AN: I've decided that if we can hit 600 power stones in a week, I will release one bonus chapter on top of the standard 3 per week I typically release as a way for me to say thanks to all of you who read my story and drop me stones! So here's your bonus chapter! Be sure to leave me plenty of comments!
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The streets of New York City buzzed with an undercurrent of anxiety, a palpable tension hanging in the air as police vehicles, government officials, SHIELD agents, and the National Guard patrolled every corner.
Once buoyed by hope and a sense of safety, the citizens now navigated their neighborhoods with trepidation, their everyday lives overshadowed by an unsettling unease. Despite the extensive presence of law enforcement, crime rates surged alarmingly, creating an atmosphere thick with desperation.
Atomic, the red-and-white hero who had once stood as a beacon of justice, faced accusations that tarnished his name in the eyes of both the public and authorities. The media frenzy painted him as a threat rather than a protector, which only emboldened the city's criminal element. His absence was deeply felt, and the shadows that once trembled at his mere presence were now filled with brazen criminals roaming the streets, undeterred by fear.
The week-long disappearance of Atomic intensified the already rampant criminal activity. Police forces, stretched thin by the dual demands of searching for their missing hero, now terrorist, and managing the escalating crime wave, found themselves overwhelmed.
Reports of violent confrontations and gang-related incidents flooded the precincts, leaving officers frustrated and desperate. With their ranks divided and morale dwindling, the thin blue line meant to protect the city appeared dangerously close to breaking.
Yet, hope flickered in the form of a diverse group of individuals stepping forward. A coalition of established heroes and newcomers united against the rising tide of lawlessness.
Figures like Spider-Man swung through the skyline, his bright red, blue, and white costume sending criminals running; Daredevil prowled darkened alleys with heightened senses, seeking justice for the voiceless; Luke Cage and Jessica Jones, initially skeptical of Atomic's motives, recognized that their city needed protection and were ready to fight for it. Iron Fist brought his martial prowess, while White Tiger, driven by a sense of responsibility, joined the fray. Even Tony Stark, in his guise as Iron Man, carved out time from his demanding schedule to lend a hand against the escalating chaos.
Some of these heroes, having chosen to live among ordinary citizens, had initially turned a blind eye to the struggles around them. However, as crime encroached upon their own communities, they realized that inaction was no longer an option. Without Atomic to maintain order, the streets that had once felt safe became battlegrounds of fear and desperation.
Ordinary New Yorkers also played their part, inspired by Atomic's compassion and selflessness. Many, though lacking superhuman abilities, rallied together to protect their neighborhoods, organizing watch groups and outreach programs to support those in need. They understood that every small act of kindness could serve as a beacon of hope amidst the chaos, echoing Atomic's legacy of heroism.
Still, each day represented a daunting challenge. The protective aura that Atomic had enveloped the city in was now a distant memory. With his departure, a new breed of criminal emerged, equipped with advanced technology, lethal weaponry, and even superhuman abilities. They seized the opportunity to further their malicious goals, emboldened by the vacuum created by Atomic's absence.
Sinister figures lurked in the shadows, waiting to exploit the turmoil. Wilson Fisk, the shadowy kingpin of crime, sought to expand his influence over the city's underbelly; Norman Osborn, with his own ambitious agenda, orchestrated chaos from behind the scenes; and The Hand, a secretive and ancient organization of ninjas, planned to increase their influence during this tumultuous period. These nefarious entities were undeterred by the potential for collateral damage and were motivated solely by their grand ambitions for power and control.
One thought permeated every mind, whether heroic or villainous: the upcoming hearing on Capitol Hill regarding Atomic would be a pivotal moment. As the world tuned in to witness the proceedings, the outcome of his judgment would ripple through the fabric of New York's future, influencing the fate of its citizens and the delicate balance between good and evil.
••o••o••o••
With his court date in Washington looming ominously tomorrow afternoon, Wyatt wandered through the bustling streets of Burbank, feeling somewhat aimless.
Clad in a black outfit that matched his turbulent mood, he observed the vibrant city life unfolding around him—a stark contrast to the chaos that had consumed his own life.
Every passerby carried their own story, immersed in the mundane: an elderly couple holding hands, a group of teenagers laughing as they shared ice cream, a businessman buried in his phone. Wyatt found solace in watching them, even as the weight of his own reality pressed down heavily on his shoulders.
For the first time in his long and arduous career as a superhero, Wyatt was granted a reprieve—a welcome week of respite from the relentless duties that had always defined him. Yet the irony of this brief vacation was not lost on him; it stemmed from the fact that he was now branded a terrorist, relentlessly hunted by those he once sought to protect. The very city that had once celebrated him now cast a shadow of suspicion on his every movement.
Even while trying to savor this unexpected freedom, Wyatt couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility gnawing at him. In New York, hundreds of discreet cameras that he had strategically placed throughout the city remained hidden in plain sight. With the help of his AI, Eve, he stayed vigilant, tracking the chaos he had inadvertently sparked. Guilt seeped into him as he reflected on the turmoil his actions had unleashed, knowing that many of his fellow heroes were now left to pick up the pieces of a fractured city.
However, a flicker of hope nestled within his heart. Wyatt clung to the belief that once the court proceedings concluded, the turbulence and crime that had escalated in New York following his revelations would gradually subside, restoring a sense of normalcy to a broken society. Yet he was acutely aware that only time would reveal whether his bold declarations would resonate positively with the world or further entrench fear and animosity.
Wyatt was no fool; he understood the complexities of human nature. He knew that within the hearts of many lingered a dark fear of the unknown, a persistent belief that mutants were fundamentally dangerous.
But amidst that darkness, he believed there lay a growing number of individuals who would choose to see mutants not as monstrous aberrations but as fellow beings deserving of empathy and understanding. It was this hope that fueled his resolve, guiding him through the uncertainty that lay ahead.
"It's hard being hopeful in a world like this," Wyatt said as he reached a skatepark. He turned his head and watched as a few skateboarders performed their tricks and rode the halfpipes.
But something else caught his eye. Far off in the corner of the skatepark was a small gathering of teenagers. Three girls and two boys surrounded a single girl, trapping her in front of a wall with their bodies. Without thinking about it, Wyatt began walking towards them.
••o••o••o••
"Ew. Do you seriously still listen to these has-beens? Their songs are, like, not even that good." One of the girls, the main ringleader, Ellie, said as she held a graphic notebook with a picture of one of Korea's famous idol groups, the Sunshine Sisters.
Zoey, a 16-year-old girl with black hair styled in twin braided buns and micro bangs, shrank into herself as she continued to stare at the ground, feeling isolated by the group around Ellie.
Opening the notebook she took from Zoey, Ellie laughed as she flipped through its pages. "What's this? Lyrics? Don't tell me you think you're going to be a songwriter?" Ellie's group all laughed at her words.
"Yeah… it is pretty stupid," Zoey gave off a weak laugh as her hands balled up tightly beside her.
From a young age, Zoey felt the weight of not fitting in. Born in the vibrant streets of South Korea and later moving to the sun-drenched town of Burbank, California, she often felt like a stranger in her own life, unable to find a community where she truly belonged.
Yet, amid the isolation, there was one constant source of solace: the music of the Sunshine Sisters. Their melodies wrapped around her like a warm hug, offering moments of peace and happiness that helped her forget her worries and fears.
The uplifting rhythms and heartfelt lyrics ignited a passion for music within her, sending her on a quest to explore every genre with a compelling beat. California's lively street culture introduced her to the exhilarating world of rap battles, where the energy and creativity of the performers captivated her spirit like nothing else.
At school, however, Zoey's unique interests and her struggle to connect with others made her an easy target for those seeking to bully her. Her love of music, which might have brought her closer to others, instead set her apart, painting her as an outsider.
Among her tormentors was Ellie, the high school queen bee, who used her popularity to make Zoey's life even more difficult. Ellie's sharp tongue and relentless teasing felt like constant reminders of Zoey's loneliness, amplifying the heartache she tried so hard to overcome.
"Great! So you wouldn't mind if I just…" Ellie lifted up Zoey's notebook and began to tear page after page out, much to Zoey's silent horror.
"I… no…" Zoey muttered as she watched each page she filled with her thoughts and beats fall to the ground.
The laughter of Ellie's friends filled Zoey's ears as Ellie continued to rip her notebook to pieces.
"That's enough."
Wyatt stepped in and snatched Zoey's notebook from Ellie's hands, surprising her group with how quickly and silently he moved.
Ellie hissed and turned to glare at Wyatt, but paused as her eyes landed on him. She instinctively took a step back, her dilapidated human instincts warning her of the presence Wyatt exuded. But just as quickly as that feeling emerged, it vanished. Shaking her head, Ellie growled, "Give that back."
"Sorry, but this doesn't belong to you. Does it?" Wyatt replied, his tone easy and relaxed.
"Who the hell do you think you are, Shithead?" one of the guys in Ellie's group, Stan, said as he and his friend Gerald moved closer to Wyatt. Ellie and her two other friends smiled, feeling superior as Stan and Gerald loomed over Wyatt. "Don't you know who we are?"
"To me, you all look like a bunch of bullies," Wyatt said, remaining unbothered.
Like a deer caught in headlights, Zoey could only watch as her unexpected savior prepared to face off against her high school's star quarterbacks.
Without another word, Stan lunged forward and threw a wide punch at Wyatt, who deftly sidestepped the attack, causing Stan to stumble forward.
With a growl, Gerald launched several awkward punches at Wyatt. As he did so, Wyatt noticed that Gerald was getting increasingly close to stepping on Zoey's torn pages.
Ducking under a wild haymaker, Wyatt moved into Gerald's space, making the teen gasp. With a firm grip, Wyatt seized Gerald's wrist, spun him around, and pushed him into Ellie and her two other friends.
Hearing rushing footsteps, Wyatt leaned to the side as Stan tried to sucker punch the back of his head. Wyatt's hand shot up, quickly using Stan's outstretched arm to pull him into an over-the-shoulder flip.
It was a maneuver Wyatt had experienced dozens of times against Logan.
Gerald moved in and checked on the groaning Stan, whose face looked up at the relaxed expression Wyatt held as he looked down at him. With a gulp, Gerald helped his friend to his feet and rushed out of the skatepark. Seeing their only muscle leaving, a nervous Ellie quickly followed, as did her two other friends.
"We won't forget this!" Ellie yelled over her shoulder. However, the stares from the other skatepark visitors caused her to blush in embarrassment. With one final glare, she and her group ran away.
"That… that was so cool!" Like a switch, Zoey's once withdrawn, turtle-like behavior turned off, revealing a more hyperactive side. This momentarily threw Wyatt for a loop. "Are you, like, a ninja or something? Or was that karate?!" she exclaimed before her eyes landed on her torn papers. The sight of her hard work ruined and strewn about instantly deflated her excitement. "Oh…"
Wyatt gave Zoey a small smile and bent down to gather the torn pages. "I'm Wyatt. It's nice to meet you…?"
"Ah, right. I'm Zoey," she said, mustering a small smile. "Thanks for helping me. But you probably shouldn't have done that. They're not going to forget what you did to them."
"I'm not worried about them. How about you? Are you okay?" Wyatt asked as he placed each torn page back in the correct order within the notebook.
"I'm… fine," Zoey said with a forced smile, her eyes landing on the notebook. "You can stop. You don't have to do that… the book's ruined."
"I wouldn't say that," Wyatt smiled as he stood up. "Do you like magic tricks, Zoey?"
"Magic? Yeah, I guess so," Zoey replied, tilting her head.
With exaggerated motion, Wyatt pulled out a large red handkerchief from his back pocket and placed it over Zoey's notebook. With a swift use of his powers, he mended the pages back together. "Abracadabra!" he announced with a flourish, pulling the handkerchief away to reveal the notebook, which was now intact. Zoey took it with a sad smile.
"I appreciate you trying to cheer me up, but…" Zoey began, only to gasp as she opened her notebook, seeing that it was back together with no damage in sight. "No way!" she screamed with a happy squeal. "How did you do that?!"
"Sorry, a magician never reveals his secrets," Wyatt said with a bow. He was glad to see Zoey's mood brighten.
"Oh my god… You really are a magician!" Zoey exclaimed in Korean, her eyes wide with excitement.
"I wouldn't call myself a magician. Otherwise, the people at the Sanctum Sanctorum might sue me," Wyatt replied, also in Korean, shocking Zoey even more.
"You speak Korean!" Zoey jumped in happiness.
"It's a bit rough, but yeah," he admitted.
"Oh! I know this great place that makes the best kimbap in the city! My treat!" Zoey said, speaking English once more, grabbing her backpack and skateboard from where they leaned against the wall. "Let's go, let's go!" She grabbed Wyatt's arm and dragged him out of the park.
"Oh, okay?" Wyatt muttered as Zoey pulled him through the streets of Burbank.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Wyatt wore a soft smile as Zoey chatted away.
Deep inside, he felt grateful for Zoey's presence and happy disposition. It was a welcome distraction from his hearing at Capitol Hill tomorrow.
"Hey, can I have that handkerchief?"
"…Sure thing."
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AN: While I hinted in earlier chapters that the world of K-Pop Demon Hunters existed in my story, this is your explicit confirmation. I loved the movie so much that I wanted to include the characters in my story. They won't have a large role in the story, so don't worry—I won't be changing the direction of my plot because of them.
Additionally, the scene with Zoey isn't merely another "hero saves the girl" trope. It actually draws from cut material from the movie, which revealed that Zoey was bullied in high school. I used that backstory to develop this scene, showcasing that Wyatt, despite his own struggles, is still willing to help someone in need.