Marvel : the Author

Hello everyone ! I hope you spent a good holiday ! Happy new year ! I wish you, I wish us all a better year 2024 than the year 2023 was…

I won't bore you more. You know the drill by now : review, stones, comments, yadda yadda yadda… Also, visit my Patréon for more reading material. Search Cathbel on the website.

See you all later and enjoy the read !

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I come back to the house alone today. I couldn't find Cory, so I presume she's already on her way home, if she isn't already there. School was much like any other day : boring lectures, repetitive exercises with the teacher roaming between the rows and looking over our shoulders. At midday, we all met back at our usual table : Cory, Doreen, Peter and I. We talked about various things, with Peter animating the conversation with his nerdy passion for science and chemistry. I tried to encourage him in pursuing it, and not only focusing on his super-hero activities, reminding that, while his body had indeed 'great power' so did his mind. I think that made him think… And hopefully, will turn him into a superior Spider-Man. Not the body snatching Octavius kind…

And then, the journey home. Usually, since Cory and I live in the same house now, we go home together. Although since we don't always have the same schedule, sometimes we part ways. Today wasn't supposed to be one of those days but I guess one of her teacher was absent.

Anyways, I have other things to think about right now… Like the fact that both Peter and Doreen have been harassing me for us to patrol together at night. As if my days aren't full enough as it is !

Five days a week of school. Martial art and mystic arts lessons from my dad. Witchcraft from my mom. And of course, self-study with heavy use of my power. Working on my code, thinking about ways to use my ink. And the remaining downtime, writing my stories and exercising my drawing skills.

When do they expect me to patrol with this kind of schedule ? Besides, with Peter's luck, we'll no doubt be embroiled in battles with other Alter-humans… No, thank you !

But still… I do want to leave an impact on this crazy world. I have projects. Projects that don't necessarily involve me wearing tights and beating up bad guys. Not that I'll ever wear tights. I just don't have the bod for it !

« Although… I could make a pretty decent Saitama. » I mutter just as I'm about to turn the corner from my house. And I stop in my track…

In front of the yard, there's a… man ? He has broad shoulders but looks somewhat misshapen with a head too small for his body. And he wears a silly green suit and a bowl hat. He looks like a character straight out of a victorian mystery novel. He must be an acquaintance of mom and dad. I wonder if he's another well-known hero or an alien from another planet.

When he turns, my body tenses. I didn't notice earlier since he's still a ways off, but the man is absolutely massive ! Nidavellir's dwarf have nothing on him. But it's his face that's making me want to run away and locks my muscles preventing me from doing so. He looks… savage, exuding violence, brutality and cruelness.

Even when he smiles, though I suppose it's more of a satisfied grin, I almost feel like crying. He has a face that would make children cry… and then make him squash their heads in his hands the size trash can's lid.

I was always dreading this a little… Ever since Cory has moved in the house with us. I tried to repress the thought and mostly succeeded. But it seems like me denying reality didn't prevent it from actually happening…

« Hello there, little fella ! » The gorilla injected with growth hormones greeted with a pleasant and yet, dangerous tone. « It's come to my attention that you've become my daughter's foster brother… I'll have you help me in accomplishing my task ! »

Fucking Mister Hyde is here !

* * * * *

Calvin Zabo. In Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., I couldn't bring myself to dislike the guy. I mean, the man was obsessed, a lunatic and all-around a murderous madman… Still, I could get where he came from.

His wife had been captured and tortured by Hydra, his baby girl had disappeared. When he finally was able to retrieve his wife, she had changed : became colder, more extreme in her views. She didn't trust humans anymore and looked down on people with no powers. So, in order to be able to stay with her, he created a formula that gave him enhanced strength and durability… But it also messed up his mind, creating chemical imbalances in his brain.

This Calvin Zabo, however… I doubt he is the tragic character from the series.

I observe him from the corner of my eye as he leads me the One-Above-All knows where. Yeah, I swore on OAA's name 'cause I don't feel like God is fitting in this reality !

The man is… pleasant enough. It's obvious he's trying very hard to reassure me… I wonder if it's because he thinks I'm not worth the hassle of dragging me or simply because he likes to play with his food… It can be either, or both. The man deserves his Mister Hyde moniker after all.

He is a genius. Perhaps not on the level of Tony Stark or Reed Richards, but he still managed something very few people in this day and age are capable of : creating a somewhat stable formula to create a superhuman.

But Mister Hyde on the other hand, while still retaining most, if not all of Calvin's intellect, is much closer to a beast. He acts on his urges, is quick to fly off the handle and fights like a savage. Well… Given his stature, fighting might not be the word : he slaughters most of his opponents with his bare hands, often living them in torn body parts and crushed limbs.

At the moment, I'm thinking very hard about what he wants with me. I'm guessing the reason Cory couldn't come home with me is because of him…

« Where is Cory, sir ? »

The man's smile returned. He explained pleasantly :

« My daughter is waiting on us. You see, I want her to do something… I want to help her unlock her potential, but she stubbornly refuses… I'm hoping your presence will persuade her otherwise. »

It's an ominous statement if I've ever heard one. I'm basically leverage for her to do as he wants of he'll tear me limb from limb… I shudder at the graphic image popping up in my head.

We're heading for the docks… Probably some kind of abandoned warehouse. In comics, they usually serve for a newborn hero's training, or to conduct criminal activities. Holding a kid hostage while you force another into some kind of questionable experiment probably counts as such, no ?

Finally we reach our destination and… I was wrong. It's not an abandoned warehouse. It's an abandoned office building. It doesn't change much except for the fact that it'll be much harder to fight or flee against Mister Hyde if he decides to get violent. There'll be less space for me to move around in. On the other hand, I don't think walls and ceilings will really bother the giant next to me… Let's prepare a portal, then.

To this point, I didn't know how to go about dealing with this situation which is why I've been obediently following the nut-job. I still don't really know, to be honest. Although my power's extremely versatile, and by now I am a decent fighter - according to dad, anyway - Mister Hyde isn't someone you exchange blows with. And I haven't created a spell truly damaging with my ink. Never needed to… Now, I feel like I'm stupid. Again !

We climb up three flights of stairs, turn left… I count three doors before Mister Hyde tells me we've arrived and gestures for me to enter an office space. It's mostly empty… Except for Cory, cuffed to a radiator near the window.

I frown and wait in silence until Hyde speaks :

« Hello, again daughter ! Look who's here ! »