Phoenix Under Attack!

[hulksmashed.livejournal.com]

That's the headline people are trying to avoid.

The Hulk doesn't care. His gait brings him ever closer to the populated city, and so far, nothing seems to stop it.

There's hope that the sandstorm that just kicked up might buy them more time. A sandstorm that's the doing of Crusader, the new girl carrying Thor's hammer and Captain America's shield, who's crazy enough to try to face the Hulk without the help of her team, who have been held up by dealing with some other U.S. agent.

The storm doesn't stop him. It only slows him.

Slightly.

Comments

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

Oh, crap.

She lets herself stare for a second. James. I just had to kill you. Not another one. Not yet.

At least the costume is an embarassment. She'll be doing him a favor. Really.

Pistols out. She may be useless against The Hulk, but at least she can pick off some of the hangers-on. Wrestlemania better be right this time. If it turns out they're not here to protect the Hulk, she'll make sure he lives long enough to hear her scorn.

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Wrestlemania hardly knows what's going on, and he's hanging back, trying to figure it out.

We've got Hulkbusters, we've got Avengers who seem interchangeable with Hulkbusters at the moment... and then Patriot, who thinks we can tame the savage beast... and their job is to 'protect the killer'... and this Patriot guy is the only one right now who ISN'T a killer in some form.

Head is hurting.

Over the Exiles comm units, he barks out a question.

"Okay... does anybody have any clue what 'The Beyonder' is? Apparently, it's responsible for Banner not being in the Hulk's brain anymore... oh, wait, Sarah? Are you okay? Didn't the Beyonder have something to do with you?"

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

"Never heard of it," says Mystique.

She's not staring. Not even a little.

...

His technique is awful. Her James would do better.

[bub-snikt.livejournal.com]

And suddenly, he gets knocked back, skidding right up to her.

Picking himself up and clenching his jaw, about to charge back into the fight before spinning to jab two claws out to hold her throat in place, and threatening the third one.

"Long time, no see."

[proteus-maximus.livejournal.com]

Morph replies over the communication channel.

"The Beyonder? Sure, I know him. Dresses like a male version of Dazzler. Sort of an omnipotent meddler-type. Like our buddy, the Timebroker. I betcha Sarah would know more, though.."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

"Great... I can hardly believe there's a female version of Dazzler," he quips. "Let's try not to run into that guy. The green jerk is bad enough..."

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

Sarah's voice is a little slurred, like she may well have a conscussion or a broken jaw or both, but she's still up and fighting.
"I'd be better if someone could keep these fucking Avengers off of me! The Hulk is bad enough. Yeah... what about the Beyonder?"

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

Finally, a direction - when in doubt, beat up the people who are attacking people on your team.

If he can get the heck away from these goobers.

"We've got Avengers on us, too, but we're coming! This... friend of your uncle's or something says the Beyonder's the guy who split Banner and Hulk! That mean anything to you?"

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

"Yeah... and watch out for Moondragon, mind controller supreme." Yes, she's at least noticed who's fighting who, and knows most of these people in some sense.

"The friend is Bucky Barnes, my father's old sidekick. He's good people. Beyonder didn't do that in my world, but it makes sense. Can I explain later and let someone get Iron Man off me now?"

[exiles-extras.livejournal.com]

Suddenly, more Avengers show up on the scene.

"Back off, you weirdos!" barks Wonder Man, peppering the area with more energy blasts, to keep these people at bay.

[exiles-extras.livejournal.com]

Beams of light blast forth from the jewel on the Vision's forehead.

"We will kill you if we have to. This is a matter of national security. Do not force our hands."

[spidey2099.livejournal.com]

"Holy shock! They're coming out of the woodwork! Who the hell are these people? Sarah, we're cut off!"

[rogue-starsr.livejournal.com]

"The Avengers..." she pauses, blocking a punch and being thrown back, dragging herself up to launch into the fight again, while dodging fire from the Hulkbuster Iron Man suit.

"work for the government in this world. They're not evil, just... unquestioningly patriotic... and full of some of the Avengers biggest hard-asses. Bucky has his own group that tried... without success, to stop the Hulk. They're trying to kill him, don't know how."

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

What. The. Hell.

"I wish I could say the same about you."

[bub-snikt.livejournal.com]

The glare is fixed.

"I ain't got time for cryptic."

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

"Go away before I punch through your chest and staple a grenade to your spine just to watch your head explode."

[bub-snikt.livejournal.com]

That gets a smirk out of the stoicism.

"Ya know me well enough to know I don't scare easy. I'm here tryin' ta get rid of a big green thing that wants to kill cities. What's your angle, Raven? This ain't your usual scene."

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

Oh, God. It talks. The last one was all animal, barely more than instinct. This one wants to reason with her.

Don't. Just walk away.

"There's fifty fifty odds killing the Jolly Green Giant will nuke the whole planet. If I'm wrong, well, Phoenix is full of 'sapes anyway. If I'm right, I'd rather not spend the next hundred years with nothing but cockroaches for company."

Shit.

[bub-snikt.livejournal.com]

A squint of one eye.

"You mind explainin' just how the hell that makes any flamin' sense?"

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

She crosses her arms.

"Yup."

[bub-snikt.livejournal.com]

"Then there's no way I'm listenin' to anything you got to say."

There's a small sniff.

"You smell different."

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

You don't. You smell familiar. You smell like sweaty afternoons spent after an assignment, waiting for the Hellicarier to pick them up.

She forces an indifferent shrug. "Yes, yes. I forgot. I'm a terrorist. Noted unreliable source of information. I'm also supposed to be dead." She smiles slightly, and lets herself stroke the back of her fingers over one stubbly cheek. "Good information is so hard to find."

[bub-snikt.livejournal.com]

Somethin' entirely weird about this.

But he doesn't recoil from the touch.

And the claws withdraw back into his hand.

Her eyes are sayin' things her lips ain't.

"Sounds about right."

[house-of-mystiq.livejournal.com]

"Does it?" Her voice is lower than she intended. Damn.

Put your hands back down at your sides, Raven. Do not, under any circumstances, move a milimeter closer.

You have no business sliding a thumb along his knuckles, feeling the skin heal after his claws retract. You don't know this man. Don't let his looks fool you.

Plus, his dress sense is terrible. Just look at that hat. What's he trying to do with those side fins? Make his head more aerodynamic? It makes her want to take it off him out of sheer embarassment. Really. That's the only reason why.

[bub-snikt.livejournal.com]

All these people he's never seen before - and he's seen a lot of the super-jokers.

A few things come together in his mind. He lets her keep that touch goin', to see if she'll betray any of the information she's not givin' him outright.

"Truth be told, never thought you much of a terrorist."