The former vampire Death Dealer, now Hector's subordinate, Selene enters her hotel room to find an intruder... No, not an intruder.
"Sir..." She greets him with a nod
Hector is looking down at Monster Metropolis through the window, but he does not come in person, he is not even using his normal appearance. He appears only as a dark smoky silhouette.
"Once..." He started without even taking his eyes off the window "Once when I was a normal teen, I was asked what kind of fantasy creature I would like to be... My answer was a vampire."
"..."
"At the same time, I would hate being a vampire, they have too many weaknesses... Crucifix, holy water, garlic, sunlight, running water, need to drink blood, they can't enter a home without being invited first..."
"..." Selene finds it a little funny, all those superstitions, but she does not show it on her face.
"But obviously, my young brain couldn't accept those weaknesses... And with my huge ego, I wouldn't accept less than a vampire that has no weakness, like a True Ancestor or whatever... Only this kind I would accept for throwing my humanity away. Do you know that Vampires are related to Dragons? 'Dracul'... I also like necromancy."
"..." She keeps her silence, knowing that he will reach somewhere with this talk.
"Well, the thing is vampires are a very broad subject with many powers and variations... Magical, virus, curse, another species entirely. I like that... The broadness of it, but..." His voice suddenly gets cold "I would hate being the ones that are no different than animals. Bloodsucker parasites that are not much more than pests." He slowly turns to Selene, the two white circles that represent his eyes staring deeply at her soul "Tell me, Selene... With which type of vampire are we dealing here?"
"..." The former Death Dealer gulps imperceptibly. If they were in her former world, she feels like he would exterminate her entire race "It's... a very broad answer." She uses his own words carefully "For what I saw... There are some very bad, most of them truly. But I also met some that are simply living their lives... few. Very few." She answers truthfully.
"I see..." Hector says slowly "It would be a pity to extinguish a race." He says casually, but he is 100% serious. "You can relax... Sorry if I startled you." He says more casually to her.
"..."
"It's that just now when I was sending this Astral Projection here, I saw a vampire underground party... They are feasting on the humans that they lured there. And in the adjacent room... A slaughterhouse... Even after I cleaned the place, the bad mood didn't go away."
"It's understandable..."
The Dark Projection turns around to face the window again.
"I don't have a good opinion of this place. I scouted over here briefly and I was met with only disappointment... After checking the palace and seeing the queen having an orgy, I was too disgusted to continue and left." He comments off-handledly "Now I dumped this job on you... Sorry."
"It's no problem." She answers dutifully
"Huhu~ I like you, Selene." His sudden words surprised her "I was surrounded by very... excentric people... No that I don't like it, but is good to have someone serious like you around."
"..." She doesn't know how to take the praise, so she only nods slowly
"Now, tell me how were your days around here?" Hector keeps a casual tone like he is just a friend who wants to know some news.
Like a soldier, Selene starts narrating her experiences "I received a little prejudice when I arrived here."
"Oh..."
"Not on the level of being attacked, but I received many unfriendly looks."
"Isn't this only because you are a new face? This is a closed community after all." Hector suggests
"I thought that at first, but later I discovered that is because of the war for dominance that happened here for centuries. The succubi fought the vampires for supremacy, and as you can see the succubi won." Selene explains
"Against Dracula?"
"Dracula did not participate for long... Apparently, many high-level vampires did not care. It seems the 'nobles' stay in Europe." Monster Metropolis is beneath Manhattan. "Dracula fought for some time and then retreated for unknown reasons."
"Depending on the timeline, vampire hunters must have occupied his time." Hector deduces. "The guy has a lot of enemies. Even Moon Knight..." He chuckles "Will you have problems staying here?"
"No. The ostracization doesn't go beyond unfriendly gazes and maybe some people trying to pick up a fight." She shakes her head
"Vampires are strong and unless they are dumb... Wait, they are. Be prepared for some fights."
Selene nods "From the rest it looks like a normal city. Without fair law enforcement of course... There are lodgings, shops..."
"What is the currency here?" Hector interrupts
"Outside world currency it's accepted here without a problem. American Dollars and Euros. Gold is the best, other precious metals and gems too. But you can also exchange... blood and body parts." She says that last part slowly, paying attention to how Hector would react.
"Oh..." She can't say much when he is a faceless projection, but he appears unaffected. "I guess they are using it as food or as magic components. Many here are magic-users after all."
After that, Selene tells Hector the little she knows. Truth be told, it's all something he would discover if he passed an eye over the city more attentively... But he really is not that interested in this city for now, beyond how they treat humans.
A city of monsters sounds cool and all... But there are dinosaurs in Antarctica and there's Atlantis... Cooler places.
"Tell me, Selene... Would you like to become queen of this place?" Once again Hector says a huge statement with a casual tone of voice
"...what?"
"It's okay if you are not interested... I understand there are people that don't want the responsibility and troubles that come with being a leader." Hector waves his hand casually "I can always put another one, or an identity of mine in the place... You can be an enforcer or something."
"I... I..." The conversation is going a little too fast for her
"Calm down... I'm only saying. It's not like I will go there in that palace and kill everyone to make myself king..." He chuckles deeply "I could tho."
She can almost hear the malicious grin spreading on his face, in whatever place his real body is right now.
"Anyway, just continue living normally here... Make friends, talk with people, buy things. No need to put yourself at risk by the way, but I guess this worry is unfounded... After I enhanced you, there's not much here that can hurt you, but don't get complacent. Magic is bullshit."
"I will be careful." She nods seriously
Then the Dark Projections shifts a little and two black suitcases emerge from Hector's torso.
He puts them on the ground and points at one "All kinds of weapons in one... And all kinds of money in the other. Even human organs."
"..."
"And here..." He extends his hand and a mask appears on his palm.
A black mask without any notable features beyond the two eye-shapped holes, that are also covered by a dark glass.
"I was playing around with one of my abilities. Trying to create items of powers, I was having a little trouble making them have some sort of connection with the user so that they can be activated at will."
Selene accepts the maks carefully.
"This mask has magic and meta-powers that would help a spy... A compulsion to be ignored by people unless you attract attention to yourself, protection against poison and other nasty things, many kinds of detection powers..." Hector explains "It will hide that you are a vampire and protect you in other ways. Don't mind if it breaks... It's only a prototype." Hector says, he always worries that some of his summons will prioritize other things instead of their lives. To him, their lives are the most important.
"Thank you..." She stares at the mask
"Try it."
And she does as ordered. The mask fits perfectly and it goes well with her outfit.
"It combines with you...When I figure out how to make the powers be activated by the user instead of being a permanent passive effect, I will give you the finished product."
Much like the pieces of jewelry that are given to Shego and other summons with abnormal features, when you put it the effect starts. Hector is trying to make it more user-friendly, without having to add a button or anything.
That's why most of the powers that he puts in items and weapons are passive.
Unless he gives life to the item, of course.
"Don't forget. No need to do much, if you want to enter a group, that's good. If you want to refuse invitations, that's good too. You're strong and I'm backing you up. Collect information till the day we control this place."
"Shouldn't I try to prevent humans from being killed?" Selene asks, her voice a little muffled by the mask
Hector pauses, at first he would say yes but...
"I'm gonna say something controversial now..." He sighs "Not that I'm victim blaming, but a good part of those people that are captured by vampires kinda... have a part of the blame. I just saw an idiot follow a girl in a shady underground nightclub where he passed through a slaughterhouse and was raining blood... Like... Dude... I know that goth girls are hard to refuse, but..." Hector shakes his head "You probably can lure a lot of men to dark places yourself, Selene."
"..."
"What I'm trying to say is that people who failed the Natural Selection test are not at the top of my list of priorities. Like those idiots trying to summon demons..." He warned, and that only made the stupid try harder. The smart ones at least, are living relaxed lives without wandering dark places.
He facepalms, looking done "No one is safe and we live taking risks... But we have to agree that some risks are bigger than others. Don't get all surprised if you go to a show, a nightclub, or an open music festival and something bad happens... Again, not victim blaming but I never had my drink spiked at home, or got in a fight while reading a book in my room. Those places are dangerous because they are prone to put you in dangerous situations. Like walking in a dark alley at night."
He groans "Maybe is my old soul talking but what is the fun in a nightclub anyway? Loud music, sweaty unknown people, flashing lights... A drunk idiot bumps into you and then you have a fight in your hands. The idiot can even hold an unreasonable grudge and shoot you later..."
"..." Selene listens to his rant in silence.
He really has an old man's soul.
"Well, that's why... I'm not gonna turn my back on those idiots with no sense of danger, but we can't do it half-assedly either, Selene. Let's try to deal with the root discreetly."
She nods
Once again he sighs and looks through the window "... if everything goes well I will not need to commit any war crime... I like vampires... It would be such a pity."
Selene shudders for all vampires in the world.
.....
Mary Jane
Mary Jane-Watson is having a little problem.
Since she fell off with Hector her mood has been weird. She has been... not sad, more like lethargic, unmotivated... The days pass through her while she stays on auto-pilot.
She feels a sense of loss that confuses her. If she thinks about it, she didn't lost anything... They are barely a thing. But that emptiness is still there...
It was such a brief period of time, but the void that was created is inconceivable in her mind. This emptiness that she is trying to fill by socializing with other people.
But is hard to hold a conversation. Her peers sound so dull. It's almost mean of her to think it but is how she feels.
With Hector, the talk would flow smoothly and now... She sighs... It's hard to compare.
Right now at the end of the school day, she was approached by Rand Robertson, one of her friends who is on the football team with Flash. Nice guy, chill, and a good friend...
But she can see from afar his intentions when he approached her right now in the lockers.
"Aren't you going out with Sally, Rand?" Mary Jane closes her locker and turns to face him
"Well... We are giving each other time..." The big teen says with a sheepish smile for being called out that openly.
"Hmm." Mary Jane keeps her eyebrows raised while looking at him dubiously "If this is some 'dare' or 'bet' I am gonna kick you where you don't want to be kicked... And I bet you are not wearing a jockstrap now."
"Ah c'mon babe... You know that I'm not like that." He smiles at her smoothly
She crosses her arm in front of her chest in a defensive gesture but does not shots down the guy, she can at least talk with him a little. This problem with Sally looks like some juicy gossip...
As they two chat a little, Mary Jane notices something from the corner of her eye... Hector.
He was there, with his arms crossed, leaning with his shoulder in his locker, staring at her... at her chatting with Rand with the most impassive face of the Impassive Faces. If she searched it on the internet, his face would probably appear first.
She really can't detect any emotion from him... No anger, no jealousy, no sadness... None of the emotions that she would like to see on his face now.
And Hector does not avoid his gaze embarrassedly like many would, no... Hector is not like that. He keeps looking and looking... Like he was curious to see what she will do. Almost like he is daring her to do something.
While she is distracted, nervous even, by Hector's gaze, for some reason Rand suddenly thinks that it is a good idea to go for a kiss.
"!" Mary Jane's eyes widen as she notices what is happening.
She panics a little, alternating her gaze between Hector and Rand.
She has some thoughts about letting Rand kiss her, a small ugly, and vindictive part of her wants to hurt Hector just a bit... That emotionless bastard. Hurt him just like he hurt her...
...but she is not like that. She is smart enough to not fall into the trap of going into an "irresponsible" phase because of a heartbreak.
And beyond her vindictive pettiness, there's a bigger feeling inside her, a gut instinct, telling her that she will regret doing that. Like it will close a door forever.
"Whoa, whoa... Sorry Rand." She dodged his advances and escapes from between him and the lockers "You should go solve things with Sally." She gives some slaps on his arms and walks away.
She steals some glances from where Hector's direction... only to not find him there. He just disappeared, looking around she couldn't see him anywhere in the hallway. For some reason, she wanted to explain herself, but she quashed that feeling. She has nothing to explain to him.
"That's all I needed... Having hallucinations." She massages her forehead as she walks to the entrance of the school with her eyes closed
"Hallucinations? Are you sleeping well?"
"Yike!" She jolts in surprise because of the proximity of the voice that just addressed her and heard her saying weird things.
Turning fast she sees just him, Hector. Looking at her with a calm, albeit concerned, expression. How he sneaked on her remains a mystery.
"Hello, Mary Jane." He greets her in that smooth and deep tone of voice that she will never admit that she missed. They didn't talk since that day "Are you alright?"
"Hector..." 'Wait, I am angry with him, right? Right??' "Hmpf, none of your business." She scoffs and turns her head away.
"..."
Two seconds passed and she noticed that maybe the best course of action would be walking away too... Now it's awkward.
Maybe she didn't want to walk away, maybe she yearned for some talk. For closure if anything.
"Do you want a ride home?" He offers, probably concerned with her well-being, or maybe he also wants to talk with her.
"Yes... Thank you." She decides to accept. Like with that dodged kiss, she feels like she will regret otherwise. But still trying to play it cool, not even looking in his direction.
.....
"..." The ride home is silent between them, only the music playing makes the situation slightly bearable. "La Vie En Rose" by Edith Piaf.
Mary Jane looks through the window while Hector drives with his eyes focused on the road. At this point, she knows Hector a little. She knows him enough to know that this is a guy who is not affected by awkwardness and that he is comfortable in any silence.
That's why she is surprised that he was the one who talked first.
"So... You and Randolph?" He asks in an even voice
'Randolph...' She giggles a little remembering that this is Rand's name, Hector also has this thing that he likes to say someone's full name. Rarely does he use a nickname... It is like this with Gwen, and it is like this with her... At least now. She remembers when he called her MJ1.
"No..." She answers while still looking through the window "He tried. I avoided it. Only that. End of the story."
"I see..."
"Why?" She finally turns to him, a mocking smirk on her lips "Are you jealous?"
"Yes."
"..."
He admitted it so easily and without hesitation, that he wiped the teasing smirk off Mary Jane's face as fast as his answer.
"You... You..." She really doesn't know how to feel about it now. Can she even tease him now? "Huff! The Enemy of Shame!" She rolls her eyes and goes back to look at the window.
"..."
"..."
The ride continues in silence after that...
Inwardly... Mary Jane is a little happy. She supports her elbow in the car door and hides her small smile with her hand as her mind goes miles for hours to think what to say next.
"Mary Jane... It will not take long to arrive at your house, but I have something to talk with you. It will be okay if we take a detour and park somewhere?" Hector asks
"...fine." She answers after looking at his face. His normal face, that never betrays him and shows his inner feelings.
Hector drives just a little off the path, parking in a public but quiet place not far from her home. She appreciates the gesture, even if this talk ends as badly as the last one, she can simply get out of the car and go home on foot. After slamming the door, of course.
Hector sighs while pulling the handbrake after stopping. Mary Jane admonishes herself internally for looking too much at his veiny forearm. Being alone with him now and in a car... relives some memories. Some hot and steamy memories...
"How have you been, Mary Jane?" Hector turns to her after removing his seatbelt, starting very diplomatically
"Good... Very good." She lies while nodding to him and herself. "And you?"
He gives her a one-shoulder shrug "It had its ups and downs, but it got better recently... More ups than downs."
"Good to hear that."
"I will start College... Next week is my last in High School." He says while paying attention to her reaction
From all the infinite possibilities???
Whatever, to the volcano...
But should I summon one of the two to experiment on him?
06- Father - Fullmetal Alchemist
Well, well, well...
It seems the answer was given to me.
You're fucked in my hands, Tucker.
07- Gendo Ikari - Neon Genesis Evangelion
"..."
I... I... I don't even know what to say.
There are so many issues to unravel here.
08- Serpent Punishing Stick - Emperor's Domination
Oh, a cultivation novel thingie!
Is that thing, right? The stick that will not kill the person being hit doesn't matter how much you hurt them with it.
Are you trying to tell me something again, Gacha?
Should I use it to discipline my kids?
Yes. Only the boys tho.
09- Endeavor - Boku no Hero Academia
Ugh... So useleeeeess...
But first time gaining something from a universe after I visited it.
It should start being a problem the more I visit other worlds.
But can you give me a least a good Father?
Like Isshin Kurosaki? Minato?
10- Darth Vader - Star Wars
Ooookkaaaayyy~ I take it.
But Darth Vader is not even a bad Father... He only tortured his daughter and cut the hand of his son...
My mood improved, let's go to the second batch.
01- Television Series Travel Ticket (Middle Tier / One Month)
I can think of some worlds to use it.
02- Power Boost Card x06
Okay
03- Power Boost Card x05
Okay
04- Video Game Travel Ticket (Middle Tier/ One Month)
Okay, the same thing as the first one.
05- Johannes Krauser II(Souichi Negishi) - Detroit Metal City
Pff! Hahahahaha!
Love it!
Did I gain it because I went around the One Piece world singing and playing guitar?
Now I only need a...
06- Nevan - Devil May Cry
...guitar.
Sometimes I love you, Gacha.
07- Recycling Mechanic
[By destroying 3 cards you can gain a new one]
Okay! This is huge!
I have some useless cards to recycle, and maybe I can use the miscellaneous ones too.
I love new mechanics.
08- Virgil Hawkins(Static Shock) - DC/Static Shock
Nice, fucking nice.
One of my favorite shows growing up.
Gonna summon him. One of the few good guys on my crew. Pure good guys.
09- Golden Sword of Battle (Scarlet) - Adventure Time
A fine addition to my growing collection of swords.
10- Sinbad - Sinbad no Bouken
Now I got serious... Isn't this guy very strong?
Oh, it's from his own story. So he is not too OP, but still strong.
The cards are starting to catch up with my level, nice.
And thinking about it, this guy is kinda similar to me in many aspects...
And I was in the One Piece world... Seas and all that.
Next batch!
01- Vaporeon – Pokemon
"..." Do you guys know that in terms of male humans and...
Okay, just kidding. I will stop.
02- The Ulisses - Atlantis: The Lost Empire
That's cool.
I would accept Kida tho.
But I can always go there for that chocolate booty. Maybe I can go after all chocolate booty in the Omniverse... Chel, Princess Jasmine...
03- Power Boost Card
Okay
04- King Shark - DC Comics
Is this the Water-themed batch?
05- Mariner – Waterworld
I think it is...
This is from that post-apocalyptic submerged world movie. It was good, at least it was good to my young eyes and brain.
06- Movie Travel Ticket (Low-Level / Six Months)
Okay
07- Killer Croc -DC Comics
Another one.
And I really gain a lot from DC because of the duality with Marvel, huh?
I hope I can gain Poison Ivy... Harley needs a playmate, and I can maybe fertilize her Garden.
08- Gargantuan Leviathan – Subnautica
Okay, Gacha.
Do you have a boner in giving me dangerous pets?
A flerken, Caerbannog, Rover... and now this?
I can't release this shit in the ocean... Or can I?
Maybe I can release it on another planet... Hmm.
09- Power Boost Card x04
Okay
10- Self Insert Card
Oka- Wait a damn fucking minute!!
[Using this card together with a corresponding Travel Ticket, allows you to insert yourself in the life of a character that you assimilated.]
[Obs.: Using this together with a Background Customization Card allows you to edit the Character backstory in a limited way]
This is big. This is fucking big.
This is better than gaining a Package...
I can take the Character items and maybe even recruit subordinates.
And... Helltaker, Yuuki Rito... Really interesting. Really, really interesting~
But I need to use it sparingly, I gained just one. And it came as the last and most important card of the batch. The first time a miscellaneous card was the last one. So it's precious.
Let's check the last batch.
01- Black Pearl - Pirates of the Caribbean
As expected, a pirate thingie.
I will put it in exposition somewhere.
02- Takakura Ken – Dandadan
Who?
A nerd guy with curly black hair and glasses who transforms into a taller version with white hair and a half-mask? Where did I see that before?
03- Anime Travel Ticket (Low Level / One Week)
Okay
04- BackGround Customization Card x04
Okay
05- Sakamoto Taro - Sakamoto Days
Hmpf. I knew that the man-bun was badass.
And another hyper-competent Character, huh?
Should I summon him? But he is kinda retired, right? I should assimilate him.
06- Power Boost Card x03
Okay
07- Power Boost Card x02
Okay
08- Anime Travel Ticket (Middle Tier/ Six months)
Okay
09- Leviathan Axe - God of War
Is it because I was researching the Convergence and Norse Mythology?
I will use it during the events of Thor's movie.
Now, the last card... And look at that!
After that harem Gacha, no women came this time! Haha!
Good, it seems that it was a special case. I don't have time for so many girls and I really don't want more for now...
10- Raven(Rachel Roth) - DC/Teen Titans
..................
A.N.: Hello there.
Late Merry Christmas, our guy is being tempted by Santa right here.
This Gacha has been brought to you by... Mary Jane's Haters!
Hehe, I know how many of you feel about her, but this relationship is not over yet. Like Hector, give a chance to this relationship...
If you like this story, consider supporting me in the p.a.t.r.e.o.n... There are chapters ahead there.
Here is the Link: (without spaces)
patreon . com / Evans 269
Hope you all enjoyed it, make a comment because interaction motivates me to keep writing. Thanks for reading.
Till next time and stay good y'all.
Bye Bye~