>>3267695

Beside you, Harry nodded vigorously. "I'm going to hit the fire alarm inside the building to get people moving out of it." He had his paste-gun strapped to his side just in case things got dodgy, which was smart. From what you've seen so far, the super-hero thing rarely went how you expected it to go.

"I'll be staying in the car to keep it running for a quick getaway." As much as you might like to see what it would be like to have the Hulk on your side for once, you get the feeling that it might be gross overkill for an assassin. Beyond that, you didn't even know if the Hulk would go wild again, or actually be on your side for once. Too many risks for you liking, and apparently Banner saw that logic immediately when making the plan.

"And I'll be..."

>"...Hiding invisible, right outside his door." Better to ambush him there than on the street.
>"...Waiting to jump him once he gets outside." Cramped, close quarters combat with a man wielding a shotgun? Not your style.
>"...Following him to see where he goes, then pouncing." There's the chance that you can see where he goes if he's spooked. Then again, there's also the chance you lose him. Risky overall.

[2/2]

>>3267727
>"...Hiding invisible, right outside his door." Better to ambush him there than on the street.
If we're pulling the alarm to get everyone out of the building, having the fight in the street - where the bystanders are - is a bad choice. Keep it inside, as containment. And have an entire folder of evidence (and copies, for our news story) ready to hand over to Stacy too.

>>3267727
>>"...Hiding invisible, right outside his door." Better to ambush him there than on the street.

>>3267727
>"...Hiding invisible, right outside his door." Better to ambush him there than on the street.

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>>3267772
>>3267934
>>3267975

"I'll be waiting right outside his door to ambush him." Hardly the most noble way to go about a fight, but Sin-Eater also had a shotgun the same of your leg that could probably do some damage if he managed to get it in your direction. You'd rather not have to deal with it if you didn't have to.

The other two teens nodded, and without further talking began their parts of the plan. Everyone filed out of the car, Bruce hopping into the driver's seat while you strode into the apartment complex next to Harry, pulling up the scarf to hide your face as you moved. In an instant you were beginning to fade away to invisibility, while your companion turned a corner to go execute his part of the plan. You'd have to hope everything went alright on his front as you all but ran up the stairs of the building as quickly as possible, moving as quietly as possible.

You're just about in position above the doorway, sweat beading on your brow as you await the triggering of the alarm. It's a maddening eternity to you, wondering if something's gone wrong, if there's some weird security measure you haven't considered, broken when the shrill ringing of the alarm began through the building. A relief that spread through you though, as you began to tense on the ceiling in front of your target's door. Now all you had to do was deal with a trained Maggia killer. Easy.

People began to filter out gradually in a steady stream from other apartments, until eventually the door beneath you opened up. A head of brown hair pushed out, familiar from hours of observation and invisible stalking, wearing an overcoat and holding a duffel bag at his side.

>Drop down and slam his head into the ground.
>Web the bag away from his hands. Make sure he doesn't have any tricks to use.
>Turn visible again and try to get him to stand down. This doesn't have to be a fight.
>Write-in

>>3268000
>Web the bag away from his hands. Make sure he doesn't have any tricks to use.

>Drop down and slam his head into the ground.

>>3268013
>Web the bag away from his hands. Make sure he doesn't have any tricks to use.

Drop down on him after if we can but the bag is priority.

>>3268013
>>3268023
Webbing the bag away wins.

>3d100 Rolls, best of the first three rolls is taken.
DC: 60

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>3268093

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>3268093

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>3268093

>>3268113

>91!
>Spectacular Success

There's an quiet intake of breath as he looks up and around, caution and paranoia showing from a lifetime of criminal work. Unfortunately, it's not enough to beat the advantage that your powers have given you, most blatantly the fact that you're entirely invisible as his eyes pass right over your form. Then he's turning, unaware of your presence and ignorant, until you flick your wrist and send a long string of black webbing to the bag he's holding. In seconds you were swinging it down the hallway, out of easy reach for Sin-Eater as his attention was drawn back to your position, alert and alarmed.

You can't maintain your concentration with your invisibility, not in the heat of combat and not when he'd pulling his mask over his head with one hand, and opening up his overcoat with the other. Apparently, the criminal had been smart enough to wear at least some part of his uniform in case there was an attack. And smart enough to be drawing a pistol and leveling it towards you.

Unbidden instinct is what saves your life as you reappear, leaping off the ceiling as he liberally peppers roughly where you were with bullets. Nimble as an acrobat you land on your feet, skidding away a few yards from him and raising yourself back up to your feet. There's a recognition in his eyes though, as they narrow and he concentrates on you, quickly drawing a second gun in his hand.

"You?!" There's a palpable surprise in his voice, not that you blame him. Your performance in stalking him at first a few nights before was pretty bad, until you got serious.

"Were you expecting someone else tonight?" You chirp back with no small amount of satisfaction. Your answer was the leveling of two pistols in your direction, and the swelling of pressure on the back of your head. Apparently, diplomacy was the last thing on his mind. That's fine for you, though. You've been craving a good fight for the last couple days.

Health: Spectacular
Web-Shots: 11
>Web the guns out of his hands. He was a good marksmen by all accounts, even if he didn't have that dangerous shotgun of his.
>Leap towards him to close the distance. It's hard to shoot point blank, or so you've been told. Time to put that to the test.
>Dodge his gun-shots and taunt him. Getting him angry means he'll be sloppy.
>Write-in

>>3268208
>Web the guns out of his hands. He was a good marksmen by all accounts, even if he didn't have that dangerous shotgun of his

>>3268208
>>Web the guns out of his hands. He was a good marksmen by all accounts, even if he didn't have that dangerous shotgun of

>>3268214
>>3268237

Webbing wins again.

>3d100 rolls, best of three is taken.
DC: 65

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>3268282

Rolled 33 (1d100)

>>3268282

Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>3268282
In case nobody else rolls in time.

>>3268326
>Rolled 93 (1d100)
Nice.

>>3268410
Well, one's a repeat poster. I'm looking for a third with a unique id.

Rolled 19 (1d100)

>>3268413
>I'm looking for a third with a unique id
Fuck.

>>3268282
Then let's give it a try.

>>3268283
>53
>Average Failure

This time when you shoot another web shot, Sin-Eater was prepared. It took a damn good shot to snipe your black webbing out of thin air, and some distant part of you is remarkably impressed. The rest of your body decided not to observe his marksmanship, and instead get out of the way of the bullets whizzing through the air. Flipping forward, your entire body twists and pirouettes as your feet slam into the ceiling, as you began a flat out run to close the distance between you and Stanley.

To his credit as a trained killer, he didn't seem to be stalling under the threat of battle. His shots were clustered neatly, and if you didn't have the ability to dodge and roll and stick to surfaces, you're pretty sure you'd be riddled with holes. Every muscle in your body is being pushed to the brink and tested as he moved back away from you at a steady walk, dropping a pistol that had ran out of ammo and producing another one briskly from his coat. Cute.

He's moving closer and closer towards his bag, though, and you're pretty sure allowing him access to that shotgun is a dangerous decision to say the least.

Health: Spectacular
Web-Shots: 10

>Try for webbing his guns again. Second time's a charm.
>Leaping kick him in the chest. Tried and true.
>Run into an uppercut. It's worked pretty well for you before.
>Write-in

>>3268467
>Try for webbing his guns again. Second time's a charm.

>>3268467
>Web his eyes and then leaping kick him in the chest. Tried and true.

>>3268479
switching to>>3268482

>>3268482
>>Web his eyes and then leaping kick him in the chest. Tried and true.
Worst case scenario, it'll still distract him by forcing him to focus on dodging/shooting the webbing. Best case, it blobs him.

>>3268482
This.

>>3268482
>>3268488
>>3268533
>>3268534

Writing.

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>>3268538

Actually, I lied. I need some rolls, silly me!

>3 sets of 1d100, please! Best of three taken.
DC: 60

Rolled 6 (1d100)

>>3268544

Rolled 10 (1d100)

>>3268544

Rolled 82 (1d100)

>>3268544

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>>3268578
>82!
>Amazing Success!

"Why are you following me, huh?! Think I'm gonna do anythin' besides put a bullet in you for all this?" Sin-Eater yells, his voice rising over the din of the fire alarm and the gunshots.

"You're a crook and a killer, that's why!" Immediately, your body jerks out of the way suddenly as a bullet whizzed by your face, piercing the end of your scarf. A little too close for your liking. "Besides, I what else was I gonna do on a Thursday night?"

"Huh?" He's confused, likely from how casual you sound during this entire confrontation, which makes it easy for your next web-shot. Instead of aiming for his guns, you aim for the equally as difficult target of his face. Though with a little help, you manage to prevail. Your web-shot lands squarely on his mask, webbing it up as he cried out in a burst of surprise. Not actually hurting him, but definitely making it difficult for him to do anything besides shooting blindly.

Though it does make it easier for you to jump off the ceiling, land on the ground, then leap off the wall in order to slam both feet into his chest. There's a very satisfying slam as he was forced back a few yards, bouncing off a fire extinguisher mounted to the wall. He's back to his feet quickly and pulling webbing off of his face, or trying to at least.

"Oof. Tough landing there, buddy." You haven't taken a big hit like that since the Hulk hit you, and you're not in a rush to do it again.

>Pounce on him and wail on his face. It's not very dignified, but it's definitely a good way to end the fight.
>Web him to the floor. Not sporting, but safe.
>Toss him out the nearest window. You're pretty sure he'll be fine wearing his armor.
>Write-in

>>3268643
>>Web him to the floor. Not sporting, but safe.

>>3268643
>>Toss him out the nearest window. You're pretty sure he'll be fine wearing his armor.
I'm sure the readers will like it.

>>3268643
>>Toss him out the nearest window. You're pretty sure he'll be fine wearing his armor

>>3268667
>>3268690
Bad idea. It could kill him or worse, hurt somebody if he lands on them. At least put a web tether on him so he doesn't hit the ground.

>>3268643
>Toss him out the nearest window. You're pretty sure he'll be fine wearing his armor.
but also this >>3268698

>>3268698
He has armor and he's a comic book villain, he'll be fine. And everyone is already gone, you are just jinxing it.

>>3268667
>>3268690
>>3268706
>>3268698

Out the window he goes.
>3 sets of 1d100, please! Best of three taken.
DC: 50

Rolled 69 (1d100)

>>3268741

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>3268741

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>3268741

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>>3268743
>69!
>Average Success

It's a shame you're about to take so much enjoyment out of this, but the simple fact is, the act of defenestration is incredibly entertaining. The knowledge that you're doing it to an assassin with a body-count in the double digits just sort of gets rid of the guilt of the entire thing. Strolling along, whistling a little tune underneath your scarf, you take an immense gratification in watching him trying to peel the webbing off of his face. Eventually, as the sounds of your footsteps came closer, he'd try to shoot in your general direction but that failed as well.

You take your time webbing him up on the ground, binding his arms to his sides as you take your time, before grabbing a fistful of black webbing and dragging him to the window slowly. "W-Where are you taking me you freak?!"

"Express fire escape, buddy. Don't you hear the alarm?" Yes, it's certainly one way to escape a burning building, even if the complex wasn't on fire and you engineered this entire situation. He didn't need to know that, though.

There's a handy dandy window at the end of the hall, near his shotgun, and it looks woefully ill-reinforced. A small mercy that was granted to Sin-Eater as you mustered all your might and chucked him clean through the window. You can hear him screaming on the way down and the crash of glass, but you're quick enough to catch him before he hits the ground from the third story. Mostly by shooting tendrils of webbing attaching him from the building, dangling somewhere between the second the first story, groaning lightly as he slammed into the wall from the force.

Perhaps not your gentlest takedown, but you sincerely doubt anyone's going to mind a few bruises and broken bones.

>Time to call Detective Stacy. You've got a collar for him.
>You're going to check in with Bruce and Harry first. See how they're doing.
>Check his apartment. Could be clues you couldn't have pilfered before, lying around.

>>3268773
>Time to call Detective Stacy. You've got a collar for him.

>>3268773
>Check his apartment. Could be clues you couldn't have pilfered before, lying around.

>>3268773
>Check his apartment. Could be clues you couldn't have pilfered before, lying around.

>>3268773
>>Check his apartment. Could be clues you couldn't have pilfered before, lying around.

>>3268773
>Time to call Detective Stacy. You've got a collar for him.
Then
>Check his apartment. Could be clues you couldn't have pilfered before, lying around.

>>3268784
switching to>>3268877

>>3268877
This

>>3268877
Any non lethal gadgets we could use, and that coded SHIELD message if it's still around.

>>3270105
Yeah. Search around and take what you need, tech included.

>>3268877
>>3268907
>>3268933
>>3270105
>>3270328
Writing.

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>>3270531

Sin-Eater is more or less captured now, especially considering he's covered in your webbing and dangling on the side of the building. If that's not enough to immobilize a regular human, albeit one at the peak of physical performance, you're not sure what is. Still it's better to be brisk than not, so you backtrack to his now open apartment and find the nearest phone, dialing up Detective Stacy's number quickly. After a few rings, that familiar voice answers the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hey Stacy, you know who this is?"

There's a pause on the other end of the line and a little audible shuffling of papers before there's an answer. "Shutterbug? Kid, it's a little loud where you're at. What's going on?"

"Nothing much, besides a fire alarm. Got a collar for you, though, if you're quick about it. Ever hear of Sin-Eater?" You're idly thumbing through Sin-Eater's mail and papers on the desk where the phone was located, trying to find that S.H.I.E.L.D. letter you'd seen before.

"...I'll be right there. Where's the address?" Hook, line, and sinker. Cops may feel a lot of different ways about heroes, but few were willing to discount their help when it came to powered criminals. They were usually a cut above what a typical patrolman could handle out in the field. Hell, Stanley Carter came close a few times to putting a hole into you, and he didn't even have any powers!

You rattle off the address to Detective Stacy, the phone call ending shortly afterwards. You're pretty sure he's going to be speeding through town towards the apartment complex, so that meant you only had enough time to scrounge what you could from the apartment, from clues to gadgets that would inevitably be wasted in police storage. Why let that happen when you could have used them for yourself? So that's what you do.

>Investigative Journalism Check
>3 rolls of 1d100, best of the first three taken.
DC: 55

Rolled 3 (1d100)

>>3270564

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>3270564

Rolled 44 (1d100)

>>3270564

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>>3270743
>91!
>Spectacular Success

Ransacking villain apartments and bases for their secrets is beginning to become secondhand to you, for better or worse. You find the S.H.I.E.L.D. letter pretty easily, though you still need to decipher the code. Tucking it away into a pocket, you also find a smattering of other information. Nothing as specific as say, the name of the kingpin or the names of the heads of the Maggia, but you do manage to find the location of a warehouse in Hell's Kitchen. You're not entirely sure what it's being used for based off the writing and small map you found, but apparently Sin-Eater was preparing to hit the joint from the looks of things, and possibly with a few other heavy hitters.

It's something to keep in mind, since this supposed attack was going to take place sometime next week looking at the date. Enough time to plan accordingly in your eyes. Beyond that, you also manage to find a few small pellets, though as to what they do you'd have to look into them a touch more. Lastly is a plain classic that you personally have no use for, but could see Harry wielding proficiently. The grapple gun is sturdy and appears to be gas-powered, and is quickly pocketed. By this point you can also begin to hear the sirens outside, so you begin to make your way out of the apartment and down the stairs to meet Detective Stacy.

There's a few cop cars that pull up packing a bit of heat, but thankfully none of them draw on you as you emerge out of the building. The blonde, older man hops out of a car himself, looking over at you curiously, and then back up to the building in no small amount of surprise. Sin-Eater is still dangling, struggling, but likely unable to move or escape. It'll definitely be a pain in the ass for the cops to cut him down, but the sight is too amusing for you to resist snapping a picture of.

>Picture of Sin-Eater acquired.

"That's one way of taking a perp down.." Stacy whistled, looking up the captured man on the side of the building.

"What can I say? I've got a gift for this sort of thing." You're sure there's no small amount of smugness in your voice, entirely justified in your eyes.

"I'm not complaining, kid. There's a lot of families that are gonna get closure tonight now that you brought this animal to justice." He sighed, looking down at you with a wistful expression. "From them, I can say thank you."

"No thanks needed. I'm just doing my job as your local Shutterbug." With that, you give a nod to the Detective and he smiles back, the last thing you see as you web onto a building and swing off into the night. It's a good feeling you've got in your chest, though as you do.

[1/2]

>>3270950
>you also manage to find a few small pellets
hmmmmmmmm.

Glad to have you back Pat!

>>3270950
>It's something to keep in mind, since this supposed attack was going to take place sometime next week looking at the date.
Serious question. Peter Parker's not the type to set up a joint sting with the help of the NYPD - but do you think J. Jonah Jameson might be? Imagine a sting operation where you've got the Trifreakta running the on-the-ground operation, while the NYPD sets up the broader net and evacuation.

Like the Avengers, but street-level and working with the NYPD instead of SHIELD (but still with the Hulk).

Food for thought.

Anyway, once Harry has some solid armor to make up for the lack of spidey sense, I think that the grapple gun and the glue gun could help him more or less keep up with JJ now. Especially he can kitbash together a combined grapple/glue gun, so that can can do mid-battle antics like grappling away someone's weapon, then gluing them to the wall without switching devices.

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>>3270950

Bruce and Harry were at the agreed upon meet-up location, awaiting your arrival in Harry's car. Both of them looked a little worried, but it was abated once you walked up to the car. Harry was the first to shove his head out of the window, grinning wide. "So? How'd it go?"

"Let's just say Sin-Eater's going to get pretty acquainted with Rikers fairly soon." Powered criminals got sent to the Raft as far as you knew. Why it was still pretty close to New York, you didn't know. If it was you in charge of that stuff, you'd probably put it in the middle of the ocean or something. Way smarter.

"Radical. And did you get anything cool from him?"

With a swagger to your step, you thrust out the grappling gun to Harry, who looks at it greedily. "Hey, who do you think I am? I knocked over every inch of that apartment I could." That's the modus operandi for the Trifreakta, apparently. Fight villains, make money off their stories, and ransack them for gear. The logic checks out.

"Excellent work. Then I imagine that's it for the night?" Bruce asks as you hop into the car, Harry pulling off into the night. You agree with Bruce that it's about time to kill the crime-fighting for the night. You had school in the morning, and tomorrow... Well, you had a not-date with Gwen Stacy. Just two friends going out for dinner. Entirely platonic.

The drive home is filled with jokes and when you finally get back into your home, your bedroom beckons.

>Time to get working on this story. You've got cash to make off Sin-Eater's capture.
>Maybe get working on another one of your clues? You've got time.
>Spend an Advance.
>Write-in

>>3271047
>Time to get working on this story. You've got cash to make off Sin-Eater's capture.

Also Pat, I don't see 'Mutation Bloom' anywhere in our Character Sheet even though we have it. 'Gwen Stacy' isn't listed under our 'Allies' or 'Friends' either.

>>3271028
I can definitely see Jameson doing that.

>>3271062
The mutation bloom is more of a thing you can buy, and gives you a new power every time you buy it.

>>3271047
>>Maybe get working on another one of your clues? You've got time.
>>3271062
>Also Pat, I don't see 'Mutation Bloom' anywhere in our Character Sheet even though we have it.
The way I understood that is that we have to spend an advance on it so it gives us a new random power. Not really a power on itself.

>>3271047
>Write-in
Fuck all of that other stuff, go celebrate with Harry. He's not happy about our methods on this one, so he needs the win. Hopefully he's satisfied with the fact that the time spent gathering extra information will guarantee that Sin-Eater goes away for a long, long time.

>>3271076
It's a bit too late for that.

>>3271076
oh shit. Good shout anon. I'm switching my vote to this.

>>3271072
>>3271067
>The mutation bloom is more of a thing you can buy, and gives you a new power every time you buy it.
Ah, alright. I thought it would be a passive power that gave us a new power once in a while (Homeless Mutant Quest probably got on my mind). Thanks for clearing that up.

>>3271076
eh sure why not

>>3271086
Homeless Mutant Quest was a pretty big inspiration for this. The way Mutation Bloom works is that you spend an Advance and get a new power, but there is risk. You may end up with a random power that is hard to hide or control, due to the fact that you've got an untested super-soldier spider DNA running through your body.

>>3271076
>>3271086
>>3271089
>Writing hanging out with Harry

>>3271182

However, instead of moving to head back inside, you turn to Harry with a grin. "Y'know, I heard there's a early matinee of Top Gun. You wanna go see it?" It's going to be a late night, but you need the olive branch to Harry. It's the only way you'll feel right about easing off this tension that's been between you for the last couple days.

There's delight that lights up in his eyes as you offer, smiling wide. "Are we on a highway to the danger zone, J.J.?"

You stare at him for a long while, pausing to sigh deeply. Regardless of how rich he was, or how confident he was, sometimes Harry could be the biggest dweeb you've ever seen in your life. Even bigger than Banner, if such a thing was remotely possible. "...Just drive, Harry."

The rest of the evening passed with laughing and popcorn and with your eyes glued to the screen in a theater filled with people enraptured by the film, yourself included. This time, you cover their tickets with the profits of your last hijinks, and by the time the night's over you would have never thought the two of you were quarreling some days before. It's a good feeling to get that weight off of your chest, to clear the air between the two of you and get back to the way things were. When you finally get home it's all you can do from keeping yourself from collapsing onto the bed.

Morning comes, and school comes, but you're not really thinking about being Shutterbug, Harry, or even Bruce. More importantly, you had dinner with Gwen later that day, and to be frank, you had the jitterbugs. Who wouldn't, going out with a girl so bold and brave? You managed to turn her into a stuttering mess when you originally offered the dinner, but you were pretty sure that it wouldn't remain that way. She was smart as a whip and probably just as likely to turn the tables next time around.

When the bell hits for the end of the day, you're not entirely sure what to do. You've got two hours till you're supposed to pick her up at her home.

>Bring together the mightiest minds you know. The Trifreakta will plan the greatest date known to man.
>Get home so you can get figure out what the hell in your wardrobe looks good.
>Write-in

>>3271378
>Get home so you can get figure out what the hell in your wardrobe looks good.
This is our date, we should plan everything ourselves.
What we should do is
>Strategise. If she's going to turn the tables on us then we need to be ready. Create counter offences against comments we think she'd bring up. Prepare what to say to her father.

>>3271378
>>Bring together the mightiest minds you know. The Trifreakta will plan the greatest date known to man.
Holy formatting PatMak!

>>3271378
>Get home so you can get figure out what the hell in your wardrobe looks good.
Worst thing you can do is ask a bunch of dudes how to wow a lady

>>3271378
Whatever we end up doing to prepare, make sure to plan to write that story tonight. We can't go waiting too long, or that news will be too old to count as news. We have a little bit more wiggle room since the internet doesn't exist yet, but if we wait too long past Stanley 'Sin-Eater' Carter getting his booking, our story won't be worth shit.

>>3271400
Ditto

>>3271400
Yarp.

>>3271504
We should write up some bullet points of how we want the article to be written before we leave to save us some time.

>>3271400
>>3271502
>>3271598
Get home and preparing seems to be the winner. Writing.

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>>3273616

Bruce and Harry are understanding when it comes to your desire to figure this thing out on your own, even if some niggling part of you wants their help on this front. Then again, maybe it's for the best the three of you didn't do a group huddle. Three dudes who knew absolutely nothing about women really shouldn't be the ones planning out a date. Especially not for someone as witty and cutting as Gwen Stacy. You've had the pleasure of seeing her cut down more than a few people at school, yet you're not really in a rush to be on the receiving end yourself.

"Break a leg, J.J." Harry speaks, slapping your shoulder and grinning as the three of you clustered around his locker.

"I dunno, I'm still kind of nervous, man." Thing was, you actually liked Gwen. There weren't many people as passionate about journalism as you.

"What's the worst that could happen?"

That's when Bruce pipes in, pushing up his glasses in the same breath. "She could think he's a massive pig and never want to talk to him again."

That manages to cause the three of you to lapse into silence for a few moments, which was broken by Harry as usual. "...He's got a point there, J.J. Better not screw this up, huh?"

"Thanks guys! Really making me feel confident about this thing!" Sometimes those two could be reassuring, but this wasn't one of those occasions. Instead they're just making you worry more as you say your goodbyes and begin to head back to the buses. A short ride later wracked with worry and you're home to begin the process of peeling through your meager wardrobe.

Looking in the mirror, it's a bit strange the contrasts between your physical appearance before and after being bitten by he spider. Few would ever call you anything beyond average, but developing superpowers seems to have changed some things. Your physicality is far more defined and inherently toned, and while your face didn't really change that much, it's decidedly got much more of a roguish charm. It's not a radical difference to the passing observer, but to someone that really knew you it's likely to be a little surprising.

You're trying on clothes of course, from t-shirts to jackets and jeans and caps, trying to figure out what to settle for. In the end, jeans, sneakers, and a rather trendy Queen t-shirt you got from a concert a year or so back seems to be the best option. Then, it's just a matter of whittling away the time until you need to go pick up Gwen. Which might not have been the best option, since it actually gives you time to fret and freak out, before you manage to compose yourself. Somewhat.

[1/?]

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>>3273668

You've got Gwen's address, but this is the first time you've ever actually been to her home. Mostly the two of you would work on journalism projects at school, so there was never really a cause for either of you to pay a house call. Finding yourself in front of a two-story brownstone home very much like your own, there's a little hesitance in your body before you muster up the courage to knock on the front door. Then it's just a matter of waiting, what feels like an absolute eternity of it.

When the door opens, it's not Gwen, or her mom. It's a face you definitely didn't expect to see that night, considering you saw him the night prior. Detective Gwen Stacy opened the door, and even if his expression was congenial, you could feel your gut sinking. It's not as if you weren's suspecting that the two were related for some time, but such a blatant confirmation of your suspicions is a little surprising. Even beyond that, you're a little nervous because he's the only man you've met multiple times in costume. And being honest to yourself, your costume is a little flimsy.

"J.J., right?" He's out of his typical police outfit, wearing a flannel shirt instead and greeting you with an easy smile. Still not enough to calm your nerves.

"Yessir." It's best to be respectful and polite in this situation, isn't it? You wouldn't know.

"George Stacy," He says as he introduces himself, offering a hand to shake which you quickly grasp. "I'm Gwen's father. Though, uh... People also call me Detective George Stacy." There's a not so subtle threat there as he continued smiling, a paternal glint in his eye. "You know what I'm trying to say, ri-" He didn't get to finish his sentence, though, as he was quickly pushed out of the way by a very red, very flustered Gwen.

"DAD! Stop trying to threaten him with your badge!" She gave him a nasty look, before turning to you with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. He does this sometimes..."

"What? Embarrassed I care so much about my little girl?" He grinned at his daughter, obviously teasing before turning to you. "Make sure to have her back before eleven, or I might start getting antsy and begin sending a few patrol cars to look for you two."

"Ohmygoddad!" It's refreshing to see Gwen so red, but it's also lovely to see her in the white floral print sundress she's wearing. It's enough to really make your mind wander a little.

"I'm kidding, kidding!" There's a brief look over her shoulder from George when she's not looking at him, directed towards you. You're pretty sure he's not kidding. "Stay safe, kids." With that, he finally allowed the two of you to be alone on the steps into the brownstone, and the gravity of the situation was beginning to settle in.

[2/3]

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>>3273703

You're alone with Gwen Stacy. To be honest, the reality of the situation hasn't likely hit you yet, so it's the only reason you can stay so cool and confident in the face of this, especially after the threat from her father. She's the first one to speak, looking uncharacteristically bashful for a few moments before clearing her throat and beginning to regain her composure.

"Yeah... That was my dad. He's a bit overprotective sometimes, but he's cool..." Looking back at the door, she rolled her eyes. "Well, when he's not threatening my friends."

"Just a friend?" You ask, a little hopeful and a little bold as the two of you began to walk down the street together. Her response was the most smug smirk and fluttering of lashes you've ever seen from a girl, shrugging as she drifted closer to your arm.

"Maybe. We'll see how this night goes, won't we? Then we'll take it from there." This sounds more like the Gwen you know, the stubborn and dogged girl that rarely backs down to anyone.

For your part, you're able to snort a laugh at her little comment, giving your own grin. "Better get ready. Before dinner, we're..."

>"...going to Coney island." Amusement park rides and carnival games. Who wouldn't want to go?
>"...catching a movie." Pretty in Pink is still in theaters. Don't girls love that romantic stuff?
>"...we're going bowling." Quieter, but gives you a good chance to really talk.
>Write-in

[3/3]

>>3273729
>"...we're going bowling." Quieter, but gives you a good chance to really talk.
I hope one of us anons knows what to do during a date.

>>3273739
Ditto
Bowling’s pretty good, we’re both competitive and it’s somewhat physical

>>3273729
>>"...going to Coney island." Amusement park rides and carnival games. Who wouldn't want to go?

>>3273729
>>"...we're going bowling." Quieter, but gives you a good chance to really talk.
Cousin let us go bowling!

>>3273729
>"...we're going bowling." Quieter, but gives you a good chance to really talk.

>>3273739
>>3273796
>>3273832
>>3273925
Bowling Wins. Writing.

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>>3273962

Coney Island might have been fun, but on a Friday night you're pretty sure there will be countless other couples and families there, clogging up all the lines. A movie could be fun, but you've never really liked the idea of heading to a theater for a date. There's little talking and you don't really get to engage with the other person. There's only one other option that comes to mind is bowling, and that's what you've settled on.

"...We're going bowling. There's a good bowling alley a few blocks away."

"What, Kingpins? I'm surprised the big man upstairs hasn't taken offense, honestly..." That surprises you, actually, but it really shouldn't. Gwen's father was a cop, and if he didn't tell her anything about his job, there's a fair chance someone as curious as her would have snooped around on her own.

"You're into that crime stuff?"

"J.J., even when my dad isn't bringing it home, I'm usually peeking through his old case files. Not exactly light reading, but interesting." There's a fervent desire to read some of those notes of her father's, but you're pretty sure it's a bad idea to drag her into your superheroic life. At least for now. "He's been talking about this new hero on the scene a little, though. What was his name... Jitterbug?"

"Shutterbug?" You gingerly offer, trying not to appear more than marginally interested.

"Yeah, that's his name. Showed up on the scene out of nowhere, but that's how these guys usually happen, don't they?" She shrugged as the two of you walked onward. "I think dad might be looking into him. Brought home some weird black stuff the other day, said it was from this guy."

That's concerning, and it's only by the dint of willpower alone that you don't stop walking and question her further. Why was George Stacy looking into you, or your webbing? Professional curiosity? You need to know, but you don't really have a good way of broaching the subject without sounding too interested or curious. There's one inkling of an idea, though, why he might think Shutterbug warranted further investigation.

If he thought you were, say, involved with the Oscorp incident. Which you were, just not responsible for all of the stolen equipment or subjects. Whether or not the law would see it that way was another thing entirely. It's another item in a long list of anxieties.

[1/2]

>>3274102
>inb4 we have a backseat vulture moment with Detective Stacy

>>3274102
Once the two of you get to the bowling alley, a few dollars later the two of you were renting shoes and rolling balls down the alleys. Gwen, stubborn as ever, insisted on paying her own way with items from her purse. You were a gentleman, but neither were you made of money, so you didn't fight very hard on that front.

"What's this big thing taking up all your time, J.J.? Too busy for us at the journalism club now?" She teases, knocking out four pins in her last roll

"Would you believe me if I said I got a job at the Bugle?" You can dance around the specifics of it easily enough, provided she didn't look into it more closely.

There's a genuine surprise on her face as you explain, worth the surprise. "Really? How'd you land that one?"

"They needed someone to take pictures for the Pulse. Nothing big, but it looks good on a transcript, doesn't it?" Did you even want to go to college anymore? It sounded neat, but being the Shutterbug full-time sounded plenty enjoyable as well.

"Congratulations, J.J.! That's why you've been so busy lately? I thought..." She looked away, smiling as you purposefully missed your latest roll. Chances are with your strength, you could knockdown all the pins regularly. "I thought it was...someone else, y'know? Taking up all your time." She paused, before her brow knit in worry. "Oh gosh, that sounded a lot clingier than I meant it to be."

You laugh, it's hearty and long, distracting you from how hot your face feels and how she's blushing but giggling beside you as well. For a time, you're not Shutterbug, and you don't have these worries or responsibilities weighing on your shoulders. For the first time since getting bitten, you're just a teenage boy again. And that feels good.

>"Only got eyes for you, blondie." You've been crushing on her for how long? Might as well take the plunge.
>"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Give her a taste of her own medicine and leave her thrown for a loop.
>"Gwen, my life is so crazy right now that I don't have a clue what I'm doing half the time." The last thing you need is to be considering any kind of relationship.
>Write-in

>>3274383
>>"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Give her a taste of her own medicine and leave her thrown for a loop.

>>3274383
>"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Give her a taste of her own medicine and leave her thrown for a loop.
Eyyyy. Welcome back Pat.

>>3274393
Had an internet service disruption, much to my chagrin.

>>3274383
>>"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Give her a taste of her own medicine and leave her thrown for a loop.

>>3274383
>>"Maybe I do, maybe I don't." Give her a taste of her own medicine and leave her thrown for a loop

>>3274392
>>3274393
>>3274430
>>3274511

When you're done laughing, you look her dead in the eyes and cross your arms, smiling wide. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. I'm a busy man these days, Gwen."

The look on her face is equal parts shock and incredulous confusion, if only because she likely didn't expect you to come out with that. "What? Oh, you're a real ass sometimes, J.J..." There's a mirth in her eyes, though, and it was clear there wasn't any real hurt feelings on her side of things.

"Look, I'm absolutely irresistible. Girls swooning over me left and right... It's too much for a guy to take sometimes." Your grin is positively roguish as you grasp another bowling ball in your hands, deciding whether or not you wanted a perfect strike or not.

"If I hadn't known you since middle school, maybe I would have believed that." Not a lot of people can make that claim to fame. Harry's the only person who's known you longer, with Bruce really attending Midtown High at the beginning of your freshmen careers. "You were always the only kid carrying a camera around."

Did that make you look like a weirdo back in the day? Sure. Everyone had their phases. "Didn't you also do ballet and gymnastics?"

"I still do gymnastics on the side. It's pretty fun, all things considered." You're not entirely sure if you agree, but your experience so far has been dodging bullets and superpowered sluggers, so maybe you're not exactly the best person to talk to about it.

"Gymnastics, journalism, and crime sleuthing... You're halfway to being a superhero, y'know." That got a snort of amusement out of her.

"Short of ending up a mutant, I don't think that's in the cards, as fun as it might be. Besides, I want to be a detective, like dad. I think..." Oof. The idea of one day being chased by Gwen doesn't sound too exciting, considering how clever she is. Your secret identity wouldn't stay that way for long.

[1/?]

>>3274539
I’m really up for Gwen chasing ShutterBug around town

>>3274539

In the end the night whittles by and the bowling comes to an end of sorts. It's just about time to head on and begin to figure out where you're going to grub for the night. Options were shared between you hurriedly, but for a date night that's technically not a date night, the two of you begin to settle on pizza. What else could you engage in that would possibly be half as delicious or well-crafted? With that in mind the two of you doddle along the streets, making little jabs at one another the entire time.

When the two of you enter the little diner, the smell of fresh pizza assaults your senses and immediately sets your stomach growling. Why wouldn't it, as delicious as it seemed? As you got settled at a table and awaited your pizza, you couldn't help but to feel a slight little pressure at the back of your skull. Tingling. Not the inherent spike of danger or a threat coming at you, but something new and foreign. In your experience, new wasn't always a good thing. The last time new stuff happened to you, Bruce turned into a Hulk and you got punched through two walls.

For now you're playing it off, though, and ignoring the rumbling in the back of your head as Gwen spoke. "What about you? What are you trying to do, J.J.? Going to join the army like your dad?"

It was impossible to hide the grimace that came over your face, even if she didn't know the truth about your father. Few people did, and sometimes you wanted to keep it that way. Other times, you wanted everyone to know the type of man he really was. "...Don't think that's for me."

"Figured. You're too much of a muckraker for that."

"I prefer the term gumshoe. Makes me sound distinguished."

When the pizza arrived the two of you didn't have much call for words and instead you ripped into your pizza, trying not to look like a voracious beast in front of Gwen. Thankfully, she's got the same struggle on her side of the table. There's not really a good way to look cool while eating greasy Italian food.

[2/3]

>>3274685

When the night is winding down and you're walking her back home, there's a quiet that settles between the two of you. Something unspoken, but warm. For this not a date, it's gone pretty well. You think. By the time you get her back to her front door, the two of you stayed on the steps for a few moments, making awkward teenage goodbyes.

And then, in an instant, Gwen leaned in and pecked you on the cheek. It's soft and pleasant and you're pretty sure there's boys in school that would have murdered you to be in your shoes right now. "Be safe, J.J. See you Monday?"

You nod, grinning like an idiot the entire time. "See you Monday."

With that, she's through the door and you're left to stand on the front steps of the brownstone and just take your time to absorb the moment. An indirect kiss, but a kiss nevertheless. As you begin to strut out into the dark, you're well aware that while the day's over, the night is still young.

>There's probably time for some late-night Shutterbug action.
>You want to get working on this Sin-Eater story to turn in.
>Shake down Banner and see if he's still up. You're curious about this hideout he's been talking up.
>Call Osborn and ask him if he can get more info on the looting of the labs.

[3/3]

>>3274698
>You want to get working on this Sin-Eater story to turn in.

>>3274698
>You want to get working on this Sin-Eater story to turn in.

>>3274698
>>You want to get working on this Sin-Eater story to turn in.

>>3274698
>>You want to get working on this Sin-Eater story to turn in.

>>3274698
>>You want to get working on this Sin-Eater story to turn in.

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>>3274779
>>3274785
>>3274786
>>3274891
>>3274988

As soon as you get inside of the house you're back upstairs in your room, and almost in an instant you're at your desk writing. There's so much bottled up inside of you it's hard to tell where J.J. Jameson begins and Shutterbug ends, but you write about everything. About the Bar With No Name, about Hyno Hustler and Overdrive, about Sin-Eater and the man you think he is. There's some hesitance to mention the tenuous S.H.I.E.L.D. connections, and yet in order to tell this story fully you'd be neglectful not to mention them. There's more to Stanley Carter than what you saw, but you paint a picture of a strange, studious killer for the Maggia.

It's equal parts hit-piece, taunt to the biggest crime organization in the city, and unashamed retelling of your on exploits and adventures in studying his behaviors and life. Most of that information was handed off to George Stacy, and that coupled with his signature shotgun should be enough to put the assassin away for a very long time. Theoretically. Villains like this just happened to spring out of jail literally every other day, but then again, it seemed like those oddballs had powers. If Stanley had any, you never saw them in action. He was simply a profoundly talented man.

By the end of the night, you barely carry yourself back to your bed, though with the satisfaction that your story is finished. Sleep comes easy, though waking up is the hard part. It takes your hungry stomach to wrench you out of your slumber and the smell of breakfast, meandering down and getting something to eat.

Now it comes to the hard choice. How did you want to want to spend your Saturday?

>Shake down Banner and see if he's up. You're curious about this hideout he's been talking up.
>Call Osborn and ask him if he can get more info on the looting of the labs.
>Go patrolling as Shutterbug. That's a thing heroes do, right?
>Write-in

>>3275009
>>Shake down Banner and see if he's up. You're curious about this hideout he's been talking up.

>>3275009
>>Shake down Banner and see if he's up. You're curious about this hideout he's been talking up.

Also be sure to drop off our paper first thing in the morning at the Bugle.

>>3275009
>>Shake down Banner and see if he's up. You're curious about this hideout he's been talking up.

>>3275009
>Shake down Banner and see if he's up. You're curious about this hideout he's been talking up.

>>3275028
Ditto with an option on patrol

>>3275009
Wait holy shit, we have a very real chance of being drafted to fight in: Panama, Grenade, The Gulf War, Fucking Somalia, Kosovo, and Bosnia

>>3275188
Did people get drafted in any of those wars? I thought they weren't sizable enough conflicts for that. Or are you talking about in a superheroic capacity?

>>3275197
Yes for both. you can totally get drafted, it’s just super unlucky, and if we ever get arrested there’s a chance we’ll be given the “military or Jail time” option where our super strength will probably let us kick some ass

>>3275197
Holy shit never mind, the Drafg ended in 1973 but still tho we could totally go somewhere as a journalist

>>3275028
>>3275036
>>3275042
>>3275061
>>3275169
>Shaking down Banner and dropping off the story at the Bugle wins. Writing.

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>>3277023

The day sprawls out before you with many options, but the first thing that comes to mind is dumping off your story at the Bugle. To be entirely frank, you're still a little strapped for cash and it's not as if you could put Peter's faith in your talent at risk. This story was also still fresh, but it wouldn't stay that way if you didn't get it in to the papers soon for editing and before the news of the arrest circulated too widely.

Dressing up in your costume, you deign to take the window outside of your home and begin the trek across New York. Over the last week or so, you've been getting pretty solid at this whole web-slinging, though, so it's actually quicker than taking a taxi. No waiting for traffic and no having to contend with the insanity of New York's drivers. Honestly, if Harry and Bruce could find a nice way to get around like you, it'd cut down on your travel times considerably.

With that in mind you swing to the Daily Bugle, pausing at the top of an adjacent building to survey the scene.

>You should walk in through the front door, like last time.
>They know you now. Save time and head in through the windows.
>Write-in

>>3277079
>>They know you now. Save time and head in through the windows.

>>3277079
>>You should walk in through the front door, like last time.

>>3277079
>>You should walk in through the front door, like last time.
No need to get cocky.

>>3277079
>>You should walk in through the front door, like last time.

>>3277079
WINDOWS!

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>>3277123
>>3277134
>>3277141

Just because you've gotten a job there doesn't mean you can climb in through the windows like some sort of menace. There's a time and place to engage in such tomfoolery, like when you're trying to fight a supervillain or hit on cute girls. Not when you're trying to pretend to be professional and to make some cheddar at the same time. For that reason you decide not to go in through the window, not this time at least. Instead, you're heading for the front door like everyone else.

This time the process is a lot smoother, though you're definitely stared at like some sort of freak. Then again, you can stick to walls and you swung on webs to get there, so maybe you didn't have a lot of roof to talk on this front. A short ride up the elevator later, you're back in the bustling office of the Bugle building, with all the ruckus that involves. Still, there's a certain charm to the entire room, whether it be the frantic look in a journalists eyes, the ever present smell of coffee, or ink-stained hands hurriedly typing on the typewriters.

Maybe if you hadn't gotten powers, you'd be interning here. As it stood your job was leaps and bounds more interesting than just interviewing boring people and chasing municipal corruption leads. Reflecting on this, you barely notice when a familiar face comes up to you. Ben Urich looks tired at best, but that's understandable given his age. The fact that he's still trucking along while so many others aren't is more of a testament to his talent and dedication to a good story than anything else.

"Pleasure to see you again, Shutterbug. What's the occasion?"

"Got more stories to sell, Mr. Urich." You hold up your written notes and story on Sin-Eater, smiling proudly underneath your scarf.

[1/2]

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>>3277350

"I bet Peter's excited to see it, then. Don't let his grumpiness fool you, that last story you gave us sold like hotcakes." Ben grinned, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Turns out people are interested in seeing what life is like from the perspective of a cape, and not just a bystander." The term is terribly outdated, but charming in it's own way for superheroes and villains. "Feel free to head inside his office. Had to step out for a minute to attend to something, but he should be back in a bit."

Nodding, you headed to move inside of Peter Parker's office, opening the door and making direct eye contact with a girl behind the desk. A teenager, who looked roughly around your age and was in the process of inspecting a cigar pulled out of the desk. Her dark brown hair was cut into more of a pixie bob, lean and wearing a leather jacket. There was very much a deer in the headlights look on her face as you walked in, visibly surprising her.

>"...Guess I'm not exactly Parker's 10 o' clock, am I?" Maybe making a joke would be the best way to make her relax.
>"Planning on sharing that?" Those cigars did look awfully tempting.
>"Are you supposed to be in here, miss?" You're not entirely sure who this girl is, but she doesn't look like a journalist or a intern.
>Write-in

[2/2]

>>3277352
>"...Guess I'm not exactly Parker's 10 o' clock, am I?" Maybe making a joke would be the best way to make her relax.

>>3277352
>"Planning on sharing that?" Those cigars did look awfully tempting.

>>3277352
>"...Guess I'm not exactly Parker's 10 o' clock, am I?" Maybe making a joke would be the best way to make her relax.
JJ can start smoking cigars at a later date. Maybe he can share a cigar with Logan after a future exclusive interview with the mysterious Weapon X.

>>3277352
>"...Guess I'm not exactly Parker's 10 o' clock, am I?" Maybe making a joke would be the best way to make her relax.
So... Penny Parker?

>>3277425
>So... Penny Parker?
...
Anon, her name is right there.

>>3277435
Please excuse me, it's been a long day. At least I correctly guessed her heritage.

>>3277370
>>3277376
>>3277425

"Guess I'm not exactly Parker's 10 o' clock, am I?" You'd likely be having the same reaction as her if some costumed bozo came out of nowhere when you were doing something you definitely weren't supposed to be. It's better that you make a joke to break the tension in the air and show you're not some imperious stickler for the law.

Gingerly, she pushed the cigar back into the desk, sighing. [I]"Almost got one..." Then she turned to you, arching a brow and looking you up and down curiously. "No, not an appointment or one of these suits. I'm his daughter, Mayday." Leaning over the desk and propping up her elbows on the surface, she was scrutinizing you something fierce. "Who the hell are you supposed to be?"

The family resemblence is there now that you know to look for it. That same general dark hair, facial structure, and biting wit. If anything, you're pretty sure she goes to Midtown High, now that you're looking at her. You've just never had an occasion to talk to the girl as you passed by in the halls. Hell, until just a few seconds ago you didn't even know they were related, or that Peter Parker had a daughter. "Just your local Shutterbug. Breaking hearts, punching criminals, getting scoops."

"You named yourself Shutterbug? Cute."

"Technically my friend came up with it. I just rolled with it."

"And you what? Work for my dad?" She stood up, rolling her neck and adjusting her jacket. "Ain't there better ways of gettin' cash? More exciting ones? Heard Heroes for Hire are looking to expand."

"It's not always about the money. Sometimes, it's the principle of the thing." But yes, if you were being honest, you really would like to make a good buck and still get to kick ass at the same time. If you wanted to be normal, you would have never tried to explore or use your powers, or chase after Harry when he went into the bowels of the Oscorp building. Sometimes, some people were built for a more extraordinary life.

"Uh-huh..." She dubious of your intentions at best. "Don't get me wrong, the hero stuff looks awesome. I just couldn't imagine how anyone could do it for journalism of all things."

"Not all heroes need to go punch Galactus to make a difference." Sometimes, it the was small victories that counted the most. You might never save the world, but you'd be damn sure you saved New York. Even from itself.

[1/?]

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>>3277581

The two of you don't have a whole lot of time to argue between yourselves, likely for the best, as the door opens and Parker walks in. He looked surprised but not by much to see his daughter, nor did he spare you more than a passing glance. "Shutterbug. I see you've met my darling daughter." There's a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he walked around to the other side of the desk, pecking his daughter on the forehead quickly as he passed.

She didn't seem to much care for it, nor did she seem to want you to be present for it. "Ugh..." She sighed, beginning to talk towards the exit. "That's my cue to leave. I'll be waiting outside to go to lunch, dad." Brushing past you briskly, it left you and Parker alone in the office.

"Out of my two daughters, Mayday's definitely the one that'll give me a heart attack one of these days." Shaking his head, he settled down behind his desk as you approached, handing him the folder containing your account of defeating and stalking Sin-Eater. He takes his time to read it, though he's a quick study with the amount of time it took him to scan it. "Good stuff. And you're positive this joker was a maggia stooge?"

"I'd swear my life on it."

There's a snort that came from Peter as he stared at you, the ghost of a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Be careful before you eat your words there, kid. This is a hit-piece on this guy's character, and the maggia itself. They're not going to take it sitting down, especially from some nobody. No offense."

"None taken."

"I'd keep my eyes peeled if I were you." He's pulled out a little checkbook, writing on it and pushing it over. "Still, for juicy stuff like this we'll pay top dollar. How's $300 dollars to make this worth the risk?"

It's enough to make you forget the risk entirely, even if it's a danger you should be well-aware of, now that he's mentioned it. Reaching to take the check, you cock your head to the side slightly. "I think this takes a bit of a weight off my shoulders." As per the last time, you moved towards the window in his office. "Catch you on the flipside, Mr. Parker." Without much fanfare, you're leaping right back out the window, webbing a building and swinging along. Far richer than you had started the day.

With that in mind, it was just a matter of figuring out what to do.

>Find Bruce. Your hideout awaited.
>Patrol and look for some trouble.
>Write-in

[2/2]

>>3277692
>"I'd keep my eyes peeled if I were you."
I think we should take this to heart, we just wrote a hit piece and probably mentioned S.H.I.E.L.D.'s connection to a gunman. We're amateur journalists, we've staked a guy before. We should know how easy it could be for people to uncover our identity - or follow Bruce or Harry from the hideout.

We need to start preparing, hopefully without becoming paranoid in the process.

>>3277692
>>Find Bruce. Your hideout awaited.

>>3277692
>>Find Bruce. Your hideout awaited.

>>3277692
>>Find Bruce. Your hideout awaited.

>>3277692
>Find Bruce. Your hideout awaited.

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Peter Parker's warning about the Maggia is one you'll have to keep in mind as you go about your career, but you can't just hide and jump at every shadow. Eventually, you were going to need to take risks and live your life for better or worse. Besides, Shutterbug couldn't be seen to back down. You had a new reputation to begin to cultivate, and it wouldn't do to have it demolished so quickly.

Through the use the nearest payphone, you're able to set up a meeting with Bruce at the site of his latest interests, the Freedom tunnels. You were marginally aware they housed a not insubstantial homeless population, and were known for being an access way deeper into the subway tunnels, but he was describing something a touch larger. Regardless, you saw him easily enough from above, his lanky and skinny frame readily picked out. Doing your due diligence to be mindful about not being followed, you walk up to the teen.

"Ah, you've arrived! I'll be able to show you where I've set up." Set up? You thought this was only a preliminary scouting.

"You're already settling down into the space? And where's Harry?"

"He said he was indisposed. Something to do with his father." You and Bruce never usually pried beyond that. Having an alcoholic as a dad came with it's own challenges, but you're pretty sure having a multi-billion dollar conglomerate parent looming down on you might have been worse. "I've merely started installing some locks. My neighbor works in construction, and as a very manipulable crush on my aunt. I simply borrowed some of his tools."

You feel as if there's a lesson on morality in there somewhere, but truthfully finding it was too much of a bother, so you merely followed him inside of the tunnels. He's well prepared, even bringing a flashlight to illuminate the interior of the dark spaces, and you're pretty sure your danger sense would warn you of anything come either. "What's so special about this place, then?"

"New York is infamous for it's subway systems, J.J. They're dense and meandering and often never make any sense. That's why they're perfect for a hideout." His voice echoed around as sunlight appeared farther and farther until it was a tiny dot, and the two of you were winding through passages that Bruce had obviously memorized beforehand. The smell isn't too great either, but it's not unbearable either.

Eventually, the two of you walked into a space that seemed like part of a waystation or maintenance route, maybe? But otherwise collapsed in at several spots around the room. There were some tools being used there, probably from Bruce, with lights set up and plugged into access ports into the wall. At least this place got power...

>"It's a little barren, isn't it?" You're not sure if you want to settle underground...
>"Good job, Bruce. If we set up a door, this place should be perfect." Maybe it needed a bit of work to become livable, but it wasn't bad.
>Write-in

>>3278654
>>"Good job, Bruce. If we set up a door, this place should be perfect." Maybe it needed a bit of work to become livable, but it wasn't bad.

>>3278654
>"Good job, Bruce. If we set up a door, this place should be perfect." Maybe it needed a bit of work to become livable, but it wasn't bad.

>>3278654
>>"Good job, Bruce. If we set up a door, this place should be perfect." Maybe it needed a bit of work to become livable, but it wasn't bad.

>>3278685
Ditto

>>3278654
>"Good job, Bruce. If we set up a door, this place should be perfect." Maybe it needed a bit of work to become livable, but it wasn't bad.

>>3278654
>"Good job, Bruce. If we set up a door, this place should be perfect." Maybe it needed a bit of work to become livable, but it wasn't bad.
Also, adjusted for inflation, $300 in the 80s is closer to $750 in modern money.

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>>3278685
>>3278700
>>3278704
>>3278830
>>3279218
>>3280215

You're actually kind of surprised this whole thing shook out. Bruce was the last person you imagined going off on his own, especially in a place like this, but it's not as if he had to worry about being hurt. Not when he potentially had an alter-ego just waiting around the corner to smash whatever tried to harm him, and everything in the vicinity. "Good job, Bruce. If we set up a proper door, this place is gonna be perfect." You've definitely got some ideas for this new hideout.

"I'd say we should come up with a name, but Harry's better at that sort of thing, isn't he?" Bruce asks, gesturing around the room. You'd like to disagree, but since Harry's the one that came up with the name Shutterbug you don't really have a leg to stand on in that argument.

"True, true. It should at least wait till all three of us are present." That's the only way to make it fair in your mind.

"I'm going to keep working on this place for the day, but I'm open to ideas on what to focus on."

>The Hideout(Name Pending) is a location where you can rest, store gear and other items, and perform heavier research that can't be done in the bedroom of a seventeen year old boy. Provided you have the space, resources, and are willing to invest the time, you or another ally can engage in long-form research projects. In addition, you are able to spend money to build additional sections of the hideout. Currently, you have room for four additions, pending more with cleaning out the rubble. Your current options are:

>Security, stage one, $100 cost: A heavy door and a solid lock may not stop an A-list supervillain, but chances are it'll keep most curious snoopers from delving inside or discovering your base easily. You'll sleep a lot easier knowing that.
>Rubble Cleaning, 2-day project, $40 cost: It's tough work, but you're pretty sure it'll be easier to appreciate the space if it was cleaner, and some of the space wasn't collapsed in on itself. Bruce seems to be pretty confident that he can install the proper supports himself, and the end result should be a properly set-up space and more room for further expansions.
>Living space, stage one, $100: It's not pretty, but a couple of cots and some other minor amenities would go a long way towards making this place a good spot to hang out. Maybe in time you could even figure out how the hell to install plumbing and proper electrical connections.
>Write-in ideas/projects

>>3288976
>>Rubble Cleaning, 2-day project, $40 cost

>>3288976
>Security, stage one, $100 cost: A heavy door and a solid lock may not stop an A-list supervillain, but chances are it'll keep most curious snoopers from delving inside or discovering your base easily. You'll sleep a lot easier knowing that.

>>3288976
>>Rubble Cleaning, 2-day project, $40 cost: It's tough work, but you're pretty sure it'll be easier to appreciate the space if it was cleaner, and some of the space wasn't collapsed in on itself. Bruce seems to be pretty confident that he can install the proper supports himself, and the end result should be a properly set-up space and more room for further expansions.

>>3288976

>Security, stage one, $100 cost: A heavy door and a solid lock may not stop an A-list supervillain, but chances are it'll keep most curious snoopers from delving inside or discovering your base easily. You'll sleep a lot easier knowing that.

>>3289357
switching to>>3289385

>>3289028
>>3289385
>>3289400

Security it is. Writing.

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>>3289452

"Let's focus on security, Bruce. A good heavy door, and some locks for this place." You guys didn't have any super-science or important secrets to protect yet, but when you did you wanted to make sure no ordinary schmuck could just waltz in and take your stuff. You're pretty sure it's not going to keep out a dedicated supervillain, or even be that hard to detect for people actively looking for it, but it's better than nothing.

"I'll make the preparations, then. Expect to see it in a day or so, alright?" The timetable makes sense, even if it'll keep Bruce busy for awhile. Still, you'll sleep better knowing your secrets are being secured.

"Gotcha. Here, what you need from this." Without a second thought, you peel off a hundred dollar bill and hand it to Banner, enjoying the surprise on his face. "Turns out our stories are selling like hotcakes. Guess I'm a natural."

"Don't let it go to your head, J.J. You're insufferable when you're smug." You haven't the faintest clue what he's talking about. You're the definition of magnanimous winner.

With that bit of business taken care of, you've still got more than enough time in the day to really engage yourself in something. The question was, what did you want to do?

>Go back home and work on your research. There's some story threads that could do with looking into.
>Patrol around Brooklyn. It's what people like you are supposed to do, and sometimes you have to go out and find a story.
>Go look into one of your story-leads. You've got some threads dangling around.
>Write-in

>>3289541
>Patrol around Brooklyn. It's what people like you are supposed to do, and sometimes you have to go out and find a story.

>>3289541
>Go back home and work on your research. There's some story threads that could do with looking into.

>>3289541
>>Go back home and work on your research. There's some story threads that could do with looking into.

>>3289541
>>Go look into one of your story-leads. You've got some threads dangling around.

>>3289578
>>3289608

Swinging through the city, you've got a couple of options laid out in front of you. Instead of patrolling or following up one of your leads, though, you begin to head back in the direction of your home. You're more interested in researching now that you've got the time and energy to do so, and it's good because you've got some interesting leads to follow. Getting close enough to make a brisk walk home, it only took a few minutes for you to be back in your bedroom and at your desk.

At the moment, these are the current leads you have to follow:

>The Kingpin [0/?]: New York's shadowy crime boss, even more reclusive than the maggia, and by spades considerably more dangerous. He's got fingers in a lot of pies if the word on the street is to be believed, and rumors fly about his base of power being centered in Hell's Kitchen.

>Web-Shot Design(Cascade)[0/1]: In theory, you think the possibility of creating a new web-shot is relatively easy. It's more of a matter of redesigning your web-shooter to project shots in a direct web, greatly improving your capture capabilities. The trade-off being that you loose the ability to shoot strings when loaded with this ammo type.

>Web-Shooter Ammo Capacity Mk. 1 [0/2]: During normal navigation of the city running out of fluid is no longer an issue. However, during fights and other stressful situations, that's less true. This bumps up how much fluid you're able to conserve and store in one single container.

>Mutants Underground [0/?]: Much like alligators, the rumors of mutants in the sewers of New York have existed forever. With a bit of digging, though, you're pretty sure there's something to be explored there.

>Turf War [2/3]: You've been making moves at the Maggia, and you're pretty sure this is bound to come to a head eventually. After taking down a top assassin, they can't just ignore you for long. Between that, and the information you've been gleaning from papers found in Sin-Eater's home, you're well on your way to some sort of realization or discovery. You can feel it.

>>3290018
>>Mutants Underground [0/?]: Much like alligators, the rumors of mutants in the sewers of New York have existed forever. With a bit of digging, though, you're pretty sure there's something to be explored there.

>>3290018
>Mutants Underground [0/?]: Much like alligators, the rumors of mutants in the sewers of New York have existed forever. With a bit of digging, though, you're pretty sure there's something to be explored there.

>>3290018
>Turf War [2/3]: You've been making moves at the Maggia, and you're pretty sure this is bound to come to a head eventually. After taking down a top assassin, they can't just ignore you for long. Between that, and the information you've been gleaning from papers found in Sin-Eater's home, you're well on your way to some sort of realization or discovery. You can feel it.

>>3290024
>>3290040

>>Mutants Underground [0/?]: Much like alligators, the rumors of mutants in the sewers of New York have existed forever. With a bit of digging, though, you're pretty sure there's something to be explored there.

People have been talking about mutants underground for years now, but it's never been anything more than a scare tactic some politicians in the state have used in order to scare people into voting for them. As far as you can remember, nothing's ever come of it, nor have the sentinels been called in to come fight the 'menace' they pose. Then again, you're pretty sure no one wants to see those giant robots wrecking downtown because they happened to sense some random mutant.

You're of the opinion that there's something there, and even Peter Parker appeared to think so. It's just a matter of sifting through newspaper articles and accounts of subway staff and homeless ravers, talking about communities underneath the cities. Mutants, monsters, even molemen if the crazier among them are to be believed. It's hard to sift through the facts and what's really just mad ravings. You do manage to find one lead, though.

People have been talking about a girl in Queens surrounded by an invisible field of energy, showing up and saving people from fires, collapsed buildings, and all sorts of troubles. Occasionally, she's even followed by a huge man, bald and easily seven feet tall from eyewitness accounts, and a creature that can only be described as something between a man, and a larva or worm of some kind. It's not hard to tell just from descriptions alone, these sound like some probable mutants. You can't exactly go to Xavier's school for gifted youngsters anytime soon, so you're pretty sure you'll have to settle for these three, unless you plan on going down into the depths of the subway yourself.

By the time you finish, it's beginning to creep towards night, somewhere around six o' clock.

>Research more. You're on a roll.
>You're itching for a chance to stretch your legs. Go patrolling.
>Check out a lead. You've got a few to investigate.
>Call Harry and see what he's doing.
>Write-in

>>3290227
>Research more. You're on a roll.
Lets finish off the Turf War.

>>3290227
>Call Harry and see what he's doing.

>>3290241
support

>>3290227
>>Check out a lead. You've got a few to investigate.

>>3290241
>>3290257

As it stands now, you're pretty sure you can burn away the rest of the night finishing up some more research. After all, you felt like you were definitely in your groove now, and you didn't want to stop for anything if you could help it. So that's when you went to your final lead that you were looking into tonight, aided by the hearty amount of information you'd pillaged from Sin-Eater's apartment: The Maggia turf war with the Kingpin.

The best that you could tell, they were having difficulty staying coherent while also providing a united front against the Kingpin. How could they, when all these families were butting heads and contending with one another on a daily basis? Truthfully, you're not surprised they've come close to breaking out into war, but you're a little scared what that would mean for the city. The only reason they haven't been squashed by the terrifying, unknown Kingpin is because they're all together, and not apart. Splitting would mean the crime boss had fewer obstacles in the way to his path at the top of organized crime.

Digging in the stacks and reams of papers and notes that you procured from Sin-Eeater, something else begins to stand out. A deal of some kind, and the contents of it are beginning to make your skin crawl just from reading it. Apparently, the Nefaria family had come into some cargo recently. A shipment of gear, research, and other odds and ends, stolen of course. From where?

The Oscorp lab. The missing research subjects and equipment from the labs that Bruce had smashed up were being auctioned off en-masse Monday, at some swanky, rented out hall. It'd be a who's who of criminal activity, but it also might be a pretty good chance to capture a bunch of really bad guys in the act, and preventing more super-villains from getting tech they didn't need or would use responsibly.

Regardless, finding that much out is making your head spin, and by the time you inspect the clock it's already midnight. With that in mind, you head to bed and decide to figure out what to do in the morning. When it comes around and you're fed and showered, you've got all of Sunday stretched out in front of you.

>Gather the Trifreakta. You had plans to make for this auction.
>Go patrolling. You've really got to punch something one of these days.
>Write-in

>>3290461
>>Gather the Trifreakta. You had plans to make for this auction.

>>3290461
>Gather the Trifreakta. You had plans to make for this auction.
If we can get Detective Stacy in on this for a joint sting (Trifreakta=Street Level Avengers) this will be legit as fuck.

>>3290461
>Gather the Trifreakta. You had plans to make for this auction.

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>>3290524
>>3290533
>>3290584

Waking and composing yourself in the morning light, you know fully well that even with your new powers, fighting the entirety of a crime assembly is a dangerous proposition at best. If the paper had been correct, you wouldn't just be running into New York criminals either. It mentioned other interested parties, though as to what that could mean would be entirely up in the air. All you know is that as an operation, it's entirely too dangerous for you on your own.

Which is why you're making hurried phonecalls to both Harry and Bruce, and an hour later you've got the two of them sitting up in your room. Harry looked particularly haggard that morning, maybe not physically, but there was something in his eyes that told of something happening the day before. He didn't seem keen to talk about it though, keeping it to himself. You know better than to push when his dad is involved. That was a dangerous sore spot.

"You're saying that this place is where most, if not all, of the stolen items are being auctioned off at?" Bruce asks, a resolute expression on his face. Not surprising, considering it was the Hulk who caused this problem in the first place. You're pretty sure he's invested in solving the problem.

"Everything, to the best of my knowledge." You answer back, sitting on your bed with a grin. "We get our names out there, we get criminals off the street, and we clean up the mess we caused at Oscorp." It was a no-brainer for you.

"...We're returning all of the stuff, aren't we?" Harry asked, the first time he's piped up in a long time.

"Of course. Unless they've got supplies that'll help the Trifreakta, though." You're still not entirely against snatching a few items for Harry, whether he knows it or not. As it was now, he needed a bit of a boost to get into the field proper.

"Besides, we're..."

>"...Going to handle this alone." The three of you started this, and now you were going to finish it.
>"...Going looking for help." This was a bit over your head. Maybe it was time to start looking for more superheroic help.
>"...Asking George Stacy to run a sting alongside us." George has been pretty upfront with you, and a good ally. It's time for you to return the favor.
>Write-in

>>3290736
>>"...Asking George Stacy to run a sting alongside us." George has been pretty upfront with you, and a good ally. It's time for you to return the favor.

>>3290736
>>"...Asking George Stacy to run a sting alongside us." George has been pretty upfront with you, and a good ally. It's time for you to return the favor.

>>3290736
>>"...Asking George Stacy to run a sting alongside us." George has been pretty upfront with you, and a good ally. It's time for you to return the favor.

>>3290736
>"...Asking George Stacy to run a sting alongside us." George has been pretty upfront with you, and a good ally. It's time for you to return the favor.
And maybe see if we can get the police to hire Heroes for Hire while they're at it. That was a good tip we got the other day, and Luke Cage is a great person to stand behind.

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>>3290765
>>3290779
>>3290825
>>3290853

"Besides, we're asking George Stacy to run a sting alongside us." As much as the three of you could handle on your own, for something of this size you needed a little more muscle than the three of you could provide. Nothing quite like the full backing of the New York law enforcement system on your side, right?

"You sure that's wise? What if he figures out you're J.J.? Also, sort of dating but not dating his daughter?" Harry's got a solid point there, but you round to him immediately.

"We're not dating! We're just really close friends, alright?"

"That go out to dinner together, and go bowling, and--" Bruce was rattling off things, but you interrupt him briskly.

"Okay, okay, okay! I see what you're saying. But it's not going to be like that at all. You really think he'd turn on me like that?"

"If Gwen was your daughter, would you?" Godamnit, you hate it when Bruce has a point.

"We'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it." You're pretty sure you can continue to hide your identity from him, though. Especially with your new costume coming in tomorrow. "Beyond that, maybe we should poke them to look into more help."

"Such as?" Harry asks, inclining his head slightly.

"The Heroes for hire. Power Man and the Iron Fist." You're pretty sure a situation like this would require the big guns. If you knew any superheroes, you'd be asking them too. "This is totally their kind of schtick."

[1/2]

>>3291102

It goes on for awhile, the three of you hashing out a rough gameplan. First off, you needed to approach George Stacy and see if this kind of thing was even possible. Secondly, you needed to possibly see about looting more last minute tech for Harry, or investigating whether or not the Hulk could be controlled, or at the very least pointed in a direction and fired. And thirdly, you needed to get your costumes tomorrow.

This was potentially the last day before a very dangerous fight, a fight that the three of you had been involved in from the start. Maybe tomorrow you'd be able to clean up the messes you made.

>Time to get patrolling for super-crime. You'd like to outfit Harry some more.
>It's a tough love session for Bruce. You guys needed to figure out this Hulk business at last.
>Go talk to George Stacy now, rather than later.
>Write-in

[2/2]

>>3291155
>>It's a tough love session for Bruce. You guys needed to figure out this Hulk business at last.

>>3291155
>Time to get patrolling for super-crime. You'd like to outfit Harry some more.

>>3291155
>>It's a tough love session for Bruce. You guys needed to figure out this Hulk business at last.

>>3291155
>Go talk to George Stacy now, rather than later.
This shit needs to get planned out in advance. The longer we put it off, the less he'll be able to mobilize and the more control the NYPD will be forced to take when the time comes.

>>3291183
switching to>>3291229

>>3291155
>>Go talk to George Stacy now, rather than later.

>>3291229
Supporting this

>>3291229
>>3291273
>>3291394
>>3292084
George stacy planning. Writing.

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>>3293654

You decide that the best move for right now is approaching George Stacy, and sooner, rather than later. You'd like to have him on your side, and mobilizing the entire force of the NYPD isn't a quick or easy affair, even for a detective. It would take time and energy, and it's better you get the ball rolling on that front sooner rather than later. You'd hate to be undermanned tomorrow just because you saved it till the last minute to spring on the cops.

Swinging through the air, it's not a very long trip to the precinct, but you do come to a bit of a conundrum. In the most stark sense, vigilantes like yourself are illegal. Now, this isn't mentioning the crime you stop or the superpowered obstacles that normal cops couldn't hope to contend with, but that was the law. You're also fully aware that while George has proven relatively friendly and warm to your efforts, other officers of the law don't hold the same opinions.

Some like to say that vigilantes and superhumans circumvent the law through the liberal use of their powers, others just don't like your kind because they think you're mutants. Nobody likes mutants. It does set you on a strange thought tangent of whether or not you or Bruce were mutants now, or just mutated, but you shake it from your head and make a note to inquire to Banner later.

Regardless, it was time to figure out how you wanted to approach Stacy.

>Go in through the front door. It worked at the Bugle, shouldn't it work here?
>Infiltrate invisibly. The wonders of being able to cloak yourself cannot be overstated.
>Call him at a phonebooth to set up a meeting. Time exhaustive, but safe.
>Write-in

>>3293698
>Infiltrate invisibly. The wonders of being able to cloak yourself cannot be overstated.

>>3293698
>Call him at a phonebooth to set up a meeting. Time exhaustive, but safe.
Don't want to risk antagonizing anyone.

>>3293698
>Call him at a phonebooth to set up a meeting. Time exhaustive, but safe.
Show some fucking tact.

>>3293698
>Call him at a phonebooth to set up a meeting. Time exhaustive, but safe.
Yeah, we don't want to antagonize anyone... Though if the cops have a snitch (which they probably do) then we need him to keep this quiet, or at least vague.

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>>3293972
>>3294232
>>3294241

There's a few thoughts to come to mind, chief among them the need for tact and a light touch. You'd never really put some thought into it, but you'd be very surprised if the Maggia families didn't have informants or snitches inside of the law enforcement system. The simple truth was that anyone could be bought or persuaded, provided you had the right leverage to turn them to your way of thinking. Even cops weren't exempt from this sad, simple truth.

Thus, you walking into the station would raise up immediate red flags, especially if there were any of those whistleblowers on the lookout for superhero activity. Even going in invisible could raise too much of a red flag in your eyes, which is why you settled for moving into a phonebooth and ringing up the detective.

"Hello? Detective Stacy NYPD. Who am I speaking to?" The older man's voice rumbled through the other end of the line smoothly and professionally.

"Good to speak with you again, Detective. It's Shutterbug." You're hoping and praying at this point he doesn't recognize your voice, especially when he's met you as J.J.

"Calling so soon after that Sin-Eater bust?"

"Stacy, what I've got for you might put you on the fast-track to commissioner. You listening?"

There's some shuffling on the other end of the line, paper wrinkling and ripping, before he answers. "Mhm. Whatcha got?"

"The Nefaria family is making a move. The biggest in a long time, I think. One way or another they got all that missing Oscorp research. The military grade stuff."

"...How'd you know about that? It's not even public! We had the case for a hot minute before the S.H.I.E.L.D. spooks came in to take it off our hands." That's interesting news. You weren't aware S.H.I.E.L.D. was involved, but you're not surprised. Half of this stuff were projects for super soldiers, and you'd be surprised if the reds didn't have similar stuff going on.

"I've got my contacts. Anyway, you want to make the spooks look bad or what?" You're willing to bed that in the end, he's willing to play ball.

"Hey, they told us to stay away from the case. If we just happen to reclaim a bunch of Oscorp stuff in a sting, that's fair game isn't it?" Sometimes, you wish your father was this cool.

[1/2]

>>3294368

The two of you tentatively begin to hash out a plan, one to storm the hall they've rented out. The cops are bringing the big guns, and you might be bringing a Hulk. Actually, you're pretty sure if Bruce transformed he might be able to take out the entire force by himself. The property damage caused by a rampaging Hulk out of control might outweigh the costs, though. It depended on how quickly you could get Bruce in touch with his wild side.

Additionally, he said he was going to attempt to get Heroes for Hire involved, but that would depend on whether or not his superiors could be convinced to be involved with the operation, and whether or not it needed those two heavy hitters. You're not entirely sure, but you're willing to risk the biscuit and say they'll hire the duo.

After you've hashed out the rough details involved, you're pretty sure you'll have to call him tomorrow to get the solid details. For now, you've laid the groundwork for this joint sting.

>Bruce and the Hulk needed to come into play, and soon. He was too strong just to sit on the sidelines.
>You wanted to patrol and maybe fight some crime.
>Write-in options

[2/2]

>>3294406
>>Bruce and the Hulk needed to come into play, and soon. He was too strong just to sit on the sidelines.

>>3294406
>Bruce and the Hulk needed to come into play, and soon. He was too strong just to sit on the sidelines.
Now that we've got the plan with the cops in motion at least, we need Bruce's game face on. JJ has powers, and Harry is increasingly getting a collection of gadgets together (I really hope he combines the grapple-gun and the past-gun into a 'bitch, I have a webshooter too now' combo-gun), but right now Bruce is just the brains; time for him to bring the brawn.

If JJ meets Heroes for Hire, he should:
>1. Try to get an exclusive interview with Luke Cage about any community projects he wants to signal boost in Harlem.
>2. Try to get Iron Fist to teach him karate.

>>3294429
Seconding this and the write in.

>>3294429
yeah, sure. I guess.

>>3294406
>>You wanted to patrol and maybe fight some crime.

>>3294422
>>3294429
>>3294481
>>3294488

Swinging back towards your home, the next big item on your list that needed to be taken care of was the Hulk. Bruce needed to get his game face on, and unfortunately that meant his game face was a big, ugly lizard with the capability to smash you into next week. You're positive that there's absolutely no one else that could put more of a dent in the enemy opposition than Banner, provided his passenger doesn't go absolutely crazy and attack everyone. That was the big if.

Thankfully, you were planning on working on that not so small detail, today. Gathering up Bruce and Harry, the three of you went to that same vacant lot that you practiced your powers in before. Harry looks excited, but intrigued, and Bruce looked like he'd been dreading this for awhile.

"For the record, I think this is a bad idea." Bruce spoke, pushing up his glasses and sighing.

"Look, Brucie, we're just trying to test out whether or not the Hulk can be controlled. Just...try to make it happen on your own, will you?"

"Think about how cool it could be if you could control. Just give it a try Bruce, please?" Harry chirped, smiling wide.

In the end, Bruce huffed and crossed his arms and tried to concentrate his best, gritting his teeth. "Should I like, say something? A catchphrase?"

"Can't hurt." You answer, even if you and Harry share knowing looks, trying to keep grins off your faces.

[1/2]

>>3294600
>"Should I like, say something? A catchphrase?"
"Going green!" sounds terrible, but I'm a terrible person.

>>3294600

"Hulk-on!"

"It's Hulking time!"

"Shaz-hulk!"

"Hulk's beard!"

"By the hoary hosts of Hulk!"

"I HAVE THE HULK!"

To be entirely honest, at hearing Bruce try to bring out the Hulk with all of these different catchphrases and sayings, it's impossible for you and Harry to stop yourselves from laughing. Hard. You're laughing till your faces are red and you're sucking in breath desperately, because Bruce looked so silly. It stops being less funny when you can see Bruce's eyes turning a little green. And slitted. And looking a bit angry.

Oh. You're starting to get clued into what really activates his Hulk, and it makes sense given what you know about Banner. About the rage he must keep locked up inside, acting meek sometimes. But anger wasn't a bad thing all the time. Sometimes, you could channel it productively into a f

>"Chill out, Bruce. We're just joking around." Maybe you shouldn't feed into his anger.
>"Looking a little green around the gills there, buddy." Sometimes, it's better to test and experiment. Let him get further along.
>"Alright, you feel it? Now try to hold onto that feeling." This seems safe-ish, for testing the Hulk.
>Write-in

[2/2]

>>3294653
>"Alright, you feel it? Now try to hold onto that feeling." This seems safe-ish, for testing the Hulk.
We're testing to see if he can control it, not just unleash it.

>>3294653
>>"Looking a little green around the gills there, buddy." Sometimes, it's better to test and experiment. Let him get further along.

>>3294653
>"Alright, you feel it? Now try to hold onto that feeling." This seems safe-ish, for testing the Hulk.
Maybe suggest he thinks of a 'mission' for Hulk? Something easily accomplishable... Just in case he can command him.

>>3294680
This. Maybe he can clear some rubble if we're at our base?

>>3294657
>>3294680
>>3294713

>3 rolls of 1d100, best of the first three posts is taken.
>DC: 55

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>3294737

Rolled 54 (1d100)

>>3294737

Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>3294737

>>3294746
>>3294753
>>3294764
... I wrote out an entire paragraph just raging but then I realised I'd be muted....

>>3294746
>>3294753
>>3294764
That's just three profoundly close failures. I'm surprised.

>>3294773
You know Pat... You always were my favourite QM...

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>>3294773

"Alright, you feel it? Now try to hold onto that feeling." This seems safe-ish, for testing the Hulk. You're pretty sure that if he holds onto the feeling and doesn't escalate it, Bruce will be okay. For relative terms of okay when you almost turn into a giant lizard.

Or so you thought would happen. Bruce didn't seem to be relaxing or getting any smaller. On the contrary, he was getting bigger and you were getting a sinking feeling in your gut as his clothes began to strain, his skin tinting green and growing scaly by the second. "Oh really? You want me to help you now?" His voice sounded so much deeper, and you could feel your shutterbug sense tingling. This might be getting dangerous. Even Harry seemed to stop being amused and now on guard.

"Bruce, you know we were joking around, right? Just...don't lose your cool here. We're friends, Bruce." The mix of teenage hormones and explosive superhuman strength was a bad combination in the best of days.

>Roll me 3d100, best of three is taken.
>DC: 55

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>3294865
Thank you my man!

Rolled 43 (1d100)

>>3294865

>>3294875
>>3294870
Why?!?

Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>3294865

>>3294870
>>3294875
>>3294908
MY WORD ARE YOU LOT TERRIBLE AT THIS. GOOD HEAVENS IT'S HULKING TIME. WRITING.

>"I HAVE THE HULK!"
>Punches JJ

>>3294915

Even if your words were genuine, they couldn't bring Bruce all the way back. Not this late in the game. Clothes ripped, glasses discarded as Bruce's face began to distort into a snout, bones growing and muscle mass quickly expanding on his frame. It's interesting to see that the Hulk isn't as large as he was originally, but you're willing to blame that on the lack of gamma radiation. He hasn't fed, and that would mean he's hopefully not as powerful as he used to be.

Still, that meant you had to contend with a 600 pound, predatory beast beast that looked at you with not an inch of mercy in it's eyes. Your danger sense flared, and your body was twisting out of the way before you even thought about it as a fist came slamming down onto the ground, roughly where you are. Dirt was kicked up from the impact, and out of the corner of your eye you could see Harry dodging out of the way as well, trying to stay away from the two people with super strength and super durability. Smart move.

HULK SSSSSSSSSMASSSSSSSH!" The Hulk roared, turning on you, tail thrashing.

"Bruce! C'mon man, we don't have to do this!" Harry yelled, looking positively frightened at the edge of the lot.

Also, the group of you were about to attract a lot of attention. Probably not good attention.

>Try to calm the Hulk down. Maybe you can nip this in it's tracks?
>Lead the Hulk away. Maybe to somewhere there won't be civilian casulties?
>Fight the Hulk. You're no slouch yourself. Maybe you can knock some sense into it.
>Write-in

>>3294951
>Try to calm the Hulk down. Maybe you can nip this in it's tracks?

>>3294951
>Try to calm the Hulk down. Maybe you can nip this in it's tracks?
The Hulk is fueled by anger. Actually facing him is a losing gambit.

>>3294951
>>Try to calm the Hulk down. Maybe you can nip this in it's tracks?

>>3294966
>>3294978
>>3294980

>3d100 rolls, best of three taken.
>DC: 60

Rolled 56 (1d100)

>>3295202

Rolled 17 (1d100)

>>3295202
Leave Hulk to me.

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>3295202

>>3295214
You glorious son of a bitch.

>>3295214

>60
>Average Success

Truth be told, you're pretty fortunate that you happen to be good at this whole 'talking down Bruce' thing, otherwise you guys might have some serious problems. The Hulk leapt for you, but you twisted into the air, rolling back to your feet as the creature rounded on you once more. "Bruce, you know we were just joking around!"

"LIESSSSSSS! YOU MAKE FUN OF BANNER!" The Hulk hissed out, ripping the car door off of a rusting vehicle and whipping it your direction. You bend back, you spine clicking as the joints are shifted, but manage to see the door briefly as it zoomed over where you were standing.

"Banner, you fucking numbskull, we're your friends! Of course we're going to give you a hard time!" Harry yelled. From a pretty safe distance away, understandably.

The Hulk turned towards him, pausing to look at the two of you with cold-blooded suspicion, still crouched like it wants to pounce or run away. In the end though, it simply sat down, kicking up dust as it did so. "Hulk sssssssupicious. But Banner too ssssoft." It also becomes readily apparent that while the Hulk isn't attacking you, he's not changing back into Bruce. This is...new.

At least you know the trigger for his transformation is definitely anger. It's just a matter of figuring out whether or not this can be triggered and sent off in one direction. "So, are you like, Bruce, or are you a part of Bruce?" Harry asks, daring to come a little closer from the edge of the lot.

"Hulk issss Hulk."

"Ah, right. Answers my question entirely." Harry sighed, shaking his head.

>Try to get the Hulk to let Bruce come back. You can't just walk around town with a lizard man. Well, you can, but it's not smart.
>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.
>The Hulk is a prized asset. Try to see if it wants to smash something and go on patrol. This can only end well.
>Write-in

>>3295303
>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.

>>3295303
>>The Hulk is a prized asset. Try to see if it wants to smash something and go on patrol. This can only end well.

>>3295303
>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.
Hulk is a strategic deployment type of heavy-hitter, not the 'patrolling' type.

>>3295303
>>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.

>>3295303
>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.

>>3295303
>>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.

>>3295303
>>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.
ask what he did during his first rampage, maybe subtle ask about Conners without angering him

>>3295303
>>Try to engage the Hulk in conversation. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn something.
More information is always welcome.

>>3295318
>>3295327
>>3295336
>>3295359
>>3295361
>>3296905
>>3297426
Writing talking to the Hulk.

>>3301586

On one hand you're absolutely terrified about what the giant mass of muscles, scales, and fangs could do if inclined to attack you. On the other hand, you're pretty interested in picking this thing's brain. "Okay, do you mind if I ask you some questions, Hulk?"

There's a movement that's something between a shrug and a growl as it began meandering around the lot. For now, no one seemed to have noticed the commotion. Or maybe that was just typical New Yorker tolerance for the unusual and the strange. The fence around the lot keeping the three of you hidden probably helped, though. Harry looked at you with eyebrows raised, hands slapped to both sides of his head. "What are you doing?!" He hissed quietly.

"Hey! It's not every day we get to talk to a giant lizard man. Maybe it's time we try to get to know him, huh?"

"This is like, the worst idea you've ever had, J.J."

"Don't tempt me there, Harry. I've been on a roll with bad ideas lately." Turning to the Hulk, you begin to wrack your brain for some suitable questions. To be honest, there's a lot you feel like you could glean from a part of Bruce's subconscious.

>"So like, what do you want, Hulk? What's your deal?" Everybody wants something, even giant lizard people.
>"You took an older man when you first emerged. Any idea where he might be?" It's a gentle question, because you're not sure whether or not mentioning Dr. Connors is the right thing to do. But it might be the only way you can find out where he is or what happened to him.
>"If we were to give you people to smash, and Bruce wanted them smashed too, would you do it?" Hey, cut negotiating with the middleman, you could try to hash things out with the Hulk right here!
>"Why do you only come out when Bruce is angry? Have you always been inside him?" Did Bruce always have this anger, this rage? You've seen him pissed off, but not to the point where he turned green and eight feet tall.
>Write-in

>>3301610
>"So like, what do you want, Hulk? What's your deal?" Everybody wants something, even giant lizard people.
>"If we were to give you people to smash, and Bruce wanted them smashed too, would you do it?" Hey, cut negotiating with the middleman, you could try to hash things out with the Hulk right here!

>>3301610
>>"If we were to give you people to smash, and Bruce wanted them smashed too, would you do it?" Hey, cut negotiating with the middleman, you could try to hash things out with the Hulk right here!
>>"Why do you only come out when Bruce is angry? Have you always been inside him?" Did Bruce always have this anger, this rage? You've seen him pissed off, but not to the point where he turned green and eight feet tall.