The silver doors slid open as the elevator reached the penthouse, still in the process of being repurposed into a base of operations

Inside you found four people; the bandaged-up buttler of the Avengers, Jarvis, along with him were Stark, Richards, and Emma. All of them took notice of your arrival

Richards: Thank you for coming on such short notice

You just nodded as you walked in. You didn't want to take too long, you had to get back out there to push these invaders away

Emma: I asked Storm to cover you while you were here, don't worry about it

You: Thank you

Stark and Richards gave you a confused look. Granted, you didn't know Emma had read your mind, but at this point, you were used to it

A holographic projector appeared from the ceiling as Richards typed something

Stark: Alright, what did you see out there?

You: They were setting something up in Times Square. A tower of sorts, with two smaller pillars robbing energy nearby and feeding it

As you said that, a hologram appeared in the room, an approximate of what you said

Stark: That explains the energetic anomaly

Emma: What was this thing?

Then, you turned to Emma

You: Can you show them?

She nodded before making her way towards you and gently placing a hand on the side of your head. Shortly after, your memories became visible to everyone there, akin to some sort of projection

The machines began working on deconstructing what they picked up

You: Spider-Man theorized it was a teleporter, a faster way to get troops on the ground, and it was working too, we encountered tanks

Stark: Tanks?

The man raised a brow, to which you nodded. Then, the image shifted from the structure in Times Square to the tanks guarding it

You: Quadrupedal, packed one hell of a punch

He rubbed his chin upon hearing that

Stark: That's new

Emma: All the more reason not to let them take even an inch of terrain

Mr. Fantastic wrote something down before he looked at you

Richards: You mentioned something about an "enhanced" individual. What can you tell us about it?

Your gaze turned heavy upon thinking about it. Emma sensed it too, but before she could hone in on it, you shifted the projection yet again

This time, it showed that...thing you fought. This massive man seemingly sown back together like Frankenstein's monster and some alien augmentations

Your memories showed this being facing the four of you with impressive ferocity and strength

Richards: This is nothing like the one Logan reported

You: What? He fought something like this?

Stark: More or less. It was this chick with blades and teleporting abilities. What else can you tell us about this guy?

You: I sensed more than one soul in him

Emma: Like the Rider and you?

You shook your head

You: There were far too many in there, scared, angry, confused. Forced to cooperate to even move a muscle

Iron Man raised a mocking brow as he crossed his arms

Stark: So you're saying someone cramped them all in one body and gave them alien weaponry

You: It's my best guess

Stark: ...oh, that's messed up

You grimaced as you glanced back at the projection of this fight

You: Whatever these things are, they were sent to even the playfield. This one caught us all off guard and...

Emma gasped as you changed the projection one last time. This one showed the "Brigade" man injecting Banner with something before the blinding flash of light

You: ...it caught us all off guard, and that costed us Banner

The memories dissolved, and they took all the noise in the room, leaving only a sense of dread

Feeling the guilt and anger that riddled you, the blonde slowly let go of you only to place a hand on your shoulder, making you look at her

Emma: You did what you could, Y/N

But that's when a thought slipped through the cracks. One never meant for her but still sent shivers down the spine

"That's odd, last week's simulation predicted they would take longer to get this far"

With a shaky breath, she let go of you to turn to Tony

Emma: Last week's...?

What was that supposed to mean? This attack had been going on for merely three days at most. He couldn't have possibly made a simulation on this beforehand

Unless...

The armored Avenger gave her an odd look, but his eyes went wide the moment he realized his thoughts had been exposed

Stark: Crap

Out of instinct, his faceplate fell down, just an instant before a diamond-clad fist collided with it

Emma: YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS?!

Everyone got on high alert the moment Stark hit the ground, with an enraged Emma standing above him in her diamond form

Richards: Emma, please!

Mr. Fantastic rushed in and attempted to stop her, only for you to stand in his way, with an inquisitive look to you

You: What is she talking about, Reed?

Immediately noticing the rift forming between you, the injured butler decided to intervene

Jarvis: Everyone, please! There's enough violence out there as it is!

You all turned to him and remained silent for a moment. He was right, you barely had the time to be here right now

So with a sigh, Tony got up, shifting the attention to him as his faceplate lifted itself

Stark: Two years ago, there was a joint operation between the Fantastic Four, the Avengers...and the X-Men

Emma's rage turned into confusion, but it wouldn't last long

Stark: Logan and Storm

Richards: An alien race had abducted some members of the superhuman community and used them for experiments

As he said that, some profiles popped up. Notably, Spider-Man, The Thing, Wolverine, and Elektra

The latter getting your attention. This must have been why she was so on edge about it

You: What kind of experiments?

Richards: They were injected with something that spiked their aggression, and forced them to strive and become "perfect" What would that imply, we don't know

Stark: After we got them back, we ran tests to make sure they were alright, even kept tabs on them for months

You: Did anything else happen to them?

Stark: It was...messy. For them, it was like battling an addiction, but they pulled through

Richards: So we reported this to Fury and the Guardians, and closed the case to continue our respective works

But soon, both their gazes became filled with regret

Stark: After a year, we thought we'd seen the last of it

With crossed arms, the blonde scoffed

Emma: Clearly, you thought wrong

Another sigh left his lips before he turned to the console nearby

Stark: Computer, play Abigail Brand's last message. Log 50701

What happened after shook you to the core. It was the voice of one of the toughest people you knew

And she sounded terrified

"I tried, Nick, I really did..."

Emma and you gathered to listen to the recording. An alarm glared in the background

"I don't know if you'll even get to see this but...I think this is it. They're coming for Earth"

You felt your fist clenching at that sentence, something Richards took notice of with a heavy heart

"They're ruthless, took out everything we sent at them"

But as you felt the rage building up, Emma's heart dropped

"The Guardians, Nova Corps, Carol...us"

An explosion followed that statement, with static slowly taking over, but even then, a single line escaped. Arguably the one that drowned all hope

"Everyone's gone, it's up to you now"

END_AUDIO
END_LOG

...

Both of you were left speechless. How could you not be? A bunch of heroes, some of whom you have fought with before, were now all dead, and the culprit was now attempting to take over this very city

Stark: Fury sent this two months ago. We cross-referenced the material attached and confirmed it was the same threat

Emma: So you just swept it under the rug like that? Without telling us what happened?

Tony raised his hands in surrender

Stark: Hey, Ultron made a move about a week later!

Richards: Our priorities shifted accordingly

You: ...what did you do?

He turned to find you leaning against a counter, looking to the side

Stark: What?

You then glanced back at him

You: Fury sent this to you with plenty of time to prepare, Ultron or not, so my question is...

Then, you pushed yourself off of it and walked over to him, staring at him in the eye as you did. He could have sworn he saw a flame in your eyes

You: What did you do to prepare?

The armored Avenger and Richards shared a glance before he nodded, and with that, Stark typed something on the console, and a hologram of various worlds appeared

Richards: According to the information Fury shared, the cosmos went into complete disarray, so we had to deploy multiple teams for multiple crises

One world highlighted the Skrulls attempting to take over. Handling it were Moon Knight, Tigra, Ares, Spider-Woman, Deadpool, and Wasp

Another showed the Kree deep in a civil war. Black Panther, Quake, Red Hulk, Black Widow, and Red She-Hulk were dispatched to take care of it

Quicksilver, Hawkeye, Black Knight, Hercules, Valkyrie, Mockingbird, Machine Man, Firestar, and Sentry were handling a horde of Brood parasites

To say you were surprised would be an understatement. Not only did they know about it, but this was on a scale far grander than you had ever anticipated, and you beat the Devil just last week

After a deep breath, you finally spoke with the same condescending tone

You: So the Avengers went ahead and policed the universe...

Emma: And in doing so left our home vulnerable

The blonde added while crossing her arms and raising a disgusted brow

The holograms disappeared, leaving only the two other heroes

Emma: Why didn't you tell us? We would've assisted you

But that's when Tony's expression turned stern, and he pointed at Frost

Stark: Last time I checked the X-Men were dealing with some internal conflict

Then, he turned to you

Stark: And you were fighting the Devil in who knows where!

But you were hardly fazed by this

You: So what? We still live on Earth, all of us

Emma: We would've put our differences aside for this. I know you like to think otherwise, but the Avengers can't handle everything themselves

Stark: FOR GOD'S SAKE. Would it kill you to have some FAITH in us?!

Emma: Thousands just lost their lives for doing so! Humans and mutants!

" ----zzzzzt--hear me? I'm pinned h--bzzzt! NOW!"

Silence took over the moment the transmission came through. You recognized that voice, and hearing it quelled the anger rising in you, for now, that is

You: Cat...?

Richards: Focus on that signal

The computer did so and shortly after, it displayed a hologram of a specific location, and the ID of the person. It read "Black Cat"

Cat(?): ---some help here! They're t--bzzzt-apart! Is anyone---zzzzzzt-re?

- - -

Black Cat leaped behind cover just in time for a bomb to go off, narrowly missing her. Her heart was beating out of her chest as she held on to her earpiece. The aggressors kept pushing into the safe zone she was helping to protect

Cat: Hello?! Is anyone even there?!

She-Hulk jumped into a tank and began to tear it apart, only to be tackled by a larger Decapitator unit. The police officers barked orders to hold the line, but they could only do so much

Things seemed so grim, but that's when a voice was heard

???: Cat? Can you h---zzzzt-me?

Cat: Y/N?! Oh, thank god! Can you hear me? They're bursting through the defenses! We need help NOW!

An invader screeched as it leaped into the concrete barrier, prompting her to kick it away before another one landed by and attempted to impale her, only to be met with her claws to the face

-

"Please---zzzzzzt-hold out for-bzzzt-nger!"

A feeling of dread easily took over the room, but even if your heart trembled at Felicia's voice in such distress, you honed in on the source and memorized it as best you could

You: 39th Street and Second Avenue.

Even though you whispered, a small flame left your lips. You had a new mission, and there was no time to waste

You: I'm needed out there

Without anyone doing as much as objecting, you marched towards the elevator, leaving firey footprints as you did. Emma watched this, and before you knew it, she talked

Emma: I'm going as well

The armored Avenger widened his eyes when she began to walk forward. Her place was with them coordinating the forces

Stark: Emma--

The woman stopped but only glared over her shoulder

Emma: You keep talking and I'll make sure this invasion is the least of your concerns, Anthony

With that, she made it to the elevator with you, but as it closed, she spared him one last glance

Emma: It's not that I don't have trust in the Avengers...

"It's that I don't trust you"

...

Emergency shelter H, 6:18 pm

Elektra stood on the rooftop of the outpost she was assigned to guard. The last wave of invaders did not make it anywhere near, especially not with the hatred she had for these beings

But her heart would be struck with a myriad of new emotions the moment her comms went off

"Elektra"

She knew that voice all too well. It was the one voice she was hoping to hear, yet could not find anywhere, and now it was right there, calling for her, akin to a ghostly apparition

Elektra: Matt?! Where are you?!

"Elektra---Bzzzt--...nder attack--zzzzt--...over. Elektra!"

The assassin felt fear clawing at her heart upon hearing that distress, and she held on to her earpiece

Elektra: Matt? Hang in there! I'm on my way!

The call turned into static once again, leaving an Elektra with a hideous feeling in her heart. Was it guilt for not reaching out earlier? Was it hatred for the danger these monsters must be putting him through? Was i--

Falcon: Everything alright?

The rushing assassin stopped the moment she spotted her partner in defending this outpost. He took notice of her weapons already drawn

Elektra: It's Daredevil, he's under attack

The hero's eyes went wide at the news. In all honesty, he thought the vigilante didn't make it

Falcon: Daredevil? That's not good

Elektra: I have to help him

But even if she tried to hide it, the worry behind her eyes was palpable. This only got a nod from Falcon shortly after

Falcon: Go, I got this

Elektra nodded as thanks and rushed off to the location of the distress call as the earpiece registered it, her heart beat louder as she traveled from rooftop to rooftop

Now, she knew Matt could handle himself damn well. They have faced countless adversaries together

But this was no ordinary crisis

Thor was missing, Hulk had been neutralized, and the only thing left of Cap was his shield

She was on her right to be worried about him

...

Emergency shelter D, 6:19 pm

The troops were forced to fall back as the drones bombarded the vehicles into oblivion, also destroying a turret that was meant to keep them at bay

With every bomb that dropped, the roof caved in ever so slightly. A building not meant for such punishment. Everyone knew it, but nobody dared to stay it; they could only hear the gunshots from both parties, as well as the biomechanical growling

The survivors that stood behind the iron gates watched the doors in horror, hearing some of them twist ever so slightly until decrepit hands showed themselves and shortly after, a screeching alien

Screams could be heard at the breach, but right as this creature formed a blade from its hand to attack them, Felicia fell on top of it and began to claw her way into its head

Cat: NO YOU DON'T

The creature screamed before it launched her into a nearby car with surprising force, but she quickly leaped out of the way of an energy blast that destroyed the car, however, the blast was too close for comfort. She-Hulk took notice of the explosion and reached over to her partner

She-Hulk: CAT!!

Felicia could only take cover and pray the fire would not hit her

And it didn't

As she hit the ground, Black Cat felt the heat, but it was not the one that would vaporize her. Instead, it was one she was all too familiar with

The invader that destroyed the car now lied on the ground, its head crushed under the heel of a black boot. Before she knew it, a leather-clad hand reached out for her

A presence that would normally get her nervous now was her greatest relief

You: You alright?

She looked at the flaming skeleton before her, and the hellish motorcycle behind it. A moment of softness right after she witnessed you brutalize the alien, and yet, all she could do was let out the breath she was holding and smile as she took your hand

Cat: You're here...

You only nodded before raising your hands and gripping your chain, immediately using it to burn the nearest enemy and just like that, the battle continued

The hell cycle ran over the enemies it could find, while you used your spiked knuckles to tear down the enemies threatening to get into the shelter

But it wasn't long before she took notice of your passenger

Cat: Frost? What are you doing here?

Emma: Oh, you know, just blowing off some STEAM!!

In her diamond form, the blonde leaped towards an oncoming attacker and punched through its head with a roar of her own. A larger unit swung at her from behind, but she rolled out of the way and began to riddle it with punches

You: Let's not get in her way

Cat: Fair enough

She brought out her claws once again as you punched through the leg of a Decapitator and broke it. Felicia used it as a jumping platform to land a kick on another, taking advantage and stabbing with her claws

You caught the cleaver blades of an enemy and crushed them, but kept it in place to unleash hellfire at close range, incinerating it completely

An alien tank crashed through a building and set its sights on you, but it was met with a large chunk of concrete by She-Hulk, who leaped into it and tore the canon off, using it as a projectile against an incoming bomber drone

People watched as the four of you stood against the monsters, and slowly but surely began to push them back

The invaders were ruthless, but with you by her side, the Cat felt much better about her chances

...

Daily Bugle roof. 6:21 pm

The shadows were Elektra's most significant ally as she made her way through the war-infested streets. She saw the horrifying scenes unfolding, she even managed to recognize your roaring fire in the distance, but she never once stopped, for her mission was above everything else

She thought about this possibly being a trap, but she didn't care. Even if it was, those responsible would lead her to him, one way or another

That same determination led her to the roof of the Daily Bugle, where according to the intel, the signal came from and was still there, but once she got past the giant letters, there was nothing but metal beams, antennas, and air conditioning units

Elektra: Daredevil? Are you here?

But there was no response. It was all too quiet, even the onslaught had faded into nothingness as she tried to hear

Elektra: I heard your call, it--

Suddenly, one of the air conditioning units was hurled at her, narrowly dodging the assassin, who turned her murderous gaze to the source

However, she gasped upon finding that her aggressor, and her target, were the same person

Elektra: Matt...?

An ill-looking Daredevil perched above a large container

Daredevil: I am right here, Elektra

With a grin, he stood proudly and presented himself

She needn't need to ask what had happened to him. She knew it first-hand. Even now she could feel the burning addiction calling to her

Daredevil: I don't know why you forsake such a gift. I...

Then, he stretched his arms and his grin became wider

Daredevil: I feel like a god...

Her eyes went wide at this, something she would never hear her beloved say. This was the last straw. She could not lose him, not to this. NOT LIKE THIS

Elektra: NO!!

Out of instinct, she threw a knife at him, which was easily dodged, but when Daredevil looked at her, he found a crying Elektra glaring as she pointed her sais at him

Elektra: GIVE. HIM. BACK

The corrupted vigilante, while surprised at first, only laughed at this display before getting ahold of his billy clubs

"Oh, this is gonna be fun"

...

Emergency shelter D, 6:42 pm

After a relentless battle against the invading force, the tides were finally changing in your favor

The glowing chain wrapped around one of the passing drones and slammed it back into the ground, and its weakened shell now served as a flail against units on land

You used this improvised weapon until the drone began to shake and glow, to which you swung it at a squad of drones, provoking a chain reaction that briefly painted the sky green

The unnatural growl of your enemies made you turn around to find a bunch of Invader units raising their blade-like arms to attack you. You cracked your knuckles but right as you lunged to attack, they all began to cry out in agony

You were confused as to why this was a thing when you found Emma standing by your side in her normal form, her hand pointed towards the suffering enemies until their heads exploded in unison

You: Feeling better now?

Emma: I'm picturing Stark and Richards as I do it...so yes, a little

She-Hulk picked up a mechanical arm left behind and blocked the cleaver of a decapitator before beating it senseless with it

Cat took on an Invader unit who was about to jump her ally, clashing her claws with its blade before Emma's diamond fist stepped in and broke the enemy's mask and then its neck

She-Hulk: Damn Emma, remind me not to piss you off

Emma: I think you're smarter than that, darling

Silence took over the area shortly after. You looked around to find the broken enemies already disappearing into small green clouds

The military and police forces began to cheer at their victory while Black Cat sat against the hood of a car and let out a heavy sigh, her chest rising and falling with every exhausted breath

Cat: I think...I think that's the last...of them...

Your flames extinguished to reveal your human form right as you sat by her side

You: Looks like it

The white-haired girl rested her head on your arm with a faint smile

Cat: Thank you for the save, handsome

With a low chuckle, you wrapped an arm around her shoulders, bringing her closer to you

You: Sure thing, white

Emma was caught off guard by the sudden "friendliness" exhibited between you, but before she could ask about it, another voice caught everyone's attention

???: Hey everyone, a word, please?

It came from a soldier, and behind him, the open, barely functional gates of the structure

...

Along with the three heroes, you stood with the soldiers tasked with the safety of this shelter

???: The shelter took a massive beating just now

???: It will not survive another attack like this

???: We need to do something before the next wave arrives

Emma crossed her arms

Emma: What do you suggest we do? There's hardly enough places to keep everyone safe

You then turned to the sergeant

You: How are things in the skies?

Sargeant: Just as bad. We can't get a single bird out without it being shot. We got word that the government set larger safe zones, but these bastards have us cornered

She-Hulk: Then we know where we'll target our efforts next

Cat: Hold on, but we need a solution for this shelter Right now. We need to keep these people alive long enough to get out

???: I have an idea

Out of nowhere, a man with a stern scowl and a mustache walked into the tent, restrained immediately by the guards. Of course, this only fueled his anger

???: Do you have any idea who I am? I am J JONAH JAMESON !! I run the Daily Bugle!

While Emma and Felicia rolled their eyes at this man, She-Hulk and you were admittedly amused by this. You've heard about that newspaper once or twice

???: Sir, you have to leave

???: Get your hands off of me! I'm trying to save us all!

The journalist struggled with the military in a rather intriguing attempt to be heard. Emma, having no time for nonsense, decided to peer into his mind

Emma: Wait. Let him talk

The military stopped at her request, and everyone turned to her, intrigued, even the sergeant gave her a questioning look

Sargeant: Ma'am, with all due respect

Emma: Trust me, you'll want to hear this

Jameson got himself free and dusted himself off as he entered the tent

Jameson: Thank you

The man fixed his tie, while all eyes were on him

Sargeant: Well, Mr. Jameson? What is it you want to tell us so urgently you'll risk getting arrested?

Jameson: I'm here because I got the solution to this problem! You see, my building, the Bugle, it can work as a shelter

Felicia raised a brow, clearly unamused by the idea

Cat: The newspaper? There's nothing discrete about it, Mr Jameson, let alone safe

The man shot her a look, raising a pointing hand

Jameson: I'll have you know the Bugle operates with nothing but the latest in safety and--

Sargeant: Mr. Jameson. Focus

Jonah stopped rambling to look at the officer, and then the rest of you before he cleared his throat

Jameson: After New York was declared as a perpetual disaster area, I turned the lowest levels into a safe place for me and my employees to wait out any crises

You: And why aren't you there now?

Jameson: Most of us were already getting home when this started, and even then we were all redirected to these shelters, but now...

He looked outside the tent as if to prove his point

Jameson: I think you could use another shelter

Sargeant: Would it be able to hold so many people?

Jameson: I wouldn't offer it if it wouldn't

Just as he said that the building began to shake. Everyone got on high alert immediately

She-Hulk, being the closest to the exit, leaped out of the tent and grabbed a piece of concrete, ready to throw it at the enemy... but nothing was there

Confused, she looked around the empty area, and that's when she felt the sting of something attaching to her back. She fell on one knee in an attempt to stabilize herself

One hand held onto her face, while the other clenched the pavement, crushing it in the process. There was something crawling onto her neck, its metallic tendrils dug into her bulletproof skin mercilessly

Her breathing became uncontrollable as she fought this overwhelming array of new sensations, invading her thoughts at an alarming speed

???: What was that? Where are they?!

???: I don't know, sir. There's nobody here!

You: Shulkie? What's wrong?

The hero struggled to look at you and the rest of the heroes and military that rushed out. Her skin was losing color yet her eyes seemed to glow brighter, and it was through gritted teeth that she muttered

She-Hulk: I'm...P...P...er...

"Perfect"

...

Daily Bugle roof. 6:44 pm

Elektra landed on an air conditioner unit and leaped back just in time to avoid a billy club thrown her way

Daredevil used it as a platform to lunge at her, only to be struck in the jaw with the handle of the sais

Her every move was stained by hesitation. She knew how potent the corruption of this drug was, how dangerous it made the victim, but on the other hand, she could not bring herself to use the level of strength she needed to even the fight, because it might prove fatal

The assassin attempted to get some distance by kicking him away, but he caught her leg and delivered an uppercut strong enough to send her crashing back into the unit. A painful reminder of Matt's boosted strength

Before she knew it, Matt was on top of her, swinging his weapons down on her

Daredevil: You are not Elektra. The Elektra I know is ruthless, efficient, lethal

She used her sais to block the enhanced attack

Daredevil: You're barely able to keep yourself together!

He swung again, and this time, he broke her guard

Daredevil: You're weak. Laughable

He swung again

Daredevil: No wonder why Bullseye killed you so easily!

And again, with a taunting smirk

Daredevil: You're imperfect

Suddenly, he felt the piercing agony of her sai going through his arm as he went for another attack

Daredevil dropped his weapon and screamed before looking at Elektra. Battered, and bruised, but underneath her wounds, he saw it. The murderous gaze

Unmistakable

The moment he spotted it, he began to laugh, only to be slammed in the side of the head with his own club

He stumbled back as Elektra pushed herself back to her feet

Elektra: I know my worth

She spat out blood before bringing out a throwing knife, with the blade pointing down while her guard was up

Elektra: I don't need some parasite to tell me that

Daredevil grinned as he plucked the sai off his arm, but he narrowly caught the club hurled at him. What he wasn't expecting was the flying kick that came after

Elektra caught her other sai before it hit the ground and slammed her knee against her foe's head

The gloves were off now

...

Emergency shelter D, 6:45 pm

"Come on, this way. Hurry!"

Felicia and Emma guided the terrified civilians as they escaped the ruined shelter. The military made sure no aliens could get anywhere near them as they ran toward the Bugle

Jameson himself acted as a guide, and under the promise that the new shelter was merely a block away, people rallied under him

Just a couple of feet away, a rage-filled roar could be heard in the street before you were slammed into an empty school bus

She-Hulk had lost control of herself, becoming a brutal opponent you had sworn to keep at bay while the evacuation proceeded

Her skin had turned gray, with sickly dark green veins becoming much more noticeable, and her eyes glowing a bright green

It was a struggle to find the right attacks against her. Anything with hellfire would harm more than her body, and you could sense her soul was still hers, there was just something taking over

"Have you found the cause yet?"

Emma's voice could be heard in your mind

You: There's something on her neck, but I can't take it out without doing serious damage. It cut too deep into her

She roared again before raising both fists to slam you deeper into the bus, but your chain-wrapped fist forced her back. You got two punches in before rolling out of the way of another strike when suddenly, the Hellcycle ran into her and crashed her into the bus, setting it ablaze and providing you with some breathing room

"Just keep her busy, I'll be with you soon"

You: Isn't that what I'm doing?!

While the battle raged on, a lone drone spectated from afar. Its purpose wasn't now one of aggression, but rather, documentation

Oh the other side of this lens, was a being deeply interested in what he was seeing. The two strongest heroes now at odds with one another, but as fascinating as it was to see the effects of his devices, why not capture both of them instead?

???: Yes, yes, I believe I have found worthy specimens. Proceed

The drone quickly flew closer and shot something at you. The same thing responsible for She Hulk's state

However, as it reached your neck, the metal shell gave in, and soon the entire thing melted

The being gripped the edges of his seat as he got up with shocked eyes

???: What?! How?!

But before he could even ponder the supernatural elements at play, She-Hulk had emerged from the wreckage and charged forward

The drone was suddenly wrapped in burning chains and brought towards you, letting it take the hit for you, and allowing you to punch back the moment her fist got stuck in the alien metal

Just like that, the transmission had ended

Your opponent snarled at the trap, only for you to deliver a left hook, then a right, but she caught your fist the third time around and smashed you to the ground, fully breaking the drone in the process

She lifted you by the arm and slammed you to the ground with brutal force before throwing you towards another building

But that's when she felt your chain wrapped around her wrist pulling her to you. She caught only a glimpse of a flaming skull before she was uppercut into the air

Emma: I'm here! Are you alright?!

The White Queen rushed into the scene, she saw you emerge from the broken wall and put your jaw back into its place before you spoke

You: Just dandy

With that, you whipped the chain back down, slamming She-Hulk back into the ground

Your bones repaired themselves as you gestured to the green woman, who was getting back up

You: All yours

The blonde nodded and turned to her, one hand on the side of her head, while the other was aimed at the hero

What happened next caught you off guard. She-Hulk only got two steps in before both Emma and her found themselves in agony

You caught Emma before she hit the ground, while your motorcycle drove around the even more enraged hero in an attempt to contain her

You: You alright?

Emma: I'm fine... whatever is controlling her has a defensive system, it fought back

She pushed herself off of you and back to her feet, mentally preparing herself for another try

Emma: Just keep buying me time. I'll push through

Deciding she had enough of the fire circle, She-Hulk smashed the ground and broke herself free, and as soon as she did, she lunged towards Emma

With a roaring fire, you charged straight toward her, ready for the last round

...

Daily Bugle roof. 6:47 pm

Elektra threw one knife after the other at her enemy, who deflected each of them with flawless precision as he closed the distance with her. Then he found it, an opening that lasted only a fraction of a second

That's all he needed to throw his club at her head, too fast to dodge. With this same speed and aggression, she was pulled towards Daredevil but utilized the momentum against him by spinning and landing a powerful kick to the side of his head

The infected hero cried in pain at the strike, and as he let go of his deadly grip, Elektra slammed the handle of her sai against the other side

"Forgive me, Matt" She thought to herself as she struck his sensitive ears

Desperate, Daredevil swung upwards to gain some distance, enhanced by his billy club acting as a grappling hook to get away from the field

As soon as she recovered, Elektra's eyes went wide. She just found him, she could not let him get away, let alone in such a state!

Acting out of instinct, she threw not her knives, but her sai at the line Daredevil was using to escape, and it nailed itself to the antenna

This sent him rolling back into the ground, but sensing her running towards him, he pushed himself back up and tried going for an uppercut. She stepped back as he continued to swing with increased desperation each time, easily being dodged and parried until Elektra got ahold of his arm and drove him to the ground

Only then did she catch a glimpse of the device latched onto his body. A small spider-like object with small green lights

Daredevil: LET ME GO

Before he could get back up, Elektra dug her sai into the ground, with its blades trapping his left wrist. She rested her knees on his back and forced him down, quickly taking the device off

The moment she did, a green glow took over and forced her to cover her eyes. When she looked again, Matt had gone limp, but he was slowly regaining his normal colors

Elektra: Matt!

Without hesitation, the woman dropped the device and ran to his aid. She let him rest his head on her lap while she placed a hand on his chest with closed eyes. Much to her relief, there was still a heartbeat

Suddenly, a hand rested on top of hers

Elektra gasped and opened her eyes, only to find Matt slowly looking up at her

Daredevil: Elektra...?

A smile formed on her face immediately at the sound of her name coming from him, the real him

Elektra: Yes, Matt, it's me

The assassin brought him close, embracing the hero as she allowed relief to fully take over. Out of instinct, he returned the embrace as best he could while slowly he came back to his senses 

Daredevil: What...what was that?

Slowly, she looked at the device on the ground. She was not familiar with it, but she knew the effect all too well

"It's the same addiction I struggled with" 

...

She-Hulk's mindscape, 6:47 pm

Emma closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she submerged herself yet again into She-Hulk's mind

As she did that, you brawled with the hero, trying your best to keep her away from anyone else. She appreciated every second you could get her, and it would certainly not go to waste

So she focused her efforts and allowed her mind to take her away

. . .

The White Queen gasped when she found herself where she needed to be. She opened her eyes to see a white space, seemingly empty, deceitfully peaceful

She now knew better

Making haste, Emma conjured herself a blue construct resembling a rapier sword and charged forward. Much like last time, a black mass of tendrils appeared before her, but she cut through effortlessly

From the pieces, entities began to form, alien in appearance, with sharp edges all over and green circuitry mimicking veins. They began taking more disturbingly human features that made her remember the Phalanx she had fought once before

But the blonde kept running, she could not allow herself to indulge in such contraptions, no matter how much she desired to tear them into pieces, she had a friend to find

Only when these beings lunged at her did Emma attack, slicing quickly, stabbing through their heads and arms before they could get ahold of her

The room shook violently as she kept going. She cut the head of one as it tried to slash her, but another came in like a wild animal, forcing her to duck and slash across its back. More of these creatures threatened to form already

A door came into view, one that belonged to an attorney at law. Emma quickly opened the door and shut it before they could catch in. This was it, she could sense She-Hulk, or rather Jennifer, nearby

The white spaces slowly began to take shape, now resembling the halls of an office, but whereas Emma would have expected the landscape to have finished construction, she found the same disgusting black liquid consuming parts of the office. Furniture, walls, everything

"Perfect"

She heard the mechanical whispers

"Perfect"

"No longer living in his shadow"

"Perfect"

"You must become the strongest. You must be perfect"

"Give them something to remember you by"

"Perfect"

It disgusted Emma to see a mindscape as ruined as this, especially when it belonged to someone so admirable

The room once again started to shake. Consequences of Jennifer's battle with you, she guessed, but also a reminder that her time was not infinite

Holding the rapier close, Emma continued to venture into the darkness. She tried her best to ignore the artificial voices plaguing this place, but they were getting louder and louder until finally, she found a door in the distance, one that read "Walters"

Suddenly, the monsters that chased her broke the door down and screeched upon seeing Emma, who could only groan

Emma: You have to be kidding me

They got on all fours and chased her down. One got onto the wall and bounced back to her, almost slashing her shoulder, but meeting the sharp edge of her weapon instead. Emma twisted the weapon and pulled it out before she ran away

She reached the door and got inside. She switched the rapier for a myriad of chains, a massive lock too. The door was pushed again and again, but it would hold

This allowed the blonde to turn her attention back to the other person in the room

It was Jennifer, her normal self, on her knees and with her arms chained up. Alien words and circuitry stained the walls of her room and only one light seemed to be working, flickering towards a sinister green every now and then

Gently, Emma walked towards the woman and kneeled to match her height

Emma:  Jennifer, is that you, darling?

Slowly, Jennifer looked at her. Her face was bruised, and her left cheek was even starting to form this circuitry as well

Emma: Do you know where you are? Do you know who I am?

Jennifer: You're...you're Emma Frost. With the X-Men

Frost found a semblance of hope. She was still here, she could still be saved

Emma: Do you remember what happened to you?

She gave her a weak nod

Jennifer: Something shook...something shook the shelter and--

"Perfect"

"You are not perfect"

"YOU MUST GROW STRONGER"

Jennifer squirmed at the voices growing stronger, and Emma noticed the chains she placed on the door slowly giving in, so she turned to the woman and placed her hands on the sides of her face to make their eyes meet

Emma: Look at me, darling, you are a strong soul, remember? They can't hold you down 

With shaky breaths, Jennifer held eye contact with Emma, and it wasn't long before the circuitry on her face disappeared, some parts of the wall were now looking like a proper office, but there was still much to be done

That's when everything started to shake again, startling the young lawyer, and making Frost look around too

Jennifer: What was that?

Emma: That would be your body going toe to toe with the Ghost Rider

Jennifer Ghost Rider...?

She gasped the moment she caught up

Jennifer: Oh god, am I being dangerous? Am I putting people in danger?

Emma: I assure you that will end as soon as we get you back in control, Jennifer

The brunette's head dropped suddenly

Jennifer: I've been trying for what feels like an eternity, Emma, I...I don't know if I can

Emma gave her a saddened expression, only for the chains on the door to loosen up significantly, the screeches behind it were starting to make themselves known. Time was running out

So she turned back to Jennifer and grabbed the sides of her face, with a hint of desperation in her eyes this time

Emma: Listen to me, these things, the ones threatening to get in right now, they already took some of us, Bruce included

Jennifer's eyes went wide at this revelation

Jennifer: They took Bruce?!

Emma: Yes, and they will take you too unless we do something about it right now

Jennifer: But if Bruce got taken out, then we have no chance at all!

The blonde just scoffed 

Emma: But darling, this is your chance

Then, she looked up at the chains and summoned another weapon to try and break her free

Emma: I have seen you clear entire waves of enemies by yourself without breaking a sweat

Jennifer watched as Emma struggled to break the chains. She witnessed the walls glitching out as she fought to clear her head

Emma: The question--ughh!--the only question I have now is...

Suddenly, the door broke down, chains included, allowing these nightmarish beings inside. Jennifer's heartbeat grew out of control. Emma saw them, but rather than panic, she leaned down and whispered 

Emma: Can you do it for me one more time?

The room shook once again. Jennifer closed her eyes and thought about the people lost, about her cousin, her friends, and the civilians screaming for their lives right now. The destruction and misery, the myriad of voices talking to her about perfection and her lack of it

And the fact that those responsible were still out there, and they wanted her

One of these beasts got on all fours and lunged forward, razor sharp ready to tear them apart, and with the ferocity of a rabid animal, it struck

. . .

You blocked with both arms and yet you were still thrown back a couple of feet by the punch when suddenly, she stopped in place. As if frozen out of nowhere

Confused, you turned back to Emma, who was supporting herself with a wall nearby. She was breathing heavily, but when you locked eyes with her, she nodded

A grunt got your attention, and when you turned back to the woman you had been fighting, you found her shaking as if resisting her own movements, but she raised an arm 

You expected a punch, but she instead reached behind her head, and in one painful swing, she removed the whole device, getting a good scream out in the process before she collapsed

Emma joined you as you watched a green flash taking over for a moment. Once it was gone, so were Jennifer's mutations

Now resting by your side was the emerald warrior you knew, but even with Emma's reassurance that she was okay, you still knelt beside her

You: Shulkie?

Slowly, she turned to you, finding both Emma and you. Her eyes, however, remained on you as your flames died out

She-Hulk: Did...did I hurt anyone?

You: Anyone there was to hurt made it to the Bugle safely

Upon hearing that, she let her head rest on the floor with a sigh of relief

"God help the next goddamn alien I see"

...

Three screens could be seen before the alien, who was sitting and watching the footage provided by his drones

The first screen showed Daredevil in Elektra's arms

???: Daredevil, you are such a disappointment

Then, he turned to the second one, with you fighting She-Hulk, each blow strong enough to kill any regular being

???: Your mere presence defies everything I believed possible, and as thrilling as it would be to study you, time is not an ally...

And the third showed a picture of Emma, and the status of the device, completely ruined by her telepathic prowess

???: You, on the other hand, are a magnificent specimen. Your powers are from a realm I can understand

A drone hovered into view, awaiting instructions. It watched as its master pointed at the last two screens

???: Mark her for capture. I must understand how her gift works

The drone flew off just as the screens turned off. The being got up and turned to the group that had answered his call

With his hands behind his back, he grinned at the sight of them

The elite

The experiments

The imperfects

"Time to send in the reinforcements"