ultalliance

[ultalliance]

...I need to be here, frankly.

[ultalliance]

Nobody could match up to his Spider-Man, true, but this guy wasn't even trying to make a quip! All work and no play, as they say.

Wade would just have to be twice as charming to make up for this sourpuss, he supposed, made all the more clear when his arm was freed (he was seconds from just cutting it off, thank goodness) and this Scarlet Spider was insisting on a team-up! Normally, he'd be upset about this, but considering the nature of a roleplay blog, we wouldn't really be getting that much mileage if he turned the offer down?

Not that this guy seemed like he'd listen anyways.

"Oho-ho-kay, big guy, whatever keeps your lil' guy where it belongs. I don't do that on first team-ups."

As if to try and get chummy with his impromptu teammate, he raised a hand like he was going to wrap it around the other's shoulders- whether it was deflected or not was irrelevant, actually, as all he needed to do was get the physical contact. For the mercenary's other hand was on his belt buckle, hitting the return button on his teleportation device (it's actually got some fancy-schmancy fictional supertech name, but we all know what it is).

The displacement was jarring, to say the least, as it wasn't like those things in the movies. There's no flash, no transition. No, one second they're taking in the crisp air before, so fast it was imperceptible, the both of them are standing in some sort of metallic room. Dark enough that it was hard for anyone without night-vision to see, at least, until Deadpool hits another button on his belt.

There was no way.

Holographic displays flared to life, large war table lit up with a map of the area, and the metal shutters that had been blocking the large windows to the outside rise to reveal the clouds to either side. A large command room below the helm they stood at was lined with unmanned computers, a few pizza boxes, and gear carelessly strewn about. Besides the quality of the upkeep around here, as the lights filled the room proper, it was becoming agonizingly clear...

Did Wade have a helicarrier? How? Did Wade? Get a helicarrier?

The spider glared at the mercenary in silence as he explained himself, head cocking at the implication Belladonna was dead... he was right, he hadn't heard from her in a while now. He'd chocked it up to her actually respecting their arrangement, but if she was dead, he supposes he wouldn't know. Would certainly be a favor for him.

Not to say he believed that story, not yet, but them not working together tracked with what he knew. Ultimately, unimportant.

What was important, more so than that or the merc's crude jokes, was the job description- a human trafficker. Wasn't anything unheard of here, Kaine had dealt with at least one operating in the city in the past, but that wasn't what was suspicious. It was the fact someone with eight figures worth of love for his daughter paid to have it taken care of. The ones he'd faced prior preyed on poor families.

And even so, that was a lot of money for something so... 'simple'. As far as a super-powered mercenary is concerned.

Regardless, Kaine inevitably breaks the silence by suddenly tearing the webs away, before hopping off the wall and landing on his feet, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If that's what you're here for, you'll be free to collect your target's head. But, if that scum is operating here, I want to see to it's dismantling personally. So I'll be coming with."

Both to make sure it's taken care of, and keep an eye on the merc himself, as both could easily could trouble for the town.

[ultalliance]

...if I wrote Moon Knight would ny'all be normal?

[ultalliance]

Tough crowd.

The spike protruding from the other's wrist makes the merc's head tilt just a bit, sockets widening as a joke crosses his mind. It was right there... but, no, he was a professional, and the mention of the Assassin's Guild can't help but make him laugh just a bit.

"Ohoho, no, me 'nd the Assassin's Guild go together like... well, like two things that don't go together. If you're worried 'bout us bein' chummy? Tried that once, ended up with the big B impaled through like a kebab. Have you heard from Belladonna in awhile? Didn't think so."

Still, he was getting a little annoyed with his arm stuck to the wall and being interrogated by the Spider-Man wannabe. He leaned against the wall he was stuck to anyways, watching him with a mixture of contempt and curiosity.

"Normally, I'd be all 'hush-hush' on th' whole shebang, but something about you enchants me. Clearly, somethin' about me's got you a little excited too-" damn, he almost made it. "-but I digress. Big bad guy, trafficker, that happened to take my client's daughter, is gonna be doin' th' pass along here. Somethin' bad enough that he paid eight figures t' get this solved now. So, if you could just... let me go about my business, you won't even know I was here."

Like Deadpool could ever leave a place in one piece when he's on a mission, but he wasn't going to tell that to this very, very angry Spider. He also really didn't want to have to cut his hand off to get out of this, though, it wouldn't grow back in time.

Kaine already knew full-well who this clown was, with his name having been... 'popular' in shadier circles he used to abide. Enough that he wasn't thrown off by his props or antics, even if the mention of his name makes him pop a chitinous spike from his wrist.

Leaving it popped threateningly (in-vain as that is) as he retrains his focus onto what the actual answer to his question was.

"Contract? On who? And why?" He questions, the mask's lenses narrowing down at him. "If you're with the Assassin's Guild, best find another job before I send you back to them in a bag, as a reminder of our arrangement that they don't take work here."

[ultalliance]

Just his luck, he was just about to be excited that his good ol' pal Spidey was here- it would make his job so much easier. Everyone loved a team-up, after all! So consider the way Wade's mask notably plummeted in expression at the sight of one of the other Webheads. He doesn't look the least bit intimidated by the other, even as he looks to the arm stuck to the wall.

"Ooh, y'know, the yooz. Followin' a lead on a contract, led me to good ol' South. Even got me some sick boots for the occasion!"

He lifts a leg, showing off the custom boots, black trimmed with red- the spurs are even his face with gold spikes. In fact, it looks like the spikes are on a mechanism to spin on their own like little saw blades. Nice little novelty he got for himself.

"Kiddin', I already had these- oh, have you seen my hat? I lost it on th' way, ya couldn't miss it."

It also had his face on it, after all.

"Ooo, oh, lemme guess. Yo-o-ou-u-u are... Krimson! With a K! Like Kane-- oh, is it Kane? Like the Wrestler? Loved that guy. I didn't really get th' whole 'Undertaker's brother' thing but they really sold it-" he's just going to keep talking until interrupted somehow.

The most tranquil quiet of Houston's cool, January night would be broken for you by a 'thwip' sound would ring out, before you'd find a limb suddenly webbed to the wall. Realization quickly followed by a violent slam as a rather large, crimson-suited spider landed onto the same wall just above you, sticking onto it and glaring down.

"What are you doing in my city?" The rather hulking spider demands, clearly perturbed by the foreign element in his 'web', so to speak.

[ultalliance]

...can't get over that I thought of Agent Venom Winter Soldier and then I turned around for FIVE MINUTES.

[ultalliance]

I NEED to be active here...

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being a harley fan sucks.

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I keep forgetting to be active here much... oops.

[ultalliance]

Man.

The coat adds like 10 years to him.

[ultalliance]

@novaragno

"Weak-e-ped-ea?" Oh dear gods.

[ultalliance]

"Never gonna understand this internet thing.. what do you mean a whole library, cinema, and the papers are in here?"

[ultalliance]

Elsa blinked at the other so expertly deflecting her shotgun blast, and looked ready to follow-up on the attack before the shield had turned into small blades. Taking a step back and clearly preparing to roll aside- before the attack goes wide and the evil hound whips out of the air and onto the floor in a deathly display of defeat. Certainly not one of the regular Lilin, and especially so if she was helping kill them.

"Bully, a smartass, too."

It's said as, at least, her attention returned fully to the Possessed Nazis and supernatural entities, expertly catching the oncoming stunrod in one hand.. hissing as they're clearly trying to do something to her mind given another jumps her and pushing some sort of green mist into her head.

"How many times must I tell you? You can't.." she grits her teeth, pushing the two off her, "control a Bloodstone!"

Palm raised, the namesake of said bloodline displayed plainly on in the middle of the hand. Eyes widen as it glowed and a large blast of red energy sent them all flying across the study and clear through the outside wall. ...Well, they'd undoubtedly found the Bloodstone, even if this wasn't at all who the Hunter had been expecting to find.

Along with giving them some breathing room to talk.

"Well, we found it- her, I guess." Nico said, getting to her feet and looking perhaps even more confused than the Hunter as the woman rounded on them.

At least she wasn't pointing a gun at them this time, so that was already better than it was before, too.

"And why, may I ask, am I gettin' solicitors at this hour?" Elsa asked, sounding like she might just point those weapons at them should she not like the answer.

Nico glanced the Hunter's way, eyes widening in that you're-the-boss-here way that said she wasn't wanting to be the one staring at the barrel of a gun if she could help it.

"... I think I could make a guess." Hunter replied as she continued to sniff the air, and while her senses for the occult were quite muffled here, a distinct smell of foul blood was starting to grow stronger the more they walked. Her suspicions were confirmed before she had a chance to voice them, though, as a 'Super Nazi' was blasted out.

While she certainly had little respect for Bloodstone, one thing she was assured of was that he could protect his own bounty.

... or, her own bounty? As the the fiery red-headed warrior backing out from the room still in combat with Hydra's forces definitely wasn't Ulysses. Something that made Hunter pause and blink.

Unfortunately, the moment of surprise was long enough of the apparent Bloodstone to take notice of them, and undoubtedly see the Hunter's glowing green eyes in the darkness first and foremost. Which was, of course, enough to point a weapon their way.

While Nico leaps to evade, Hunter instead quickly dips her knees and raises her wrist, mimicking a defensive motion of a certain captain; completed by the golden light forming into a rounded shield from her wrist, fully shielding her from the rain of buckshot upon her.

"Some things never change..." She muttered behind the holy barrier, before she'd catch sight of moving shadows from the doorway the gunslinger had burst from, and the light she produced quickly began to shift- forming from a shield into a fan of golden daggers between her fingers, tips flaring with demonic flame before she threw them.

While it might have been presumed to be tossed in Elsa's direction, they instead strike the form of the Barghest that had leapt at her from where the monster hunter had came from, the Lilin Hound letting out a ghastly yelp as it hit the ground and disintegrated.

"You may want to keep your focus on the 'pillocks' attacking you."

[ultalliance]

The Hunter's tone alone immediately might Nico's usual half-smile tighten into a thin embarrassed line as wide eyes quickly turn to focus solely on the light trailing ahead of them toward wherever they were heading. Now that she heard it aloud, yeah, that's not the same at all. She decided to just let that faux pas pass rather than continue to drag the topic on.

"Yeah, no, I think I would've preferred solo than Caretaker herself coming or, eugh, Strange. I don't need another 'well-intentioned' lecture about blood magic and how unreliable it is. Yeah, man, I know it's unreliable, trust me. I've seen it first-hand. Not all of us are in their 50s and have years of experience already."

Still, though...

"Something's not right here... From what Caretaker said, Lilith's forces should've already been here, but I don't see a single Super Nazi, let alone anything spooky."

"Should watch ourselves, this doesn't add up."

Not that she thought the Hunter of all people needed to be told of how wack this situation was, but better safe than sorry. They're on the second floor now, as the trail of light finally led them toward a grand double door and inside. Whatever they were after was in there- and, with the loud thud of the door buckling, someone actually had beaten them to it.

Nico's about to step in when another boom sent a hulking brute of science and dark magic tumbling across the hallway and clean through the balcony. A decidedly feminine leg retracting before the sound of automatic gunfire and flashes reveals the redhead backing up from the room.

Definitely not Ulysses Bloodstone... unless the years had been very favorable to them.

"Bloody 'ell, can't even have myself a day t' unwind, can I?" the question comes as she ducks under a lunging Hydra soldier, naturally drawing her gaze toward the two.

Which would be fine if, unfortunately, the Hunter didn't have a somewhat similar aesthetic. something that brought shotgun raised in their direction as Nico reflexively dove to the side as she knew a word wouldn't come faster than buckshot.

"How many of you pillocks are they gonna send?"

An unfortunate misunderstanding has definitely arisen.

"Hardly." Voice came punctuated by the sound of boots landing upon the museum's upper floor. "She'd probably have rather gone with you herself, or worse, send 'Doctor Spooky', dreadful as that would be."

The Hunter's glowing eyes similarly scan over the museum's various displays, but while to some it might've been an impressive showcase, it all only seemed to bring a sneer to her own features. She lifted her nose to sniff the air, searching for the magical scent they were here for, and shaking her head as her senses were assaulted.

This place was clearly far too densely packed with artifacts for her tracking abilities to be any use. Likely why Nico was here, as she used her own magic to lead the way for them in her stead.

"We are not the same." The half-breed responded sharply, offense at the comparison clearly audible in her voice. "While I have not been acquainted with them for quite a long time, the Bloodstone I knew was nothing more than a poacher, preying upon the supernatural world for nothing more than prettying up his mantle."

And based one what she could see from this one look at the museum, it only proved he'd never grown out of all that childish hubris in all that immortal lifespan he was enjoying.

The Hunter and her order were guardians of the supernatural, ensuring both the protection of both men from it, but also the protection of it from men. Yes, she often had to put down a drake preying upon helpless innocents, but just as often she had to protect rare creatures from greedy men. Men like Ulysses Bloodstone.

That's undoubtedly the reason Caretaker did not want her along for this mission, as she was already preparing for some blasted weapon of gunpowder to be shoved into her face on sight.

[ultalliance]

@mldnightsun gets a starter!

Bloodstone Manor, a museum of supernatural and bizarre objects. A place, unfortunately, bursting at the seams with things that someone wanting to kill monsters could use. Which meant that it was somewhere monsters would go to make sure nobody could get too much sway over them.

It was also, allegedly, home of the Bloodstones, or rather, a Bloodstone. In both person and object of great power.

Something that the Caretaker seemed to make great emphasis of even as the two were making their way through the portal to their destination. Which made Nico all the more bewildered as she shifted her weight on the manor's rooftop to keep from falling off. Holding a staff as long as you are while balancing on a roof isn't really that easy to do.

"Adit." She whispered, as a skylight suddenly graced the secure rooftop for them to enter.

"I don't get why Caretaker was so adamant that you didn't come with. What, did she want me to do this alone?" The question was asked as she popped open the window and dropped onto the third-story hall balcony.

Peering over at the suits of armor, dinosaur (she thinks it's a dinosaur anyway) skeletons, and other things that are and aren't artifacts. Definitely an impressive place, she'll give it that. Wouldn't even mind a tour under different circumstances.

"You're both monster hunters, right? Aren't you two playing for the same team?" She pauses, realizing just how quiet it is, and wondering where all the danger was. Lilith's troops should've already been here, but it was shockingly tranquil. Something that was worrying enough to think to expedite their look for their would-be ally.

"Guiding light." Another spell, watching the pixie dust-like glowing path that, Nico hoped anyways, would guide them towards their destination. A little hand-holdy, but she wasn't going to complain about helpful 'game design'.

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"D'ya think my face would look good on a billboard-- Not my face face, naturally, that would cause horrific car crashes on the highway like you wouldn't believe. Women and children screaming in horror as their papa swerves to shield their sweet, innocent eyes from my horrific visage. I meant the mask-- But, y'know, to get my name out there to drum up some business for th' ol' Mercs for Money 2? The name's a work in progress. I'm workshopping it."

[ultalliance]

So was someone going to tell me about "Janine", whose power is literally Halloween Masks, or was I supposed to find this out for myself?