15409/This Ain't The Savannah

This Ain't The Savannah
Date of Scene:	01 August 2023
Location:	Midtown, Manhattan
Synopsis:	Rhino attempts to rob an armored Car. Spider-Man and Spider-Woman drop in to stop him. Harley Quinn and Ghost Spider join the fun. Then Juggernaut makes an appearance and things reallet start to go sideways...
Cast of Characters:	Spider-Man, Spider-Woman (Drew), Harley Quinn, Juggernaut, Ghost Spider

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Spider-Man has posed:
It is a gloomy sort of day in Manhattan today. The sky overhead is a steel grey, filled with roiling clouds that blot out any trace of the summer sun and while it might still be reasonably warm strong winds sweep across the canyon-like streets of Midtown, picking up various detritus and sending it flying down the street.

It is early enough in the afternoon that the full on rush hour crush of traffic has not yet descended upon the city streets so while the going might be slow-ish for those on the actual streets, it hasn't completely ground to an aggrevating stop.

Yet.

That of course, inevitably, is going to change. In a rather unexpected way. Oh sure, acts of violence by costumed individuals of all sorts are hardly an unknown, particularly in this city it seems. And yet they still manage to feel unexpected.

Of course, sometimes it is the perpetrator of those crimes that make them so shocking.

New York has seen more then its fair share of alien invasions, crazed villlains attempting some sort of doomsday plot against it's citizens and tons and tons of lesser crimes. It tendes to make the populace a fairly jaded bunch. But still, it is eye catching when a huge, hulking figure in a rhino suit comes barrelling around the corner, sending pedestrians on the walkway leaping aside to get out of the path of the charging madmen, plowing into sidewalk cafes and across the hood of parked cars just to find some semblance of safety.

The charging man never slows and seems entirely indifferent to anyone who might get in his way and on more then one occasion some unfortunate soul is only inches away from being flattened by the man before they leap or are jerked to safety. Even when he comes to the end of the sidewalk he doesn't hesitate, simply plowing straight out into the middle of traffic. Into the street.

An unfortunate taxi is the first vehicle clipped by the charging criminal, the back end of that yellow vehicle almost instantly totalled, the entire car spun around like it was some children's toy, hurtled out of the way as if made of plastic. And the Rhino simply keeps going.

Next up? And the likely target of the charge in the first place, that would be the armored truck in the middle lane. The Rhino hits it near the very middle of the vehicle. This time the heavily reinforced truck doesn't crumple, but it does skid several feet to the side, slamming into the other car beside it, a notably dent left imprinted in it's side. Complete with that rhino horn having gouged a hole right through the steel plating.

Hopefully there was no one directly on the other side.

Meanwhile, high overhead and mostly minding his business, Spider-Man webs his ay through the heart of the city. While he normally wouldn't hesitate to swoop low, just barely buzzing traffic to maximize those long swings -- and the aerial leaps at the end of them -- he is doing his best to remain innocuous and discrete. Not exactly something that goes natural for a guy in a spider-web themed onesie, swinging around the city on weblines. But it seems like a good idea none the less. Still, as that sound of a terrible collision reaches him even a couple of streets over, he changes his trajectory, beginning to swing in that direction...

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
It's rare that Jessica Drew is out and about in her full Spider-Woman costume. She tells the SHIELD therapist that it's because her costume doesn't fit (it does), or that she's lost one of the hands (she did for a bit), or that it's at the dry cleaners (great excuse but a bit of a stretch for her secret identity).

In truth, she's just avoiding the pressure.

Putting on the costume means being A Hero, with all the responsibility those capitals entail. And Jessica's kind of not so great with dealing with pressure right now. 'Just trying going out in the uniform. Don't look for crime or anything. Just enjoy yourself,' her therapist insisted. So that's what she's doing -- enjoying herself, by eating. The burger joint on the corner barely even batted an eyelid when she came and ordered in her uniform. It's not because she's not famous (she is in the Avengers, after all), but because people wearing weird and out-there stuff is just par for the course in New York.

She's perched up on a ledge, one leg dangling off the edge as she eats the burger. It's getting her gloved fingers all greasy but Jessica has no regrets. Not a single one.

Well, maybe one.

It takes the unlikely form of a hulking figure in a rhino suit, causing havoc and just generally being a dirtbag. Spider-Woman looks at the burger. Then Rhino. Then the burger again.

"Fuck. My. Life."

Jess narrows eyes at the burger as she wraps it up and sets it on the ledge. "Don't go anywhere," she warns it, before she leaps off the side of the building. The straight drop allows her to pick up instant momentum, and when she snaps out her arms, the wings beneath allow her to glide directly towards the figure in the Rhino suit. She's not that heavy, really, but with a bit of momentum, she's hoping she can at least make the figure stumble when she hits him full force. She just hasn't figured out what she plans to //do// after that happens.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Harley Quinn She is in newyork. Does she need a reason not really, is she here to cause an issue depends if a fly lands on her nose or not .. Right now, she's been causing her own kinda Rukus.. Mostly because the White skinned girl kinda stands out, especially when she's Sporting her roller Derby Garb without the helmet

     Or maybe it's that the two hyenas are running along at high speeds dragging the girl behind them on her roller skates as she laughs, " Don't forget to go potty on a fireman babbies," She shouts as they run through the streets.

     Then lots and lots of loud noises and screaming.. a massive figure is slamming into something " Ohhh that looks fun.. RIGHT RUDDER! " She shouts out, directing her pets towards the mayhem.

Spider-Man has posed:
Normally Peter loves this part of the day. Just the soaring through the sky, feeling that breeze all around him, the noise of the city dimmed by the rush of the wind, by his pulse echoing in his ears when he just lets do over that webline and dives into a freefall above asphalt and concrete, above the metal rooftops of cars -- only to fire off another line at the last possible instant and swing away, adrenaline pumping.

There's only a few things that beat it.

It's a little less fun when there are people point, not with excitement, but because your face -- at least the masked one -- has been plastered on every local news show and paper for the past several days. When every patrolman on the street reaches for both a radio and their sidearm when he passes by. Try as he might, Spider-Man can't entirely block that out.

And he does try.

So when his high vantage point gives him a glimpse of exactly what is going on down below, he pauses for just a moment. Pauses and actually considers swinging on by. There's no shortage of heroes in New York afterall, right? Someone will be by soon enough surely. And it's not like the Rhino is a horribly dangerous superpowered thug for hire with the brain about the size of a pea and some serious anger management issues?

Damn it.

Still, there is at least an ouch of comon sense. And while he might be reluctant to drag people into his messes, turning down offers of help when things are this bad is just... dumb.

He's a freakin' genius. He's trying to make better life choices, darnit.

So he lets go of that webline, and hurtles out into open space above. He begins that dive to the street below... and casually pulls out his phone. Right there on the home screen is a simple app. One that only a select few have. A... panic button if you will. And while he's not actually fearful of his life despite how strong the Rhino is, having another friendly face on site would be good. Just in case.

The signal is barely sent off, complete with GPS coordinates when there, below him, is another friendly face. Oh well. Two are better than one, right? Even as he dives, he sees Spider-Woman leap from her own perch -- perhaps spotting that abandonned burger so temptingly sitting on that ledge as he drops by.

Fortunately, while Spidey might see her plummetting down towards the street below, the Rhino doesn't really think to look up. Instead he raps one big hand on the rear of the armored truck. "Don't play hard to get. You don't want me to get rough," he growls out, seizing one of the handles there and simply jerking that door entirely off the frame revealling the two frightening security guards within.

And a whole heap of money, some boxed, some bagged, some in pouches.

The Rhino grins, big and toothy and leans forward. "Come to Daddy," he says, starting to reach into the back of that vehicle.

Which is right when Spider-Woman plows into him from above. He's a big guy and not easy to move. There's a reason he's called the Rhino. But she has a whole lot of momentum behind that leap and when Jessica plows into him he does go slamming back into that other door at the rear of the truck, plowing right through it to land on his keister -- right in the middle of the road.

"What the --" Aleksei Sytsevich says, looking up to see just who has attacked him, what little is visible of his features darkening. He reaches over, hands joining for a moment as he cracks his knuckles. "You're gonna regret that," he says, voice going into a low growl again.

With all of that going on, it's no surprise that hardly anyone notices the appearance of the other strange figurem being towed along by her pets. At least except those close by who recoil back. "Are those... hyenas?" one man asks.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
Speaking of making better life choices -- or trying to, anyway, exhibit A:

Spider-Woman slams into Rhino's back, and it immediately knocks all the breath out of her, too. Still, she's mindful enough to flip off him, landing lightly on the ground a few steps from him and the armored truck. "Ooh, wow. I don't want to judge but you shouldn't push your kinks onto other people. My therapist says that's a hard boundary."

Meanwhile, the shift of her body and the wave of her fingers tries to urge the two security guards to flee. She hopes they do so because, that crack of knuckles from Rhino legitimately makes her swallow nervously.

"I mean... yeah, probably. Almost certainly. Like I have constant regrets. I have to make notes about them because my therapist makes me talk about them. It's kind of depressing, actually."

Spider-Woman talks like... a lot. It could be taken as a distraction technique, but it's not really. It's just who Jessica is. The moment that it looks like Rhino is coming towards her though, she's going to fire a venom blast at him and use the distraction to leap up onto the top of the armored truck to get a bit of distance. She really doesn't like the look off him.

Harley Quinn has posed:
It's the laugh. It's gotta be the laugh... Two very famous for anybody that watches any animal show.. that telltale laugh of the hyenas that are a dead giveaway.. the Girl cackling as she's dragged along might be diffrent! The Fact she's yanked out a massive hammer from who knows where is something else!

     She's not close to the action yet, but she's gonna be there in moments.. the Funny bit is the hyena's snap off to the right, and she keeps flying Forward.. even bending down and doing that tuck move to add speed as she holds that massive hammer.. The question is, who's gonna get whacked? But she does watch that girl jump and spin around " ohhh, I should get lessons! " Clearly impressed with the fellow gymnast's style!

Juggernaut has posed:
A gloomy (not so) beautiful day in the neighborhood. A typical day. People attending to their affairs. Minding their own business and occasionally minding the business of others as well. LIfe in the big the city where te bizarre is the norm and the unusual is the usual.

An embodiment of this is a particular fellow of some visual interest. An absolutely -huuuge- man literally swamping over an entire park bench that faces the streets. His hair is red, dark sunglasses rest on the bridge of his broad almost flat nose and his massive unshaven jaw is set into a fairly non descript thin mouthed expression that seems to indicate he's hardly paying much mind to the stares that are sent his way..nevermind the fact that he looks like he ate the entire linebackers lineup of The Giants, moved on to the local superheavy weight bodybuilders and power lifters and is due for a stop at Strongman and Sumo buffet. So yeah. He's huge. Dressed well enough in form fitting likely custom made casual jeans and a tee shirt that probably unironically has an image of Godzilla on it.

For all his immensity and staggering presence..he sits, unbothered by the world, occasinally simply looking at his watch inbetween looking over the latest issue of The Bugle. Charming unbiased paper that it is. A true paragon of the truth.

When the armored truck turns a corner and begins to make its way down the street the giant man looks up and peers nonchalantly at it and then slowly folds his paper up. "..Bout time.." He begins to slowly rise. "This oughta be--"

The ground begins rumbling and he pauses and glances around and then itno the streets and his jaw goes slack slightly as the Rhino goes charging past, heading for the Armored Truck. A certain Citizen Cain Marko is left looking flabbergasted, confused and he just stares as the conflict begins and the mayhem rises.

"..Awww no.. That's -my- armored truck!" Looks like somebody neglected to inform The Juggernaut that someone had already laid claim to that particularly unluck vehicle and its contents.

Spider-Man has posed:
Whether they realize it or not, the two security guards in the back of that armored truck have received a reprieve thanks to Spider-Woman's timely arrival and as she urges them out of the back of that truck, both hasten to agree. The first one out doesn't even slow or stop to say thanks, his hat dropping to the pavement to get trampled under foot as he immediately starts to hoof it right down the middle of the street, the horns from aggitated drivers starting to add to the cacophony filling Midtown as the little incident does indeed bring traffic to a complete stand still.

"I don't get paid enough for this shit!" is all he offers, voice trailing out as he dodges around cars that no longer have any place to go.

The second guard out of the back starts to do the same before hesitating as Jessica goes flipping up onto the roof of the vehicle with that inhuman agility. Maybe it is some sort of macho bullshit, maybe it is dedication to the job. But whatever it is those footfalls draw to a swift stop, the man slowing, then stopping as he instead turns towards the downed Rhino. One hand shakes a little but he still draws his holstered gun, starting to raise it towards the costumed thief even as the hulking mass of a man gets back to his feet. "I'm not afraid of you..." he says, his shaky voice and hand suggesting that might not be entirely the case. But there are woman folk around to impress, durnit, and so he squeezes down on that trigger.

Even through that wall of sound, of honking and angry shouts filling the Midtown air, that shot rings out, echoing across the street and for a moment bringing all that noise to a standstill. But the bullet just plinks off of the Rhino's suit, the look on Aleksei's face turning ugly as he starts towards the guard. "I'm going to pulp you," he says lowly, that voice rumbling deep in his throat. "Then I'll get to you too," he says, lifting his gaze towards Spider-Woman as he starts to charge.

Timing can be everything in life. Time things just right and sometimes anything is possible. Make that perfect play at just the right moment and win the big game. Make that special gamble just when the fates align and everything goes your way.

Of course, sometimes that exact moment is the exact opposite. The Rhino lunges for the unfortunate guard -- an awkward puddle beginning to pool about his feet that might be better to ignore -- and just as he raises up one ham fist to absolutely flatten the man, yep, that's right, Spidey drops out of the air right in front of him.

"Woah big guy!" he says, raising up his hands in front of him defensively.

He doesn't get to say anything else though as that sweeping arm comes crassing down, absolutely tossing him aside, out of the way. Spider-Man soars a good fifteen feet to slam into the front bumper of one of those same, parked cars, falling into a heap in front of it. It takes him a moment to move, to stir, to even groad and Pete gives a little shake of his head. Which is when he spots them.

"I thought you were supposed to see birdies when you suffered serious brain injuries. Not hyenas," he mumbles to himself.

Fortunately for the trembling security guard, there is another Spider still right there and before Rhino can raise his fist again those venom blasts are driving him back. "Gonna crush... stomp you into the ground... hey, quitit!" he belows.

The scene might already be chaos. But it's just getting started, especially with Harley charging in and the man known as Juggernaut watching close by.

And then there is the 17th Police Precinct -- only a few blocks north too.

Could the day get any worse? Oh yes it could. And almost surely will.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
It's been a long time since Jessica's had to worry about money. And yet there's sincerity in the words she yells after the fleeing security guard: "I hear you, buddy! Ask for a raise! You earned it!" She waves after him cheerfully, looking pleased with herself.

At least, until she realizes the other one is staying. And trying to be a hero. That's like, totally stealing the spotlight, jerk! No, no. It's not healthy to be upset about that. Share the spotlight.

Thank goodness Spider-Man arrives just in time to distract Rhino while Jessica's having a momentary existential crisis. She actually gasps as she sees him go flying.

"Haven't you ever heard of LADIES FIRST? That's my bestie, how dare you!" Spider-Woman yells as she launches herself at Rhino. Or more specifically, at his leg that's being raised, seeking to wrap her arms and legs around it and just generally be a nuisance long enough for the security guard to hopefully get away.

Of course, putting herself right in reach of the guy who has shown no compunctions about smashing things or throwing people is probably a bad idea, but we've already established Jessica is just full of those.

Harley Quinn has posed:
BONK!!!! Is the sound, yep, that's the sound you get when that massive hammer SLAMS right into the Side of Rhino's head. The funny thing is this tiny girl is about Jessica's size, maybe smaller! But She Has enough Power that even Rhino will feel it.. Won't Do much cause of that armored suit! but He'll feel it, and the great thing about physics is that first hit.. when your not ready for it with her flying at the speeds she's going, is enough Force to send even Rhino flying off to the side and cause the massive man to crash into several cars and crumple them like yesterdays newspaper!

     " Didn't your mama teach you it's not nice to break fragile things! " . She lands and beams a huge smile that hammer on her shoulder, a hand on her hip.. hero-like.. that's before she looks to the man who pissed himself " GIT," she motions with her chin..

     She turns. "Let's get em, guys! , also great form on that triple spin into the bouncing land," She shouts to the heroes and talks to jess.. mostly so they won't notice Bud and Lou going into the truck to take off with a few bags!

Juggernaut has posed:
*thoom* *Thooom* *THOOOOM*!!!

The rumbles begin, steadily increasing with force as Cain Marko begins strolling in the direction of the mayhem. His very footfalls triggering seismometers elsewhere in the city and the pavement cracking and sundering under his steps..leaving imprints of his feet splintered and cratered therein.

Time for the raid boss. Cue the music change.

This isn't to say that Rhino isn't a threat. He's one of the strongest beings on the planet. Harley most likely got lucky with that hit as Rhino has gone rounds with the like=s of THe THing and The Hulk and held his ground and proven a legitiamte threat..buuut...the approaching kaiju of a threat seems as if the Godzilla theme should be playing in time with his footfalls. At the very least. Things are about to get a lot messier and a lot trickier.

Crimson energy crackles as the *THOOOMS* continue with each pounding step. The torrent of power enlarging, ballooning and embiggening the already gargantuan man to truly titanic proportions. As the energy pulls back from him, his fully armored form is now present. PRactically the size of a semi-truck cab with muscles that seem to creak with force of tectonic plates as their sinew distorts and warps the very armor he wears into a form fitting fashion. The boy is stronk.

"Pardon me, folks! Rhino. Good to see ya. Ah you opened it up already? How nice. Oh help myself? Don't mind if I do. All of it? Why sure!"

He carries on the one sided conversation as Harley embaresses the other goliath and he just moves closer and closer to the ruined armored truck like an inexorable incoming natural disaster. "Thank ye folks kindly. Now exit stage left and take your bows!"

Ghost Spider has posed:
What was it with Spiders and having to abandon food? Gwen had just taken a single bite of the most amazing reuben she'd ever tasted when her phone in the backpack beside her started going off:

Spider-Man, Spider-Man
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size
Catches thieves, just like flies...

It wasn't like Spider-Man to send out the alert, but given the current state of things, it made a /ton/ of sense for him to call for help instead of provoking even MORE trouble for himself by stirring up the police.

So, maybe it was even something relatively minor! A girl could hope, right?

*THWIP*

High up in the buildings, a hooded, white-and-black figure swings in, web over web.

.... Oh farknuckles.

For just long enough to slip the khaki backpack off of her shoulders and web it to the side of a building, Ghost-Spider pauses her advance. Then she's swinging back down, gathering momentum, shooting one web up to a corner of a building and attaching the other to the top of the armored truck.

"Don't you guys have enough 'cents' to leave our armored trucks alone?!"

Her voice bight, feminine, and supremely confident rings out over the gathered crowd. And with a mighty effort, she yanks, trying to snatch the truck away from Juggernaut (and the encroaching hyenas). It wasn't a permanent solution, but at this point, it was all about keep-away!

Spider-Man has posed:
So much for that resolution to make better life decisions. It had a pretty short lifespan.

But in fairness, Spider-Man is in a much better position to take that kind of beating then the poor security guard. Not that he is celebrating that fact right at the moment. Enhanced durability or not, peeling oneself off a car's bumper after being hurled fifteen feet through the air isn't a whole lot of fun. Peter is definitely giving the experience one star.

Does not recommend.

While Pete has most definitely committed himself to not letting anyone else get hurt again if he can possibly prevent it, in that instant there is nothing that he can do to help that security guard. He is Rhino-food and all the wall-crawler can do is groan as he tries to stagger back to his feet. In a few hours he'll just be bruised and sore, but he can't shrug off something like that in an instant, can't leap across that distance in just a second.

That guy is doomed.

Until he's not. All at once Spider-Woman is there, pretty much wrestling with Rhino's leg -- looking like she's trying to wrestle with a tree trunk really -- but it is enough. With a less than manly shriek, the guard drops his gun, turns tail and flees, those dark pants fortunately not showing the stain of wetness very well.

But hey, he tried. Points for that, if not for the common sense his partner showed.

"You've just about gotten on my last nerve woman. I've absolutely had enough of you Spiders," the Rhino growls, face red with anger as he starts to turn that formidable strength against Jessica, trying to pin her to the ground under that huge foot.

On his feet once more, Spider-Man starts to stargger over once more, arms lifting to bring those web-shooters to bear. The problem? He is seeing four Rhinos and four Spider-Women right at the moment and they are refusing to stand still. Those jerks! It might also have something to do with the way he is wobbling like he is on the deck of a ship in the middle of a stormy sea. That could do it.

Either way, someone is a jerk in this scenario.

"I'm coming bestie. Besties," he says, calling out to all four Jessica's, you know, just to be sure.

Then, sure enough, he launches a pair of weblines at Rhino, fully intending to pull him back, to jerk him off his feet. Spidey saves the day! Huzzah!

Except he picks the wrong Rhino and those lines simply fly on past, filling up the back of the armored vehicle with a tangle of webbing. And leaves Spider-Woman about to be crushed.

Then, of all unlikely events, it's Harley that is there. That hammer is catching Rhino entirely off guard as it thunks solidly into the side of his head. There is a crack, much like a fastball exploding off of a bat and Rhino hurtles back, slamming into the already dented car beside the armored vehicle and careening right on with it to slam into another of the vehicles caught in the chaos.

This... feels wrong. Clowns aren't supposed to save the day, are they? They are supposed to secretly traumatize children and possibly live in sewers. Maybe poison water resevoirs and escape from madhouses. But facts are facts and Spider-Woman is decidedly not squashed.

"Woooo! Send in the clowns!" Spidey offers up enthusiastically. "Are there more of you? Perhaps packed into an unlikely small car? I'm not sure if three of you are going to be enough," he adds.

His vision must be improving. He's down to only seeing in triplicate.

But before he can rush to join the fight, that tell-tale thumping begins to rumble across the streets. He's hear those footfalls before, has had the unpleasant experience of having them charging right towards him. "Oh, come on!" he protests, that ol' Parker luck out in spades tonight. He's just rolled at the craps table and definitely come up snake eyes.

The Juggernaut.

Spider-Man has posed:


In the distance, to the north, there is another disturbance and a dozen or so uniformed police officers rush down the sidewalk, not even trying to get patrol cars out here. That then, would be the other shoe. Or perhaps the third or forth shoes.

All Peter knows is that a whole lot of shoes are dropping. None of them particularly stylish. Or comfortable. And none that he wants to deal with right now.

But they're shoes. They don't seem to care.

Fortunately a familiar voice rings out with a pun bad enough to prove her spider credentials. The calvary has arrived.

Ghost Spider might end up regretting that.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
"You'd better give me a five star rating for that on HeroSpot!" Jessica yells after the retreating security guard. Finally, he figured out running is better. Just, Jessica hasn't got that memo yet. She clings tightly to Rhino's leg like a super-annoying and mouthy cobra, squeezing as tightly as she can. For someone her size she's surprisingly strong, thanks to the spider DNA.

Except, you know, Rhino has the smart idea of just squashing /her/ instead. She's jumped right up to first in line. Any other time she'd be thrilled, but yeah... rethinking those life choices as Rhino's greater strength, slowly, inevitably, crushes down on her. She wavers, and sinks to a knee. Then the weight gets onto her shoulders as she bends her head, and she's straining for all her might as her legs give out and the crushing weight of Rhino begins to crunch at her very bones...

...and then the pressure is gone, and Jess takes in a very wheezy breath, turns onto her side, and coughs wildly, groaning. "Ugh." She spots Spidey, waves weakly to him, and finally turns to see who just saved her life.

The clown. Of course it's a clown. Why not? Still, credit where it's due, she gives a thumbs up to Harley. "Hey, thanks! I worked long and hard to stick the landing. Always the hardest part, you know? The twists and everything are easy by comparison."

Jessica's /supposed/ to care about people stealing stuff, right? Mostly she was objecting to crushing people to death, but she's pretty sure that's on the Not Great list. First order of business though: lie here and feel very, very sorry for herself. Sure, she heals fast, but she's pretty sure something broke. A rib? Yeah, a rib at the least. It's fine. Spider-Man's here and the clown girl, and whoever just called out, and... what is that shuddering? She turns her head just in time to see Juggernaut approaching.

I mean, why not.

She groans and tries to sit up, and fails badly. "I'm just gonna have a lie down. Y'all got this!" Jess mumbles.

Harley Quinn has posed:
Harley Quinn Spots The big Red machine and blinks " Oh hell no " She says and puts her fingers to her mouth and blows a ear pircing Whistle " BABBIES! the Jokes a Flop! " the Two quickly don't bother trying to get more loot and start running! .. For her part harley shows off her own spider like skills by doing several hand stands cartwheels and spins in roller skates! to jump grab the leashes and start moving down the street at high speeds " SMELL YA LATER! " she shouts as she runs away! perhaps with a less bags of money than she wants but juggy is too much trouble!

Juggernaut has posed:
"What is this..some sort of infestation? Someone kick a nest over? What's up with all these Spider? Aint somebody got a trademark or copyright on this or something??"

Yeah he's coming with the jokes and the quips. A sure sign of his over confidence.

"'Scuse me pal." he comments as Rhino goes hurtling past him, courtesy of Harley. "I'll be embaressed for ya later. Sheesh."

Not that he's much room to talk. His win/loss record isn't exactly the most majestic and considering his claims to power..really now..what's the problem.

But don't tell him that. Especially given that his mood seems fairly cheery even considering that Rhino beat him to his own mark. "Alright then..I..Uh..HEY!"

The armored truck is just sort of..hurtling away. He blinks in surprise, wheeling around to track its sudden movements and seeing Ghost Spider in action. "Whoa! Not bad! I guess you all are stronger then I thought!"

Trying to run after her would prove fruitless. He's single minded and focused but, despite rumors to the contrary, not stupid. "Good trick! I'm impressed..but.."

A loud *TWHOOOOM* occurs as Juggernaut's hands slam together. A thunderous applause for Gwen's effort. A single clap resulting in a terrible shockwave that goes ripping down the streets and through the air towards the swinging Spider and the armored truck in tow. Vechicles are bowled over. The ground is rent and trees bend and break in the wake of the shockwaves rushing assault. Speaking of trademark - Hulk would be proud.

Ghost Spider has posed:
The armored truck is sliding across the asphalt in a squeal of rubber, leaving a trail of black marks on the asphalt as it spins and comes to a stop a good distance away from its original location.

She'd been keeping an eye on the others, but they didn't seem in /immediate/ enough danger for her to pass up on a little friendly banter with Jughead.

"Hey, thanks! So many people think I only go to the gym to take selfies..."

Ghost Spider releases the web on the armored truck, and she was just starting to swing towards Rhino when Juggernaut's massive hands clap together. And then all hell breaks loose, and Gwen's world turns topsy-turvey.

Windows shatter, glass blowing out of the sides of buildings. Cars are flipped on their sides. Asphalt splinters.

And Ghost Spider goes flying /backwards/ through the air, flipping three times and then crashing through a window to land /inside/ one of the cars that was too far away be more than shoved backwards.

Yeah. She was thrown back /that far/.

And it hurt.

A lot.

It must have, because there wasn't any movement in that car.

Spider-Man has posed:
"You!" Rhino barks out as picks himself up out of the wreckage of the pair of cars he smashed through. While there is a whole lot of anger in his voice, there might just be a hint of intimidation there too. He's strong. Really strong. And with that suit on he certainly seems to be nigh invulnerable. Certainly he is clambering back to his feat a whole lot easier then either Spider-Man or Spider-Woman.

But it's the Juggernaut.

At least one source of his ire is skipping out, that crazy clown deciding that discretion is the better part of valor and cartwheeling away, down the street with that unlikely pair of pets. But there is /pride/ on the line here. He picked out this armored car. He tore a whole it in, ripped off the back door. He's the one who has been assaulted by spiders and a clown girl, damn it. This is his!

The Ghost Spider rather casually jerks it away from both of the hulking criminals, pulling it down the street. Unlike the two guards in the back, the driver up front has not abandonned ship -- yet -- and when Gwen jerks the truck free of the car it was entwinned with he guns the engine and the badly damaged vehicle gives a roar as it starts to peel down the street, sparks flying as one damaged door drags along the asphalt.

"Outta my way. I called... whatsit? Dibs. Caught it once, will do it again," Rhino growls, going to brush past Juggernaut. And perhaps unwisely, reaches out to shove his shoulder, unable to resist taking a poke. Just a little one.

For his part, Spidey's vision continues to improve. INstead of seeing in 3-D, he's down to just seeing 2 of everything as he staggers his way over towards where Spider-Woman lays sprawled on the ground. He does take a moment to flash a thumbs up towards Gwen as she at least temporarily solves the issue of the armored car. "You da best! Both of you," he calls out towards Ghost Spider.

Then he is at Jessica's side, offering a hand. "On your feet bestie," he says, some of the shakiness in his voice starting to fade, precious time to recover bought for him by the other two spiders on the scene. And one crazy clown lady too. Can't forget that in all fairness. "You've already almost gotten trampled by one big animal type. You don't want Juggy's size thirty boot coming down on you too," he urges.

Then he pulls out the big guns. "Get up. Or so help me Imma gonna go up to that ledge and steal the burger I'm pretty sure I saw there."

Spidey can be pretty ruthless when he has to be.

Not as ruthless as the god damn Juggernaut though and as he claps his hands and unleashes that supersonic shockwave that bowls Ghost Spider right off her feet and also sends the careening armored car crashing up onto the sidewalk, only stopping short from plowing right through a shop window by the fire hydrant out front. It goes flying instead and a literal fountain of gushing water soars high into the air, raining down. Between it, and the new obstruction on the sidewalk the police are at least temporarily delayed.

Still, voices are already ringing out, close enough to hear, "Everyone on the ground! Get on the ground or we will open fire!" come the shouts as the dozen or so officers start pulling out weapons -- a pair of them even sporting shotguns.

"Shit!" Pete says before quickly correcting himself. "Shoot!" Anut May would not approve. "We got to go," he says lowly, voice taking on a slightly frantic note. "I know it hurts, but we gotta go," he says to Spider-Woman again, trying to urge her to her feet before he whirls, webline shooting out, finding purchase on one of the buildings above and taking to the air, swinging over towards where Ghost Spider punched right through into the backseat of that car.

If he called her here for help, if he got her hurt or worse...

Already that familiar sense of guilt starts to rise up in the wall-crawler.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
What makes a true Spider? It's not really the spider DNA, though that's a part of it. It's not the quips, though that's certainly the norm.

No, it's the ability to get back up when you're down, and battered and bruised and just so totally done.

And Jessica Drew is really fucking done.

She doesn't do it with elegance or grace. She doesn't glide off on a web. Nope, she groans and curses and moans as she struggles back to her feet, a relieved breath rattling out of her when Spider-Man is there offering a hand up. She gives him a horrified look, mostly conveyed through the twist of her mouth as he threatens her burger. "You gotta little mean streak in you, bestie," she grumbles as one hand wraps protectively about her middle. "I kinda dig it." She takes a deep breath, draws herself up, and looks -- just in time to see the white-clad figure go flying after Juggernaut's well timed applause.

And then Spider-Man swears.

Jessica gapes at him for a second. Yeah, she's going to remember this moment. "Right. Go on," she waves him on. She hasn't got a webline to shoot out, and has to do the old fashioning running, which, given her ribs, hurts like hell. Rhino v Juggernaut? That's a battle worth watching, but she's not getting anywhere near it. Instead, she's veering towards some of those cars that were overturned by Juggernaut's clap, seeking to tug at twisted metal and pull people from their cars.

Juggernaut has posed:
Juggernaut's booming voice roars a loud raucous laugh. Cruel? Probably. He doesn't have a reputation for being cordial and encouraging. He continues onward, footprint leaving steps begin again as he starts moving in its direction of the sidewalk stranded armored truck..mercifully not going after Ghost Spider though he does note her condition with that smug attitude only a practiced smwarmy bully can maintain. That she might not even be able to hear him is completely besides the point:

"What're you a neophyte? You pick a fight with The Juggernaut, you better not have a glass jaw! I guess that time at the gym was for all show and no go!"

He hears the police as well but for a brute who is classified as a 'Thor Class Threat' on a good day..unless they're packing some sort of patened Stark Tech, he seems dismissive of them. "Now then--whuah?!"

Rhino goes brushing past him and Juggernaut, caught off guard, actually staggers abit as the grey goliath shoves at him. The ground lurches as he attempts to regain his balance. Now the cops are here. The heroes are likely to gain a second wind.. It'd be prudent to actually attempt to work with RHino and sort the details of the truck out later.

But he's not only single minded. He's petty.

"Watch it!" he thunders, lunging a hand out to try and grab Rhino by the shoulder and prevent him from getting away from him towards the truck. "You think I care about dibs! That mark is mine and so what's in it!" For the moment, the Spider's are forgotten. Truly a classic scenario is brewing.

Ghost Spider has posed:
"...Did he just call me a /neophyte/?"

It's just spoken words. Well, a spoken /groan/. Only loud enough for Peter to hear when he gets close enough to the back of the car. Much like he had been earlier, Ghost Spider is shaking her head, those big white eyes of her mask blinking and squinting.

"That bowl-headed... cow!"

Yeah. She was hurt. Even her insult game was broken.

Then she's moving, shifting and crawling through the broken window and rubbing the side of her hood, looking up at Spider-Man with a couple more blinks.

"Ow. Oh, hey, I like your colors." A couple more blinks, but there seems to be a smile under that mask. "Was that Spider-Woman? We haven't met, yet... I should really make a point to do that."

Deep breath in. Deep breath out.

"Okay. I'm okay. Where's big, metal, and ugly? He owes me an apology. I'm at /least/ an initiate or a journeyman. /Neophyte/ is just rude."

The cops are still yelling, and Ghost Spider /just/ seems to become aware of the ever-encroaching danger, her eyes widening.

"You've gotta go! I'm fine. I'll stay and do.... something."

Do /what/ was anyone's guess.

Spider-Man has posed:
Over the years, Spider-Man has had more then his fair share of run-ins with other heroes. First meetings that just haven't gone all that well. Sometimes it is because of his reputation and all the negative press he has received. Sometimes it's because he has let his ego get a little of out control. Sometimes he's just made bad decisions.

That's one of the reasons for that resolution about making better choices.

In fairness, sometimes the blame isn't on him. At least not entirely.

So it's rather nice -- well, maybe not nice, but certainly something of a relief given that it is buying them a little time -- to see that it isn't just heroes that can make questionable decisions thanks to egos or circumstances.

And pissing off the Juggernaut seems to fall into the category of a questionable decision.

No one has ever accused Rhino of being particularly brainy. For all his strength, as formidable as he can be, more often then not he has been hired muscle, used by criminals smarter then him.

That doesn't seem to have changed. When Juggernaut barks at him Rhino whirls and turns back, common sense plainly failing as he gets right up into the face of the other man. "Don't you tell me what to do!" he barks in Cain's face. "I'm not afraid of you! You might have a rep, but here you are, just schlepping in out with the rest of us working-class types," he sneers, reaching out to push Juggernaut in the shoulder again.

Spider-Man might feel a little better about this whole situation, about the distraction that is keeping the two beheamoths occupied, if the potential for destruction in any clash between the two wasn't so great.

And then there's the fact that he may well have summoned Ghost Spider from what was hopefully an otherwise pleasant day, just to get squashed. That's not such a good feeling either.

There might be a reason why Spidey is not the best of team players. Some of that might have to do with growing up with few friends and more then a few bullies. Some of it might be a coping mechanism to avoid taking on even more responsibility for the welfare for others then he already does.

Heroing is a pretty dangerous job. He's probably rocking a concussion right now, to go along with the sore back. Spider-Woman is almost surely dealing with a broken rib or two if he is any judge of things.

But at least he didn't call her here. Didn't put her in harms way.

He might have a few issues. At least Jessica has the sense to actually see a therapist. He probably should be seeing someone.

"Sometimes you gotta play in the muck to get results. Sorry, not sorry," Peter calls back over his shoulder to Spider-Woman as he lunges across the chaotic Midtown steet. It is a relief to see her on her feet, to be there amongst the other damaged cars to try and pull anyone trapped within to freedom before things get too crazy. "You go bestie!" he urges her on.

Then he is over by the car where Gwen still lays sprawled, though relief floods him as he sees her finally stir, hears those little quips coming from her. Wrenching the twisted door free, he offers a hand yet again. "I told you. Red and blue. And it has the benefit of not showing the blood," he adds.

"I'll introduce you. If we get out of this alive. And if I'm not in custody," he offers as further incentive. Though the odds on both those conditions being met are growing increasingly slim. Indeed, that floof of police officers rush towards them, though at least the more heavily armed ones are racing past towards Rhino and Juggernaut. "On the ground Spider-Freak," one of the nearest barks out.

He's definitely cutting it close.

High in the sky overhead there is a faint buzzing sound that cradually grows lader until a large, winged glider streaks around a corner, starting to drop lower and lower towards where the pair of beheamoths stand shoving each other and posturing.

Spider-Woman (Drew) has posed:
The only thing, like almost the only thing, that is keeping Spider-Woman moving is the promise of that burger, wrapped safely and protectively up on that ledge. It might even be still warm by the time she's done!

For now, she focuses on wrenching open doors and pointing civilians away from the big battle going down.

Those cops are threatening to shoot people are a problem though. More specifically and worryingly, /her bestie/. She's pretty sure his uniform isn't bulletproof. Even hers is not bullet proof like, at all, though her costume will resist some of the penetrative force of one. Still really, really sucks to get shot though and she definitely doesn't want that on top of a broken rib. And definitely not for Spider-Man!

"Wooow. Rude." Spider-Woman has never had cause to do this before, but she's pulling rank as she marches (okay, kind of hobbles, because of the broken rib) up to the cops trying to swarm Spider-Man and Ghost Spider. Is that a wink she gives Ghost Spider under her half-mask?

Jessica flashes a card at the nearest officer in charge. It's fancy looking -- featuring the Avengers logo and 'Spider-Woman' and there's even a flashy hologram that comes up out of it to show the 'A' and her in-costume picture. Jessica is pretty sure she mocked whoever's idea those cards were. Tony? Steve? She doesn't really remember so it's almost certainly not worth an apology. Still, she's grateful for it.

Jess takes a breath and channels all her frustration at being burger-less into a growl, "Get these civilians out of here! Set up a blockade around these two bozos," she jerks a thumb at Juggernaut and Rhino. "Let them tire each other out a bit." That's her plan. Get the civilians out, minimize damage and definitely stay out of the way.

Juggernaut has posed:
This time - Juggernaut doesn't move. Strength scales are academic things at best. Vague efforts to try and quantify the impossible and make sense of the feats of the lkes of Thur, Hulk, Superman and others. Sources for arguements on playgrounds and betting rooms lucky enough to be in on social gatherings and arm wrestling matches where heroes like Hercules and Thor are likely to show off.

But there is a tier and on it, if Rhino is an A, Jugggernaut is somewhere in the Triple S range, where video game jargon is concerned at least..

So the shove actually would force Rhino backwards from the force as the boiling rage of the crimson clad behemoth begins to rise. HIs boulder sized fist clenches, knuckles cracking like splintering boulders and his sinew creaking like the grinding of buildings against each other.

"You idiot!" he roars back at Rhino, raising a massive arm up, "You wanna now what my rep is?!"

He curls a gigantic arm backwards, bicep flexing horrifingly huge like a buick sewn under his rugged flesh. "I'll crush you into paste, right here and now!" he thunders. There's time for Rhino to take a swing or even back off but the latter seems unlikely.

Again. Single minded. The approach of the glider is cmpletely missed as is the quips or regrouping of the heroes and shouts of the cops though how long this distraction will last is anyones guess. For the moment the armored truck is left alone. Some paces away from the two giants and just out of Juggernaut's line of sight as he focuses on Rhino.

Ghost Spider has posed:
Oh, Ghost Spider is so happy not to have to crawl through the window. Even as she starts to, the door is ripped away, and a hand appears instead that she gratefully takes to get out with.

And she steps out of the back of the car like some celebrity being escorted on a red carpet. It's very formal looking and elegant. At least, until Ghost Spider actually gets all the way to her feet and staggers once. Yeah. Elegant.

/And if I'm not in custody./

"Pft. Like I'd let /that/ happen. You promised to come to a show and I need all the fans I can get." Okay. Her head /was/ clearing a little.

But Gwen's busy grinning at Spider-Woman when she passes and throws that wink out. Then starts to be a bad-ass, pull rank, and start ordering everyone around. Yep. They'd get along just fine.

Then her Spider-Sense is going off, and just as it does, she hears the voice.

/On the ground Spider-Freak!/

Gwen barely looks over. She shoots from the hip, hitting the cop's gun hard enough to knock it up into the air and then /yanking/ it down out of his hands to send it skittering across the ground.

"Easy on the freak-talk!" she complains, then nudges Peter, pointing up at the buildings. "Go! I'll catch up to you later! And don't forget you owe me an introduction!"

Spider-Man has posed:
It is possible, even likely that Rhino might be having seond thoughts right about that moment, when he goes to push the Juggernaut and not only does the other man not move, it is Aleksei who is forced to stagger back a step. Suddenly it is very much like he is just a regular person trying to push a brick wall.

And having just as much luck.

But there is still pride, still defiance in those eyes. Mixed with a growing amount of fear as well, perhaps. Still, Rhino starts to open his mouth, starts to raise a fist to lash out once more.

Which is when that glider concludes that long, steep dive, sweeping just barely over the heads of the two hulking beheamoths about to have it out. It flies right by, a pair of panels in the bottom of the glider opening at the last minute as heavy metal tendrils with metal clamps shoot out, latching on to Rhino's arms and abruptly jerking him back.

The glider starts to rise back into the air rapidly, the thrust more then enough to lift Rhino from his feet and into the air as a speaker crackles to life. "You idiot. I should have let him pulp you! But I might still have need of you," comes out. Right before a hideous, demented laugh.

So there is one problem down. That's something right? It does leave the larger problem behind. And it doesn't really do anything about those police who are storming towards the two Spiders and that shattered car.

Fortunately his bestie has his back. Slowly easing back from the car, those mirrored lenses in his mask open very wide, Peter drops his voice. "I think I gotta go. I'm really sorry," he says lowly.

He hate the idea of abandonning them. Abandonning Spider-Woman when he practically foced her back to her feet. Abandonning Gwen when he called her here. Asked for her help. And practically got her pulped by the Juggernaut of all people. Eeeesh. Some friend he is.

Then Jessica is there, stepping in front of the onrushing police, essentially pulling rank -- or at the very least offering a distraction. And possibly saving their lives. Charging in at the Juggernaut -- even with shotguns -- is not something anyone in their right mind would consider a winning strategy.

It might not be Captain America or Iron Man confronting them, but an Avenger's card is an Avenger's card and the sergent in charge is not a complete imbecile. Shooting a hard look towards Spider-Man, Ghost Spider and the Juggernaut he gives Spider-Woman a nod. "Alright. It's your show," he agrees. "You heard her," he barks out. "Form a perimeter and get the civilians to safety. Reinforcements are on the way."

"Well, would you look at that. Looks like I might make it to the show afterall," he says lowly. Slowly straightening so as not to attract any attention, Spidey keeps his hands in plain sight, at least making as if he intends to surrender.

"Thanks bestie. I owe you," Pete adds lowly, not turning around, not looking back towards Spider-Woman. Then in one swift motion he throws up an arm, a webline shooting out. It's sometimes easy to forget just how fast the Spider-types really are, just how agile. Before any of the officers can even raise their weapons, he's in the air, swinging away, climbing higher and higher.

He does take the time for one little gambit though It's all he can do for them, but maybe it's enough. "Hey! Look at that! It's Thor and Iron Man! I bet the rest of the Avengers are on their way," he calls out.

It's the sort of thing that anyone who takes a few precious seconds to look around can verify is most definitely not true. But maybe it is enough to convince the Juggernaut that one measly armored car, full of small bills and boxes of coing isn't really worth going up against the Avengers for.

Spider-Man has posed:
Then he's climbing higher, past that ledge where Jessica left her well wrapped burger. Well wrapped, but not well enough. A small swarm of pigeons crawl over the area, pecking at the shreaded bag, shreaded wrapper and what little remains. Just crumbs really.

"I'm pretty sure I'm going to get blamed for that..." Peter mutters as he swings away under those bleak, grey skies.

Juggernaut has posed:
"Get back here!" roars Juggernaut, lunging forward as Rhino is yanked skywards. He has half a mind to leap - and he's got the ups, to try and catch the behemoth being forcibly removed from the equation.. But then his attention snaps back towards the officers as he finally takes note of them and the efforts of the spider-team.

And, oh yeah. THe truck.

Juggernaut sneers and turns, starting towards the truck only to just now hear the words of Spider-Man. It's the oldest trick in the book that one - and one that that could easily backfire. Juggernaut -is- a threat to them and would gladly and willingly take them on in a fight. He's got the ego to do so and the power to actively make it a challenge. One where property damage is likely to soar into unbelievable levels. But is it worth it.

"Dammit! Rhino -ruined- this!" he sneers.

Apparently not.

"Next time, ladies and Spider-Jerk! Next time!" he declares in a bit of verbal nose thumbing as he turns towards Spider-Woman and Ghost Spider and the distant form of Spider-Man. He then turns and takes off into a run. The ground shakes, windows crack. People tumble. He's a moving earthquake but he's also moving swiftly towards a wide enough alley to disappear down and likely clear enough distance to try and vanish into the winding streets of the city in his civilian gear. For now, the threat seems to have subsided presuming no one attempts to block his movements.

Ghost Spider has posed:
/Looks like I might make it to the show after all./

"Told you."

One thing Spider-Gwen wasn't /really/ sure if was whether or not the police were going to try to drag her in as an accomplice after this. But, that was a problem for another day. Right at the moment, everyone was so busy either paying attention to Spider-Man, Juggernaut, the glider, or the potential Avengers that the little black-and-white suited Spider wasn't getting any attention at all.

Which was just fine by her.

Then Juggernaut's RUNNING, shaking the ground as he goes, and her hands come out slightly to her sides as if she was afraid she'd need to steady herself.

Well, clapping his hands had thrown her half a block into the back seat of a car. Who really knew what his feet hitting the ground could do?

"ASSHAT!"

She yells it. Just... maybe not loud enough for him to hear it. Because of all of the noise of him thundering away. Definitely not because she was scared of him turning around.

Well, that was it. The Rhino was gone. The Juggernaut was leaving. Spider-Woman had control of taking care of the civilians and.... just as a couple eyes started to turn her direction, she held up a peace sign. She had no intention of sticking around and signing autographs. Or getting arrested.

"Web-ya later."

Much like Spider-Man, Gwen is off in a flash of webbing, swinging up to retrieve her backpack from where she'd secured it to the building, sling it over her shoulders, and then swing off around the corner.

*THWIP*