The streets of New York City buzzed with their usual chaos—honking cars, distant sirens, and the occasional shouted argument. But for Gwen Stacy, the city had become something entirely different since she donned her Spider-Woman suit. She perched on the edge of a building, her sleek black suit glinting faintly under the glow of streetlights, crimson web patterns running elegantly down her limbs.
Beside her, Wanda Maximoff stood in her symbiote suit, its liquid-like surface shimmering in the light. Fracture curled protectively around her shoulders, her tendrils swaying lazily.
"This city never sleeps, does it?" Gwen said, glancing at Wanda.
"Not for people like us, it's too bad that Natasha and Talia sat this one out since they are chasing down leads on the green goblin back at Stark Tower." Wanda replied, her crimson aura faintly glowing even through the suit. "But at least it keeps things interesting with just the two of us."
Fracture snickered, her voice echoing in Wanda's mind. **"Oh, sure. Let's call chasing down street thugs and mutants a 'hobby.'"**
Wanda ignored her, instead focusing on Gwen. "Ready to see what the night has to offer?"
Gwen nodded, her reflective lenses glinting. "As ready as I'll ever be."
Their patrol had been quiet so far, with only the occasional mugger or petty thief to deal with. But as they turned down a shadowy alley, the sound of raised voices drew their attention. Wanda motioned for Gwen to follow, and the two silently approached the source of the commotion.
In the alley, a small group of mutants huddled together, their ragged clothes and weary faces betraying their status as outcasts members of Callisto's Morlocks. They were surrounded by another mutant—a towering figure with slate-gray skin and glowing red eyes. His voice boomed as he berated the smaller group.
"You're wasting your gifts," the gray-skinned mutant sneered. "Magneto offers you power, a purpose. And yet you hide down here like rats."
One of the smaller mutants, a young woman with scales covering her arms, stepped forward timidly. "We don't want any trouble. We just want to be left alone."
The gray-skinned mutant laughed, his voice echoing off the brick walls. "Left alone? That's not how the world works. You're either with Magneto, or you're against him."
Wanda stepped out of the shadows, her voice cutting through the tension. "Or there's a third option: you leave them alone, and we don't have to escalate this."
The gray-skinned mutant turned, his glowing red eyes narrowing as he took in Wanda and Gwen. "Who the hell are you?"
"Concerned citizens," Wanda replied, her crimson aura flaring slightly. "Now back off."
Gwen stepped up beside Wanda, her voice steady despite the nervous energy coursing through her. "You heard her. Leave them alone."
The mutant grinned, baring his sharp, metallic teeth. "You two think you can take me? Let's see what you've got."
The mutant lunged forward, his movements surprisingly quick for someone of his size. Wanda sidestepped gracefully, her symbiote suit rippling as Fracture extended a sharp tendril to deflect his strike. Gwen, meanwhile, leaped into the air, clinging to the wall above as she assessed the situation.
"Nice trick," the mutant growled, his glowing eyes locked on Wanda. "But I've got a few of my own."
He slammed his fists into the ground, sending shockwaves through the alley. The smaller mutants scattered, shouting in alarm as debris flew everywhere. Gwen flipped backward, landing on a nearby dumpster.
"Okay, big guy," Gwen said, her voice steady. "Let's see how you handle this."
She shot a webline toward him, wrapping it around his arm and yanking hard. The mutant stumbled forward, giving Wanda an opening to strike. Fracture lashed out with a series of tendrils, forcing him to block as Gwen darted in from the side.
"Keep him off balance!" Wanda called out, her voice sharp and commanding.
"Working on it!" Gwen replied, flipping over the mutant and landing a solid kick to his back.
The mutant roared in frustration, spinning around to swing at Gwen, but Wanda intercepted him. Her symbiote suit shimmered as she formed a blade with one arm, slashing at his side. He bellowed in pain, his red eyes blazing as blood gushed from his wound.
As the fight raged on, Fracture's voice echoed in Wanda's mind. **"You know, for someone so big and bad, he's not very creative. Shockwaves? Really?"**
"Focus," Wanda muttered, dodging another strike.
**"Just saying,"** Fracture replied. **"If I were him, I'd at least try something new."**
Gwen swung back into the fray, using her webbing to immobilize one of the mutant's arms. "Gotcha!"
The gray-skinned mutant snarled, yanking against the webbing. "You're a pest!"
"Better than a bully," Gwen shot back, flipping out of his reach.
Wanda took advantage of the distraction, her symbiote forming a massive claw that she used to slam the mutant into the ground. He groaned, momentarily stunned.
"Stay down," Wanda said coldly.
But the mutant wasn't finished yet. With a burst of energy, he unleashed a massive vibration shockwave that pushed Wanda and Gwen back as the webbing holding him down snapped, The mutants red eyes glowed brighter as he yelled "You think this is over? Magneto's just getting started."
With these words, the mutant ran off into the night. Wanda was more worried about the Morlocks in front of her, so she let him go. A queen can't ignore her subjects, and by letting him go, Wanda has a reason to keep Gwen around longer.
As a Morlock staggered to his feet, one of the smaller Morlocks approached Wanda hesitantly. "Thank you... for helping us."
Wanda turned to her, her expression softening. "You're welcome. But we need to talk. Is there somewhere safe we can go?"
The young woman nodded, gesturing for the group to follow her. "We have a place. It's not far."
Wanda glanced at Gwen, who was catching her breath after the fight. "Come on. We're not done, yet the fun is just starting."
Gwen nodded, her lenses reflecting the faint light of the streetlamp. "Lead the way."
As they followed the Morlocks into the shadows, Gwen glanced at Wanda. "Do you think this Magneto guy is really that dangerous?"
Wanda's expression hardened. "If he's recruiting mutants in New York, then yes. He's planning something big. And if we're going to stop him, we'll need help."
"Help from who?" Gwen asked.
Wanda's crimson eyes glinted in the dim light. "The X-Men."
Gwen tilted her head. "The who?"
"Long story," Wanda replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I'll explain later."
As they vanished into the night, Wanda couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. Progress was being made, one step at a time. With Gwen by her side, she had a good excuse to walk around in a skin-tight outfit without fear of being lectured. If Eska were here right now, Wanda thought with a smirk, she'd be giving me a long lecture about the "proper attire" a queen should wear at all times.
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