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During the meeting, there were a lot of ideas, concepts, names and promises flying around. You weren’t the only one who knew people, as it turned out.

For example, Beak, the bird-man mutant, claimed to be capable of getting in contact with Dazzler and a girl called Blink. No one other than Beak seemed to know who the latter was, so you weren’t sure how impressed you should be feeling. You sort of clocked out of that conversation after hearing Beak say that she was actually from another dimension entirely.

Someone else suggested the name “Lila Cheney”, a supposed intergalactic thief and rock-star that could use her mutant abilities to teleport between planets. But no one there knew how to get in contact with someone like that. Not even Beak.

Various other mutants were mentioned. Those possessing abilities that could benefit the Morlocks during the planning phase and the actual service they were supposed to provide. But none had a bigger impact than the name that Screwball dropped.

“Hey, what about the Scarlet Witch? She’s a mutant too, right? I don’t want to assume that all mutants know each other, but…”

Screwball petered off when she realized that everyone other than you was giving her an odd look. From their expressions, you would’ve thought that she’d sprouted a second head and started breathing fire.

“Why’d everyone go all quiet?” you asked.

Glass was the first to speak up.

“We do know her. Wanda’s one of the strongest people I’ve ever met, but she’s…”

“A fucking psycho?” Skids muttered.

Glass frowned.

“I was going to say ‘troubled’.”

Skids sighed.

“Of course you would.”

“Screwball, would you mind turning off the camera for a little while?” Glass asked.

The criminal streamer must’ve sensed the group’s sudden change in mood, because she did as she was asked without arguing.

Glass nodded his thanks.

“Not a whole lot of people know this, but Wanda suffers from…psychological issues.”

“Her make-believe children died, and she broke the world as punishment. She herself admitted it. Somehow, it got put back together, but no one knows what happened between then and now.” Skids explained.

“I do.”

Everyone turned to stare at Beak. He wasn’t ruffled by the sudden shift in attention.

“Well, not me, technically. But I do know a girl who knows things, and she told me a bit about what happened.” he corrected.

“Says that it wasn’t the only time the Scarlet Witch has done it, either. She can warp reality, change history at will, blink whole entire planets out of existence.”

“That’s why no one messes with her.” the purple guy added.

“But didn’t I hear you guys say that you approached her about the fairy flowers?” you said.

“The what?”

You ignored Screwball’s question, as well as the confused look on her face.

(Cont.)

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“We did reach out.” Glass confirmed.

“But that was only because we had it on good word that she was in a good mood. Like everyone, she has good days and bad days.”

“Except on a bad day, she can wipe out an entire country.” Tommy said.

Iara was glancing back and forth between everyone, silently absorbing this information and filing it away for later.

“On a positive note, we think she’d be open to trading with us, but I doubt anyone would be willing to make the trip to her little cabin in the woods.” Glass said.

Skids held her hands up and shook her head.

“Don’t look at me. I’m not going anywhere near that lady. She’d smash right through my forcefield and squash me like a grape.”

“If it makes you feel any better, she probably wouldn't have to go anywhere near you if she wanted to squash you.” Iara pointed out.

Skids rolled her eyes.

“You know, Shark, somehow, against all odds, that argument isn’t making me feel any better. In fact, I think it’s doing the opposite.”

“Okay, so…no to reaching out to the Scarlet Witch. Does that also disqualify her brother?” Screwball asked.

While the group bickered amongst themselves, you mentally took stock of the contacts and favors you’ve been piling up.

Who will you ask to help out with the Central Park Sleepover?

>Flint. He’s got muscles, and he technically never gets tired. He’d be a great addition to the team.
>Ember. If you can find a way to disguise her, then her ability to generate pixel particles out of thin air should make this whole process a lot easier.
>The thief girls, Araña and Benga. If anyone needs to get something or get somewhere, your new employees should be able to lend a hand.
>Gloria Munoz. She’s got a bit of a soft spot for Glass, so maybe she’d be willing to shell out some cash to help him out.
>Michael Morbius. No one has to know that his henchmen are vampires. They’ll just think that they work on a strict “nights-only schedule”.
>Silvermane. He could benefit by putting his face on this project and farming some goodwill for the future.
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5986865
>Michael Morbius. No one has to know that his henchmen are vampires. They’ll just think that they work on a strict “nights-only schedule”.
Oh yeah, its morbing time. On one hand, his Jared Letoish features might scare some people, on the other everyone loves vampires which is what we are after!

>>5986865
>Silvermane. He could benefit by putting his face on this project and farming some goodwill for the future.
Gotti did it. Why not Silvio?
>Gloria Munoz. She’s got a bit of a soft spot for Glass, so maybe she’d be willing to shell out some cash to help him out.
I figure it shouldn't be too out of place to lean on her a little bit. Besides, she'll have an excuse to chit-chat with Glass for the next few weeks if she does help out.
>The thief girls, Araña and Benga. If anyone needs to get something or get somewhere, your new employees should be able to lend a hand.
They're damn good at what they do, and I get the feeling they wouldn't say no to helping out the underprivileged.
>Ember. If you can find a way to disguise her, then her ability to generate pixel particles out of thin air should make this whole process a lot easier.
IMAGINE the attractions she can set up given the time and resources! This'll be great for her "resume" as it were as well.

>>5986865
>>Ember. If you can find a way to disguise her, then her ability to generate pixel particles out of thin air should make this whole process a lot easier.

>>5986865
>Silvermane and Gloria Munoz. It’s both a chance to conduct business together better handled by people speaking in person while building up good will for the new industry being built by Silvermane.
I forget if we suggested Gloria as a potential backer for the company, but if we did then this is excellent for them from a PR standpoint. If not then it’s still an opportunity to do some business while doing good. Plus Gloria can attest to the reliability of Glass for discretion.

If they just send agents instead that’s fine too. I’d expect that if Gloria didn’t have her own possible reasons for wanting to visit.

>The thief girls, Araña and Benga. If anyone needs to get something or get somewhere, your new employees should be able to lend a hand.
Why not? They were already going to help with the flowers, and Glass could use them to do some initial investigative work on whoever is pushing drugs around here.

>Michael Morbius. No one has to know that his henchmen are vampires. They’ll just think that they work on a strict “nights-only schedule”.
Good for the outcasts to keep in touch, and with all the people who could be helping during the day it wouldn’t be weird to call in a night crew too.

>Flint and your sister. They might enjoy one last chance together here on Earth to do some good before they start on their space adventure.
I thought they left by now but if Flint’s an option then I assume both are around? In any case, I’m not taking our best bro away from our sister while they’re on Earth. Va Nee will be out way more often up there.

>Hobie. Most of the Morlocks should be particularly versed in security systems, and getting some experience with them from a tech expert would be nice. Maybe he’s bored in retirement enough to consider it.

>Ana. You don’t think she’ll actually swing by to help, but it’d be nice to talk and catch up with her. There’s a small chance she can find other business to do while she’s here with the Nightguard or Morbius too.
Reaching here, but why not? If not, we just get to talk to our girlfriend on the phone some. Not a total loss there.

>Spiderwoman and Bastion, and SHIELD through them. They’ll be a little antsy with all these activities and personalities in Central Park. Building a little PR while keeping some off-duty heroes nearby isn’t bad in their book.

>Squirrel Girl. She and Nature Girl may get along, and squirrels doing cute things with cute trees will make for good viewing on Screwball’s stream.

>Cindy and Wanda. Not to help, just to enjoy the park. Cindy can catch up with some Morlocks as well.
Not sure if they would want to come in plainclothes or in suits. Up to them, though I’d prefer plainclothes so they can relax more.

>Sable International. Screwball is here, and they can try doing a recruitment pitch to her audience. Every private mercenary force could use more hackers.

Running out of space. Who’d I miss?

>>5986910
>>5986865
Ah, now I remember.

>Abel. Putting up with your evil twin will raise some eyebrows, but you can justify it by pointing out there aren’t a lot of spider-based supers around here. It’ll also put any concerns about you two being the same person to rest.
Hang out with the little(?) bro. Pretty sure we can manage some entertaining bits for Screwball’s stream too.

>Thomas Edison. If there’s anywhere he’ll be able to fit in without anyone batting an eye, it’ll be here. He can show off some toys for Screwball if he’s still looking for sponsors too.

Alright, if I’ve forgotten anyone else then gravity would take care of them from here.

>>5986872
>>5986884
>>5986903
>>5986910
So far we've got two for Ember, two for the Thief Girls, two for Morbius, two for Silvermane, and two for Gloria. I'm gonna leave the vote open until tomorrow afternoon, so feel free to discuss the matter among yourselves!

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>>5986865
>>5986884
RIGHT, I FORGOT TO ADD THIS
>Abe. You've been meaning to spend some time with him anyways, and this would be a great excuse to hang out and catch up. If he's free for a day or two, Spider-Man going on record as a Mutant ally and attending the event could do a ton for their public image.

>>5986861
>>5986978
I forgot to add Ember in mine. I assume she can go in either in a suit or a “suit” (something using her powers) that she hasn’t used before. What’s one more masked super that we’re connected with somehow?

So we’re up to three for Ember and two for Abe as well. And one for way too many others.

I don’t suppose I can get any takers to join me on the full bandwagon? I’m willing to treat all of the write-ins I did as a “hey, want to come do a thing” deal and if people say no then we accept it and move on. We can put a little more effort into Gloria, Silvermane, and Morbius since they can bring in crews to expedite this. Same with anyone else anons voted for, so Abe, Ember, Araña, and Benga would get more of a push if they were hesitant.

>>5986872
>>5986884
>>5986903
>>5986910
>>5986933
>>5987009
>>5987193
Definite Votes:
>Ember

Probable Votes:
>Abe
>Thief Girls
>Morbius
>Silvermane
>Gloria

This is how we're looking right now. Would anyone like to switch, add anything, or wait a while before we proceed? Should I only move forward with the Ember vote, or should I include the other ones as well?

>>5987467
I'll add
>Abe, Araña, Benga
Might as well. Silvermane and Gloria though I'm not too confident we could sell them this project.

>>5987468
Should we go lower on the totem pole for the Maggia? It feels a bit much to bring Silvermane directly into it without Gloria involved, but I assume there’s a lieutenant who’d be authorized to send some guys for PR.

>>5987467
>>5987468
>Ember
>Abe
>Thief Girls

Taking these. Gonna get as much writing as I can before my Pathfinder session. If I can't finish in time, then I'll either stay up late or post it tomorrow.

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“I think I might know a few people.” you announced.

Glass grinned at that,

“I’d be surprised if you didn’t.”

—-------

As soon as you found a moment to slip away from the group, you climbed up a light pole and dialed Araña’s number.

“Hey, boss. How’s it hangin’?”

“I’ve got some work for you girls. Can you, Benga and Ember all head over to Central Park?”

“Sure. What you need?”

“Nothing yet, but I’d like to have you on standby in case someone needs something.”

“Oookay. I’m gonna need a little more detail than that.”

“It’s nothing dangerous. Me and the mutants living in Central Park are working on a little project. I figured that since you’re going to be working with them already, you might as well get in on this. If they need something or need to go somewhere, having a nice reliable set of wheels would be a huge help.”

There was a pause over the line as Araña took a moment to explain things to the others.

“Alright. We should be there in a few. Just need to grab a few things.” Araña said.

There was some shuffling as she grabbed her keys, and you could vaguely hear Ember’s voice in the background.

“Wait–is that a gun?”

“What’s it look like? Come on, we’re heading out.” Araña casually shot back.

“Why? Where are we going?”

“For a walk in the park. You’ll love it.”

“Can your feet even reach the pedals?” Ember asked.

“My foot’s gonna reach your ass if you don’t hurry up. Not there. In the back. Benga’s riding shotgun. She always rides shotgun. Just be glad I don’t make you ride in the trunk.”

“Make sure she wears a good disguise, too.” you put in.

“I wouldn’t have let her out of the house if she didn’t know that much.” Araña replied.

“Call me when you get here.”

“Will do. Hasta.”

She hung up, and you immediately went for Abe’s contact on your phone. It only took him a few seconds to pick up.

“Hey bro, what’s up?”

“Can you do me a huge favor?”

“This isn’t about bailing you out of jail, is it?”

“What? No! Not yet, at least.”

“Good. We’re too pretty for prison.”

”We most certainly are, but that’s besides the point. I need your help for a little project I’ve got going on with the Central Park Morlocks.”

“Oh, yeah? What’d you have in mind? Are they doing alright?”

“They’re fine, Abe. Gwen and her dad showed up to have a chat with Joy about sending her to live with them.”

“Oof. I can’t imagine that went well.”

“It didn’t. Not until I stepped in to mediate. They’re talking things out as we speak, but now I’ve got Screwball here talking to Glass and the others about holding an event where people come and hang out with the Morlocks.”

(Cont.)

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“Hang out? Is there seriously that big of a market for that?” Abe asked, sounding skeptical.

“She seems to think so. But more importantly, her fans think so. And if she’s as big of an influencer as she’s making herself out to be, then we might have a serious moneymaker on our hands.”

Abel made a thoughtful noise over the phone.

“Hmm. Maybe. And what is it that you want from me?”

“Well, you’ve got those handy empathic powers of yours. They’ve got to come in handy at some point. Like convincing the cops to go easy on us, and persuading protesters and troublemakers to leave. Or even making sure that everyone who comes here to hang out has the time of their lives.”

“You don’t think that might backfire?”

“Not if they don’t find out. How would they even prove it?”

“Can’t argue with that logic.”

“Yeah. Could you imagine, arguing with yourself over the phone? That’d be insane!”

“I know! Tyler Durden, much?”

“Aw man, don’t say that. It makes it sound like I’m gonna have to fight you someday.”

“Eh, it had to happen sometime. If you haven’t fought your siblings at least once, then can you really say that you’re related?”

“Can’t argue with that logic.”

The two of you shared a laugh.

What will you say?

>”What have you been up to these days? Got any wild stories from your crime fighting escapades?”
>”How’s school? Have you met any nice girls? Has Squirrel Girl shown up on campus after everything that happened?”
>How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”
>Recount to him one of your recent adventures/encounters. (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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5987524
>"Now that you mention it though, we should go a few rounds sometime. I wanna know what you picked up on the streets. But anyways..."
>How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”
>”How’s school? Have you met any nice girls? Has Squirrel Girl shown up on campus after everything that happened?”
I am genuinely curious to see how his style of fighting has diverged from ours, but I also just wanna see how he's hanging.

>>5987524
>>5987556
Supporting, and I can think of one story to share with him that he’ll get a kick out of.
>Tell Abe about your tennis match with Callisto.

I now realize I want to play doubles with Abe. Can’t beat that level of synchronicity easily.

>>5987556
>>5987709
>"Now that you mention it though, we should go a few rounds sometime. I wanna know what you picked up on the streets. But anyways..."
>How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”
>”How’s school? Have you met any nice girls? Has Squirrel Girl shown up on campus after everything that happened?”

Taking these. Writing...

>>5987709
True! They're pretty much the perfect tag-team in anything they do.

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>>5989230
>True! They're pretty much the perfect tag-team in anything they do.
Yeah it's hard to think of anybody they couldn't beat in a 2-on-1 (or even a 2-vs-2) scenario.
Hell, Benny and Abe might even have a greater affinity for each other than any other pair of Spider Folk (pic related) given their extreme genetic similarity, memories, etc...

File: Figcvo.gif (3.44 MB, 480x270)

3.44 MB GIF

>>5989339
The inevitable Spider-Family beatdown is going to be LEGENDARY!

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“Now that you mention it though, we should go a few rounds sometime. I wanna know what you picked up from the streets.” you said, wondering how your new fighting technique would measure up to someone with your same base powerset.

“But anyways,” you continued. “How’ve you been, man? I feel like I haven’t heard from you in ages. How’re you holding up?”

“Better now. But that might be because Sable’s people and the police are stepping up to deal with petty crimes and the occasional Z and D Listers that pop up every now and again. And the Bootleg Avengers aren’t doing a terrible job, either. They need a little help here and there, but I expected worse after Doom trashed the city.”

“That’s great, Abe. But asked how you were doing, not the city.”

“The city’s well-being has a lot to do with how I feel, though. Haven’t I ever told you how my power works?”

“Not in great detail, no.”

“Hm. Well, you know how I can sense the emotions of those around me, right?”

“Right.”

“Well, their emotions don't just wash over me. Not always, at least. Think of it like a strong adhesive. Once they stick to me, I can peel them away, but there’s still a bit of that sticky residue gunk left behind. With a bit of effort, I can get it off, but there are some days where I feel like I carry a little piece of everyone I run into. Everyone I save, everyone I fight…it affects me in small ways, and I’m trying to pay more attention to that.”

“Damn. How’re you dealing with that?”

“Webb gives me a cursory psychic CAT scan whenever she sees me, and if she ever sees me struggling, she recommends me to a psychiatrist she knows.”

“Does it help?”

“Sometimes. Not always. I’ve been trying to follow some of her advice. I’ve been going out more, and I’ve taken up a few hobbies. You should try it sometime.”

“Hey! I’ve got lots of hobbies.”

“Making license plates in the slammer doesn’t count, bro.”

“But what if I’m really good at it? Maybe I should enter a competition.”

“There’s always someone better. And if you lose, I don’t think our ego could take it. I might even have to go back to therapy.”

You shared a chuckle at that.

“Well, I’m glad that you’re doing better. Does your therapist know about…everything?”

“Not everything. I’ve been holding out on her for some of the more critical details, and she’s smart enough to know that, but she doesn’t call me on it. In her mind, I probably just have some deep-rooted family issues.”

“You know I’ll be here if you ever need to talk, right?” you said.

“I know. I know. Ms. Kafka thinks I’ve got an easier time helping others instead of solving my own shit. And she’s probably right.”

“No, she’s definitely right. We’ve got problems, bro.”

(Cont.)

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“I guess it runs in the family. Speaking of, how’s everyone doing these days?”

“Rich is homeschooling Pete, Pete’s blazing through all of his dad’s prepared assignments, Vic’s going to space…”

“Wait. Hold up. Since when did our adopted alien sister become a bonafide astronaut?”

“Since I introduced her to the Fantastic Four. They hired a cute, cuddly little bunny rabbit to shuttle her up and into the stars in search of people that can help fight the Grandmaster.”

“Her psycho warlord father? Wouldn’t it be better to do all that on Earth? I’d imagine that going into space is the last thing you’d want to do if you wanted to avoid an alien.”

“Reed says that there are too many people with eyes on our planet. We’ve got spies and alien visitors up the ass, so I can’t say that I disagree with him.”

“I guess that’s fair. The galaxy is a big place, after all. I just thought you’d be taking this harder, is all. You’re the one that has all those memories she implanted into your head. As far as you’re concerned, she’s your genuine little sister.”

“I’ve still got some time before she leaves, and she won’t be leaving forever. I’ll have to see whether we can do video calls every now and again. I’m more worried about Flint being up there with her.”

“Flint’s going too!? Since when?”

“Ever since I told him to go because he’s so obviously madly in love with our sister.” you answered.

“Sorry, I thought you knew. I didn’t want you to find out like this.”

Abe let out a frustrated sigh.

“Better late than never, I suppose. As long as he’s alive and happy, then I’m fine with it too. I just wish I had more time to spend with him.”

“He’s got way more free time than I do. I don’t think he can sleep anymore. He sort of just goes into a trance. So if you want to hang out with him, you’re free to invite him out somewhere.”

“I have. Several times, actually.”

“Oh. Well…how’d that go?”

“It was fun for a while, but it gets weird sometimes. He’ll reference something that only the two of you know about, and then there’s this brief awkward silence that I have to ignore. But otherwise, it's as if nothing’s changed. So long as he doesn’t bring up how weird he finds the clone thing. It’s a bit hard to get past, as it turns out.”

“Our personalities are pretty similar, though. They should just think of us as twin brothers.”

“I’m cool with the other Desperados, but at this point, they’re more your friends than they are mine. And there’s nothing wrong with that.”

You wanted to say more, but you were finding it hard to come up with a proper counter-argument. You and your brother more or less lived in different worlds, and that gap would only grow wider in the coming months.

Instead, you decided to change the subject.

(Cont.)

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“How’s school? Have you met any nice girls?”

“I’ve been doing alright in my classes. I still haven’t decided on a major, but Biochem and Sociology sound pretty interesting from what I’ve read. Although, I’m a little preoccupied with the extra credit assignments I’ve had to pick up for skipping classes.” Abe explained.

“You know how it is. Superheroing and all. Serving the greater good hasn’t had the most positive effect on my report card.”

“At least you don’t have to get mom and dad to sign them anymore.”

You both laughed, and thankfully, Abe let the matter of your father drop.

“Now, quit holding out on me. Tell me about those co-eds.” you demanded.

“I’ve been on a few dates, but my erratic schedule has pretty much killed any chances of me going steady with any of them. There was this one girl that I really liked, but I don’t know if I can keep up with her.”

“Oh yeah? Tell me about her.”

Abe chuckled.

“Oh, she’s great. She’s smart, beautiful, funny. Everything I could want in a woman. But, if the rumors are to be believed, she likes hanging around guys that can buy her expensive jewelry and fur coats.”

“So? You can buy her that stuff with the money you’re getting from Webb.” you argued.

“I’m not in the market for a sugar baby.” Abe shot back. “I just think it's a shame, you know? A girl like her? She could do way better than them.”

“Right. And you’re saying that from an entirely unbiased perspective?”

“Shut-up, man.” Abe groaned.

“What about Squirrel Girl? Has she shown up on campus after everything that’s happened?” you asked.

“Yeah, she’s still here. I was avoiding her at first, since I didn’t want her to connect the dots between me and Spider-Man. But after running into her a few times, we’ve actually started talking a bit more. She’s kind of fun to be around, and we’ve had the occasional team-up since we go to the same college. I’m kind of surprised she hasn’t recognized me yet.”

(Cont.)

What will you say?

>”Maybe you should ask her out instead. She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”
>”Is she still looking for Ember? I’d rather not have every squirrel in the city on her trail.”
>”Abe, if you really care about this woman you’ve been so hung up on, then you should go after her. Tell her how you feel. Rejection isn’t the worst thing that could happen to you.”
>”I’m surprised you didn’t go into psychology or something like that. Someone with your powers could make a real difference in that field. Sociology is sort of similar, right?”
>”If you end up picking Biochem, you should have Gwen give you some pointers every now and again. I’m sure she’d love to help when she isn't busy with field agent work.”
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5989361
>”Maybe you should ask her out instead. She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”
A significant other who you don't have to hide your alter-ego from AND can hold their own in a fight is a serious luxury.
Worst case scenario, it doesn't work out and life goes on. There's no reason not to give it a shot.
>”If you end up picking Biochem, you should have Gwen give you some pointers every now and again. I’m sure she’d love to help when she isn't busy with field agent work.”
Anyways, I shouldn't be surprised that vibes he picks up stick with him like that. I just hope there's more good days than bad for him in the long run.

>>5989361
>”Maybe you should ask her out instead. She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”
>”Not to mention how useful thousands of furry messengers are. With the right words they can probably deliver groceries, find the trendiest places in the city, and give you dirt on all your worst enemies! Oh, and chew through the wires in every house you’ll ever own if you upset her.”
>”… even if it doesn’t work out it’s good for someone to know who you are on both sides of the mask. We know that, but maybe she doesn’t.”
>”Besides, it sounds like the most important quality you should look for is a cheery personality. If you’re going to be carrying a piece of your partner everywhere, make it a piece that’ll help you carry the rest.”
I’d also support Gwen since she’s pretty cheery as well. Might make it awkward when she interacts with us, but oh well.

>”Is she still looking for Ember? I’d rather not have every squirrel in the city on her trail.”

>”I was surprised you didn’t go into psychology since your powers give you ins that most psychologists don’t get. If things also stick to you more then I can see why.”
I had been all for psychology, but I’m less enthusiastic knowing he’ll be carrying their burdens more so than the average psychologist.

Forgot that I took off my trip to vote in another thread. Just now realized that it was off for the last few posts!

>>5989882
As amusing as it would be if a random anon did several story posts pretending to be you, I think we figured out which posts were yours!

>>5989373
>>5989619
Gonna combine these votes to the best of my ability. Writing...

>>5990388
If someone did it and it didn't turn out to be a complete shitpost, it would be pretty crazy.

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“Maybe you should ask her out instead.” you suggested.

“Doreen? You really think so?”

“Why not? She’s cute, and the two of you are already superheroes. You might have a lot to talk about.”

Abe made a thoughtful noise.

“Hmm. She is pretty cute.” he thought aloud.

“Oh, come on, Abe. This is your chance to bag a pretty girl and amass an army of furry messengers all at the same time. That’s got to come with benefits. They can help you find the trendiest joints in the city, dish out dirt on all your worst enemies, and chew through the wires of every house you’ll ever own if you upset her.”

“You’re not really selling me on that last one, bud.”

“I’m just messing with you.” you said with a laugh.

“Point is, there really aren’t a whole lot of downsides to taking her out on a date. Even if things don’t work out, you’ll have a friend who knows who you really are, with or without the mask.” you argued.

“You really think I should reveal my identity to her?”

“Why not? It beats lying all the time, doesn’t it?”

“True. It’s been exhausting trying to keep everything under wraps this past year.” Abe admitted.

“Plus, it would probably benefit you to spend time with someone cheery like her. Maybe some of it would rub off on you.”

“Alright, fine. I’ll ask her out the next time I see her. I could definitely do worse, and she seems pretty nice.”

“Attaboy! Let me know how that goes.”

“Hey, I don’t ask about your dates with Ana.”

“You can if you want to. Although…I have to warn you, they can get a bit graphic. It’s not for the faint of heart.”

“No thanks. It took me a while to come to terms with the fact that I had to give up on her because the ‘original’ is dating her.”

That wiped the smile right off your face.

“I’m sorry, Abe. I-”

“Don’t. It’s not your fault. I’m not trying to guilt trip you. It’s not like I was madly in love with her, or anything. Not yet, anyway.” Abe said, sounding far more composed than someone in his position should’ve been.

“Besides, I didn’t want to fight over her. That shit can tear siblings apart if they’re not careful.”

It was times like this that you realized that Abe was the brother you’ve always wanted, but didn’t deserve. You should hang out with him more often.

“But enough about that. What’d you want me here for?”

You frowned at your phone, before turning to see Abe perched on the street lamp behind you.

Abe tilted his head to the side as he gave you an assessing look.

“That looks an awful lot like my costume.”

“You didn’t invent the color red.” you snapped back. “Plus, this has a jacket, and my secondary color is black, not blue.”

“I’m just saying, if you had black webs on that mask and changed some things around…”

“What happened to not getting sidetracked?”

“I made no such promises.”

“Alright, but hear me out…”

“This better not be a hot take. I get enough of those from the clowns I tangle with on a regular basis.” Abe said.

What will you say?

>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”
>”Do you know anyone who might be able to help with park renovations? You must’ve made some friends in the hero community during your time as Spider-Man.”
>"We're mostly in the planning phase, but the people here could really do with a bit of subtle moral support. Just a psychic nudge here and there to keep their spirits up. And if you have any ideas, feel free to contribute to the discussion."
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5991029
>>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>>5991026
>“I’m just saying, if you had black webs on that mask and changed some things around…”
IT'S LEGALLY DISTINCT I TELL YA

>>5991029
>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>”We can make a show of the whole ‘evil twin’ bit by one-upping each other while helping out. Should play well with the crowd, especially if Iara can dunk on both of us sometimes. I’ll get some grief about it from the boys, but it’s for a group I like so I’ll deal.”
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”

Whichever role he thinks he’s better for. I’m sure he has contacts, but it’s his call on whether to pull them in or not.

>>5991029
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”

Is Abe still technically a virgin?

>>5991058
>>5991031
>>5991494
We've got two votes for both of these options.

>”I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”
>”Do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”

Would you guys like me to proceed with these options or wait for more votes?

>>5991494
Nope. He's gotten his fair share of action while dorming at ESU.

>>5991779
I'm cool with those

>>5991779
I'm also cool with the combined options

>>5991779
I’m for combining. If Abe only wants to do one to keep his focus then he can pick either.

>>5991782
>>5991795
>>5991830
Gotcha! Writing...

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“I need you and Iara to go on Screwball’s stream and drum up support for the mutants. I think you’re both popular enough to pull it off.”

Abe raised an eyebrow at that.

“Since when is Iara popular outside of the Morlock community?”

“Since she showed up on Screwball’s stream and stole the show.”

“For real? I hope she doesn’t let all that fame go to her head. Public opinion is a fickle beast, and people change their minds like the weather.”

“Let’s worry about that later. For now, we should get the word out about this little project.” you said.

Abe let out a large sigh.

“Not even one year into my career and I’m already selling my soul for views. Never thought I’d end up here this quickly.”

“Hey, it’s for a good cause. We give them a hand, they can make their own money, and maybe we can get a few people to see mutants in a better light because of it.”

“Alright, alright. I never said I wouldn't do it. My only condition is that I won't be following any scripts. All my best material is ad-libbed.”

You nodded your agreement.

“You and I both, brother. And while you’re at it, do you think you can go out there and convince the cops and protesters to calm down? I feel like we might have a riot on our hands if we stop everyone from entering the park.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too. I suppose it would make sense to send out the more charismatic twin to smooth things over.” Abe said, smoothing out the top of his mask as if he were running a hand through his hair.

“Babyclonesayswhat?”

“Not answering that.” Abe retorted, before turning his head and squinting into the distance. “They’re over there, right?”

Your eyes followed the trajectory of his finger towards the rough location of Cherry Hill.

“Yup. I think they’re still brainstorming ideas for how they can contribute.”

“Good. At least then we won’t be leaving everything up to Nature Girl. That kid’s gonna get a big head if we rely on her too much.”

“Amen to that.”

—-------

What will you do?

>Accompany Abe to watch him crash Screwball’s stream. Having the real Spider-Man show up to steal her thunder is probably gonna have her foaming at the mouth.
>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5991981
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.

>>5991981
>>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.
really curious to see if they worked something out

>>5991981
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.
We should intercept them before they stumble onto Screwball anyway. If the Stacys are agitated then we can steer them away from the gathering.

>>5991992
>>5992375
>>5992399
>Check in on Joy and the Stacys to see how they’re getting along.

I'm gonna try and push out an update tomorrow afternoon. I tried to get some work done, but I got a bit busy, and I've gotta wake up a little earlier than usual tomorrow morning.

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While Abe was busy trying to become a social media sensation, you set out to find Joy and the Stacys. Which, after you thought about it for a second, would make for a pretty sick band name.

It didn’t take you long to find them, as they were still generally in the same area you’d left them in. And seeing as how no one was shouting or pummeling one another, you thought it was safe to maintain your optimism towards the situation.

Unsurprisingly, Joy turned to note your approach before the others even got a chance. She’d spread her webs all throughout the trees in this part of the park, and that meant that her little spider sentries were giving her feedback on their surroundings. And you had an inkling that a man in red and black spandex swinging past at roughly 45 mph would set off all sorts of alarms.

“Hey all. How’re things going so far? Good, I hope.”

It was weird how nervous you were for the well-being of a family that wasn’t yours.

Gwen nodded, a slight smile on her red lips.

“We’re making progress. The whole…’Warren’ situation is still a little shaky…”

It was all Captain Stacy could do not to glower at the mention of the man who’d so grossly violated the privacy of his daughter.

“But we at least managed to convince her to spend some time with us. Every other week, she’ll come over to stay at our place, and when we can find the time, we’ll come and spend time with her friends over here.” Gwen continued.

“That’s only if you can convince your new boss to let you have a moment’s rest so that you can spend some time with your old man.” George put in.

“We’re trying to work something out with Sable International and the Avengers.”

“Backup Avengers.” you corrected.

“Right.” Gwen said with a sigh. “Either way, we’re trying to make sure that nothing like what happened last time can happen again. Hill’s gathering up all the agents she can spare and redeploying them to patrol duty.”

That means that you might have a decent chance of running into SHIELD’s more troublesome agents amidst the upcoming gang war. Names like Hawkeye and Spider-Woman(who for some reason had nothing to do with you) flashed through your mind.

If you were really unlucky, you might be pitted against the likes of Gwen or Bloodhound. You weren’t entirely sure if you were scared of fighting Peter Pan or not. On one hand, he was an eternally prepubescent brat with a tendency to forget and outright overlook important details. On the other hand, he was fast as hell and incredibly deadly with those blades of his.

Hopefully they’d be too busy fighting actual supervillains to bother with you. But that did bring up the question of how your relationship with Captain Stacy might change after your involvement with Silvermane became public knowledge. More than that, how would Gwen react?

(Cont.)

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As you glanced over the Stacys, you eventually locked eyes with Joy. It then occurred to you that you never drilled into her the importance of maintaining a secret identity. Especially for someone in your line of work. You really hoped she hadn’t blurted out your name at any point during your conversation.

The blonde clone seemed to be blissfully unaware of your inner turmoil, and was instead content to smile at you from where she sat. And if you had to guess, the empty snack wrappers littering the table had something to do with her good mood. They were no doubt bribes that were used to keep her complacent while the Stacys went over some of the more troubling topics involving Joy’s conception, upbringing, and current living situation.

Judging by the various brands of sugar-filled treats that you recognized from the labels printed on the empty plastic packages, Joy might’ve just been basking in the afterglow of a recent sugar rush.

What will you do/say?

>"Excuse us for a moment." Pull Joy aside for a quick little private chat.
>”Hey Joy, Abe’s here if you want to go say hi! He’s doing a thing with Shark Girl, though, so you might have to wait a bit.”
>”That’s great. I’m glad you guys could come to an understanding. I just hope you have a big enough snack budget to maintain this relationship.”
>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city since she started living with the mutants.”
>”If you guys want, you can also invite your friends and coworkers to the park’s grand reopening. The Morlocks and I are planning something big that should be a hit with the regular park-goers.”
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5993475
>"Excuse us for a moment." Pull Joy aside for a quick little private chat.
Just to be sure we dont get doxxed

>>5993475
>”I guess none of you knew that too much processed sugar is toxic to spiders. If Joy develops a headache or lethargy in the next couple hours we’ll need to pump her out.”
>”But seriously, I’m glad you guys could come to an understanding. I just hope you have a big enough snack budget to maintain this relationship.”
It’s fun to mess with friends.

>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city before or after she started living with the mutants. Just keep the super senses in mind and skip the rock concerts at first.”
If I remember right, Warren kept her on a tight leash too since bots were out hunting her and Abe. The university was the only safe place.

>”Hey Joy, our brother-in-spiderdom is here if you want to go say hi! He’s doing a thing with Shark Girl, though, so you might have to wait a bit.”
Keeping names out of it just in case, and if she calls him out by name then it gives us an excuse to point out she shouldn’t make a habit of using real names while people are masked up. Even if she has been bribed with a ton of treats. Word spreads, and not everyone around a hero can fight like one.

>”If you guys want, you can also invite your friends and coworkers to the park’s grand reopening. The Morlocks are planning something big that should be a hit with the regular park-goers.”
Let them take full credit unless pressed. We’re just one helper.

>”If Hill is deploying more agents here then what does that mean elsewhere? I appreciate the security, but the acronym agencies are bigger than one city.”
She might let slip some of the specific heroes being deployed here. Good info to know, though I don’t know if we’ll do anything with it.

>>5993475
>"Word to the wise Joy, pace yourself with the sweets. A super metabolism is only gonna make the crash hit that much harder, believe me."
>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city since she started living with the mutants.”

>>5993477
>>5993492
>>5993730
>”You don’t have to restrict your activities to the park or your house. Go out for dinner every once in a while, or go to see a movie. I don’t think Joy’s really had much of a chance to explore this city before or after she started living with the mutants. Just keep the super senses in mind and skip the rock concerts at first.”

We've got two for this vote. Would you like me to move forward with it?

>>5995185
I wouldn't be opposed

>>5995185
I’m willing to switch to >>5993730 to keep the little write-in!

>>5993730
>>5995189
>>5995341
Gotcha! I'm gonna be a bit tied up tonight, but I'll post an update as soon as I possibly can tomorrow.

>>5995425
No rush, we’ll be here!

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“Word to the wise, Joy.” you said, glancing at Gwen’s clone. “Pace yourself with the sweets. A super metabolism is only gonna make the crash hit that much higher, believe me.”

Or it’ll end up giving her the zoomies, which wasn’t something her family needed to see right now. Although, this whole lecture might’ve seemed a bit hypocritical coming from the man who gave her a bag full of candy when she first started living with the Morlocks.

“I didn’t expect her to eat all of it in one sitting.” George admitted. “A quick trip to the dentist might do her some good.”

Part of you was grateful that Joy didn’t have any frame of reference for what a dentist was, or else she might’ve grown skittish at the mention of them.

Joy blinked a couple of times and gave you a slight nod.

“Gotcha. Please don’t tell Callisto.”

She must’ve lectured her about this very same thing before.

“That’s the sewer lady that took you in, right?” Gwen asked.

Joy nodded more enthusiastically this time.

“She takes care of us. She looks scary like a pirate, but she’s really nice to everyone.”

“We’ve met. Back then, she thought I was a Goblin Groupie and was a second away from stabbing me.” Gwen said.

The look of alarm on George’s face was absolutely priceless.

“She didn’t though. She’s just protective of her people.” Gwen rushed to explain. “Huntsman helped smooth things over and no one had to get hurt.”

George turned to give you an assessing look.

“My daughter forgot to include that part in her explanation. I guess I have you to thank for her being here in one piece.”

“I can’t take all the credit. Gwen helped me fight off the goons coming after her, and she even made a drug that helped stave off the side effects of the serum she took.” you said. “And let's not forget Hill’s involvement. She’s no Mother Theresa, but she’s been doing her best to protect and provide for her.”

Gwen gave you a genuine smile. She must’ve appreciated hearing that you appreciated the work she’s put in to get this far. She might not have wanted her life to end up like this, but there were far worse ways to make a living.

George put a hand on Gwen’s shoulder and smiled.

“I always knew my little girl was going to grow up to do big things someday. I just thought it would be on a slightly smaller scale.”

“I’m not sure if any part of me qualifies as ‘little’ anymore, dad.” Gwen said, her cheeks turning a bit red.

“That just means you’re healthy. There’s nothing wrong with being a little bigger than the other girls.” George said in an encouraging tone.

“That’s right. Your dad’s cop buddies were pretty much drooling over your muscles.” you mentioned.

George glanced between the two of you, his interest piqued.

“Oh yeah? I don’t suppose you managed to get their badge numbers.”

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There was a slightly malicious glint in his eye.

“Dad…” Gwen murmured, looking properly embarrassed now.

“What? I just want to have a little chat with them.”

“Dad…!” Gwen groaned, more imploringly this time.

Gwen nudged his stomach with her elbow, shoving him back a bit with very little effort.

“Your dad’s right, Gwen. You and your baby sister are real knockouts, and no amount of muscle tone is going to change that.” you said, gesturing at both her and Joy.

If the reddening of her face and ears told you anything, it was that Gwen was clearly flattered by your praise. But instead of shying away and growing flustered, she brushed her hair back behind one ear and fluttered her eyelashes at you in a way that made your heart do backflips.

“Oh yeah? Well, don’t stop there.”

Gwen was a real catch, and she knew it. Her confidence might’ve taken a hit during the incident involving her transformation, but you were only reaffirming what she already felt deep down.

But somehow, that knowledge didn’t make her snobby or vain. The combination of beauty, brains, and a winning personality made her into a phenomenal woman that’d make a lucky guy very happy someday. Except now she was capable of putting said lucky guy through a wall if he ever upset her.

“What’s a ‘knockout’?” Joy asked, looking confused.

“He means that we’re beautiful, Joy.” Gwen said, breaking eye contact with you to humor her sister.

After giving that a moment to sink in, Joy joined her sister in grinning at you.

“Oh! Thanks!”

George glanced between all three of you before settling his suspicious glare on you. You were sure he’d be giving his daughters a lecture on the dangers of getting involved with masked men.

“Speaking of beautiful,” Gwen said, focusing the majority of her attention on Joy. “That’s a gorgeous top you’re wearing.”

Joy gave her a self-satisfied, smug grin.

“You think so? B–Huntsman’s the one who picked it out.” Joy said, thankfully catching herself before she said your real name. And THANK GOD for that! She was at least capable of picking up context clues in most cases.

Gwen gave you a surprised look.

“Well well well. I had no idea you had a functioning fashion sense.”

“It’s a little weaker than my spider sense, but it comes in handy every now and again.” you said with a wink.

“You’re just full of surprises.”

“Thanks for noticing. I’m thinking of putting ‘well-rounded man of mystery’ on my resume.”

George clearly wasn’t happy with the shameless flirting happening in front of him, so he directed his attention to Joy. Frankly, you were a bit taken aback by Gwen’s bold behavior today. Especially when her dad was sitting right next to her.

(Cont.)

“We should get you some more clothes soon. I don’t see a washing machine out here, and your current wardrobe is bound to get dirty from you sleeping outside.”

“We get to go shopping again?”

Joy was practically buzzing with excitement. Gwen gave her a thoughtful look.

“Maybe we are related, after all.”

“Be sure to show her around the city. She didn’t get many opportunities to explore before she started living with the mutants.” you offered. “Take her out for dinner every once in a while, or go see a movie. Just keep her super senses in mind and skip the rock concerts for now.”

They all shared a smile at that.

“That sounds like a good idea.” George admitted.

“What do you wanna do first, Joy?” Gwen asked.

She opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted by a spider crawling on top of her head. It was all Gwen could do to avoid screaming or swatting at the hairy, multi-legged creature.

“Callisto’s here! And A–I mean…Spider-Man!”

Sounds like she wants to go see her friends.

What will you do?

>Accompany the Stacys in greeting Callisto.
>Show Joy where to find Spider-Man. He should be speaking with the cops and protesters right about now.
>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5996149
I think I don't want to completely show up with Spider-Man in the same place, just to keep the guessing games of the public up

>Accompany the Stacys in greeting Callisto.
>Remind both that their knowledge of mutants in the sewers is something thes should not tell others
>Tell Callisto that they only heard good things about her and that her 'tough girl' persona might be fading

>>5996149
>Show Joy where to find ‘your evil twin’. He should be speaking with the cops and protesters right about now.
>Get Callisto’s location from Joy and have the thief girls and Ember meet you there. You can start introductions with her.
Two birds, one stone. I’m not opposed to taking the Stacys to Joy, but if we do that then I’d say we route the others to Glass instead. Or visiting Abe as well and presenting a united front on behalf of the spider family. I’m down for any option, really.

Gotta laugh at Gwen using us to get under her dad’s skin. A part of me wants to take mercy on him and let him know we’re already in a relationship (and Gwen knows that) but he can squirm a little longer.

Though maybe the Captain should talk with Callisto on how much Joy knows about romance and/or creeps. She’ll be the bigger worry.

>>5996149
>>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.

>>5996163
>>5996212
>>5996306
So it looks like we've got three different goals in three different votes. How do y'all wanna handle this?

>>5996212
>>5996306
These two here seem to be somewhat similar, but I don't want to make any assumptions.

>>5996149
>Accompany the Stacys in greeting Callisto.

>>5997542
If pushed, I’d lean
>Accompany the Stacys in greeting Callisto.
over
>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.

The girls can enjoy the park in the meantime.

>>5997542
>>5997581
Oh, and I’ll back the second write-in from >>5996163. Teasing Callisto is always fun.

I’d check with Joy before mentioning the first one. I don’t know if she gave details on where she lived before. If she didn’t then Captain Stacy may only know that she’s been living in the park. I don’t remember if Gwen knows more details or not, but I assume she does.

If they both know, I have no problem backing the first write-in too.

>>5996163
>>5996163
>>5997546
>>5997581
>Accompany the Stacys in greeting Callisto.
>Remind both that their knowledge of mutants in the sewers is something they should not tell others
>Tell Callisto that they only heard good things about her and that her 'tough girl' persona might be fading

Gotcha! Taking these. Writing...

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“Good. Let’s go meet her.” you suggested. “Callisto, I mean.”

Joy's face brightened at that proposition.

“I guess there's less of a chance of her stabbing me in broad daylight.” Gwen reasoned.

You weren't quite sure about that, but then again, you haven't spent a whole lot of time with Callisto aboveground, so anything was possible.

“She won't if she doesn't want to spend the night in a cell.” George put in.

Gwen gave her dad a flat look.

“Seriously? Only a night? You do remember that in your only daughter, right dad?”

“Well, I'd imagine that anyone who comes at you with a knife isn’t going to walk away with only a few bruises. They’d be lucky if you didn’t just snap them like a twig.” George said, an amused grin on his face.

Gwen opened her mouth to speak, closed it, and then gave him a slightly frustrated scowl.

“I mean…you’re probably not wrong, but knives are still scary. My desire to avoid getting stabbed isn’t any different from that of the average person.”

“Callisto won’t stab you.” Joy said with absolute confidence.

Everyone turned to look at her.

“If I tell her that you’re my friends, then she’ll leave you alone.”

“We’re not just friends, Joy. We’re family.” George offered.

“Why not both? Family members can be friends, too.” Gwen added.

“So long as you agree to keep the Morlocks’ secret, then there shouldn’t be any problems.” you said.

“The sewer thing, right?” Gwen asked. “Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone. I’m not even sure if they’d want to go down there looking, even if they did know.”

George didn’t look at all surprised by the revelation, which told you that Joy went over that part with him already.

“I still can’t believe that there are people actually living down there. Mutant or not, no one should live like that.”

“My thoughts exactly.” you said. “Which is why I helped them make a couple of renovations.”

—--------

After you finished telling the Stacys about all the upgrades you made to the Alley, Joy suddenly leapt into the air and started swinging towards the direction she was leading you in.

“Hold up, Joy!” you shouted, swinging after her, connecting your weblines from tree to tree.

You had a feeling as to why she’d gotten so excited, and your suspicions were confirmed when you caught a glimpse of the sewer queen herself.

She was wearing a dark sleeveless jean jacket that was fraying at the edges, with a slightly ratty orange shirt underneath. Her denim jeans were torn in several places, some of them even looked to have been created on purpose.

From her current sitting position, she turned her head slightly to regard you and Joy. She didn’t look very surprised to see either of you, but her one good eye narrowed in suspicion upon noticing the Stacys.

“Callisto!”

(Cont.)

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Joy landed only mere inches away from the cyclopean mutant, blocking her view of everyone else other than the bubbly clone.

The corner’s of Callisto’s lips quirked upwards ever so slightly into what might’ve been interpreted as a smile.

“Hey there, Joy. How’ve you been?”

“Good! It’s really nice up here, and its so much easier for our friends to visit us.”

“I’d bet. Why don’t you introduce me to these new friends of yours?” Callisto asked, glancing past her to see Gwen and her dad.

You landed a little further away from Joy so that the others could catch up.

“Hey, Callisto. You remember Gwen, right?”

Callisto cast a disinterested glance at the blonde amazon. The two of them had met twice. Once when you had to break up a fight between them, and again when Joy was first introduced to the Morlocks.

“Right. How’s it hanging, blondie? Still running with SHIELD, I see.”

Gwen folded her arms over her broad chest.

“For the time being, yeah. They’ve got a lot to offer right now, and I’m still trying to get back on my feet.”

“Uh-huh. And who’s your cop friend?” she asked, pointing at Gwen’s dad.

“Captain George Stacy. I’m Gwen’s father, and to a certain degree, that makes Joy my…’relative’.” he said carefully.

“I’ve heard a lot about you from Joy and the Huntsman.”

“Okay…now I’m worried.” she quickly said, leaning away from the table she was sitting at.

“On the contrary, my one-eyed friend.” you cut in. “We’ve been singing your praises up and down this park. They’ve only heard good things about you, so that ‘tough girl’ persona that you’ve worked so hard to build up is slowly crumbling away.”

“Your first mistake was listening to this clown. He can make anything sound ridiculous if you let him open his mouth.” Callisto claimed, pointing at you.

“Eh. It’s a character flaw.” you admitted with a shrug.

“But you are nice, though.” Joy protested. “I just wish more people knew that.”

Callisto let out a sardonic laugh.

“If he and Glass have their way, then you just might get your wish, little Joy. That’s actually part of the reason I came here.”

“You mean…you didn’t come here to play chess?” Gwen asked, pointing at a chess board in front of the Morlock leader.

“That’s the other part.” Callisto said, continuing to reset the board. “So, did you just pop by to visit our little sunshine character, or was there something else you wanted to talk about?”

“We…actually wanted to thank you for looking after Joy.” Gwen said. “It meant a lot to us, even if we weren’t too keen on the location.”

“And I only found out about her recently. You were there for her when I couldn’t be. I won’t forget that.” George added.

(Cont.)

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“And I just wanted to say hi. We wish you could stay up here with us.” Joy blurted out.

Callisto actually did grin at that.

“Someone’s gotta keep the Alley running. I’ve got some trustworthy people that I’m training to run things while I’m away.” she explained, content to ignore the other two for a moment. She never was good at accepting praise.

“Are you going somewhere?” Joy asked, a concerned expression on her face.

Callisto glanced at Joy, and then turned to stare at George. She seemed to consider something, before turning back to her chess board.

“I won’t be leaving the city anytime soon if that’s what you’re asking. Let’s just say that I’ve got plans.”

Despite Joy’s curiosity, Callisto didn’t look like she’d spill the beans anytime soon. But before anyone could question her on it further.

It swirled around your group, and paid close attention to your spider sense for any hint of an incoming threat. The others were searching around frantically for the source of the disturbance, and Callisto was…

She was just scowling at the chess pieces that’d been blown off of the table by the sudden gust of wind. Otherwise, she remained seated.

And then, the sound of rushing wind just…died. You could still feel the wind whipping around you, but it was no longer obnoxiously loud. It was as if you’d just entered the eye of a-

“I apologize for being late.”

You craned your neck to find the source of the new voice, and all at once, everyone’s jaws dropped.

“There was a matter that required my immediate attention.”

A woman with dark skin, long, white flowing hair and blue, cat-like eyes descended upon you, suspended by nothing but the very air itself. You’ve never met her, but you knew her name. This was Ororo Munroe, otherwise known as-

“Jesus, Storm. Couldn’t you have just walked over like a normal person?” Callisto complained.

“Now I’ve gotta pick all this up and reset the board. Again.”

Callisto's arms split into two clusters of green tentacles and reached down to pick up the pieces. Gwen gasped, and George just stared stupidly at them. Joy was the only other person helping her pick them up, while you...

You were just in disbelief.

Storm gave Callisto a shameless smile that was surprisingly affectionate.

(Cont.)

What will you do/say?

>"THIS is your chess partner? I had no idea you even played chess."
>"I wish I knew an X-Man was coming. I would've wore my Sunday Best."
>"So you really didn't come here to check on the Morlocks? You could've had this chess game anywhere."
>"I had no idea the two of you knew each other. I thought I was Callisto's only friend."
>"I heard you had a big part in taking out a decent chunk of Doom's robots. Thanks for that."
>"Whoa...!"
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5997825
>>"I had no idea the two of you knew each other. I thought I was Callisto's only friend."
>>"I heard you had a big part in taking out a decent chunk of Doom's robots. Thanks for that."

>>5997825
>"I wish I knew an X-Man was coming. I would've wore my Sunday Best."
>"I heard you had a big part in taking out a decent chunk of Doom's robots. Thanks for that."
Fun fact, Ororo is actually a native New Yorker coming out of Manhattan. Didn't know that myself till I hit up her wiki page.

>>5997825
>>"I wish I knew an X-Man was coming. I would've wore my Sunday Best."
>>"I heard you had a big part in taking out a decent chunk of Doom's robots. Thanks for that."

>>5997825
>"I had no idea the two of you knew each other. I thought I was Callisto's only friend."
>"I heard you had a big part in taking out a decent chunk of Doom's robots. Thanks for that."
Joining the hivemind, but I’ll toss in one more comment.
>”If she has a third friend hiding somewhere we’d have enough for doubles tennis. It’d be neat to get creamed with someone else to share the misery with.”

Looks like a bit of a sentence was missing after “ question her on it further”. Probably about the wind picking up?

>>5997874
>>5997968
>>5997993
>>5998126
>>"I had no idea the two of you knew each other. I thought I was Callisto's only friend."
>"I wish I knew an X-Man was coming. I would've wore my Sunday Best."
>"I heard you had a big part in taking out a decent chunk of Doom's robots. Thanks for that."
>”If she has a third friend hiding somewhere we’d have enough for doubles tennis. It’d be neat to get creamed with someone else to share the misery with.”

Taking these. Writing...

>>5998126
>Looks like a bit of a sentence was missing after “ question her on it further”. Probably about the wind picking up?

Oops! I must've messed that up while I was doing my editing last night. This last update took longer to finish than I originally anticipated. Should've taken a few minutes to re-read the whole thing before posting.

>>5998667
I’ve never had much luck switching from writing to editing mode like that without a long break in-between so I don’t blame you for missing it. As long as it all makes sense contextually, it’s good!

File: Ororo_Munroe_29_from_S.W.(...).jpg (458 KB, 919x1667)

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“I wish I knew an X-Man was coming. I would’ve worn my Sunday Best.” you said, stretching out the fabric on the suit that Ember made for you.

Storm chuckled at that. The woman wore a black leather bodysuit that exposed her toned midsection, before transforming into a gold and black tank top that she paired with a black and gold studded bomber with sleeves that only reached down to her elbow. Draped around her neck, she wore expensive-looking gold jewelry that looked like they could’ve easily been used to pay for Cindy and Pete’s college fund if you brought them to the right pawn shop.

Compared to her, you were severely underdressed. But that was to be expected when you were in the presence of a supposed African goddess.

“Back at the X-Mansion, your attire would more than suffice for ‘business casual’.” she said, floating down to stand opposite Callisto.

You supposed “modesty” was another one of her super-powers.

“Maybe if I was wearing blue and gold, sure.” you said, moving to catch a white knight that Joy had nearly dropped. “I had no idea the two of you knew each other. I thought I was Callisto’s only friend.”

The woman in question turned to scowl at you.

Storm raised a curious eyebrow.

“And I was unaware that she was capable of socializing outside of her close-knit community. I suppose that our mutual friend is full of surprises.”

“And she’s also sitting right here. Just in case you forgot.” Callisto mentioned as she used her tentacles to reset the board.

Storm gave her an expectant look.

“And it would appear that you have forgotten your manners. Should you not introduce us, Callisto?”

Callisto shut her single remaining eye and let out a long, suffering sigh.

“Huntsman, this is Storm. You’ve probably seen her on tv. She helped me out a few years back, and we hang out every now and again.” she said in a monotone voice.

“Storm, this is the Huntsman. For the past year, he’s been helping me and the rest of the Morlocks down by the Alley with a bunch of stuff. And once you get past all that smug arrogance, he’s a pretty decent guy.”

Storm smiled, exposing a row of perfectly straight, white teeth.

“My! That is high praise coming from her. Either you are an exceptional one, or she is truly taken by you.”

Callisto pointed the tip of her tentacle towards her open mouth and made a gagging expression.

“It might be both, actually. I think she’s just trying to act cool because her friend showed up. We were all just telling her how that ‘tough girl’ persona isn’t enough to fool us anymore.”

Callisto groaned upon hearing your words.

“I’m starting to remember why I don’t come up here anymore.”

(Cont.)

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“Come now, Callisto. It is a beautiful day out. A bit of sun and fresh air would do you good.” Storm put in. “And hopefully, it would do away with that dour disposition of yours.”

“Ooh, I like her.”

“Everyone usually does.” Callisto muttered.

“I heard you played a big part in taking out a decent chunk of Doom’s robots during the attack. Thanks for that.” you said, extending a hand towards the X-Man.

Storm’s cloudy eyes widened a bit in surprise, but she quickly recovered and gripped your hand.

“Your gratitude is appreciated, but you do not need to thank me. This city is our home as well, and it is our duty to protect it.”

Holy shit. You did not expect to be shaking hands with an X-Man and weather goddess when you woke up this morning. It was one thing to expect the unexpected, but every now and then, the twists and turns in your life were severe and sudden enough to catch even you off guard.

If she had a third friend hiding somewhere, you’d have enough for doubles tennis. It’d feel reassuring to have someone suffering alongside you when you inevitably got creamed. Misery loves company.

“You see? This is how you take a compliment.” you told Callisto, still shaking Storm’s hand.

The girl rolled her one good eye.

“Storm, can you just give him an autograph already so he can hurry on and get out of here?” she asked, sitting back down in her chair.

“And what of your other guests?” she said, looking at Joy and the Stacys.

“Right. Joy, this is Storm. She’s an X-Man, one of the mutant poster girls, and a generally decent person. Storm, this is Joy. She’s a clone of the girl behind her, and someone I’ve been looking after these past few weeks.” Callisto explained.

“Oh. And the old guy is her dad, I guess. Or…they’re both his daughters. I’m not sure how all that works.” she said, almost as an afterthought.

“Us neither.” Gwen put in, laughing nervously as she turned to smile at Storm. “Hi, I’m Gwen. Can I just say that I love your outfit?”

The two women shook hands, and Gwen’s dad shared a respectful nod with the weather witch.

“Thank you. They are custom made. I wonder if Maria Hill would allow you to make modifications to your own uniform.” Storm said.

Gwen stared dumbly at her for a moment, before the meaning of her words fully sank in.

“Huh? Oh! No, well…I haven’t exactly finished designing my costume yet, and since I’m on duty, I had to wear something, so…”

“There’s nothing wrong with having a proper uniform, Gwen.” George stated.

Storm nodded her agreement.

(Cont.)

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“He is right. Professor Xavier stresses the importance of wearing our uniforms whenever possible. They send a message to anyone who sees them.” Storm explained. “If you are designing your own, then it is important to consider what it is that you want to convey to both your enemies and those you wish to protect.”

She glanced at Gwen’s golden shield as she said that last part, and the blonde amazon took a moment to chew on those words of wisdom.

“Can I touch your hair? It looks soft and fluffy like a cloud.” Joy asked, inching closer to her.

“Oh. No, I-”

“Sorry about that. She’s still young.”

Storm had a slightly troubled look on her face as she tried to politely refuse. You saved her the trouble of having to do so by dragging Joy back and explaining to her that it was rude to ask to touch someone’s hair.

“Well, it is very nice to meet you all. I hope I am not interrupting anything.” Storm continued.

“It’s alright, Storm. We were just talking is all.”

“Perhaps we should delay our game until your business is concluded, then?”

Storm slid her fingers under the strap of a bag that’d been hanging off of her back. Callisto’s eye focused on it as it moved, and Storm didn’t miss that fact.

It looked like Storm wasn’t just here to play chess, after all.


What will you say/do?

>”We can get out of your hair if you’re busy with something. We just wanted to drop by to say hi.”
>"By all means, continue with your game. But would you mind if we stayed to chat and hang out in the area?"
>"If you don't mind me asking, what's in the bag? Does this have something to do with those 'plans' you were talking about?"
>"I'd like to hear a little more about how you guys met. Callisto sort of just glazed over the details earlier."
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5998784
>”We can get out of your hair if you’re busy with something. We just wanted to drop by to say hi.”
>"But hey, make sure you link up with Glass later. We're making some plans we'd love to have your input."

>>5998784
>”We can get out of your hair if you’re busy with something. We just wanted to drop by to say hi.”

>>5998784
>”We can get out of your hair if you’re busy with something. We just wanted to drop by to say hi.”
>"But hey, make sure you link up with Glass later. We're making some plans and we'd love to have your input."
>”I would like to hear more about how you guys met one day though. I’d like to compare it to my ‘kept me from getting shot way too many times’ introduction.”

I’m wondering if it’s related to the drug stuff Glass is dealing with. Striking back at whoever is pumping it out? With less people to look out for it wouldn’t surprise me if Callisto was more willing to hit criminal groups targeting mutants. Storm is probably too high-profile to get away with it, but Callisto isn’t.

Which… would make her an active participant in the oncoming gang war. No better time to reach out and hurt someone than when they’re already fighting other groups.

Hopefully one of them bites on meeting up with Glass and we can talk to them privately for a bit on what the plans are.

I see you lining up these chess pieces, Scorekeeper. Not that it’ll stop you from lining up the rest.

>>5998939
I won't lie, putting the hurt on some mutagenic dope pushers sounds good right about now. Would probably do a world of good for our reputation as well.

>>5998943
Depends on how “clean” the owners are. If they’re running under the shell of a mostly-legitimate business then it’d complicate the PR side. It’s less relevant for us since we are criminals after all, and if it’s being run by a rival group to the Maggia then we could do a trial run with our super-powered group to disrupt it.

Worst-case scenario would be if the Maggia were behind it, but anything less than that and we have plenty of options.

>>5998790
>>5998795
>>5998939
>”We can get out of your hair if you’re busy with something. We just wanted to drop by to say hi.”
>"But hey, make sure you link up with Glass later. We're making some plans we'd love to have your input."

Taking these. Writing...

>>5998939
There are many moving pieces in this game! And yet, some of the more dangerous elements have yet to reveal themselves...

>>5998943
>>5999007
As far as you know, this is mostly just mutant drama, but it could very well develop into something more complicated later down the line.

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“We can get out of your hair if you’re busy with something. We just wanted to drop by to say hi.”

Callisto moved a blue eye to point in your direction.

“It’s okay. We can catch up once I’m done here. I can’t promise that it’ll be a short game, though. Storm’s pretty good at it.” Callisto admitted.

“Do not downplay your own abilities, Callisto. You are an excellent strategist in your own right.”

“Thank you.” she said, before turning to direct a smug grin at you. “See? I can take compliments.”

“Can I stay and watch?” Joy asked, glancing between Callisto and Gwen.

“Of course. You seem like a far better conversationalist than my opponent.” Storm said.

Joy beamed at her.

“So much for mutant solidarity.” Callisto grumbled.

“I should probably get going too.” Gwen put in. “I’ve got other assignments today, and I’ve already spent too much time here.”

“And I’ve gotta get back and explain what’s been going on here. I’ll try and stop the police from storming in here, but I can’t hold them back forever. You’d do well to open this park to the public as soon as possible.”

“Which reminds me,” you began, pointing to Callisto. “You should link up with Glass later. We’re putting together some plans, and we’d love to have your input.”

“The Huntsman’s got another hare-brained scheme. Why am I not surprised?” Callisto said, rolling her eye. “And as for you two, stop worrying so much. Glass is the one taking care of Joy now. And he’s about the nicest person I’ve ever met. He won’t let anything happen to her.”

Almost as one, the Stacys released a sigh of relief that you hadn’t been aware they’d been holding.

“We’ll have to catch him another time, then.” George said.

Then, the Stacys said their goodbyes, and you left the others to their chess game. All in all, you thought that went pretty well. Although, you were curious about what Callisto had been about to say back there. If she was planning to ease back on her duties as an overseer for The Alley, then what was going to keep her so busy?

—----

What will you do?

>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.
>Join back up with Glass and the others. They should’ve come up with some ideas for the event by now.
>Walk back with the Stacys and link up with Abe. He should be done winning everyone over to the mutants’ side by 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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>5999897
>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.
They’ve waited long enough.

>>5999897
>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.
It's time

>>5999897
>>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.

>>5999897
>>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.
joining the hivemind

I think we teased Callisto a little too much now

>>6000472
I’m inclined to agree. I think it has to do with Storm’s assists since I’m not used to seeing Ben tag-team with someone else on a friend. To be fair, very few people CAN effectively team up with him on quips and we didn’t know Storm could play along. Chalk it up to an experience issue.

Minor guilt trip aside, friends being dumb with each other is okay. If you can’t let down your guard around friends then when will you ever?

>>6000539
>If you can’t let down your guard around friends then when will you ever?
yeah, but letting her guard down is something that comes especially hard for Callisto.
It felt like poking her just as she started to open up

>>6000565
Oh, I’d been talking about Ben more than Callisto. I figure he puts no real thought into how he decides to rib his friends since it’s natural for him and he’s got no problem dealing with return fire. His friends may not always be on the same wavelength though, and with the filter turned down/off that can be a problem.

It’d mean some foot-in-mouth shenanigans in his past social and dating life for sure, and this would be another addition to the pile if Callisto was actually put off by it.

>>5999908
>>5999946
>>6000193
>>6000472
>Meet up with the Thief Girls and Ember. You’ve got some work for them to do.

Taking these. Writing...

>>6000565
>>6000623
You'll never know for sure unless you ask!

File: afa337c974a940cead210ef58(...).png (273 KB, 486x487)

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As soon as everyone else had left, you checked your phone for any messages from Araña. As it turned out, there was one waiting for you, explaining that they’d already arrived, snuck in, and were waiting for you to make contact with them. Somehow, that didn’t surprise you.

—----

“About time you showed up.” Araña said, glancing up from her phone.

She was wearing her usual sunglasses, but seemed to be sporting a new outfit. She wore a beige blazer, a khaki skirt, dark leggings, a white dress shirt and a black and white spotted tie. More interestingly, however, she was holding the leash for a small white bichon frise, which patiently waited beside her.

“Cute dog. Who’d you steal it from?” you asked, bending down to check its collar for a dog tag.

“Actually, this is the new girl’s handiwork.” she said, jabbing a thumb in Ember’s direction.

She and Benga were sitting on a bench together, watching you and Araña from afar. By comparison, they were dressed rather casually, with Ember wearing gray sweats, and Benga opting for a pair of worn jeans and a simple black tee.

“Why’re they so far away? And why are you holding the leash of a fake dog?” you asked.

“We were trying to see how smart those plant monsters were. And in case you were wondering, the answer is: ‘Not very’.”

As she launched into her explanation, the other two got up and made their way towards you. Shortly afterwards, the cute little lifelike dog fizzled into glowing cubes and returned to Ember. As far as disguises went, she hadn’t put much effort into hers. She was only wearing a hat and a surgical mask, but it was enough to stop anyone from immediately recognizing her, at least.

“For one, they’re mostly focused on preventing people from getting in, not sniffing out intruders.” Araña continued. “Once we were in, they mostly left us alone. We put some distance between ourselves and avoided moving as much as possible, and they haven’t really done anything to kick us out, so I’m guessing that they don’t really have a good way of distinguishing friend from foe.”

“So you’re saying that they’ve got some holes in their security.” you concluded.

Araña nodded and clicked her heels together. Within seconds, the solid black pumps she’d been wearing shrunk down and remolded themselves around her feet to form a pair of black sneakers. She lost several inches from that alone, and was now the same height as Benga again.

“Oh yeah, big time. If someone wanted to sneak in here and do some damage, all they’d need to do is slip past the sentries and get out without getting caught.”

You made a thoughtful noise and rubbed at your chin, pretending to consider her statement.

“Uh-huh. And what were you planning on doing about the living spider cameras and the girl that can speak to plants? I’m sure they noticed people stomping around over on this side of the park.”

(Cont.)

Araña drew her brows together in a frown.

“Huh. Can’t say that I have experience with those kinds of security systems. Who did you say these people were, again?”

“Count yourselves lucky that both those guys are busy. One’s probably watching a heated chess match right now.”

“Then we can add ‘easily distracted’ to their list of problems.” she said, sounding triumphant.

“Morning, boss. What’s the job?” Benga asked.

“Good morning, Benga. And I’m glad you asked.” you answered, glancing between her and Ember.

Upon seeing her up close, it became clear that she’d done something with her hair. It was a slightly different color now. Still, not a very significant change, but it was better than nothing.

What will you say/do?

>Ask Ember to create something for the Morlocks. (Write-in)
>Meet up with the Morlocks and see what they need Ember to create for them.
>Have the girls fetch something/someone for you. (Write-in.)
>Tell them about the guys that have been pushing designer drugs on mutants in the area.
>Guide the girls back to Callisto. If she’s making plans that she doesn’t want Gwen’s dad to know about, then she might have a use for their services.
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>6000825
>Meet up with the Morlocks and see what they need Ember to create for them.
>Tell them about the guys that have been pushing designer drugs on mutants in the area.
There's gonna be plenty of time for us to start gathering intel and busting heads. Might as well get a head start on it.
This drug ring's probably gonna have to go, but I'm sure Silvio would appreciate the lack of competition on his turf. Not to mention all the samples of Kick we might be able to procure for the start-up.
Please tell me Sublime isn't a thing in this timeline. I hate every fucking retcon they make as to why people are prejudiced against mutants.

>>6000836
+1

>>6000825
>>Tell them about the guys that have been pushing designer drugs on mutants in the area.

>>6000825

>Ask Ember to create something for the Morlocks.
An actual suit for Glass. It’d be nice if he could choose to only dazzle people metaphorically instead of literally, and it sounded like he didn’t consider it important so he might not ask for one himself.

>Meet up with the Morlocks and see what they need Ember to create for them.
Don’t forget to remind the Morlocks that they have driver licenses too. I’m guessing none of them have one right now so any supply runs are best handled by this crew.

>Tell them about the guys that have been pushing designer drugs on mutants in the area.

>>6000825
>>6001299
sounds good

>>6000836
>>6000855
>>6000884
>>6001299
>>6001336
>Tell them about the guys that have been pushing designer drugs on mutants in the area.
>Meet up with the Morlocks and see what they need Ember to create for them.
>Ask Ember to create something for the Morlocks. (Suit for Glass)

Taking these. Writing...

>>6000836
There are certain subplots and story arcs that I won't be adapting, just because of how complicated they become, and how much baggage they come with. We simply don't have the time to go through all of that, so I'll be picking and choosing which storylines we adapt, based on the amount of relevance to the characters that have been introduced, and the state of the city/world.

File: 8693251-large-5014830.jpg (135 KB, 619x960)

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“Apparently, there’s a new drug out there called Kick, and it’s being marketed towards mutants. Some girl showed up today to push her product on the leader of this little community here, and I wanted to help them find the people responsible for making it.”

“‘Kick? Never heard of it.” Benga proclaimed, glancing at the other girls to see if they’d answer differently.

“We didn’t have that shit in Vegas.” Araña confirmed.

Ember just shrugged.

“Don’t look at me. I never got into any of that stuff. No one at ESU ever talked about a drug like that, though. At least, not to me.”

“What’s it supposed to do, anyway?” Araña asked.

“It’s said to temporarily boost mutant abilities, but it’s also highly addictive, with some mild psychoactive effects. Comes in the form of an inhaler.” you explained.

“You got a sample we can look at?” Araña asked.

“The leader of this community does. We’re going to see him right now, actually.”

“The guy actually bought it off her?” Araña said, sounding surprised.

“Nope. She gave it to him as a free sample. Probably to get him hooked.”

Araña scoffed.

“These guys sound like amateurs trying to advertise their startup. If they were here earlier today, then it probably won’t take long to find out who they are, and where they’re making the stuff.”

Benga nodded her agreement.

“Give us a few days. We’ll figure out what’s going on.”

“That’s what I like to hear. I knew I made the right choice hiring you two.”

“I’d say the feeling’s mutual, but I haven’t gotten paid, and I’m still sleeping on your couch.” Araña said, rubbing at her lower back.

“I’d say that’s a small price to pay for pissing off every major power in Vegas.” you shot back. “Plus, my place is dry, and doesn’t have an infestation of giant bugs trying to eat you.”

Both girls shuddered at the thought of being attacked by the Brood, but Ember just looked confused. That was the first and only time you’d seen these girls being terrified of anything. They were tough, but they were still just kids.

“Point taken…” Araña replied, her expression growing more serious.

You sighed and shook your head.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up. It must’ve been a traumatic experience for you two.”

“It’s fine.” Benga said, a little too quickly. “You got us out, and that’s all that matters.”

Araña nodded.

“You helped out Gloria and saved our skins, so I’d say it's safe to sweep all that nasty stuff under the rug. Oh, and on that note, you should really clean that rug in the bathroom. I haven’t noticed a maid walking around, so I’m assuming that you don’t have one yet?” Araña asked in a hopeful, high pitched tone.

“I’ll add it to my ever-growing to-do list.” you promised.

(Cont.)

File: Screwball_L_MC_TR_C.jpg (67 KB, 600x708)

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“The maid, or the rug?” Benga asked.

“Hopefully both.” Araña muttered.

“Uh…”

Everyone turned to stare at Ember, who'd somehow been forgotten in the fallout of that banter bomb.

“What am I supposed to be doing, exactly?”

“I’m glad you asked. I need you to make something for me.”

—--------

Upon returning to Cherry Hill, you were pleased to find that the Morlocks were still deep in their discussion about sprucing up the park.

They hadn’t even noticed your return until Ester pointed you out. And judging by their reactions, they also noticed how you brought three more strangers into their midst.

Murmurs rippled throughout the group of mutants as they gawked at their new guests. The Thief Girls took it in stride, but Ember seemed to tense at their scrutiny.

“Guys, it’s okay. Me and Iara know them.” Glass announced, pushing his way through the gathering crowd. “You’re Gloria’s fixers, right?”

“We work for him now.” Benga declared, inclining her head towards you.

“Glass guy! How’s it hanging? I didn’t know this whole set-up was your idea.” Araña said, looking amused. “I bet you miss staying at Gloria’s hotel. A soft warm bed, a roof over your head, free room service…”

The other Morlocks looked immediately envious.

“I will admit, it was pretty cozy. I’ve never stayed at a place that fancy before. Especially not for free.” Glass said, ignoring the stares he was getting from everyone else. “If you’re still in contact with Gloria, would you mind thanking her for me?”

A devilish grin spread across Araña’s face, then.

“Why don’t you do it yourself? Better yet, I think you should do it in person. I’m sure she’d love to have you over again.”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to impose-”

Glass’ modesty held up for all of two seconds until Benga cut in.

“She said she’d handle your travel expenses and reserve a room for you if you ever wanted to drop by again. I think you should take her up on her offer.”

“It’d be rude not to~.” Araña added.

Glass glanced between both of them for a moment, noting the intensity in their gazes. If he wasn’t fully aware of all the eyes on him before, he certainly was now.

“I, uh…I guess you’re right. It would be nice to stay at Gloria’s hotel again. Let her know that I’ll drop by after we’ve gotten settled over here.”

“Will do, boss.” Araña said, pulling down her sunglasses to wink at the Morlock leader.

At that moment, the mutant onlookers let out playful exclamations of excitement, as if they were witnessing something truly scandalous. Glass tried to get them to calm down, but there was no hiding his embarrassment at the situation. And it didn’t help that everyone was feeding off of Screwball’s frantic energy. You supposed she'd more than earned her status as an influencer.

(Cont.)

File: 6470149-emulator ember quad.jpg (1.48 MB, 1985x2307)

1.48 MB JPG

But, knowing how dense he was, you really had to wonder whether Glass actually understood the intentions behind Gloria’s invitation. She might get more aggressive in her romantic pursuit if he didn’t get the message.

After a few minutes, everyone finally calmed down enough for Ember to step forward and present her gift to Glass.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a suit. Huntsman said you might need it.” Ember said.

Glass looked at you, and you gave him a thumbs up.

“She made the one I’m wearing right now. It fits perfectly.”

Glass reached out to carefully accept the clothes from her. The costume consisted of a white and sea green jacket with a slightly raised collar and a black and green, sleeveless bodysuit. It was simple, functional, and aesthetically pleasing.

“I don’t know what to say…” he said, astonishment clear on his face.

“You can start with ‘thank you’.” Araña offered.

“Thank you...” Glass uttered, looking back at Ember. “I don’t think I got your name.”

Ember glanced back at you, and you nodded.

“Ember. You can call me Ember.”

“Thank you, Ember. I really appreciate this.”

“You should try it on.” Araña encouraged him.

He glanced up at her, and then at the mutants surrounding him.

“I…don’t have anywhere to change.” he confessed, looking a little uncomfortable.

“That won’t be a problem.” Iara said, speeding up to him and grabbing him by the waist.

Glass cried out in surprise.

“Whoa! Shark, you can’t just-”

“Relaaax~. I’ve got most of my old memories, remember? I already know what your shiny, see-through butt looks like.”

If Glass was capable of blushing, he probably would be.

“What!? No! That’s not-!”

But it was too late. Shark had already shot up into the air, and off into the distance, hurtling towards the gigantic tree that was Donny. Glass’ shouts of protest could be heard from an impressive distance, and you swore you could see Iara tearing off his old tattered clothes, mid-air.

Araña whistled, her finger pressing against a dial on the frame that you hadn’t noticed before.

“So that’s what he’s got going on downstairs. It’s actually kind of pretty, like a shiny sculpture.” she noted.

Benga gave her a look that told you she didn’t want any more details. And for once, you were glad that the sun’s glare was preventing any chance of seeing Glass’ shiny crystal ass.

“I hope that doesn’t get my account banned…” Screwball hissed.

—-------

While it wasn’t the most graceful display, that little exhibition did a fantastic job of breaking the ice for your new friends. The Morlocks were swarming Ember after she gave them a demonstration of her powers. Now that they were aware of her existence, the only limit to their proposals was their own imaginations. Or so they thought.

(Cont.)

Upon Beak’s suggestion of a ferris wheel in the middle of the park, Ember finally managed to hammer home the tiny detail of her power’s limits. She needed electricity to convert her pixels. And judging by the demands that were being made of her, she would need lots of it.

One of the Morlocks, a man named Pit, suggested that they track down a fellow Morlock and request their help in the matter.

The Morlock who had suggested the idea had a bizarre appearance. His face was wide, bone-white and oddly stiff. It was as if he was wearing a mask. A mask with sharp teeth and abnormally wide mouth.

His pink hair was long, straight and silky. It looked strangely well-maintained. He had been given the nickname of “Pit” due to his capability to store objects in his stomach and spit them back out. The others suspected that his mouth led to a pocket dimension, but no one knew for sure.

“We should try and find Eve. She can shoot electricity out of her hands. She’d be able to give you all the power you need.” Pit suggested.

The others nodded their agreement, but no one seemed to know where exactly Eve was. Or whether or not she was still in the city.

What will you do?

>See if the Thief Girls can’t track down Eve as well.
>Go and fetch Storm. She should be able to provide you with more than enough electricity!
>Bring Ember somewhere where she can leech off of electrical appliances and steal as much as she needs. (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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>6002471
>>Go and fetch Storm. She should be able to provide you with more than enough electricity!
this can only end well!

>>6002471
>See if the Thief Girls can’t track down Eve as well.
We can't really depend on Storm to fuel the whole thing, nor can we start splicing into NYC's power grid and siphoning that much power without drawing scrutiny.

>>6002471
Question here, does our pocket dimension have places that are constantly stormy? If she can use actual lightning then we could pop her in there for a charge.

If not, then
>See if Squirrel Girl can ask a few of her furry friends where they’ve seen a girl with lightning powers. You can introduce her to a funny, charming guy on campus who can keep a secret, or return the favor some other way.
No one thinks to hide from the squirrels.

If a tiebreaker is needed I’d go with
>Go and fetch Storm. She should be able to provide you with more than enough electricity!
as long as we tell her in advance about Screwball and Callisto confirms it won’t start any drama. Don’t want too much action going in front of millions of viewers.

Also
>You’re Gloria’s fixers
Way to rat out friends and your connection to a major crime lord in a livestream, Glass. Not that most people will make that connection, but a few might.

>>6002762
Honestly, even if people do make that connection between the girls and Gloria, it's not that big of a deal.
Gloria can't really be touched by the law and working for her looks great on a Metahuman merc's resume.

I'm gonna post an update as soon as I get home from work today. Sorry for the delay!

>>6002486
>>6002762
>Go and fetch Storm. She should be able to provide you with more than enough electricity!

Taking these. Writing...

File: E42_k3LWUAI_4Zb.jpg (210 KB, 1080x1087)

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Just then, an idea popped into your head. You didn’t know if it was a particularly good one, but it was an idea all the same.

“You need power? I think I know just the right person.”

—--------

“You want me to do what?” Storm asked, sounding incredulous.

She and Callisto had been in the middle of their game when you showed up. And while you didn’t know a whole lot about chess, you could tell that Callisto was holding a clear advantage. You guessed Storm hadn’t been lying about her skill.

Both women, and Joy, were all looking at you strangely. Which was totally uncalled for. You've had way worse ideas.

“Like I said, one of my teammates came here to help remodel the park, and they need electricity to fuel their powers. They can normally sap it from nearby electronics, but there aren't a whole lot in the area, and she needs a whole lot of it to make what the Morlocks need.”

“And you would like me to provide it for you.”

She phrased it as a statement, not a question.

You nodded.

“Your codename is literally ‘Storm’. It should be easy for you. I've seen you conjure up lightning bolts before on TV.”

“Can your friend tank a lightning bolt? Do either of you even know how much electricity she can absorb at once?” Callisto asked.

“I'm…not entirely sure.” you admitted.

“Then this is a terrible idea.” she concluded. “You're just gonna end up roasting the poor girl.”

“Perhaps I should speak to your friend in order to learn more about the situation.” Storm decided.

Callisto frowned at her.

“Can’t this wait? We’re kind of in the middle of something.” she said, gesturing at the board.

Storm shook her head slowly, smiling at the Sewer Queen.

“There is no need. You most likely would have won in a few more turns. Here is your prize.”

She tossed a brown bag at Callisto, who easily caught it. You could hear two metal objects clanking against each other in the bag. Callisto opened it, peered inside, and nodded.

Callisto sighed, somehow not entirely satisfied with this outcome.

“And you’re sure this thing works?” she asked.

“According to Forge, it should. My only concern is whether you can find someone capable of operating it.”

Callisto looked up sharply and closed the bag, before throwing it over her shoulder.

“Don’t you worry about that. Thanks for bringing it.”

The two shared a nod, but neither seemed willing to let you and Joy in on the secret.

A moment later, Storm lifted into the air, the wind swirling around her as if it were a living thing.

“Well then, shall we?”

—--------

Having concluded their chess game early, Storm and Callisto followed you back to Cherry Hill, with Callisto lazily trailing behind, a contemplative look on her face.

(Cont.)

File: 6398058-ember quade.jpg (59 KB, 349x537)

59 KB JPG

As soon as both mutants arrived, there was another stir in the crowd. Screwball didn’t even try to hide the fact that she’d been recording Storm’s entrance, and Ember was so busy gawking at the spectacle to notice that the wind had blown her hat off.

Some of the Morlocks instinctually shied away from Storm, while others were gathering around, waiting to greet her as soon as her feet reached the ground.

“Hello. Everyone. It is good to see you again. I assume Callisto has been taking good care of you.”

The wording was different in the replies she’d gotten, but the sentiment was the same. They were all grateful for Callisto’s guidance, as well as the support she’d been getting from you and Glass.

And almost as if he’d planned it, Glass and Iara showed up at that very moment to rejoin the group. His old clothes were gone–likely torn to shreds–and he was wearing the new suit that Ember had made for him. It fit him perfectly, just like you knew it would.

“Ororo! It’s good to see you.” Glass exclaimed, running up to hug the weather witch.

The two embraced each other, ignoring the looks that everyone else was giving them.

“It is good to see you as well, Val.” Ororo said, smiling at the transparent Morlock boy. “I hear that you have been chosen for the position of leader amongst this group of young mutants.”

“I don’t know if I’ve done anything leader-like lately. We’ve all been helping each other out.” Glass said, modest as always.

“Do not sell yourself short, my friend. These people clearly love and respect you. Is that enough to want to follow someone?”

“I’ll do my best to live up to everyone’s expectations.” he said, returning her smile.

Storm chuckled.

“You haven’t changed one bit since I last saw you. It is a shame that you decided to leave the mansion, but I’m glad that you seem to have found a new family.”

Storm panned her gaze around the park, looking from face to face as she acknowledged the presence of each and every mutant.

When she got to Ember, her milky white eyes locked onto her, and stepped past Glass to approach her.

“You must be the one that the Huntsman mentioned. I hear that you are in need of ‘a boost’.”

“Uh…yeah, I am. But…”

“Tell me, are you at all capable of absorbing the energy of a nearby lighting bolt?”

Ember blinked at her and started sputtering.

“Wha-! No! No the hell I can’t.” she quickly answered. “I’ve gone this whole time sapping electronics to make my pixels, but I’ve never even tried to absorb that much all at once, or that quickly. It would fry me.”

(Cont.)

What will you say?

>”But how will you know if you haven’t tried?”
>”Can’t you make something like a lightning rod or a machine that can hold a charge so you can absorb it after Storm hits it?”
>”Maybe I can use my webs as a conduit to hold the charge while you sap it from a safe distance. They’ve gotten more heat resistant as of late.”
>”Well, that idea’s out. Does anyone else have any better ideas?”
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>6005092
>”Can’t you make something like a lightning rod or a machine that can hold a charge so you can absorb it after Storm hits it?”
>”Screwball, can you issue a chat challenge? Who can ship us a DIY lightning rod kit capable of standing up to mid-intensity Storm in 30 minutes or less? I can provide the glue.”

Put Screwball (and her fans) to work. Up those engagement numbers! More comments, more views, more insane ideas!

>>6005092
>>”Maybe I can use my webs as a conduit to hold the charge while you sap it from a safe distance. They’ve gotten more heat resistant as of late.”
How much bullshit can we do with webbing, lets figure it out

>>6005092
>>”Maybe I can use my webs as a conduit to hold the charge while you sap it from a safe distance. They’ve gotten more heat resistant as of late.”
If there's risk involved, we're not letting Ember endure it alone.

>>6005092
>"Lightning is just static electricity from... like air molecules rubbing together, right? And the lightning happens when the charge difference becomes large enough to break through air resistance."
(>"I've fought an electricity themed villain before.")
>to Storm "Can't you limit yourself to only build up a small charge without it releasing into lightning?"

also this >>6005143

>>6005143
>>6005521
>>6005259
>”Maybe I can use my webs as a conduit to hold the charge while you sap it from a safe distance. They’ve gotten more heat resistant as of late.”

Taking this. Writing...

File: 19c5c216e349872515f4bf371(...).jpg (153 KB, 735x1117)

153 KB JPG

“Maybe I can use my webs as a conduit to hold the charge while you sap it from a safe distance.” you suggested. “They’ve gotten more heat resistant as of late.”

And they take longer to disintegrate, but you didn’t really want to publicize that sort of information.

Ember raised an eyebrow.

“Would that even work?” she asked, looking between you and Storm.

“If we were to use another object as a lightning rod, and these ‘webs’ of his were connected to a grounded surface, I don’t see why not.” Storm explained. “We would just need to create enough pathways for these ‘conduits’ to evenly distribute the charge.”

“We’d also need a lightning rod.” Ember said.

At the same time, you and a few others turned to stare at the Angel Statue.

“That could work.”

—-------

Thanks to your web-shaping ability, it wasn’t terribly hard for you to connect multiple weblines to the statue, all of them leading to web-stakes that you’d placed at even distances from one another and stuck into the ground around the fountain.

The Morlocks, and Screwball, watched with interest as you set all this up. Storm was also watching, albeit from much higher up, and Ember was nervously waiting near one of the stakes, her hand outstretched towards it.

Glass and Callisto, on the other hand, were taking advantage of this momentary distraction to have a private chat while Screwball wasn’t paying attention to them.

“Are you ready?” Storm asked, her voice somehow booming as it reverberated from where she floated up in the sky.

Those clouds around her were forming a little too fast for your liking. You could only imagine what everyone outside of the park was feeling.

“Not really! But I’m guessing we’re gonna do it anyway.” Ember shouted back.

“Let her rip!” you agreed.

Storm nodded and raised her arms above her head. The clouds rumbled and flashed ominously, giving you very little warning before a bolt of lightning streaked down from the sky and struck the angel statue. The bronze art piece flashed brightly, and arcs of electricity ran through your weblines, making them glow bright hot with the energy that was coursing through them.

Ember took a hasty step back, but she didn’t retract her hand. Instead, she forcefully got her breathing under control, and allowed the excess energy to flow up her arm. She shut her eyes tightly and clenched her jaw, but when she next opened them, they were glowing bright yellow.

Slowly, a layer of golden pixels formed over her clothes, reshaping them into another outfit entirely. Her sweats transformed into a pink and black-striped spandex bodysuit, with a small, low cut jacket that was only barely covering the armor padding over her chest. A pink half mask and a black visor formed over her face, leaving her colorful ponytail to flop around in the breeze.

It honestly wasn’t a bad first attempt at a suit.

File: MV5BZDkzZDYxNzAtNTJlNi00O(...).jpg (151 KB, 1000x1425)

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“Are you alright? Do you think you’ve got enough?” you asked.

Ember blinked several times, her eyes darting around the area. You could tell, because her visor was projecting a pair of digital pupils in their place.

“I guess we’ll find out…” she said in a slightly processed voice. It would do well to hide her identity.

Ember pointed a hand at an empty plot of land in the distance, sending a cluster of pixels to their target destination. And in no time, she was already building the base for a ferris wheel. Quite easily too.

The other Morlocks cheered her on as she simultaneously constructed the theme park attraction and sapped residual energy from the statue.

“This…this isn’t so bad.” Ember admitted, her voice slightly strained. “I was thinking of what you said earlier. About choosing my codename.”

A futuristic looking gun formed on Ember’s toolbelt, as well as a cylindrical device that you assumed was a lightsaber.

“I was thinking of ‘Pixel Pirate’ or ‘Bit Raider’. What do you think?”

Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted Abe swinging towards you to rejoin your group. Joy must’ve noticed too, because she looked ecstatic.

What will you say?

>”Pixel Pirate has a nice ring to it. It’s simple and self-explanatory.”
>”Bit Raider isn’t bad, but I think that one’s been trademarked already. Unless you’re planning on stealing the name for yourself.”
>”How about this instead?” (Write-in.)
>”Great work. Renovations will be done in no time with you here to help”
>”There’s no need to rush. You’re handling a lot of energy right now, so it wouldn’t be the worst idea to take things slow.”
>Signal Abe to come over and stand behind Ember. She’s in for a hell of a surprise when she turns back around.
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>6006226
>”Bit Raider isn’t bad, but I think that one’s been trademarked already. Unless you’re planning on stealing the name for yourself.”
>"How about "Sister Shock"? Ya know, like "system shock", since you're a programmer and you run off electrical energy."
Anyways...
>”There’s no need to rush. You’re handling a lot of energy right now, so it wouldn’t be the worst idea to take things slow.”

>>6006226
>”I’m leaning Bit Raider. Pixel Pirate sounds like you’d be plastered all over pirate-themed restaurants as a mascot to attract teenagers. Nobody’s got time to burn them all to the ground for co-opting their awesomeness.”
>”Uh-oh, trouble coming up behind us. Don’t turn around yet, just finish up with what you’re doing here. The guy’s polite enough to not interrupt someone doing something nice here.”
>Signal Abe to come over and stand behind Ember. She’s in for a hell of a surprise when she turns back around.
She liked Spider-man, better to not give her panic attack while she’s in the middle of constructing something.

Immediately afterwards? Appropriate.

Better than the names I was thinking just now. Lightcycle, Lensflare, Voxel Viceroy.

>>6006232
Damn. Good name alternative there. I’d back it.

>>6006232
>system shock
my man, great minds think alike
+1

>>6006226
>>6006232
+1
>>Signal Abe to come over and stand behind Ember. She’s in for a hell of a surprise when she turns back around.

>>6006232
>>6006279
>>6006336
>>6007043
>”Bit Raider isn’t bad, but I think that one’s been trademarked already. Unless you’re planning on stealing the name for yourself.”
>"How about "Sister Shock"? Ya know, like "system shock", since you're a programmer and you run off electrical energy."
>”There’s no need to rush. You’re handling a lot of energy right now, so it wouldn’t be the worst idea to take things slow.”
>Signal Abe to come over and stand behind Ember. She’s in for a hell of a surprise when she turns back around.

Taking these. Writing...

File: kamen rider belt.png (419 KB, 640x640)

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Also now that I think about Ember's current costume, I wonder if she can't convert our current getup to a low-profile henshin belt.

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“Bit Raider isn’t bad, but I think that one’s already been trademarked. Unless you’re planning on stealing the name for yourself. Which would be a pretty lame first score for a newbie such as yourself” you said, glancing back at Abe and signaling for him to come closer.

“How about ‘Sister Shock’? Ya know, like ‘system shock’, since you’re a programmer and you run off of electrical energy.” you suggested.

Ember made a thoughtful noise.

“Huh. That’s not half bad. I kinda like it. Even if it would be a bit confusing since I don’t actually zap people.”

“There’s literally nothing stopping you from creating something that zaps people.” you put in.

“Good point. You uh…you don’t think the others are gonna laugh at me, do you?” she asked.

“It can’t be worse than the names I heard them cooking up in case you couldn’t make up your mind.”

“Sister Shock sounds good.” Ember quickly decided.

As Abe drew closer, you made a shushing gesture and pointed at Ember’s back.

“Trust me, Sis. I’m not trying to set you up for failure. The last thing I’d want is to operate with a teammate that had a lame codename.” you explained. “And there’s no need to rush.”

“You’re saying that I should take more time to figure out a name?”

“No. I mean you’re handling a lot of energy right now, so it wouldn’t be the worst idea to take things slow.” you said, gesturing at the almost finished ferris wheel she’d been constructing.

She was doing it in record timing too. Maybe it was because of all the energy that Storm had fed into her.

“Thanks, but…I think I’ll manage. As long as I’ve got a clear image in my head, I can make something like this, no problem.”

Not wanting to interrupt her progress or distract her, you and Abe waited patiently for her to finish. The end result was a fully functioning ferris wheel, with music and flashing lights and everything.

Some of the more eager Morlocks tried to get on right away, but Callisto and Glass managed to stop them before they got too close. As hastily constructed as it was, there was no telling whether it was structurally sound or not. Iara was probably the only one brave and sturdy enough to test it out.

Ember nodded to herself, looking satisfied with her work.

“I think that came out decent.” she admitted.

“Great work. Up top!” you said.

Abe raised his hand instead of you, and you took a step back. So when Ember turned around to slap your hand, she instead high-fived her idol by accident.

When the realization of what she’d done finally hit her, she froze up, her hand still hanging mere inches from Abe’s own.

“Nice ferris wheel. It really brings the whole park together.”

Ember started to babble, but Abe didn’t seem at all bothered by her starstruck behavior.

(Cont.)

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“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think we’ve met before. I feel like I’d remember a costume like yours. Are you a mutant too?”

Ember continued to babble, but she somehow managed to squeeze out a few words to demonstrate that she was at least capable of forming a halfway coherent sentence.

“I-I-I…you’re…Spider-Man…! Like…the REAL Spider-Man!”

Abe spread his arms wide.

“The one and only. Unless you’ve been buying into Jameson’s smear-campaign, or if you’re a crazy villain hell-bent on revenge. Then I’m someone far less respectable. Like the Huntsman.”

“Hey!” you blurted out defensively.

Ember blew out a frustrated breath.

“As if anyone with a brain would believe anything that windbag says. He literally spends all day printing lies and spinning stories about how you’re colluding with villains when you're clearly busting your butt to make this city a better place.”

Ember sounded genuinely bothered by the idea of someone slandering your clone brother. That caught Abe off guard.

“Right. Exactly. I’m glad someone gets it. I guess not everyone’s been brainwashed by J.J.J’s crackpot theories.”

Ember looked about ready to squeal at max volume now that she’d managed to strike up a conversation with her idol. But she still looked like she was having trouble getting her words out. Abe might be an empath, but he wasn’t exactly a mind reader. Maybe your new recruit could use a little push.

What will you say/do?

>”She calls herself Sister Shock, and she’s actually a huge fan of yours.”
>”I promised her that you’d take her web-swinging if she came out to help the Morlocks. Is that okay with you?”
>”Hey Spidey, how would you feel about getting a new costume? The one I’m wearing now was actually designed and created by this lady right here, and she even made one for Glass.”
>”She’s the newest member of our team, Sister Shock. I think she’s got a bright future with the Desperados.”
>Slip away while they're not looking and let the two of them have their little moment. They’ll probably be fine.
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

>>6007224
She absolutely could!

>>6007279
>”She calls herself Sister Shock, and she’s actually a huge fan of yours.”
>”I promised her that you’d take her web-swinging if she came out to help the Morlocks. Is that okay with you?”

>>6007279
>”She calls herself Sister Shock, and she’s actually a huge fan of yours.”
>”I promised her that you’d take her web-swinging if she came out to help the Morlocks. Is that okay with you?”

>>6007279
>”She calls herself Sister Shock, and she’s actually a huge fan of yours.”
>"I promised her that you’d take her web-swinging if she came out to help the Morlocks. Is that okay with you?”
Let nobody say that we don't adequately reward our team for their time and effort. Also, I forget, but don't Ember and Abe both go to ESU right now?

>>6007302
Not anymore, Ember is a fugitive currently.

>>6007279
>”She calls herself Sister Shock, and she’s actually a huge fan of yours.”
>”I promised her that you’d take her web-swinging if she came out to help the Morlocks. Is that okay with you?”
I wonder if Abe has any experience dealing with fans yet? With the Jameson campaign going on and the darker moods Julia mentioned he may never have found/interacted with them before hurrying off somewhere else.

>>6007295
>>6007298
>>6007302
>>6007389
>”She calls herself Sister Shock, and she’s actually a huge fan of yours.”
>”I promised her that you’d take her web-swinging if she came out to help the Morlocks. Is that okay with you?”

Taking these. Writing...

>>6007302
>>6007329
She's currently wanted for questioning, since they don't know for sure what role she played in all this.

>>6007389
He definitely has fans, but he hasn't talked about having to deal with them yet.

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“She calls herself ‘Sister Shock’, and she’s actually a huge fan of yours.”

Abe’s eyes widened a bit at that.

“A ‘fan’, huh? That’s a refreshing change of pace. Most people who know me want to pound my face into the pavement.” he said in a casual tone. “Nice to meet you, Sister Shock. That’s a cool name…and a cool costume. Did you make it yourself?”

He gave her an appraising look. Ember nodded eagerly, the digital pupils in her visor turning into hearts.

“Uh-huh, yeah…” she muttered, in a dreamy sort of voice.

She was lucky that her mask covered the lower half of her face, or else your brother would be able to see that she was currently drooling all over him. Or maybe he could sense the genuine affection and admiration she felt towards him. You wondered whether that made him feel uncomfortable, or not.

“Oh! I love your costume too.” Ember added quickly.

“Thanks. I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to sew and clean spandex in order to maintain this thing.” he said, stretching the fabric around the black spider on his chest. "It's probably the hardest part of the job."

“I promised her that you’d take her web-swinging if she came out to help the Morlocks.” you said, surprising the both of them. “Is that okay with you?”

Abe looked between the two of you curiously.

“Sure, why not. It’s not everyday you run into your biggest fan.” Abe declared, holding a hand out to her.

Ember stared down at it for a few seconds, and reached out to tentatively grasp his hand, as if she expected it to disappear if she gripped too hard.

With a sudden tug, Abe pulled Ember close to his chest and wrapped an arm around his waist. She let out a strangled yelp, but everyone chose to ignore it.

Abe stared up at the sky, watching as the dark clouds that Storm had summoned were receding from the park, allowing sunlight to break through once more.

“Lucky for us, it’s perfect web-swinging weather.” Abe said.

He and Storm exchanged a quick wave, before he glanced back down at Ember. She was staring up at him, barely moving, and probably not even breathing.

“Relax. I’ve got you.” he reassured her with a wink. “Even if your hands slip, mine won’t. But if it makes you feel any better, hang on tight, and try to enjoy the ride.”

Miraculously, the tension in Ember’s shoulders seemed to melt away after hearing Abe’s words. It was probably his powers at work.

“Okay…” Ember said, half-giggling, and meek as a puppy.

“Then off we go! Be sure to keep your hands in the vehicle at all times.”

Abe shot a webline at a nearby tree and pulled the two of them into the air, letting out joyful exclamations the entire time. And you were pretty sure you could hear Ember squealing on the way up.

(Cont.)

You watched them go for about a minute, noticing that a decent chunk of the Morlocks had been watching that interaction.

“Is it safe to assume that he’ll drop her off at home too?” Araña asked, watching alongside you. “Cuz me and Benga are about to bounce. You know, to run those errands you were telling us about.”

You didn’t need her to explain what exactly those errands were. You gave the two girls a nod, turned back around and waited for them to leave. Hopefully they’d be able to shed a little light on this little “Kick” situation.

In the meantime, you’d have to decide whether you wanted to stop Screwball and Shark from getting on the Ferris wheel.

—------

What will you do?

>Talk to Glass and Callisto. There’s still a few things you wanted to discuss with them.
>Signal Storm to fly down so you can have a word with her. It’s not everyday you get to meet an iconic X-Man.
>Ride the ferris wheel with the Morlocks.
>Wait for Ember and Abe to return so you can help set up decorations. (Progress the day)
>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

>>6008480
>Ride the ferris wheel with the Morlocks.
>Wait for Ember and Abe to return so you can help set up decorations. (Progress the day)

>>6008477
>Signal Storm to fly down so you can have a word with her. It’s not everyday you get to meet an iconic X-Man.
We may not get another chance like this for a while, and I want a bit of that Mysterium they got lying around.

>>6008480
>Talk to Glass and Callisto. There’s still a few things you wanted to discuss with them.
>Ride the ferris wheel with the Morlocks.
Why not both? I wonder if any of the Morlocks have a fear of heights.

>>6008480
>>Signal Storm to fly down so you can have a word with her. It’s not everyday you get to meet an iconic X-Man.

>>6008519
>>6008496
>>6008534
>>6008762
>Signal Storm to fly down so you can have a word with her. It’s not everyday you get to meet an iconic X-Man.
>Ride the Ferris wheel with the Morlocks.

Taking these. Writing...

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After considering it for a moment, you decided that the criminally insane streamer and the cyborg shark could be left to their own devices for a little while. That left you with nothing but time on your hands. And since you’d already settled on the idea of spending the rest of your day here with the Morlocks…

You craned your neck to glance up at the woman flying overhead, and let out a sharp whistle. She and a few of the Morlocks turned to stare at you.

“Hey! Can we talk?”

She raised an eyebrow at that, seemingly caught off guard by the request.

“Yeah, you! For the moment, you’re the only non-plant monster occupying the airspace.” you shouted, flagging her down with both hands.

Without arguing, Storm slowly floated down and landed a few feet away from you.

“What is it you need?” she asked.

“I’d love to tell you, but I was actually hoping for a little more privacy before I went into details.” you said, turning to look at the active Ferris Wheel.

Storm turned to look as well, caution, curiosity and mild amusement playing across her features. And to her credit, she didn’t ask whether it was safe before agreeing.

—----------

Despite being a bit rickety, the Ferris Wheel seemed to be perfectly functional and structurally sound. You had no idea whether it would stay that way, or if Ember would need to conduct routine maintenance via pixel reinforcement, but you decided not to worry about that right now.

Because right now, Storm of the X-Men was sitting directly across from you in your cabin. She sat with her legs together, her spine ramrod straight, and her hands folded over her lap. Even the way she sat was elegant. It gave you the uncomfortable impression of sitting across from royalty.

It might’ve made a lesser man lose his composure, but after facing down the likes of Doctor Doom, you couldn’t bring yourself to flinch under her imperious gaze.

“So,” she began, her expression stern. “What is it that you would like to discuss?”

What will you say?

>”I was hoping that you could put me in contact with the X-Men. I’m in the business of problem-solving, and I think we could have a mutually beneficial relationship.”
>”I’m not sure how much Callisto and Glass have told you, but the Morlocks are trying to start a business. It would really help if they had the support of the X-Men.”
>”You and Callisto seem to have history. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know more about that.”
>”I was just in the mood for a nice, leisurely chat. I don’t really get this ‘mutant politics’ stuff, and I was hoping you could help shed a little light on it. Because I genuinely can’t understand where all the animosity is coming from.”
>Write-in.

>>6009475
>>”I was just in the mood for a nice, leisurely chat. I don’t really get this ‘mutant politics’ stuff, and I was hoping you could help shed a little light on it. Because I genuinely can’t understand where all the animosity is coming from.”

>>6009475
>”I was just in the mood for a nice, leisurely chat. I don’t really get this ‘mutant politics’ stuff, and I was hoping you could help shed a little light on it. Because I genuinely can’t understand where all the animosity is coming from.”
>”You and Callisto seem to have history. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know more about that. I can return my own introduction if you’re interested.”
Both of these feel like “leisurely chat” activities. Sure, the thought of recruiting her for some help or to connect us is there, but I figure we’re at our best when we drop by unannounced with gifts or requests anyway.

Though if we’re willing to broach more serious topics,
>”I have a kid I’m taking care of. Young, trained to fight from an early age, heroic, laughs off pain and serious injuries since she’ll heal quickly and so on. Long story short, got any advice on how to take care of them growing up? I’m sure you’ve seen more of those types than you’ve wanted to.”

>>6009588
Supporting the Super Hero Parenting question as well.

>>6009475
>>”I was hoping that you could put me in contact with the X-Men. I’m in the business of problem-solving, and I think we could have a mutually beneficial relationship.”
>>”I’m not sure how much Callisto and Glass have told you, but the Morlocks are trying to start a business. It would really help if they had the support of the X-Men.”
>>”You and Callisto seem to have history. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know more about that.”

>>6009475
>”I was hoping that you could put me in contact with the X-Men. I’m in the business of problem-solving, and I think we could have a mutually beneficial relationship.”

>>6009475
>"One doesn't often get the chance to ride a ferris wheel with an A-lister, but don't get your hopes up, I'm in a relationship."
>”I’m not sure how much Callisto and Glass have told you, but the Morlocks are trying to start a business. It would really help if they had the support of the X-Men.”
>"This country has a shitty track record when it comes to people trailblazing their civil rights. They need allies from within and outside their group."

>”I have a kid I’m taking care of. Young, trained to fight from an early age, heroic, laughs off pain and serious injuries since she’ll heal quickly and so on. Long story short, got any advice on how to take care of them growing up? I’m sure you’ve seen more of those types than you’ve wanted to.”

I don't think that Xavier need to call in some rando like us to help with their problem solving

>>6009526
>>6009588
>>6009619
>>6009803
>>6010075
>>6010136
>”I was just in the mood for a nice, leisurely chat. I don’t really get this ‘mutant politics’ stuff, and I was hoping you could help shed a little light on it. Because I genuinely can’t understand where all the animosity is coming from.”
>”You and Callisto seem to have history. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know more about that.”
>”I have a kid I’m taking care of. Young, trained to fight from an early age, heroic, laughs off pain and serious injuries since she’ll heal quickly and so on. Long story short, got any advice on how to take care of them growing up? I’m sure you’ve seen more of those types than you’ve wanted to.”
>”I was hoping that you could put me in contact with the X-Men. I’m in the business of problem-solving, and I think we could have a mutually beneficial relationship.”

Taking these. Writing...

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“I was just in the mood for a nice, leisurely chat.” you proclaimed, leaning back in your seat. “I don’t really get this ‘mutant politics’ stuff, and I was hoping you could help shed a little light on it. Because I genuinely can’t understand where all this animosity is coming from.”

Storm’s expression grew pensive.

“There are...multiple theories as to the exact cause.” she admitted. “One such theory alludes to the fear and malice that stems from the lack of understanding towards our species.”

“You mean that ‘Homo-Superior’ stuff? Is any of that even real?”

Storm nodded.

“A considerable number of lead researchers in the field of genetics have come to the conclusion that those who possess an X-Gene are an evolved form of Homo-Sapien; the next stage of human evolution. It has also been theorized that, if left alone, mutants would one day grow to be the dominant species on the planet.”

“And is that what you believe?”

Storm’s lips flattened into a frown, and she leaned back in her chair as well.

“The theory is baseless. There are those that claim to be from some distant or near future where mutants have either gone extinct, or rule the planet. Very few of those claims are reliable enough to warrant an extreme reaction.” she explained.

“Because the future is always changing.” you concluded.

“Yes. Whenever someone travels through time, past or future, the timeline that they originate from diverges and proceeds to branch off to accommodate the near infinite possibilities that spawn from that single reaction. That is why we cannot use any information that comes from a potential future as a guideline to base our actions and decisions going forward.”

You’ve heard someone explain something similar before, you couldn’t remember where exactly you’d heard it from.

“Do you really think that all these people hate mutants because of a wildly unpopular opinion from a research paper? I don’t buy it.”

“Neither do I.” Storm agreed. “However, there is another side to this argument. There are those that believe mutants to be a kind of invasive species, meant to wipe out humanity.”

You scoffed in disbelief.

“That’s a crackpot theory if I’ve heard one. I’ve seen you guys saving people on the news all the time.”

“I am glad that you believe so, but there will always be those who hold close to their beliefs, no matter how irrational or improbable they might be.” Storm said.

“I guess that’s true. What about those other theories?” you asked.

Storm stared deep into your eyes with those bright blue, cat-like orbs of hers.

“Do you remember the ‘Stamford Incident’?”

“Who could forget? You’re talking about that mutant that blew up that town and kickstarted the petition that led to the Superhuman Registration Act.”

Storm nodded.

(Cont.)

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“Even before then, there existed a…’stigma’ surrounding mutants. People claimed that they were dangerous, volatile, and incapable of properly controlling their powers. That event only served to further fuel the flames behind that movement, and the world has never been the same ever since.”

“And people like Magneto and the Brotherhood haven’t been making things any easier.”

Storm shook her head sadly.

“Terrorism of any kind can muddy the reputation of any such ethnic group. Mutants are no different in that regard. And that brings us to yet another theory.”

—----

For the next few minutes, you and Storm revisited the events of the Genoshan Genocide, as the fallout that resulted from the tragedy.

It was gruesome enough to spark sympathy for all mutants across multiple media platforms, and even started a trend in mutant representation in all forms of media. Which…didn’t go over well at all.

People started to complain that mutants and mutant apologists were invading the entertainment industry, firing talented artists, and sowing the seeds for world domination. This led to multiple extremist groups being born, and a renewed wave of discriminatory crimes and devious actions taken against mutantkind.

And while it was an interesting theory, Storm didn’t look like she was buying it either.

“And what do you believe?” you said, having finally worked up the nerve to ask the important questions.

Storm breathed out through her nose, crossed one leg over the other and began cradling her knee.

“Do you really want to know?”

You nodded.

Storm’s expression grew stern.

“I believe that there are no rational excuses for the hateful behavior that non-mutants have shown my people. I do not believe that there is a villain or shadow-puppeteer behind everything that has happened. I think that people are scared and confused, and they take comfort in their ignorance. Because it is far easier to feel unified as a people when they have another group to discriminate against. Another group that is far-removed enough from humans where they can mistreat them without feeling guilty. Because if all of our societal issues are the fault of mutants, rather than our greedy, self-serving predecessors, then they can justify the persecution that they put us through, day after day.” Storm explained, her clear blue eyes growing cloudy as heat crept into her voice.

“The same goes for those that would exploit mutants for their own benefit. For the sake of ratings and reputation, while hiding behind our community and using us as shields to protect themselves from public criticism.”

A quick glance outside told you that Storm wasn’t the only one with dark clouds hovering over her head. A rolling thunder rumbled through the roof of the cabin, and brief flashes of lightning could be seen at an uncomfortably close distance.

(Cont.)

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Your spider sense wasn’t so much giving out warnings, as it was making you blatantly aware of the fact that a close-range lightning-bolt would be incredibly hazardous to your health.

Then again, you doubted that Storm would let anything like that happen when there were multiple mutants riding the very same Ferris Wheel.

Your suspicions were confirmed when Storm’s eyes cleared up, and the gathering storm-clouds had dispersed as quickly as they had arrived.

“But that is not something that is easily solved. Societal issues are often deeply rooted, and require the work of many people over the course of decades, if not hundreds of years to resolve.” she said, sounding much calmer than she had before. “And even then, there is no way to put a stop to it completely without taking direct action that would violate the rights of our fellow man.”

You nodded, still feeling a little shaken by the experience.

“Coexistence is key. I can’t say that I understand why people do what they do, but I hope we can find a way to create better circumstances for mutants going forward.”

Storm gave you a pleasant smile that was entirely at odds with her cloudy expression from literally one minute ago.

“As long as there are open-minded individuals such as yourself, I am certain that we will reach that point one day.”

“While we’re on the topic of coexistence,” you began. “You and Callisto seem to have some history. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to know more about that.”

Storm’s pleasant smile smoothly transitioned into an amused grin.

“And what would you like to know?”

“Like, how did you guys meet, and why do you still meet up to play chess in the park?”

“Hm. There was once a time when we were bitter enemies. When the X-Men and the Morlocks were at odds after Callisto gave refuge to one of our own after he had been wounded. When I went to rescue him, a great misunderstanding was born between us. I assumed that Callisto had kidnapped him, and Callisto, not having access to any media at the time, considered me as a threat to the life of the young mutant, and to the safety of her people.”

You leaned forward in your seat, completely engrossed in the story, even if she was skipping over some crucial details.

“This led to me challenging her to a duel for the custody of the mutant, and for our safe passage. But Callisto, proud as she was, put her own status as leader of the Morlocks on the line for the duel. And unfortunately for her, I was the victor of that duel.”

You weren’t terribly surprised by that outcome. Callisto was strong, but Storm was, well…Storm.

“Well, you do have the stronger power set between the two of you.” you said, resting your head against your hand.

Storm’s smile widened as she shook her head.

“You misunderstand. The terms of that duel restricted the two of us to hand-hand combat alone.”

(Cont.)

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Your jaw dropped.

“You…beat Callisto in a fist fight!?”

Having gotten your ass handed to you by the Sewer Queen during your sparring sessions these past few months made it hard for you to picture anyone beating her without difficulty. Which must’ve made Storm an incredibly skilled fighter.

“Forgive me for saying this, but you don’t look anything like a scrapper.” you said.

Storm didn’t look at all offended.

“My circumstances growing up were…less than ideal.” she admitted. “Let’s just say that my past granted me a unique set of skills that I still make use of to this day.”

Well that was vague and mysterious. And also something that you’ve wanted to say ever since you were a kid. It sounded like something Liam Neeson or Jason Statham would say in one of their movies.

“Wait. Does that mean that you became the leader of the Morlocks after winning that duel?”

Storm nodded.

“For a while, yes. After the misunderstanding was cleared up, I made it my business to see to it that the Morlocks were not engaging in any criminal activities.”

“I can’t imagine Callisto enjoyed being usurped.”

Storm let out a mischievous laugh.

“You would be correct in your assumption. She and I did not see eye to eye on many things. And instead of avoiding me, she would follow me around, skulking in the shadows to make sure that I would not misuse my newfound power.”

“So what happened?”

“Once I confirmed that they were not deceiving me, I offered to give her the position back. And that made her even more upset with me. Instead, she challenged me to another duel to regain her honor.”

“And you accepted.”

“Yes. I was wondering whether she would try to cheat, or if I should let her win in order to quickly resolve the issue. But it turned out that that was entirely unnecessary.”

“What did she do?”

“She won. I had severely underestimated her ability to adapt and learn from her mistakes. I found myself impressed by her talent, ability and potential, and I extended an invitation for her to join the X-Men as an official member.”

“She refused, didn’t she?”

You knew the answer before Storm had even opened her mouth.

“You know her well, I see.” Storm said, seemingly pleased by your amicable relationship with the Morlock leader. “Yes, she declined my offer. She claimed that it was because she did not wish to live under the same roof as me and the other X-Men, but I believe it was because she was not willing to abandon her people. We parted on decent terms, and I sometimes act as a mediator between her group and ours.”

(Cont.)

What will you say?

>"Is that offer for letting Callisto become an X-Man still on the table?"
>"Should I keep quiet about this? I'm not sure if she wants to keep the history between the two of you a secret from outsiders."
>"Either way, you must be tough as nails to beat Callisto in a fist fight. What the hell did you go through as a kid?"
>"It sounds like she has a better relationship with the X-Men than I thought. Is there a reason she doesn't call on you guys for help more often?"
>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

The Huntsman’s Travel Guide:
https://pastebin.com/PU6LWsip

Upcoming Events in the Maximum Universe:
https://pastebin.com/DceSEjiR

Since this update was an absolute chunker, I decided to split it up and add the other two dialogue options in the next update.

>>6010450

>"Should I keep quiet about this? I'm not sure if she wants to keep the history between the two of you a secret from outsiders."
I’d assume she would prefer to keep it secret so her group is less visible. Callisto likes her secrecy, and being associated with the X-Men doesn’t help that cause.

>"It sounds like she has a better relationship with the X-Men than I thought. Still, I’m guessing that whole ‘not seeing eye-to-eye’ difference keeps her from asking for more help your crew?”
Seems a bit obvious why she wouldn’t reach out to the X-Men for everything. Someone always slips through the cracks to the streets so having a group that can help those ones is good, time spent helping her is time not spent helping others, and some mutants don’t want to be part of the poster children for the model mutant race or its opposite. Hell, the conflict between Glass and Callisto earlier is a microcosm of her relationship with the X-Men!

>”Maybe I should make an offer for her to join a lower-visibility hero group I know. Poaching a potential X-Men recruit would fill in one of my Bingo squares.”
Kinda wondering if she’d be alright to include in the Order with Glass, or if she’d be alright in Maria’s secret “backup to S.H.I.E.L.D.” crew. The latter on the basis that if we ever get called in then we get to choose how the group is viewed. The X-Men and other established superhero groups already have reps, whatever we were given won’t.

>>6010451
We did vote for every option so no surprise there. Even my write-in won and I wasn’t expecting that.

>>6010450
>"Should I keep quiet about this? I'm not sure if she wants to keep the history between the two of you a secret from outsiders."
>"It sounds like she has a better relationship with the X-Men than I thought. Is there a reason she doesn't call on you guys for help more often?"

>>6010450
>"It sounds like she has a better relationship with the X-Men than I thought. Is there a reason she doesn't call on you guys for help more often?"

>>6010484
>Poaching a potential X-Men recruit would fill in one of my Bingo squares
Is that really special when we got actual former X-Men working for us sometimes