Post by jordan on Dec 31, 2013 18:09:28 GMT -5
All Star Marvel Presents
Daredevil/Punisher
In
A World Without Fear
Chapter II
A Cowardly Man
By Jordan
*
Daredevil; Then
Darkness is everywhere and everything. Ever present, omnipotent. No matter how hard I try, I can't get away from it. Everything crashes down and lifts back up; the skies fall and angels sing; choirs, somber, stand tall and in this blackness, this darkness, you can see nothing. You are lost. You are in a hole within a hole and everything is crashing down on you.
My eardrums are ringing and everything feels numb. The only thing that I can feel is my eyelids and, no matter how much I flap them, they never seem to open. The light never seems to come. I call out into the mysterious beyond and I hear nothing back.
I'm laying down, but why? I swing my legs out from under me and leap into a running start. My legs wobble and I collapse. This time I call out in pain, and I hear not my own call, but someone calling back--"Matt! Matt! What the hell are you doing?!" I feel his grasp on my arms as he pulls me up to the upright position. "You shouldn't be out of bed right now!" It's Foggy's voice, my best friend's voice. What happened to me? "You don't remember?" What? I don't remember what? What is he talking about?
I move my, I push sound out of my throat, and I form the words "What happened to me?" but I don't hear them in my ears.
"You were shot in the forehead, Matt. By an assassin." And it begins to come back. Vivid memories of a man on a rooftop. Me and Foggy, walking into the courthouse. A blaring gunshot, screams, and then everything was engulfed by the blackness. And it isn't until now that I realize my eyes have been staring into this blackness the entire time. And, even though I can't hear my own voice, I have to say this.
"I can't see you, Foggy. Everything is...black." Even though I cannot see his face, I've known him long enough to ee the look of utter shock and sadness dripping from his face.
*
Daredevil; Days Later
The blackness is still everywhere and everything. I can't get rid of it. Why? Why can't I get rid of it? If only it could go away. I've been a lawyer all my life, how can I keep doing that? I can't read the documents, I can't see the judge or the jury; I'm worthless. Why did this happen to me?
I can't even hear my own voice, so I had to figure out a way around my house other than my doctor's suggestion of "echolocation." What do I look like, a bat? No, definitely not. Instead, I called up a friend and he fixed me this--device, this thing that could convert sound waves into images like...echolocation, okay, so maybe I am a glorified bat. But at least I can still see. I beat blindness. Maybe I should patent this. I'd make millions. Whatever. I wonder what's on television.
I cross the room and grab the television remote. Everything is red. That's the downside to this transmitter, everything's one color. I hit power and it immediately turns onto the Channel 9 news. I hear it before I see it, and I just can't believe what's before my eyes. "...as the hero Spider-Man dies at the hands of the Hobgoblin. We watch as the carnage unfolds beneath us. Blood spreads across the pavement as New York's beloved hero falls at the hands of the menace Hobgoblin. What horror will unfold next? Wait, we're turning our cameras to something new. Some other monster. But, who is it? Wait, what's he doing? Oh...oh God, STEVE, STEVE! STE--" As the news copter plummets to the ground, the feed cuts out. I stand there, my jaw slack and my eyes wide. Spider-Man's dead? New York--with her greatest hero. How can we survive? Off in the distance of my house, I hear the doorway creaking open. "WHO IS IT?!" I scream, my voice carrying around the house. A sudden burst of red and I'm temporarily blinded. I fall to my ass but quickly pick myself up. I have to learn how to control this.
Using the remaining sound waves from my sudden outburst, I run to my kitchen where I grab a knife. I stalk quietly through my house, making just enough noise to be able to see. I hear a loud bang and everything becomes brighter and more vivid. I think he stubbed his toe. Dumb ass. Using the sudden brightness to my advantage, I leap forward and grab him around the throat. I hear a loud, girlish scream and everything goes red again. I swipe the knife in a long, rounded arc slice the intruders calf.
"Goddamnit Matt, it's me! Foggy!" With my vision renewed, I take a look at his face as he turns around. He ain't lying, it's Foggy. He limps over to me and, through the anger, clutches me in a grand hug. "I'm glad to see you're alright and, apparently, better than ever!" I give a nervous laugh, my eyes learning to fix themselves to his loud voice. I look him in the eyes, deep and hard.
"Spider-Man's dead." He shakes his head.
"I saw. It sucks. Who's gonna stop this new thing that's running around, what with the Fantastic Four out of commission." That sends pictures and images through my mind. One by one. I learned Judo when I was seventeen. I'm obviously still in shape. I think I can learn to control my eyesight. Maybe, just maybe...
"Foggy, I gotta go!" I reach into my closet and grab my old pull-over hoodie form high school--the Richmond Daredevils.
*
Detective Zac Den; The Church; 2013
The darkness covers the city, shrouding it in never ending nighttime. A city of putrid hatred and deceit. I walks slowly down a crowded street, my eyes trained in the distance. The lights flash and sirens roar. I hear the yells and the screams and the subtle yet intrusive voices of the reporters. Nothing is as it should be.
I look off into the distance and see the distorted realities that have come to be accepted by so many. How wrong is our world now? My feet pad against the water: splish, splash, splish, splash. I hear screams and crying, weeping and whining. Won't this city ever shut the hell up?
I cross the yellow tape and Elise's eyes meet mine. I can almost hear her thoughts: "It's another one." I shake my head and keep moving forward. Officer Thomas Konway meets me halfway.
"Sir, it looks to be another of the Punishing Angel's attacks. Four-hundred twenty-three were inside and we're still searching for survivors. So far all we've found is an old man who can barely remember his own name. Guy's name is John Kenyon, CEO of Kenyon Viewpoints. It looks like the Punishing Angels showed up and starting giving sermon, and then took the place down just like the last three times. Sir?"
"Don't call this guy the Punishing fuckin' Angel, kay Konway?" He just nods his head. He's afraid like everyone else. "Now go 'way so that the big boys can do their jobs, kay?" He walks of quickly. Nice kid. I look up into the night sky--where is he? The clouds move slowly back and forth and the moon's glow is the only thing that can pierce the indestructible silence. Then I see movement ahead. It's about time.
"Zac, over here!" Elise calls me over and I'm more than compliant. "So, it looks like this gu--"
"Showed up and starting giving sermon, and then took the place down just like the last three times?"
"Um, yeah, how'd you--"
"I'm good."
"Okay, well, we're sti--"
"Searching for survivors? But you found John Kenyon, CEO of Kenyon Viewpoints and that's who gave you the info on what went down?"
"Zac, seriously."
"I'm a damn good detective, okay Elise?"
"Yeah, I know." My cell phone starts buzzing. I pull it out and look at who's calling--Daredevil.
"Sorry babe, but I've gotta take this one." I begin walking away and zone her out.
"I'm not your babe, Zac!"
"Hello?" My voice rings back to me. It must be part of the cloaking device on the phone.
"Hello, Zachariah, it's been a while." His voice is deep and dark, shrouded in mystery. But no matter how hard he tries to cloak it, I can hear the hatred and the anger in his voice--he hates this world and is angry at it every day.
"Been busy, you find something?"
"There are two more survivors, a girl and her child. She's in no danger, so I left her for your people. Look in the Priest's office at the back of the Church."
"Is that all, Devil?"
"No. I did some digging on your survivor, John Kenyon, and it seems that he was charged back in the 90's as a part of a branch-off cult based on Manson's. He was known for killing crowds to perform satanic rituals. I'm not sure how he covered it up, but you need to look into it."
"Will do Angel, but we need to meet about this mess."
"It isn't safe yet. I'll call you if I find anything else." I hear the click and his voice is gone. I walk back out to Elise.
"Who was that?"
"Just a friend. Did we check the Priest's office for survivors? The Catholics keep their Priests safer than anyone else, so the office is probably the most fortified room in the building."
"No, but good point." She calls in over her talkie. "All units converge on the Priest's office. Search for survivors in there."
"One more thing, Elise?"
"Yeah, anything."
"Check Kenyon against cult activity in the 90's. Specifically mass killings--ten or greater." She nods and I walk off. My pocket buzzes again. This time it's the chief. "Yes, sir? What can I do you for?"
"We need to talk, now."
"On my way, Chief."
*
Daredevil; vs. The New Thing
It's cold outside, a strange sensation for this time of year. I'm wearing black converse high-tops with my Daredevil hoodie, the hood pulled up. I've made my way to the roof of my apartment building. It's quiet up hear. Strange. I look down onto the road and just three blocks away I see the wreckage of the event. There's the perfect amount of noise out hear. Just enough so that the big noises cancel each other out and I can navigate on the little ones. It's...blissful. I hear something loud to my right and, as soon as I turn my head, I realize what it is--the Monster!
The only quick rout to the Monster is...the rooftops. If I leap, can I make it? Am I that in shape? And if I do make it, will I be able to take on the Monster? As I slowly pad towards the edge of my apartment building roof, I look down to see endless darkness. If I don't make the leap, I'm dead. Maybe this isn't the best idea. But when I look back up again, it isn't the Hobgoblin roaring from the roof that I'm focused on--but the fireball flying down from the sky. With equal parts accuracy and beauty, the fireball smashes into the Monster sending it spiraling several feet backwards.
As he comes to a stop, he lets out a grizzly growl that makes my vision flash red. Only for a second though, and I manage to fight through it. When I regain my complete vision, I see that the object, or man, who flew into the monster is...Johnny Storm. Well shit. This just got real.
Without hesitation, Storm flies at the monster again, delivering another punch, this time sending blood and teeth flying. But Storm isn't fast enough to escape as a massive claw comes down on his leg, grasping him tight and sending him flying into the nearest building, shattering dozens of windows around him. The monster roars again, and when my eyesight returns, the two have returned to the rooftop with the Monster pummeling Storm into dirt. It's now or never. He needs help. I back up, almost to the doorway to the rooftop, and, right before I stop, I hit something. "OW!" Foggy again.
"What are you doing here, Foggy?"
"No, what are you doing here, Matt?"
"I guess you'll see now."
"Matt, it isn't safe here."
"Bye." And I take off running. Harder than ever before. Harder than anything in my life. And when I reach the edge of the building, I pump myself into the air, hurdling over the twenty-or-thirty foot gap. I feel myself reach the apex of my leap, and I begin to fall. This is it. I'm done for. And then it happens. The unthinkable, unimaginable. I hit the next roof over. "Holy..."
"Matt, stop that and get back over here!" I look back at my friend and see the sharp worry in his eyes. Not today, old friend. Not today. I turn my back on him and take another leap. Leap after leap after leap. Everything goes so fast, I've barely realized it by the time I'm standing ten feet from the Monster. It''s breath is just...out of this world.
"Kid, get the fuck out of here!" Johnny's scream is filled with more concern for me than fear for himself. But it's enough to stop the monster from pummeling Johnny to death. Instead he turns to me.
"Well shit. I guess the element of surprise is gone, isn't it?" With a loud roar, the monster brings his fist down where I'm standing. I manage to blindly dodge the blow, but the debris smacks my leg hard, sending me falling to the ground. The monster doesn't stop for a second as another blow lands square on my chest. I feel the hot, rising sensation as the blood flies from my mouth into the monster's eyes. But that doesn't stop it. Not even for a second. As he hits me harder and harder and louder and louder, my vision goes out. All of a sudden I feel a strange heat, and everything just disappears.
*
Next Time:
Punisher vs. Daredevil!
Who is Elektra?!
Daredevil/Punisher
In
A World Without Fear
Chapter II
A Cowardly Man
By Jordan
*
Daredevil; Then
Darkness is everywhere and everything. Ever present, omnipotent. No matter how hard I try, I can't get away from it. Everything crashes down and lifts back up; the skies fall and angels sing; choirs, somber, stand tall and in this blackness, this darkness, you can see nothing. You are lost. You are in a hole within a hole and everything is crashing down on you.
My eardrums are ringing and everything feels numb. The only thing that I can feel is my eyelids and, no matter how much I flap them, they never seem to open. The light never seems to come. I call out into the mysterious beyond and I hear nothing back.
I'm laying down, but why? I swing my legs out from under me and leap into a running start. My legs wobble and I collapse. This time I call out in pain, and I hear not my own call, but someone calling back--"Matt! Matt! What the hell are you doing?!" I feel his grasp on my arms as he pulls me up to the upright position. "You shouldn't be out of bed right now!" It's Foggy's voice, my best friend's voice. What happened to me? "You don't remember?" What? I don't remember what? What is he talking about?
I move my, I push sound out of my throat, and I form the words "What happened to me?" but I don't hear them in my ears.
"You were shot in the forehead, Matt. By an assassin." And it begins to come back. Vivid memories of a man on a rooftop. Me and Foggy, walking into the courthouse. A blaring gunshot, screams, and then everything was engulfed by the blackness. And it isn't until now that I realize my eyes have been staring into this blackness the entire time. And, even though I can't hear my own voice, I have to say this.
"I can't see you, Foggy. Everything is...black." Even though I cannot see his face, I've known him long enough to ee the look of utter shock and sadness dripping from his face.
*
Daredevil; Days Later
The blackness is still everywhere and everything. I can't get rid of it. Why? Why can't I get rid of it? If only it could go away. I've been a lawyer all my life, how can I keep doing that? I can't read the documents, I can't see the judge or the jury; I'm worthless. Why did this happen to me?
I can't even hear my own voice, so I had to figure out a way around my house other than my doctor's suggestion of "echolocation." What do I look like, a bat? No, definitely not. Instead, I called up a friend and he fixed me this--device, this thing that could convert sound waves into images like...echolocation, okay, so maybe I am a glorified bat. But at least I can still see. I beat blindness. Maybe I should patent this. I'd make millions. Whatever. I wonder what's on television.
I cross the room and grab the television remote. Everything is red. That's the downside to this transmitter, everything's one color. I hit power and it immediately turns onto the Channel 9 news. I hear it before I see it, and I just can't believe what's before my eyes. "...as the hero Spider-Man dies at the hands of the Hobgoblin. We watch as the carnage unfolds beneath us. Blood spreads across the pavement as New York's beloved hero falls at the hands of the menace Hobgoblin. What horror will unfold next? Wait, we're turning our cameras to something new. Some other monster. But, who is it? Wait, what's he doing? Oh...oh God, STEVE, STEVE! STE--" As the news copter plummets to the ground, the feed cuts out. I stand there, my jaw slack and my eyes wide. Spider-Man's dead? New York--with her greatest hero. How can we survive? Off in the distance of my house, I hear the doorway creaking open. "WHO IS IT?!" I scream, my voice carrying around the house. A sudden burst of red and I'm temporarily blinded. I fall to my ass but quickly pick myself up. I have to learn how to control this.
Using the remaining sound waves from my sudden outburst, I run to my kitchen where I grab a knife. I stalk quietly through my house, making just enough noise to be able to see. I hear a loud bang and everything becomes brighter and more vivid. I think he stubbed his toe. Dumb ass. Using the sudden brightness to my advantage, I leap forward and grab him around the throat. I hear a loud, girlish scream and everything goes red again. I swipe the knife in a long, rounded arc slice the intruders calf.
"Goddamnit Matt, it's me! Foggy!" With my vision renewed, I take a look at his face as he turns around. He ain't lying, it's Foggy. He limps over to me and, through the anger, clutches me in a grand hug. "I'm glad to see you're alright and, apparently, better than ever!" I give a nervous laugh, my eyes learning to fix themselves to his loud voice. I look him in the eyes, deep and hard.
"Spider-Man's dead." He shakes his head.
"I saw. It sucks. Who's gonna stop this new thing that's running around, what with the Fantastic Four out of commission." That sends pictures and images through my mind. One by one. I learned Judo when I was seventeen. I'm obviously still in shape. I think I can learn to control my eyesight. Maybe, just maybe...
"Foggy, I gotta go!" I reach into my closet and grab my old pull-over hoodie form high school--the Richmond Daredevils.
*
Detective Zac Den; The Church; 2013
The darkness covers the city, shrouding it in never ending nighttime. A city of putrid hatred and deceit. I walks slowly down a crowded street, my eyes trained in the distance. The lights flash and sirens roar. I hear the yells and the screams and the subtle yet intrusive voices of the reporters. Nothing is as it should be.
I look off into the distance and see the distorted realities that have come to be accepted by so many. How wrong is our world now? My feet pad against the water: splish, splash, splish, splash. I hear screams and crying, weeping and whining. Won't this city ever shut the hell up?
I cross the yellow tape and Elise's eyes meet mine. I can almost hear her thoughts: "It's another one." I shake my head and keep moving forward. Officer Thomas Konway meets me halfway.
"Sir, it looks to be another of the Punishing Angel's attacks. Four-hundred twenty-three were inside and we're still searching for survivors. So far all we've found is an old man who can barely remember his own name. Guy's name is John Kenyon, CEO of Kenyon Viewpoints. It looks like the Punishing Angels showed up and starting giving sermon, and then took the place down just like the last three times. Sir?"
"Don't call this guy the Punishing fuckin' Angel, kay Konway?" He just nods his head. He's afraid like everyone else. "Now go 'way so that the big boys can do their jobs, kay?" He walks of quickly. Nice kid. I look up into the night sky--where is he? The clouds move slowly back and forth and the moon's glow is the only thing that can pierce the indestructible silence. Then I see movement ahead. It's about time.
"Zac, over here!" Elise calls me over and I'm more than compliant. "So, it looks like this gu--"
"Showed up and starting giving sermon, and then took the place down just like the last three times?"
"Um, yeah, how'd you--"
"I'm good."
"Okay, well, we're sti--"
"Searching for survivors? But you found John Kenyon, CEO of Kenyon Viewpoints and that's who gave you the info on what went down?"
"Zac, seriously."
"I'm a damn good detective, okay Elise?"
"Yeah, I know." My cell phone starts buzzing. I pull it out and look at who's calling--Daredevil.
"Sorry babe, but I've gotta take this one." I begin walking away and zone her out.
"I'm not your babe, Zac!"
"Hello?" My voice rings back to me. It must be part of the cloaking device on the phone.
"Hello, Zachariah, it's been a while." His voice is deep and dark, shrouded in mystery. But no matter how hard he tries to cloak it, I can hear the hatred and the anger in his voice--he hates this world and is angry at it every day.
"Been busy, you find something?"
"There are two more survivors, a girl and her child. She's in no danger, so I left her for your people. Look in the Priest's office at the back of the Church."
"Is that all, Devil?"
"No. I did some digging on your survivor, John Kenyon, and it seems that he was charged back in the 90's as a part of a branch-off cult based on Manson's. He was known for killing crowds to perform satanic rituals. I'm not sure how he covered it up, but you need to look into it."
"Will do Angel, but we need to meet about this mess."
"It isn't safe yet. I'll call you if I find anything else." I hear the click and his voice is gone. I walk back out to Elise.
"Who was that?"
"Just a friend. Did we check the Priest's office for survivors? The Catholics keep their Priests safer than anyone else, so the office is probably the most fortified room in the building."
"No, but good point." She calls in over her talkie. "All units converge on the Priest's office. Search for survivors in there."
"One more thing, Elise?"
"Yeah, anything."
"Check Kenyon against cult activity in the 90's. Specifically mass killings--ten or greater." She nods and I walk off. My pocket buzzes again. This time it's the chief. "Yes, sir? What can I do you for?"
"We need to talk, now."
"On my way, Chief."
*
Daredevil; vs. The New Thing
It's cold outside, a strange sensation for this time of year. I'm wearing black converse high-tops with my Daredevil hoodie, the hood pulled up. I've made my way to the roof of my apartment building. It's quiet up hear. Strange. I look down onto the road and just three blocks away I see the wreckage of the event. There's the perfect amount of noise out hear. Just enough so that the big noises cancel each other out and I can navigate on the little ones. It's...blissful. I hear something loud to my right and, as soon as I turn my head, I realize what it is--the Monster!
The only quick rout to the Monster is...the rooftops. If I leap, can I make it? Am I that in shape? And if I do make it, will I be able to take on the Monster? As I slowly pad towards the edge of my apartment building roof, I look down to see endless darkness. If I don't make the leap, I'm dead. Maybe this isn't the best idea. But when I look back up again, it isn't the Hobgoblin roaring from the roof that I'm focused on--but the fireball flying down from the sky. With equal parts accuracy and beauty, the fireball smashes into the Monster sending it spiraling several feet backwards.
As he comes to a stop, he lets out a grizzly growl that makes my vision flash red. Only for a second though, and I manage to fight through it. When I regain my complete vision, I see that the object, or man, who flew into the monster is...Johnny Storm. Well shit. This just got real.
Without hesitation, Storm flies at the monster again, delivering another punch, this time sending blood and teeth flying. But Storm isn't fast enough to escape as a massive claw comes down on his leg, grasping him tight and sending him flying into the nearest building, shattering dozens of windows around him. The monster roars again, and when my eyesight returns, the two have returned to the rooftop with the Monster pummeling Storm into dirt. It's now or never. He needs help. I back up, almost to the doorway to the rooftop, and, right before I stop, I hit something. "OW!" Foggy again.
"What are you doing here, Foggy?"
"No, what are you doing here, Matt?"
"I guess you'll see now."
"Matt, it isn't safe here."
"Bye." And I take off running. Harder than ever before. Harder than anything in my life. And when I reach the edge of the building, I pump myself into the air, hurdling over the twenty-or-thirty foot gap. I feel myself reach the apex of my leap, and I begin to fall. This is it. I'm done for. And then it happens. The unthinkable, unimaginable. I hit the next roof over. "Holy..."
"Matt, stop that and get back over here!" I look back at my friend and see the sharp worry in his eyes. Not today, old friend. Not today. I turn my back on him and take another leap. Leap after leap after leap. Everything goes so fast, I've barely realized it by the time I'm standing ten feet from the Monster. It''s breath is just...out of this world.
"Kid, get the fuck out of here!" Johnny's scream is filled with more concern for me than fear for himself. But it's enough to stop the monster from pummeling Johnny to death. Instead he turns to me.
"Well shit. I guess the element of surprise is gone, isn't it?" With a loud roar, the monster brings his fist down where I'm standing. I manage to blindly dodge the blow, but the debris smacks my leg hard, sending me falling to the ground. The monster doesn't stop for a second as another blow lands square on my chest. I feel the hot, rising sensation as the blood flies from my mouth into the monster's eyes. But that doesn't stop it. Not even for a second. As he hits me harder and harder and louder and louder, my vision goes out. All of a sudden I feel a strange heat, and everything just disappears.
*
Next Time:
Punisher vs. Daredevil!
Who is Elektra?!