Chronicles of the Dusk

When we last left off Simon, after a brief confrontation with Joseph, told the team everything he knew about Hell’s Haven, though he still was not satisfied with Joseph’s decision to stay at home. Meanwhile, Hell’s Haven has decided to hire four dangerous operatives to handle the Night-Hunters. Can they survive against the likes of Surge, Sunfire, Deadpool, and most of all Elektra?

Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel Comics, I do own my original characters and the plot.

…A Killer Night…

Joseph was in a recording room rapping in to a microphone for a new single. Outside the room were a few techs managing the soundboard and Mr. Roberts along with two people, one of which was giving Mr. Roberts a cup of coffee.

“Okay… High Roller try that verse again… the music was interfering with the recording this time.” One of the techs instructed.

“Ah, alright you got it.” Joseph responded before taking a drink from some bottled water.

“Hey where’s Simon today?” Mr. Roberts asked.

“Oh, according to this report we received, he is supposedly fulfilling a request that High Roller made to him personally.” One of the people next to Mr. Roberts answered.

“Like what? Job training or something?”

Meanwhile…

“Hah!” Simon was wielding a wooden practice sword and hitting a training post that had a bucket head on top of it. He was getting progressively more aggressive with his swings as he hit it with the sword.

“You know… you shouldn’t be too mad.” Lisa told him softly. She was doing some sort of routine upside down on the ceiling.

“Give me two reasons not to be mad about this.” Simon practically dared, wiping sweat off of his brow before taking a stance griping the sword. He then proceeded to whack the training post.

“Dad’s just trying to keep you safe.” Lisa told him. Lisa then fell from the ceiling, flipped and landed on her feet. “Dad’s also trying to make sure everyone is safe like this.” Lisa then began to fly towards the ceiling as if she were falling towards it but then flew towards the wall in a similar fashion and had to flip to land on it.

“Well he’s… what are you doing?” Simon asked as he watched Lisa continuously go from wall-to-wall, then from wall to ceiling and ceiling to floor and anything in between.

“Well you know how dad thinks I affect gravity to an extent. Like my personal gravitational attraction or something like that?” Lisa asked Simon.

“Yeah?”

“Well I think he’s right because whenever I make like I’m trying to cling to another surface it feels like I’m falling towards it.” Lisa said. “So I’m trying to get used to changing it mid-jump or mid-fall… I figure I can use this as a big surprise factor.” Lisa explained.

“Yeah, guess it’d be odd to fall on your butt on the wall.” Simon commented. “And this was your dad’s idea?”

“Well, I got the idea from his theory.” Lisa said as she jumped off the wall, did a flip and landed on the same wall, but then she fell to the floor and nearly landed flat on her face if she didn’t put her hands up in time. “Yipe…”

“Ahem… well…” Simon tried not to chuckle at that. “But still, you put a lot of faith in him you know that?” Simon asked, turning to face the training post before whacking it with the practice sword again.

“Not just him, I trust all of you.” Lisa said.

“Excuse me?” Simon asked.

“I know that if I get in danger I have faith that the rest of you will do anything to help me. And that’s all dad is trying to do for you.” Lisa told him from the wall behind the training post.

“Well his method… of helping… really… pisses… me off!” Simon said through gritted teeth before knocking the bucket head off of the training post. “Ugh… I think I’m going to take a nap.” Simon sighed as he headed for the door.

“Hey Simon…” Lisa said sympathetically. “Please don’t be mad.”

“Hmmm…” Simon opened the door just as Lisa changed her orientation for the door.

“Wah!” Lisa grabbed the edge of the door and grabbed the door-frame as if she was clinging to an edge for dear life. However Simon just ignored this as he walked down the hallway.

“Gah… and the lack of windows around here is just so gloomy.” Simon sighed under his breath.

“…” Lisa couldn’t help but give Simon a sympathetic look as she put her feet back on the floor. Her constant gravity changing had turned her eyes purple and starting to turn red. “I… think I’ll have some serum before taking a nap.” She said quietly.

Elsewhere…

“This city is so dull.”

“Cool it Surge.” Sunfire scolded his sister. Surge and Sunfire were walking down the streets of LA, apparently sightseeing.

“But seriously… only the very few old people around here are even giving us attention.” Surge complained in a bored tone.

“Well, people stick out like us all the time around here apparently.” Sunfire commented wryly as he looked at a group of three teenagers who had their hair dyed multiple colors and had either lip or nose piercings.

“Maybe I should short out all of the electronics in that Radio Shack?” Surge said with a twisted smile.

“And cause a scene?” Sunfire asked. “Mutants still aren’t quite, quote/unquote, in right now.”

“Oh just because your only power is not taking a bruise is no reason to be such a kill-joy.” Surge taunted.

“Surge…” Sunfire snarled.

“Oh pull that stick out of your ass; I was just having a little fun.” Surge sneered.

Meanwhile…

“Okay… any questions?” Felix asked his chemistry class. One of the girls in his class raised her hand. “Yes Bridget?”

“Why is that section of the periodic table down below the rest of it?” The student asked.

“It’s actually a lot simpler than you might think.” Felix said. “Any guesses class?” Nobody raised their hand or showed any intention of saying something. “What? No one? Ugh… printing reasons. Scientists find it a lot easier print when they separate those two rows.” Felix answered.

RING

“That’s the bell, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Felix told them. “Stacy and Myra… a moment please.”

“What’s up?” Stacy asked as she and Myra waited for the rest of the students to leave.

“I need to fill you in about what’s going on. And I can’t sugar-coat this.” Felix said very seriously.

“What’s going on?” Myra asked.

“The whole team might be in serious danger here. Those guys that Simon was dealing with last night, they’re from a really dangerous mercenary team, and no one is allowed to know about them and live to tell about it.” Felix summed up.

“Wait what? We’re fighting mercenaries?” Stacy asked quietly.

“Pretty much. Oh don’t worry Myra you should be safe, you’re never on the field.” Felix reassured Myra, and he couldn’t notice that Stacy seemed more relieved at that as well. “But seriously, these guys aren’t average convenience store robbers or muggers, they won’t hesitate to kill.” Felix warned Stacy.

“Hey relax, I’ve gotten out of near-death situations already.” Stacy said.

“Stacy this is serious. To be honest I’d almost prefer you sat tonight out as well.” Felix said.

“As well?” Both Stacy and Myra asked.

“What I mean by that is that Simon is being benched for his own safety since he’s their main target.” Felix quickly explained.

“Hm… well just because these guys are hanging around I’m not just going to sit out.” Stacy argued.

“Well hey, it’s not my call, but I want to stress how dangerous the next few nights are really going to be.” Felix said.

“It’ll be alright.” Stacy said confidently.

“But you do…” Felix started to say something.

“Oh come on I’m not THAT green at this am I?” Stacy asked with a smile before walking out the door.

“Myra please keep an extra eye on Stacy tonight.” Felix told Myra.

“I always do…” Myra sighed, even though she couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“How far back do you guys go?” Felix asked before pulling out his cell phone.

“Since we could walk practically.” Myra said with a smile before she walked out of the classroom.

“Interesting.” Felix said with a smile as he put his phone to his ear.

Meanwhile…

Simon was sitting beside the phone in the living room, waiting impatiently for the other end to pick up.

“Hello?”

“Joseph…” Simon began.

“Hey Simon. You doing alright?” Joseph asked on the other end.

“Oh fine… just fine except that I’m stuck in here for the entire day and night!” Simon practically yelled.

“Simon, please don’t bring this up now.” Joseph said. “Hm… hold on a sec.”

“Hey Joseph it’s Felix.” Felix said from the other end.

“Felix? What do you want now pussycat?” Simon asked.

“Simon? Joseph did you put us on three-way?” Felix asked.

“Yes I did.” Joseph answered firmly.

“You just did that so that you could dodge the subject without completely blowing me off.” Simon accused.

“What subject? Don’t tell me you’re still miffed about missing out on tonight.” Felix retorted.

“Of course I’m miffed!”

“Whoa whoa whoa! Calm down I put us on three-way so all three of us could have a discussion at once about this like adults.” Joseph told them.

“Okay well here’s my statement… I shouldn’t be sitting tonight out!” Simon said.

“Simon…” Joseph began to say.

“He’s benching you so you don’t get killed.” Felix said.

“Felix can you let me s…” Joseph was about to say.

“This coming from the guy who nearly got his butt kicked by me when we first met.” Simon barbed at Felix.

“Wait don’t…”

“Hey! Was that deliberate provocation? I do believe that was deliberate provocation!” Felix responded.

“Guys cool it.” Joseph sighed.

“We never finished that fight and you know it!” Felix argued.

“Fact is that I could have won! So I really shouldn’t be benched!” Simon argued.

“It’s because you’re being so hot-headed that you are benched! Isn’t that right Joseph?” Felix asked.

“Felix…”

“If we got benched over being hot-headed you’d be sitting out a lot more than me! Right Joseph?” Simon asked.

“I’m hanging up.” Joseph sighed.

“Wait a minute!” Simon shouted. Too late, Joseph hung up and so Simon put the receiver down in frustration. “…” Simon simply sat in the chair, deep in thought. “Why should I have to sit out? I’m the target here, not them. It doesn’t end unless I end it… augh!”

Meanwhile…

“Whew…” Elaine walked out of a restaurant looking decently tired.

“Would a lovely lady like a lift?” Felix asked, putting his cell phone away.

“Felix! Sheesh you could have told me you were coming to pick me up.” Elaine said, getting in the passenger’s seat nonetheless.

“Well you don’t own a car and I knew your shift was over by now.” Felix said.

“I wish, I have to cover the night shift for one of the lazier co-workers.” Elaine sighed.

“Ah yeah… co-workers can really give you problems.” Felix said.

“You have problems like that too? I wouldn’t think schooling would have co-worker problems.” Elaine pointed out.

“You have no idea.” Felix sighed as he turned the car on. “So where shall we go?”

“Anywhere other than a restaurant.” Elaine answered.

“As if I’m that rich anyways.” Felix responded with a laugh.

Meanwhile…

“Hey Mr. Roberts…”

“Joseph… what can I do for my star?” Mr. Roberts asked invitingly. “Coffee, maybe a little something for your little girl…”

“That’s generous of you but I just want to ask you a question…” Joseph said.

“Ah Joseph is this one of those second thoughts on the new single deals? Joseph we’ve been over this… we won’t know if it’s a hit or miss unless we release it.”

“No not that.” Joseph said. “All I’m asking is how do you know how to deal with an employee that doesn’t agree with a decision you make, even if you’re sure that this decision is what’s best for them and for the company?” Joseph asked.

“This have something to do with Mr. Boulder?”

“Not… exactly.”

“Well it’s simple. You just let it be.” Mr. Roberts answered.

“Let it be?”

“Yep, if they don’t like a decision how they’ll deal with it is up to them. If they want to quit I can’t be responsible for them any longer, and if they do something rash that they deserve to get fired for that’s also up to them. But if they work out their problems for a decision in the right way, then it’ll all come together and make things better for everyone.” Mr. Roberts explained.

“I see…” Joseph responded. “Yeah… but how will it work out if too many people have their lives on the line?”

RING

“Hm? Hello?”

“Joseph, I won’t be back to the mansion but I will be joining you on patrol nonetheless, just wanted to tell you not to wait for me.” Felix said.

“Yeah alright.” Joseph responded with slight sigh.

“Simon still bugging you?”

“Just the whole thing.”

“Don’t worry, with mine and Night-Princess’ senses we’ll get through this just fine.” Felix said.

“Oh, you did tell the girls right?” Joseph asked.

“Yeah, they know.”

“Okay. Well, be on guard tonight.”

“I always am. Well, better not leave Elaine alone for too long. See ya.” Felix told him before hanging up.

Later…

“…” Simon was lying in his bed. He looked at one wall where he kept his weaponry and costume hanging from it. He wasn’t sure why but just leaving all of the blades and stuff hanging on the wall like a display was comforting to him.

“S-Simon.”

“Hm? Lisa?” Simon looked at the bedroom door.

“We’re leaving now… are you going to be okay?” Lisa asked through the door.

“…” Simon sighed in annoyance. Yeah she was just trying to be nice, but still he couldn’t help but get annoyed that a fourteen year old girl had to ask him if he was doing okay. “Just go.” He responded before slumping back down on to his bed.

“Um… okay.” He heard her footsteps walk down the hall towards the stairs. He couldn’t help but wonder how he would have reacted if it was either Joseph or the pussycat that asked him how he was doing. He probably would have yelled.

A few minutes later, Simon finally got tired of lying down on the bed doing nothing but brooding over how sorry he was feeling. He slipped on a grey workout shirt and headed down the hall towards the training room. He calmly walked to the center and took a stance. As he slowly performed a kata routine he reflected on the team.

He remembered the night he fought with Felix. Sure Felix didn’t use much of an actual fighting style, but he remembered the thrill of fighting someone faster and stronger than him, and someone who could improvise a fighting style like that. Someone who could make up a fighting style on the fly that took advantage of what he could do. “Tch… if he could just come up with some better jokes.” He thought. In spite of all his bragging he couldn’t help but wonder, who would have won?

He thought about all the times he trained Stacy in fighting. Yeah, he remembered how badly she sucked at fighting. Well he still thought she sucked, but he had to admit that Stacy could learn. Admittedly he almost looked forward to how good she could be.

Flashback…

“You know, you might do yourself a service if you lighten up on the criticism on Stacy.” Felix commented to Simon while they were having a light spar with each other.

“The reason?” Simon asked as he threw a punch that Felix blocked.

“Think about it, she changes her body in to whatever she touches. Metal, liquid, precious stone. And maybe that’s not all. She might even be able to get over that twenty minute time limit.” Felix said, now simply dodging and blocking since Simon was leaving few to no openings.

“Hmmmm…” Simon was thinking about it. “Whoa!”

“If she can do that, Stacy may not be omega level, but even still she could potentially be one of the most powerful mutants on Earth.” Felix said right after he had pinned Simon to the floor.

“Get… off… pussycat…”

End of flashback…

“And if the cat’s right, I want to be able to say that I showed her how to fight, that I taught her everything she knows.” Simon thought. He stopped his kata routine and went over to the bucket he knocked off of the training post. “Hmmm…”

Simon thought of Joseph. Simon couldn’t help but think that Joseph’s technology was kind of a cheap way of dealing with criminals, even so he had to admit that for someone who doesn’t seem so confident, he has to be something to be able to shoulder an entire team and his life as a rap star.

Simon thought of Myra as well. “Well, honestly I don’t think THAT much of her, I mean she just sits in front of that computer of hers all night while the rest of us are getting shot at. But… still, I have admit, she does seem like a sharp kid.” Simon thought.

Then Simon thought of Lisa. She was more or less why he joined the team. “She looks so much like Abby, well minus the pointy teeth part. And she did help me make up my mind on whether I joined this team in the first place or not.” Simon threw the bucket head to the side and walked out of the room in a huff. “Yeah… she did make me realize how much I wanted on this team. And like hell am I letting them get killed.”

Meanwhile…

“Well, those bastards ought to be out and about right now.” Surge commented as she readjusted her metal gauntlets before letting more electric bolts fly from her finger-tips.

“Gah! Surge! Those gloves are supposed to help you regulate your electricity. So regulate it!” Sunfire scolded.

“Gah… you slow me down.” Surge said. “I’m off, good luck finding them on your own.” Surge said. There was a bit of static build in the air before she ran off in a blur in to the street.

“Ugh… super-human speed, and electricity generation… a double-threat, and hot-headed to top it off! She drives me absolutely bonkers!” Sunfire cried, his English accent more apparent than it already was.

Meanwhile…

“Hey kid, you’re too young to be here. Take your… uh… dog and get lost.” A large man in front of a bar said.

“Grrrrrrrrr…”

“Down Louis.” Night-Princess told Louis. “I’m just here for a visit.” She told the man, staring him straight in the eyes with glowing eyes.

“Uh…” The man stood where he was dazed as Night-Princess walked in.

“Hm?” Everyone stopped whatever it was they were doing the moment Night-Princess walked in. The situation was only made more awkward since the music continued to play over the speakers.

“Um… hello.” Night-Princess said uncomfortably.

“Hey mutie, go hang out with the rest of the freaks and get outta here!” Someone shouted.

“Guys don’t start anything… I already had to clean up from yesterday…” The bartender begged.

“I’m just going to be here for a moment.” Night-Princess said as Louis slinked in behind her, snarling at the bar-goers.

“Out… and take your little dog too.” One threatened when he pulled out a pistol.

“I’m… sorry then…” Lisa said as bats and rats leaped out of her shadow.

“ARF!!” Louis barked.

BAM BAM BAM

Elsewhere…

“All-Star, report please.” Myra’s voice rang in All-Star’s ear.

“Everything’s fine support.” All-Star answered. “There’s nothing at these docks.” She answered as she came from in between two warehouses near the docks.

“Still keep your guard up.” Myra warned.

“Don’t worry.” All-Star responded. “Hm?” All-Star turned to a stack of crates she thought she saw move. “Who’s there?” She asked.

“Damn… seems my cover’s blown.” A man with red hair, an eye-patch, and an English accent said. He pulled out a cut-out newspaper picture and looked at it. “So you must be All-Star. One of the Night-Hunters…”

“And…” All-Star asked, getting in a defensive stance.

“All-Star, what’s going on?” Myra asked on the other end of the radio.

“Tonight must be my lucky night.” Sunfire said as he pressed his palm and shot a jet of flame from one of the flamethrowers on his arm.

Elsewhere…

“Anything yet?” Night-Roller asked in to his radio from on top of a roof.

“No Night-Roller.” Night-Princess answered.

“Okay, support do you have anything?” Night-Roller asked.

“All-Star might have something… but otherwise no.” Myra answered, a little panicked.

“Give me All-Star’s posi…” Night-Roller was about to say when he saw a bluish blur run through the streets below, causing all the street-lights to either short out or burst. “Scratch that, I’ve got something.” Night-Roller said.

“Should either of us go back up All-Star?” Night-Claw asked.

“No, keep searching for their boss. Only stop your search if you encounter something.” Night-Roller answered as he hopped down on to the street. “As for me… it’s time to get down.” He said before skating after the speeding object.

Meanwhile…

“…” Nukenin was out on the rooftops, jumping and running across them at a steady pace. “Sorry Night-Roller, but I’m going to help you guys out my way.” Nukenin thought to himself.

“Hm? Oh ho!” Deadpool was on a distant rooftop with a belt that had a few small weapons on them, and a sniper rifle on his back. Deadpool pulled the Sniper rifle off of his back and looked through the scope. “Yes! Lucky day. It’s that Simon punk… heh heh. The big reward’s mine.” Deadpool said as he aimed the rifle.

“Whoa that’s dangerous!” Night-Claw ran in from the side and delivered a flying kick to the side of Deadpool’s head, sending the sniper rifle flying out of his hand.

“Hey! I was using that!” Deadpool snapped at him.

“He acts like he didn’t even feel that kick.” Night-Claw thought. “Well let me give you a few cosplaying tips…”

“Tips? I’ll give you one. Don’t pick a fight with me!” Deadpool pulled out a sub-machine gun and began firing rounds at him.

“Whoa-ho!” Night-Claw quickly resorted to acrobatic flips to avoid the gunfire. “This guy isn’t half-bad…”

“Gunshots?” Nukenin turned towards the source of the gunshots just in time to see shuriken flying at his face. “…” Nukenin quickly ducked and looked out of the corner of his eye to spy a black-haired woman standing at the edge of the roof he was standing on.

“Nukenin of the Night-Hunters.”

“Yeah… and you are?” Nukenin asked, slowly getting in to a fighting stance.

“It won’t matter Simon… I’ll be the last face you ever see.” Elektra threatened as she pulled out two sai and twirled them in her hands.

…Notes…

That took a while to write, but I feel thoroughly satisfied with how this chapter turned out. Let me know what you guys think. Please leave a review.