Hi! Been a while with this one, but at last got it out. Actually, I was going to release it some time ago, but a certain two viruses (sobig.F and Blaster.Worm) kinda made me reschedule. I managed to get rid of them, finally, and so I post this. Big thanks go to Gary Kleppe and Arthur Edwards for their pre-reading talents. Hope you enjoy!
Ranma 1/2 is property of Rumiko Takahashi
Spider-Man is property of Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
Neither used with permission
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Hikaru Gosunkugi: The Amazing Spiderman
Issue 24
Calm Before The Storm
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Miku watched him sleep from her position on the cold floor. His clothes were filthy and wrinkled, and were beginning to smell. The hair was matted and tangled, with a thick shadow of stubble on his chin to add to the pale and drawn face. Miku doubted she looked much better than him.
How long have we been here? she thought as she glanced at the remains of her bowl of rice. With no reference of time, the hours lost all meaning in this cramped cell those people had forced her and her uncle in. All she knew was that they were fed - usually - once a day. Even that small thing was insufficient to measure how long they had been caged here. Her, really, since her uncle was taken off to God-knew-where for hours on end before returning only to sleep for a few hours before being dragged off again. All she knew for certain was that this whole mess involved the enigmatic Spiderman and whatever nonsensical things her uncle muttered in his sleep.
"Gradual..." he said, the words drifting softly from his parted lips. "Secondary... factor.... scorpions...."
"What?" Miku forgot their predicament for the moment, wondering what he was talking about. She crawled over to her slumbering uncle, curious. "What was that?"
"Scorpion..." he said in the throes of fitful sleep. "Spider... ultimate predator..." His words dissolved into snores again and Miku was left with a deep sense of foreboding.
"Spiderman," she whispered, "be careful." Even though he had torn her and Hikaru Gosunkugi apart - indirectly, but there it was - he had still saved her. She didn't know why she sent that small prayer, but she did anyway.
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Hikaru Gosunkugi sneezed suddenly as he finished stripping off his costume. He briefly recalled an old wive's tale about that, how it meant someone was talking about you. He shrugged it off as he slid into bed, feeling pleasantly tired even after his confrontation in the park. People no older than him were taking the path of crime. What the hell was the world coming to?
"Man, I'm tired," he muttered as he slid between the covers. Hikaru closed his eyes only to see the juvinile leader of that little gang, suspended in his super-strong grasp...
He opened his eyes suddenly, seeing only the dark ceiling of his bedroom. One punch was all it would have taken for that kid to...
"I wish anime showed heroes having moments like this," he said and laughed a short, harsh chuckle. "If there ever was a show that portrayed crime-fighting like it was, it wouldn't sell worth a damn."
Within moments, he drifted into sleep.
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"And in the morning news, there are still no leads in the ongoing search for Doctor Octopus. Police sources tell us that since the last sighting outside the Silver Fox nightclub in Odaiba, no trace of him has been found."
Great, Hikaru grumped as he downed a cup of coffee. Like I needed a reminder.
"Police have confirmed, however, several sightings of Spiderman. One just last night in a park toward the edge of Nerima Ward, where fifty-six year old Tezuka Moritsune claims that..."
"I don't even wanna hear this." The image on the screen vanished promptly as Hikaru set the remote down and shrugged into the overshirt of his Furinkan uniform. That six-armed psychopath was still on the loose, and Gosunkugi was no closer to tracking him down than the cops apparently were.
"If only I had some kind of tracking device," he muttered while gathering his books, "I could plant one on a likely-looking thug and maybe get a clue." It was a wild fantasy at best, since he had no such devices and the odds of such a plan actually working were astronomical anyway. Days of swinging around hoping for his spider sense to kick in had gotten him a warm cup of jack squat.
Books in hand and thick coat on, he locked the door to his modest abode and set off down the hallway. He also hadn't managed to take any good photos of himself lately, which didn't help his chronically low finances. Keeping the rent paid was always a dark spectre just over his shoulder.
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These thoughts kept him company all the way to Furinkan, where he was early enough to avoid the daily "Trouncing of the Kuno" which had become so routine. Gosunkugi found himself wishing that Kuno would win once, just to break the monotony...
CRAP!
Hikaru dodged just as the spider sense tingled and barely avoided having Ranma Saotome perched on his head. The other turned about, a stunned look on his face, and Gosunkugi realized that he may have made a huge mistake.
"How'd you dodge that?" Ranma asked.
Uh-oh... "Um... I guess I got lucky. I didn't even know you were there," he replied with a nervous grin.
"Yeah, yeah that's gotta be it. Had to happen sometime, huh?"
"Guess so."
"Hey, I've been wantin' to talk to ya."
"Really? Come on, Saotome, Kuno can give you more of a fight than..."
"Whaddaya take me for?" Ranma shouted, clearly offended. "I ain't gonna pick on some guy who can't fight back!"
Hikaru bristled at those words, yet managed to hold his tongue. He'd walked right into that.
"I notice you ain't been sneakin' around Akane lately," Saotome began. "I even hear you ain't takin' no more photos for anyone. That true?"
"Well, I get paid for my pictures now, but Akane isn't in them."
"I know that much, lamebrain. What I wanna know is, what gives?"
"Say what?"
"Look, I ain't complainin' or nothin', but I wanna know if it's true you ain't takin' Akane photos no more."
"Seeing as how you caught me every friggin' time, I think you'd know as well as me!"
"Alright, I'll give ya that one," Ranma conceeded. "So, you've finally given up on Akane?"
Ah-HA! The truth comes out! "Yes, Ranma, I have. Completely and totally."
"Heeeyyy, that's *great*!" Ranma hooted as he clamped his hands down on Hikaru's shoulders. "Finally got over it and moved on, huh?"
"Something like that."
"Well, it's about time! Between you an' me, she wouldna been good for you no way."
"Um..." This was gonna get nasty, Hikaru realized as he peeked over Ranma's shoulder.
"She can't coook, she's built like a tank, she's..."
"Uh, Ranma..."
"She's... right behind me, isn't she?"
Hikaru nodded
"Crap..."
If Ranma said anything more, it was lost as Akane's foot launched him skyward and toward the drainage canal. Hikaru looked at her, and made to leave. No sense in...
"Hikaru."
"Yeah?" he said as he turned to face Akane. The rose-colored glasses he once saw her through were long since gone, yet he still couldn't...
"Was that true?"
"About you being built like a..."
"Not that! About you giving up on me!"
"Oh. Yeah, it is. Want I should broadcast it to the whole school?" Of all things, Hikaru didn't need this kind of aggravation so early in the morning. Akane's eyes narrowed at his attempt toward sarcasm, her jaw setting in that familiar look she got when angry. Usually at Ranma.
"You don't have to be a smart-ass, Hikaru," she growled.
"Sorry. Didn't mean that. I've got a lot on my mind lately."
"You mean with Miku?"
"Huh?" Today was just his day for rude surprises, it seemed. And it wasn't even eight-thirty.
"The whole school knows, Hikaru," Akane said. "You two were starting to become an item."
"Yeah, well, it... didn't work out between us."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay. Look, I've gotta get to class, so..."
"Alright. See you later!"
Hikaru watched briefly as Akane walked toward a small group of girls before turning away. His first real conversation with Akane Tendo. Some milestone.
I don't have time for this, he thought sourly as he made his way to homeroom. I've got more important things to worry about now.
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Ryo Sanzaki cringed at the readouts. Before all this, he would have been overjoyed at such results. Part of him still felt a rush of excitement at the breakthrough, and he found himself ashamed of that. The knowledge of what this would be used for made him sick to his stomach.
Otto was already on the phone, speaking with Leung no doubt. It wouldn't be long now.
Pao Leung, for his part, was exhilarated at the news.
"Are you certain?"
"Yes," Doctor Octopus replied from the other end of the secured line. "I can have the test subject in here before nightfall."
"Excellent. We no longer need Dr. Sanzaki..."
"On the contrary, we still do need him."
"Oh?"
"I will require an assistant for the actual process," Octavius' voice explained. "It would be far better to use one with prior experience with this technology. Besides, holding his niece here ensures he will not try to be a hero."
"I see your point, but I would feel better if..."
"Mister Leung, you fail to understand. No one else knows recombinant genetics as intimately as I do. Sanzaki is the only one who comes close. Using a new assistant will set the timetable back a month at least."
"Hmmm..." A month at least. Far too much time wasted. The Council of Twelve would have replaced him by then. "Very well. But, once this is done, they are both to be killed."
"Killing Sanzaki will be a pleasure," Otto said. "The guards need a reward for being so dilligent in their security, though."
"HAH! I agree." Miku Tachibana would fit that role nicely.
"So, we are in agreement?"
"We are. Once Sanzaki outlives his usefulness, you are to kill him. I will let the guards have the girl. After a day or two of their attention, killing her will be a mercy." Leung hung up the phone before saying, "and when you have outlived your usefulness, the very weapon you have given me will take care of you."
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Miku had been absent again. Two days in a row. That wasn't like her.
Hikaru Gosunkugi had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. Miku never missed any days. At least she hadn't before or since she had been...
"No way." It was too improbable. Someone being kidnapped twice in the space of a few months was ludicrous! Then again, martial artists afflicted with weird curses was even more so, but it had still happened.
He stopped at his mailbox in the apartment building's lobby and picked up that morning's paper. He hadn't thought to do it earlier. On glancing at the headline, he noticed that no Spiderman photos were there. Another reminder that he had rent to pay soon. Crap.
He entered the stairwell and began to ascend, glancing at the stories while his feet found the steps on their own. Maybe some shots of his alter-ego busting up a mugging would be enough for the tightwad publisher to loosen his pursestrings a little and...
"Hm. Sceintist goes missing. That's weird." Hikaru scanned the article. He hadn't shown up for work, his apartment was empty, and... "Well, now." A reasearcher in genetics? Gosunkugi read on as he reached the second floor and began his trek to the third. The details were sketchy in the article, but it seemed that after a major scandal, his research grant had been pulled and he had been hired on as an instructor.
"Dr. Ryo Sanzaki," he muttered as he looked at the picture. The image was vaguely familiar. Had he seen this guy before?
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Keiichi Akamoto knew he was drinking too much, but didn't care a whit. Ever since his run-in with that wall-crawling nut, he'd been so far down that he no longer knew or gave a shit which way up was. Spiderman had destroyed the minor empire he had created among the student body of Furinkan. His reputation had been his weapon, his insurance that he remained on top. Sure, the likes of Ranma could have mopped the floor with him easily, but the martial arts nuts had never bothered to mess with him.
But Spiderman...
Once they had realized that someone had gone after him, and won, the little pukes at school had stopped fearing him. His grades hadn't been anywhere near good enough to get him out of high school, much less into college. Keiichi had had no choice but to drop out and take a job with his dad.
Some job. Stocking shelves, cleaning up spills, smiling at people he totally hated. Yeah, work in a grocery store was loads of fun. Moreso when half your check was docked for rent. He actually had to pay to live at home. Wasn't that just keen?
And so, he found himself at this bar every night, drinking away his cares. If he could just get one more shot at Spiderman, a chance to beat him down and regain at least some of the dignity he'd lost...
Yeah. As if.
"Keiichi Akamoto?"
"Who wants ta know?" he replied as the man took a seat across the table from him in the mostly empty bar. Just another well-dressed corporate thug getting blasted after work, he thought. What the hell did he want?
"I do."
"Yeah, I am. So what?"
"I would like to offer you a job, Mister Akamoto."
"What kinda job?" This was starting to get good.
"It is manual labor, but the rewards will be well worth it."
"I get it. You want I should tune someone's ass up? I can do that."
"Well, something like that," the man replied. "Of course, I cannot tell you whom I represent, but he is a rather powerful man."
"Yeah?"
"Indeed. You will be paid handsomely for your services." The man's hand appeared on the table, leaving a pile of thousand yen notes. It was more money than he made on any given week, easily.
"Now you're talkin' my language." Keiichi pocketed the money. "What've I gotta do?"
"Just come with me. I will explain when we arrive."
"Whoa, wait a minute. Just tell me where I gotta go and..."
"Mister Akamoto, I am a busy man. If you do not wish to enter our employ, there are others who will be more than willing..."
"Alright, I get you. But, can't you give me a hint?" The man did not reply right away.
"Let us say that you will get another chance at Spiderman."
"Wha...?" Spiderman? Another crack at that asshat? Through the haze of booze, a thought occured to him. "Whaddaya mean another shot?"
"Come now, Mister Akamoto, you seem to be an intelligent man." Keiichi missed the note of condescension in his voice. "We did our homework. We know about your first encounter with him, and where it has led you. Wouldn't you like..."
"Mister, I'm sold. Lead on."
"Excellent! Follow me. You have a very bright future ahead of you."
Keiichi Akamoto did just that.
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Hikaru watched the flakes of snow drifted down past his window as his computer grudgingly came to life. He could have kicked himself for not doing this sooner. Doc Ock had once been a scientist. As such, he had to have published at least *one* research paper. Somewhere on the internet there had to be some record of his life before crime.
The desktop appeared on the computer's monitor with the screeching of his modem connecting to the local ISP. No email of terrible importance came into view, which made Gosunkugi wish he had better spam protection.
"Okay," he muttered as he loaded Netscape. "Let's see what's out there, Mr. Spock." The Google website, which he had set to his default homepage, appeared. "Doctor..." his fingers clacked on the keyboard, inputting the characters, "Octopus."
Ten seconds later, he had more websites than he had bargained for.
"Wow. FBI Most Wanted, America's Most Wanted, crime.com... Genetic Frontiers? Doctor Otto Octavius..." Doctor Octopus, Gosunkugi thought as he clicked on the hyperlink. The page, heavy with frames, took ten minutes to load. When it finally did, Hikaru having fetched a Pepsi and downing half of it, the graphic in the center frame immediately siezed him. In it, Doctor Octopus... Octavius... was standing before an array of lab equipment next to the same man he had seen in the evening paper a few hours earlier.
"No way." Doctor Sanzaki and Ock had been partners? "Missing scientist... Doc Ock... Oh, man..." Could Ock have kidnapped him? Were they partners in crime as well as science? Hikaru reached over an old pizza box for the newspaper and flipped through the pages until he found the article.
"Genetic research..." An uneasy feeling began to settle into Hikaru's stomach as he checked the online article and found the same thing. Both geneticists, both at one time highly respected...
He recalled the night at the Silver Fox, where Ock had told him of his fascination with Spiderman's powers.
"It can't be," Gosunkugi whispered, chest tight with an unnamed fear. Hikaru discarded the paper, delving into the article on his computer. He read about their research on recombinant genetics, about how their funding had been cut when the Gen-U-Tech corporation had gone belly-up.
"This is getting real ugly..." Sanzaki had continued pushing his research through official channels while Ock had chosen less reputable means. "Ock somehow becomes a wanted criminal while Sanzaki keeps plugging away through legal channels. Ock had to have kidnapped him."
Recombinant genetics.
Spiderman.
A rogue scientist turned villian and another trying to complete his life's work.
"Now I know where I've seen Sanzaki," Hikaru said as ice coated his nerves. "There was a picture of him in..."
Hikaru Gosunkugi wasted no time in ending his internet connnection and donning his costume. He had to move. Now.
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