C583 Spider-Man (Patreon)
Content
Homelander's retreat was more reminiscent of a panicked animal than the confident superhero the world once admired. Fear etched across his face as he soared through the sky, desperately trying to escape the relentless pursuit of the only person he’s ever met that could manhandle him.
Meanwhile, MJ and Starlight emerged from Vought Tower, their mission to gather evidence against the corrupt organization now accomplished. Spotting Homelander in full retreat, MJ wasted no time. With a graceful leap, she intercepted his path and delivered a powerful kick square in his face. The impact sent Homelander hurtling back towards the ground, crashing into the concrete with a resounding thud.
Peter, observing the spectacle, leaned back against a nearby wall with a smirk on his face. "Looks like someone's having a rough day," he remarked, the amusement evident in his voice. ‘I think I’ll let MJ take it from here…’
As Homelander struggled to rise from the ground, blood dripping from his nose and aching from Peter’s earlier beating, MJ approached him with an air of determined fury. The once-mighty superhero now found himself at the mercy of a woman who, despite her seemingly delicate appearance, possessed the strength to match her resolve.
MJ's first blow landed with a satisfying crunch as her fist connected with Homelander's jaw. The impact reverberated through the air, and Homelander groaned in pain. "You really should've thought twice before messing with us," MJ declared, her eyes ablaze with a fierce determination.
Starlight, a witness to the unfolding vengeance, couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and concern for MJ's ferocity. She questioned, "Is this really necessary?"
Peter chuckled from his position across from her, a knowing glint in his eyes. "I know you’re a bit naive, so I’ll drop some wisdom on you." He said, drawing Starlights attention. “Throughout your trials and tribulations as a hero, you’ll learn that some people don’t deserve pity or mercy. Homelander just so happens to be one of those people...”
As Peter spoke, MJ continued her assault, each strike a manifestation of pent-up frustration and justified anger. Homelander, weakened and unable to retaliate, became a mere punching bag for MJ's retribution.
“Okay, but how do you know that?” Starlight asked, as she hasn’t seen anything incriminating against Homelander. In fact, he seemed rather strait laced and heroic in her eyes.
“Here, let me show you…” Peter, ignoring the chaos of Homelander getting slapped around by his wife, opened a portal, retrieving the thumb drive from MJ's pocket.
With a swift motion, Peter took his laptop out of his storage necklace and plugged the drive into its side port, the screen illuminating with all of Vought’s stolen data.
As Peter quickly sifted through the files, compiling every bit of information that Vought had on Homelander, Starlight stood beside him, her eyes widening with disbelief as the truth unfolded before her. "I-I don't understand… He's a hero, isn't he?" she muttered, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
Peter, without looking away from the screen, replied, "Sometimes heroes wear masks, and not the kind you're used to..."
The list of Homelander's crimes scrolled across the screen, each revelation more shocking than the last. Mass murder, theft, manipulation, abuse of power, r*pe, and all sorts of other unspeakable acts of cruelty stained the once-glorified hero's record.
Even the r*pe and subsequent pregnancy of Becca Butcher was listed among the many sexual related crimes, including her current address. ‘I’m sure Billy will be happy to see this…’ Peter thought.
In an instant, Starlight's initial admiration for Homelander crumbled, replaced by a nauseating mix of horror and disgust.
As Peter pointed out each crime, Starlight's face contorted in disbelief. "This can't be true," she whispered, her hands trembling.
"Believe what you see, not what you're told," Peter advised, his tone grave. "Heroes, sometimes, are the ones who need to be stopped the most."
Meanwhile, MJ continued her relentless assault on Homelander, the knowledge that he had some sort of sick interest in her fueling her fury. Her fists hammered down on him, each blow punctuated with a justified rage. The once-mighty Homelander, now exposed and weakened, became a mere vessel for the consequences of his own actions.
Peter, satisfied that Starlight had seen enough, closed the laptop, ending the visual onslaught of Homelander's crimes. "You've got a choice to make now," he said, addressing Starlight. "Keep living in a lie, or stand up and do what’s right."
Starlight, torn between the truth and her ingrained beliefs, stared at Homelander, who was still being beaten by MJ, his body dripping in his own blood. The weight of the evidence crashed down on her, shattering the illusion of the hero she had admired.
Starlight's fists clenched involuntarily as the reality of Homelander's atrocities sank in. Unable to contain her rage any longer, she turned to Peter with a fire in her eyes.
"Enough is enough," Starlight declared, her voice laced with determination. Without awaiting Peter's response, she marched toward MJ and Homelander, joining the relentless assault.
MJ, in the midst of delivering a punishing blow to her opponents gut, was surprised to find Starlight at her side, joining her in her onslaught. The two women unleashed their fury upon the fallen hero, sending him hurtling into a nearby building.
Homelander, already battered and broken, became the target of a relentless barrage of strikes. Starlight's blows were fueled not only by physical strength but also by the emotional turmoil that accompanied the betrayal of someone she once believed in and looked up to.
The once-mighty superhero, now stripped of his heroic facade, writhed beneath the combined assault of MJ and Starlight. Each punch carried not just physical force but also the weight of justice, a reckoning for the lives he had ruined and the trust he had betrayed.
Peter watched as the two women, each with their own reasons for seeking retribution, laid into Homelander, who at this point was nothing more than a mangled piece of meat.
Peter, sensing the appropriate moment, rose from his chair. "Alright, you two, I think he's had enough." He approached the scene, placing a hand on MJ's shoulder to signal her to stop.
MJ, though still seething with anger, relented at her husband's touch. Starlight, on the other hand, wasn’t so compliant. Peter had to physically pull her way from her target, leaving Homelander sprawled on the ground, gasped for breath, defeated and broken.
Starlight, her fists still clenched, turned to Peter with a mixture of confusion and frustration evident in her eyes. "Why did you stop me?" She demanded, her voice edged with irritation. "You said he doesn't deserve pity or mercy. You saw what he did! I was just about to end this, to rid the world of such a horrible person. Isn't that what you wanted me to do?"
Peter sighed and shook his head, placing a hand on Starlight's shoulder. "He won't live past the next 24 hours," he explained calmly. "It's just that there's someone else higher on the list, someone who deserves to be the one to kill him."
Starlight, still processing Peter's words, furrowed her brow. "Who? Is it one of his victims?" she asked, her curiosity and impatience evident.
"You'll see soon enough," Peter replied cryptically. With that said, he walked over to the defeated Homelander, the once-mighty hero now a bloodied and unconscious heap on the ground. With a wave of his hand, Peter opened a portal, the swirling golden energy appearing upon his command.
“Come on, let’s go before more ‘heroes’ show up. We have a couple to reunite.” Dragging Homelander's battered body behind him, Peter stepped through the portal, followed closely by MJ and Starlight.
The vortex closed behind them, leaving the area deathly silent. Even the onlookers, who watched the whole fight unfold, didn’t utter a single word, far too shocked to think straight.
In the executive's office on one of the top floors of Vought Tower, a high-ranking employee spoke on the phone with a sense of urgency. "Mr. Edgar, we have a serious emergency! Madelyn Stillwell is dead! Homelander's been kidnapped! It’s all chaos, sir…”
Stan Edgar, the CEO of Vought, currently away from the city, listened intently as the executive detailed the events that unfolded in his absence. A frown creased his brow as he absorbed the gravity of the situation. "I'll be returning immediately," Edgar declared, his tone cold and calculated. "Handle the aftermath and ensure that there’s little to no liability for us."
As the call ended, across the world, Edgar stared out of the window, contemplating the unfolding chaos in his absence. The repercussions of Homelander's defeat and kidnapping would undoubtedly ripple through Vought's carefully constructed plans.
[Insert picture of Stan Edgar here]
“That boy is nothing but trouble…” Edgar muttered as he walked off, informing his secretary to schedule his flight back.
…
Meanwhile, in an abandoned factory, Peter stood with MJ, Starlight, and the unconscious Homelander.
Starlight, still grappling with everything she’s learned and done today, turned to Peter with a lingering question in her eyes. "What's next? Why are we here?" she asked, her voice a mixture of uncertainty and determination.
Peter, his gaze fixed on the door ahead of them, simply said, "Just wait a second."
And just as he said, seconds later, the door swung open and a confused Billy Butcher came rushing out, a loaded shotgun in hand. “Oh, it’s just you…” He said as he lowered his gun. “Wait, how did you know where-”
Suddenly, Billy froze as his gaze was drawn to the bloody figure lying on the floor beside Peter. “I-Is that…?”
A/N: 1616 words :) 🥳 Happy New Year!