[FFML] [Ranma/various] Avenging: Act 3 Chapter 7

[DB Sommer]

Since the first one seems to have been lost in the ether:


 > % David Mcmillan wrote:
 > 
 >

 >> Avenging
 >> Act III, The Animal Farm
 >> Chapter 7
 >
 >
 >     Well, I seem to be on a C&C roll lately (let's see how long it 
lasts).
 >
 >
 >> Ryouga looked across the lot toward his longtime foe. The 
resemblance between this and the battleground Ryouga had challenged his 
arch-nemesis to, the one he had cowardly ran way from, was strong. How 
appropriate
 >
 >
 >     "he" is ambiguous.
 >     "challenged to"?  ITYM "challeged at," or maybe "challenged to 
meet him
 > at."
 >     I'd break that whole line up into two seperate ones with fewer 
pronouns.
 >
 > % Used most of your grammar corrections.
 >
 >
 >> that, after years of wandering, Ranma should be run to ground in a 
place that was so similar to where the chase had begun. It was symmetrical,
 >
 >
 >     Not the kind of word I'd expect Ryouga to use.  :)
 >
 > % well, it's a lead in to the next part
 >
 >
 >> like a pair of book ends. And not the cute kind that were designed 
to look like animals, but the plain, metal type that had that bizarre 
art deco look.
 >
 >
 >     This simile, OTOH, is so VERY Ryouga.
 >
 > % Thanks. I thought it worked. Nice to know it did.
 >
 >
 >
 >>
 >> But Ryouga had brought an ally. At least he thought of her as one. 
Ukyou Kuonji, that nice girl who had fed him after he dispatched that 
ridiculous Goofball. Or was it 8-Ball? It didn’t matter. Anyone that
 >
 >
 >     That Ryouga, he's such a dog -- feed him once, he's yours forever.
 >
 > % Heh
 >
 >
 >> fiancée. Okay, according to Ukyou it was Genma who had screwed up 
her life, but Ryouga bet Ranma had something to do with it. He was that 
kind of guy.
 >
 >
 >     Some things never change, no matter how many corssovers you cram in.
 >
 > % Yep. As much as I have changed things, I try to make sure some of 
it feels Ranma 1/2 flavor where I can.
 >
 >
 >
 >> Ranma right at the halfway point. And when they met, everything 
would be settled once and for all, with Ranma lying beaten into a bloody 
pulp and Ryouga’s life would become happiness and sunshine.
 >
 >
 >     Well, if the sunshine was BRILLIANT GREEN and DIRECTIONALLY
 > DYSFUNCTIONAL, yeah, maybe....
 >
 > % heh
 >
 >
 >
 >> Unable to hold back any longer, Ryouga snarled, “So, Ranma, after 
countless years and countless miles, we meet again for the first time at
 >
 >
 >     ...huh?  Well, it does sound kind of like something Ryouga would say,
 > if he'd been watching too many action-movie trailers and trying to write
 > the perfect "we meet again" speech.  Which *would* be completely
 > in-character....
 >
 > % I was originally going to work Ranma asking if Ryouga had worked on 
his speech, but I couldn't find a way to do it. But yes, Ryouga did work 
on it for quite a while
 >
 >
 >
 >> last. Every day I’ve fantasized about this moment and what I’m going 
to do to you. There’s no escape for you this time, Ranma. Because of 
you, I’ve seen hell--.”
 >>
 >> “Yeah, sorry about that. It’s completely my fault,” Ranma said.
 >
 >
 >     <Facefault>
 >
 > % This has been building up for a while, though it might not feel 
like it since it's been so long between chapters.
 >
 >
 >
 >> Ryouga was left adrift like an unanchored ship in the middle of the 
typhoon. Ranma was supposed to deny everything and then get beaten up in 
the ensuing fight, not immediately take responsibility for his actions, 
explain correctly why he had been wrong, and then apologize for his 
wrongdoing.
 >
 >
 >     Mephisto?  Why are you dressed like Nanook of the North?
 >
 > % Heh
 >
 >
 >> A friendly hand slapped Ryouga on the shoulder. Ukyou said, “There 
you go, Ryouga, total victory for you.”
 >
 >
 >     Cue:  Rolling Stones, "Satisfaction."
 >
 > % Except it isn't or Ryouga.
 >
 >
 >> “It is?” But no one had been beaten up. What sort of victory didn’t 
have one’s foe smashed for being the bad guy?
 >
 >    
 >     It *does* seem to violate the underlying rules of both the Takahashi
 > and Marvel Universes, don't it?
 >
 > % And he will mention this later about it being anti-climatic
 >
 >
 >
 >> The tallest of the girls that had arrived with Ranma approached. “Of 
course it is. Anyone can punch out someone else, but it takes a real man 
to accept a heartfelt apology.”
 >
 >    
 >     Oh, dear.  Sweet reason combined with the Kasumi Effect.  Poor 
Ryouga.
 >
 > % Yep.The set up is too good. He doesn't have a chance.
 >
 >
 >>
 >> “What did I have to apologize for until now?” Ranma said a touch 
defensively.
 >
 >
 >     Uh oh.  The Universe is getting snarky about these people 
violating the
 > First Law of the Conservation of Violence.
 >
 > % Yep. A peaceful resolution every once and a while to throw the 
reader off. ^_^
 >
 >
 >>
 >> Kasumi continued before Ryouga could come up with a counter-argument.
 >
 >
 >     Ryouga and "fish out of water" -- seperated at birth?  YOU decide!
 >
 > % Heh
 >
 >
 >> and not look like the bad guy in front of these girls. He would 
become that which he had been accused of, that which he had protested 
from the day it had happened. No way was he proving Ranma’s claim valid, 
if even if it was after the fact.
 >
 >
 >     This is WAY too peaceful and reasonable.  A hockey game HAS to break
 > out soon.
 >
 > % In the latter half.
 >
 >>
 >> Ryouga was so deep in it now, even he would think he was he bad guy 
if he refused. “Yeah, sure.”
 >
 >
 >     Oh, I am STEALING that line!
 >
 > % No problem. Also also 'he was the bad'
 >
 >
 >
 >>
 >> The good old times weren’t all that bad, hence the ‘good’ in it. 
Actually, hanging out with Ranma had been fun. “Uh yeah, sure.” Ryouga 
allowed himself to be led a few steps before saying, “You know, this 
really feels anti-climatic.”
 >
 >
 >     Somewhere on the Moon, Uatu is bracing for a visit from the eXiles.
 >
 > % Hadn't kept up with that title, though I've heard it's pretty good. 
Always had a thing for AUs
 >
 >
 >> Revenge on Ranma had not included killing him. Just beating him up 
badly. If he had lost his temper to the degree of Hulking out, well, it 
wouldn’t have been too pretty,
 >
 >
 >     A Ryouga who is keeping (or trying to, at least) a grip on his 
temper?
 > Huh!  Maybe being the Hulk has been good for him.
 >
 > % In some ways.
 >
 >
 >> Besides, Ryouga’s quest for revenge wasn’t entirely over. He still 
had to get even with that little redhead that had kicked him into the 
stupid cursed spring.
 >
 >
 >     Houston, we have a timebomb.
 >
 > % Not the perfect resolution, no, not by any means.
 >
 >
 >>
 >> Genma was beside her as well. “Indeed. It’s so nice to see you’re 
looking out for Ranma’s welfare, just like a potential fiancée should.”
 >
 >
 >     No one in the MVU ever has *these* problems, though.
 >
 > % Heh. Too true
 >
 >
 >> official fiancée. She would have liked to deny Kasumi’s claim, but 
that wasn’t the sort of thing any normal person could do, given the way 
Kasumi had stated it. “Uh, yeah. I wouldn’t want to see either of them 
get beat up.”
 >
 >
 >     The gentle art of verbal judo.
 >
 > % ep,though Nabiki practices  a different art.
 >
 > \> had the crap kicked out of them, then I would have offered my services
 >
 >> for a fee. I could command a higher price further in the fight, 
since, when someone is actually losing, since they’re more desperate for 
victory and are willing to pay more than at the outset of a fight.”
 >
 >
 >     That line is a bit garbled -- "since" shows up twice in succession.
 >
 > % I just reworded a lot of things a bit. Also as you correctly 
pointed out on a multitude of corrections, I got incredibly wordy in 
some spots. Have trimmed them down to smaller phrases.
 >
 >
 >> Everyone was momentarily struck speechless. Then Kasumi said to her 
father, “What amazing financial sense Nabiki has. She’s definitely able 
to run a household’s income with that kind of efficiency.”
 >
 >
 >     ...that was just a BIT obvious.  Then again, considering who she's
 > talking to....
 >
 > % She's grasping, Kasumi is
 >
 >
 >> Ranma had proclaimed them. Pretty much all of the pent up anger 
Ryouga had directed at Ranma was gone, which was what was currently 
making him angry. Really, why had he bothered chasing after Ranma for 
years on end, only to let himself lose by winning? What was the point in 
it all?
 >
 >
 >     ...only Ryouga could find a way to get depressed over everything 
going
 > so well.
 >
 > % Sadly, I know RL people like this.
 >
 >
 >> “Where is noise coming from?” The Hulk shouted. He leapt again. And 
again. The beeps grew closer together, then with the next beep they grew 
farther apart.
 >
 >
 >     Next beep, or next leap?
 >
 > % leap.
 >
 >> “Ahhhh! Hulk wants to get away from stupid noise!” he bellowed at 
the top of his lungs. Maybe it was time to smash something. Smashing 
usually made things better. If it didn’t, he wouldn’t find himself doing 
it so often.
 >
 >
 >     He's got a lot of mad to blow off.
 >
 > % Some, but not a whole lot.
 >
 >
 >>
 >> Thor’s hand felt the bandanna, then settled on one spot and pushed 
it against his head. The beeps stopped, “Tis the emergency signal sown 
in thy headband, the same one I received. We put on a location beacon so 
thou couldst’ find Avengers Mansion by following the beeps. The closer 
the beeps are together, the closer thou are to yon mansion. So 
concentrate on making the beeps louder when they do sound.”
 >>
 >> “If Hulk does that, will Hulk get to meet Hammer Girl?”
 >>
 >> “Err, aye,” Thor said with a touch of unease.
 >
 >
 >     <snerk>
 >
 > % No here he's acting like a giant puppy. :)
 >
 >
 >> “Good.” That one was going into the long term memory. The more beeps 
one heard, the closer to Hammer Girl Hulk was.
 >
 >
 >     <rotfl>
 >
 > % And it provides motivation for him to actually find his way to the 
action rather than walking around.
 >
 >
 >>
 >> Minutes later, the pair arrived, Sasuke leading them to the hanger bay
 >
 >
 >     Sasuke as Jarvis.  Somehow, that *still* seems more wrong than 
Kodachi
 > as Tony, somehow....
 >
 > % Heh. He does have asperations.
 >
 >> there’s an incredibly powerful super-villain called the ‘Basher’, 
threatening some little girl at an oil storage facility in Tokyo. We’re 
on our way to save her.”
 >
 >
 >     Assuming Hawkeye is more-or-less quoting the call-in, this whole 
thing
 > REEKS of "setup."
 >
 > % As they find out later. Too late, but they don't always hit the 
nail on the head.
 >
 >
 >> The Hulk scowled. “’Basher’? That sounds like ‘Smasher’, which 
sounds like ‘Smash’. Hulk smashes. Hulk does not like it when people try 
to rip him off. Hulk will show Basher by smashing him.”
 >
 >
 >     "HULK SMASH(tm)!!!!"
 >
 > % At least in his mind.
 >
 >
 >> “I think a lawsuit might be healthier,” Giant Man suggested.
 >
 >
 >     "Hulk have no fixed address."
 >
 > % Heh
 >
 >
 >>
 >> The Hulk was torn. On one side, he wanted to near Thor. On the 
other, he knew he couldn’t leap as fast as she could fly. Reluctantly he 
got on the quinjet and buckled himself into his seat. After all, it was 
dangerous to travel without a seatbelt.
 >
 >
 >     <ROTFL>
 >
 > % Thanks. Hulk does make for great comic relief.
 >
 >
 >>
 >> The Basher laughed maniacally. “Oh yes! Soon the police will learn 
what it means to fear my power!”
 >
 >
 >     ...I think we've finally found someone more laughable than 
Walrus-Man.
 >
 > % He was a Speedball foe. That says it all.
 >
 >
 >     Hopefully, this will teach the Avengers the value of intel.  Not to
 > mention keeping files on supervillains so they can cross-check the 
call-ins.
 >
 > % I will eventually have a line with them having files on known super 
heroes and villain in a different act
 >
 >
 >>
 >>
 >> “Don’t worry. You won’t have to fight them,” Minnie-May informed 
him. “Thor was the only one Bullseye was worried about. I was sort of 
hoping to lure them all in, but as long as she’s first, she’s all that 
matters. Rally can handle the rest with the special items she got from 
our employers.”
 >
 >
 >     Rally is Bullseye?  Eeeeeep!
 >
 > % Yep. Introed them a couple of chapters ago. Now it comes to a head.
 >
 >
 >> “What can you do to someone that powerful?!” the Basher screamed.
 >>
 >> “This.”
 >>
 >> And Minnie-May Hopkins, living up to her nom-de-guerre, exploded.
 >
 >
 >     Not her nome-de-boom?  (pardonnez-moi francais)
 >
 > % Heh
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 >>
 >> To Iron Rose, everything happened at once. The little girl exploded, 
taking not just the man menacing her, but the oil tank directly behind 
her, easily shattering the container and igniting the oil within. That 
explosion lit up the night sky for miles around, the fireball engulfing 
Thor, who had just come in for a landing next to the villain.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     I know it's comic-book physics, but I have to make at least a token
 > gesture in the direction of my engineering background: oil tanks blow up
 > really lousy.  A propane tank would be a better choice, though even
 > those don't explode very well unless you can somehow mix the propane
 > with oxygen, or normal air, in the right proportions.
 >     Okay, enough reality, on with the show!
 > 
 >

% As you say, comic book physics makes lots of things take a backseat to 
them.

 > 
 >
 >> Even as the shockwave from the titanic explosion washed over the 
airborne heroine, her sensors picked up an incoming missile launched 
from a nearby building. She quickly calculated the trajectory, realizing 
it had not been aimed at her, but rather the quinjet.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     This is why they train infantrymen not to bunch up.
 > 
 >

% The Avengers have historically had problems with people blowing up 
their quinjets around them.

 > 
 >
 >> Just as she brought her repulsors up in an effort to blast the 
missile from the sky, something small impacted with the back of her 
head. Instantly her armor seized up, everything shutting down. Her eyes 
widened behind the slits of her faceplate as she plunged headfirst to 
the ground. She tried shifting in some way to keep from plunging like a 
rock, tried rebooting her system, but nothing worked. The only thing 
still running was her pacemaker, which was on its own system
 >>  
 >
 >    
 >     Better design than Tony had in the early days.  Missing period.
 > 
 >

% She's already upgraded a few things.

 >
 > 
 >
 >> Iron Rose hit the ground headfirst, rendered unconscious in an instant.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     In-helmet airbags.  They're lifesavers.
 > 
 >

% heh

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> Groans arose from inside the cabin. Including from the Hulk, who had 
started to doze off right before the explosion and crash.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     "Someone wake Hulk UP!  Hulk CRANKY when that happens!"
 > 
 >

% Yep, and he's about to get crankier still.

 >
 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> where both Giant Man and the Wasp lay unmoving. He took their pulses,  
 >
 >
 >     GM and W were both in the pilot's seat?  My, how forward.  Maybe
 > "Pilots' seats" to imply P and CP seating.
 > 
 >

% Got it.

 > 
 >
 >> The Hulk emerged from the wreckage, looking around. “Where did 
Hammer Girl GORMPH!”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Gormph?  What language is that?
 > 
 >

% Garbled strangulated tongue. :)

 > 
 >
 >> The reason for the Hulk’s sudden, garbled ending to his query was 
due to a small cylinder hitting him in the face. The object ruptured, 
causing some sort of red, plastic-like substance to explode over 
three-quarters of the Hulk’s head.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Yep.  It's the ol' "I have devised weapons to precisely 
counteract each
 > of your powers!" scenario.
 > 
 >

% Yep, but the employer behind her has the tech for it, as will 
eventually be revealed.

 > 
 >
 >> But she wasn’t any longer, Daredevil’s senses made him one hundred 
percent certain of that. It was remarkable that she could slip away 
without even him noticing, though he had hardly been focused on her. 
Still, she was almost as elusive as that Elektra woman.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     I remember enough of previous chapters to <snerk> at that.
 > 
 >

% Yep. For some odd reason, every now and then, Tigra seems to have that 
effect on people

 > 
 >
 >
 >> least in the first second. After that, whatever wasn’t in physical 
contact with a solid surface would then turn slick so one could get a 
good hold on it, and it was so rubbery it would stretch and contort even 
if one could. An ideal weapon against a one trick brute force pony like 
the Hulk, though Bullseye had plenty of somna gas capsules that would 
have done the trick as well.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Must be based on Adhesive X.
 > 
 >

% Baron Zemo did indeed develop it. I did like the fact that ole' Paste 
Pot Pete, for all his silliness, did develop a solvent for it, though.

 > 
 >
 >> been a moment right after the shot when she thought she saw a 
strange shadow moving near the edge of the wreck, but it seemed 
impossible it was anything human. Most likely an illusion produced by 
the flames and smoke. A lot of smoke was starting to fill the area, 
thanks to the Nitro’s gas explosion.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Gas<>oil
 >     Wouldn't CJ's shield and skills be up to the job of letting him 
get out
 > of the kill zone?
 > 
 >

% Probably, but he'll have his hands full in a little while.

 > 
 >
 >> Child’s play. She was able to gauge his speed and distance in less 
than the blink of an eye. She held her breath and triggered the shot 
that would send a round of fifty caliber death through the air and burst 
her piñata.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     ...THAT's a mental image I didn't need.
 > 
 >

% I try to be decriptive every now and then.

 > 
 >
 >> The bullet struck the figure’s head cleanly, making it explode in a 
shower of streamers and party favors.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     More bad mental... wait.  It's literal this time, isn't it?
 > 
 >

% Yep. :)

 > 
 >
 >
 >> Bullseye abandoned her position and began stationing herself to use 
the room’s set up. However, she had only pulled out her favorite Glock 
for  
 >
 >
 >     Glock?!?  Ew!  Cz75 (classic, not the modern cheapie version) all 
the way!
 > 
 >

% Oops. Right.Someone mentioned I ought to make mention of it when she 
first appeared several chapters ago.

 > 
 >
 >
 >> but one of the bullets. The one that struck hit her in the side, the 
kinetic energy spinning her around and throwing her backward into a 
window that broke with the impact. She went tumbling out.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     "The one that did hit struck"
 >     ObPhysicsGeek:  Bullets really don't really deliver that much kinetic
 > energy.  I'll need to examine your Anime/Comic Physics Waiver for 
this 'fic.
 > 
 >

% True, they usually go through things. But I need Tigra out of the way 
for a while.

 > 
 >
 >> As Bullseye had hoped, Tigra did have an enhanced sense of smell. 
One wiff of SF’s stink bomb would make a normal person vomit, which was 
why Bullseye had nose filters in place since the beginning. For Tigra it 
must have been like jamming a week old decomposing corpse up her nose.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     ...okay, eww.
 > 
 >

% And yet more descriptive imagery.

 > 
 >
 >> Before Bullseye could walk to the window to confirm the kill, she 
again became aware of movement out of the corner of her eye. She brought 
her empty gun up, deflecting the thrown billy club aimed at her head.
 >>
 >> Daredevil was coming at her from above. A dead man’s move. She 
sprang back and pulled out another pistol, firing a round for center 
mass. Just  
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >     "center of mass"
 > 
 >

% I believe it's usually referred to as center mass when shooting at 
someone. At least in slang terms

 > 
 >
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> Bullseye threw another capsule, this one a basic smoke bomb to blind 
her foe while she changed position, firing in the direction she had seen 
Daredevil in.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     And she thought she hated bad intel BEFORE....
 > 
 >

% Only a handful of people know his blindness, so it's not her fault. 
While she had a lot of great weapons for the good guys, it wasn't perfect.


 >
 > 
 >
 >
 >> Bullseye threw down the flash bomb. The special wraparound 
sunglasses her employer had given her tinted instantly, preventing her 
from being blinded. Now Daredevil was dead. It was too bad, as he had 
excited her more than anyone since the Underworld hit. Killing 
competent, professional, and old school hit men was always a turn on. 
But to all good things and whatnot.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Bad Intel:  3rd time's the charm.
 > 
 >

% Yep./

 > 
 >
 >> Bullseye fired at Daredevil, who, impossibly, evaded the shot, as 
though he had been unaffected by the flash. Another billy club was 
thrown, knocking her gun out of her hand. That was followed up by a 
kick. She had only a split second to tighten her abdominal muscles 
before the blow hit, making her want to hurl the contents of her stomach.
 >>
 >> Reeling backward, Bullseye pulled a knife and held it out in front of  
 >
 >
 >     uh oh.  Methinks I detect one of Frank Castle's favorite holdout 
weapons...
 > 
 >

% Bingo. She's a tricky one, she is.

% Some of DD's and Bullseye's fights were close to being this grueling. 
Especially under Miller's guidance.


 > 
 >
 >
 >> handle and the blade shot forth. Somehow Daredevil managed to shift, 
just barely, while the blade was in mid-air. Bullseye heard him hiss in 
pain as it struck him in the chest, then deflected away. She smiled at 
his luck and felt herself become increasingly turned on by his survival 
instincts. Her heart rate increased and her body grew flush with arousal.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Poor DD can probably smell all of this, too.
 > 
 >

% True, though he has other things on his mind, he mentions it later to 
himself.

 > 
 >
 >
 >
 >> that had probably slunk off to some corner to hide, she thought.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Meow!  Hisss!
 > 
 >

% Yep. Tigra is not popular among the ladies. :)

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> “Maybe we’ll call you Grenade Guy, then.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     In the Marvel Universe, that's a threat with TEETH.
 > 
 >

% Hehee

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> obscuring the area between downed vehicle and enraged behemoth. It 
merged with the expanding cloud of smoke coming from the oil fires from 
the initial explosion, effectively obscuring the area.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Logically, the smoke from the fires should completely swamp the smoke
 > from Hawk's arrowhead, but... oh, nevermind.
 > 
 >

% True. Luckily the wind blew it in another direction. :)

 > 
 >
 >> “Hey, you lumbering ox, it’s me, ‘Shield Man’. I’m going to try and 
take that crap off you so quit trying to hit me, unless you like the 
idea of suffocation.”
 >>
 >> The Hulk paused for a moment, scratching at his head before nodding.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Had to think about that one, did he?
 > 
 >

% He doesn't care much for Cap, reminds him of a certain someone he's 
not entirely happy with. :_

 > 
 >
 >
 >> The Hulk shook his head furiously.
 >>
 >> “Aw, come on, you big baby. You can take me ramming my shield into 
your throat a bit.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     This is just *so* Ranma&Ryoga-ish....
 > 
 >

% Thanks. LIke I said, I try to harken back to the roots of the fusion 
when I can.

 >
 > 
 >
 >> In response, Captain Japan threw his shield, catching the running 
girl in the ribs and knocking her to the ground. As the shield returned 
to his hand, the girl was left gasping on the ground, clutching her ribs 
in pain.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Heh.
 > 
 >

% Liked breaking out of the mold here.

 > 
 >
 >> “he continued gasping on the ground about ten meters from him. 
“Could you at least help me up? I think you broke my ribs.” She held out 
an imploring hand.
 >>
 >> “Like I’m going to get near you.” He remained right where he was.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Wow.  Being crossed with Cap has made Ranma smarter.
 > 
 >

% These guys tend to be more dangerous when all is said and done. Too 
dumb and he ends up dead.

 > 
 >
 >> She continued coughing, “You’re a cold bastard.” And then she blew up.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     "You mean she blew up at you."
 >     "No, she wasn't a directional explosive."
 > 
 >

% Heh.

 > 
 >
 >> C
 >>
 > 
 >
 >> him back a step, though he was well away from the immediate blast 
radius. He looked back at Hawkeye. “I didn’t make her do that. My shield 
doesn’t blow up people it hits. Look.” He swatted the Hulk in the 
stomach. “See?”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     ...excuse me, I have to stop C&Cing so I can go rotfl for a while.
 > 
 >

% Some scenes write themselves.

 > 
 >
 >> Captain Japan watched as some of the smoke began to coalesce, 
definitely moving against the wind. It took a few moments as the smoke 
moved around, but eventually it gathered into a humanoid form. The mist 
hung in the air, then solidified, forming Nitro once again.
 >>
 >> “Ooo, this could be a problem,” Captain Japan conceded.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Anybody bring a Shop Vac?  How about Alpha Flight's Windshear?  
Or... I
 > remember seeing Kagome and Inu-Yasha, but does Miroku show up in
 > "Avenging"?  He'd be handy (ahem) right about now.
 > 
 >

% Yep. There are a number of guys that would be better oriented to deal 
with Nitro. But none are on hand at the moment.

 > 
 >
 >> Nitro slapped her ribs, not wincing in the slightest. “All better. 
You see, it doesn’t matter what you do to me. All I need to do is blow 
up, and when I reform, I’m as good as new. Let’s see if the same thing 
happens to you when you blow up.” She walked toward Captain Japan.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     I have to say, given canon-May's, err, 'response' to just the 
smell of
 > explosives, this is an *inspired* choice of character to fuse her with.
 >     Except for the little problem that she must get aroused every 
time she
 > smells herself...  :D
 > 
 >

% Heh. Well, she's backed off a little from that.

 > 
 >
 >> That irritated Nitro. She ran at him, intent on drawing close enough 
to blow him to pieces. “What kind of stinking superhero are you, running 
away from a fight?
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Sug:  "she charged him"
 >     The type of superhero that uses the Saotome Secret Technique.
 > 
 >

% Yep. Pride hasnt' made him that foolish yet.

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> goal was in keeping Nitro’s attention away from the unconscious 
people in the quinjet. But what to do? There wasn’t anything lying 
around she could use to create a makeshift bow. And even then, what sort 
of arrow did you use on someone that could just heal the damage by 
blowing herself up?
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     The Super-Stretchy-Balloon-Entrapment arrow?  C'mon, Hawk *has* 
to have
 > one!
 > 
 >

% Yep, she does.

 > 
 >
 >
 >> way had he taken a breath. But if his strength couldn’t get it off, 
what the hell could?
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Freeze it off?  Some liquid nitrogen, say -- make it brittle 
enough to
 > crack instead of just stretching.
 > 
 >

% Right idea, but went the opposite direction in using heat.

 > 
 >
 >> Wait, maybe a different approach was what was needed. Hawkeye ran up 
to the Hulk, hoping Nitro wouldn’t notice and turn her attention to her. 
The archer shouted to the Hulk. “Listen up. I have an idea on how to 
free you, and it won’t involve hitting you with a shield.”
 >>
 >> The Hulk nodded eagerly.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Geez, he's easy.
 > 
 >

% At times, and when suffocating.

 > 
 >
 >> “Bend over so I can reach that crap on your head more easily.”
 >>
 >> The Hulk obediently bent at the waist, allowing easy access. Hawkeye 
pulled out one of her ‘flaming’ arrowheads. While the thing was designed  
 >
 >
 >     <!>  Well, okay, she never said it was *better* than hitting him 
with a
 > shield....
 > 
 >

% True, but it'll be over quicker, and he can take it.

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> “AAAAAAA!” The Hulk cried out.
 >>
 >> “What is it?” Hawkeye asked, jumping back just in case he blindly 
lashed out.
 >>
 >> “Hulk pull off too fast, like band-aid.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Wuss.  Not like he has a beard or anything.
 > 
 >

% But he has hair on his head, which can hurt plenty.

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> portion of surface skin, attached to the inside of the suffocating 
substance. She winced in sympathy.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     But, since she's been living as a boy all these years, she's probably
 > never suffered the dread Bikini Wax.  So whence the sympathy?
 > 
 >

% Anyone ripping a band aid off too fast can appreciate it.

 > 
 >
 >
 >> “Luckily we little girls can smash Hulks.” Nitro threw a double 
punch at the Hulk’s midsection. Just as her fists hit, her arms 
exploded. The force of the detonation hurled the Hulk away.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     The Physics Department would like to lodge a pro forma point-of-order
 > protest that any such blast should have hurled Nitro away even further,
 > in the opposite direction.  However, since the entire PD appears to have
 > been assassinated by Bullseye and Nitro, no such protest will in fact be
 > filed.
 > 
 >

% Actually Nitro appears resistant to his own explosions. I can't think 
of anyone has tried blowing him up before, but it would probably be an 
exercise in futility.

 > 
 >
 >> “
 >> The Hulk scowled. “Now Hulk understands. Little girl is not really 
little girl. Little girl is really a robot. Hulk can smash robots!” He  
 >
 >
 >     Ah, rationalization.  Ain't it grand?
 > 
 >

% Well, it's not exactly an unreasonable logic. She's not your standard 
human in any case.


 > 
 >
 >> Once again smoke collected until it reformed Nitro. “Hey, you’re 
pretty durable, big guy. Let’s see how many explosions it takes until I 
get to the center of a Hulk.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     ...you realize you've just ruined that commercial for me forever.
 > 
 >

% Heh.

 > 
 >
 >> “Hulk is not Tootsie-Pop!”
 >>
 >> Nitro clapped. “Yay! You got my joke. That one goes over most 
people’s heads. I can’t wait to tell Rally one of my victims actually 
got that one!”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Well, you had to grow up watching TV during the right decade....
 > 
 >

% Too true. Too true.

 > 
 >
 >> She reformed herself again. “I can do this all day. Good endurance, 
don’t you know. It’s one of the advantages of being trained in a top 
class bordello like the Purple Pussy.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     ...well, I suppose that gives new meaning to the term "bang bang 
girls."
 > 
 >

% Heh. Though I liked the Hulk's misassumption she's referring to Tigra.

 > 
 >
 >> Nitro’s shoulders slumped in exasperation. “The sad thing is, you’re 
about as dynamic a conversationalist as some of my old regulars. Anyway, 
come on. I want to win my bet with Rally and have her pay for my meals  
 >
 >
 >     She used Rally's real neame.  Bad tradecraft.  Or, in this case, just
 > plain arrogance, I guess.
 > 
 >

% Yep. She's not planning on leaving anyone alive, though Rally's 
identity is well known, since 'Bullseye' is only her nickname.

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> to move around before remerging. So it mattered where the smoke 
went. She would only have one shot at this, because if it didn’t work, 
Hawkeye had a bad feeling Nitro would be turning her attention to them, 
and she wagered it would take only one explosion to get to the center of 
a cross-dressing super-hero.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     ...I'm just going to supress the first five hentai comments that that
 > line provoked.
 > 
 >

% heh

 > 
 >
 >> Ni
 >> The Hulk did so. Given the tremendous size of his lungs, he was 
actually able to inhale some of Nitro before holding his breath.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Let's hope she's not toxic.  Then again, Hulk is most immune one 
there
 > is...
 > 
 >

% Yep

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> brought the end of it up to the Hulk’s mouth. “Exhale gently into 
the bag. Make sure you don’t blow hard enough to rip the bag.”
 >>
 >> The Hulk did so. The instant he was done, Hawkeye tied the bag in a 
knot.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     HA!  Good one!
 > 
 >

% Thanks. If you can seperate Nitro, it actually becomes easy to deal 
with him.

 > 
 >
 >> “Hulk will never smoke again,” he swore.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     "Except after being shot with flamethrowers, or big ray guns."
 > 
 >

% Heh. Well there is that

 > 
 >
 >> The smoke that was Nitro swirled around the outside of the bag, and 
Hawkeye could feel the parts of her in the bag swirling around to get 
out, but her disembodied form couldn’t create anywhere near enough force 
to tear open the bag. Hawkeye smiled. It was a good thing she had those 
helium filled balloon arrows. She had never been sure what she might use 
them for, but the ability to leave something floating in air had always 
been an idea that appealed to her.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Of course, Hawk's *real* superpower was the Always Has Just The Right
 > Arrow No Matter How Unique Or Weird power.
 > 
 >

% Too true. Although sometimes he gets clocked before he can use them.

 > 
 >
 >
 >
 >> fight, her pulse had been that of a cool professional locked in a 
struggle, as the fight wore on, every sign of her body indicated she was 
becoming excited, rather than panicked, as things escalated. She was 
enjoying this, and not in the same way Wasp did when fighting 
super-villains.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     "Why do *I* always get the weird ones?"
 > 
 >

% Yep. His rogue's gallery has always been.... wanting.


 > 
 >
 >> Bullseye waited on the lower level for their climatic battle, in 
every sense of the word. In celebration, she had ignited the pools of 
gasoline she had set up on this level: her final trap. She was in bliss 
at every ache and pain she felt. Blood had run down her face from the 
head wound she had suffered, smoke made her eyes water, and she had 
never felt better. Daredevil was by far her favorite yet, outstripping 
even Goldie. Yes, she was killing him in pieces, and loving every second 
of it. And when she struck the fatal blow, she would know ecstasy like 
no other.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Y'know, I *like* canonical Rally and May.  Seeing them like this 
is...
 > a bit disturbing.
 > 
 >

% They are distorted from their source characters, but at least you get 
to see some fanfiction with them.

% I had an idea for a Riding Bean story once, but didn't have the 
motivation to follow through.

 >
 > 
 >
 >> Bullseye grew impatient. “Come on down, Daredevil! I want to play 
with you in my personal hell just a little while longer!”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     "Daredevil!  Tonight... We dine... in HELL!"
 > 
 >

% Yes, It was intended to be very moviesque there.

 > 
 >
 >
 >> She fired one shot. It missed him but hit his cable, throwing off 
his trajectory ever so slightly. Still he slammed into her, landing on 
top awkwardly, sending shards of pain from his chest wound as the fall 
reopened it and blood flowed freely from the cut. At least the impact 
had knocked the gun out of her hand, leaving her defenseless.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Uh... don't think so.
 > 
 >

% As he is about to find out.

 > 
 >
 >
 >
 >> portions of his mind cease in stunned realization of what had just 
happened to the girl beneath him. Even he was shocked that what was a 
life and death struggle to him was some sort of perverse mating ritual 
to the girl he straddled.
 >>
 >> “Who loves ya, baby?” Bullseye moaned and released her hold on the 
object in her hand. It hit the floor in two parts.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     ...so, she wants to come while she goes?
 > 
 >

% Actually this is a take on Rally's showdown with Grey in 'Return of 
Grey' which was very similar.

 > 
 >
 >
 >> Dimly he was aware of Bullseye falling as well. Below them was the 
ground floor. Concrete had been torn up in a pile, with many, many 
jagged metal pipes, used for support, sticking up. And Bullseye was  
 >
 >
 >     If they're support elements inside the concrete, they're not pipes,
 > they're rebar.
 > 
 >

% Thanks. I couldnt' remember what the darn things were called.

 > 
 >
 >
 > 
 >
 >> And then his injured shoulder gave way, his hand slipped, and he fell.
 >>
 >> There was a sensation of floating, and of the pure stupidity of what 
he had just failed to accomplish in rescuing someone who didn’t deserve 
to be rescued, and killing himself in the process.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Welcome to the hero biz, Marvel-style.  If you want to avoid this 
kind
 > of thing, you need to transfer over to Image Comics.
 > 
 >

% Not that there are many of them left. ^_^

 > 
 >
 >> And then his flight stopped abruptly as something snared his wrist, 
making him wish he was dead as his body was jerked with a force no human 
should have to endure, from wounds no one should have to survive.
 >>
 >> He saw the feline face of Tigra looking down at him. “Tigra arrive 
just in time,” she said delightedly.
 >>
 >> “No,” Daredevil said weakly. “’Just in time’ would be before I was 
shot, stabbed, and mutilated. This is ‘almost too late’.” And then he 
passed  
 >
 >
 >     I'm not usually one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but he's got a
 > point here.
 > 
 >

% Yep. I thought it a nice touch. He has been through the wringer, after 
all.

 > 
 >
 >
 >> “Wait, you don’t even know if you regenerate or not?” Hawkeye asked.
 >>
 >> There was a half-second’s hesitation before Tigra said, “Never been 
shot before.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Nothing like field testing.
 > 
 >

% Also, well, she's only recently come by the power. And it's more like 
very quick healing than genuine regeneration.

 > 
 >
 >> Before the archer could press onward, Iron Rose snarled at a 
collection of shattered fragments in her hand. “Blast! This thing broke 
when I landed on it. While its destruction freed me, it’s in too many 
pieces to figure out how it worked.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Or, more importantly, who made it.
 > 
 >

% That too

 > 
 >
 >> “So?” Wasp asked.
 >>
 >> “So I want to know how it overrode my armor so I can take measures 
to prevent it from happening again.” She threw the fragments down in 
disgust.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Ooo, good point.  I should have caught that.
 >     Well, maybe her system logs will have caught something useful.
 > 
 >

% We'll see. It is something she will address, as did Tony Stark when he 
had similar problems with some of his foes.

 > 
 >
 >> “Everything turned out okay in the end.” Captain Japan said as they 
watched the authorities take away the pair of assassins. Nitro was kept 
in two different air-tight, metal containers so she couldn’t reform. 
Each would be transported and stored in separate locations.
 >>
 >> On the other hand, Bullseye was injured badly enough she was being 
transported to a hospital, under heavy guard and sedation.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     Which will probably turn into something like Bonnie's 
hospitalization,
 > in the first Gunsmith Cats arc.
 > 
 >

% heh. We'll see.

 > 
 >
 >> As she was wheeled into the back of the ambulance, she turned a 
dreamy eye toward the bandaged hero. Despite her drugged state, she was 
able to focus enough on him, and think clearly enough to say, “Oh baby, 
we cut each other into so many pieces. It hurts so much, even through 
the drugs, and I know you’re in pain. So wonderful. You’re the only one 
for me. Let’s have a proper finish next time, Love.”
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     DD:  "Team... help me!"
 > 
 >

% Having an insane person in love with you is probably more disturbing 
than them hating you.

 > 
 >
 >> As the ambulance doors closed, Captain Japan said, “Well, 
congratulations on having someone in your rogue’s gallery that isn’t a 
complete putz. The bad news is, she’s a complete psychopath and is in 
love with you.”
 >>
 >> “I’d rather fight Leap Frog and his Tadpoles of Doom again,” 
Daredevil said, and meant every word of it.
 >>  
 >
 >
 >     You KNOW it's been a bad day when you can say that and mean it.
 > 
 >

% Yep.

% Thanks a lot for the commentary. it helped me out immensly and was a 
fun read. you really took your time with it, and it shows. It's much 
apprciated.

DB Sommer