
>>5226732
I agree, but apparently it won the vote that we're doing a vampire hunting costume now. I'd honestly much rather do our two main ones right before moving onto additional loadouts myself, but it does make at least a certain type of sense to do a full suit catered to killing vamps now that we know the son of Dracula is after us.
>>
>>5226732
>>5226735
I figured it would be more of an alternate suit for the Huntsman persona with anti-vampire bits. You’re not Spider-Man if you don’t have a million alternate costumes you only appear in once, after all.
>>
>>5226744
The Huntsman versus The Bombastic Bag-Man.
Who wins?
>>
>>5226744
That sounds great, yeah. Huntsman is a great name for a vampire hunter already; the name can just be for the suit itself.
>>
>>5226744
I also was sure that it was to upgrade the huntsman suit, even though I didn't vote for it. I have no idea where this third persona thing the QM is saying came from.
Spider Man and Huntsman are using the same costume afterall.
>>
>>5226744
>>5226753
>>5226764
I'm just quoting what was written in the original post. I'm not saying that you absolutely have to go full schizo. I assumed that this would become some sort of emergency costume for when you encountered more high ranking vampires, but would probably see little use in the long run.
>>
>>5226770
Huh, it seems that this vote did say something about a new persona.
>>5226554
I think we should do a direct vote next post though.
>>
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Having gotten up early, you decided to let Cindy sleep in while you started checking things off your list. You packed your casual clothes into a gym bag, slipped on your suit and took to the skies.

More than anything, you needed coffee. Pulling all nighters and only getting 4 to 5 hours of sleep was becoming a bad habit. After grabbing a cup of joe, you decided to pay a visit to your local library. You don't own a computer anymore, since your old one got blown up by Toomes.

Finding a vacant desktop was easy enough at this time of day. You sat down, slipped the Oscorp flash drive into the USB port and started browsing through the files contained within. Thankfully, Phin was able to arrange the files in an easy to read format.

For the most part, Dr. Connors covered a good chunk of the drive's contents during your conversation on the helicarrier. Someone was tampering with spider DNA in an attempt to create genetically engineered super spiders. Nowhere did it mention anything about human experimentation or the applications of such genetic tampering on sentient test subjects.

The files also mentioned Osborn’s fall from grace and his shameful new position within his company. You briefly wondered whether the Goblin was aware that the object of his hatred was no more than a glorified mascot, past his prime. How would he react when he learned about that?

You scrolled down until you reached the most recent entries in the database, and found two in particular that drew your interest. One documented the findings of a “Gwendolyn Stacy”, a brilliant young upstart from ESU that developed two revolutionary drugs as a part of a revitalized program called the “Biogenetic Project Supreme”. Definitely doesn’t sound evil at all.

One was some sort of chemical called “Ethyl Chloride”, and the other was…VERY classified, apparently. You couldn’t find a name for it no matter how hard you searched.

Feeling frustrated, you pocketed the drive and left the library. You’d pretty much gotten the gist of it from Connors. That bit about the chemicals they were experimenting with was getting interesting, but you figured that this computer’s owner didn’t have the clearance to access the more sensitive information.

Absently, you checked your phone to see how long you’d been staring at that computer screen. About 2 hours had passed reading all that. It was technically still early, so you thought about everything you wanted to accomplish today.

There was that job that Silvermane offered you, and you still had to go and check up on Pete and Vic. They were probably worried sick about you.

And you could also use Felicia and Prowler’s help with a new suit idea that you had rumbling around in your head. You didn’t expect to make a regular habit of fighting vampires, but knowing that you’d royally pissed off two major players in the undead underworld was enough to make you paranoid. If they ever came back, you wanted to be ready.

—----------
>>
After changing back into your suit, you swung over to Silvermane’s territory and asked around for him. The address that he gave you to meet him at wasn’t very specific. It started out as an abandoned factory, but when you were led inside by his goons, you were shocked to discover that they’d built some sort of underground bunker in the lower levels. An industrial service elevator brought you down to the sub-level that Silvermane was waiting on. There were more than a few guards, but most of the room was taken up by engineers and eggheads, making plans to build what you could only assume was a containment unit of some sort.

When Silvermane spotted you, his eyes lit up and his lips curled upwards into a smile. He greeted you warmly, pulling you into a hug, giving you a hard pat on the back and kissing you lightly on the cheek.

“Huntsman! So glad that you could make it.” he said.

“You know I can’t say no to you, Silvio.” you replied, before mentally kicking yourself for using Silvvermane’s first name! You must have been out of your mind to-

Silvermane chuckled. “I sure hope that’s true.” he said easily. “I’d like you to meet my daughter.” he added, gesturing for a young girl to come over and introduce herself.

She looked to be about Cindy’s age, wore an expensive looking purple dress and even more expensive jewelry. She had blue eyes, and long black hair with a large white streak going down the right side of her head.

“Her name’s Saya. Say hi to the Huntsman, sweetie.”

Saya nodded and extended a limp hand. “Hello.” she simply responded, seemingly disinterested in the conversation.

You took her hand gently, shaking it up and down, slowly. You were dangerously close to kissing her hand like a princess, since that was what her overly haughty gesture reminded you of. The way that she frowned at you led you to believe that she might have actually wanted you to do that.

“My Saya’s a genius, you know.” Silvermane declared, with no small measure of pride. “She’s the one who helped design all of this.”

Saya rolled her eyes and chuckled slightly. “I’m just helping and learning from Maxwell.” she said, pointing out a middle aged man of average height and physique with auburn hair and blue eyes.

He noticed your attention and decided to come over and introduce himself. “This him?” he asked Silvermane. He nodded, and Maxwell’s smile grew even wider.

He extended hand and you took it, giving it a firm shake. “Max Dillon. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” you said with a nod. “I hear you’re the brains behind this operation?”

Max chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. “Mr. Manfredi wanted my expertise on figuring out how to capture that thing that’s been running around, knocking all the power out.” he explained. “We think we’ve found a way to do it, but we need your help for that.”

(Cont.)
>>
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You shrugged. “I’m not sure how much help I’m gonna be, to be honest.” you admitted. “I can barely see the guy, and he shrugs off bullets like it's nothing.”

Everyone seemed to share a smile at that.

“What?” you asked.

“We thought of that.” Silvermane said, pointing to something on the far side of the room. “And that’s why we made this for you.”

Your eyes went wide as you noticed a mannequin wearing a black and silver form-fitting suit. It was sleek, insulated, and had a giant silver spider on the front. The spider’s legs stretched under the arms and around to the back. Numerous other lines of silver ran along the contours of the suit, outlining the joints of the mannequin’s limbs and the small curvature of the muscles in its arms. The frame of the mask’s lenses were also silver, but the lenses themselves were an extremely dark shade of black.

>You’ve obtained the “Silver Lining” suit!

What will you say?

>”You…made this for me? I haven’t even accepted the job yet.”
>”Can I try it on?”
>”That thing’s supposed to help me catch Slip? What can it do?”
>”That thing’s a beauty! But…how’d you know my measurements?”
>”I…I don’t know what to say, except…thank you!
>Write-in.
>>
Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5226795
>>”That thing’s a beauty! But…how’d you know my measurements?”
>>
>>5226795
>”That thing’s a beauty! But…how’d you know my measurements?”
>”Can I try it on?”
>>
>>5226795
>”You…made this for me? I haven’t even accepted the job yet.”
>”That thing’s supposed to help me catch Slip? What can it do?”
>”That thing’s a beauty! But…how’d you know my measurements?”
>"Hang on now, what's the catch?"
>>
>>5226795
>”That thing’s a beauty! But…how’d you know my measurements?”
>”That thing’s supposed to help me catch Slip? What can it do?”
>”Can I try it on?”

Cool name.
>>
>>5226795
this>>5226808
>>
>>5226795
>”That thing’s supposed to help me catch Slip? What can it do?”
>”You…made this for me? I haven’t even accepted the job yet.”
>So, is what's the catch? People in our business normally aren't so generous.
>>
>>5226808
+1
>>
>>5226795
How'd you get my measurements? Is this your way of hitting on me? Must say I'm flattered big guy.
>>
>>5226795
I love Silvermane so much for this.

>”I…I don’t know what to say, except…thank you!
>”Can I try it on?”
>>
>>5226899
Silverman, despite being a scheming murderer and criminal kingpin, is actually a pretty swell dude.
All about the old school way of running things.
Kinda sad he got relegated to the Z-List in the comics.
>>
>>5226795
>>”That thing’s a beauty! But…how’d you know my measurements?”
>”You…made this for me? I haven’t even accepted the job yet.”
>>
>>5226808
+1
>>
>>5226808
>>5226823
>>5226892
>>5226994
Writing...
>>
File: 7898908790.PNG.png (1.08 MB, 1028x688)
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“You...made this for me? I haven’t even accepted the job yet.” you said, feeling a bit exasperated.

Silvermane and Saya seemed amused by your reaction. Max, on the other hand, was admiring his work on the suit just as much as you were.

“I’m aware.” Silvermane said. “I was hoping that this would give you a bit of incentive. You get to keep it, even if you say no.”

You blinked at him. Was he being serious right now? “That thing’s a beauty! But…how’d you know my measurements?”

Saya gave you a dismissive wave and started tinkering with her watch. It looked like an Osware, but you weren’t familiar with the model. It didn’t look like any model that you knew of. “Oh, that’s easy.” she declared, before pulling up a holographic projection of…you! “I gathered up some amatuer photos of you from the internet, combed through them, and used the objects and buildings in the background to create a scale model of your physique. I knew it wouldn’t be entirely accurate, but I think I got it pretty close.”

…Wow. Silvermane wasn’t kidding. She really is smart. You didn’t know whether to be impressed or terrified that someone can pull up that much information about you just from a few pictures.

Saya flashed you a devious grin upon seeing how flummoxed you were. “It’s amazing, I know.”

You’re amazing, sweetheart.” SIlvermane corrected her.

“This thing’s supposed to help me catch Slip, right?” you cut in. “What can it do?”

Max spoke up this time. “Slip’s ability to steal the ambient energy from his surroundings is what makes him so dangerous. Not only is he stealing electricity from half the city, but he’s sapping the ambient heat from his environment as well. Anyone who gets too close to him has a chance of experiencing hypothermia, as well as temporary blindness.” he explained. “This suit is meant to prevent that from being too much of an issue. It’s insulated enough to keep you warm, and it generates a low level energy field that prevents Slip from stealing its power.”

“But that’s not all.” Saya put in. “Do the thing, Maxwell.”

He nodded, pulled out a tablet and punched in a few commands. Suddenly, the eyes of the suit narrowed, and the lenses were no longer completely black. Each eye now had a singular, black serpentine pupil with the rest being a dull white. They were extremely similar to Slip’s eyes.

“These custom lenses will allow you to see Slip, even without any available light. It tracks the radiation that leaks from his suit and outlines his figure, as well as mapping out your surroundings to the best of its ability.” Saya explained. “With this, you should be one of the only people capable of seeing him up close and personal.”

You were about ready to jump at the thing right then and there. But common sense stopped you before you could do anything rash.

(Cont.)
>>
“Hang on. What’s the catch?” you asked.

Rather than being offended, Silvermane shook his head with a smile. “No catch, Huntsman. You’ve saved my life twice already, without having to be told. Whether you accept my offer or not, this is my gift to you.” he proclaimed. “Well…one of them, anyway.”

“And the other one?”

Silvermane gave you a wolfish grin. “The opportunity of a lifetime.” he said. “There’s gonna be a power struggle in this city, the likes of which you’ve never seen. Everyone knows the kind of power this guy represents, and they all want a slice of the pie. And I want you in my corner when the shit starts to fly. I won’t be the only one employing metas to fight for me, but I have confidence in your abilities.”

What will you say?

>”You’ve got yourself a deal, Silvermane.”
>”Would you mind if I offered some suggestions?”(Ask to change the design a little, or add a function.)
>”Who else is throwing their hat into the ring? Anyone I should be afraid of?”
>”What’re your plans for when you get your hands on Slip?”
>”I’m sorry, Silvio. I just can’t right now. I appreciate your gift, but I’ll have to decline your offer. I wish you luck in your endeavors.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5227083
>”You’ve got yourself a deal, Silvermane.”
>”Who else is throwing their hat into the ring? Anyone I should be afraid of?”
>”What’re your plans for when you get your hands on Slip?”
>>
>>5227087
Support
>>5227083
>>
>>5227083
>”Who else is throwing their hat into the ring? Anyone I should be afraid of?”
>”What’re your plans for when you get your hands on Slip?”
>Write-in.
Bring up the Desperados and potential plans for a smuggling ring (unless that's an obviously stupid thing to do).

I kinda want to agree to the job, but it'd be too much of an obligation to work full-time with him, wouldn't it? We still gotta take care of the loose spiders, figure out our identity shtick, arrange decent living conditions for Cindy and our family members, get the Desperados organized and going, prepare for vampiric vengeance, probably more.

I don't have a good sense of how mobs work, but maybe we can be an independent contractor-type? Say, Silvermane supports our claim for the sewers and the smuggling operation, and we agree to get him Slip as well as favor the Maggia in our future dealings.

This does in effect mean he'll be helping a new, potential rival organization rise to prominence, but we'll be employing a blue ocean strategy so even hostile groups shouldn't be the hardest to mollify if we work with them a bit or at least stay out of their way.

Hopefully the boomer isn't a humie supremacist and doesn't mind that we'd be working with muties.
>>
>>5227083
>”Who else is throwing their hat into the ring? Anyone I should be afraid of?”
Mind if I call some friends to make sure I'm not bashing in their heads on accident? The more the merrier if we can get them in on the action (The Desperatos make their debut!)

Scorekeeper does Cidy have a phone? If she doesn't we need to get her one.
>>
>>5227083
So nobody is gonna point out that he gave the Huntsman what amounts to a Spider-Man costume?
>First ask why it's spider themed, and if they know...
>Tell him we had to create the Spider-Man persona because we had a run in with SHIELD.
>For reasons that are our own we need to keep in contact with SHIELD, so we will continue to pretend to be a hero, especially when it comes to fighting other meta criminals.
>But we still need to do our own thing as Huntsman
>Ask him to keep our secret, and, since we can only assume that Saya and Maxwell are in on it already as well, make them keep the secret too.

other than that

>"I'm willing to work with you to catch Slip, but I plan to leave town for a little while after that."
>"I don't want to tie myself down right about now, but I can at least tell you that I currently plan to work against you."
>”What’re your plans for when you get your hands on Slip?”
>>
>>5227195
Don't you guys have a Spider symbol already on your current suit? I could've swore that it was requested by more than a few people when we did the costume vote. I might have to go digging through the archive later.

If not, then we can just say that it was a design choice of Saya. She did find the photos in online albums and news articles listing you as "Spider-Man", to some affect. But that's just the name that the media started giving you. It's not indicative of them knowing your actual identity.

>>5227119
It's not a full-time gig. It's contract work. He's just hiring you to grab Slip and beat the shit out of anyone that tries to get in your way.

>>5227191
She doesn't have one currently, but you can go get her one today!
>>
>>5227202
Oh, I guess I'll vote to accept the job then.

Also, it's not really that out there for a guy called the Huntsman to get a suit with a spider symbol on it.
>>
>>5227202
DO IT!
GIVE OUR FAUSTER DAUGHTERU A PHONE!
>>
>>5227206
*foster
>>
>>5227202
>spoiler
did it? I can't remember
either way, since they know both names, Huntsman and Spide-Man actually refer to one person, they should be in the know that we want to pretend that it's two seperate people, and not let that information slip to their own underlings.
I didn't mean to tell them that either are "Ben Parker".
>>
>>5227083
>”You’ve got yourself a deal, Silvermane.”
>>
>>5227083
>”You’ve got yourself a deal regarding Slip, Silvermane.”
>I'll also remember our excellent work relationship when the struggling starts.
Not binding, but still on line with our current thoughts
>>
>>5227258
Support
>>
>>5227258
+1
>>
>>5227083
>>5227082
So, am I the only one thinking that Cindy, Saya, and Pei need to be friends?

We need to get Cindy a phone so we can experience the existential dread of having our daughter figure ignore us most of the day in favor of texting!

That and having friends with interests other than vampicide is maybe healthy?

Is Tiktok more or less healthy than vampire hunting?
>>
>>5227383
Ya know, what would be even better for Cindy?
Enrolling her in school. She probably won't get a good education no matter what we do, but I maintain that public schools are still important in teaching kids how to socialize with other people.
>>
>>5227389
I agree, but we’d have to be careful which school we choose. A mute girl with a big scar who can kick the shit out of anyone? You know she’d become a pariah in the public system. We should use our copious amounts of money to send her to a private institution that has the facilities and trained staff to accommodate her.
>>
>>5227389
enrolling her in school also requires it to somehow
make her our lawfully recognized foster kid. And we don't even know if she exists in the first place.
She was raised in a bunker, so things could mean that she is not registred in any way.
And also why the government should allow us, as a single man with seemingly no income to raise a kid with obvious disability.

IRL it just wouldn't work, but QM just handwaving the entire matter would feels unsatisfying.
I want to find at least a comic book logic solution to it all.
>>
>>5227395
We’ve got mob contacts out the ass. Whatever documents we need, we can forge.
>>
>>5227395
All of that could be handled with bribes and connections.
Hell, I bet Silvermane has plenty of people who could forge an identity for Cindy.
That said, we should PROBABLY check if she has documentation first. We should also check if she's up to date on her vaccinations and whatnot.
>>
>>5227383
Yes, they need to be friends.
>>
>>5227383
TikTok seems incredibly harmful for a young child, but given I grew up browsing early 2000's forums and chatrooms I have no room to judge.
>>
>>5227258
>>5227267
>>5227298
Writing...

>>5227383
>>5227454
Her having friends will be important! She's not as socially awkward as X-23 was, but she's definitely lacking in that department.

>>5227389
>>5227394
>>5227395
I'm not sure if it matters to anyone right now, but Avengers Academy still exists in this continuity!

>>5227401
>>5227405
You'll probably have to do some digging for that.

>>5227456
Oh, believe me. I'm excited for the inevitable time skip, where Ben experiences the wonders of raising a teenager!
>>
>>5227527
>I'm not sure if it matters to anyone right now, but Avengers Academy still exists in this continuity!
but that would expose us as Benny, wouldn't it?
>>
>>5227527
"So this is the Eviscerator, that's my name for it, got it on government contract. At full power it supposedly melts your bones BEFORE you burst into flames. And here's the silver edged spear I used to murder the Son of Dracula! It took me forever to hunt him down. Yes sir he thought he was clever enough to hide from me! HA! OH hey sweetie! You look fantastic, you two have fun on your date. 10 pm or else! HAHA"
>>
>>5227535
They'd do a background check on you, for sure. They wouldn't force you to reveal your secret identity, because the Registration Act isn't active anymore, but they'd definitely look into your Spider-Man persona to see what kind of person you were. They'd care more about the applicant. Part of Avenger's Academy's purpose was to prevent young, impressionable supers from becoming villains. If you can make yourself seem like a decent person, then you might be able to get her in.

On an even more unlikely note, they're always recruiting teachers, so Benny has some knowledge to impart, then they might be willing to let him lecture the students under their supervision.
>>
>>5227545
We'll get Matt to take her there
>>
>>5227545
I mean, if they pay well I don't see why "Spider-Man" couldn't give some lectures on extra-legal metahuman endeavors.
>>
>>5227548
Oh yeah if Matt was her official guardian she'd probably get in no problem.
Even if they didn't care for his legal credentials or his sterling track record, he's got the chops to argue against any issues in court.
That or he just does it as Daredevil. Who doesn't think Daredevil is a cools guy...besides Wolverine and The Punisher I guess.
>>
>>5227545
Being a teacher sounds fun
>>
>>5227558
>Larceny 101 with Professor Parker
>>
>>5227558
>>5227561
"Alright class, settle down. Settle down. For today's lesson, I'm going to steal something from every one of you before you leave this classroom. Your assignment is to stop or catch me before then. If you fail this assignment, your homework is to figure out when and how I did it. Now, turn to page 52 in your textbooks."
>>
>>5227545
So what you're saying here is that we really need to get our shit together on the PR front before we make the attempt.
>>
>>5227566
>teach people how to break in and enter
>how to swipe intel off people as they monologue
>how to prepare pocket sand, and where you can grab improvised pocket sand
>how to throw industrial grade lubricant so it covers someone complete
>how to kick back and relax as a criminals failed to stain up because they're lubed
>>
>>5227549
>>5227558
>101 reasons why you should TOTALLY kill all vampires when given the chance
>Ben teaches kids how to give vampires the good old Ben Parker Garlic Special
>>
>>5227571
Not all vampires, just the ones that are involved in hurting your family and friends.
>>
>>5227568
That would be ideal

>>5227548
>>5227554
But this is also an option. However, this means that Matt will have to play intermediary between you and her, and he'll be the first one that they contact if something goes wrong. So on and so forth.

>>5227570
>>5227571
Having him be an instructor in the field of stealth and matters of the supernatural would be neat.
>>
>>5227578
I guess we better keep breaking into places and murdering supernatural entities then. Y'know, for the kids.
>>
>>5227578
I think we'd probably do best as a stealth and reconnaissance instructor.
Sure, we got those skills as a career criminal, but it's not like a hero couldn't get some use out of them.
>>
Ok guys, schizo /x/poster time.
I think Goblin is Gwen Stacy.
She developped the serum (classified chemical) that makes her caring about the right things a bit too hard, and turn her a bit extreme. She was the one tempering with Connor experiment back when we cross path at Oscorp.

Of course, Ben have no way knowing about that.
>>
>>5227589
Pretty sure she's still around Peter's age, I doubt its her. On the other hand we should have told Silvermane about vampires.
>>
>>5227589
what a herculean leap in logic we mere mortals can't even begin to comprehend

>>5227590
dude... see:
>>5226785
>You scrolled down until you reached the most recent entries in the database, and found two in particular that drew your interest. One documented the findings of a “Gwendolyn Stacy”, a brilliant young upstart from ESU that developed two revolutionary drugs as a part of a revitalized program called the “Biogenetic Project Supreme”. Definitely doesn’t sound evil at all.
>>
>>5227589
I mean, the Green Goblin has been inside Gwen before.
>>
After some deliberation, you came to the conclusion that there really wasn’t any reason for you to refuse this offer. The operation wouldn’t take place right away, so you’d have some time for yourself, and you could also try and rope your teammates into helping you out. If Silvermane was willing to fork over the cash, then this could technically be considered The Desperados’ first official job.

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Silvermane. I’ll help you get Slip.” you agreed. “I’ll also remember our excellent working relationship going forward.”

Unsurprisingly, Silvermane, Saya and Max seemed very pleased by your decision. The maggia boss gave you a pat on the shoulder and called his other boys over to meet you. The meeting went on like that for about another hour or two before you told him that you needed to head back out. He gave you the suit, as well as an instruction manual that Max had written for it. You were extremely grateful, but you wanted to have this thing checked for tracking and recording devices before you put it on.

—-----

You put the issue out of your mind for now, and dropped it off at your warehouse. You’d have Prowler check it when he came over. But until then, you and Cindy were gonna head over to meet with Vic and Pete.

—------

When you got there, the first thing you smelled was the garlic. Vic was cooking with it, and she was having Peter help her in the kitchen.

“Oh hey, Ben!” she said over the sound of bubbling soup. “Could you open up a window for me? There’s not a lot of ventilation in here.”

You did so, and at Vic’s behest, Cindy went over to taste test the soup that she was making. Seemingly pleased with her work, Vic gave Pete instructions on what to do and left him to his own devices. Discreetly, she told Cindy to watch him and make sure that he didn’t burn or cut himself, before removing her apron and approaching you.

“So?” she began, looking around nervously. “How’d everything go?”

What will you say?

>”I don’t think you’ll have to worry about them coming after you for a while.”
>”Honestly? Better than I could’ve hoped. I didn’t even have to finish the job myself.”
>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”How would you like to go on a little vacation? Get away from it all before things get crazy again.”
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5227589
I'm pretty sure is just Norman Osborn developing an ecoterrorist second personality after getting kicked out of the board. Maybe one of the spills caused him to become the green goblin or something. But a plot twist wouldn't be farfetched.
>>
>>5227594
Funnily enough, that was retconned recently, so Norman just fucked a Mysterio drone instead of the real Gwen.
>>
>>5227599
can we stil have them agree to treat Spider-Man and the Huntsman as different people?

>>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”How would you like to go on a little vacation? Get away from it all before things get crazy again.”
>>
>>5227602
We can have them discuss that at a later date, for sure.
>>
>>5227599
>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
>”How would you like to go on a little vacation? Get away from it all before things get crazy again.”
>There is going to be a gang war between Silvermane and Tombstone soon, and I'm going to be put in the middle of it whether I try to participate or not, since I already made connections and got involved. There is also a chance a bunch of new metas are going to appear, due to the same thing that gave me power risking going out of control. I wanted to be vague and not trouble you, but you already made it clear you dislike that kind of thing.
>>
>>5227603
I meant that it was done before we left. I know it wasn't voted on, but it's still in all our best interest
maybe I get some people to support it now
>>
>>5227599
I don’t think you’ll have to worry about them coming after you for a while.”
>”Honestly? Better than I could’ve hoped. I didn’t even have to finish the job myself.”
>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
>>
>>5227599
>>”Honestly? Better than I could’ve hoped. I didn’t even have to finish the job myself.”
>>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”

>>5227605
I wouldn't mind implying the nature of the upcoming conflict, but dropping specific names should be a big no.
>>
>>5227599
>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”I don’t think you’ll have to worry about them coming after you for a while.”
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
>”How would you like to go on a little vacation? Get away from it all before things get crazy again.”
>>
>>5227599
>”Honestly? Better than I could’ve hoped. I didn’t even have to finish the job myself.”
>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
Perhaps we could offer them a free vacation away from NYC to get them out of the danger zone. Problem is, the further away they are from us the harder it will be to protect them should more cultists try and jump them.
>>
>>5227599
>”Honestly? Better than I could’ve hoped. I didn’t even have to finish the job myself.”
>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
>>
I'm for them going on a vacation but we personally have too much on our plate we need to get through before we can rest
>>
>>5227599
>"Do you want good news, bad news, bad news with a side of good news, or just good news?"
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
>”So how would you like to go on a little vacation? Get away from it all before things get crazy again, make sure you and Pete are safe out of the city.”
>"Plus side. The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
>”Honestly? Better than I could’ve hoped. I am probably still going to do the job just to stop the power outages."
>"Annnd I don’t think you’ll have to worry about them coming after you for a while.”
>>
>>5227599
>”The leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.”
But more importantly
>”There’s something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get a lot more chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.”
That being the case...
>”How would you like to go on a little vacation? Get away from it all before things get crazy again.”
>>
>>5227602
>>5227605
>>5227609
>>5227611
>>5227617
>>5227619
>>5227621
>>5227625
>>5227635
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...
>>
“Well, the leaders of the cult have been pushed out of the city. All that’s left is the cleanup.” you said in a hushed tone.

Vic nodded and let a smile tease the corners of her lips. “Great. Then I guess we don’t need to stay here anymore.” she said, sounding more than a little relieved.

“I’ll do you one better. How would you like to go on a little vacation?” you offered. “You know, get away from it all before things get a little crazy again.”

At first, it looked like Vic might jump at the chance. But she paused, considered your words, and then frowned at you. “Why now? What’s going on?” she asked.

You sighed and rubbed the back of your head. You should’ve known that this wouldn’t be easy. “There's something brewing in this city, Vic. Things are about to get chaotic in the next coming days. I just wanted you to know so you and Pete could be safe.” you said.

Vic crossed her arms and leaned back a bit. “And what will you be doing while all this is going on? Why‘re you staying here if you know that it’ll be dangerous?” she said.

What will you say?

>”I’ve got unfinished business here. Don’t worry, I’ll manage.”
>”Considering everything that’s been happening these past few days, it’s probably not a good idea for me to go with you.”
>”Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>”I’ll be helping a friend settle a dispute. Hopefully, it won’t take too long.”
>”Trust me when I say this, but you don’t wanna know.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5227715
>>”Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>>
>>5227715
Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>>
>>5227715
>”I’ve got unfinished business here. Don’t worry, I’ll manage.”
>>
>>5227715
>”I’ve got unfinished business here. Don’t worry, I’ll manage. Besides, someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
Truthful and comedic.
>>
>>5227715
>”Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>>
>>5227715
>"Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
Hey, isn't our rematch with "Stick" soon?
>>
>>5227727
+1
>>
>>5227715
>I'm already involved in atleast two of the potentials big problems that are coming. Even if I manage to stop one of them, the other is going to be inevitable, so might as well try to minimize the dangers to you and Peter.
>Let's just say that there certantly going to be a mafia war, and possibly a bunch of new metas running around. I wish I could tell you more, but don't know that much more myself.
>>
>>5227715
>>”Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>>
>>5227383
But i don't want to imagine Cindy throwing her back on the internet :(
>>5227715
>”Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>>
>>5227715
>”Considering everything that’s been happening these past few days, it’s probably not a good idea for me to go with you.”
>Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>>
>>5227715
>”Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”

What about calling Anna for Slip Chase? She can see how amazing we are at hunting once again this way
>>
>>5227715
>”Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.”
>>
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>>5227719
>>5227721
>>5227727
>>5227745
>>5227742
>>5227815
>>5228010
>>5228220
>>5228297
Taking these. Writing...

>>5227742
Yeah, it'll be in another week and a half. I think I'll kick off the Slip Arc after the rematch.

>>5228220
That's entirely up to you guys! Well, it's also up to her to decide whether she's interested or not.

>>5228010
That's too bad, anon! She's gonna be hot when she grows up!
>>
>>5228344
please stop
>>
>>5228344
we're gonna be that type of parent that bans sexy costumes for her
>>
>>5228344
Have you considered a tripcode? In the event that some asshole decides to mess with the new threads, I mean.
>>
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>>5228346
her costumes are only allowed to be the other type of sexy
>>
>>5228348
I'll consider it. Nothing like that's ever happened to me, but then again, this is only my second quest, and this is the most attention that one of mine has gotten.

Has anyone ever seen a random autist derailing threads like that before?

>>5228345
>>5228346
>>5228349
Cindy's about to be bundled up like Annie Parker
>>
>>5228353
look... I've seen people registring the thread on suptg under wrong name, description and tags
>>
>>5228353
I've seen random autists fuck with the archive before.
>>
>>5228356
>>5228357
Well that gives me a tiny bit of anxiety. For the time being, I'll be relying on the goodwill of you fine gents. So long as there isn't anyone dedicated to fucking me over, I think we should be fine.
>>
Wait are we discussing grooming Cindy?
>>
>>5228361
the opposite, we are discussing NOT to have her grow up a thot

captcha: DDNM4
double D's a nightmare four us
>>
>>5228362
OK just making sure
>>
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>>5228362
>>
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“Someone’s gotta keep a lid on things while you’re gone. I want to make sure that there’ll still be a city for you to come back to.” you said.

Vic scoffed at that. “You’re not a goddamn Avenger, Ben. How’re you supposed to keep an entire city safe?” she asked.

“I’ve got friends, and they’ve got friends. I won’t be going at it alone.” you argued.

Victoria rubbed her forehead and sighed wearily. “You being purposefully vague is really starting to piss me off.” she muttered. “Just…keep me updated on what’s going on and what I should be looking out for.”

You nodded. “Of course. And the vacation?”

Vic puffed out her cheeks and peered out the window, glancing at the insane traffic that had the roads all backed up. “If you can find us a way out of the city, sure. But unless you’ve somehow learned to fly in the past few days, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.” she said, before leaning in close. “You can’t actually fly, right?” she whispered.

You let out a light chuckle. “Nah. I know someone who does, though. And another that glides, but I have no idea how that works.” you said, shaking your head in mock disbelief.

You sister looked like she was trying to decide whether to shrug your comment off or take it at face value. Her thought process was quickly interrupted by Peter carrying over a ladle filled with hot soup for both of you to taste.

“Ooh! Peter, sweetie, that’s way too hot! You’ll burn yourself.” she protested, gingerly cradling the utensil and taking it from his hands. “Let’s get this back over to the kitchen.”

While Peter might have saved you from being interrogated, you knew that this conversation was far from over. You just hoped that your sister’s freshly made soup would take her mind off of things a bit. Everything’s been stressing her out so much recently, and it’s your fault for letting it affect her in the first place.

You were gonna have to keep a tighter lid on things going forward.

—--

Dinner was uneventful, but you wouldn’t have preferred it any other way. Peter was excited to have you eating at the table with him again. And Vic was too busy refining Cindy’s table manners to focus on you. However brief it was, it was a moment of peace. And you wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world.

—-

After dinner, you volunteered to wash the dishes, and your nephew volunteered to help. You washed and Pete dried. There was a bit of light splashing here and there when Vic wasn’t looking, and you found yourself taking joy in the monotonous task. It was nice to be able to spend time with him like this again. The kid had a way of making the world seem brighter somehow.

“Uncle Ben? Can I ask you something?” Peter said after a period of silence.

“Sure thing, Pete. Ask away.” you said in an encouraging tone.

(Cont.)
>>
“What kind of work do you do?” he asked, looking directly at you now. Your hands stopped moving, and it took you a second to realize that his had as well. “Aunt Vicky won’t tell me when I ask her, and I don’t ever hear you talk about it.”

You let out a forced chuckle. “Why so curious all of a sudden?” you said.

Peter shrugged. “You move around a lot. Dad moved around a lot too.” he said, unable to hide the sadness in his eyes. “I was wondering if you had a job like his.”

What will you say?

>”I do security work, so my hours are a little irregular.”
>”I work freelance. A job here, a job there. I’m like a jack-of-all-trades.”
>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”Don’t tell your aunt…but I’m kind of a superhero!”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5228374
I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”
>>
>>5228374
>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”
>>
>>5228374

>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”

Won't be a lie if we create that on-the-books front we were talking about last thread.

Also, I want our Flint and Peter to have a wholesome relationship this time. A lot of criminals IRL are actually pretty likeable guys and I feel like we're gathering the ones that fall into that category. No need to prevent casual contact with the family with coworkers that we well and truly trust.
>>
>>5228374
>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”
Demand for metahuman mercenaries is about to skyrocket, like the good ol’ days after 9/11!
>>5228360
I’ve seen people spamming threads with single-ID replies and walls of text, plus archive issues like others have said. There’s really no telling when a random autist will decide you’re literally Hitler and wage war on your threads, so it’s best to have countermeasures in place.
>>
>>5228374
>"Most recently I did some Pest Control. Clear out some nests, making sure any stragglers aren't able to make a new one. It's a bit disgusting, so I won't tell you the details, but it's a job that needs to get done too."
>"But it's not always that dirty. Just now I got - well, again something like Pest Control a little. Someone asked me to find and capture another nasty critter. So first of all it requires me to track it down. And when I get a call of someone seeing it I need to bounce ASAP and got to run out the door, you know?"
>>”I’m something of a private contractor, it defies a proper definition, really. Either way, I’m plan on starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>>
>>5228374
>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>>
>>5228374
>”I work freelance. A job here, a job there. I’m like a jack-of-all-trades.”
>But I just started a company with a couple of other freelancers, including my friend that rents this appartment.
>>
>>5228374
>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”

>>5228388
How would Sundowner and the other Winds of Destruction fit into the comic books like this?
>>
>>5228374
>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”
>>
>>5228374
>”I’m something of a private contractor. I’m starting a company with the guy that rents this apartment.”
>”You don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?”
>>
>>5228383
>>5228386
>>5228387
>>5228388
>>5228403
>>5228429
>>5228448
>>5228449
Taking these. Writing...
>>
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“I’m something of a private contractor.” you admitted, slightly bolstered by the fact that you weren’t telling a lie. Not exactly. “Actually, I’m starting a business with the guy that rents this apartment.”

“Is he your friend?” Peter asked.

You flashed him a warm smile. “My best friend. You should meet him sometime. I’m sure you two would get along great.” you said, before, taking on a more serious expression. “You don’t…you don’t think I’m gonna leave you, do you?” you asked.

Peter shrugged, and directed his eyes towards his feet, pointedly avoiding your gaze.

“Pete. Peter, look at me.” you said.

Pete looked up sharply.

“I am never going to leave you.” you declared, without hesitation. Even you were surprised by how easily those words flowed out of your mouth. It was probably because they were true. You could feel it in your bones. “Do you hear me? Never. You’re stuck with me now, kid.”

Peter struggled, and failed to suppress a large grin as he went back to drying the dishes. You were going to live by those words, and if necessary…you would die by them, as well.

The rest of the conversation took a far more pleasant turn after that. You were just grateful to get his mind off of his father. The next time you saw Rich, you were gonna clean his clock.

—----

After you finished cleaning up, Vic pulled you aside and grilled you about Cindy’s situation. When you explained that you would be the one taking care of her, that only prompted even more questions. Her most pressing concern was Cindy’s education. You weren’t exactly sure which school to register in, or how you would go about doing that.

Come to think of it, you aren’t even sure if she’s a registered citizen. Her family hid her in a bunker all her life, and forbade her from going up on her own. For all you knew, she was invisible to the system.

You’d probably have to look into that at some point. And while you were at it, you might need to enroll Peter as well. If Rich wasn’t gonna come and pick up his kid, then you’d just have to take matters into your own hands.

When exactly did it become your job to raise other people’s kids?

—----

You hugged both your sister and nephew goodbye, and departed from Flint’s apartment when the sun started to set. You and Cindy swung back over to your warehouse and cleaned up a bit before Cat and Prowler arrived. You greeted them warmly, informing them of your success in driving the vampires out of your city.

As per your request, Cat had brought a series of stolen Ozberry smartphones for Cindy to choose from. They were all different colors, with slightly different designs and styles that varied from make and model.

While they did that, you and Prowler decided to proceed with the anti-vamp gadget workshop.

What will your new costume look like?

>Post your designs!

(Cont.)
>>
And

Which weapons or gadgets will you attempt to create?

>Dogwood Slivers(Miniature stakes[Ammunition])
>Holy Water Hand-Grenades [Throwable]
>Silver Shackles, coated in Garlic Oil
>Remote Ultraviolet Strobe Light [Throwable]
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
Sorry about that! Forgot a whole section of the vote! Gonna get some sleep and try to update again when I wake up.
>>
>>5228524
>Post your designs!
Just use the one that Silvermane gave us, and modify it a bit for the gadgets to fit. No need for a new costume for the Huntsman when we just got a new one, or a third persona that only hunts vampires and is only going to make things even more messy
>Remote Ultraviolet Strobe Light [Throwable]
I really want holy hand grenades, but I don't know how we would get a supply of holy water, atleast without getting questions from priests or depending on Louise.
>>
>>5228526
>>Remote Ultraviolet Strobe Light [Throwable]
Light should be the hardest thing to dodge.

I'm for a creepier stealth design for the huntsman suit. 8 lenses, 1 pair per sight mode, glowing green when not sneaking, and dark, nonwholesome fur that masks the form. Maybe the metallic bits can borrow from MCU vulture, but it'd have to be a darker gunmetal for better stealth. Overall it should be black or really dark with green accents.
>>
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>>5228524
our first self made one was dark for stealth and we explicitly voted against the spider symbol

the Phineas made suit was sorta detailed here: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2022/5152685/#p5169365 as a mix of >pic related
and neither of those have an obvious spider-symbol

But since the Silvermane Suit does, we can use it as a Spider-Man suit, we'll likely be seen fighting a super-villain in the streets. But it's a specialized Spidey-Suit, and we need a regular one too. There we can use the same design in red and blue (Pete's favourite colors)
While we agreed to catch him for Silvermane, it's not neccessarily going to go down that way, depending on what kind of spectacle it's going to become. Because maybe we can grab another piece of Slips suit to take to Phineas, but that's a decision for another time.

for a Huntsman Suit:
as painful as it is, but lose the fur, it's more a Spider-Man identifiable for the moment, even though we lose the fur for both personas, but we remain in the dark colors with a more tactical look and gear
>>5228566
changable lenses, for sure. we need an UV filter as well, but... have we ever confirmed UV-Light alone to work?
>>
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>>5228526
>Garlic stink bombs
for area of effect damage
>>
>>5228524
> You were going to live by those words, and if necessary…you would die by them, as well.
Oh no. QM elluding to future events.

>>5228526
Would it be possible to visit Cindy's old home to look around for any evidence of her being a registered citizen? Maybe picking through the remains to find mementos for our sidekick/daughteru? We should probably leave Cindy with Cat.

Oh and if we haven't already we should tell with the job for Silver.
>>
>>5228526
>Post your designs!
What a time to be stuck at work. I'll just post an outline for now and try and bang out a shopped concept when I get home.
In my head, it would retain the same basic skinsuit of our Huntsman outfit with a few noticeable modifications, such as;
>Puncture resistant collar (bite-proof...maybe)
>Silver lenses (should protect us from the hypnotic gaze)
>Silver alloy knuckle studs (lets us hold other stuff while still giving us bonus damage)
>under arm wings (aesthetics)
>Capsule belt (remeniscent of a gunslinger's belt, basically there to hold all of our extra ammo)
And now
>Which weapons or gadgets will you attempt to create?
>Dogwood Slivers(Miniature stakes[Ammunition])
>>
>>5228566
This was me. Imagine if pic related had stiff, clumped-up hairs that constantly stood up and blended into the night, hiding our general outline, making us look quite literally like a giant humanoid spider with hints of mechanical enhancement.
>>
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>>5228672
tsk
>>
>>5228674
I thought it was Mothman from the thumbnail
>>
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>>5228675
It's a Jon Snow cosplay thingy, but the Mothman aesthetic definitely appeals to my tastes. But instead of a moth, it evokes a huntsman
>>
>>5228679
while, yes, the huntsman is a type of spider, I think we should distance the personas relation to spiders

We also need to decide to whose outings we will take Cindy
>>
>>5228694
I think it's cool enough to risk it, but fair point that it would make things slightly less convincing. Our plan to be in two places at once should take care of it in my opinion, and SHIELD and the Avengers historically doesn't push too hard on people who make trouble in scales beneath their notice, and in our case, sometimes help out with the really bad things.

Cindy should stay the fuck at home whenever we're doing crime; she doesn't need to be involved in it any more than she already is. After some practice with her Moon kit she should be able to participate in some low-impact crime-fighting with us though.

She doesn't have a suit yet, does she? Now might be a good time to help her design something that goes well with her brand new utility belt.
>>
Really hope we can keep some kind of fur as Huntsman.
I agree with keeping the spider symbol suit for the spiderman persona.
>>
>>5228694
Honestly?
I think it's best if we only bring Cindy along when we're doing work as Spider-Man. That way we minimize the risk to her reputation.
>>
Something I’ve been thinking about. Input?
>>
>>5228524
>you were gonna clean his cock
B- Ben???
>>
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>>5228526
>>5228578 +1 on the stink bomb
>>
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>>5228717
>>
>>5228715
Well damn. You went and actually drew some shit. Looks damn good.
As far as suggestions go, I'd definitely add a utility belt.
>>
>>5228715
again, I veto the spider symbol on the Huntsman suit

>>5228717
freudian slip?
it clearly says clock in OP's post

>>5228719
what are we? a gaming chair?
>>
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>>5228524
>>5228526
Holy Fuck have I been waiting for this!

Gadget Ideas:
Drones with holy water reservoirs for dealing with many vamps at once.
SIlver wire net gun.
Colloidal Silver and Garlic Oil Web Fluid additive.

Vape based fog machines are tiny and can be filled with either holy water or any other vampire deadly concoction. Fit half a dozen of them with a pressure container, pump, and valve and you could have a weapon that releases a massive cloud of deadly steam. A Silver mace would have more than enough room for the components. A spear with vent ports might be even better since we could probably pierce through most body armor with it then trigger the steam blast internally.

I mean... colloidal silver and concentrated garlic oil are available over the counter. We could even suspend the solution in holy water for the ultimate vampire fuck you brew.

Costume ideas!

I was originally thinking a lightly armored spider or super suit with mirrored lenses and silver gauntlets or silvered prowler claws.
>>
>>5228715
holy fuck you went and drew this. You are the real hero we have needed all along.

UV lasers are available commercially for a variety of purposes. and fiber optics can run the beam to nearly any output.
>>
>>5228715
Well shit, now that you drew it I have to vote for it.
Just change the huntsman symbol from a spider to a H
>>
>>5228715
Based artfag
>>
File: Spoiler Image (95 KB, 972x644)
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EVERYBODY LOOK AT THIS IMPORTANT IMAGE!
YES THAT'S YOU TOO QM SCOREKEEPER!
THIS PICTURE HERE BEHIND THE SPOILER IS RELEVANT TO THIS QUEST!
YES, EXTREMELY RELEVANT!
>>
>>5228756
It’s just a quick visualisation of my idea, please don’t feel pressured into choosing it just because I drew it.
>>
>>5228715
>>5228766
Have a (You), me caling you a drawfag and my support as reward because you didn't "just drew it" but drew it well.
>>
>>5228715
me too, have my (you) and support
>>
>>5228715
I know people don't necessarily want a spider symbol on the suit, but the huntsman logo is a fantastic bit of character design.

Don't really have time to get into any of the other ideas that could be incorporated.
>>
File: shaq-buffalo-wings.gif (1.14 MB, 498x278)
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>Mfw when I wake up to anons actually drawing their own costumes

>>5228715
That looks great, anon. Amazing job!

>>5228571
Thanks for digging through the archive, anon!

>>5228560
>>5228566
2 for Remote Ultraviolet Strobe Light

>>5228675
MOTHMAN! I used to love that dude when I was more into cryptids!

>>5228578
>>5228719
2 for Stink Bomb

>>5228647
Yes! I was planning on giving you that opportunity very soon, in fact.

>>5228715
>>5228756
>>5228787
>>5228849
Four votes for the drawn anti-vamp suit

>>5228746
Those are some interesting gadget ideas

>>5228764
Mr. Knight really is big brain. Must be Khonshu's influence!

So it looks like I won't be able to squeeze out another update like I wanted, and for that I apologize. But I will be leaving the vote open for discussion. I'll just be keeping track of any further gadget or costume votes tonight. Loving your enthusiasm for this quest! I've been getting a ton of ideas for future events and encounters. I'm super excited to see what you guys think when we finally get to them.
>>
>>5229007
Since you wnat to keep track, I'm this anon
>>5228560
I didn't notice that my ID changed.
>>
>>5228526
>>5228715
You know we could have a UV laser gun to shoot vampires with seriously good luck outrunning a laser especially if we turn into a shotgun blast. Not to mention modified flashbangs that can both blind and burn vampires as their senses are a lot stronger than humans so it badly affect them. Would be cheap to make on top of that. Modified sprayer to attach silver and garlic onto our webs when we shoot them. A stake launcher is easy to modify from a shotgun and a grenade launcher is worth considering if we keep up with the throwing weapons. Silver wire, brass knuckles, and silver shurikens are also worthwhile considerations. Especially if we attach the shurikens to our webs and fling them around. The same is true for hiding silver wire among our webbing.

If we want something cheap and quick UV flashbangs and stake launcher modified from a shotgun are the easiest. Web modder will require tinkering. Silver weaponry in general is costly but easy to acquire. The UV laser gun is pricey but very nasty especially with a shotgun scatter blast format.
>>
>>5228526
>Remote Ultraviolet Strobe Light [Throwable]
We don't need a special vampire suit, in my opinion. Let's just make one more suit to enable our dual super identities. I suggest we make a new Huntsman suit and use the current one as the Spider-Man suit, as SHIELD has seen it up close. New Huntsman suit can be whatever, but we should probably use a voice changer or something.
>>
You proposed your idea of an adhesive device that would continually flood the room with UV rays. Rather than a flashbang, it would be more useful in disorienting vampires and creating environmental disadvantages for them. According to Prowler, though, such a task wouldn’t be hard at all. He even checked the suit that you’d gotten from Silvermane for bugs while you and he worked.

In the meantime, Cat was adapting the costume proposal that you’d given her and expanded upon your creative flair with some more practical applications. In the end, she knew how it would all come together when you asked Phin to make it for you. If anything, she seemed genuinely impressed by your creativity and forward thinking.

>You’ve obtained the designs for a new suit! Feel free to give it a name!
>You’ve obtained the specs for the Remote UV Strobe Light! You can now build it without Prowler’s help!

Thankfully, Prowler’s search came up empty, and he confirmed that it didn’t have any active recording devices, besides the one built into the mask for two-way communication between you and Silvermane during missions, and that could easily be turned off.

>It is now safe for you to wear the “Silver Lining” suit!

Now that everyone was freed up, you could finally relax and catch up with these guys a bit. So much has happened in these past few days. What will you discuss with them?

>Tell them about the Silvermane job.
>Give them a full briefing of the events that occurred during your vampire hunt.
>Ask them if they’d be willing to learn ASL for Cindy’s sake.
>Discuss the type of jobs that your team will usually take, as well as your standards as a group. Now’s as good a time as any to lay down some concrete rules.
>Consider inviting someone else into your inner circle.(Choose from the Contacts list)
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

(I'll probably create a "Costumes" pastebin soon)
>>
>>5229438
>Tell them about the Silvermane job
>Discuss the type of jobs that your team will usually take, as well as your standards as a group. Now’s as good a time as any to lay down some concrete rules.
I’m thinking we try to shy away from assassinations and the like. Larceny and guard duty, whether as bodyguards or otherwise, should pay well enough. Not to say we shouldn’t carry lethal weapons or ever kill anyone, of course, I just think hit contracts are a little too immoral. Not just for us, but for Cat and Prowler as well. They’re good people at heart despite their career choice, and I’d rather not jeopardise that.
>>
>>5229438
>Tell them about the Silvermane job.
>Discuss the type of jobs that your team will usually take, as well as your standards as a group. Now’s as good a time as any to lay down some concrete rules.
>Ask them if they’d be willing to learn ASL for Cindy’s sake.
>It would also be useful as a way to comunicate without making a sound.
>>
>>5229438
Supporting this
>>5229443
Adding >Consider inviting someone else into your inner circle.(Anna)
>>
>>5229438
>>Tell them about the Silvermane job.
>>Ask them if they’d be willing to learn ASL for Cindy’s sake.
>>Discuss the type of jobs that your team will usually take, as well as your standards as a group. Now’s as good a time as any to lay down some concrete rules.

>Ask them what their motivations for supervillainy are. Either of them have sunk some money into refining themselves and their equipment.
>Parenting Cindy just sorta came out of nowhere and we are thinking about what example we set.
>Give them a full briefing of the events that occurred during your vampire hunt, including Cindy being aimed for to be the next Avatar of some god.
>>
>>5229438
>Give them a full briefing of the events that occurred during your vampire hunt.
>>
>>5229457
Those are pretty good questions.
>>
>>5229457
+1

Also, i'm not willing to invite other one to the group except Flint. If he can easily turn himself to another person like Cho said, we can make him like a superspy, our equivalent of Clayface (or whatever that guy name is) in our universe

If we're going to make scort missions, we can have Flint doing of a decoy, maybe another van that's empty, and the final one with our objective

There's a lot we can do, and with this meta-gangwars that might go off, we can have an Upper hand against the other groups that can form out of this (because we already have a relationship with Prowler, BC and Flint, while other groups maybe would be of 2 metas with previous relationship or newly formed groups that doesn't have any relationship and needs to coordinate, which might get time)

We have our tech expert guy, two (or three) thief and larceny experts, and a shapeshifter that could have a grasp in our more mook-level workers and shit. We make money with this, and once the things starts to calm down we start our security legit business, making money out of the paranoia that metas or superthiefs might go behind some new tech while we all have field experience to work with
>>
>>5229457
+1
>>
>>5229457
Backing this.

>>5229631
Not even Phin? What if this universe's Shocker or Hyro-Man happens to be a total bro? Other organizations will be hiring metas all the time, we need to be recruiting at least a little to stay ahead of the game. I agree that trust and quality are more important than quantity, but we do need more than just 2 street-level metas on our side to take on a proper gang.
>>
>>5229727
It might be hard to get Phin officially on our side, he seems to have a good gig as an independent neutral party.
But maybe this coming gang war will force people to start picking sides or joining groups for protection, or we convince him we can get a steady supply of good tech for him to work with.
>>
>>5229456
im not so hot on including Anna, she surely won't stay in New York and I still need me some BC while things could get awkward between them.
also her motivations are just something vastly different to the rest of the gang

>>5229457
you are pushing the going legit, aren't you?
>>
>>5229727
>>5229731
we could bait him to our (and Silvermane's) side with getting a look at the rest of the Slip suit.

fuckign let me post, damn captcha
>>
>>5229457
forgot to say I also support you nonetheless
>>
>>5229744
>you are pushing the going legit, aren't you?
I'm pushing having a legit business ASAP, yeah
>>
>>5229744
I read it as more of having her in our circle of people we trust, not necessarily our thief group. We should probably update her about what happened regarding the vamps since she definitely helped us there. Plus telling her about the bigger fish that left would probably have her leave the city after them so she won't be involved with our gang shit anyway.
>>
>>5229758
we know she's here to hunt something or someone.
We know someone is intentionally making spider super soldiers for experimentation purposes.
We know what Parker Luck is.
>>
>>5229790
That only encourages me honestly.
>>
>>5229438
>>5229457
This plus,

>Discuss the type of jobs that your team will usually take, as well as your standards as a group. Now’s as good a time as any to lay down some concrete rules.

I would say we avoid killing anyone if we can at all help it. It draws more heat and is usually a very bad idea. Hell with art theft the feds will almost ALWAYS let you go in return for the stolen goods just to save face. If there are bodies however they can't sweep that under the rug and they have to come down hard on the perpetrators just because.

A Basquiat or any of the classical masters is literally a get out of jail free card. But that doesn't apply to murder scenes.

>Consider inviting someone else into your inner circle. Flint
>>
>>5229861
In a similar vein, high tech would logically function in much the same capacity just with different "buyers".

SHIELD for example would obviously step in to pressure for the release of any useful assets in exchange for classified or private industry tech.

And they've employed actual communist assassins with zero repercussions so a pack of high value thieves should be no problem.

Of course SHIELD is also less reliable due to political exigency and spy crap deniability shit.
>>
>>5229861
>Flint
that goes without saying

>generally being known to be non-lethal
sounds good, we just never have to leave witnesses

>>5229871
>Black Widow as an example
I don't think its the same thing if we don't directly work for them where they can see our every move.
They could always use her as triple quadruple agent, using her to feed information to the other too without ever trusting her fully.
Plus, Black Widow, didn't really have a secret identity to lose.
>>
>>5229896
Yeah its not a one to one comparison. The point is having a few tech heists squirreled away somewhere could easily translate to an organization like SHIELD stepping in to cover. Notably this works even in situations where someone ended up dead because... y'know... its SHIELD.
>>
>>5229457
>>5229631
>>5229727
>>5229670
>>5229747
>>5229861
Taking these. Writing...

>>5229631
Flint can only transform into himself, or an amorphous pile of sand. He experimented with advanced shapeshifting, and ultimately found it to be impossible for him. Anything that he transforms into wouldn't be very convincing as a decoy, unless there wasn't much light, or the enemy couldn't see him very well.

>>5229727
>>5229731
>>5229746
You can try, but Phin's very comfy where he's at right now.

>>5229896
That's why she quit all her teams and disappeared. She was becoming far too much of a public figure, so she decided to go to ground like Fury did after the whole "Secret War" thing.
>>
>>5230021
Speaking of Fury, how's that old fart doing in this timeline?
>>
>>5230080
That's privileged information! Not many people are capable of pinning him down or keeping constant tabs on him. Hill most likely knows, but she isn't telling.
>>
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You decided to tell them about the Silvermane job, explaining the whole thing with Slip, and the reason for why you were given the suit.

Cat nodded, but didn’t let her facial expression shift in any meaningful way, leading you to believe that she was already more or less aware of the situation at hand. Prowler wasn’t so well informed, and was glad to have been told something so important before it actually happened.

“So Freddy wants to try and use that weird suit as a weapon.” Cat surmised.

“Makes sense.” Prowler said. “If they could find a way to control it, they’d have absolute control over New York’s power grid, and the traffic going in and out of the city.”

“Yeah, so we’ll probably have our work cut out for us.” you said. “Silvermane told me that the other crime bosses are gonna be hiring teams of metas to snatch the suit.”

“But I thought he only hired you. You sure he wouldn’t mind us presuming to acton his behalf?” Prowler asked.

“If Freddy really wants to win this little contest, he’ll be eager to take all the help he can get.” Felicia explained. “That being said…” she continued, directing her gaze at you. “We should still be properly compensated for our efforts. This isn’t charity work.”

You nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly. “I’ll talk to him about it.”

After that, you brought up the matter of them learning ASL, for Cindy’s sake. They were surprised at first, but they didn’t seem against the idea. Both of them liked Cindy, it was just that they weren’t expecting her to be directly involved in your operations. You couldn’t blame them for having that assumption, but it was clear that neither of them had actually seen her fight before.

You had no intention of involving her in illegal matters such as this. She had a reputation to worry about, after all. You also wanted to have a clear conscience. Just like Pete, you didn’t want her to live a life of crime like you did.

And speaking of crime, decided to get right down to it and asked them what their motivations for supervillainy were. Both of them froze and just…blinked at you. Black Cat was the first to break the silence by snickering at you.

“Did…did you just call us ‘supervillains’?” she asked.

Prowler shook his head. “Not cool, man. We’re not THAT bad.”

“Last time I checked, I never built a death ray meant to exterminate all life on Earth or strike fear into the hearts of millions.” Cat protested.

“If anything, we’re more like…’Super-Crooks’.” Prowler added.

“Yeah, that’s more fitting. I like that.” Cat agreed.

Prowler rolled his eyes and huffed indignantly. “‘Supervillains’…”

“I know, right!” Cat said with an incredulous look on her face. “Melodramatic much?”

(Cont.)
>>
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“Alright, alright! I’m sorry.” you said. “So can either of you answer my question? What’re you in this business for?”

Prowler and Cat exchanged a glance and looked back at you with serious faces.

“Money.” they said simultaneously.

You thought as much. You just wanted to make sure. The reason you asked was so that everyone would be on the same page. Like it or not, you were more or less a father figure for Cindy now. She would be following your escapades, and you wanted to make sure that you weren’t creating a bad example for her to follow. And, more importantly, you didn’t want to disappoint her, or lead her to resent you.

When you expressed these desires to the two of them, they nodded their understanding. It was only when you went on to explain the events of your vampire hunt, as well as the revelation of Cindy being “Little Miss Runner-Up” for being the Avatar of a Deity, that they stopped nodding entirely. Right now, they were just gaping at you, and shooting cautious glances over in Cindy’s direction.

“So…Dracula’s real.” Cat said.

“And secret vampire hunting cults.” Prowler added.

“Not to be confused with secret vampire cults.” she put in.

“Or vampire-hating Moon Gods.” Prowler chimed in.

“And definitely not Moon God worshiping vampire sympathizers.” Cat said, enjoying their back and forth.

“...You done?” you asked, waiting patiently for their little bit to end.

Cat gave you a cute little pout. “At least allow me SOME deflection, spider. This is all a little too much to take in, right now.”

You shrugged. “That’s what happens when you’re out of the loop. I expect to be equally baffled when the two of you get up to your own shenanigans.”

“Let’s not make a habit out of it.” Prowler said. “This city’s already weird enough, as is.”

“Agreed.” Felicia said.

After a moment of silence, she cast another cursory glance over at Cindy, who was messing with a costume design that Felicia asked her to sketch.

“So if she’s supposed to be an Avatar of a God…” she began.

“What’s she doing with us?” Prowler finished. These two were spending way too much time together.

Felicia nodded slightly. “Won’t our criminal acts ‘besmirch her divine title and reputation’ by association, or something?” she asked.

“I’m not entirely sure. Khonshu hasn’t warned me of anything like that.” you admitted.

“It might be a good idea to ask.” Prowler suggested.

You resolved to do so. Maybe you could pay Marc another visit once things calmed down again.

But for now, you wanted to move onto other business. Such as discussing the types of jobs that your team would normally take, as well as your standards as a group. Setting down some concrete rules early on in your career will be helpful in the long run.
>>
(This next part is a “write-in only” vote! I know some of you have already talked about your intentions in earlier posts, but for the sake of an official vote, feel free to repeat them here, or quote your earlier posts.)

>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s
>>
>>5230085
My goal is to be the errol Flynn of the crime world
We're doing this for friends and family. Yes our enterprise may be a grey area but we're not raving madmen. We love our costumes as much as we love our women. We want to be a beacon for younger generations to do what is right and to help others. We kill when absolutely necessary but if there is profit in letting them live we're all for it. We have a tight knit group of friends and even some foes. People respect us because we know how to get things done without too much of a mess, mostly.
>>
>>5230085
>I say we stick with what we're good at first and foremost; espionage, theft, reconnaissance...and maybe taking jobs as muscle on the side.
>Just to be clear though, we only steal from people who have more than enough to go around. I don't want anybody snatching purses from old ladies.
>I also wanna set a hard rule on killing; we don't take a life unless we absolutely have to. Jury's out on Vampires and other monsters though.
>And this is a big one, but we gotta stay in touch with each other and make it known what jobs we're taking. I don't wanna hear about a job going sideways and somebody needing a hand two weeks after the fact.
>>
>>5230097
+1, perfect.
>>
>>5230085
this has everything we need>>5230097
>>
>>5230085
>So for starters, let's avoid killing civilians, inoccents or anyone that really doesn't deserves it, or atleast knrw the risks. A rent-a-cop we justa void or knock out, but a mercenary is fair game. Also would be a good idea to avoid killing law enforcement, to keep our profile low. On the fence if the military should count or not, but I doubt we are ever getting them called on us.
>Let's stick to heists, espionage, sabotage and freelance missions. The occasional kidnappimg or blackmail is still on the table, but I think we should avoid that, it feels like a fast way to get on top of someone's hitlist. Also better to focus on big things instead of simple jobs, we fot too much competition with street thugs and mafia to waste our talents. Also it might make us appear as lovable thieves instead of super criminals.
>We might need to expand, or start a front eventually. So if we ever turn this into a businnes, I think we should avoid the more questionable stuff, like assassinations, human trafficking, and non-superpower giving drugs. I have to atleast try to be a role model to Cindy afterall.
>>
>>5230085

No harming the travelers of the night, I guess. Or civilians in general. The real money's to be found robbing the rich anyway, so other supers, shady companies, expensive paintings and decorative arts, etc. like we've been doing so far.

If the hired help has guns, they're fine to kill, but unnecessary death brings us attention and should be avoided whenever convenient. Civilians are a no-go in person, even the filthy rich. Again, just go rob their companies instead.

But we also need a steady source of income and a way to launder it, so there's gonna be a smuggling ring going on via the sewers, but they're free not to join in on that one. We should detail some of our ideas just in case, like with the security company, in case they want to get involved or actively want to avoid it. The smuggling shouldn't involve anything too awful, so no hard drugs or predatory sex trafficking.

No betraying people who are cool to us. No doing dumb hotheaded things like getting into high-profile brawls with heroes if it can be helped at all. No sharing of team secrets to anyone not already involved, though Flint counts as involved, and we should tell them about him right now.

Jobs are to be coordinated to some degree, and everyone can refuse to join in on something if they object to it or are busy with another thing, but again, they have to at least stay out of the way. Everyone gets a share according to how much work they put in and risk they take; usually this means an equal share.

Anything I'm missing?
>>
>>5230226
>>5230104
>>5230097
If we're gonna be a proper organization of morally dubious individuals, we should codify this into succinct phrases at some point.
Every one of them does it, so it HAS to be tradition, right?
>>
>>5230256
You mean like a bunch of commandments? Feel free to come up with a list.
>>
>>5230270
One billion years later...
>1. You are a thief, NOT an assassin or drug peddler.
>2. You will steal from those that have sizable riches, NOT from the impoverished masses.
>3. You will NOT kill needlessly, with exemption to supernatural creatures and other beasts.
>4. You will bring ALL contracts before your fellow members before accepting them.
>5. You will keep your fellow members informed in regards to any ongoing contracts while they are being carried out.
>6. Collateral damage is to be kept to an absolute minimum while carrying out contracts.
>7. All profits are to be split evenly among those involved in carrying out a contract, though this can be adjusted based on the circumstances.
>8. You will NOT share any information in regards to the organization with any outside party.
>9. New members will only be accepted following a majority vote from all existing members.
>10. In the event of any natural or unnatural disaster, members should prioritize the safety of any nearby civilians.
>>
>>5230291
Good job, anon.
>>
>>5230085
1. Try not to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary on a job. It turns garden variety theft into something much worse in the eyes of the law. They devote more resources to catching you, supers get involved, and if they do catch you its far less likely that they can or will be lenient. Theft is almost dashing in the eyes of the public, but nobody likes murder.

2. You don't have to ask for help with a job, but anyone involved gets an equal cut. If you just passed information about a job or target along, but didn't participate you get what the info is worth. At least 15% is polite though.

3. Don't snitch on people. If you have to give up some communal loot to get out of trouble that's fine, but don't sell out your pals. There's always more money. Not so with friends.

4. Please no demon shit. Stealing an arcane artifact is fine, worshiping Gorganzola Lord of ten thousand tortures is not.

5. Anyone we want to join has to be vetted by at least two members, and agreed to by three. Same for being kicked out.

6. If you need help, ask.
>>
>>5230085
>I say we stick with what we're good at first and foremost; espionage, theft, reconnaissance...and maybe taking jobs as muscle on the side.
>No harming the travelers of the night, I guess. Or civilians in general. The real money's to be found robbing the rich anyway, so other supers, shady companies, expensive paintings and decorative arts, etc. like we've been doing so far. If the hired help has guns, they're fine to kill, but unnecessary death brings us attention and should be avoided whenever convenient.
>We might need to expand, or start a front eventually. So if we ever turn this into a business, I think we should avoid the more questionable stuff, like assassinations, human trafficking, and non-superpower giving drugs. I have to at least try to be a role model to Cindy after all.
>Please no demon shit. Stealing an arcane artifact is fine, worshiping Gorganzola Lord of ten thousand tortures is not.
>In the event of any natural or unnatural disaster, members should prioritize the safety of themselves and any nearby civilians.
>Don't snitch on people. If you have to give up some communal loot to get out of trouble that's fine, but don't sell out your pals. There's always more money. Not so with friends.
>New members will only be accepted following a majority vote from all existing members, same goes when kicking someone out. Leaving voluntarily doesn't need permission but when trying to rejoin the majority vote will apply.
>And this is a big one, but we gotta stay in touch with each other and make it known what jobs we're taking. I don't wanna hear about a job going sideways and somebody needing a hand two weeks after the fact. You don't have to ask for help with a job, but anyone involved gets an equal cut. If you just passed information about a job or target along, but didn't participate you get what the info is worth.
>>
>>5230469
>non-superpower giving drugs
Maybe not Shimmer-tier stuff though.
>In the event of any natural or unnatural disaster, members should prioritize the safety of themselves and any nearby civilians.
I'll back it.
>>
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One final push for the big black fur.

Couldn't find better shots of her, Yandex thinks she's Ryuk
>>
>>5230515
I support the Jon Snow Cloak
>>
so I'm pretty sure the goblin reported our conversation with Toomes back to Tombstone.

After all he has contacted us about a lot of other jobs, it would have made sense for him to reach out around the same time Silvermane did, and for similar reasons.
>>
>>5230469
+1
>>
>>5230092
>>5230097
>>5230100
>>5230102
>>5230104
>>5230226
>>5230428
>>5230469
>>5230474
>>5230291
>>5230637

From what I'm reading, it looks like:

>Focus on jobs that require espionage, theft, reconnaissance, and possibly security work.
>No killing, unless it is deemed to be absolutely necessary.
>Any job relating to assassinations, human trafficking and drug trafficking are NOT to be tolerated
>Only steal from wealthy individuals that possess more money than they can spend.
>ALWAYS stay in touch and communicate with one another when we take a job, and ALWAYS ask for help if you need it.
>Snitches get Stitches.
>New members will only be considered after being vetted by at least two trusted members of the Inner Circle. After which, a majority vote is held regarding their admittance to the Inner Circle.
>In the event of any natural or unnatural disaster, members should prioritize the safety of themselves and any nearby civilians.
>All profits are to be split evenly among those involved in carrying out a contract, though this can be adjusted based on the circumstances.
>You will NOT share any information in regards to the organization with any outside party.

Am I missing anything crucial? Let me know if I am. Otherwise, great job with the write-ins!

Writing...

>>5230515
>>5230544
Maybe you can wear it when the Huntsman goes to formal gatherings, in-costume.
>>
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You laid down the rules that you created and went over them one by one, making absolutely certain that each and every clause was understood with perfect clarity. You wanted your business to be legitimate, and you wanted to avoid having some self-righteous superhero come crashing down on your heads because of some unnecessary collateral damage.

You weren’t against killing when you felt that the guy deserved it, but leaving a trail of bodies wasn’t ideal when you were working in this city.

And…Matt was right. You were getting sloppy. Careless. Lashing out with anger and violence would only get you so far. You need to start planning ahead, pick your battles and your words with far more caution than you have been these past few days.

Being quick to whip your guns out would only get you in trouble, and it would probably set a bad example for Cindy. She wasn't an impressionable young child, but you still didn’t want to take any chances. If your actions had a negative effect on her, or Peter’s development, you don’t think you could ever forgive yourself.

Fortunately, neither Cat nor Prowler had any issues with the terms that you proposed. You’d have to fill Flint in a little later, but that was no problem.

Right before you could bring the meeting to a close, however, the communicator that Bobbi gave you started buzzing furiously. You picked it up, read the message, and started jumping for joy! Literally!

Well…it was more like you were backflipping and somersaulting for joy.

“What’s got you all hopped-up?” Cat asked, in mild amusement.

“FLINT’S READY TO BE RELEASED!” you shouted, landing on the back of the couch that they were sitting on, surprising both of them.

As soon as they heard the good news, they started celebrating alongside you. Even Prowler sounded happy, for once! After hearing about his convenient mutation, you were all incredibly excited to see the big guy in action.

When you went to tell Cindy about it, you noticed that her smile was a bit more tacked on. It was forced.

“What’s wrong?” you asked.

She shook her head, trying to play it off by saying that she couldn’t get the design of her costume right. But you knew better, and pressed the matter further.

Eventually, she gave in, grabbed her notebook and expressed her concerns in word-form.

“...You want to visit your old home?”

Cindy nodded. It was hesitant at first, but she grew more enthusiastic with each passing second. You weren’t sure if that was a good idea…but it was what she wanted. The girl could use a little closure. You just had to make sure that there weren’t any authorities, or vampires, around.

Noticing the sudden shift in atmosphere, Cat and Prowler were giving you concerned looks. You reassured them with a wave of your hand to let them know that it wasn’t anything that they should worry themselves with.

(Cont.)
>>
Cindy quickly scribbled down a sentence to inform you that you didn’t have to prioritize her request. It could be done at any time, so long as it was before they completely cleaned out her house. That did give you quite a bit of time to accomplish the simple task.

What will you do?

>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
>Bring Cindy back to her childhood home.
>Call Silvermane to inform him of your team’s involvement in his mission.
>Call Matt to tell him the good news. You’d also like to check up on him.”
>Swap to the “Silver Lining” suit.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE
>>
>>5230688
>Swap to the “Silver Lining” suit.
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
>Bring Cindy back to her childhood home.
In that order. We should talk to Flint about the job before confirming with Silvermane.
>>
Just made the costume pastebin, but it's REALLY small right now. Let me know if you want to make any adjustments or alterations to the new suit. I know that some people don't want to have the spider symbol on there.

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5230688
>>Swap to the “Silver Lining” suit.
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
>Bring Cindy back to her childhood home.
>>
>>5230688
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
And then, once we have Flint’s confirmation,
>Call Silvermane to inform him of your team’s involvement in his mission.
>>5230691
So are you making the Silver Lining suit the new look of the Spider-Man persona?
>>
>>5230688
>Swap to the “Silver Lining” suit.
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
>Call Silvermane to inform him of your team’s involvement in his mission.
>>
>>5230691
Supporting
>>
>>5230691
>"Don't be like that, you are a priority, if you want something, I'm going to get it for you - within reason, of course. First we're gonna pick up Flint, he's been waiting to get out for a while now, then we're gonna see about you."
>>Swap to the “Silver Lining” suit.
>>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
>Bring Cindy back to her childhood home.
>>
>>5230688
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
>Bring Cindy back to her childhood home.
Swapping to the silver suit is a bad idead, it would just make two suits that belong to Spiderman, and zero to the Huntsman
>>
>>5230688
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier.
>>
>>5230701
I think that's how it should be. We can commission a new Huntsman look from Phin later on. For now we should pretend to be Spidey, a hero, when trying to catch Slip, and later on we can say he Slipped up and somehow ended up in Manfredi's grasp.
>>
>>5230719
Support
>>
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>>
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>>5231334
Why would you remind me of this?
>>
>>5231337
Because
>>
>>5231338
Debased!
>>
>>5231334
Oh Crazy Steve, you were a terrible guardian to DICK GRAYSON AGED TWELVE.
>>
>>5231448
I just looked it up and 12 is also the age of this meme. Linkara is 34. Fuck.
>>
>>5230688
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier
>Call Silvermane to inform him of your team’s involvement in his mission.
Do not swap to the fucking Silver Lining suit. Don't want to associate that with Spider-Man as well.
>>
>>5230688
No suit
>Pick up Flint at the Helicarrier
>Bring Cindy to her childhood home
>Call Silvermane if we have some spare time.

I think the silver lining suit may end up associated with spider man regardless, depending on how our fight with slip ends up going. It could be very public.
>>
>>5230701
>>5230719
>>5231148
>>5230781
>>5231542
>>5231545
No costume change. Writing...

>>5231334
Reminds me of what they did to Red Sonja.
>>
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You knelt down to meet Cindy at eye level. “Hey,” you said, tilting your head to look her in the eyes. “I’m gonna go pick up Flint, and after that, I’m gonna take you to see your old home.” you declared. “Alright?”

Cindy gave you a weak smile and nodded. You tussled her hair a bit, rose to your feet and informed the others of your decision. They agreed to watch Cindy while you were gone, and you trusted them enough to hold down the fort without stealing anything of worth. But just in case, you texted Cindy on her new phone to keep an eye on them.

—----

You were already waiting at the location that Bobbi specified in her message when she arrived. She was uncharacteristically quiet tonight. It made it hard to remain as giddy as you had been mere moments ago. She just lifted you by the arms and flew you up to the Helicarrier in relative silence. It was a bit worrying, but you tried to remain positive about an opportunity to get your best buddy back on the ground again.

When you’d arrived at the Helicarrier, Bobbi quickly led you away from the airstrip and into the facility. While you weren’t entirely familiar with these winding hallways, you didn’t recognize the way that she was leading you.

“I don’t think Cho’s lab is this way.” you said.

Bobbi’s head marginally shifted in your direction, but her expression remained flat.

“Flint’s been relocated to another lab for some concluding tests. Just keep your head down, and follow me.” she replied, not slowing her pace. Her voice was a bit different, though. Maybe she was catching a cold?

You ignored the bad feeling in the pit of your stomach and marched forward.

Eventually, Bobbi brought you to a well-lit room where Flint stood at the other end, staring at one of the monitors on the wall. Your heart lifted, then.

“Flint! I heard you’re finally getting out of here!” you exclaimed, approaching him with open arms. But as you stepped further into the room, you noticed that he wasn’t reacting to your presence. What was-?

Suddenly, Flint disappeared entirely. He just…blinked out of existence. You turned sharply on Bobbi, just in time to see a thick, glass barrier rising up in the middle of the room, trapping you on the other side and separating you from your guide.

“What the hell, Bobbi!” you shouted, banging on the glass.

Bobbi’s silhouette shifted slightly…and then changed entirely! Now, the person standing before you was none other than the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D, Maria Hill.

At that very moment, your blood went cold.

“I apologize for the forcefulness of my methods, but I saw no other way to get you alone without you turning around and running the other way.” she said, approaching the glass slowly. “And I’ve been letting you walk around my facility these past few weeks without confiscating your weapons, so I think you owe me this much.”

(Cont.)
>>
What will you say?

>”I don’t owe you a damn thing. Am I supposed to thank you for turning my friend into a test subject?”
>”So you impersonated one of your agents to try and trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”
>”If this is a recruitment technique, I think you need to work on your approach. Try something less ‘kidnap-y’ next time.”
>”I refuse to say anything without my lawyer present. Can we get She-Hulk in here?”
>”...So I take it you know?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5231665
So you impersonated one of your agents to try and trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”
>>
>>5231665
>>>”So you impersonated one of your agents to try and trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”
I ain't admitting shit; that's like falling for the oldest trick in the book. Goddamn glownegress got nothing on us. Anybody coulda been wearing a similar suit.
>>
>>5231665
>"I know we had a little magic eye sparkle moment going on last time we met, but this is 'Edward watching Bella sleep' levels of toxic things to do in a relationship. Not that I'm not flattered by your feelings for me, but if you really love someone you have to let them go. If they love you back, they'll come back to you."
>>
>>5231665
>”I refuse to say anything without my lawyer present. Can we get She-Hulk in here?”
>>
>>5231665
>”So you impersonated one of your agents to try and trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”
>Ask what you want already, I don't have all day to wait for you to do your barely constitucional techniques.
>>
>>5231665
>Unless I'm being formally charged then I'm pretty sure this is kidnapping
>Also you could just call me like a normal person, I'm not unreasonable.
>>
>>5231665
>”So you impersonated one of your agents to try and trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”
Fuck you, Hill. Your boobs are padded.
>>
>>5231679
Actually, let me add for when she attempts entrapment
>”I refuse to say anything without my lawyer present. Can we get She-Hulk in here?”
>>
>>5231678
>>5231689
asking for a lawyer is pretty much an admission that we have something to hide beyond just our secret identity
>>
>>5231690
Not really, always ask for a lawyer even if you have done nothing wrong. Bot doing that is how innocent people get imprisioned.
>>
>>5231690
Looks like someone needs to do a wee bit of homework. It may not be relevant when talking to someone who jarred us like some kinda insect, but you should definitely know this for IRL purposes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-7o9xYp7eE
>>
>>5231690
Yeah, the other anons are right. Always ask for a lawyer before you say anything to a police officer. Not even talking /qst/ reasons, it’s just good to know. Cops don’t always have your best interests at heart.
>>
>>5231665
>”So you impersonated one of your agents to try and trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”
>Ask what you want already, I don't have all day to wait for you to do your barely constitucional techniques.
>>”I refuse to say anything without my lawyer present. Can we get She-Hulk in here?”
>>
>>5231690
It's your legal right to have one present, why wouldn't you take full advantage of that?
On top of helping you get your story straight, it also lessens the chances that you accidentally incriminate yourself in regards to another crime unrelated to whatever you were arrested for.
>>
>>5231665
>>”I don’t owe you a damn thing. Am I supposed to thank you for turning my friend into a test subject?”
>>”So you impersonated one of your agents to try and trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”
>>”If this is a recruitment technique, I think you need to work on your approach. Try something less ‘kidnap-y’ next time.”
>>
>>5231692
>>5231693
>>5231699
>>5231769
Is this some kind of american joke I'm too european to understand?
alright, I'll back it, but only if we do a quip first, then follow professional procedure
>Any quip
>"Am being detained?"
>"On what charges?"
>”I refuse to say anything without my lawyer present. Can we get She-Hulk in here?”
>>
>>5231794
>Is this some kind of american joke I'm too european to understand?
Nope. That is genuine legal advice of you get arrested or detained in the states.
The first and only words out of your mouth when speaking to the cops should be "I want a lawyer."
>>
>>5231818
well yes, but first you got to ask if you are in fact being detained or arrested right now or if you are free to go.
>>
>>5231794
I'm not american, but I learned it through cultural osmosis.
>>
>>5231794
Britbongese here, I’m not sure how applicable that advice is in my country but it seems sound enough. Police here aren’t quite as gung-ho as those in the US, but they can be pretty fucking petty.
>>
>>5231846
another britbong here, while we do have a right of/to silence refusing to provide valuable info or whatever can potentially be used against you in a court of law. now it's still almost always smarter to stay silent until you get legal advice from a lawyer, but it's less cut and dry over here. Also our police won't immediately blow your brains out if you resist unless you have a weapon or gun yourself
>>
>>5231794
Not Amerifat, simply in possession of a healthy sense of self-preservation and interest. Look, it's not something you have to go full retard with, like if you heard gunshots an hour ago, and the cops ask you if you did, you can say yes. But be aware at all times how easy it is to incriminate yourself, your loved ones, and your associates.
>>
>>5231665
We had no interaction with her so far except when introducing Cindy.
Everything else about her is hearsay that we should dodge her as adviced by her own agents.
>"Even though I thought Spider-Man was cool with my copyright violation, I knew that I one day have to pay for my crimes against intellectual property law. But I think this is a tad excessive."
I'd suggest leading her the wrong direction in what we are worried about.
>"I can only assume this is about the spider stuff. Well, if you want my blood, then you have to come in here with me first."
>>
>>5231666
>>5231670
>>5231679
>>5231689
>>5231685
>>5231741
>>5231782
>>5231794
Taking the most popular options. Writing...
>>
have we learned that matt is an atourney yet?
>>
>>5232230
He's not one in this universe. He quit law school early in favor of an alternative lifestyle. This is a Matt who's fallen deeper into his vices and has had more than a few crises of faith.
>>
>>5232232
New side quest unlocked: get Matt to finish his degree
>>
>>5232232
it's because we rolled that -4 that one time, isn't it?
>>
>>5232238
You can help him and Foggy fund their new firm, too!

>>5232240
You got me! Your last punch hit him so hard that he had to skip the bar exam!
>>
“So, let me get this straight.” you began, pacing back and forth in the tiny space. “You impersonated one of your own agents in order to trick me into meeting with you? Now I understand why you don’t have one of those ‘#1 Boss’ mugs.”

Hill shrugged and placed her hands behind her back. “This isn’t my preferred method, but you can’t doubt its effectiveness.” she said.

You shook your head in disbelief. This was an undeniably bad situation for you, but you couldn’t let her know how much you were freaking out right now. All things considered, you had a killer poker face. However, you were still grateful to be wearing a mask right about now.

“I refuse to say anything without my lawyer present. Do you think we could get She-Hulk in here?” you asked, rubbing your chin in mock consideration.

Hill sighed and took a step closer. “Fine. If you don’t want to talk, then just listen.” she said, pressing a button on a remote, changing the displays on the monitors around you. They were now filled with images of the Green Beret for some reason. Why would Hill be so interested in Gobbie’s bodyguard?

“A few weeks ago, this guy started popping up in the news.” she continued. “Some of our analysts thought that his shield looked a bit familiar, so they did a little digging. As it turns out, that shield was bought by a shady dealer that we’re still looking into.”

You inclined your head slightly, silently imploring her to continue.

“That shield belongs to the Red Guardian. Think: ‘Russian Captain America’.” she declared. “And if our intel is right, they know about it…and they’re pissed. We think they already have agents looking for it in the city, but we can’t be entirely sure.”

Hill shook her head, inhaled deeply and looked you right in the eye. “I’ll cut to the chase. I want you to steal that shield for me and bring it back here.” she said.

What will you say?

>Nothing. You never got your lawyer!
>”Why not let the Russians find it? Isn’t that why they’re here?”
>”You think the Green Goblin stole a Russian National Treasure?”
>”What’ll you give me if I get it for you?”
>”What makes you think that I’d do anything to help you after all this?”
>”Get somebody else to do your dirty work for you. Like, someone that actually works for you.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5232285
>>”Why not let the Russians find it? Isn’t that why they’re here?”
>>”You think the Green Goblin stole a Russian National Treasure?”
>>
>>5232285
>Why me? You’ve probably got a million super-spies at your disposal who have experience with this kind of thing.
I wonder if they’re setting us up for something. Unlikely, but possible.
>>
>>5232285
So this is confirmation that shield knows we're Huntsman. Kind of figured they did, but nice to know. More importantly Hill wants to use us as a deniable asset. On one hand, this is exactly the kind of heist that The Desperadoes should be pulling, assuming the price is right. On the other, being a deniable asset sucks.

>”You think the Green Goblin stole a Russian National Treasure?”
>”What makes you think that I’d do anything to help you after all this?”
>>
>>5232285
>Nothing. You never got your lawyer!
>>
>>5232323
And if people don't want to stay silent, count my vote as
>”What’ll you give me if I get it for you?”
>Why me? You’ve probably got a million super-spies at your disposal who have experience with this kind of thing."
>"It's one of those deniable asset things that happen in spy movies, isn't it?"
>>
>>5232285
>>5232341
+1
>"But you better believe I won't do anything if the promise of my buddy going free today is not kept."


>>5232291
>>5232321
don't name names, even if it's just goblin
>>
>>5232321
+1
>"And if you're going to pull Flint's situation as a card, that might be worse for not only our deep, passionate, intense relationship, but also the outcome of this..."
>"Plus, i'm sure doing this instead of cooperating with the Russians it will go worse, and that's the case of why you're asking me to do it of course."
>"I'm sorry Hill, but i'm no super secret agent or anything, and I don't feel like being seen as Russia's N°1 Public Enemy. What about Black Widow? This is the kind of shit i'm seeing for someone like her..."
>"And if that's off the table, I hope you have something interesting for me to offer so I can consider taking this job"
>>
>>5232348
Like anon said, let's not give names
>>
>>5232352
But you gave support to a vote that named the GG.
They may know that Green Beret is his bodyguard, but it's not certain, so let's not accidently snitch.
>>
>>5232285
>”Why not let the Russians find it? Isn’t that why they’re here?”
Lets not snitch on green gobbo. It would also be incriminating to let her know that we KNOW the guy, or atleast what he might be up to.
>>
>>5232285
Glory to Ukraine!
>>
>>5232285
>”Why not let the Russians find it? Isn’t that why they’re here?”
>>
>>5232285
>"Not so fast. First thing's first, you tell me why you want this done freelance instead of putting one of your goons on the case."
>"And more to the point, how does this concern me? Or you for that matter?"
>>
>>5232285
>>”Why not let the Russians find it? Isn’t that why they’re here?”
>>
>>5232356
Yeah but that's the default vote option that Score left at the end, he didn't change it or anything to say it
>>
>>5232285
>”Get somebody else to do your dirty work for you. Like, someone that actually works for you.”
Hey man, Gobbie's a fucking loony but he's done alright by us so far and we have enough to deal with on our hands as it is.
>>
>>5232285
>>”Why not let the Russians find it? Isn’t that why they’re here?”
>”Get somebody else to do your dirty work for you. Like, someone that actually works for you.”
Reminder that while gobbie is loony he also covered for us when he didn't have to and surprisingly been bro like to us so far. Even giving us heads up on stuff and covering for us. He has done everything right by us and never once screwed us over.
>>
>>5233111
>>5233061
Guys, if the green goblin is Norman Osborn, which his sudden anti-corp attitude makes seem likely, then him deleting that footage had nothing to do with helping us, and everything to do with screwing over the company that screwed him.

Yes we benefited, but don't think for a second that he wouldn't nail our balls to a pumpkin bomb without a second thought if it suited him.

GG is an insane murderer who tried to blow up Silvermane, and would have succeeded if we hadn't intervened.

And unless Ben is suddenly super on-board with and enthusiastic about violent explosive murder then GG isn't his bro. He is a mark. And if it comes down to stealing a cut rate Russian knockoff shield to safeguard our actual bro Flint? Then I'm choosing Flint.

>>5232285
>>5232341
+1

>Write-in: If we are going to be working together on a regular basis, then I want immunity from prosecution for myself and my associates. Up to an including murder while on the job, everything but murder off the job. And one of those fancy jets.
>>
>>5233191
Anon, just leave him to the glowniggers to deal with. We're not exactly a fucking saint either. What does this even have to do with Flint? They either let him go or he rampages and Hill makes us an enemy on top of that. There's no point in taking this job on at this point unless she really, REALLY highballs us which we only get by denying her HARD right now. Making enemies with a guy like that isn't worth any amount of millions.
>>
>>5233191
Anon why do you want to fuck with a madman who hasn't ONCE fucked us over and actually helped us out? He never once had to tell us shit or help us out but he did so anyway. Targeting the green goblin will turn him hostile and for what? This entire time he was cool and even surprisingly friendly with us. Why would you make an enemy of a lunatic much less stab a madman in the back when technically we still owe him one?

>>5233196
Exactly. I just don't understand why making an enemy with Green Goblin who is crazy is a good idea. We know he's fucking crazy. We also do not have a beef with him and technically still owe him one. Making him an enemy is a terrible idea.
>>
>>5233191
Gobby may not be our friend, but turning him into our enemy would be the opposite of smart.
>>
>>5232285
>Nothing. You never got your lawyer!
This is the chad response. Also the most legally advantageous.
>>
>>5233191
Oh wow, on reread, you've gone as far as admitting membership of a criminal super gang and intent to murder to the director of SHIELD right to her face. And then asked for a glowie-made jet and free reign to murder in exchange for a fancy metal disk.

What the fuck, anon?
>>
>>5233196
>>5233210
>>5233212
Goblin hasn't helped us. Ever.

He deleted some security footage of us stealing a relatively unimportant computer. While we were in costume. There would have been exactly zero fallout from that.

He then took a job from Tombstone where we happened to work together. Part of his work was to actively murder one of our important contacts. And we wound up doing all the heavy lifting in both stealth and combat.

Contrast that to Maria Hill who has had her staff not only cure, but stabilize Flint. She knows we are a thief, but hasn't turned us in or arrested us. She hasn't even used Flint as leverage. Even the current situation makes sense given that Ben could probably break her in half if he got angry.

She could have sent heavy weapon teams to blast Flint into his component molecules sand or no sand when he freaked out.

Why do I think we should do this? Because like it or not we do owe Hill a debt. And the Goblin isn't our friend. Besides this might not be the same Hill we all know so we can at least hear her out.
>>
>>5233228
She's the director of SHIELD, not some cop. If she wants us to rot in prison and has the assets to make it happen, then we will rot in prison regardless of whether we are innocent or not.

Do you really think it matters whether we tell her we are part of a criminal gang? SHIELD doesn't really care too much about employing or arresting criminals. They care about the big shit.

While I appreciate the above video and valid advice about cops it doesn't apply here because SHIELD isn't really a police force. They are a massive clandestine organization with a lot of grey morals.

Even moreso in a world where they aren't directly associated with Captain America.
>>
>>5232341
>>5232348
>>5233191
>>5232291
>>5232319
>>5232362
>>5232410
>>5232855
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

Also, sorry for leaving these votes open for so long. Work's been rough this week and I've been finding less time to write in between work and sleep. Things should hopefully start to settle down soon.
>>
Lots to unload here
Goblin did help us somewhat, but not to be our ally, but to fuck with someone else.
Without Metagaming, we only know his motivations are personal at best, insane at worst.
Him making enemies of SHIELD is so not our problem

Our own relation with SHIELD is not too complicated either.
Us avoiding Hill was not something we initiated ourselves, as it was facilitated by everyone else on SHIELDs side
but apparently Hill wants us to be an asset to SHIELD, and while her methodes are appaling.
We can throw her a bone and say that we'll look into it while we gather more information

If we have to decide between Goblin who was helpful to us once and who may or may not be useful in the future, versus SHIELD who was helpful to us (or Flint) with a wild cast of friendly characters, who surely is useful in the future...
I don't think it's even a contest what the logical choice is... even if Hill's method of talking to us is just the worst
>>
“Why not let the Russians find it?” you asked, finally deciding to break your brief vow of silence. “Isn’t that why they’re here in the first place?”

Hill shook her head. “The Winter Guard is in the middle of a mass witch hunt, eliminating traitors and spies in the KGB. There’s no telling who actually has the country’s best interests in mind, and who just wants to ransom the shield in order to make a profit or further their agendas.” she said, squinting in frustration.

“Plus, you probably don’t want them to have to march all the way over here and take the shield back themselves.” you added. “That loses you a bargaining chip, and it makes you seem incompetent by mishandling the retrieval effort, and allowing their agents to slip into your city.”

Hill blinked for a moment, and gave you a considering glance. Finally, she nodded slowly. “There is some truth to that, yes.” she said carefully.

You crossed your arms in defiance. “Why me? You probably have a million other super spies at your disposal who have experience with this kind of thing.” you said.

Hill stiffened a bit. “That may have been true at some point in time, but it isn’t the case now. With Widow gone, along with a handful of other agents, Spider-Woman is the closest thing we have to a ‘super spy’. But she has her hands full sniffing around to find the KGB agents that are out there right now gathering intel on us. And not only that, but we’ve been experiencing leaks of our own.” she admitted, with no shortage of personal shame. “We don’t know how many of our agents’ faces they have on file, but I don’t want to risk them out there until we can put a leash on this. I’ve already had one agent go dark on me.”

You remained quiet for a long while before responding. “This is one of those ‘deniable asset’ things that happen in spy movies, isn’t it?” you asked.

Hill’s hard demeanor cracked for just a moment, and a smirk teased the corners of her lips. “Got it in one.” she said in an almost conversational manner. “I’ve been keeping my eye on you. The circumstances are less than ideal, but I think your ‘unique’ set of skills could prove useful. You have no obvious ties to our organization. If you get caught, we never met. If you succeed, however…” she trailed off, allowing you to consider the ramifications and possibilities.

You suppressed a groan and shifted your weight onto your back foot. “What’ll you give me if I get it for you?” you asked.

Hill’s lips pressed into a thin line, but she didn’t look particularly surprised. “If you do this for me, and succeed in getting me that shield, I’ll overlook some of the more…’questionable’ behavior that I’ve noticed from you in recent weeks.” she promised. “I’ll also consider this as a repayment of the debt that you and your friend owe.”

(Cont.)
>>
Your hands balled into fists at the mention of Flint, but Hill stalled your outburst with a raised hand. “I still intend to release him to you. I just wanted to discuss this with you before you disappeared. I don’t imagine you would’ve been very open to negotiations if you thought that you could continue avoiding me by changing costumes.” she informed you.

What will you say?

>”I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.”
>”Do I get any cool spy gadgets?”
>”Maybe try a phone call next time? A closed cell is the worst environment for any respectable negotiation to take place.”
>”Have you told anyone else about…the other stuff?”
>”And if I refuse? Will you just keep me locked up in here?”
>”Sorry, but I’m not in the mood to make an enemy of an entire country for meddling in their affairs.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5233335

>”I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.”
>”Maybe try a phone call next time? A closed cell is the worst environment for any respectable negotiation to take place.”

Someone being a reasonable and decent human being! My only weakness! Still, no promises though.

I'd honestly consider just asking Gobbie for the damn thing he wasn't so likely to tell us to do a bunch of murder, which goes against the Desperado's Codex and would alert him if we decided to steal it after all.
>>
>>5233340
We could just buy it off of him. That or we could trade him some juicy Oscorp intel.
>>
>>5233352
Unlikely to go that smoothly, but yes, it's worth considering.

Also worth considering is that if Hill gives us enough information, we also might be able to do our first heist movie arc, starring the Desperados.
>>
>>5233335
>”I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.”
>>
>>5233335
>"I did your Howling Commandos a favor when interacting with vampire cultists."
>"If you think I did anything else questionable, I would believe it's my right to know what else I'll not be accountable for. Because it seems you think I'm more than just an infringer of Jess' copyright."
If we make a deal to get stuff stricken from the record I need to know what exactly those are. At least make an unspoken agreement into a spoken one.
>" I know 'Spy stuff', you like your secrets, but I want to know what I am bargaining for."
>>
>>5233335
>”I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.”
>”Have you told anyone else about…the other stuff?”
>"Is it al right if I ask my partners, including Flint, for help or is this supposed to be a solo mission?"
>>
>>5233335
>So what do you got on me? I need to know what I'm being blackmailed for.
>”I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.”
>”Do I get any cool spy gadgets?”
>I hope there will be no bad blood between us after this. Both of us had very good reasons to try and trick eachother.
>>
>>5233335
>”I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.”
>”Do I get any cool spy gadgets?”
>”Maybe try a phone call next time? A closed cell is the worst environment for any respectable negotiation to take place.”
>>
>>5233363
>>5233391
I want to support asking her what she got on us, but I'm not hot on either telling her about the vampire stuff nor accusing her of blackmail (even though she certainly is)

>"You know what else is 'questionable’ behavior? Doing this combined with soft blackmail before you try it with 'please' and 'thank you'. We've met once and it's not like I dodged your calls or something."
>"You know what a call is, right? It's that thing that allows you to talk to someone from a safe distance without needing bulletproof glass between you two. It's amazing what we can do with technology these days."
>"Anyway, I'm all about that cloak and dagger shit, so I'll really think about it. But I have two more conditions."
>"I want to know - in plain english - what of my 'questionable behavior' you saw and think to overlook, even if I'll plead the fifth to it all. I want to know what your bargain chip is specifically."
>"And secondly, also important. I really need to hear the word 'please' out of you."
>>
>>5233545
supporting this as well
>>
>>5233545
>what of my 'questionable behavior' you saw and think to overlook
what of my 'questionable behavior' /you thought/ you saw and think to overlook
>>
>>5233335
Do I get any cool spy gadgets?”
>>
>>5233340
>>5233361
>>5233366
>>5233391
>>5233429
>>5233545
>>5233558
>>5233611
>>5233759
Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>”I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.”
>”Do I get any cool spy gadgets?”
>”Maybe try a phone call next time? A closed cell is the worst environment for any respectable negotiation to take place.”
>"I want to know - in plain English - what of my 'questionable behavior' you saw and think to overlook, even if I'll plead the fifth to it all. I want to know what your bargain chip is specifically."
>>
“I’ll think about it. Send me what you’ve got.” you said.

Hill nodded, pulled out a small tablet and started tapping away at it.

“Ooh! Do I get any cool spy gadgets?” you asked.

“What part of ‘no ties to our organization’ did you not understand?” she asked, not looking up from her device when responding to you.

“Spies aren’t the only ones that have gadgets, you know.” you argued.

Hill bit her lip and narrowed her eyes a bit, seemingly considering your words. “I’ll consider it. Maybe Cho can prepare something for you.” she replied.

“While you’re at it, would you mind telling me—in plain English—what this ‘questionable behavior’ that you’re trying to overlook consists of? I just want to know what your bargaining chip is.” you requested.

Hill did stop typing, then. She slowly raised her head and looked you dead in the eyes. Her expression was deadpan when she looked down at her tablet, punched in a few more commands, and swiped upwards, changing all the displays on the monitors around you. All of which you immediately recognized. They were images and videos of your past escapades. Your first big job with Tombstone and Flint, your arrival and departure from the Oscorp Bio Lab, your narrow escape from the authorities when you first met Cat and Prowler, and your battle with the Vulture Gang. Hell, they even had amateur footage of your fights in the Crucible! The angles and video quality of each incident varied greatly, but it was still clear that you were in them, even if some of them did seem a bit sketchy.

“Let’s see here. We have: ‘Grand Larceny’, ‘Breaking and Entering’, ‘Consorting with Known Criminals’, ‘Aiding and Abetting Wanted Criminals’, ‘Refusal to Cooperate with Local Authorities’, ‘Impeding the Progress of a Criminal Investigation’, ‘Reckless Endangerment of Civilian Lives’, ‘Murder’, ‘Partaking in Illegal Activities’, ‘Illegal Gambling’. And…likely ‘Owning Illegal Firearms’.” she said, finishing off a long list of crimes that left you absolutely speechless.

Hill lowered the tablet and gave you another flat look. “Will that be enough to satisfy your curiosity, or is this the part where you aggressively deny each and every piece of evidence that I’ve collected?” she asked.

You nodded slowly, and she gave you a brief smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Now, if there are no other questions, I-” she began to say, before you lifted a finger to interrupt her.

“Less of a question and more a piece of advice.” you said. “Maybe try a phone call next time? A closed cell is like the worst environment for any negotiation to take place in.”

(Cont.)
>>
Hill raised an eyebrow at that. “Are you saying with absolute certainty that you would’ve accepted a call from an unknown number, with or without knowing that it was coming from the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D? Can you say with complete confidence that you would’ve been any more accommodating or accepting of my proposal were it from the safety of your own home, where you could hang up whenever you wanted?” she said. When you didn’t answer right away, she continued. “I don’t deal in what-ifs, Spider-Man, or…whatever it is that you call yourself. I don’t have time to track your skinny ass down and drag you back up here so I can do what I should’ve done when you first stepped onto my Helicarrier. So I sincerely apologize if the conditions and circumstances of my approach don’t make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, but believe it or not, I truly don’t give a damn what you think about me or my methods. I just want to get shit done, you feel me?” Hill declared, before turning around and walking towards the door.

“This barrier will be lowered in 5 minutes. After you leave, a S.H.I.E.L.D agent will be waiting outside to escort you to your friend. You’re both free to go.” she said, pressing a button to command the door open. “Oh, and speaking of phones, here’s a little bit of professional advice. Be careful where you bring those phones when you’re walking around a secure facility like this one.”

As she slipped out the door, the phone in your pocket vibrated several times, and you were left by yourself in the empty lab. The monitors went dark a moment later, plunging the entire room into uncomfortable silence.

—-------

True to her word, the glass barrier did lower itself after a few minutes. When you exited the room, a guard was waiting for you outside to escort you to Cho’s lab. He didn’t ask any questions, or give you any suspicious looks. He simply did as he was told, and reunited you with your best buddy.

Flint’s face lit up when he saw you, and he pulled you into a big, dusty, cough-inducing hug. “What’re you doing here? No one told me you were coming.”

What will you say?

>”We’re getting you out of here ASAP. I’m sick of this place.”
>”I’ll tell you later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home.”
>”Just had a little chat with Hill. It was about as unpleasant as all the rumors had said.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”
>”Do I need an excuse to visit my best pal?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5233996
>>”I’ll tell you later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home.”
>>
>>5233996
>”I’ll tell you later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home.”
Bitch has us by the balls... or does she?
>>
>>5234006
She's not the first one...
>>
>>5233996
>>”I’ll tell you later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home.”
>>
>>5233996
>”Just had a little chat with Hill. It was about as unpleasant as all the rumors had said.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”
>>
>>5234006
I think we're going to have the same kind of relationship that Peter and J. Jonah Jameson have in the main timeline.
We don't like them, but we continue to work for them because we have no other choice.
>>
>>5233996
>>”Just had a little chat with Hill. It was about as unpleasant as all the rumors had said.”
>>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.
and
>"Big news pal. We're getting out of here! You and me, Hill already confirmed it so we just need to go into the closest ship and fuck off. As a celebration we're going to grab the most nasty, delicious and artery blocking junk food we can find at this hour that your newly sand-made can process. Are you in, or what?"
>"As a warning tho, I didn't bring no money to pay so you have to. It's really hard to bring things when I use such a tight costume like this one" joke

Also Score. Can we grab a comm or anything from Cho to give a message to Hill? Or even to see us before we leave and tell her something like "I might be willing to help in that thing we talk if you grant me some help in future slips I get into. Or maybe a romantic date you and I, what do you like, italian? Chinese?"
>>
>>5233996
>”We’re getting you out of here ASAP. I’m sick of this place.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”
I guess spider-sense only goes so far when it comes to surveillance. With the cat out of the bag, we might as well reduce the dual hero identity shtick to "open secret", which is the most realistic way things could have gone anyway.

We'll be the Scientology of heroes! Sink a bunch of money into PR, deny any wrongdoing, and sue the pants off anyone who disagrees! We probably need to appease Hill for that though.
>>
>>5233996
>”We’re getting you out of here ASAP. I’m sick of this place.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”
I kinda want to break in Hill's office and web all her papers to the ceiling before we go, but that's too risky.
>>
>>5234144
>Sink a bunch of money into PR
Not a bad idea at all, we can do that by investing in the underprivileged mutant communities in the NYC sewers and tunnels.
Imagine how good that Robin Hood type shit'll look.
>deny any wrongdoing
Better yet, we spin any accusations in such a way that we were never doing anything "wrong" in the first place.
>>
>>5233996
>>”Just had a little chat with Hill. It was about as unpleasant as all the rumors had said.”
>”Do I need an excuse to visit my best pal?”
>>
>>5233996
>"I think I just lost a dick measuring contest with a woman."
>>”I’ll tell you later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home.”
>>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you, Bobbi and Jess have done for us.”
>>
>>5234258
This.
>>
>>5233996
>”Just had a little chat with Hill. It was about as unpleasant as all the rumors had said.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”
>>
>>5233992
I am unreasonably mad that none of her footage portrays us slaying notable vampires like the karmic rebirth of spider powered Van Helsing.

>>5233996
>>5234258
This.

>>5234144
Even if Maria Hill knows that's a far cry from making the trick useless.

>>5234155
>Investing in "ugly" homeless mutant communities in a Marvel continuity
>Good PR
Anon...
>>
>>5234258
+1
>>
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>>5233996
I’ll tell you later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”

Give Cho one of these
>>
>>5233996
>”We’re getting you out of here ASAP. I’m sick of this place.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”
Credit where it's due, that was a brutal mogging by Hill.
That said, I think as a principle we should fucking never take any job under duress. Horrible precedent, and Hill has no reason to actually overlook our crimes when she could just keep them in her back pocket in case she needs something from us again.
I say we look at the info for the job, then either get the shield and do something else with it (risky, pisses off Hill), or just ignore the job entirely. We're small fry to an org like SHIELD anyway, I highly doubt they'll mobilize forces to fucking arrest us.
>>
>>5233996
>”We’re getting you out of here ASAP. I’m sick of this place.”
>”Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.”
Fuck Hill. I agree with >>5234462
Maybe we can trade something for it with the gobbo, seems like a reasonable fellow
>>
>>5234462
We could just keep the Shield in our loot vault.
Every criminal organization has one.
>>
>>5233996
>"Oh boy, Flint. You would not believe the health care debt we have to work off now. That's not to say I'm not eternally thankful, Doc"
>"Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us."
>>5234258
>"But I think I just lost a dick measuring contest with a woman who wants to have me as her bondslave."
>>"I’ll tell you the details later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home."
>"We’re getting you out of here ASAP. I’m sick of this place already and I can't fathom how you feel about it." and to Cho: "No offense."
>>
Knowing what exactly she has on us is good.
I'd say this is better than us juggling two personas while making a fool of ourselves.
Now we can juggle two personas while making a fool of Hill.
Now we will never not be the guy who /started out/ as a villain in the eyes of the higher ups at SHIELD
but that also means we got to be really real sneaky about our crimes.
If only we knew of something that fries every camera and blacks out every electrical equipment it comes close to...
>>
>>5234530
Oh yeah, it's all coming together.
We also need to see if we can't find somebody to impersonate us so we can have both personas in public at the same time.
That'll fuck with people for sure.
>>
>>5234258
>>5234278
>>5234387
>>5234519
>>5234370
>>5234002
>>5234006
>>5234031
Taking these. Writing...

By the way, Hill isn't saying that you can't do your triple identity thing. She doesn't really give a shit, so long as she can keep track of your activity.
>>
>>5234598
That's pretty much how I read it.
So we should be above SHIELD radar "not too bad, but still bad" bad guys while our really bad stuff needs to be on another layer of secrecy
>>
File: real power.gif (2.32 MB, 340x191)
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>>5234602
forgot my image
>>
>>5234071
Sure thing. I'll slip it into the next update.

>>5234144
Your Spider-Sense only reacts to surveillance when you're about to reveal something particularly self-incriminating that'll threaten your personal life. It relies on your perception of danger, as well.

>>5234530
>>5234582
Marvel heroes are surprisingly forgiving about people who used to be villains "changing their ways". Lots of popular heroes used to be villains in other books.
>>
>>5234613
>Lots of popular heroes used to be villains in other books.
up to the point we no longer remembering them being villains in the first place
Hawkeye or Rogue especially
while everyone still remembers Black Widow, Scarlet Witch and Magneto as villains
>>
>>5234602
Yeah basically. We shouldn't be doing anything that they can't ignore.
Seems simple enough, but only time will tell.
>>
“I think I just lost a dick measuring contest with a woman.” you grumbled.

You hated to admit it, but the woman utterly outplayed you this time. She had you by the balls, and by god if she wasn’t squeezing with the iron grip of a lobster about to take the plunge into a boiling pot of water. You’d have to find a way out from under her thumb. It might not be soon, but it was now at the very top of your to-do-list.

When Flint frowned at you, you waved him off and shook your head. “I’ll tell you later. We’re having an emergency team meeting when we get back home.” you declared.

Flint seemed to express concern and excitement in equal measure. You were just happy that he was finally getting out of here. But before you left, you turned to Cho and gave him a respectful nod.

“Thanks for your help, Cho. I appreciate everything that you and Bobbi have done for us.” you said.

Cho shrugged and gave you a sheepish grin. “Hey man, it’s the least that I could do. If what Hill said was anything to go by, you’re out there every day slapping down thugs and all sorts of crooks. You and Flint keep up the good work.” he said.

His words had taken you aback. Hill was covering for you and lying to her own subordinates? Was that so they wouldn’t get suspicious and look into you themselves? It was likely that she just didn’t want you to go and get yourself caught before you could be of any use to her.

You quickly schooled your expression and extended your fist towards Cho. “Put ‘er there.”

Cho smiled broadly and bumped fists with you. After they made contact, both of you leaned back and imitated an explosion with your mouths and hands. If there was one good thing about all this, it was that your relationship with the other S.H.I.E.L.D agents wasn’t immediately ruined. You still had valuable resources and allies to call upon, should you need them.

“Oh, right!” Cho said, snapping his fingers in recollection. “Hill asked me to give this to you.”

Cho dug into his coat pocket and pulled out what looked to be an old pager. You accepted it, turned it over a few times, and gave Cho a flat look.

“It’s ancient.” you observed. “Does Hill have an AOL account that she still uses, by any chance?”

Cho nodded his agreement. “I know, right? It’s an absolute dinosaur, but it was made by Fury’s old lab boys when he was still in charge. I think it’s supposed to be a direct line to Hill. Way more secure than what me and Bobbi gave you.” he admitted, scratching the back of his head. “You must be the real deal if Hill wants to keep you as a backup.”

You weren’t sure if you should be flattered or worried that she was going around telling people about you. If there’s anyone that should be discreet in their dealings, it’s a goddamn Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

(Cont.)
>>
But if there was one thing that you knew for sure, it was that Hill had made a crucial mistake in giving you a direct line. You were SO gonna harass the shit out of her later!

—-------

After a few parting words, you were led towards the airstrip, where you and Flint were loaded onto a tiny, cramped shuttle that flew down and dropped you off on a vacant rooftop. You imagined that you probably wouldn’t be taking any trips back to the Helicarrier anytime soon.

You breathed a sigh of relief, patted the pager in your pocket and started to make your way home. It took a bit longer than usual, since you had to wait for Flint to catch up. He was capable of taking falls from great heights and morphing his body into odd shapes to slip through the city without much difficulty, but he was nowhere near as fast as you were with your webs. You didn’t mind it, though. Just seeing him back out here, getting his miles in, it made you feel a bit better about all of this. You buddy was home free, and better than ever. With both of your powers, no one was gonna be able to stop you from clawing your way to the top. Not even the Acting Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.

—----

When you led Flint through the front door, he was warmly greeted by Felicia and Cindy. Prowler hung back and gave him a nod, which was pretty much what you’d come to expect from him.

Flint was pleasantly surprised to see that you had decided to take Cindy under your wing. It was a comfort to see the two of them getting along like they were. You don’t think you’d be able to hold a team together that couldn’t work without you there to mediate for them. After the pleasantries had lost their luster, you pulled your phone out and pulled up the file that Hill had beamed directly to your phone. Thankfully, Prowler had a mini projector that he hooked up to your phone.

With it, you were able to display the files on an unoccupied wall in the warehouse. There were multiple images of the Green Beret, Gobbie, and a whole slew of theories about who they were and where they might have come from. This shield toting brute seemed to pop up out of nowhere, reportedly being inhumanly strong and fast, like a true supersoldier.

Conveniently, the case file also included a number of hideouts that the Goblin had set up over the past few weeks. It was impossible to know whether they were still occupied, but they might be worth taking a look at.

While you reviewed the files, you retold the events of your encounter with Hill to your fellow teammates.

“So she knows everything?” Felicia asked, a look of horror on her face.

You shook your head. “Not everything. But she knows enough.” you said.

“Enough to put you behind bars if you slip up.” Prowler confirmed.

(Cont.)
>>
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“She doesn’t care about the little stuff. Heists and shit like that won’t even register on her radar most of the time.” you said. “We’ve just gotta make sure that we don’t create another entry in ‘Huntsman’s Greatest Hits’.”

Cindy snickered and showed you a sentence in her notebook.

“No, I didn’t ‘ask her for a copy’. I was too busy kicking myself for falling right into her trap.” you grumbled.

“Aw, that’s too bad.” Felicia put in. “I would’ve liked to see that blooper reel.”

“You joke, but I could genuinely use a stunt double at this point.” you replied. “Something to throw Hill off of my trail.”

Flint’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry, Benny. I didn’t mean for ya’ to get in trouble because of me.” he admitted.

“Don’t you dare apologize.” you quickly chastised him. Not after you got him into this mess. “This is between me and Hill. We were bound to butt heads at some point.”

You scrolled down to another page in the file, and froze right then and there. Flint looked back and forth between the image on the projection, and your face. He was unable to see what kind of expression you were making, but he could probably guess.

Why the hell did Hill have a picture of your brother’s face in here!? Does Hill know who you are? Is this why she gave you this mission? Is he somehow involved in this stupid little Goblin cult?

Your head was swimming with questions that you needed answers to.

What will you do?

>Page Hill and grill her about ‘Richard Parker’.
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.
>Try to contact your brother.
>”On second thought…I think I’ll make this into a personal project.”
>”...Fuck this.” (Shut off the projector)
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5234687
>Try to contact your brother.
It's high fucking time we called him anyhow.
>>
>>5234687
>>”On second thought…I think I’ll make this into a personal project.”
>>
>>5234687
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.
>Try to contact your brother.
>>
>>5234687
can you give us a rundown of what we should already know about Richard?
scientist who fucked off on his kid, but I don't remember for whom he worked or on what.
>>
>>5234687
>Page Hill and grill her about ‘Richard Parker’.
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.
I don't think we should go after Gobbie in our Huntsman outfit, also did he see Black Cat, Prowler or Flint during the vulture business? Cause we should be taking team members he doesn't know work with us.
>>
>>5234687
Something tells me Dick took a job at Oscorp under the table.
>Try to contact your brother.
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.

Damn it. We are getting perilously close to having too much family involved to maintain a secret identity. Between this and the vampire attack and Hill...

Jesus Hill probably knows about our mad dash through the city to save our family from vampires as well. Between that and a literal google search for "known associates of Flint Marco" its a shoe-in that she knows who we are.

Okay hear me out here. What if we told the crew who we are and what our connection to this is? Flint already knows and BC and Prowler can, if nothing else, keep a secret.

I mean, it wouldn't be a spider man quest if we didn't inadvisably share our secret identity.
>>
>>5234704
He's Ben's younger brother, and the two of them have a bit of a complicated past. He loves Richard, but his parents have always made it clear that he was the favorite. Take that, and his overbearing sense of morals, and you get a rift between the two family members that limits their contact to something that feels mandatory at times.

Richard's always been a brilliant guy, so Ben wonders why he's squandering his potential as a real estate agent, instead of going into a scientific field and making a lot more money.

>>5234714
Gobbie was indeed present in the room during your meeting with Silvermane. He has seen Flint, Cat and Prowler all in the same room with you.
>>
>>5234714
The Green Goblin isn't in direct possession of the shield. Someone working with him is. Some guy who supposedly moves like an actual super soldier.

We can probably approach Goblin under the guise of looking to work with him, isolate the super soldier, and take him out using Flint who is 99% immune to anything he can do.

Alternatively we can plan it like any other heist,
and boost the shield with no-one the wiser.
>>
>>5234687
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.
>Try to contact your brother.
I doubt Hill is going to tell us much about our bro, so we gotta call him ourselves. I ain't read the comics detailing he and his wife's adventures but lord knows they need to be more involved in their child rearing.


>Write-in
Ask Prowler and Cat if Flint could join the Desperados!
>>
>>5234729
Anon he's already on the team, we are the leader.
>>
>>5234731
Commandment 7 anon, gotta practice what we preach.
>>
>>5234687
>Try to contact your brother.
>”...Fuck this.” (Shut off the projector)
Obviously don't tip your hand about our relationship with Rich.

>>5234613
>It relies on your perception of danger, as well.
So what you're saying is we need Ben to be way more paranoid as a character. Caaaan do!
>>
>>5234687
>Find if Richard Parker is mentioned by name in any of those documents
I don't want to ask Tombstone to ask for Goblins contact info.
>Ask Silvio if he can find out a way to track down Goblin under the guise of recruiting for the Slip capture.
>Ask Prowler and Cat if Flint could join the Desperados!
>>
>>5234687
Oh yeah almost forgot
>Put forward Flint as a new candidate for the Desperados and hold a vote while everybody's still here
>>
What even is shields agenda here? Like what scale dose something need to get to before they intervene normally? Also first time posting here I’m enjoying the quest so far! Which is great sense I haven’t even looked at what’s been on here in like 5 years. Keep up the awsome writing OP!
>>
>>5234687
>Try to contact your brother.
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.
>"Prowler, Felicia, this job has become way more personal. If any of you want to keep this a purely business relationship, this is the time to back out"
>"Also, let's do a quick vote to officially add Flint to the Desperados. He wasn't here for the founding or when we made the rules, so might as well."
>>
>>5234687
>>”...Fuck this.” (Shut off the projector)
>>
>>5234744
I'm fairly certain that if it doesn't involve metahumans, mutants, supernatural/extraterrestrial phenomena, or foreign entities, SHIELD doesn't care.
>>
Wait a minute...

Obviously intelligent person who is clearly under-employed in a fairly independent job that gives him an excuse to drive around and keep odd hours so he can meet with "clients" to "show houses"...

Obviously moral individual who inexplicably has a secret family and even more inexplicably abandons them...

Richard Parker is an agent of SHIELD.
>>
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>>5234781
Yeah that sounds about right.
He WAS personally scouted by Nick Fury in the original timeline, though that was for the CIA and not SHIELD.
Whatever the case, a spook's a spook and Richard Parker is glowing like a star right now.
>>
>>5234687
>Page Hill and grill her about ‘Richard Parker’.
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.

Let's not call Richard and let him know clearly we are a metahuman thief, please. If he's here and it's an actual agent, that means maybe Hill have told him about this new expendable asset called Huntsman. And if we just so call Richard, out of nowhere without being some kind of family emergency he's going to know about us.
>>
>>5234821
To be absolutely fair, we have every reason to call him right now.
Matter of fact, we should have done so sooner.
>>
>>5234689
>>5234703
>>5234714
>>5234717
>>5234729
>>5234743
>>5234745
>>5234739
>>5234821
>Try to contact your brother.
>See if you can get a list of “Do’s and Don’ts” from Hill.

Taking these. Writing...

>>5234767
Pretty much. Although, S.W.O.R.D is there to manage the extraterrestrial bullshit for the most part.

>>5234744
Glad to have you, anon! It's absolutely amazing to see this many anons participating in and enjoying the quest.
>>
And after this it’s Cindy’s old house, I presume?
>>
>>5234925
Yes. After this update, The Desperados will bring Flint into the team and Ben will bring Cindy back to her old home.
>>
>>5234928
On the topic of our name...should we wear a cowboy hat?
>>
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>>5234952
Good luck keeping it on your head!
>>
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As casual as you could manage, you scrolled past the picture of your brother and left it on a detailed photo of a rally consisting of a crowd wearing masks that resembled the Green Goblin’s face.

Without another word, you stepped away from the group and pulled out your phone. After you’d gotten a good distance away from them, you dialed Richard’s number and waited for him to pick up. He didn’t.

“Come on, Rich. Pick up the damn phone…!” you muttered to yourself, calling the number several more times, and getting sent to voicemail on the last attempt. The asshole was ignoring you!

“Aaand, Dick Parker strikes again.” you said with a sigh. Since your brother was entirely useless in confirming his whereabouts or explaining why he hadn’t come to visit his own kid, you were now tasked with figuring out what was going on with him. There was a chance that he could be in some serious trouble, but what sort of trouble could a real estate agent get into?

Realizing that you wouldn’t be able to reach your brother for the time being, you decided to page Hill. Figuring out how it worked didn’t take terribly long. A quick Youtube tutorial later and some finagling taught you that the device had two functions. Composing text messages and recording voice messages. You could even do both, and send them out to Hill. For the sake of safety, you decided to send a text, flipping it open and going to town on the tiny little keyboard.

“Hey, Hill. Any chance you can give me a list of ‘dos and don'ts’ for things that might get me in trouble with S.H.I.E.L.D?”

A few minutes after sending it, you received a reply.

“If you have to ask the question, it’s probably something that you shouldn’t be doing. Just try not to draw too much negative attention to yourself from now on.” she responded.

It was all that you could do to prevent yourself from smashing the pager right then and there. Why was everyone devoted to being a dick to you today!?

You forced yourself to take several calming breaths before you did something that you’d certainly regret. It was then that your phone started ringing. But it took you a minute to realize that it wasn’t your personal phone. It was your burner.

You slowly pulled out the old Osberry to see that Callisto was calling. Warily, you answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hey Scrooge, you busy?” she asked.

“Very. What’s up?”

“It’s about that offer you made me a while back. The one about me tagging along on some of your jobs?” she said, sounding a bit excited. “Well, I probably won’t be able to go up for a while. Not until things calm down a bit. My people need someone to protect them, you know?”

“Oh. Okay.” you said, clearly deflated and feeling a bit frustrated by having her waste your time with a pointless phone call.

(Cont.)
>>
“But,” she continued. “I’ve got someone else who wants to meet you. Fresh from Xavier’s, they dipped out after all that ‘Master Race’ bullshit started happening. After me, they’re the second best fighter that we've got down here.” she proudly declared.

“Oh?

“His codename’s ‘Glass’. He’s seen some time in the Danger Room and it’s done him a whole lot of good. When he came down to stay with us, I thought he might be of some use to you. If you’re still offering paying jobs, I mean.”

What will you say?

>”Sure. I’ll swing by sometime later tomorrow to see what he’s all about.”
>”What’re his powers?”
>”The hell’s a ‘Danger Room’?”
>”Let me know if you find any others that need a job. We’re always hiring.”
>"Do mutants decide to leave Xavier's often? I knew they were crazy, but I didn't think that it was bad enough to make someone consider living in the sewers."
>”Why not? I’ve been meaning to talk to you about a few things anyway.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5234958
>>”Sure. I’ll swing by sometime later tomorrow to see what he’s all about.”
>"Do mutants decide to leave Xavier's often? I knew they were crazy, but I didn't think that it was bad enough to make someone consider living in the sewers."
We could use the extra hands
>>
>>5234958
>”What’re his powers?”
>"He's not a little kid, is he?"
>"How are things on your end anyways? Gotta watch our for my muggas ya know?"
>>
>>5234958
>”Sure. I’ll swing by sometime later tomorrow to see what he’s all about.”
>”Why not? I’ve been meaning to talk to you about a few things anyway.”
>>
>>5234968
Support but change to miggas
>>
>>5234983
Nope, gotta be "Mugga". Cap said so.
>>
>>5235014
Lol
>>
>>5234958
>”The hell’s a ‘Danger Room’?”
>”Why not? I’ve been meaning to talk to you about a few things anyway.”

>>5234968
>Gotta watch our for my muggas ya know?"
My jaw actually hurt from the cringe you gave me.
>>
Wait, are we about to hire Samuel L. Jackson?
>>
>>5234963
This. We can save the other questions for the interview.
>>
>>5234958
>”What’re his powers?”
>”The hell’s a ‘Danger Room’?”
>>
>>5234958
>Write-in
Text Vic and ask her to use her extraordinarily superior coupon clipping powers to find some great deals for super market and appliance stuff. Let's get in the good Grace's of the underground bums with some gifts. Maybe even a stack of supreme pizzas and another fat $10k just to flex on how much cash we got.
Gotta do good things, so when Pete finds our his Uncle Ben is a crook his opinion of him wont entirely diminish.
>>
>>5234958
>”Sure. I’ll swing by sometime later tomorrow to see what he’s all about.”
>>
>>5235290
>My jaw actually hurt from the cringe you gave me
Hey man, we're not saying with a hard "R". It's cool.
>>
>>5234958
>”What’re his powers?”
>”The hell’s a ‘Danger Room’?”
>>
>>5235404
This would be a great idea for after the very first time we've actually met them
>>
>>5234963
>>5234968
>>5234983
>>5235290
>>5234982
>>5235383
>>5235400
>>5235406
>>5235681
>”Sure. I’ll swing by sometime later tomorrow to see what he’s all about.”
>”What’re his powers?”
>”The hell’s a ‘Danger Room’?”

Taking the most popular votes. Writing...

>>5235292
It's an OC! One that won't shatter every single bone in his arm with a single punch!

>>5235404
>>5235731
Feel free to bring this option up again at a later date.
>>
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>>5235782
>It's an OC! One that won't shatter every single bone in his arm with a single punch!
it's >pic related
>>
>>5235791
We are gonna have to teach him how to kick. Tho more seriously, being a mutant and a criminal is kind of the opposite of his character.
>>
>>5235791
Fuck off with Green Naruto.
Imagine if he just didn't have a quirk at all. I feel like his story would be ten times more compelling just from the struggles that would ensue from that.
>>
>>5235803
People sure praise a lot this theoretical story that doesn't exists
>>
>>5235806
It's a bad habit that's exceedingly common, but I reserve my right to indulge in it when the story that does exist is subpar.
>>
>>5235803
I personally think Izuku and All Might’s relationship of mutual personal growth and the legacy behind OFA is much better than the green Batman argument, what with Izuku learning how to actually put in the work and All Might rediscovering his humble roots. Of course, that would have required Horikoshi to be a competent writer and not shoot himself in the foot with “muh seven quirks”, among other things.
>>
>>5235829
Really, my only big issue is the whole seven quirks thing. It really detracts from what made Izuku worth caring about. It's an interesting concept on paper, but it would probably have been put to better use with another character entirely.
>>
>>5235803
>>5235806
>>5235809
>>5235829
>>5235840
I used to really enjoy reading MHA way back when, but that stopped sometime after the Overhaul and Gentle arcs. Mirio unironically mogs Izuku as being protag material. Most of the characters that get introduced in the school setting end up being ignored for like 3 people most of the time. I also wish that they had more threatening villains like Muscular, who was an adult and a practiced killer. That shit would be terrifying to a wide-eyed kid trying to get into the hero business. They never really confront those feelings. The fact that they'll all have to grow up fast, and effectively become heroes in a Pro-Registration society that puts their entire lives on display for the whole world to see. The closest they get to criticizing their society is that one part with Stain and later with Shigaraki, I think. Izuku having seven quirks didn't really do anything for me. I just started to dread the inevitable power creep that he'd need to confront Shigaraki. He just wasn't compelling enough for me to care about. I don't keep up with the series anymore. I was more interested in the Vigilante spin-off.
>>
>>5235852
I just like toga, twice and endeavor
>>
>>5235862
They're great. I liked Endeavor's redemption arc, and Twice was unironically the best character in the series.
>>
>>5235852
I haven’t been able to read BNHA since they pulled that seven quirks shit. I mean, they always go on about how strengthening quirks are the most versatile of all, so why didn’t they play around with that? Horikoshi could’ve gone wild with it, especially with how analytical and creative Izuku is when it comes to his and others’ quirks, but he just resorted to le power up meme.
And Vigilantes was written by an actual writer, which is why it’s so much better.
>>
“The hell’s a ‘Danger Room’?” you said.

“It’s like a super high tech, simulated training room.” Callisto answered. “It can simulate any kind of environment or enemy for the user to fight. It all feels real, too. They’ve got kids running that shit every single day. I think at some point it became a woman, too?”

Damn. Xavier’s is more hardcore than you thought. You’d kill to have something that valuable to train your own people.

“I can guarantee that he could probably lay a good number of your guys out in a straight up brawl.” Callisto goaded you.

You severely doubted that this kid could take on Flint in his current incarnation, but Felicia and Prowler were anyone’s guess. You’d have to see for yourself when you met up with them. It wasn’t a bad offer at all. You could use the extra muscle in the days to come.

“Sounds promising. I’ll swing by sometime later tomorrow to see what he’s all about.” you promised, glancing over at the others, who were now deeply engaged in another conversation that you weren’t close enough to hear clearly. “What’re his powers?”

Callisto made a brief, motorboat-like noise with her mouth before answering. “Well, we call him ‘Glass’ because most of his body is made of this clear, crystalline stuff. He can harden his body, fire out shards of glass, and make weapons and shit.” she explained.

“Is he fragile like glass?” you asked.

“He might get a few cracks every now and again, but I’ve never seen him get completely shattered. His body’s tough enough to stop bullets, and he can heal whatever sort of damage he takes.”

That did sound impressive! Maybe you lucked out by forging bonds with the crazy sewer lady.

“We’ll see if he lives up to the hype. Where should we meet up?”

“Your choice. I’m the one that knows this place like the back of my hand.”

You pulled out your map and marked a location that would easily allow you to reach the phone booth that Dr. Connors wrecked earlier. Confirming this with her, she agreed to meet you there and hung up shortly afterward. You had more than a few things to discuss with her, but you would have that opportunity when she introduced you to ‘Glass’ tomorrow.

Once that was over, you rejoined the group and casually shrugged off their questions and concerns. All you said was that you would be scouting for a new recruit tomorrow. You would have to figure out whether you were going to be taking anyone other than Cindy with you.

But before then, you had some business to take care of.

“I hereby request that we hold a vote over the initiation of Flint Marko, ‘The Sandman’, into the Desperados.” you announced. “Me and Cindy Moon can vouch for his trustworthiness and loyalty to the cause of making loads of money. All in favor?”

(Cont.)
>>
Both Felicia and Prowler raised their hands immediately. So did you and Cindy.

“All opposed?”

All hands went down.

“Then without further ado, we welcome you into our Inner Circle. We expect great things from you, buddy.” you said, patting the big man on the shoulder, who was grinning widely.

“I think this is gonna be the start of something great, Benny.” he declared, throwing an arm over your shoulder. And just like that, for a few sweet, short moments, everything was alright. The gang was back together again.

—-----

You left Prowler and Cat to explain the team’s rules and commandments to Flint. That, and catching him up on recent events would probably take a while, so in the meantime, you decided to fulfill your promise to Cindy.

There the two of you stood, side by side, facing a two-story house sitting on top of a hill. It looked quite nice from the outside, if you ignored all the broken glass and police tape.

Cindy was deathly still by your side, gripping your hand so hard that you were certain your skin was bruising underneath the glove.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” you asked.

Cindy nodded slowly without looking at you, her eyes locked firmly on the house on the hill. It was another four minutes before she took another step, and then another, until the two of you were slowly approaching the front door.

She let go of your hand when it came time to slip past the police tape and step inside. You could hear and feel the crunch of broken glass beneath your feet. Cindy either didn’t mind or didn’t notice.

Since it was dark outside, the same could be said for the inside. You had to use your Spider-Signal to guide your steps, before Cindy easily found and flipped on a lamp that had been left intact.

She took a long look at the living room. The family photos that lined the walls and littered the floor, all of them clearly having been taken in the house.

The TV was smashed, and the furniture had been tossed around in the brawl that ensued. Cindy just took it all in, her expression never changing. Looking at her now, it was hard to believe that she was as young as you’d initially assumed. The look in her eyes made her seem so much older. More grizzled and jaded. Less sensitive to the horror of this scene.

Cindy’s footsteps stopped somewhere in the middle of the room, where two chalk outlines lay flat on the wooden floor. She stared at them for a long, long while. As if the people that made those impressions were still there, alive and well. Cindy’s expression became tight, and tears began to well up in the corner of her eyes. The broken picture frame that she held in her hand started to fracture even more. She was gripping it so tightly that little droplets of blood were pouring down the side.

(Cont.)
>>
You wanted to snatch it out of her hand. To chastise her for being so foolish. To warn her of the dangers of leaving traces of blood at crime scenes where police might investigate. But you stopped yourself and reeled your hand back in. In that very moment, you hated that ever-nagging practical voice in the back of your head. It kept you alive, but it was also cold, detached, and uncaring.

What will you do/say?

>Stay where you are and let her grieve.
>Pull her into a hug.
>Place a hand on her shoulder and stand beside her.
>”What were your parents like?”
>”Do you want revenge on the things that did this?”
>”You once told me that your voice was ‘stolen’. How exactly did that happen?”
>”Were you the one that helped me out when I was attacked by those vultures?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5235902
>Pull her into a hug.
>"Just let it out Cindy. Please."
Fucking tragic that they took away her ability to shout and sob.
>>
>>5235902
>>Place a hand on her shoulder and stand beside her.
>>
>>5235902
>Place a hand on her shoulder and stand beside her.
>”What were your parents like?”
>”Do you want revenge on the things that did this?”
>”Were you the one that helped me out when I was attacked by those vultures?”
>>
>>5235902
>Kneel down to her level, just right infront of her
>"People have all different ideas of what it means to be strong."
>"Emotional strength doesn't mean to bottle your emotions up, but knowing when and where to let them all out."
>Open your arms for a hug, but let her initiate an embrace.
>>
>>5235902
>Place a hand on her shoulder and stand beside her.
>You are a person, Cindy, a wonderful and kind girl. You are allowed to feel sad, so don't hold it in.
>>
>>5235919
Supporto
>>
>>5235905
+1

We still have yet to ask SHEILD if they can fix it. Or ask the mechanic to make her a voicebox.
>>
>>5235947
Honestly speaking, the less we associate with SHIELD, the better.
The only reason we did so in the first place was out of desperation, and Hill just pissed all over anything positive that could have come after that.
Besides, this is NYC. There's gonna be more than one way we can give Cindy her voice back...of she even wants it that is.
>>
>>5235902
>>5235919
This is pretty spot on, support.

>>5235964
The moment we took Flint to the helicarrier a Hill mission was inevitable. Of the ways that COULD have gone this was relatively innocuous.

I mean Flint could easily have wound up having his personality erased and replaced with that of a gung ho marine just before being shipped out to murder terrorist cells in the sandiest country available.

I say once the mission is over and our debt is clear we treat them like any other client and take their job if the price is right.
>>
>>5235977
>Of the ways that COULD have gone this was relatively innocuous.
Agreed, things could have gone far worse.
That said, we were put in a position where we had precisely zero leverage and stand to gain nothing of value despite all the inherent risks.
I'm personally in favor of never letting that shit happen again.
In the future, if we're taking a job, we're doing it on our own terms and we're getting something tangible out of it.
>>
>>5235919
+1
>>
>>5235919
+1
>>
>>5235902
>>5235919 +1
>>
>>5235902
>Pull her into a hug.
>”Do you want revenge on the things that did this?”

I'm gonna go rewatch the entirety of Arcane now. Again.
>>
>>5235919
Support
>>
>>5235902
As Cindy's legal/illegal guardian, can we claim ownership of the home until she is of age to take it? You know stewardship or something? Would Cindy rather sell the house and save the money? We could use it for school stuff! Backpacks, pencils, binders, m80's, hobby stuff.
>>
>>5235902
How powerful is Vicky's capacity to save money and find great deals?
>>
>>5236571
You ever seen extreme couponers? That's her
>>
>>5235902
>Place a hand on her shoulder and stand beside her.
>>5235977
>I say once the mission is over and our debt is clear we treat them like any other client and take their job if the price is right
Any reason we shouldn't just do that right now? We could message Hill "I've examined the data you've sent me and the job is doable, but I don't work for free. Price is 20k upon completion. Deal?" or something like that. Working for free is almost always a bad idea. And yes, being paid in promises is just working for free.
>>
>>5236591
Unfortunately Hill has a lot of leverage right now.

And in a meta-sense we have been paid. We've been paid with the safe return of Flint Marco. A powerful meta with a crazy useful skill set.
>>
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Morning!
>>
>>5235919
>>5235926
>>5236094
>>5236115
>>5235977
>>5236515
>>5236529
Writing...

>>5236661
Morning, anons!
>>
>>5236566
You're welcome to ask her about that sometime later
>>
>>5236566
Does Cindy even have any hobbies? Besides martial arts and praying to Khonshu I mean.
Maybe she's into Gunpla or something?
>>
>>5236725
So far, you only know about her drawing hobby. You'll see more of what she did for fun as we descend down into the secret bunker.
>>
>>5236700
also, if we are there in costume, take the mask off
>>
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You steeled yourself with a deep breath, walked around so you stood in front of her and knelt down until you could meet her at eye level. And against your better judgment, you pulled your mask off and let her see the pain clear in your expression. It caught her off guard.

“Everyone has a different idea of what it means to be strong.” you began, keeping your voice level, along with your gaze. “Being emotionally strong doesn’t mean you have to bottle everything up. It means that you have to choose the time and place for when you let it all out.”

Cindy blinked several times and wiped at her moist eyes. You opened your arms and waited for her to make a move. She just stood there, trying to act tough for no reason at all, until finally, she took a step forward. And then another, and another, until she collapsed into your arms.

Sharp intakes of air and shuddering breaths filled the living room, and it took you a second to realize that this was Cindy’s version of a rasping sob. The girl couldn’t even cry out in anger or shout at the top of her lungs. Not even if she wanted to.

It wasn’t a pretty sound by any means, but you’d never tell her that. And God help the poor fucker that dared say that to her face.

The two of you sat there like that for what felt like hours, but in reality, was probably only a few minutes. Eventually, Cindy broke the hug and wiped at her face with her jacket’s sleeve. She gave you a brittle smile, placed the picture of her parents into her backpack and stared down at her bloody finger. She disappeared into a hallway, and came back a moment later with a band-aid wrapped around it.

She waved the finger at you, and you couldn’t help but smile. It was such a tiny gesture, but it made you feel better to know that she was at least making an effort to take better care of herself.

Once you were sure that she was feeling better, you replaced your mask and followed her down into the basement. It was far neater than most basements that you’ve seen. All the clothes and excess crap was actually properly organized and out of the way, creating a path for you and your ward to walk through unimpeded. You deftly dodged a few low hanging pipes as Cindy led you to the back of the basement, where she slid a plastic bin out of the way and pushed her hand against a loose, white brick. To your surprise, the brick wall opened up, revealing a large steel door that looked like it had been taken out of an old submarine. Cindy grabbed the hand wheel and twisted it sharply to the right, unlocking the door in a resounding “thunk”. When she pulled it open, a wave of cool air swept out of the entryway. A flight of stairs with red, velvety carpet covering them led to a similar door deeper into the complex.

(Cont.)
>>
You followed Cindy down cautiously as she descended the steps and threw the second door open. This one required a code, Cindy seemed to know it by heart. The amount of security involved with this process was surprising, to say the least. But it begged the question: “How did the vampires get past all of this without smashing it to pieces?”

The hidden doors and the keypad were still intact, so they must’ve somehow slipped through all that. Either the vampires had a hacker on their side, or they slipped through the Moon’s defenses by…other means.

All of these thoughts flew right out of your head as soon as you stepped foot in the underground bunker that Cindy Moon called home.

It was less like a home and more like a…man cave. Sure, it had a bathroom, working kitchen, a TV and everything that one would expect in a living room, but it was still rather small for someone to spend the majority of their life in. In the corner, you saw stacks upon stacks of board games, puzzles, and DVD boxsets.

Various pieces of artwork lined the walls, and when you went to scrutinize them, you noticed Cindy's cheeks color slightly. Upon closer inspection, they were all signed with her name! She even had a fancy little signature that she’d been practicing.

What will you say?

>”Well, this is…cozy. You really lived down here all your life? How often did you get to go out and…do something?”
>”These are pretty good. We could hang these up back at my place if you want.”
>”What’re you planning on doing with the house? Do you want to keep it?”
>”This would be a nice crash pad for the gang, don’t you think?”
>”Is there more to this bunker? It seems a bit small for a growing girl your age.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
Forgot to add the option of:

>"What else did you do for fun around here?"
>>
>>5236792
>”These are pretty good. We could hang these up back at my place if you want.”
>”What’re you planning on doing with the house? Do you want to keep it?”
>>
>>5236792
>>”These are pretty good. We could hang these up back at my place if you want.”
>>”What’re you planning on doing with the house? Do you want to keep it?”
>>”Is there more to this bunker? It seems a bit small for a growing girl your age.”
>>
>>5236799
Right, this too.
>>
>>5236792
>>5236799
>"What else did you do for fun around here?"
>”These are pretty good. We could hang these up back at my place if you want.”
>”What’re you planning on doing with the house? Do you want to keep it?”
I guess I should have updated before voting
>>
>>5236792
>>Various pieces of artwork lined the walls, and when you went to scrutinize them, you noticed Cindy's cheeks color slightly. Upon closer inspection, they were all signed with her name! She even had a fancy little signature that she’d been practicing.
Are they actually any good though? I already voted to offer to hang them up under another IP but on second thought I don't want to adorn our lair with garbage.
>>
>>5236792
>"Prodigy vampire slayer and l'artiste. A girl of many talents."
I don't think we should actively push her thoughts in any direction
>just play a passive role, while also not making it obvious that we are waiting on her.
>locate her painting tools. Just before leaving, I'd like to at least take them with us, even if she doesn't want to take anything.
>if too much time passes flatly ask: "What do you want to do?"
>and if things go well even what she wants the future to look like and if she wants to stay with us.
details of whatll happen to the house or if we should get ourselves a similar panic room can be left for another day, right now is more the time for emotions to speak instead of concise plans
>>
>>5236792
>>”These are pretty good. We could hang these up back at my place if you want.”
>>
>>5236792
>”These are pretty good. We could hang these up back at my place if you want.”
>>
>>5236787
>that gif
I like to imagine Benny walks like that when nobody's around ever since the spider bite.
>>
>>5236942
Score never wrote that Benny stood back up from the kneeling position, I know I didn't specify it in my write-in
>>
I love Cindy
>>
>>5237003
Her smile must be protected. Same with Peter's.
>>
So here's my plan for Hill:

Flat out tell her that we could do a ridiculous back and forth of leverage. We could get the shield, we could try to record our conversation to prove she hired us, going against that plausible deniability, we could pretend to sell the shield to the highest bidder, we could scrape of a millimeter of the circumferance – whatever it's made out of would be worth it. But we're not gonna do any of that, because honestly, we don't want to make enemies of SHIELD, we don't want to wager our lives on something that is just a mild annoyance to her, having pulled one over on her.
So let's cut the drama and go straight to what we'll consider a win-win, okay?
She may continue to need plausibly deniable assets, and we still like to get paid working for the good guys for a change. But she's not going to hire us if we are a pain to work with, so we're going to put some professionalism on display and deliver the shield to her in one piece.
In return we want all the data that she has on us and our affiliates – while I doubt we can have her delete it – at least to not be handed over to any legal body or similar, and when subpoenaed only tell that we weren't cause for concern to have a big file. What you can show is how we helped out with the Arcade incident tho.
>>
>>5237040
Honestly, I say we don't even talk to her about the job while it's in progress.
We get this shit done as fast as possible and tell her to lose our number if she isn't gonna pay us for any subsequent work.
No tricks, no nonsense, all business.
>>
>>5237040
Unfortunately the back and forth of leverage you are talking about hinges on the maximum impact of that leverage.

This is ludicrously unequal.

The maximum impact of Hill's leverage is that we are apprehended by supers and spend years if not decades in jail and our associates to boot.

The maximum impact of our leverage is that we fuck with a spy job she assigned us. Would it embarrass her? Maybe. Would she lose a talented asset? Yeah.

Even bringing up all the ways we could fuck with this mission doesn't in any way increase her risk or investment. It just makes us look like someone with a petty crook mentality who would be a shit employee.

I agree with you about the job, lets just get it done. Professionally if we can.

But even if we do, there is zero benefit to Hill from releasing her leverage on us.
>>
>>5237061
she doesn't lose much if she loses the game of leverage, but she also doesn't lose much if she gives us that demand
>>
>>5237061
It might not be a bad idea to try and get some leverage on Hill in the future.
This whole operation could be the start of that since I imagine hiring a costumed vigilante off the record to deal with foreign spies flies in the face of SHIELD protocol.
>>
>>5237069
Are... are you making a joke?
>>
>>5237023
I concur
>>
>>5237071
The fuck are you on about?
>>
>>5237074
Now I'm no expert, but SHIELD serves as a sort of mishmash of tons of superspy James Bondsy tropes.

Most importantly SHIELD has REALLY poorly defined legality. They technically work under the auspices of the United Nations, but good luck figuring out what they actually do.

This is based on the real world fact that spy organizations break the law to a greater of lesser degree on a casual basis. Illegal surveillance is a perennial favorite. As such the people who pay for these organizations need a type of insulation from all the illegal but super useful shit they do. Hence the term plausible deniability. If you don't know what that damn organization of spies is doing, then your not responsible.

The other side of that coin of course is that spy organizations sometimes decide to do shit off the books with their leaders none the wiser.

SHIELD is that taken to 11 like everything in comics is taken to 11. Nick Fury is the universal all time champion of this.

All this to say that even if we have proof Hill is pretty much bullet proof.
>>
>>5237089
I'm just saying, it's the start of something, it's not everything we bring to the table.
We should be looking into Hill, and SHIELD operations as a whole, in the future to see if there isn't anything we can use to get them off our back for good.
Try as we might, we're gonna end up on their radar again no matter what. It's how the Parker Luck rolls.
Best that we have a game-plan when that happens.
>>
>>5237040
Can't glow harder than Glownig Prime. You'd be like a firefly trying to outshine the sun.
>>
>>5237104
>Glowing Prime
That would be Nick Fury, and even then I can't really call him that.
The difference between Nick Fury and most glowing African American gentlemen (despite basically inventing the modern archetype) is that he's actually a goddamn hero.
No ifs, ands, or buts about it, he's a fucking bulwark of positive action, even if his methods and career highlights might be at odds with that.
There is no end to the amount of disasters averted narrowly or with a wide berth that the man is responsible for.
Meanwhile Hill is trying way to hard to fill those that impossibly large role and it shows.
>>
>>5237120
Glownig Secunde, then. Still far beyond us with her ability to invoke plane-tower collisions and control the weather.
>>
>>5237120
Actually this brings up an interesting question. Do the events of My War Gone By occur in this timeline?
>>
File: 1650487494133.gif (3.81 MB, 600x463)
3.81 MB
3.81 MB GIF
>>5237074
>>
>>5237172
Jesus Christ what is going on with Venom's right shoulder?
>>
>>5237175
He swole
>>
>>5237175
>his right shoulder can’t dislocate and stretch halfway around his ribcage
ngmi
>>
>>5237186
>Occasionally the Symbiote just forgets to follow human anatomy
>this result in limbs and other body parts simply sliding out of position while moving
Would be a neat detail, but I think it would just be used as a crutch by shit illustrators.
>>
>>5237040
Mentioning all the ways we could legitimately fuck with her probably doesn't actually serve us, I think. If anons are intent on doing the job for free, I say we drop off the shield and then set strict boundaries, e.g., "Be grateful for this freebie, we're willing to do more but we don't work for free." Meanwhile, try to find some way to avoid their surveillance and get actual leverage over Hill and SHIELD. Does she live on the Helicarrier 24/7?
>>
>>5236800
>>5236809
>>5236812
>>5236847
>>5236874
>>5236912
Sorry for the wait! Taking the most popular options.

>”These are pretty good. We could hang these up back at my place if you want.”
>”What’re you planning on doing with the house? Do you want to keep it?”

>>5236942
>>5236945
Who could've guessed that radioactive spider bites aren't good for your spine!?

>>5237003
>>5237023
>>5237072
I was pleasantly surprised to see that anons had taken such a liking to Cindy.

>>5237040
>>5237056
>>5237061
>>5237065
>>5237069
>>5237089
>>5237099
I'm enjoying the conversation about Ben's encounter with Hill. She played this very carefully, doing her own legwork and looking into the matter personally. She might raise an eyebrow if she sees you joining up with a superhero team as "Spider-Man", but she won't say anything so long as you don't blow your own cover.

>>5237120
>>5237140
Despite everything that he did, the amount of respect that Fury's name and reputation commands far outweighs anything that Hill has created for herself over the years. She's constantly being compared to Fury, and she's still getting shit over the Superhuman Registration Act and how poorly that was handled. Even though she isn't technically the worst Director of SHIELD by any means, she's no Fury. Her subordinates know it, her enemies know it, and she knows it.

>>5237146
For the sake of continuity, I feel inclined to say no. The events of that story become far more plausible in a world without superheroes. Or, at least, with far less being present. Maybe we can say that some variation of it exists, but I haven't gotten that far in fleshing out the lore of this timeline.
>>
Upon closer examination, these pieces were more abstract in nature. They weren’t your average fruit bowl painting, or model painting, and as such, lacked a sort of physical substance for you to immediately latch onto and judge based off of an anatomical scale or metric.

You didn’t think that you’d ever understand art as well as Felicia, but you could appreciate the amount of work that went into these paintings. Even if they didn’t mean anything to you or stir any specific emotions within you.

“These are pretty good.” you observed, nodding your head. “We could hang these up back at my place, if you want.” you offered.

Cindy went even more red, and she shook her head frantically while waving her hands back and forth. Apparently, having a professional art thief like Cat around to judge her work was a bit more than embarrassing.

This exchange went back and forth for a while longer, before Cindy finally decided to bundle up her old paintings and bring them with her. You weren't entirely sure if she would hang any of them up, but that was her decision. The majority of her art supplies were more prone to spilling or breaking on the way back, so she left them where they were. You’d have to buy her some more supplies when you got back home.

“What’re you planning on doing with the house?” you asked. The question made Cindy freeze in place. “Do you want to keep it?”

Cindy looked at you, and then panned her gaze around the room for a good, long while. The look in her eye was considerate, and filled with the longing of nostalgia. You sensed that she desperately wanted to say yes, but instead, she shook her head and scribbled something in her notebook.

When she showed it to you, you were immediately taken aback. She didn’t like the fact that the location and security of her home had been violated by the vampires. Because of the attack, she didn’t feel as safe as she once did within these walls.

She wanted to burn the place down.

What will you say?

>”Are you absolutely sure about this? There’s no going back once it gets started.”
>”Why would you want to do that? We can rebuild it, make its defenses more durable.”
>”Tell you what. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and we can come back when you’ve come to a decision.”
>”...Sure thing, kid. Be sure to bring anything that you think you’ll miss.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5237918
>>”Tell you what. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and we can come back when you’ve come to a decision.”
>>
>>5237918
>”Tell you what. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and we can come back when you’ve come to a decision.”
That’s not a decision to be made quickly, especially not when she’s still so clearly conflicted.
>>
>>5237918
>”Tell you what. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and we can come back when you’ve come to a decision.”
>>
>>5237918
>”Tell you what. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and we can come back when you’ve come to a decision.”
>But first, let's get everything that you would miss, and get rid of that bit of blood that fell on the floor. No reason to make the cop's job easier, right?
>>
>>5237918
>>5237939
this
>"Fire is pretty permanent, you can't undo that."
>>
>>5237939
>>5237953
+1
>>
>>5237918
>”Are you absolutely sure about this? There’s no going back once it gets started.”
>>
>>5237918
>>>”...Sure thing, kid. Be sure to bring anything that you think you’ll miss.”
>>
>>5237939
+1
>>
>>5237918
>”Tell you what. Why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and we can come back when you’ve come to a decision.”

Years down the line she might be glad to have a place to go that no-one knows
>>
>>5238227
I mean, even if she burns the place down, we can just buy the property anyways.
I imagine we'll have enough money to build whatever we want here in the future.
>>
>>5237939
>>5237953
>>5237960
>>5238078
Writing...
>>
File: EyINDhbWgAAdmvC.jpg (283 KB, 1152x2048)
283 KB
283 KB JPG
It was a while before you could collect your thoughts and find your voice again. This whole night was unendingly bizarre.

“Tell you what.” you began. “Why don’t you take a few days to think about it, and we can come back when you’ve come to a decision.”

Cindy lowered her notebook and considered your words for a moment, before nodding slowly.

You placed a hand on her shoulder. “But first, let’s get everything that you would miss, and get rid of that blood while we’re at it.” you continued. “No reason to make the cop’s job easier, right?”

Cindy didn’t make an approving gesture that signaled her compliance, but you were sure that she’d heard you. Even more important, you knew that she understood why this was necessary. Neither of you wanted to draw unnecessary attention to yourselves.

—------

It took a while, but you helped Cindy to gather everything that held significant sentimental value to her. Some were mementos and family photos, while others were stuff like scale models that she’d put together with her dad. She even threw in her Mom’s cookbook. Apparently, she’d written it herself, and was waiting to have it published.

You gave her all the time and comfort that she needed as she wept, reminisced and lamented over the fate of her parents. Finally, when she was ready to go, you made sure that the blood had been cleaned properly, turned off the lights, locked the door to the underground bunker, and left the house on the hill as you found it, encased in darkness, regret, and police tape.

—------

On your way home, you decided to give Cindy a little space. She was more than capable of traversing this city without your help, thanks to that grappling hook. You were more or less carrying most of her stuff, anyway. And even with your hands occupied, you were still able to use your Bluetooth to give Silvermane a call.

He answered quickly, greeting you with raucous laughter. Apparently, he was in a great mood. You found out why when he told you that Tombstone wouldn’t be participating in the race to grab Slip.

The concept of a guy like Tombstone shying away from an obvious opportunity confused you, so you inquired further. According to Silvermane’s informants, the big albino was pulling his forces back and secluding himself inside of his base. No one knew why, though.

It was unusual, for sure, but you weren’t about to complain about having less competition for Silvermane’s mission. That being said, you informed him of your group’s willingness to assist in the job.

Having met Felicia and Prowler before, it wasn’t exactly a hard sell. Especially when you described the “Sandman” to him. A metahuman with that kind of power would be hard to turn down. You didn’t say anything about “Glass”, though. You had yet to interview the guy, so you didn’t want to make any promises that you couldn’t keep.

(Cont.)
>>
The conversation came to a close sometime after that, with both of you agreeing to renegotiate payment for the job at a later date. But before you could rejoin your brooding ward, you made a few more calls.

—-------

As soon as Cindy walked through the door, she was immediately mobbed by Felicia and Flint, carrying several boxes of pizza, an ice cream cake and a whole stack of bad action movies. While she was stunned, you and Prowler stealthily took her belongings and placed them somewhere in her room.

Cindy initially tried to wave them off, claiming that she wasn’t feeling too well. But she was no match for the sheer positive energy and persuasiveness that radiated off of Cat. And Flint, being the party animal that he was, quickly pulled her into his pace.

You and the others claimed that you were simply having a welcome party for Flint, and Cindy was required to attend. And although her smile was forced at first, there was no denying her genuine breathy laughter when the party was in full swing. That night, none of you were thinking about money, power or big scores. None of that was really important. That night, you were all Desperados. That night…you were family.

What are your plans for tomorrow?

>Meet up with Callisto and Glass.(Who will you bring with you?)
>Bring Flint to meet Victoria and Peter.
>Visit Phin’s shop.(What sort of work did you want to have done?)
>Check in on Matt and Angela.
>Have someone look into your brother’s whereabouts.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5238478
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass.(Who will you bring with you?) bring flint. Glass is made from sand
>Bring Flint to meet Victoria and Peter.
>>
>>5238478
>Bring Flint to meet Victoria and Peter
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass.(Who will you bring with you?)
Flint, cause we smart.

>Have someone look into your brother’s whereabouts


I want Flint and Peter to make sandcastles. Plus Richard "Dick" Parker might have told Peter something! Did we need anything from Phin? Upgrades maybe?
>>
>>5238539
+1
>>
>>5238539
Communications device for Cindy.
>>
>>5238478
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass.(Who will you bring with you?)
>Bring Flint
If there's anybody who can assess a criminal asset, it'd be Flint.
>Bring Flint to meet Victoria and Peter.
>Ask Victoria and Peter if Richard left them a more reliable method of contact.
>>
>>5238478
>Bring Flint to meet Victoria and Peter.
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass.(Who will you bring with you?)
The boys are back in town.
>>
>>5238588
I accidentaly deleted the part I said to bring Flint.
>>
>>5238478
>Bring Flint and Cindy to meet Victoria and Peter
>Ask Cindy how she feels about a voice modulator
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass. Take Flint with you.
>>
>>5238478
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass
Alone.
>Have someone look into your brother’s whereabouts.
>>
>>5238478
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass (Alone)
>Bring Flint to meet Victoria and Peter
>Visit Phin’s shop
I want to see if Phin can make us anything that would protect us from surveillance, since that's now clearly an issue. Not sure what though. Maybe something that operates like those license plate blurrers?
>>
>>5238513
>>5238539
>>5238542
>>5238545
>>5238588
>>5238590
>>5238764
>>5238774
>>5238898
>Meet up with Callisto and Glass. Take Flint with you.
>Bring Flint and Cindy to meet Victoria and Peter.

Taking these. Writing...
>>
The morning after, you decided to let everyone sleep in. Everyone that was capable of sleeping, that is. Flint was still on the couch watching TV by the time that you’d woken up. He had been watching a movie marathon for some fantasy franchise that you knew was popular with teens. On the couch next to him was Cindy, sound asleep with her legs hanging off of his.

You exchanged a silent wave with him, before heading back to freshen up and slip your suit back on. These days, it feels like you wore it more often than your normal clothes. You’d have to get used to that if this was going to be your full-time job.

When you came back out, Flint had already slid away from Cindy, using his shifting powers to gently lower her legs to the sofa without waking her.

“You up to run a few errands?” you asked.

“Beats sitting around here all morning waiting for you bums to wake up.” Flint shrugged, rolling his shoulders a few times, despite not having bones anymore.

“Good. Because I’m gonna need your help sizing up a potential new recruit.” you said.

Flint grinned at that. “You need me to put him through the wringer?” he said, cracking knuckles that shouldn’t be able to pop anymore. His anatomy truly was a mystery to you.

You raised a hand to halt his train of thought. “Before any of that happens, I want to know if he’s got the stones to do the kind of work that we do.”

Flint nodded and gave the room a cursory glance. “Fucked up as it is, the kid’s the only one other than us who’s ever killed a guy. Even Prowler’s hands are clean.” he observed. “Could use someone who’s not afraid to get his hands dirty.”

“If it comes down to it, yeah.” you said, feeling the weight of the guns strapped to your back.

“Where are we meeting this guy, anyway?” Flint asked.

“Oh, you’ll see…”

—-------

A half hour later, you and your buddy were trudging through the sewers with only your Spider Signal as a source of light. And just as you expected, Flint bitched and moaned every step of the way. He often complained about the dampness of the tunnel, and how it was making his feet soggy. You told him to suck it up and focus on keeping himself together. If a small puddle could do him in, then his time up at the Helicarrier was a massive waste.

It took you about 20 minutes of this before you ran into Callisto. She was waiting for you by the now repaired phone booth that you’d used the first time you came down here.

Her one remaining eye flitted over to Flint and then back to you.

“Who’s this, then?” she asked.

“This is Flint. He’s here to help me figure out whether or not your guy has what it takes to slum it with me and mine.” you declared, pointing a thumb back at him.

(Cont.)
>>
The tension in Callisto’s shoulders eased slightly, and her hand moved from her jacket. “Are you aware that your friend is melting?”

You glanced back at Flint, making a show of shifting his weight around as he pranced around to avoid the water.

“Yeah. At this point, I’m thinking of painting him green and buying him a witch outfit.” you said with a sigh.

Callisto looked him up and down and smirked. “I think he’s green enough. Skip the paint and save your money.”

“Oh yeah, laugh it up!” Flint said in a frustrated tone. “We’ll see how you like it when I track mud all over your new hideout!”

—----

Fortunately, the path that Callisto led you along was much dryer. You weren’t sure if that was a courtesy that she extended towards Flint, or if it was just a small mercy granted by whatever God might’ve pitied the man enough to keep his toes from turning into slush.

There was very little conversation exchanged between any of you, besides Callisto asking about how Cindy was doing. You were surprised, but you probably shouldn’t have been, considering how Callisto had apparently been looking after a bunch of runaways down here in the sewers. She said very little on the topic, but you had a feeling that you were about to be let in on her little secret.

Almost on cue, the tunnel’s exit led you into what you could only describe as a nexus between a multitude of sewer tunnels. It was a spacious area, decorated with colorful bed sheets, tarps and rugs, all of them either torn or worn in a way that made it very clear why they’d been discarded in the first place. There were three levels to this section, with multiple ladders and fireman poles between them for easy access.

As you looked around, you spotted a few creatures lurking around in the dark. The sight startled you at first, since your spider sense hadn’t gone off to warn you!

Callisto had seen them as well, but she barely reacted. In fact, she was carefully observing you for some reason, trying to gauge your reaction. You looked at her, and then glanced back over at the creatures that you saw.

No, wait. Not creatures. People. They were all distinctly humanoid, in some fashion or another. These were probably mutants! And Callisto was watching over them. That’s why she never mentioned them to you directly. It was all starting to make sense now.

You took a good long moment to drink in the diverse physical appearances of each one. Some were genuinely hard to look at. One had the flesh on his face stretched so far back that you could clearly see the fine definition of his cheekbones. Another was an abnormally tall girl with long, spindly limbs and brown pigtails. She was wearing a long, torn sundress that had to have been a hand-me down from at least 5 generations.

(Cont.)
>>
It was genuinely hard, but you forced yourself to stare at them until you could look at them without visibly cringing or flinching. Some shied away from your scrutiny, while others seemed to regard you with similar curiosity. In some corners of the room, you caught a few of them glaring at you, but that was to be expected when you were a stranger in an understandably reclusive community. Callisto was the most human looking out of all of them.

Finally, you returned your gaze to her, and she regarded you carefully for a few more moments. All of you remained silent, even Flint, until Callisto nodded, seemingly finding what she was looking for in your eyes.

“These are the Morlocks.” she said, gesturing at her people and the home that they’d built together. “And this is our home. Well, the entire sewer system is our home, really.” she shrugged.

Suddenly, there was movement amongst the crowd of mutants, and they parted to allow one of their own to approach you. From a distance, the man was little more than a glittering silhouette that was dressed in ratty clothes. But as he got closer, you began to notice some of his more distinct features. In place of flesh, he had green, slightly transparent crystal. You could see straight through his well sculpted face, letting you catch a glimpse of his skull. His eyes were perfectly round and glassy, like a doll’s eyes, and he had spiky, light green hair that was swept back and went down past his shoulders. You were thankful for the fact that you couldn’t see his brain through his head.

“Gents, I’d like you to meet Glass.”

Glass stopped beside Callisto and gave both you and Flint an assessing glance. Seemingly satisfied, he nodded. “Callisto tells me you’re looking for some muscle.” he said, sounding calm and collected.

Even as he said that, you couldn’t help but notice how thin he was. You could actually see his collarbone and a few ribs through the holes in his shirt. And he sounded young, too. The guy couldn’t have been much older than 18. You just hoped that Callisto wouldn’t send a kid off to war without telling you.

A close examination of Glass’ facial features told you that he might’ve been quite handsome, had his mutation not taken such a bizarre turn. You could vaguely see his teeth through his mouth, and his eyelids were slightly transparent when he blinked.

You should probably stop staring.

What will you do/say?

>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?”(Fight him yourself, or send in Flint)
>”What’s your stance on killing?”
>”What are your talents?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>Allow Flint to conduct the interview while you speak with Callisto.
>Write-in.
>>
Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5239048
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your powers?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (Fight us)
>>
>>5239048
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your powers?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (Fight us)
>>
>>5239048
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your powers?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (Fight us)
>>
>>5239049
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your talents?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (send Flint)

Kinda pointless if we bring him down here to just have him watch. Might help us evaluate Flint too.
>>
>>5239048
>"We're always looking for friends with whom we work on projects with. But said projects come and go."
>"So, job interview time."
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”What are your talents?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (send Flint)
>>
>>5239048
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your talents?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?”(Fight him yourself)
>>
>>5239048
Kid you're thinner than a light pole. We'll stop by some place to put some meat on your bones. You like Subway?
>>
>>5239048
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”What’s your stance on killing?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?”(Send in Flint, this should be a good test for him as well)
>>
>>5239048
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your talents?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (send Flint)
>>
>>5239048
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your talents?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (send Flint)
>>5239259
What a creative faux pas.
>>
>>5239050
>>5239056
>>5239076
>>5239077
>>5239101
>>5239217
>>5239331
>>5239267
>>5239303
>”How old are you, exactly?”
>”What are your powers?”
>”What made you leave Xavier’s school?”
>”Callisto tells me that you’re a good fighter. Care to prove that?” (send Flint)

Taking these. Writing...
>>
>>5239439
Sorry about that. I screwed up one of those options.

Replacing the powers question with:

>”What are your talents?”
>>
“How old are you, anyway?” you asked.

Those glassy, doll eyes of his rolled around in his head for a moment. “Turned 19 a few weeks back.” he said with a shrug. His voice had an echo, like it had been bouncing off of a fish bowl before being picked up by your ears.

Well that was better than what you were expecting. Hopefully he wasn’t lying about his age.

“What are some of your talents?”

Instead of speaking, Glass raised two skeletal fingers and pressed them together. The emerald crystal between them shifted, suddenly, forming a construct in the shape of a key.

“I can pick locks, and I’m not a bad shot.” he said, raising his other arm. What was once a smooth surface of crystalline mineral, was now a jagged row or glass-like shards jutting out in every direction. He whipped his arm to the side, and a series of shards flew out to strike a set of dart boards. Not one of them landed anywhere else. “I’m a good fighter, and a half decent squad leader, too.”

Not a bad set of skills to have.

“What made you want to leave Xavier’s school?” you said.

Glass shrugged marginally, and an expression that seemed to be halfway between a sneer and a scowl crossed his face. “Once they started breaking bread with Magneto and the Brotherhood, I figured it was my time to leave.” he spat. “I can’t even count how many of my friends and classmates were killed by that guy, or people like him.”

You blinked at him. Now THAT was something that you knew nothing about. Magneto didn’t show up often, but whenever he did, the resulting collateral damage was enough to greatly reinforce whatever hatred the public had for mutants beforehand.

“Quit the team after that,” he continued. “But Logan offered me a spot on the X-Force for a little while.”

The confusion must’ve been clear on your face, because Callisto spoke up to clarify.

“Think of them as Xavier’s personal black-ops team. Off the books.” she explained.

“HIS WHAT!?”

Callisto nodded as if nothing happened. “Yup. They specialize in assassination, recon and general sabotage. Most mutants don’t like to talk about them.”

You were beginning to think that Xavier had no business at all running a school. You more or less knew about the child soldier thing, but having them act as assassins and spies? This shit was starting to make your head spin.

You shook your head, trying to regain your focus and get back on track. Your gaze fell upon Glass once more. “So you’re a good fighter, are you? Care to prove that?” you offered.

Glass looked between you and Flint. “Either of you willing to step into the ring?” he asked.

You pointed a thumb back at Flint. “You’ll be fighting him.”

(Cont.)
>>
Glass’ eyes flicked back to Flint, and he gave an approving nod as he sized the big man up once more. “Fine with me. Are we just boxing, or are we allowed to use powers too?” he said, slipping his shoes off to reveal skeletal feet encased in crystal.

“Try your best to tear him apart.” you said, narrowing your eyes at him and flashing him a fierce grin that he couldn’t see.

Glass smirked, turned around and waved for Flint to follow him. “Alright. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

—---

Moments later, Glass and Flint were in some sort of pit that had once been part of a massive drainage pipe. The atmosphere of the Morlocks’ home had now shifted dramatically. Instead of cowering in fear, they were now cheering for the spectacle that they were about to witness. Almost all of the cheers were for Glass, of course. He appeared to be quite popular here.

You and Callisto were standing side by side in the front of the crowd that had gathered. There appeared to be more people here than when you’d arrived. Either that, or you simply hadn’t noticed them earlier.

What will you talk about while you observe the fight?

>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>”I noticed a few humans mixed in with the mutants here. Do they get along?”
>”You said that you were a better fighter than Glass, right? You think you can take him?”
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
>”I had no idea that there were kids down here. There aren’t any homeless shelters that’ll take them?”
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5239508
>>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>"It wouldn't be for free of course. Whatever you need, you name it."
>>
>>5239508
>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>”I had no idea that there were kids down here. There aren’t any homeless shelters that’ll take them?”
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
>>
>>5239508
>>”I noticed a few humans mixed in with the mutants here. Do they get along?”
>>”You said that you were a better fighter than Glass, right? You think you can take him?”
>>
>>5239508
>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>"What's your role in this community exactly? Sherriff or something?"
>"What can you tell me about the kid?"
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>"It wouldn't be for free of course. Whatever you need, you name it."
>>
>>5239546
Support also compliment how she looks in those jeans
>>
>>5239508
>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>"What's your role in this community exactly? Sherriff or something?"
>"What can you tell me about the kid?"
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>"It wouldn't be for free of course. Whatever you need, you name it."
and this>>5239558
>>
>>5239508
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
>”I had no idea that there were kids down here. There aren’t any homeless shelters that’ll take them?”
F R I E N D S H I P !
>>
>>5239508
>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>”I noticed a few humans mixed in with the mutants here. Do they get along?”
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
>”I had no idea that there were kids down here. There aren’t any homeless shelters that’ll take them?”
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>>
>>5239508
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>You will be paid, of course
>So do you all just live as nomads here in the sewers, or do you have some hidden underground shantytown?
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
>>
>>5239508

>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>”I noticed a few humans mixed in with the mutants here. Do they get along?”
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
>”I had no idea that there were kids down here. There aren’t any homeless shelters that’ll take them?”
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>>
>>5239508
>>”I noticed a few humans mixed in with the mutants here. Do they get along?”
>”You said that you were a better fighter than Glass, right? You think you can take him?”
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
>>
>>5239516
>>5239523
>>5239543
>>5239546
>>5239558
>>5239577
>>5239583
>>5239590
>>5239632
>>5239891
>>5239963
>”How’ve you been since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?”
>”How do you feel about the idea of me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?”
>"It wouldn't be for free of course. Whatever you need, you name it."
>”How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything that I can get for you?”
Taking these. Writing...
>>
“How’ve you been holding up since that whole ‘Lizard’ thing?” you asked, having to raise your voice to be heard over the roar of the crowd.

Callisto let out a sigh and shrugged marginally. “Better than them. I just got a few nicks and bruises that healed up within the hour. Some of these kids are still having nightmares about that thing.” she said, glancing at a group of young mutants. “Thanks again, by the way. Not a lot of people would risk their neck for a mutant like that.” she continued in a gentler tone, her singular blue eye gazing back at you. “You’re good people.”

You didn’t know about that, but you were glad that she thought so.


“Whatever happened to that guy, anyway?” she asked.

“He’s back to normal now, but I’m not sure if his days of being a mindless predator are over just yet.” you answered, watching Flint and Glass circle each other. “It’s possible that he might transform again if he doesn’t keep a close eye on his condition.”

Callisto scowled at that. “Well that’s a comforting thought. Shoot me a warning if he breaks out of his cage again.”

You were about to respond, but the energy in the room suddenly shifted as Glass’ figure blurred for a moment. His once thin arms were now long, sharp blades carved of slightly opaque crystal. He closed the distance between him and his opponent in an instant, and before Flint could even react, Glass’ blade cleaved right through him. A smile played across his lips, only for it to disappear almost immediately when he realized that Flint was still standing. In fact, he hadn’t even flinched!

The green giant raised an enlarged fist and swung it at Glass’s head, but it narrowly missed as the mutant ducked out of the way and slid backwards on smooth, glass feet. It almost looked like he was figure skating around the ring.

Glass scowled as he reverted his arms back to their original form, instead opting to cover them in razor sharp, shard-like protrusions. He began launching them at Flint, not missing a single one as they sliced through the air and sank into his broad chest. Flint didn’t move an inch. He simply waited for him to finish his barrage, before pushing the shards to his hands and letting them fall from his body.

Glass looked more than a little annoyed at this point, choosing to retract his exposed shards this time. Instead of falling back on the blades, he appeared to add a bit more mass to his forearms and hands, causing them to take on the appearance of bulky training gloves.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Flint goaded him. “Come on! I’m getting bored over here, little man!”

Defying your expectations, Glass flashed Flint a smirk. He began to bounce in place, his feet making small sweeping motions right after he landed. After a few seconds of this, Glass’ figure blurred once more, and he was off like a shot.

(Cont.)
>>
Pushing off the ball of his foot, the young mutant broke into a wild sprint, only to fall back on his skating technique in order to effortlessly maintain his momentum.

Flint reeled back for another swing, but when he tried to bring the hammer down, his arm suddenly exploded!

You swear that you barely saw it. Even with your phenomenal reaction speed, you barely saw Glass’ leg lash out like a whip to demolish Flint’s arm. Using that momentum, the mutant bounced on his remaining leg and launched himself into the air. He actually performed a double axle before bringing his arm back down, chopping a chunk of Flint’s head off with a single practiced movement. Flint didn’t seem to take any real damage, so he whirled on Glass in order to catch him when he landed. But he was moving as soon as his feet touched the ground, effortlessly skating out of the way in time to avoid a devastating combination from the big guy.

The fight went on like this for a while, with Glass trying to whittle him down, while Flint reformed and demonstrated that he was far too slow to land a substantial hit on his slippery opponent. A new energy filled the arena as the audience’s cheers erupted into a series of tumultuous roars, constantly overlapping with one another.

Even you had to admit, this kid was pretty good. Much better than most fighters that you’ve seen in your lifetime. And if Callisto claims to be better than him, then you wonder how you’d fair against her. She didn’t get to show off much when you were fighting Connors, but that was just a bad matchup for everyone involved.

You shook your head as another round of cheers had your ears ringing. You shouldn’t be letting yourself get swept up in this fight. After all, you came here to accomplish more than one goal.

“How do you feel about me and my guys moving some stuff through these tunnels?” you asked, trying your hardest to keep your tone casual.

Callisto turned and eyed you suspiciously for a moment. “...What kind of ‘stuff’?” she said, her tone noticeably less gentle than before.

“Nothing terribly controversial.” you said with a shrug. “Our group doesn’t allow drug trade or human trafficking. It’s just in case we need something delivered without triggering too many alarms.”

Her face softened slightly. Maybe it was because you were honest about your intentions. You weren’t entirely sure.

“It wouldn’t be free, of course. Whatever you need, you name it.” you offered. “How’re you guys doing down here? Is there anything you could use to make your lives easier?”

Callisto shifted her weight onto her back foot and eyed you carefully. After about a minute of uncomfortable silence, she used her one good eye to scan the room, before letting it return to you.

(Cont.)
>>
“...Our water filters could use some work. It tastes kinda funny these days.” she began, listing things off on her fingers. “Could use a source of conventional electricity, some partitions for the showers, warm water to shower with...”

You remained silent and nodded as she went on. From what you were hearing, she wanted to renovate the sewers, instead of moving out of them. That would prove to be considerably more difficult and expensive, but not impossible in the slightest.

Just then, the crowd around you went nuts, and your attention was drawn back to the ring. It would seem that Flint finally managed to incorporate some strategy into his attacks. Instead of swatting at the mutant when he got too close, Flint spread himself out and grabbed his foot in an attempt to trip him up. And while he failed in his primary goal, it was enough to distract him long enough for Flint to circle behind him and encase the man in a tomb of sand.

Glass tried to fight his way out, but Flint’s vice grip was more like a prison of solid concrete. There was no way out for Glass, and he knew it. And that’s when you saw the fractures forming in Glass’ forearms. He was struggling so fiercely that he was actually breaking his arms in the process. And from the look on his face, you were convinced that this was no mistake.

The guy would rather break his own arms than lose.

What will you do?

>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>”They really teach kids to fight like this at Xavier’s?”
>”So, is that a yes? Because I can get you all of those things and more.”
>”I know how all of this must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”
>Explain what you’ll be transporting through these tunnels.(Write-in.)
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5240175
>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>”I know how all of this must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”
>>
>>5240175
>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>”They really teach kids to fight like this at Xavier’s?”
>”I know how all of this must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”
>>
>>5240175
>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>”I know how all of this must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”
>"We are still a small group, but if it might change if it really takes off. Having a way to smuggle goods, or to travel quickly and hidden could be useful some day if we do become an organization."
>>
>>5240175
>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>"We mostly deal in high value items like jewels, fine art, artifacts, high tech gear...we leave the bulk stuff to petty thieves."
>"It's probably gonna be in low enough volume that you might only see a small team running through here once or twice a month. Probably."
>>
>>5240175
>>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>>”They really teach kids to fight like this at Xavier’s?”
>>”So, is that a yes? Because I can get you all of those things and more.”
>>”I know how all of this must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”
>>
>>5240175
>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>"You have the labor force, you only need construction material, proper tools... youtube tutorials can get you far these days, but if you don't have power you likely don't have wifi either..."
>"And I don't want to impose and indebt you guys to me too much more, you have your pride and even if some of you would take 'charity', enough of you also wouldn't trust it and think I'll pull the rug out under you and start exploiting you for stuff."
>>
>>5240181
+1
>>
>>5240175
>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>”So, is that a yes? Because I can get you all of those things and more.”
>”I know how all of this must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”
>>
>>5240181
>>5240184
>>5240185
>>5240187
>>5240239
>>5240258
>>5240316
>>5240328
>Stop the match. “I like this kid. I’ll take him.”
>”I know how all of this must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”

Taking these. Writing...
>>
File: 20646.jpg (63 KB, 400x400)
63 KB
63 KB JPG
“I like this kid. I’ll take him.” you said, before leaping straight into the air and landing right beside Flint and Glass. “Let him go, Flint.”

Flint did so, but it didn’t come without a bit of protest from the big meta. Glass stumbled slightly, but he quickly regained his composure. He eyed you warily as he rubbed at his wrists, which still had a few hairline fractures from his failed attempt to break his limbs.

“Congratulations, kid. You’ve got the job.” you declared, giving his shoulder a firm pat.

Glass let a grin creep onto his face, before quickly schooling his expression. “Thanks. Your guy here’s pretty tough. Where’d you find him?” he said.

“Flint’s one of a kind. They don’t make ‘em like him anymore.” you answered honestly.

“Damn straight.” Flint agreed. His eyes fell on Glass’ slightly cracked form and he nodded his approval. “Those were some fancy moves out there, kid. Never seen anything like it.”

Glass shrugged slightly. “I learned a thing or two from Iceman, and I sort of just…adapted the rest. Gotta use what I’ve got to the best of my ability.” he said.

Truth be told, you were more than a little impressed with his performance. You were starting to see why she thought that he could take your guys on. Had she known about Flint, she probably would’ve rethought that statement. But this was a great opportunity to see what your buddy was capable of, as well. As far as you could tell, the guy was virtually indestructible and never had to rest during a fight. You pitied the man that made an enemy out of him.

You instructed Flint to explain a few more things about your small organization to the man, and the three of you left the pit without so much as a sliver of bad blood between one another. The crowd struggled to suppress their obvious disappointment with the outcome, but they had gotten a fantastic show, nonetheless.

When you returned to Callisto, she was still waiting in the same place that you’d left her, her arms crossed and her expression thoughtful.

“Told you you’d like him.” she blurted out.

“It’s hard not to after seeing all that. It was like watching a deadly version of Disney on Ice!” you said, feeling some of the energy that the crowd had imparted onto you.

Callisto smiled and nodded her agreement. “Been a while since we’ve had a show like that. Guys down here will be talking about it for months.”

“I’m just glad that you scored us front row seats.”

“Don’t forget the backstage passes.” she said with a sly wink. It was so out of character that you almost said so out loud. “But I suspect that this isn’t what you wanted to talk about.”

You nodded. “About our offer…I know how it all must sound, but I have no intention of exploiting you or your people. If you don’t like what you hear, then you’re welcome to refuse my offer.”
>>
Callisto’s smile faded, and her one remaining eye searched your face for any sort of deception. You imagined that it was made all the more difficult by the mask.

“We’ll see.” she said, taking a step closer to you. “Before we decide on anything, I want to meet the rest of your merry little crew. If you get any new members, I get to meet them and perform an interview of my own before I let them run around in our tunnels.”

“That’s fair.” you agreed. “You already met Cindy, so that just leaves two more that you need to meet.”

Callisto raised an eyebrow at that. “You hired the girl?” she asked.

You shrugged. “What? She kicks ass!”

A grin teased the corners of the sewer queen’s lips before she quickly quashed it. “That she is. She better not have broken my bo-staff, either.”

“Don’t worry, she’s been putting it to good use.” you reassured her. “We squashed a vampire cult not too long ago.”

“No shit. Should’ve invited me to come along. I’ve got more than a few silver daggers lying around, just in case one of those fuckers comes crawling around here looking for a quick snack.” she casually replied.

It was now your turn to raise an eyebrow. “You don’t seem too surprised about the existence of vampires.”

Callisto just shook her head. “Not even close to the weirdest shit I’ve ever seen, Scrooge. Hell, I know a few decent vampires. One of them lives at Xavier’s.”

You’d have to keep her in mind next time you ran into those bloodsuckers. There was no way that you’d let them get a foothold in your city again.

—----

Sometime after that, Flint returned with Glass, and you gave him the address to your current hideout. He could find you there if he wanted, but he was welcome to keep staying here if that suited him better. He agreed to come check it out tomorrow, which was convenient for you, because you and Flint had other plans for the rest of the day.

You said your goodbyes, agreed to bring Cat and Prowler to let them meet Callisto, and escaped the sewer tunnels with only a mild lingering smell on your suit.

An hour and a half later, you and Flint were back at his place.

—---

As soon as you opened the door, Victoria was poking her head out of the kitchen to greet you. “Hey, Ben. And…Flint? Is that you?” she asked in disbelief.

“The one and only.” the big man said, leaning against the door frame.

She scoffed and shook her head. “My God. Did you get bigger? What’re they feeding you?”

“I’m on a, uh…new diet.” Flint said with a cough. It wasn’t quite easy to say that he’d been forced to consume raw silicates on the Helicarrier to maintain his mass. “Anyways, how're you liking the house?” he asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject.
>>
“Oh, it’s wonderful! Thanks for letting us stay here.” she said with a smile that was all too brittle at the edges.

“That wasn’t what I heard-” you began to say, before Vic interrupted you by loudly slamming two pots together.

“Flint, have you met Pete yet?” she said, pointing at the young boy sitting on the couch and watching the whole interaction from the living room.

“I’ve heard stories, but it’s my first time seeing him in the flesh.” Flint admitted. “With the way Benny talks about him, you’d think he was the second coming of Christ.”

“Well, you should introduce yourself! He’s been dying to meet you, too.” Vic said, shooting you a glare when Flint wasn’t looking.

“Really? I guess it’d be the polite thing to do.” he said, walking over to sit on the couch next to Peter. The boy moved over to make room for him, and the resulting weight displacement nearly threw him off of the couch.

While the two of them chatted, Victoria quickly pulled you into the kitchen. “How do you manage to keep so many secrets with a mouth that big?” she asked, giving you an exasperated look.

“It’s a gift.” you said with a shrug.

What will you say?

>”Have you been able to reach Richie recently? He’s not answering my calls.”
>”Have you given some thought to those vacation plans that we talked about?”
>”I’ll start looking for another place for you guys to stay now that Flint’s back. In the meantime, he’s gonna be staying at my place.”
>”So, I’m gonna tell you about this now, since I know you’re gonna get upset about it later. But Flint’s gone through a couple of changes since you last saw him.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5240793
>>”Have you been able to reach Richie recently? He’s not answering my calls.”
>>
>>5240793
>”So, I’m gonna tell you about this now, since I know you’re gonna get upset about it later. But Flint’s gone through a couple of changes since you last saw him.”
>”Have you given some thought to those vacation plans that we talked about?”
>”I’ll start looking for another place for you guys to stay now that Flint’s back. In the meantime, he’s gonna be staying at my place.”
>Unless you want to look for a good place yourself, of course. You are your own person afterall. Just got to remember to take into account the anti-vampire measures.
>>
>>5240822
+1
>>
>>5240793
>>”So, I’m gonna tell you about this now, since I know you’re gonna get upset about it later. But Flint’s gone through a couple of changes since you last saw him.”
>”Have you been able to reach Richie recently? He’s not answering my calls.”
>”Have you given some thought to those vacation plans that we talked about?”
>>
>>5240793
>”Have you given some thought to those vacation plans that we talked about?”
>”I’ll start looking for another place for you guys to stay now that Flint’s back. In the meantime, he’s gonna be staying at my place.”
>”So, I’m gonna tell you about this now, since I know you’re gonna get upset about it later. But Flint’s gone through a couple of changes since you last saw him.”
>>
>>5240793
>>>”Have you been able to reach Richie recently? He’s not answering my calls.”
>>”Have you given some thought to those vacation plans that we talked about?”
>>”I’ll start looking for another place for you guys to stay now that Flint’s back. In the meantime, he’s gonna be staying at my place.”
should leave it up to Flint if he wants to out himself as a meta
>>
>>5241122
Support. It’s not nice to spread personal information.
>>
>>5241224
Well it's 4:3 so I guess we're outing him as a gay man.
>>
>>5240793
>>5241122
Support
>>
>>5240820
>>5240822
>>5240825
>>5240841
>>5241111
>>5241122
>>5241224
>>5241356
(Looks like the vote on telling her about Flint is currently tied. I'll leave that your guy's discretion if you want to discuss that at a later date.)
>”Have you been able to reach Richie recently? He’s not answering my calls.”
>”Have you given some thought to those vacation plans that we talked about?”
>”I’ll start looking for another place for you guys to stay now that Flint’s back. In the meantime, he’s gonna be staying at my place.”

Taking these. Writing...
>>
“Have you been able to reach Richie at all? He’s not answering my calls.” you said.

Vicky shook her head. “Not since he dropped Pete off at my place. Why? Did you do something to piss him off?”

“I don’t think so. No more than usual, at least.” you wondered aloud.

“Do you think he’s in trouble or something? Maybe that’s why he left Pete with me.” Vic said, mirroring your thoughts exactly. How much trouble could a guy like him get himself into? Between the two of you, you were far more likely to pick fights with shady dudes.

“We won’t know until he picks up the phone.” you said with a sigh. “It can’t be too serious if he hasn’t called for help yet. Rich is a smart guy, Vic. He can get himself out of whatever mess he’s gotten himself into.”

Vic nodded, but she didn’t seem entirely convinced. “Let me know if he reaches out to you, or if you find out something.” she said.

“Of course. You do the same.”

After that, there was a bit of an uneasy silence between you and your sister. Neither of you could help but be worried for your brother, and it almost seemed like wherever he was, he didn’t want to be found.

A fit of stifled laughter broke through the silence, and your attention was drawn to the living room, where Flint was showing Peter one of his favorite sitcoms. For the moment, they seemed to be getting along just fine. It brought a smile to both you and your sister’s faces. You were pretty sure that those two had unintentionally blown away the tension that had hung heavy over the kitchen.

“I’ll start looking for another place for you guys to stay now that Flint’s back.” you began, pretending not to notice the relieved sigh that she let out upon hearing you say those words. “In the meantime, he’s gonna be staying at my place.”

“Well, be sure to bring me along before you finalize any of the paperwork.” she suggested. “I’m not sure if I can trust your definition of a ‘cozy little hideaway’ anymore.”

You scrunched up your face in mock confusion. “Paperwork? I was just gonna find a vacant house, kick the door in and duct tape it shut on my way out. But, I guess your way works too.” you admitted.

Vicky’s expression turned into one of mock surprise as she gaped at you. “Oh great. I’ll be the only girl on the block with a house that’s covered in police tape.” she said, a grin forming on her face.

“Just hang up a few skeletons and say that you’re celebrating Halloween early.” you said, waving the matter away. “Have you given some thought to those vacation plans that we talked about?”

Victoria nodded hesitantly. “Yes, I have.” she said slowly. “And I think we should take Mom and Dad with us too. If something’s brewing in this city, then I want them out of here until it all blows over.”

(Cont.)
>>
File: spiderman-swing.gif (1.21 MB, 498x205)
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“But, wouldn’t that involve…” you began, before trailing off and allowing your gaze to fall upon Peter.

“Telling our parents that they have a six-year old grandchild that their youngest son never told them about?” Vic finished for you. “Yeah, I’m not looking forward to that part, either. I also wish that you’d come with us.” she said, giving you a pleading look.

“Don’t worry about me. I just want you and the others to be safe.” you said in a gentle voice. “Ideally, I’d like to get Rich out right along with you, but I’d have to figure out where he was before I did any of that.”

“Maybe you can try using those ‘connections’ of yours to find out what happened to him.” she suggested.

It was honestly worth a shot. The Silvermane job was probably about 10 days away from any concrete planning stages, and your revenge match against Matt would be happening a little before that. Although, you wondered if he’d even be up for that after the way he looked on the night that you visited the Midnight Mission.

Either way, you had a very busy week ahead of you. There was a lot that you had to accomplish in a relatively short time frame.

What will you do with the rest of your week?(Choose 4)

>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Have a few more last minute training sessions with Matt and Angela.
>Suit up as “Spider-Man” and try to build up your reputation as a crime-fighting superhero.
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.
>Try to make contact with the Goblin. You've got more than a few questions for him.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Have Phin make a few things for you.(Write-in.)
>Introduce the rest of your team to The Morlocks. You needed Callisto to trust you, and your people.
>Try to arrange a meeting with Hill about the terms and details of your mission.
>Spend time with someone.(Who? Feel free to choose more than one!)
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
Oh! And I see certain votes getting brought up on multiple occasions, like the communications device for Cindy. If you wish to support or deny that vote, speak your piece.

Cindy Communications Vote:

>Yes
>No
>>
>>5241376
Yes
>>
>>5241373
>>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.
>Introduce the rest of your team to The Morlocks. You needed Callisto to trust you, and your people.

Cindy Communications Vote:

>Yes
>>
>>5241373
>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Introduce the rest of your team to The Morlocks. You needed Callisto to trust you, and your people.(get rubber boots)
>Spend time with someone.(Peter)
>>
>>5241373
Can't we delegate some work? That's the point of having a team.
We also never properly addressed with out people that we want to keep Spider-Man and Huntsman as separate identities, Silvermane and his group needs to know.
Black Cat and Prowler might also want to look into getting a hero persona.

all my votes got to go into the preservation of ourselves and our family
>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.
>Try to make contact with the Goblin. You've got more than a few questions for him.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.

Cindy Communications Vote:
>Yes, if she wants one
>>
>>5241376
>Yes
>>
>>5241373
>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Suit up as “Spider-Man” and try to build up
your reputation as a crime-fighting superhero.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.

>>5241376
>Yes, if she wants one
>>
>>5241393
I guess you can delegate a few of these, but why would you? I mean, most of these are pretty personal, and require you to actually be there.

The only options that I can think of would be:

>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Have Phin make a few things for you.(Write-in.)
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.

Everything else is probably something that you don't tell someone to do for you. But since I was also going to use the checkup vote to test the waters for Ben looking into the possibility of the communications device, I figured that you'd actually want to be there to know what exactly was going on with her.

>We also never properly addressed with out people that we want to keep Spider-Man and Huntsman as separate identities, Silvermane and his group needs to know.

You can always let them know later. No one ever brought it up with Cat and Prowler as a write-in, so I never added it as an option. Telling Silvermane isn't a terribly pressing issue, since he isn't going around shouting from the rooftops that he has "Spider-Man" in his employ. If anyone asks, he's going to refer to you as "Huntsman" since that's what you introduced yourself as. You can let him know during the planning phase.
>>
>>5241373
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts
>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
These are time sensitive
>Have a few more last minute training sessions with Matt and Angela.
Some extra combat experience would be good
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
The earlier the better
>>
>>5241408
trying to contact goblin, or requesting something from phineas

if im doing meta guesses I'd say goblin would talk to us but not BC or Prowler, so it likely wouldn't quite pan out as well.

But I still want those web dyes we talked about at some point, also get a public suit for Spider-man.
>>
>>5241376
Yes, she deserves it.
Unless hearing her own voice again makes her sad instead of happy for some weird emptional teenager reason.
>>
>>5241373
>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Introduce the rest of your team to The Morlocks. You needed Callisto to trust you, and your people.
>Yes
>>
>>5241373

>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Introduce the rest of your team to The Morlocks. You needed Callisto to trust you, and your people.
>Yes
>>
>>5241469
This.
>>
>>5241389
>>5241392
>>5241393
>>5241377
>>5241395
>>5241404
>>5241414
>>5241416
>>5241469
>>5241504
>>5241475
>Make arrangements for your family to be moved out of New York for a little while.
>Take Cindy to the doctor for a thorough checkup.
>Introduce the rest of your team to The Morlocks. You needed Callisto to trust you, and your people.
>Have your contacts look into your brother’s whereabouts.

Taking these. Gonna write these out in bite-sized chunks. Roll me a 1d100+10 in order to see if you can locate your brother in a future update! Bo3!

Writing...
>>
Also seeing a lot of positive feedback towards the communications device, so I'll incorporate that into the update.
>>
Rolled 81 + 10 (1d100 + 10)

>>5241892
>>
Rolled 80 (1d100)

>>5241892
Wanna see me tempt fate?
>>
Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>5241892
>>
>>5241908
>>5241913
>>5241919
Stowing these away for later
>>
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First and foremost, you had to make plans to move your family out of the city for a little while. While they’ve certainly seen worse in this city in recent years, this is one of the first times that you’ve had prior warning about the event beforehand.

The hardest part of all this would be meeting with your parents and trying to explain Peter’s existence and Richard’s absence from all of this. You’d much rather explain the vampire cult than do all of that.

But against your better judgment, you arranged to have lunch with your parents in two days. You’d make sure that Vic would be there to back you up, and if they didn’t like what you had to say, they could always gush over their new grandkid.

—----

Once you and Flint returned to your hideout, Cat discreetly informed you that Cindy had pretty much been moping around the warehouse all day. You’d hoped that the party last night would’ve helped to improve her mood, but it would take much more than a single gathering to gloss over the trauma that she’d been forced to experience in these past few weeks. Not only that, but she took having her throat slashed unusually well, even after she was chased around by a mutated Dr. Connors in the sewers. Never complained, not even once. The kid was tough, but not invincible.

So the following day, you decided to take her to the doctor in order to get her checked out. You knew a pretty good clinic that wouldn’t ask too many questions about shit like insurance and ID. A brief physical told the doctor that she was extremely healthy for a girl her age. She was obviously getting enough exercise, and he didn’t seem to notice that her diet mostly consisted of pizza and diet coke, on account of the fact that you didn’t cook very often. She also didn’t have a static bedtime or sleep schedule that she adhered to, but working odd hours of the night does that to you.

God, you’re REALLY bad at this.

Finally, the doctor got to the injury around her throat, which in your opinion, he should’ve led with that but you weren’t a doctor, so you kept your mouth shut. He did a thorough examination, took a few X-rays, and made you wait out in the hall while the film processed.

After about an hour and a half, he called you back in and showed you the damage that the vampire's attack had caused. Surprisingly, the wound wasn’t that deep at all. It had probably bled a lot and looked awful when she had first gotten it, but you don’t see any reason that it should prevent her from speaking.

When the doctor pulled you aside later, he explained much of what you had already assumed. As far as he could tell, there wasn’t any medical reason that Cindy Moon shouldn’t be able to speak. He suggested that the trauma might be emotional in nature, and that you might want to consider getting her some form of therapy. It was probably a good idea if you were being completely honest. Therapy wasn’t for everyone, but sometimes, it was just nice having someone there to listen without casting judgment.
>>
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—-----

On the way back home, you couldn’t help but notice that Cindy was more than a little deflated. She didn’t take the news very well, so you stopped for some ice cream. But even that was failing to cheer her up!

So, you decided to take a little detour and got off the subway early. From here, you should be able to walk to Phin’s shop in about 20 minutes.

Cindy trailed along behind you, happy to be free of the cramped, sweaty subway car.

—------

The wait was a little longer than you would’ve liked, but that was on account of Phin being busy with other orders. With the inevitable gang war looming large on the horizon, more and more people were commissioning the old man to create new equipment and devices for their sinister machinations.

When he was finally free enough to acknowledge your presence, he raised an eyebrow at the young girl standing next to you nervously.

You explained her predicament, offered a few alternative solutions, and Phin nodded along as you spoke. Apparently, it was relatively easy for him to put together what you were proposing. It only took him a little under an hour to construct the device, and about 15 minutes to calibrate it to a setting that would be desirable for a girl her age.

And when it came time for the moment of truth…nothing happened. Cindy frowned down at her feet and tapped at the choker around her neck. Phin seemed more distraught by his failure than anyone else in the room.

Several recalibrations and refittings later, none of you could figure out what was going wrong. By all means, Phin’s gizmo should’ve amplified what little vibrations were coming from her vocal cords, but for some reason or another, it wasn’t picking them up.

So, you decided to keep trying different designs and methods, each one becoming more outlandish than the last. Phin seemed to have worked himself up into a frenzy, redesigning and repurposing his leftover tech to try and salvage his pride. You’ve never known the Tinkerer to make a dud, before.

On his most recent attempt, Phin gave Cindy a facemask that seemed to latch onto her flesh like a facehugger, using the movement of her lips to form words in electronic form. While it did technically work, Cindy absolutely hated the way that it felt. She ripped it off and threw it to the ground to cement her hatred of the wretched thing, before leaving the store in huff.

You quickly apologized to Phin, paid him for his troubles, and promised to come back later once he could come up with something more effective.

—---

On the way home, Cindy didn’t say a word. And while that wasn’t by any means unusual, the silence felt heavier for some reason. When you returned to your hideout, Cindy threw her bag down, kicked off her shoes and flopped onto the couch, turned her back to everyone in the room and sat still in that position for a very long time.

It was at this point that you’d realized your young ward had surpassed “moping” and was moving into the territory of full-blown depression.
>>
What will you do to cheer her up?

>Head back out and buy her some art supplies.
>Contact Moon Knight. Maybe he’ll be able to say something that might cheer her up.
>Invite Cat over so the two of them can have some girl talk.
>Call Jess and see if she’d be free to give one of those ASL lessons that you spoke about.
>Just give her some space for now.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5241961
>Head back out and buy her some art supplies
While we're doing that
>Invite Cat over so the two of them can have some girl talk.
>>
>>5241961
>>Call Jess and see if she’d be free to give one of those ASL lessons that you spoke about.
>>
Y'know looking back, Cindy didn't even talk before having her throat slit so that should have clued us in that this wasn't going to be easily solved in one day.
>>
>>5241961
>Call Jess and see if she’d be free to give one of those ASL lessons that you spoke about.
>Head back out and buy her some art supplies.
Magic shit must have been involved in maing her mute.
>>
>>5241961
>Head back out and buy her some art supplies.
>Invite Cat over so the two of them can have some girl talk.
>Search for a good therapist who specializes in children with trauma.
>>
>>5241960
Dem legs
>>
>>5241961
Girl talk.
>>
>>5241961
>Head back out and buy her some art supplies.
>Do some quick research on what kind of supplies she would actually need or want beforehand.
I can't tell you how many times my parents have gotten me expensive sets of pastels, paints, pencils, and whatever else a fine artist might use.
The problem was that I like to draw with cheap pencils and paper, so I had absolutely zero use for any of that stuff.
This is how it goes for just about every kid who likes to draw nowadays.
I think the safest bet would be to actually look at Cindy's previous drawings and try to get the same type of equipment that was used to make them in the first place.
>>
>>5241961
>Call Jess and see if she’d be free to give one of those ASL lessons that you spoke about.
>Head back out and buy her some art supplies.
I'll support this too.>>5242100
>Contact Moon Knight. Maybe he know's what's going on.
This is weird. Like, Konshu magic weird. But if Cindy never really talked other than occasionally making sounds to her parents, maybe its a psychological disability?
>>
>>5241961
I suspected as much. She's in a state where she feels like her voice is not heard, so she won't speak. There's only one solution.
>Ask if she's thought about burning her house down again and then do it
>>
>>5241961
>Invite Cat over so the two of them can have some girl talk.
>Call Jess and see if she’d be free to give one of those ASL lessons that you spoke about.

IF that fails
>>5242317


Too bad we don't know any mages...we really should recruit one for the Desperadoes.

>>5242241
If that were true she shouldn't be able to use her lips to activate the device Phin made. Since they are magical users it's more likely to be magical bullshit than psychological given her heroics.
>>
>>5242320
>IF that fails
mental health is nothing you can just toogle on and off.
I was always insistent on checking to say "if that is what she wants" when it came to decisions regarding her,and we just need to continue that.
We should also talk to her about whether she wants to stay with us.
Also we should not penalize her when she does start to talk. Like a depressed teen coming out of his room getting the "Oh, look who left his cave." joke.
just predent everything is normal and continue.
We should also read up on selective mutism in children,because that's just what I know it off the top of my head.
>>
I'm afraid I have to be quite insistent here
>>5241996
>>5242002
ASL won't work, neither will magic if she is not willing to communicate mentally, outside of what already works for her.
>>
>>5242331
I was agreeing with you anon. Honestly if its not magic considering the canon its probably GG cause something that break superhuman will that every hero and villain comes with ain't gonna be getting fixed.

IC Ben is realizing he is in over his head.
>>
>>5241961
>>Call Jess and see if she’d be free to give one of those ASL lessons that you spoke about.
A wizard did this? We better catch ourselves one alive then. Not sure where to find them though.
>>
>>5242340
ah, yeah I read your intentions wrong,
you posted your vote and if that fails use mine
I was phoneposting, so scrolling sometimes becomes a chore to read everything in context properly

and I too jumped to conclusions because I was expecting selective mutism, while magic can also be the cause
she could be mopey because it didn't work or because we were forcing our ideas of what is best for her on it like adults have always done so far.
>>
>>5241961
>Head back out and buy her some art supplies.
>Do some quick research on what kind of supplies she would actually need or want beforehand.
>Invite Cat over so the two of them can have some girl talk.
> Contact Matt and your fellow Desperado's to see if they know a therapist who specializes in "unusual cases ", like a girl raised by a cult and attacked by vampires
>>
>>5241964
>>5241996
>>5242002
>>5242003
>>5242034
>>5242100
>>5242241
>>5242317
>>5242320
>>5242363
>>5242397
>Head back out and buy her some art supplies. (Will add the research bit)
>Call Jess and see if she’d be free to give one of those ASL lessons that you spoke about.
>Invite Cat over so the two of them can have some girl talk.

Taking these. Writing...
>>
>>5241959
>>5241960
So, its magic.

Welp time to go bother Dr. Strange for the sole purpose of restoring a girls voice and no other reason.

As a side note.... I know we will be stealing art and tech, but how does everyone feel about stealing magic crap?
>>
>>5242470
Provided we get ourselves a magic teammate beforehand, absolutely.
>>
When you thought she wasn’t looking, you snuck into her living space and took a few pictures of the art supplies that she brought back from home. They weren’t terribly expensive, and you figured that you could easily find them in an arts & crafts store before they closed.

On your way out, you popped in your Bluetooth and gave Felicia a call. Maybe having another girl to talk to would help her to open up a bit. And just maybe…you might be able to see if Jess was willing to make good on her offer from before.

—-----

By the time you came back, Black Cat was already here, and the two women were already engaged in conversation with one another.

Well…the term ”conversation” might be a bit of a stretch. Felicia was talking and Cindy was nodding along, and taking brief pauses to write out her responses.

They both turned to you as soon as they noticed your presence. Cindy’s eyes immediately drifted to the bag in your hand, so you held it open for her to see inside. She blinked at you, and glanced back and forth between the bag, you and Felicia. Cat nodded and gestured for Cindy to accept your gift.

She slowly took it from your hands and fished around inside, examining each tool individually, while you stood there waiting anxiously with bated breath. Finally, she closed the bag again and gave you a weak smile. It didn’t have its usual glowing intensity, but you could tell that it was a genuine one.

However, that grin got a little less enthusiastic when you told her that Jess had agreed to meet with you for an ASL session later tonight. She was clearly unsure about the whole thing, but she wasn’t unwilling to give it a try.

Your mute ward hopped off the couch to go put her stuff away and get ready for her first ASL lesson, when Cat pulled you aside for a moment.

“I asked her about some stuff regarding that whole ‘voice stealing’ thing, and she was pretty insistent on the fact that someone literally ‘stole’ her voice.” Cat explained, a serious expression on her face for once. “Like, she claimed that the thing that gave her that injury sounded just like her. It was speaking with her voice, and she can’t use hers anymore because it still has it.”

You frowned at her. Was there a creature that could actually do something like that? Why would it want her voice?

Felicia seemed to read your thoughts through your expression, because she continued speaking as if you’d responded. “Yeah. Weird, right? I’ve never heard of anything like that, but you’ve been getting into all sorts of bizarre adventures lately, so I thought I’d just pass it along.” she said.

“I’ll look into it.” you promised. “Thanks, Felicia. I really appreciate everything that you’ve been doing here.”

Felicia shrugged. “It’s the least that I could do. She’s a good kid, and she deserves better than what she’s been getting.”

(Cont.)
>>
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You nodded your agreement. Out of everyone in your group(other than you), Cindy seemed to take a liking to Felicia. She had a carefree nature that made her easy to talk to and get along with. She even managed to work her way into Prowler’s cold, cold heart. Although, you noticed that he seemed to enjoy conversing with Glass ever since you introduced him to the team.

When Cindy came back, Felicia said her goodbyes, gave her a big hug and a kiss on the forehead, before running off into the night.

—---

Thankfully, the place that Jess wanted you to meet her at wasn’t terribly far away. She sat on top of a five-story building, waiting patiently in her costume. No sooner than you sat down, the lesson had already begun.

Various books were spread about the place, and Spider-Woman allowed both of you to page through them and learn some of the most basic of gestures. She’d correct you whenever you made a mistake, and would occasionally quiz you on something by speaking only in sign language. She spoke very little that night, encouraging you to learn quickly so that the three of you could experience how it felt to communicate in real time using the new language.

There was a lot of double checking and misinterpretations. Like, a lot. But somehow, that frustrating process seemed to improve Cindy’s mood a bit. Just having everyone involved with the conversation limited in the same ways that she had been gave her a way to relate to you. And to your knowledge, this is pretty much the first activity that you’ve taken part in together.

After about two and a half hours of this, Jess decided that your first session was over. She let you take her ASL books with you when you left, since she’d already committed them to memory.

You thanked her out loud, and then in sign language together with Cindy. Spider-Woman smiled warmly at the two of you as you swung away from your meeting spot.

As emotionally exhausting as today had been, seeing that wide grin on Cindy’s face somehow made it all seem worth it.

—-----

The following day, you left Cindy with Flint and swung over to your buddy’s old apartment so that you could meet up with Vic and Pete. You were supposed to go out for lunch with your parents today.

How did you feel about that?

>Nervous. Family gatherings are always so unnecessarily awkward.
>Annoyed. This was almost certainly going to devolve into an interrogation. You weren’t exactly looking forward to another tongue lashing from your folks.
>Worried. If Mom and Dad don’t agree to leave, then that might tempt Vic and Pete to stay with them.
>Excited! You couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they heard what their “favorite son” had been up to.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5242510
>>Write-in.
A confusing jumble of all of the above. Fuckin' parents, man.
>>
>>5242510
>>Worried. If Mom and Dad don’t agree to leave, then that might tempt Vic and Pete to stay with them.
especially since vacations cost money and if we were going to pay for it, they'd be bringing up how we got the money
but since perfect Richy hid a kid from them for six years...
only problem will be when Peter brings up Cindy, our own foster kid they know nothing about.
So we have to come up with a plan for when that happens.
maybe we can pass her of as Flints where we only took care of her while he was hospitalized.
>>
>>5242510
>>Worried. If Mom and Dad don’t agree to leave, then that might tempt Vic and Pete to stay with them.
>>
File: ASL I love you.jpg (47 KB, 503x388)
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QM be sure to add this in some update for the future for Cindy and Ben
>>
>>5242510
>>Worried. If Mom and Dad don’t agree to leave, then that might tempt Vic and Pete to stay with them.
>>
>>5242510
>Worried. If Mom and Dad don’t agree to leave, then that might tempt Vic and Pete to stay with them.
We will just have to steal her voice back one day.
>>
>>5242527
Support.
>>
>>5242510
>Excited! You couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they heard what their “favorite son” had been up to.
>>5242587
It's a good thing we're a super-thief.
>>
>>5242527
+1, this is the only real option
>>
>>5242510
>Worried. If Mom and Dad don’t agree to leave, then that might tempt Vic and Pete to stay with them.
>>
>>5242527
Oh god damn it. yeah, this.

Almost 40 years old and my opinions still don't count on some things. And now they've become political, send help.
>>
>>5242527
>>5242617
>>5242686
>>5242772
I know that feel, bros...

>>5242528
>>5242558
>>5242580
>>5242587
>>5242643
>>5242690
Taking these and combining. Writing...

>>5242575
Thanks! I think I'll save this for an emotional update!
>>
File: Peter_Parker_2017.jpg (68 KB, 645x669)
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You honestly don’t know how you should be feeling. There’s a confusing, jumbled mix of emotions tearing through you right now. You’re a bit nervous because these gatherings are almost always hopelessly awkward. And just thinking about the third degree that they were going to subject you to was already putting you on edge.

On the other hand, you could always throw Richard under the bus if that meant getting their attention away from you for a few minutes. Let him get in trouble for once.

But underneath all of that, you were worried about them, more than anything. Worried that they wouldn’t believe you or trust your judgment. Worried that they might choose to stay out of pure stubbornness, ignorance and spite. Worried that Vic might feel guilty, and choose to stay with them out of necessity. Worried that Peter would undoubtedly have to stay with Vic, placing your entire family in danger.

For the fourth time in as many minutes, you aggressively tugged at your tie and ran a hand through your hair. Vic had convinced you to dress up for this occasion, and you were already regretting it.

It wasn’t because you didn’t like the way that you looked in a suit. But considering how backed up traffic had been these past few days, you were either going to be shoved in a stuffy subway car, or forced to endure the tyrannical monologues of a migrant New York cab driver.

Or worse. You might have to…walk there.

You suppressed a shudder, choosing instead to pay attention to your sister helping Peter into the little outfit that she picked out for him the other day. His ensemble consisted of a plaid, short-sleeved shirt, a pair of slacks and a tiny little bowtie.

Vic was wearing a dark blue dress made out of a rather breathable fabric. You figured that she was anticipating the stuffy subway car ride just as much as you were.

“Is everyone ready?” she asked, despite only looking at you.

You grumbled something unintelligible as a response, and she seemed to take that as a yes, because she was rushing you all out of the apartment a moment later.

“Great. Because we’re already late.” she said as she entered the hall and closed the door behind her.

“We could always take it a step further and just…not show up?” you proposed. But it was promptly ignored by both Peter and Vic. Everyone knew that there was no getting out of this one. “Just a suggestion.”

For just a singular moment, you couldn’t help but feel jealous of your brother for missing out on this wholesome family outing.

—------

(Cont.)
>>
An hour later and a half later, you, Peter and Victoria were sitting at a table outside with your mother and father. Pre-brunch pleasantries consisted of you and your sister hugging your parents and giving trained responses to their similarly mundane questions. To their credit, neither of them displayed any open hostility towards you. That was either because they were genuinely delighted to see you after all this time, or they didn’t want to lose face in a public setting. Your money was on the latter.

But all of that carefully concealed contempt took a back seat when you introduced their grandson.

“Mom, Dad? This is Peter.” you said, kneeling down and smiling up at them. “He’s your grandson. Pete? This is my Mom, and your grandma, Ann. And that’s my Dad, and your grandpa, Peter.” you continued, pointing to each of them in turn.

You paused for a moment. Did Rich seriously name his son after Dad? How were you just now realizing this?

“He’s Richie’s kid. We’re uh, not sure who the Mom is.” you admitted.

A long silence followed after that mind-boggling revelation, and when it had become too unbearable, Vicky felt the need to breathe some life back into the conversation.

“Surprise!” she nervously blurted out.

All the color had gone out of your Dad’s face by this point, but your Mother couldn’t help but start gushing over the “little darling”.

Figures. Dick Parker could do no wrong, after all.

—--------

By the time that the appetizers rolled around and they ran out of pointless questions to ask, your parents started getting around to more substantial inquiries. Like: “How has Richard been hiding a kid from us for this long?” and “Why hasn’t he introduced his girlfriend to us already?”. And then there’s your personal favorite: “Why couldn’t he make it to brunch, and why isn’t he answering our calls?”

All very good questions, really. And you didn’t have answers for any of them. The most you could do was tell them that you’d ask Rich when you got in contact with him again, but you just assumed that he was busy with some important call for the company that he worked for. That was the least that you could do for him.

You’d know more once your contacts got back to you. But for now, you had to focus on finding a way to convince your parents to leave town. How would you go about doing that?

>”I got a tip from a buddy that there’s a gang war brewing in this city. You don’t want to be here when it comes to a head.”
>”Those terrorist attacks are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, and I’m not comfortable with you guys staying here until the Avengers can get them under control.”
>”How would you guys like to go on a nice little vacation with your new nephew? Get away from it all for a few weeks.”
>”I know you two have been eyeing that lake house in Virginia for a while now. I could rent it out for you, and the four of you could head down there and soak up some sun."
>Write-in.
>>
Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5242897
>”Those terrorist attacks are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, and I’m not comfortable with you guys staying here until the Avengers can get them under control.”
>”How would you guys like to go on a nice little vacation with your new nephew? Get away from it all for a few weeks.”
>>
>>5242897
>How would you guys like to go on a nice little vacation with your new nephew? Get away from it all for a few weeks
Let's play with Mom soft side first mentioning Pete, maybe she could feel inclined to accept in that angle and Dad be somewhat dragger by her. If they ask about money, we can say that Vic got a nice bonus in her work and she's going to pay (lie)

If dad isn't that sure, it's then we play
>”Those terrorist attacks are becoming more frequent and unpredictable, and I’m not comfortable with you guys staying here until the Avengers can get them under control.”
Also, pressuring a little with "Y'know, now that you guy meet Peter and with this things going around... I guess it's a oportunity for you to have some time with Pete. Those attacks have been going on for a while, so surely the Avengers will get on this mess while we're out"

The worst we can do is trying to play the fear card with them. Maybe dad is really stubborn and say "vampire and terrorists attacks? Bullshit, i'm from FUCKING Nee York, baby" or something like that and won't accept the vacations because we say so. It's worse if we say we will pay, because there's going to lead to "Ow, and where is that money coming from?" And shit.
>>
>>5242897
>”How would you guys like to go on a nice little vacation with your new nephew? Get away from it all for a few weeks.”
>”I got a tip from a buddy that there’s a gang war brewing in this city. You don’t want to be here when it comes to a head.”
>My place and Vic's already got trashed without the whole war deal. I wanted to get Richie away too, but he doesn't answers my calls.
>>
>>5242897
>>”How would you guys like to go on a nice little vacation with your new nephew? Get away from it all for a few weeks.”
>>”I know you two have been eyeing that lake house in Virginia for a while now. I could rent it out for you, and the four of you could head down there and soak up some sun."
The other ones raise uncomfortable questions to answer and are unnecessarily dark, I think. We can try those if these don't work.
>>
>>5242979
Support.
>>
>>5242979
Support. I say we use the gang buddy one of our parents are too stubborn to take the hint, but that’ll just get us lectured so let’s avoid it for as long as possible.
>>
>>5242979
>>5243049
>>5243054
Taking these. Writing...
>>
“How would you guys like to go on a nice little vacation with your new nephew? You know. Get away from it all for a few weeks.” you began, putting on a pleasant smile. “I know you two have been eyeing that lake house in Virginia for a while now. I could rent it out for you, and the four of you could head down there and soak up some sun.” you offered.

“Well! Wouldn’t that be nice.” your Mom exclaimed, pleasantly surprised by your offer. She looked like she was already fantasizing about the remote paradise.

“And how were you planning on paying for this little vacation?” your father asked.

You gave him an easy smile. “I recently came into some money.” you said with a shrug.

“Mhmm.” he replied, not sounding the least bit convinced that your goods were anything less than ill-gotten.

Who the fuck cares where the money came from!? You’re offering them a free vacation! Just take the money!

“Oh! But what about Richard?” your Mom considered. “I won’t feel comfortable leaving without making sure that he’s okay.”

You sighed internally and shared a glance with Vic out of the corner of your eye. She was in the middle of taking a long, slow sip of water, tactfully staying out of the conversation. Your momentary glance turned into an imploring look.

Victoria lowered her glass and cleared her throat. “We’ll make sure that he’s okay, guys. I’m sure that it’s nothing to worry about.” she said, in a far more convincing tone than you thought she was capable of, considering how you were sure that she didn’t believe what she was saying.

“He’d better be.” your Dad grumbled. “Because I’d like to have a word with that boy.” he said, glancing at Peter, who was attempting to reach over the table for some more breadsticks. Your Dad graciously slid them closer to his little fingers, earning him a small grin from the boy.

Someone was finally calling your brother out on his shit? Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“So, Ben,” you Mom began. “Have you met someone yet?”

If you consider sleeping with a primal, Russian huntress “meeting someone”, then yeah.

“Me? No. No, I haven’t-” you began to say, before your father switched gears on you.

“What kind of work are you doing these days?” he asked.

FUCK!

—-----------

Despite your best efforts, you were unable to get the conversation back on track. They really didn’t intend on going anywhere until you found Rich. That wasn’t terribly surprising, but you’d be less frustrated if he could just pick up his phone and shoot you a quick text.

Whatever. You’d find him eventually. You just hoped that you could do it before the whole city went to shit.

—--------

(Cont.)
>>
File: clean (15).jpg (389 KB, 1821x2800)
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After escorting your sister and nephew home, you quickly changed out of your business casual suit, and into your “secret” business suit. You were relieved to finally be able to circumvent the horrendous traffic that had been caused by Slip’s daily backyard brawls. Everyone and their mom was now trying to get their hands on him, and all it did was knock out more power grids around the city.

Luckily, the place that you were headed to today didn’t have much traffic at all.

—---------

Having made a few calls ahead of time, Flint, Prowler and Felicia were already at your base by the time that you got back. You were all headed into the sewers to meet up with Callisto and her fellow Morlocks. Except this time, you’d all be wearing boots to avoid any further complaining or unnecessary dry cleaning bills. That wasn’t to say that there would be no complaining at all, though. You could already see the sour expressions forming on Cat and Prowler’s faces. Which is exactly why you chose to tell them after they’d already arrived!

Since Cindy was also part of the team, she volunteered to come along. She looked like she needed a break from her ASL studies, anyway. You’d have to play catch-up whenever you got some free time. At this point, Flint was going to fully understand the language before you did. The man literally never needed to sleep!

—-------

The trek through the sewer system was much quicker the second time around, as you were able to chart a path from the phone booth to the Morlocks’ central hub. Glass was already waiting for you at the entrance by the time that you’d arrived. He figured that it was easier to stay here, rather than make two trips.

“Just smile and wave.” he whispered, before pulling the curtain back to allow you entry.

You had already instructed them on the Morlocks’ grotesque appearances, hoping that your prior warning would be enough to prepare them for seeing the mutants in the flesh. Prowler’s mask hid any sort of expression that didn’t quite reach his eyes, but Felicia seemed much more adept at maintaining a professional aura. Her outward reaction had been far more tame than Flint’s had been, at least.

To their surprise, the malformed mutants were eyeing them with an intense curiosity that far surpassed theirs. There was, of course, some measure of contempt mixed in there. Not all Morlocks were huge fans of humans invading their territory. And some just weren’t huge fans of humans. Especially those with such well-trained bodies. Any one of you could probably walk onto the front page of one of those superhero fashion magazines and not look terribly out of place. Except Cindy and Flint. Neither had costumes yet.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted Callisto watching you from the second level. She was carefully examining your companions from a distance.

(Cont.)
>>
How will you break the ice?

>Introduce your fellow Desperados!(Write-in.)
>Get everyone riled up with a friendly match-up in the pit!(Who will fight who?)
>Instruct everyone to get to know the Morlocks. If everything went well, they’d be spending a decent amount of time together.
>Let Glass give an honest report on what he’s observed of you so far.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5243479
>"Now you met Cindy and Flint already, but with our full cadre, we are..."
>Proceed to pose on the nearest high ledge
>"THE DESPERADOS!"
>Pause for dramatic effect
>"That's copyright by the way."
>>
>>5243479
>>Get everyone riled up with a friendly match-up in the pit!(Glass vs Ben)
>>
Let's invite Kraven to our group. I want to explore her backside I mean back story more.
>>
>>5241961
>God, you’re REALLY bad at this.
Fix that Ben, be at least marginally more responsible and schedule up her bed time. We know she doesnt want to grow up to be a midget because shes not getting enough hours to sleep.

>>5242431
I think the neck trauma is magical in nature

>>5242527
+1
>>
>>5243479
YOU WHO WANTS PIZZA! I CAN SHILL LIKE, 50 SUPER LARGE ONES RIGHT NOW!
>>
File: Spoiler Image (34 KB, 275x300)
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>>5243499
Supporting. What is a Spider-Man without any quips for his thwips?
>>5243676
>>
>>5243479
>>Let Glass give an honest report on what he’s observed of you so far.
>>
>>5243499
This, fuck it.
>>5243684
I'm feeling like this quest needs more pizza time memes
>>
>>5243479
big dramatic monologue
>Introduce your fellow Desperados!(Write-in.)
>"Hello, New York Underground, thanks for having us today, you’re a wonderful crowd.
>"Some of you have already met some of us, and heard what we’re about, with some rumor and speculation sprinkled in. So let us clear some of that up, shall we?"
>"Three act structure. Who are we, what do we want, and what do we have to offer you. And bonus point: are we here to exploit you? Answer to that last one is no, but, you know, who’d admit to that? So I understand why you have your guard up."

>"First a little bit about yours truly, I’m the Huntsman, I’ve met Callisto while making my escape from some unruly fellows who blew up my apartment. She kindly guided me out the sewers for a favor whenever she needed something, which she cashed in HARD when that lizard monster came down here. Being a man of my word I got rid of it for her. Seeing as those things didn’t quite cancle one another out, I asked her if she’s willing to help with one or the other project of mine.
>"Flint you’ve met the other day, Cindy’s been down here for a little while before I took her under my wing. They both are in need of a costume and cool codename tho. Both are great, but one’s undoubtedly cuter than the other. Now Black Cat and Prowler I don’t think you’ve met. BC’s a catburglar and Prowler... prowls, I guess? Again, both great people coming to aid others when they need help, and again one’s cuter than the other, but this time it’s a question of preferences."

>"Together we call ourselves the Desperados, copyright pending. We’re a new group and so far have robbed a museum and helped fend of a terrorist attack. We have a number of rules for how we conduct business, but the most important ones are that we don’t deal in drugs or people. Period."
>"We also don’t steal from anyone who doesn’t have wealth to spare, rich assholes basically. We minimize collateral damage, and we will help out with natural or unnatural disasters that strike the city."

>"Now. What do we want of you? First of all safe passage through the sewers whenever we need to go to and from places undetected by upside eyes. Second, we could always use additional talent."

>"Then, what do you get out of it? For anyone who joins in one of our outings we share profits equally, though that can be adjusted on circumstance, like when someone gets injured and needs professional healthcare. Second, I have a building, I can easily buy construction material in bulk. Callisto told me you want to renovate. Lumber, concrete, plumbing, tiles, waterproof sealants, water heaters, can all be arranged. And the big one, electricity. I can buy something upstairs in your name and arrange proper wiring down here somehow. Prowler knows a thing or two about electricity, we can hook you up."

>"Comments, Questions, Concernes?"
>>
File: 1638710212568.jpg (107 KB, 613x533)
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>>5243812
>>
>>5243815
That's a support, I count that as a support
>>
>>5243479
Back this>>5243499
>>
File: 1648355626975.jpg (14 KB, 519x508)
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>>5243818
>>
>>5243499
+1

>>5243684
>>5243796
Pizzas? In a sewer? I think we're getting close to another copyrighted territory entirely
>>
>>5243479
>Instruct everyone to get to know the Morlocks. If everything went well, they’d be spending a decent amount of time together.
>>
>>5243812
tl;dr:
>Announce who we are, what we want, and what we have to offer
>>
>>5243846
>tmnt
they got mutated by the same stuff as Matt, who fights with martial arts and against the Hand or Foot clan
deep lore, look it up
>>
>>5243953
Cindy vs Leonardo, who wins?
>>
>>5244016
I mean, how powered is Cindy actually? I'm not exactly sure.
>>
>>5244075
She could go toe-to-toe with Matt, so I'd say she'd be about the on par with an armed mutant ninja.
>>
>>5243953
>>5244016
>>5244075
>>5244119
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRnRUtMHGow
>>
>>5244138
That's actually a pretty cool opening. Bit after my time, though. We went full retard back in the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNa2Fr6CA0E
>>
>>5243499
>>5243698
>>5243796
>>5243827
>>5243846
Writing...

I should probably start a new thread sometime soon.

>>5244075
>>5244119
Matt was holding back a bit in that fight to see how well she could keep up, but she's much more formidable than her appearance might imply. Even more so if she has a weapon on hand.

>>5244138
Yo, this opening went HARD
>>
>>5244138
TMNT in the early 2000s is the shit, get physical copies while you can, the new shit is made garbage on purpose.
>>
>>5244075
They join forces to spin their staff at two directions at the same time.
>>
>>5244016
I replied to the wrong post.
>>
Cindy waved up at Callisto, and the Morlock leader gave her a lazy wave in return. You shot her a friendly wink, and her response was noticeably less friendly. You decided not to take it personally.

“Now, you met Cindy and Flint already, but with our full cadre, we are…” you trailed off, leaping onto a stack of nearby crates, and striking a heroic pose. “THE DESPERADOS!” you declared, projecting your voice throughout the tunnel.

You remained entirely still, and completely silent for a moment, letting your declaration hang in the air for dramatic effect. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed your comrades silently conversing amongst one another, trying to figure out whether they should pose as well, and what type of pose they should take.

From the sounds of it, Prowler was against the idea, which was no big surprise. Felicia and Cindy thought it would’ve been fun, but were very put off by the fact that they haven't rehearsed anything beforehand. Flint was simply too confused to do anything substantial, and Glass was busy pretending that he didn’t know any of you.

You weren’t sure if this was a cold reception, or if you were now being treated like an eccentric idiot. Either way, that should’ve at least done something to break the ice a bit.

“That’s copyrighted, by the way.” you added, flipping off the stack of crates and landing gracefully on your feet.

“Thanks for the warning, boss.” Felicia said with no small measure of sarcasm. “If I knew we were going to be striking sexy poses, I would’ve worn better boots.”

“Right. Because that’s the problem.” Prowler grumbled, shaking a stray piece of garbage off of his boot.

“I can always take you with me next time I go shopping. Someone really oughta brighten up your wardrobe.” she teased, before eyeing up Flint. “You too, muscles. You’ve been wearing the same shirt everyday.”

Flint looked down at his favorite, green striped shirt and shrugged. “I was wearing it when I got turned, so I think I’m stuck with it for life.” he said.

Felicia just shook her head and gave him a pitying look. “Now that has got to be the saddest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Cindy seemed entertained by this whole exchange, but you also noticed a bit of sadness in her smile when she remembered that she couldn’t join in.

“Alright. I’ve had enough of this comedy act.” Callisto declared, sliding down a ladder and approaching you with a determined expression. “Glass told me about you and yours. Says that you’re practically harmless. Although, I’ve only seen one of you in action.” she said, glancing down at Cindy. “If you want this whole thing to work, then I need to know whenever you get new members on your crew. I have to approve of each and every single one before I can allow them safe passage.”

“Sounds reasonable.” you agreed.

(Cont.)
>>
“And,” she continued. “I need to know what you’re carting through here beforehand. If you need to pass through a populated section of our tunnels, then I’ll have someone check your cargo to make sure that it isn’t a danger to everyone down here. You’ll also need the ‘updated’ version of our maps, but I will only give this to you, and anyone else that you consider to be part of your ‘inner circle’.”

You nodded, but waited for her to finish before speaking.

“If you can agree to these terms, as well as adhering to the promises you made before, then I believe we’ll be able to come to an agreement. If at any point, I have reason to believe that you’re abusing the information and liberties that we’re granting you, your safe passage will be revoked, and you will no longer be welcome among us. Agreed?”

>”You’ve got yourself a deal.”(Shake hands with Callisto.)
>”Actually…”(Make some revisions to the contract.)
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5244260
>”You’ve got yourself a deal.”(Shake hands with Callisto.)
Fairs fair, its bad business to go back on a set deal for no reason.
>>
>>5244260
>Consult with the rest of the team briefly. If there are no objections:
>”You’ve got yourself a deal.”(Shake hands with Callisto.)

Assuming she isn't super uptight with the kind of goods we're smuggling, she's asking us for Absolutely Fucking Nothing.

Since she sees everything, however, we might want to hold off on carting really high-value stuff like vibranium through the tunnels until we actually know we can trust her, however.

We'll have to do inventory all proper and thorough too, since at least some of her people are bound to cause some problems at some point. Maybe start thinking about how exactly we'd go about making a strong point if and when a Morlock nicks from us.
>>
>>5244267
Support
Also we should have done ginyu force poses
>>
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>>5244293
>however
>however
Fuck.
>>
>>5244260
>”You’ve got yourself a deal.”(Shake hands with Callisto.)
I'm trying to not say it.
>>
>>5244300
Arr.
>>
>>5244300
Say it
>>
>>5244300
Say it, we cannot resist bad puns when in costume.
>>
>>5244305
>>5244307
>>5244321
Fine
>>5244300
Adding
>I will try to not be suspicious.
>>
>>5244330
Excellent.
>>
>>5244300
>>5244330
+1
>>
>>5244260
>>”You’ve got yourself a deal.”(Shake hands with Callisto.)
>>
>>5244260
This >>5244300 >>5244330
I just can't resist
>>
>>5244260
>”You’ve got yourself a deal.”(Shake hands with Callisto.)
>>
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Update when?!
>>
>>5245139
After Heavy Update
>>
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>>5245139
never ever, it's over anon
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>>5245144
OH...
>>
>be me
>it's 2022
>its been almost 14 hours since OP last updated thecquest
>hope is dwindling among the anons
>you don't know how much longer you can keep your sanity
>>
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>>5245177
Scary ain't it?
>>
>>5244293
Backing this one
>>
>>5245139
>>5245141
>>5245144
>>5245155
>>5245177
>>5245180
WHAT!? My quest is over already!? Why didn't anybody tell me!?

There's no helping it, then. It's been fun, you guys. Guess it's time to pack it in for good. Thanks for playing! I am...Scorekeeper no more...

>>5244300
>>5244330
>>5244395
>>5244410
>>5245084
>>5244267
>>5244296
>>5244756
>>5245098
Taking these. Will start writing after a quick shower and a bite to eat. I think I'll start a new thread after the next couple of updates and archive this one.
>>
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it's all ogre
>>
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You thought about her conditions for a moment, and then nodded. A brief glance behind you told you that the others had no objections either.

You returned your gaze to Callisto and extended a hand. “Lady, you’ve got yourself a deal.” you declared.

Callisto smiled marginally and gripped your hand before shaking it up and down. “Good. So long as you look out for us, we’ll do the same for you. If I find someone that seems like a good fit for your crew, I’ll pass the word along.” she promised.

“And I’ll try not to be suspicious.” you said, narrowing your eyes. As expected, Callisto didn’t seem to understand what you were talking about. Then again, you probably shouldn’t give someone too much shit if they spent all their time skulking around in the sewers.

With that, the rest of the procession consisted of some very uncomfortable introductions between your group and the Morlocks. A lot of them still weren’t too keen on welcoming outsiders into their society, but you were hoping that that sentiment would change once you started making improvements down here.

At some point, you, Glass and Callisto started talking about possible recruits. Names like “Tabitha” and "Electric Eve” flew around, but they didn’t sound completely sure about any of them.

While you were walking back through the sewers, you found yourself feeling unsatisfied with the atmosphere of the Morlocks’ lair. Maybe next time you’d bring booze and pizza to lighten the mood a bit. You gave Callisto plenty of cash, but it didn’t look like she was intent on going out and spending it in a hurry. You probably should’ve expected that from a reclusive community of nomadic sewer dwellers.

If you really wanted to please them, you were going to have to make some quality of life improvements down here. You wondered if either Prowler or Cat could help you get some estimates or projections on the cost of some of those improvements.

You were mostly silent on the way back, even as your comrades freely conversed and openly aired their gripes about this entire venture.

—-------

>91

Sometime after you took your shower, one of your contacts finally got back to you about your brother’s whereabouts! A barrage of conflicting emotions tore through you at that very moment, but you couldn’t help but smile at the thought of knowing that your brother was still alive.

It was what came next that swept that same smile off of your face. Your little brother, the egghead boy scout, was spotted at a Goblin rally. One that had a heavy police presence, due to the sheer violence that tended to break out during such events.

“I’m gonna kill him. Swear to God, I’m gonna kill him myself if the attack dogs don’t get to him first!” you snarled in a hushed tone.

(Cont.)
>>
How will you approach this?

>Swing on over in costume and see if you can’t break up any riots that break out.
>Send in Flint to crash the party! He’d make the perfect distraction while you searched the area for your brother.
>Infiltrate the rally by wearing a Green Goblin mask and pretending to be one of his followers.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5245288
>Send in Flint to crash the party! He’d make the perfect distraction while you searched the area for your brother.

I don't mind owing Flint one. It's more an opportunity than burden considering how bro he is. I literally want him to call the favor in the future so we have the opportunity to do something for him.

Wait, is this how friendships work irl? Did I just gain insight into how normies work on fucking 4chan?
>>
Oh! And let me know which costume you'll be wearing if you decide to suit up for the event.
>>
>>5245288
>Send in Flint to crash the party! He’d make the perfect distraction while you searched the area for your brother.
We got to find Rich.
>>
>>5245288
Wait, what's the context of Flint crashing the party? If he's going to out himself as a supervillain and publicize his powers here maybe we shouldn't do quite that.
>>
>>5245345
You'd basically be waiting for things to boil over, and then Flint would come in and blindside both parties, causing mass disorientation while you looked for your brother
>>
>>5245288
>Send in Flint to crash the party! He’d make the perfect distraction while you searched the area for your brother.
>Infiltrate the rally by wearing a Green Goblin mask and pretending to be one of his followers.
>>
>>5245288
>Send in Flint to crash the party! He’d make the perfect distraction while you searched the area for your brother.
If Goblin doesn't do https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=045Bixq03-U at any point, the quest is ruined
>>
>>5245288
just
>>Infiltrate the rally by wearing a Green Goblin mask and pretending to be one of his followers.
>>
>>5245288
>Infiltrate the rally by wearing a Green Goblin mask and pretending to be one of his followers
Sneaky sneaky.
inb4 Rich is Gobby or something
>>
>>5245288
>Infiltrate the rally by wearing a Green Goblin mask and pretending to be one of his followers.

I'd prefer to keep Flint out of this just for now, unless we want to steal the shield today.
>>
>>5245496
+1
>>
>>5245288
Changing my vote from >>5245379 to
>Infiltrate the rally by wearing a Green Goblin mask and pretending to be one of his followers
to break this tie. I still hope GG says his meme line
>>
>>5245288
changing >>5245292
to
>Infiltrate the rally by wearing a Green Goblin mask and pretending to be one of his followers
>>
>>5245529
Ah, fuck, my IP. Oh well.
>>
>>5245288
>Send in Flint to crash the party! He’d make the perfect distraction while you searched the area for your brother.
>>
>>5245429
>>5245492
>>5245496
>>5245514
>>5245527
>>5245529
Taking these. Writing...
>>
>>5245643
We we catch him, we should give him so much shit for more of less dumping his son. Maybe even give him a wedgy as pay back. Not to say we don't love the kid to smithereens, but for Pete's sake (kek) hes a dad and he needs to take care of his son.
>>
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Not wanting to waste any time, you grabbed your gym bag, stuffed your casual clothes into it, along with some money, and ran out the door without so much as an explanation. Cindy and Flint gave you an odd look as you swung past, but you promised to explain once you got back.

You flew through the city, rushing to reach the location that your contact gave you a minute earlier. As much as you’d love to crash this little rally and smash your way through a horde of tear gassed Goblins, you don’t want to draw any unnecessary attention to yourself. Not yet, at least. You and Gobbie aren’t enemies just yet, and you don’t want to tip him off before you go after that shield.

On the way over, you spotted a discarded Goblin mask in the street and snagged it with a webline. This should help you blend in just fine.

—-----------

From the sky, you could see that a large crowd had gathered around a large open space in the Queensbridge Projects. As far as shitty neighborhoods went, this was not a good place for a goodie-two shoes like your brother to end up. And from the looks of things, cops are already starting to get more than a little antsy. They’re keeping a close watch on the freaks down there dressed in green and purple, worshiping a psychopath like he’s the second coming of Christ.

And…you were about to become one of them. For today, at least.

—---

When you exited the building, you were already wearing the mask and purple hoodie that you swiped from your closet at the last second. You had a feeling that there’d be some sort of weird dress code around these parts. It was definitely crowded enough for you to blend in, though. Especially with these goofy-looking masks. No wonder the cops were getting nervous around these guys. They all sounded like fanatics, frothing at the mouth and itching to start trouble at the very first opportunity.

All this carefully concocted chaos allowed you to slide your way towards the front of all this commotion, where a tall, slender man shouted obscenities from a makeshift stage.

His body was wrapped in studded, black leather belts and white bandages, stitched together to cover an emerald scale mail shirt similar to what Gobbie wore. But the most striking thing about his appearance was the large, glowing pumpkin mask that he wore on his head.

And if you didn’t know his name before, then you certainly did now, because everyone around you was feverishly chanting one word, over, and over, and over, and over again.

“Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack!”

As casually as you could manage, you started glancing around, trying to find any trace of your brother. How were you supposed to find him when everyone here looked the same!?

(Cont.)
>>
What will you do?

>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
>Push your way through the crowd and call every person you bump into “Dick” as you apologize. One of them’s bound to be your brother.
>You’ll just pull off a few masks, start a riot, get everyone arrested and find him in processing!
>Wait until the crowd thins out a little bit more. That also means that you’ll have to suffer through this rally.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5245698
>>Push your way through the crowd and call every person you bump into “Dick” as you apologize. One of them’s bound to be your brother.
>>
>>5245698
>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
>>
>>5245698
>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
>Push your way through the crowd and call every person you bump into “Richie” as you apologize. One of them’s bound to be your brother.
>>
>>5245698
>>
>>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
>>
>>5245698
well, we at least know Richards physique and height, so that's some characteristics down so we don't have to completely randomly snag stuff.
That, and, since it's likely still the same season, he'd wear likely the same jacket
>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
>>
>>5245698
>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
inb4 Richard IS Jack
>>
>>5245747
I thought that too.
>>
>>5245698
>>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
>>
>>5245698
>Try to find him based on the clothes he was wearing in that picture.
This is step 1, definitely.
>>
>>5245701
>>5245737
>>5245743
>>5245747
>>5245978
>>5246578
Writing...
>>
Considering that you have a decent idea of what he was wearing while he was coming to join this rally, as well as a good assessment of his height and build, you would have to use those to pick him out of this crowd. The only problem was the dress code that these Goblins required their followers to maintain.

At first glance, everyone looked the same in a sea of green and purple, but there were subtle differences here and there. For instance, almost everyone had been wearing different brands. Just because Gobbie gave everyone a dress code didn’t mean that they were being forced to wear uniforms.Not one person was completely identical to the other.

As your eyes combed through the crowd, you tried your very best to tune out Jack’s rant. He was blabbering about the insane insurance premiums that people were forced to pay to protect their assets, while big corporations took advantage of small businesses and the common folk.

He wasn’t necessarily wrong, but you’ve heard this type of shit 100 times before. He’s not the first to shout it from the rooftops, and he won’t be the last. Despite having such a massive population of superheroes in the city, crime rates are skyrocketing across the board, and the city gets blown up every other month at this point.

At some point in their lives, every New Yorker has to accept the fact that they can’t rely on other people to keep them safe all the time. Something’s always gonna slip through the cracks, and you’ve just gotta hope that you’re not the one who pays for someone else’s mistake.

You couldn’t see Rich from where you were standing, so you decided to move around a bit. It was like wading through a ball pit at Chuck E’ Cheese to find your missing child.

Wait. Was that him over there!? He sure fits your brother’s profile.

“Scuse me. Coming through!” you grunted, struggling to squeeze through the horde of Goblins. You could barely hear yourself over their deafening cries. Jack was getting treated like a rockstar up there. You absently wondered just how many groupies the scarecrow-like figure had scored out of this rally.

When you finally reached your target, you forcefully spun him around and tore his mask off…only to find out that it wasn’t your brother, after all.

He gave you a startled look, but it quickly turned to one of anger when his thoughts had finally caught up to him. The man snatched his mask out of your hands and stormed off.

You let out an exasperated sigh. “Sorry. I thought you were someone else.” you said, hanging your head in defeat. But then, you heard an all too familiar voice.

“Ben?”

You whirled on the speaker and froze. The man slid his mask aside to reveal the face of your younger brother, Richard Parker.

“What’re you doing here?” he asked, a hint of worry creeping into his voice.

Thank God he was okay!

(Cont.)
>>
“Hey, that’s my line, asshole!” you snapped back. “Where’s your phone? I’ve been calling you for the past three weeks!”

Richard frowned and glanced up at Jack. “Sorry. Been busy with work.” he replied dryly.

You followed his gaze. “No offense, Rich, but I don’t think ‘Jack’ here is in the market for car insurance.”

He flashed a grin at you. “You’d be surprised by how persuasive I can be.” he said with a wink.

Before you could reply to that utterly ridiculous claim, your thoughts were drowned out by the sudden cheers of the audience around you. Jack was now hopping on what looked like a mechanical broomstick and putting it between his legs like he was a witch that had bought his Halloween costume at Party City.

You were about to laugh, but against all odds…the fucker actually flew.

And it wasn’t a gentle hovering motion that could be faked for the cameras. Jack shot off like he’d been straddling a rocket. Instead of passing out, falling off or throwing up like he should’ve, the guy was laughing his fool head off as he zipped around at dizzying speeds.

Several of the cops drew their weapons, struggling to get a lock on the pumpkin-headed menace of the day. The other Goblins quickly noticed this, and started jeering and booing at the cops. This wasn’t looking good…

“Hey, Rich? Maybe we should-” you began to say, only to realize far too late that your brother was already making his way out of the crowd!

“Seriously!?”

You fought and clawed your way over to him, only slightly bolstered by your spider-enhanced speed and strength. The reckless action earned you more than a few elbows, but you were sturdy enough to take it.

When you’d finally caught up to your brother again, you grabbed his shoulder and spun him around forcefully.

He gave you an exasperated look. “What?”

You glared at him.

“I’m sorry, Ben. but I don’t have time for this right now.”

What will you say?

>”Where the hell are you going!?”
>"Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
>”Right. Why would you? You don’t even have time for your own kid.”
>”Do I have to put a leash on you? Believe me, I’ll do it!”
>”You’re gonna call your family, apologize, and then explain how your ‘more responsible’ older brother brought you to your senses.”
>"When did you turn into such a selfish bastard? At least have the decency to give your family a call if you're gonna drop off the face of the Earth."
>Pull your brother into a hug.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5246668
>>”You’re gonna call your family, apologize, and then explain how your ‘more responsible’ older brother brought you to your senses.”
>>
>>5246668
>Pull your brother into a hug.
>"Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
>You know me Rich, I'm the one supposed to get into it. But I care about family, anything you need, I will help.
>>
>>5246668
Right. Why would you? You don’t even have time for your own kid.”
>”You’re gonna call your family, apologize, and then explain how your ‘more responsible’ older brother brought you to your senses.”
>>
>>5246668
>>>”Where the hell are you going!?”
>>"Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
>>
>>5246668
>”Where the hell are you going!?”
>"Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
>>
>>5246668
>”Where the hell are you going!?”
>"Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
>>
>>5246668
>"Come on, what are you doing really, cause you're not an avid fan and you're not selling insurance. You know I'm a professional too, some bucks can buy my help and silence."
>>
>>5246668
>”Where the hell are you going!?”
>"Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
>>
>>5246668
>”Where the hell are you going!?”
>"Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in some kind of trouble?"
>>
>>5246668
>“I’m sorry, Ben. but I don’t have time for this right now.”
You will make time them.
>>
>>5246668
>"You're making time then. Where are WE going?"
>>
>>5246739
>>5246741
>>5246752
>>5246838
>>5246918
Taking these. Writing...
>>
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“Where the hell are you going!?”

“I’m gonna convince Jack to get that broomstick insured.” he joked, not slowing his pace as he answered you.

“There’s no way he doesn’t crash that thing within the week. Your company’s gonna lose out on a pretty chunk of change.” you replied, unintentionally falling into his pace.

“Really? He seemed like a well adjusted guy to me.”

You shook your head, grabbed your brother’s shoulder and spun him around again, much to his annoyance.

You leaned in close and lowered your voice. “Be straight with me, Rich. Are you in trouble?” you asked.

His jaw clenched, and he cast a conspiratorial glance around the area before responding. “Believe me when I say this, Ben. It’s best if you stay out of it.”

You gave him a flat look. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that, huh? You're squeaky clean compared to me.”

Richard stared at you for an uncomfortably long time. If there weren’t people literally screaming in your ear, you would’ve said that the silence stretched on for what felt like forever.

Finally, your brother’s eyebrows rose and he gave you an appraising nod. “Fine. Come with me.” he decided, before turning around and walking away from the impending riot. You followed him.

After about a minute, Richard stopped in front of a particularly sexy black motorcycle that had been parked somewhere nearby. And…he was climbing on top of it.

“What’re you waiting for? Hop on.” he said encouragingly, passing you the helmet.

“When the hell did you get a bike? Better yet, when’d you learn to ride!?” you said, catching the helmet as he threw it to you.

Richard shrugged. “Must’ve picked it up from somewhere.” he said conversationally.

Who was this guy!?

You were about to fire off a retort, but then you remembered the helmet in your hands. “Don’t you need this?”

He shrugged again. “Not really. I’ve only got the one, so I thought you could use it.”

You threw it back at him, and he caught it quickly. “Wear it anyway.” you said, hopping onto the back of the bike. “Where are we headed anyway?”

Richard lifted a finger and pointed at floating speck in the sky. You squinted at it, and vaguely recognized it as Jack on his flying broomstick.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be-”

You never got to finish your sentence. Richard had already thrown on his helmet, started the engine and kicked off the brakes.

“Hang on!” he said, a little too late. The bike accelerated rapidly through the street, effortlessly weaving through traffic and cars with dead engines. You didn’t need to close your eyes, as you were able to achieve much greater speeds while swinging through the air.

(Cont.)
>>
The first few minutes consisted of you shouting warnings into your brother’s ear as he narrowly avoided crashing into other cars or obstacles. At least he had enough sense to steer clear of the pedestrians.

Eventually, you got a little more used to his reckless driving and tried to focus on the guy that you were chasing. You were in no way able to catch up to him, but you figured that Rich just wanted to keep him in his line of sight.

But…why? What would your brother want with a guy that worships the Green Goblin? What the hell had he gotten himself into? And just what had you agreed to help him do?

—-------

After several minutes of an intense chase that rivaled any choreographed scene from a summer blockbuster, Richard finally brought the motorcycle to a screeching halt.

He had brought you all the way across town. From the looks of it, you were somewhere near the docks, now.

Richard pulled up his visor, brought out a pair of binoculars and scanned the area. He froze suddenly, staring at a distant figure on a three-story building’s rooftop, standing beside where Jack had landed. They wore green and black combat armor and had an imposing aura about them. You couldn’t see them clearly from here, but you were certain that it was…the Green Beret?

You looked back at your brother. Is he…is he after the shield too?

>”You didn’t bring me along to bail you out, did you? What’s this all about?”
>”That’s it. I’m putting my foot down. We’re going home right now.”
>”Gimme your license. I’m tearing it in half.”
>”Don’t tell me you’re going after that damn shield…”
>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
>”Pretty sure voyeurism is still a crime, bro. Now let’s get out of here before they catch us!”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5247369
>”Don’t tell me you’re going after that damn shield…”
>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
>So you are with S.H.I.E.L.D.?
>>
>>5247369
>>”Gimme your license. I’m tearing it in half.”
>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
>>
>>5247369
>”Gimme your license. I’m tearing it in half."
>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
>>
>>5247375
Support
>>
>>5247369
>>”Gimme your license. I’m tearing it in half.”
>>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
>>
>>5247369
>>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
>>”Don’t tell me you’re going after that damn shield…”
>"You're not working for the Russians, are you?"
>>
>>5247369
>”Gimme your license. I’m tearing it in half.”
>”Don’t tell me you’re going after that damn shield…”
>>
>>5247369
>”Don’t tell me you’re going after that damn shield…”
>>
>>5247369
>>>”Don’t tell me you’re going after that damn shield…”
>>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
>>
>>5247375
>>5247389
>>5247376
>>5247384
>>5247446
>>5247565
>>5247617
>>5247632
>>5247662
>”Don’t tell me you’re going after that damn shield…”
>”So this is what you do when you say you’re busy at work?”
Taking these. Writing...
>>
You groaned. “Don't tell me you’re after that damn shield…”

Richard glanced over at you, most likely surprised that you’d come to that conclusion on your own. His jaw set, and he seemed to consider something for a moment. After a while, he put away his binoculars and pulled something out of a compartment in the bike. It was a professional camera. Looked expensive, too.

“Not exactly.” he said, aiming the camera towards Jack and the Green Beret. “Although, the shield would be a nice little bonus. I’ll let you be the one to try getting it out of his hands.”

“Okay. What are you after, then?” you asked, noticing Jack handing something off to the Green Beret.

Richard snapped a few photos of the exchange, zoomed in, and took a few more. “Mainly, I’m interested in figuring out who the one holding it is.”

He’s interested in the Green Beret? You’d be lying if you said that you weren’t, but in your mind, they were nothing more than a handsomely paid goon.

“Why? What’s so special about him?” you asked.

“That’s what I want to know.” he said absently, adjusting the focus on his lens.

Well that wasn’t a helpful answer.

“So is this what you do when you say that you’re busy at work?” you said.

“Not always.” Richard replied, lowering the camera to look you in the eye. “Sometimes I just want you to hang up so I can watch Netflix.”

He gave you a wry grin, and you rolled your eyes and turned your head to hide the grin forming on your own face. Somehow, hearing him crack wise at a time like this was a comfort. It sounded more like the Richard that you remembered, and less like the Hollywood action hero that you were sitting next to.

When you turned back around, you found your brother staring at you.

“You got…bigger.” he remarked, looking you up and down.

“Now there’s something you don’t want to hear from your own brother.” you shot back, hoping to make light of the situation. Deflection was a hell of a lot easier than explaining radioactive spider-bites.

Richard shook his head. “No, stupid. You’re looking a bit jacked! Have you been hitting the gym while I’ve been gone?”

“Yeah. I’ve switched up my diet, too.” you claimed.

“Oh, yeah? Then why do I smell pepperoni on your breath?” Richard said, looking through his camera lens once more.

“Today was my cheat day.” you lied.

You watched the two distant figures from afar, discreetly snatching your brother’s binoculars from the compartment on the bike and peering through them to get a better look.

(Cont.)
>>
The figure on the left was the guy on the broomstick that you’d been chasing for the last 20 minutes. The one on the left, though, was an individual who’s been caught in the middle of a power struggle that might tear this city apart. He looked to be just as tall as Jack, and particularly well-muscled. His eyes were covered by a visor, and the lower part of his face was covered by a black fabric that gave nothing away. He was wearing green and purple military combat gear, with the tell-tale scale mail underneath. Gobbie must give it to his lieutenants or something.

You watched with some interest, until Jack got up in the Green Beret’s face, said something undoubtedly nasty, and flew off on his broomstick. To the Green Beret’s credit, they didn’t deck the guy right in his pumpkin face. You know you would’ve.

Either Jack Skellington is a higher rank than they are, or they need the Pumpkin King for something else.

“Well that was interesting.” Richard mused.

“Yeah, I thought so too.” you put in.

Richard glanced at you, and did a double take as he realized that you’d swiped his binoculars! You turned and gave him a flat look.

“Did you really think that I’d just sit here and stare at the back of your head until you were finished?” you said, handing them back to him.

“You’re right. I should’ve let you play with my legos.” he said with a smirk.

You frowned at him. “I don’t need legos, Rich. I’ve got games on my phone like every other normal person.”

You both looked back at the Green Beret, who was walking towards the rooftop’s exit. You had no doubt that Richard intended to follow them.

What will you do?

>”What’re you gonna do once you find out who they are?”
>"Now are you gonna tell me how and why you're involved with this in any way?"
>”Did you get a look at what Jack handed to him earlier?”
>”If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m coming with you.”
>”Alright, show’s over. Let’s get you back to Vic’s place so you can see your kid.”
>”I want you far away from this whole mess, Rich. You’re in over your head.”
>”Go home, Dick. Let your big brother handle this case for you.”
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5247875
>>>"Now are you gonna tell me how and why you're involved with this in any way?"
>>”Did you get a look at what Jack handed to him earlier?”
>>”If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m coming with you.”
Hopefully we won't accidentally get Pete's dad killed.
>>
>>5247875
>”Did you get a look at what Jack handed to him earlier?”
>"These people are dangerous, Rich. Believe it or not but I have a girl now, and I don't want to be that kind of parent that would make a kid worry about their dad not coming home. Yeah, got your attention, didn't it?"
>"I want to hear right now why you want to mess with them and why you think you can get away with it, and then you're going to let me help you or I swear I'll knock you out on the spot and drag you to your son myself."
>>
>>5247875
>”If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m coming with you.”
>”What’re you gonna do once you find out who they are?”
>"Now are you gonna tell me how and why you're involved with this in any way?"
>>
>>5247875
>"Now are you gonna tell me how and why you're involved with this in any way?"
>”If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m coming with you.”
>>
>>5247875
>>5247886
kinda want to support this, but not sure if I should
>>
>>5247875
>I’ll let you be the one to try getting it out of his hands
Weird implications
>>
>>5247987
are you tho?

>>5248021
dang, I missed that
>>
>>5248021
>>5248074
Honestly just poor phrasing on my part. He's more or less saying: "Heh! I'd like to see you try!"
>>
>>5247875
>"Now are you gonna tell me how and why you're involved with this in any way?"
>”If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m coming with you.”
>>
>>5247875
>”If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m coming with you.”
>”What’re you gonna do once you find out who they are?”
>>
>>5248074
ye, it's just not gonna win
>>
>>5247879
>>5247886
>>5247987
>>5247897
>>5247985
>>5248021
>>5248662
>>5248915
>"Now are you gonna tell me how and why you're involved with this in any way?"
>”If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m coming with you.”
Taking these. Writing...
>>
“Now are you gonna tell me how and why you’re involved with this in any way?” you asked.

Richard gave you a long, suffering sigh. “You weren’t supposed to find out like this. Heck, you weren’t supposed to find out at all.” he said with a chuckle, before taking on a more serious expression. “I don’t sell insurance for a living.”

Clearly. He wouldn’t be able to afford a bike this nice if that was all that he got up to.

“I did some government work a few years back. It was mostly in the R&D science departments, but they forced me to take a vow of silence on the projects that I was overseeing.” he continued. “And sometime before I left, I met a man. A living legend. That man is the one that asked me to look into all of this. He thinks that this could be another attempt at making a bootleg super soldier serum.”

Somehow, it was only mildly surprising to hear that your brother got scouted as a government researcher. Rich was always a smart guy. Too smart to live the mundane life that he’d been lying about for all these years. In fact, you were more proud than you were upset at that moment. You wanted to be happy for him, but you just couldn’t let go of the fact that someone told your little bro to chase after a demented Captain America wannabe. As if that was a good idea!

You nodded slowly, and deliberately.

“Any chance of you telling me who this ‘living legend’ is supposed to be?”

He bit his lip and shook his head. “Sorry, but he likes to remain anonymous.”

“Of course he does.” you said with a sigh. “But that still doesn’t explain why he would ask a scientist to do recon for him. Is everyone with a PhD secretly a badass?”

“You think I’m a badass?” Richard asked.

“No! Stop deflecting! I invented that trick.” you barked, waggling a finger at him.

Richard scrunched up his face in a way that told you that he didn’t believe you. “Did you really, though? Because you got in trouble with Dad a lot.”

You shrugged. “Yeah, well, you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.”

“Well, while you were cracking eggs, I was cracking open a few books that helped me pick up a thing or two.” he retorted. “Also, there was some very intensive training involved in the hiring process for this assignment.”

“I just got a very strong urge to give you an atomic wedgie.” you admitted.

“If my middle school track record is anything to go by, I seem to have that effect on people.”

“Some things never change, I guess.” you muttered, glancing around cautiously. “Alright. If you’re insistent on following him, then I’m going with you.”

Richard looked back to stare at you with a grim look on his face. “It only gets more dangerous from here, Ben. Are you sure you want to keep following this?” he asked.

(Cont.)
>>
You nodded without hesitation, and he gave you a weak smile. “I guess there’s no way I’m changing your mind. We’ll have to take this slow, then.”

—--------

After about 15 minutes, the Green Beret re-emerged from the building, wearing a black motorcycle helmet, a black leather jacket and a pair of tight fitting, slightly torn blue jeans. There were a few takeaways from this. The most important one out of them being…the Green Beret had tits! And not small ones that got swallowed up by muscle, either! They were full, perfectly shaped, and naturally accentuated the curves that she’d been hiding under all that armor.

This wasn’t a super soldier. This was an Amazonian bombshell in disguise! How in the world did Gobbie manage to bag someone like her?

“What’s wrong? What do you see?” Richard asked.

“Just gathering some intel…” you casually replied, not taking your eyes off of her for a second.

Speaking of bags, you were pretty sure that the huge backpack that she had slung over her shoulder held the shield. There wasn’t anywhere else that she could hide it.

A minute later, the Green Beret hopped on a motorcycle of her own and peeled out of the docks. You and Rich were hot on her trail.

—-----

The two of you raced after the mystery woman for what felt like 2 hours. It would’ve been far shorter, but you and your brother had to take things slow in order to avoid being detected. That, and the traffic was abysmal. Over the course of the ride, neither of you said much. You were on edge throughout most of it. Tailing someone was nerve-wracking! The movies you’ve watched and the games you’d played made it seem so easy.

Eventually, the Green Beret led you to what looked like an old abandoned train station. Now that you were going off road, you had to increase your distance a bit more. When she finally stopped, she hopped off her bike and started walking along the tracks, her helmet still on.

“Looks like we’re gonna have to go on foot from here.” Richard observed.

You really wish you still had your suit with you.

How will you proceed?

>Creep up on her and try to snatch her wallet without her noticing.
>Follow her to wherever she’s going. She has to take off that helmet at some point.
>Hit her upside the head and snatch the shield while she’s disoriented!
>Stay where you are and keep watching. She has to go back home eventually.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5249081
>Follow her to wherever she’s going. She has to take off that helmet at some point.
>Do it slowly and hesitantly while paying attention to your spider-sense.
sus
>>
>>5249081
I'll back this>>5249093
Maybe act like an amature if we are almost about to get caught
>Creep up on her and try to snatch her wallet without her noticing.
>>
>>5249081
>"She has her helmet still on, obviously to avoid revealing her face. You think she noticed us and is leading us into a trap while keeping her identity hidden as well?"
>"Best case scenario, she's a woman versus two men. Worst case she's super soldiered up and you're the type of secret agent who doesn't at least carry a tazer."
>"What do you suggest, because I'd argue for following her, but you're the lead here."
>(Optional) Follow her to wherever she’s going. She has to take off that helmet at some point.
>Do it slowly and hesitantly while paying attention to your spider-sense.
>If we brought some, put a tracker on her bike

We also know Dr. Connor said there is someone around making super soldiers on purpose.
Would be a shame if that was our friend Gobbie.
>>
>>5249104
>tracker
doesn't seem like there is even one in our inventory
maybe Rich has one

and add
>"If we were to jump her right now..."
to
>"Best case scenario, she's a woman versus two men. Worst case she's super soldiered up and you're the type of secret agent who doesn't at least carry a tazer."
>>
>>5249109
It's been real hard going for the gadget replenishing options because the alternates are always either mission objectives or relationship point opportunities
>>
>>5249123
That's fair. I'll try giving you guys more opportunities in between big events.
>>
>>5249081
>>5249097
I'll back this too>>5249104
>>5249109
>>
>>5249093
Support
>>
>>5249123
>>5249126
too many side quests
>Hill Quest - Get the shield
>Silvermane Quest - catch Slip
>Connors Quest - someone's making spider super soldiers
>Callisto Quest - friendly Morlock relations
>Cindy Quest - voice retrevial
>looming gang war
>differentiate between Spider-Man and Huntsman
>get our family to safety
>more proper parenting for Cindy, something that's not haphazardly thrown together
>rematch with Matt
>lay Black Cat
>maybe eventually do some super-heroing as Spider-Man

It's almost like Spider-Man has historic difficulties with his work life balance and can't seem to catch a break
>>
>>5249104
I'll support this too.
>>
>>5249126
It honestly wasn't a criticism, just an observation. Humans do have a tendency to go for concrete and immediate gains over abstract and potential victories. It's something we all gotta deal with in our lives and something we all get punished for at some point. I'm not opposed to the same happening in this quest, such as the loss of opportunities caused by a lack of spider-tracers.

Besides, total and absolute wins are usually unsatisfying anyway.

>>5249133
Half of those aren't really sub-quests. The gang war's more like a special event that spawns time-limited questlines like catching slip and getting the parents out, the latter of which I'm pretty sure we failed already. The Black Cat thing especially is not a quest or even a remotely good idea. We're doing fine in this regard; it's not even 20% of the way to schizo anime plot levels of complication.
>>
>>5249139
that wasn't by any means means a very serious list.
Just that Ben has a lot on his mind.

I even meant to say that Score shouldn't give us too much time to rest, since I sorta like to have to make those decisions and pick what's more important. If we run out of time for anything, if people get mad we neglected them, than that's what happens.
>>
>>5249104
>>5249109
>>5249129
>>5249135
Writing...

>>5249139
>>5249160
That's mostly what I was going for. Spider-Man drama is fueled by the conflict of his personal life and alter ego. More often than he'd like to, Ben will have to choose between business, family, friends and his own personal desires.
>>
File: maxresdefault (13).jpg (102 KB, 1280x720)
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“She still has her helmet on. Do you think she noticed us?” you whispered, inclining your head slightly towards your brother. “Or maybe she’s trying to lead us into a trap without revealing her identity.”

Richard shook his head slowly. “No, I don’t think she’s noticed us. She seems…distracted.” he observed.

You shrugged marginally. “Best case scenario, she’s one woman against two men. Worst case, she’s super soldiered up, and you’re the type of secret agent that doesn’t at least carry a taser.”

He gave you an incredulous look. “I don’t think you’re gonna like those odds if it comes down to a face-to-face confrontation. She moves faster than either of us, and can fold you in half without breaking a sweat. She’ll block anything that you shoot at her, and a taser won’t even come close to bringing her down.” he said, effortlessly poking your analysis full of holes.

“What do you suggest, then? Because I think we should follow her, but at the end of the day, this is still your op.”

Richard paused to stroke his chin, carefully considering your suggestion, and then nodded. “I think that makes sense. She’ll definitely take her helmet off when she gets where she needs to go. She wouldn’t have changed clothes otherwise.” he said, before turning to face you. “You’re a lot better at this ‘sneaking around’ stuff than I am. Think you can get in and get out without her seeing you?”

You nodded confidently. “Piece of cake.” you said, slipping out of cover and creeping towards the Green Beret.

“Be careful.” Richard hissed after you.

—----

The act of trailing someone on foot, with loose gravel, discarded plastic bottles and rusty metal underfoot FAR exceeded the slow-motion motorcycle chase as far as anxiety-inducing events went. Your spider-sense flared up, warning you of an extra crunchy leaf, mere inches away from the sole of your shoe. It was a good thing that you had all this extra strength and coordination from the spider-bite, or else this might have been next to impossible, even for you.

Your spider-sense flared up again! This time, from the Green Beret’s direction!

You thought about jumping or firing a web, but you were all too aware of the fact that Richard was still watching you. Mostly because your spider-sense warned you that you were a split decision away from blowing your cover.

Instead, you lowered your center of gravity even more, and began crawling away, swinging your arms and legs end over end like you were playing the world’s largest game of Twister. But as you dragged your foot back, out of sight, you brushed against a small pebble. It was such a faint noise, but it echoed slightly and carried far in the silence of the night.

(Cont.)
>>
File: Spoiler Image (1.82 MB, 2046x2914)
1.82 MB
1.82 MB JPG
You froze. There was a long pause after that, where neither you, nor the Green Beret moved a single muscle. After two long minutes, you heard a rusty door creaking open, and the Green Beret stepped inside the train car. It was a double decker, of all things. Who just abandons a double decker?

Abandoning the stray thought, you slowly circled the large train car, searching for an easy way in. You found none, but you did happen upon a shattered window that seemed just big enough to allow you entry. You’d have to avoid the sharp glass and plastic, though.

Carefully, you removed your shoes, placed your hands and feet on the wall, one-by-one, and slipped inside. Your heart thundered in your ears as the glass gently scraped along the fabric of your jacket. Once that nightmare was over, you crawled onto the train’s ceiling and began crawling towards the end of the car, where you saw a bright light shining through a half open door. You barely noticed the graffiti on the walls and ceiling, the plywood that had been used to shore up the holes in the walls, or the torn leather on the worn seats. All of your attention was focused on not making a single sound as you crept closer to her.

You peered inside through the crack in the door, and saw a beautiful blonde woman examining a white tablet with a microscope. They looked like pills, and she seemed to have set up a makeshift chem lab in this train car. Dr. Connors would be proud.

The woman picked up one of the tablets, absently popped one into her mouth and swallowed it without removing her eyes from the microscope. You hoped that she wasn’t a drug addict. That would make her widely unpredictable.

The other thing you noticed after you pulled your eyes away from her golden locks were her yellow eyes. They reminded you of the Goblin’s. At least, the ones in that mask that he wore.

And on the far side of the room, you saw the bag that contained the shield that everyone was after.

What will you do?

>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Have Richard create a diversion so you can get her out of the lab.
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet at her face, and snag the shield while she’s blinded.
>Try talking to her. Maybe she’s not as batshit insane as the rest of her cohorts.(Write-in)
>Just sit there and watch her for a while longer.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5249237
do we still have our own goblin mask we used to hide in the crowd with?
>>
>>5249241
Yes, you do!
>>
>>5249237
>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Have Richard create a diversion so you can get her out of the lab.
>>
>>5249237
>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Take a few pictures of her setup as well.
>Have Richard create a diversion so you can get her out of the lab.
Hopefully we can grab the tablets as well as the shield. Also, hopefully this won't get Dick killed.
>>
>>5249237
>put on the maske
>drop down and give the door a knock
>turn on the charme
>"What's a nice place like this doing with a girl like you?"
>>
>>5249237
>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Fire a Garlic Pepper Pellet at her face, and snag the shield while she’s blinded.
>>
>>5226785
>You scrolled down until you reached the most recent entries in the database, and found two in particular that drew your interest. One documented the findings of a “Gwendolyn Stacy”, a brilliant young upstart from ESU that developed two revolutionary drugs as a part of a revitalized program called the “Biogenetic Project Supreme”. Definitely doesn’t sound evil at all.
what a juicy coincidence

>>5249237
>Put on the goblin mask at least
>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Have Richard create a diversion so you can get her out of the lab.
>Get ready to bounce as soon as she sees us
>>
>>5249270
Adding
>Put on goblin mask
>>
>>5249237
>Slip your Goblin mask on, no reason not to.
>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Discreetly forward the picture to Richard's phone.
>Just sit there and watch her for a while longer.
>>
>>5249237
Fire a pepper ball and cop a feel while you take a pic of her face. Grab the bag and gtfo
>>
>>5249693
Ben may be a perfidious piece of shit, but he's not a pervert.
>>
>>5249723
She's a future love interest
>>
>>5249747
I fail to see how that justifies assaulting her and then copping a feel.
>>
>>5249768
You'll find out
>>
>>5249237
>Slip your Goblin mask on, no reason not to.
>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Take a few pictures of her setup as well.
>Have Richard create a diversion so you can get her out of the lab.
>>
>>5249693
>>5249747
>>5249806
hi Batman
>>
>>5249885
Yes
>>
>>5249693
sounds fun
>>
>>5249923
Meant for
>>5249881
>>
>>5249237
>>5249881 +1
>>
>>5249270
>>5249376
>>5249273
>>5249329
>>5249342
>>5249345
>>5249385
>>5249881
>>5250305
>Put on goblin mask
>Take a picture of her face. You can ask around about her later.
>Take a few pictures of her setup as well.
>Have Richard create a diversion so you can get her out of the lab.

Taking these. Writing...

I'll probably create the new thread either today or tomorrow before this one falls off.
>>
File: Spoiler Image (63 KB, 503x720)
63 KB
63 KB JPG
Carefully, you slid the Goblin mask back onto your face and brought out your phone.

>You’ve received the “Goblin Groupie” costume!

You had a decently good camera, and you were able to take a few shots of her face and the lab that she was working in. You’d need to get closer in order to make out some of the more sensitive equipment, though.

But before you did any of that, you wanted blondie out of the lab. You sent a quick message to your brother, asking him to create a diversion. He read the message, but he didn’t respond. Instead, you received different kind of reply.

Multiple shots rang out in the distance, drawing both your and the blonde woman’s attention to the door to her left. She turned sharply, shot out of her chair and stomped towards the bag holding the shield. She quickly unzipped it and pulled out the shield, before slipping out the other door.

You waited a minute after she left and dropped down to the ground, making as little noise as possible. You then slid the door open and cautiously cast your eyes about the room. Instantly, your attention was drawn to the white tablets on the table. They didn’t look particularly special. A few of them had been crushed, and were sitting in some chemical solution in several petri dishes.

You snagged one, and placed it into your pocket for later. As you searched around the room, you didn’t find anything that stood out as important to you. Nevertheless, you took countless pictures of all of her equipment and the suit that she had stored in her bag. You were almost tempted to swipe it, but you were certain that that would be noticed almost immediately when she came back to return the shield to the bag.

When you rose to your feet once more, you came face to face with a polaroid of a cheerful blonde woman holding a little girl. It was not the same blonde woman that had stormed out of the lab in a roid-induced fit. Although, they shared many similar qualities. You assumed that this must be her mother, or a motherly figure. You took a photo of it and resolved to continue your search elsewhere.

And that’s when you heard it. A resounding thunk that echoed in the distance. You were about to walk outside to see what had happened, when your spider sense sent a sharp prickling sensation down your spine.

Your eyes widened, and you dove out of the way just in time to avoid a beam of red hot energy ripping straight through the train car like a hot knife through butter. You remained flat on your stomach, breathing heavily as melted slag dripped down from the ceiling.

Through the sound of your heartbeat thundering in your ears, you distinctly heard heavy footsteps from outside the train car.

“Well, that’s one thing taken care of.” said a processed voice that had a distinctly Russian accent to it. The voice sounded like it belonged to that of a middle aged man.

(Cont.)
>>
Slowly, you picked yourself up and risked a glance out the hole that this guy’s attack had created. A muscular man of average height stood outside, equipped with what you could only describe as a high-tech battle suit. The orange and green outfit made him stand out like a sore thumb, but your attention was more drawn to that bizarre helmet that he was wearing.

It was green, with multiple camera lenses scattered along the front. And on top of his forehead, was a glowing, red horn of sorts. What was up with that?

Another thunk resounded throughout the train station, and both of you turned to face the direction that it was coming from. Your jaw dropped.

A giant guy in a Rhino suit was slamming massive fists into the blonde woman’s shield! She appeared to be engaged in combat with him. But, what were they doing here? Did someone tip them off about the shield, or had they been tailing the woman right alongside you and Rich.

Either way, you had to do something.

What will you do?

>Slip away, find Richard and get him out of here.
>Shoot this stupid Unicorn guy in his exposed face when he isn’t looking.
>Try to tear that horn off of his head!
>Sit back and watch the chaos unfold. This was bound to be a good show.
>Grab the Green Beret’s costume and deliver it to her. You need her alive if she’s gonna answer questions for you.
>Equip the Green Beret's suit. You could use the extra protection.
>Write-in.

Pastebins:

Character Sheet:
https://pastebin.com/1ZihFYSV

Equipment and Gear:
https://pastebin.com/WAhveFAd

Contacts:
https://pastebin.com/WdcFXD2s

10 Commandments of the Desperados:
https://pastebin.com/Qpr2jVPE

Costumes:
https://pastebin.com/5Jie54X2
>>
>>5250874
>>Slip away, find Richard and get him out of here.
>If there's a computer, swipe it too
>>
>>5250874
>Equip the Green Beret's suit. You could use the extra protection.
>Sit back and watch the chaos unfold. This was bound to be a good show.
>Locate Richard. Be ready to protect him or grab him if escaping.
>Grab the shield if there's an opportunity.
>Intervene to even the odds using webs whenever needed. Do it from the shadows if possible.

I'm leaning towards protecting family, trying to get the shield, and taking out all of these guys if there's a good opportunity for it and escaping if there isn't, in that order of priority.

I'd vote to yank the lazor horn but that strategy didn't go so well last time.
>>
>>5250874
>Slip away, find Richard and get him out of here
We can track this chick down later, right now we need to make sure Richard doesn't get caught in the crossfire.
What do Ben and Richard's respective power grids look like?
>>
>>5250874
>Slip away, find Richard and get him out of here.
>If there's any open flash drives, swipe 'em first. If not, then get out.
>>
>>5250950
This actually gives me a good idea for a gadget.
>The Universal Data Extractor
>At first glance, it appears to be an ordinary flash drive...
>In reality, it's a hyper dense digital storage device complete with automatic bulk file transfer software, top of the line data encryption, and an adaptive physical interface to allow for a physical connection to almost any port
I bet it would cost a pretty penny, but The Tinkerer could totally whip something like this up.
It would sure as hell beat carrying around entire computer cases and laptops any time we wanted to steal some data.
>>
>>5250961
They sell those at home depot
>>
>>5250961
Oh, and I know exactly what we'd call it too.
A goober.
>>
>>5250961
just get an USB adapter to your phone and run an app that immediately transfer it to your cloud
>>
>>5250961
Every superthief in a modern Marvel universe should probably be carrying something like that, yeah.

Could even be a whole set of digital thieves' tools if we want to fill up the rest of the inventory slot, for convenient access to areas warded by keypads and card readers maybe even cameras and such depending on how good ol' Phin is.
>>
>>5250874
>>Sit back and watch the chaos unfold. This was bound to be a good show.
We don't want that guy to get the shield so...
>>
>>5250874
>Grab the Green Beret’s costume and deliver it to her. You need her alive if she’s gonna answer questions for you.
>Try to tear that horn off of his head!
Can't track her if she's dead, and if the russians get the shield we are fucked.
>>
>>5250874
I'm gonna change my vote
from >>5250892 to >>5251309
>>
>>5251809
and i have a new IP, like almost every other day
but it's me
>>
>>5251811
who are you
>>
>>5251822
I'm vengeance
I'm the autist who sometimes posts really long replies nobody likes
>>
>>5251829
ok ok. The sakurautist guy
>>
>>5250931
>>5250950
2 for Slip away

>>5251266
1 for Sit back

>>5251309
>>5251809
2 for delivering the costume to the Green Beret

We're in a bit of a stalemate, so I'll wait for more votes before updating. The next update will be the opening post of the new thread.

>>5250961
>>5250973
That'd be a bit expensive, but not completely out of Ben's price range. The thing that would be hard to acquire would be an "auto-hack device" or something equally as ridiculous. Ben still doesn't have his "guy in the chair".

>>5250974
If Ben spends enough time with Prowler and Black Cat, they'll teach him a thing or two about super-thievery. I'm thinking of creating opportunities for Ben to improve upon skills like these once I start doing year-long time skips.
>>
>>5252028
gonna have to stay and fight
>>5251309
+1
>>
>>5252060
oh yeah, single post ID to decide stalemate, very convincing

>>5251832
what do you vote for, I don't see your ID on that vote
>>
>>5252028
>Ben still doesn't have his "guy in the chair".
It would be cool to have a dedicated hacker or mission control guy in the group for big heists, but who would even fit that bill?
Phin seems content to be an independent contractor, plus he's more of a hardware guy anyways.
>>
>>5251309
>>5251809
>>5252060
Taking these. Will post the update in the new thread and post the thread link here.

>>5252186
You'll have to meet more people to find out! Ben's already doing pretty well with his networking, but the Desperados could use a few more specialists.
>>
New thread is up! I'll be running today!

>>5252259
>>
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37 KB JPG
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Thread has been archived!

https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Max%20Spider%20Quest



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