New York City, Friday evening
Peter
After a day of showing off the sights of a New York that Peter figured was rather different than what Charlie was used to, they continued to walk around near the Triskellion, home of SHIELD. "So, that's where the big, bad super-military lives," Peter said.
Kawalsky
"Think they're hiring?" He was kidding. Really. This definitely wasn't the New York he knew. Not that he'd been here for a long time, but there were some things about places you knew well that stuck around no matter how long you'd been gone.
Peter
"I'm sure they are. But the hours stink. You'd be better off freelancing as a superhero," Peter said. "Granted, the pay for that stinks, so it's a trade off."
Kawalsky
"I lived off MREs for a long time. I think I can manage without the paycheck. Doesn't it get crowded around here with all the freelancers?"
Peter
"There aren't as many as there seem to be in the universe everyone else is from," Peter said. "The teams tend to deal with the bigger stuff happening elsewhere and that leaves, what, maybe a dozen guys that I know of for regular action. Sure, the Ultimates split off to answer police calls every now and then, but you can go a while without meeting other superheroes."
Kawalsky
"Big city, I guess. So what's new, Princess? You been bored outta your head up here without Fandom or been keeping busy?"
Peter
"A little of Column A, a little of Column B," Peter said. "I've stopped a bunch of crimes and beat up a couple of guys in costumes, but there's no singing bear invasion or anything. It takes some getting used to this kind of weirdness again. How about you? Do anything else exciting since graduation?"
Kawalsky
"Sam got us into trouble and captured by pirates, but we got out of it and got some help from some kids with swords. Learned how to fly. Y'know, the usual." What happened at Milliways stayed at Milliways.
Peter
"The scary thing is that I have no clue whether or not you're serious," Peter said. "Assuming you are, you can fly?"
Kawalsky
"Not anymore. I tried." He looked a little disappointed. "Apparently the stuff only works in that universe. Funky physics or something. Sam could probably explain it better, but I think it had something to do with pixie dust and happy thoughts."
Peter
"Pixie dust, pirates, flying... You just went on a drug binge, didn't you?" Peter asked. As they started to pass by an alley, Peter's spider-sense started blaring. Peter stopped and looked into the alley, not seeing anything.
Kawalsky
"After Fandom you really have to ask if it was real or not?" He caught on that Peter had stopped, turned and took a few steps back. He looked down the alley with Peter, but didn't see anything either. "What is it?"
Peter
"I don't know," Peter said. "Something's not right, though. Stay here, I'm going to check it out."
Peter walked into the alley, looking around cautiously.
Kawalsky
Had this been Fandom, he wouldn't have listened, but instinct made him stay put. This was Peter's turf. He knew what he was doing. A few long seconds later, he went from doing what his brain said was the right thing to 'screw it' and walked to the edge of the alley. He glanced around on the street to see if anything was amiss out there.
Peter
The danger was getting stronger. It was above him, but he couldn't quite make it out... And that's when it hit him.
Guy With Tail
"It" in this case was a six-armed creature in a spider costume moving faster than Peter could react even with his spider-sense. Another costumed person dropped down, this one with a giant spiked tail seemingly coming out of his spine. The tail slammed Peter into a wall and the six-armed beast followed up with a triple-punch to his face, throat, and gut. A spray of something came out of the tail of the second assailant, covering Peter's face, causing him to drop unconscious.
Guy With Six Arms
The six-armed being grabbed Peter and looked back for a moment as they escaped by climbing up the side of the wall.
From the moment the first punch landed to the time they were gone from the alley, not even ten seconds had passed.
Kawalsky
Kawalsky didn't even have time to get to Peter before they were gone, but he damned well tried. He looked around hurriedly for something, anything to get up to the roof level, but by the time he'd scrambled up the fire escape, he was out of breath and there was no sign of them.
He swore, then looked at the SHIELD building for the briefest of moments, contemplating whether or not to go to them and tell them what happened. The thought was fleeting. He didn't know enough about this world. All he did know was that Peter thought SHIELD weren't the all-around good guys and that the one person he could contact who knew more about this place than he did was back in Fandom.
Kawalsky fished out his cell phone and dialled Zero's number.
"Pick up. Pick up pick up pick up." Because that was really going to make her pick up faster.
Zero
Zero picked up. "'Lo?" said Zero. "Charlie?"
Kawalsky
"Zero! Zero. Yeah, it's me. Listen, SHIELD - good guys or bad guys?"
Zero
"Squallin' wankers what're only in it for 'emselves an' tend t'make my hooskspider's life hell, why?" Zero asked. "An' how'd you run across 'em, anyways?"
Kawalsky
"Well, Peter just got mugged and dragged off by these two...things with extra limbs and I'm up here by myself with a superhero mask, a backpack and no idea what I'm doing. So going to SHIELD's a bad idea, right?"
Zero
"..." said Zero.
"What with the who now?" There was a very large part of her mind insisting surely Peter hadn't gotten kidnapped again. The rest of her mind was reminding her that her boyfriend had, in fact, been kidnapped by Santa. "I could've sworn you said Peter was kidnapped. Are you in New York?"
Kawalsky
"Peter's New York, yeah. He was showing me the SHIELD building and then his brain tingle thing went off and he went to check something out and then these two...things, I don't know what they were, knocked him out, grabbed him and climbed up the wall before I could get to them. I followed up onto the roof - that's where I am now - but they're gone. Who can I go to? I don't even know where to start."
Zero
Neither did Zero, really, for she did not like Nick Fury one tiny bit and that was about all she knew of Peter's SHIELD. "Squall. Frak. Okay, Charlie, listen, I'll be there in--" how long did it take to drive to New York? Five hours? "Four hours." Well, the way she drove.
[OOC: Preplayed with kawalsky and swerval_zero, no interaction possible (especially since half of it takes place four hours and another universe away from Fandom) but OOC comments are welcome and collected like snowglobes.]