What is a hero? Is it some warrior who fights an army alone? A king who would defend his kingdom with his dying breath. Or is it some guy in a costume who fights bad guys to show he could make a difference in society.
If your expecting that third one to be the answer than your wrong and unfortunately right. Your wrong because that isn't the true definition and your right because that's pretty much all that is to it.
Could you ever imagine a world where being hero had become so involved in marketing and advertising that it's just another career choice. Looking at all these so-called heroes, one can admit that they have extraordinary abilities. However, their meaning of being a hero is entirely flawed. So, what would happen if a multiversal anomaly had occurred where being of another reality were to be reborn into this one. Let us now enter a new massive universe where ideals will be challenge, countries will be fought for, friendships will be made, and dangerous enemies emerge from the horizon. This tale shall show that even former villains can find the true hero in themselves and the new generation of heroes shall have a taste of the mighty powers that have now called their universe home.
First let's establish what this new world is. The story goes as this, on one peaceful night in Qingqing city of China, a baby in a crib started to emanate light. This event had made international news and soon everyone had powers. These powers would be then called by scientist and physicist as Quirk. Of course, reality has a way to make things difficult for everyone. Eighty percent of the world had these quirks, while the unfortunate twenty percent were left without powers of their own. What most people don't really know was the glowing baby event took place during the early two thousands. This fact is important, because even though vigilantes had become the first pure heroes to utilize Quirks for good, they weren't the first heroes of the world. The first heroes to have ever existed in this world debuted in a historical event that had now been forgotten by the current generation. This event was world war 2. The axis of Nazi Germany, a corrupted Italian nation, and the imperial Japanese empire waging war with the allied power of Europe, Russia, and the United States. To win the war, they used cloning technology and witchcraft to forge a mighty army of superpowered soldiers enhance with the finest German technology. Little did the Axis knew, the Allies also had trump cards up their sleeves.
Due to the second world war now being forgotten, courageous tales would become mere blanks in history. Tales like the invasion of Transylvania, the battle of the red sea, and the great fire of Musutafu have all been erased from history by foreign historians alike. Some of these tales would end up becoming fairy tales like the legend of a flying man from the sea sinking German U-boats and imperial Japanese ship with his trident. A man made of fire who would be called the fire oni who burned down Musutafu when it had just started to flourish. And the most bizarre tale of all, an American soldier taking on groups of soldiers with nothing but a shield that defies the laws of physics. But now, these extraordinary tales were now just that, tales to be read to children as bedtime stories.
Unfortunately, not all old enemies wish to stay dead. Unknown to the world, Adolf Hitler had survived his suicide and the bullet from the pistol in his hand had impacted a part of his brain that held a fragmented memory. On the floor of his bunker, Hitler was shown memories of Germany, a different Germany. A technologically advanced Germany where all had prospered in peace under a united flag. A green flag with a black skull with tentacles. A flag that he could only call Hydra. He had then found a new purpose.
Adolf Hitler scavenge as little allies and resources he still had and created his organization from the shadows. With the technology and science at their disposal, Hitler and his allies had created the infinity formula. This chemical was once an unfinished product of Leonardo Da Vinci, but Hitler and his Nazi remnants were able to recover the original formula and completed where the great inventor left off. This chemical would allow an alteration within the human genetics, giving the user temporary immortality. The infinity formula would become Hydra's most important secret and only to be given to the elite members of Hydra. After the three decades, Adolf Hitler had died in bed with no injuries or poisoning. The loss of Hitler had left a dent in Hydra's progression, but a replacement was easy to find. Hydra scientists and doctors had discovered that Hitler died of a cancer that originated from the infinity formula. New versions of the infinity formula are made every decade to overlap the cancer within the founding members of Hydra who eventually die out and be replaced.
Once the early 2000's came, the illuminating baby at Qingqing, China was born. Four years after the infant's birth, Hydra had then investigated the properties of quirks and recruited hundreds with impressive quirks. Those with quirks that shown true power become elites, while those with quirks that are easily neglected become foot soldiers.
Hydra had then continued in their mission to spread their influence across the European continent. A plan to conquer the world that had span for two centuries had been active right in front of the public. Hydra had even been there in plain sight with establishments like the Heroics academies of Europe that train the youths of the European countries. Little did the public know, the pro heroes that are the professors of those academies are Hydra agents undercover with hero licenses given to them by their contacts within the European governments. At this point of time, the year was 2129, a year that would show an increase in quirk related crimes and is the same year when an infant that would be named Toshinori Yagi was born.
Later, in the year 2131, the United States of America had sent a black ops team called the howling commandos into Berlin, Germany to investigate the group called Hydra. The mission was a success with the howling commandos gathering intel on the corruptive influence that Hydra had on all of Europe, as well as a list of all the countries whose governments Hydra has collared. Though the mission was successful, there was only one survivor who managed to escape with intel on Hydra. A rookie who went by the name Dum Dum Dugan, an American soldier with a quirk that allows him to have iron skin, had survived the raid on Berlin and to this day still wore the dog tags of his fallen comrades.
Though he was able to obtain the intel on his mission, someone with the United States government had leaked the entire intel to world through blogs, news articles, and even conspiracy theorists who do videos on YouTube. Many of the hero community believed this to be fake and random acts done by the social rejects. This belief was shared by many hero agencies across the Asian countries, as well as Russia, Africa, and South America. However, this had reached the European countries and things didn't go so well for them. Civil war broke out and resistance groups had been created to go after their corrupt politicians. Europe had entered an era of Civil War epidemic, the worse cases being in Germany and Latveria.
With the evidence private Dugan had secured, the secretive group known as the world security council established an organization designed to combat worldwide corruption and international threats. For them, criminals and city level villains can be dealt with the pro heroes. But for threats that endanger entire countries, the organization that answers those calls are the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division, better known only as SHIELD.
During the beginning of 2133, SHIELD had become an international importance being the only organization capable of bordering the civil wars from the rest of the world. Some would say that Europe is going through their second great depression. The world didn't realize it, but through the time that SHIELD had been dealing with the European affairs, there has been a secret third world war where the countries sided with SHIELD fight off the force of Hydra and their allied countries. During the march of this year, an American infant girl named Margaret "Peggy" Carter was born. On April of the same year, a German infant boy named Wolfgang Von Strucker was born.
During 2143, Colonel Dum Dum Dugan becomes director of SHIELD and adopts an orphan ten years old Margaret Carter. On the same year, ten years old Wolfgang Von Strucker had been announced by the Hydra high order to be the heir to Hydra.
The young Margaret Carter had trouble adjusting to her new life. She was forever grateful to Colonel Dugan for taking her out of that orphanage, but even still she felt that she could never get any friends in New York city. The doctors did indeed confirm to her orphanage that she had a quirk, but it was hard for them to pinpoint what it was. She would be teased in her elementary school about her absent quirk and her first year of middle school wasn't any better. It wasn't until one day when she rested by the park bench, listening to music on her phone, and getting her mind off all the stress in her life. Once the song she was listening to stopped, she heard barking and saw a female dog whimpering and looking for something. She walked close to her and decided to pet her on the head. Without realizing, she activates her quirk on the dog. Her hand glow white and the dog's eyes did the same. With its tail up, the dog immediately ran to the other side of the park with carter following her. She ran after the dog only to find that it had led her to her litter of puppies under a bush. Seeing this, Carter was for the first time excited about her quirk. Has she finally found it? She brought the dog and her pups back home, much to Colonel Dugan's dismay. She then tested her quirk with basic task for the dog to do. She would show her new dog small object and place them in different parts of the house. Place her hand on its head, she focuses on the objects and immediately the dog would run to fetch the items for her.
Further self-studying had shown Carter that her quirk had involved in memory restoration. The other day she wanted to find the dog collar that belonged to one of Dugan's old dogs. She decided it would be a good idea to use her quirk on herself to remember where she left it. Through glowing hand and eyes, she was shown where the collar by reliving the day that Dugan told her the story of his first dog, a Shepard name June. leaving the memory, she then opened the closet where at the top shelf was the collar. The next day, she decided to go further with her powers and try to relive several memories. It went well, until she went way farther back. She tried to pull herself out, but she was pulled into a vortex of visions and past lives. She felt numb, but at the same time alive. It was as if she was living through a thousand lifetimes. Her voyage through the concept of reincarnation ended when she met them, the cosmic deities of a whole other multiverse.
Carter couldn't describe her experience. Around her were four massive beings that only dreams could have created. To her left, there stood two massive being, a female that appeared to be made of a black and golden design, and the male was made of the universe itself. To her right, there was a massive robed being with menacing glowing yellow eyes and on his left shoulder stood a robed woman with pale skin. In front of her, there stood a far more massive deity made of gold with a levitating robed head with one could tell had three faces. She didn't know what to do there and she was scared for her life. Was she still living in a memory?
"What do we have here? A preteen human girl who would wish to see death so early, then you are fortunate to be standing in front of me child. For I am Oblivion", the deity now proclaimed Oblivion.
"Or she is simply lost. Even young baby sheep can stray from their herd. She is rather fortunate to not be stalked by a wolf. For in the world of magic, my dear little girl, many choices can lead to many regrettable ends. No one knows this truth better than I, Infinity", the female deity known as Infinity foretold.
"Now my sister, curiosity is the very essence of science itself. She would be doing her race a favor for gaining the knowledge of realms such as this one. But still, tell me child, how is it that you find yourself here. Was it simply curiosity or a goal that requires answers to be accomplished? For I, Eternity, would like to know", the deity of science, Eternity, asks the young carter.
Her mind was trying to come up with any answers she could go with. Carter was worried that the next few things that come out of her mouth would end up getting her killed by these things that she could only describe as gods. When she finally came up with a good enough excuse to tell them, her mind was halted by the massive being in the middle.
"When in the judgement, the essence of a fair court is truth at its purest. Margaret Carter of Earth-86315, present your honest alibi for which I, the Living Tribunal, shall judge to be punishable or not", at the words of the deity that calls himself the grand judge, young carter had to say something right then and there.
"I WAS JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT MY QUIRK", Carter blurted out loud and had eyes closed to avoid the stares. All she got was silence.
She opened her left eye a little and was met with an up-close view of Eternity's face. She freaked out for a second and took a step back. Eternity then had an inquisitive expression on his face and his right hand holding his chin.
"Tell me, what is this… quirk?", Eternity asks as if it was something that doesn't exist.
This took the young Carter by surprise. "An individual's ability given to them by birth", she said hesitantly. They remained silent.
"A part of a human biology that is random upon depending on family lineage", she said plainly.
"Like an X gene?", Eternity suggested. It was Carter's turn to be confused.
"What's an X Gene", Carter asked which caused Eternity and Infinity to look at one another.
"Perhaps she is of a different earth", Infinity suggested, but receives a negative from the Living Tribunal.
"She is without a doubt the Margaret Carter of Earth-86315, her physical embodiment and spiritual essence confirms as much", he proclaims, but receives another claim by a disagreeing Oblivion.
"If that was the case, then why is it that I can't grant this girl her end", Oblivion stated with his massive hand looming over young Carter. To this, the New York girl fell on her bottom from the horrors she was seeing from the dark deity's palm. It then switched to confusion as what seems to be an invisible bubble protecting her from absolute annihilation.
"Perhaps it's this quirk that's keeping her safe", Eternity suggested.
"Impossible, brother. Are you suggesting that this human's biological abnormality has made her become a multiversal anomaly?", Infinity said with doubt.
"Multiversal anomaly, no. Biological abnormality, yes. There is a genome in her being that acts like the X gene, but its genetics structure is that have something that doesn't exist in any of the earths. So, in a way, she both exists and does not exists", Eternity declares with curiosity constantly present in his tone.
"Such a disturbance in the natural order cannot be allowed to exist. Living Tribunal, I vote for this human girl to be expelled to the darkest reaches of existence itself so that old age may take her life", Oblivion declared with harshness in his tone.
"I cannot grant this vote, nor can I or any of us perform judgement upon her. She stems from Earth-86315, but she originates from a realm beyond our control", announced the Living Tribunal.
As the deities pondered on what to do with her, young Carter was just about done with what's happening in front of her. All she wanted to do was practice with her late blooming quirk. Instead, she ends up traveling through several visions, flashbacks, and moments in her life that she doesn't remember living through. She just wants to go back into her room.
"I might know why she is here", a new voice enters the discussions.
Everyone was silent and Carter's mind was halted as she heard a female voice right next to her. She turns to see the robed woman that was on Oblivion's shoulder with her hand emanating a purple light towards her.
"My daughter, Lady Death, what evidence do you have to support that claim", Oblivion asked the pale woman.
"From what I'm sensing from her being, she is able to die through old age or suicide. This much I can foretell, but it is a death beyond my control and a destruction you will not have a connection to, father. I could only theorize that she must originate from the Nexus Finale that the One Above All had given to you Living Tribunal", Lady Death declared her statement.
They all looked to the Living Tribunal who moves aside to reveal a vortex of unimaginable colors. Lady Death gestures to Carter to follow her to which she did. The two of them then stood next to the Living Tribunal for him to give Young carter the explanation to the Nexus Finale.
"This is the Nexus Finale, a means to allow beings of dead earths across our multiverse to finally pass on. What lies on the other side, none of us are certain? Now that we know through you that life exists beyond the vortex, will you tell us about the so-called earth you are from."
Young Margaret Carter told the history of the earth she was born on. The event that started the age of quirks. The rise of quirk related crime and a new wave of vigilantism. The fact that eighty percent of all human on earth now have quirk. These events didn't waver the deities, only left them confused. They told her that locations like Qingqing or musutafu don't exist on any of the other earths. What drove the confusion further was the existence of Dum Dum Dugan, SHIELD, and Latveria. Eternity pondered that the Nexus Finale didn't just allow dead earths to pass on but be reincarnated into a whole other multiverse.
It was a doubtful theory, but for the first time, these deities couldn't come to any other explanation. The Living Tribunal was the first to speak.
"Margaret Carter of earth-86315, putting Eternity's theory in thought, as well as your whole story, come close to the Nexus Finale"
Carter step forward to the vortex and listened to what he has to say next.
"For being burden with what could be a devastating and world changing truth for your earth, I give you this ability to intertwine with your quirk. You are most likely not the only reincarnate of your earth for there will be many others you must find. Heroes and villains alike could most likely be from our multiverse as well. You shall be given the responsibility to mending the chaotic rift of your universe"
"B-but how can I possibly do all that? I'm no pro hero", Carter asked with tears starting to well up
"That is up to you discover, Margaret Carter of earth-86315. But to clarify, step through the Nexus Finale, place your hand on your head once more and all shall be revealed"
Young Carter looked back to see the other deities one last time and took a breather to calm herself down. Entering through the vortex, she found herself on her bed. She looked around to see her new dog June and all her puppies with her on the bed. Remembering what the Living Tribunal said to her, she places her hand on her head and activates her quirk. For an hour straight, she relives the life of her original self from earth-86315 and her body went through a massive change. As she finally wakes up, she was then a whole other person. Standing from her bed, she walked to her window and views the New York that was not her own, but still called it home. She remembers it all now. She was not meant to be born on March 7, 2134. She was supposed to be somewhere in the 1940's and aiding the allies against the Nazis and Hydra. But her life was far different from the other Peggie's, for on her earth, she bares witnessed to the assassination of both doctor Abraham Erskine and Steve Rogers. After being convince by Howard Stark, she agreed to the only participant for project rebirth and be injected the super soldier serum. On her world earth-86315, Margaret Carter was Captain America.
Feeling a sudden change in her body, Carter goes to the mirror and takes off her shirt to see the athletic build she had just obtain. From unlocking her memories from a life before her reincarnation, her body had created an all-natural property that acts like the super soldier serum giving her back the abilities of Captain America. She could feel it coursing through her veins and how it makes her feel so strong. She realized that if this was possible, then what if the Living Tribunal was right. What if she wasn't the only reincarnate on this Earth. There had to be others, heroes and villains with unbelievable powers hidden in plain sight, walking among the public. That's when she remembered the extra ability that she was given to by the Living Tribunal. To know for sure, she puts her shirt back on and written down Dum Dum Dugan on a piece of paper. Once she did, she places her hand over it. Her hand glow, signifying that her adopted father was indeed a reincarnate. The fact that shield also existed in other earths was proof as well. Her thoughts were then stopped by the sound of her door opening.
"Hey Peggy, where have you been? Your dinner got cold", Dum Dum Dugan said as he enters Young Carter's room with her reheated dinner.
She looks to the man who played the part of her adopted father. She remembers who he truly was, it didn't matter what earth he was from, he was always the courageous, cowboy hat wearing, old fashion knuckle dusting warrior of the howling commandos of whatever time era. That is why she needed him. She needs his guidance, his expertise, and his pride as a soldier. She needs to become stronger through the help of others that were far greater than any of this earth's quirk users. Taking a deep breath, she held a determined look on her face and knew what she had to do.
"Mister Dugan, I discovered my quirk", young Carter said to her adopted father.
"Really? That's great Peggy. Tell me what it is. From the look of your muscles, I could only guess that it's a strength enhancing", Dugan said in amazement, but then switched to concern from the depressed look on Carter's face.
"Come close for a second, I have to touch your head for this", she instructed him.
Once her hand contacted his forehead, Dum Dum Dugan's eyes glow as memories of his original self from the original multiverse returned to him. He was the Dum Dum Dugan of earth-6110. On this earth, he was the shield operative in charge of overseeing the security defenses of the omega base. Alongside Professor Hulk, the two had protected the massive mobile base from any villainous organization that wanted their hands on any of the base gamma radiation-based weapons. His death came in the hands of MODOK who had tried to use a weapon to drain the gamma radiation from Professor Hulk that would end up killing him. However, Dum Dum Dugan knew that the omega base needed Bruce Banner, so he got in the way of shot resulting in his death. Whatever happened after that was a mystery to Dugan for when he got hit by the blast, everything went black.
Young Carter waited for an answer from him and it came in the form of him tipping his hat down to cover his eyes.
"Looks like we really found ourselves in the middle of a bizarre mess, haven't we Peggy?", Dugan lifts his hat to reveal the seriousness in his eyes, which shocked Carter.
"Yeah, straight from the trenches and into the future, but we are always at war", she responded with a saddened tone.
"Now don't be giving me those quivering lips, if what them giant gods said is right then more at stake than just are war with Hydra. We may no longer be a part of our old earths anymore, but we still got this new earth look out for, damnit. The people of our new home don't know just what is hiding in the shadows of this or any other planet, but that's why we got to step up and recruit other fellow reincarnate to defend this damn earth for it's all we got. Whether they be the heroes we know or the villains we always beat the hell out of, they got to wake up and face the music", Dugan proclaim with his always stoic voice that drive shield agents to follow him through hell and it was enough to convince young Carter that she could make it work.
"You're right. There must be more like us out there waiting to be awaken. Through our resources, we forge them into becoming the new protectors of this world. We can make that happen. SHIELD can make that happen", she proclaimed with pride and vigor in her voice.
"Now that's what I want to hear. This journey will take time and work, but it will sure as hell be a success. First, we got to get you out that crummy middle school of yours and into the SHIELD youth program", Dugan said excitedly to her.
"Wait, get out of school, but don't I need an education. Also, what SHIELD youth program? That doesn't exist", Carter questioned him.
"Well now it does, because I say it does. Now you get your bags ready, while I make some phone calls", Dugan said with much enthusiasm.
Dum Dum Dugan was about to leave until Carter stopped him to say something.
"Mister Dugan, could I… still call you dad?", Carter asked him.
There was a silence. Dugan walked up to her and place a hand on her shoulder.
"Of course, you can, Peggy", Dugan said to her with a proud smile.
Peggy gave him a hug to which he returned.
After that day, Dum Dum Dugan put her through intense training if she was ever going to the next director of SHIELD. As an agent, she had arrested 240 criminals, 160 Villains, and a confirmed kill count of 300 Hydra operatives. She was a rising star among the SHIELD staff and had gone through several promotion. All this for the goal for a safer earth, but she knows as long as Hydra lives and the unpredictable nature of the reincarnate villains, she will need powerful allies. And to her, the pro-heroes of this earth aren't going to cut it.
On the year 2144, four infants had been born. On February 4, 2144, an infant boy named Frank Castle was born in Queens, New York City. on February 17, 2144, an infant boy named Charles Barton was born in Waverly, Iowa. on March 4, 2144, an infant boy named Percy Scandia was born in London of the United Kingdoms. On an unknown month of 2144, an infant boy named Chizome Akaguro was born in an unconfirmed location in Japan.
On the year 2155, three major events had been announced on all platforms of international media. The first Event was on the retirement of Colonel Dum Dum Dugan who stepped down from his position as director of SHIELD and entered politics. The second major announcement was for the promotion of SHIELD agent Margaret Carter for the position of director of SHIELD. The third and final major announcement took place in Japan as it announced the debut of the new number one hero, All Might.
HERO: Prologue 2 - Frank Castle A.K.A the Punisher
By One Above All
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When is it justified to take a life? Before the world of pro-heroes, there was a world of vigilantism. To take the law into their own hands, these early forms of heroes would venture outrageously in the day and move deadly in the silent night. Since its early days, vigilantism was considered a crime by local law enforcement and the government. It is still considered a crime in this society where heroics has become a method of earning a profit. Though being given negative feedback by the public, these vigilantes continue to fight through with their core beliefs being their fuel. There are some who could become great heroes through their charisma and courage. There are some who merely do this as a hobby to gain fame and attention. However, there was always that certain group of vigilantes that knows how to take things too far. There are those driven by a war they could never escape from. A war that has cause them to see the world in black and white. There was no other vigilante in history that knew this better than Frank Castle who all in the criminal underworld come to fear him as the Punisher.
Before he would end up becoming the most feared vigilante who was responsible for the death of twenty percent of the North American criminal population. He was once a twelve-year-old boy named Francis Castiglione who had started to take an intense training routine created by his military enthusiast father. It all started with grandfather, Antonio Castiglione, an Italian who moved to America and served in the United States Marine Corps for four tours. The Castiglione family are known for their devotion to the United States military force and for how they utilize their quirks for military use. It was during Antonio's second tour that he met his wife Margarita. Their three sons Mario, Fredo, Rocco Castiglione, would grow up to have amazing quirks and follow in their footsteps to join the Marine Corp for four tours.
Much like their father, Mario and Rocco both met their wives during their second tour, Louisa and Esmeralda. Fredo, however, decided to stay single to have a stress-free life and not be bothered to have kids. Though Rocco and Esmeralda were a happily married couple, the two were unable to bear their own children. This meant that the only ones that could continue the family tree were Mario and Louisa Castiglione. It was then on the year 2144 that two sons were born, Francis and Michael Castiglione. Born on the same day, these twins brothers grew up from the courageous military stories that their parents, uncles, and aunt had told them. It was enough to convince the boys to take up early bootcamp at the age of ten. The only problem for them were that they were late bloomers and didn't acquire their quirks until they were ten. Once they felt their quirks activate, their parents took them to the hospital for a quirk examination. Unlike their parents or grandparents, they didn't have quirks that could enhance their senses, body, or their weapons. The twins were born with quirks that complemented the other. Michael was born with a quirk called Good Eyes, which allows him to see people who have good in their hearts. He could even see them through objects and from a distance of 92.964 meters. Francis had a quirk with the same limitation except it work opposite to his brother. He was born with a quirk called Evil Eyes, which allows him to see people who are filled with evil intentions. When it confirmed to their parents by the doctor, they were surprised by the coincidence that their twin sons had quirks and were astonished to the potential this could have to the local law enforcement, if not the hero community. However, that didn't stop the parent from continuing their sons military training. Unfortunately for them, the doctor they had been given was one who operated with one of New York's infamous crime families, the Bondigas family. This doctor was an informant and tasked to inform the boss for potential quirk that could be useful for their criminal empire or potential threats that ruin everything for them. Most definitely, they wouldn't want these boys to grow up to be heroes they would have to deal with later.
On August 14, 2155, the whole Castiglione family had decided to spend the day having a picnic in Manhattan Park. Mario and his brothers were establishing dominance over the grill and having a beer. Louisa and Esmeralda were setting up the picnic area and talking about how frustrating their jobs were. Francis and Michael were just playing catch with their football and talked their how their last day in the sixth grade went. Francis talked about how he used his quirk without the teacher's permission… again and found the bullies picking on another kid. He ran in and beaten the bullies enough until they had too many bruises. Michael talked about how he might have a chance with this one girl he was seeing in their grade. To Francis, he had adopted to his uncle Fredo's mindset about marriage and thought how it would be a waste of time trying to go after a chick. The two would go on about it until their mother called them in for lunch. As the family had their grilled burgers, Mario noticed how empty their area of the park was getting. Police cars could be seen in the distance with sirens ringing and a group of black cars had drove into the park grounds with the intention of driving near them. Mario and his brothers tried to get everyone out, but three of the black cars got in their way. As the cars finally parked, Francis's family stayed together to have any form of safety. In their heads, they were hoping that a hero or any of the police to come and help them. Unfortunately, their prayers were never answered for one of the main cars had opened to reveal an intimidating looking man in a suit stepping out. This was where everything in Francis's life was taken from him, murdered from him.
"Sorry to have interrupted your lovely picnic, but as you can see, I'm here on a certain business that holds some great importance to my boss. The business that I'm here for is in regards of your two boys over there. We heard that they have some rather unique quirks and we would very much like to make to proposition with their dear parents", the gangster looking man said the Castiglione family.
Mario did his best to reassure his family and took a step-in front of them to meet with the proclaimed Gangster, "I'm not sure who you are or what business you think you might have with my sons"
He was then cut off when the suited man decides to introduce himself.
"Oh, my apologies, I can definitely understand why you don't recognize us. You see, our organization likes to keep a low profile for our boss's sake so that he doesn't have to deal with all the dirty work. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Mogsey and I'll be representing the boss for this bargain", the gangster now known as Mogsey.
"All right, I'm Mario. So, what about my sons that seem to concern you", Mario talked to him in hoping to get his family out of this.
"Your two boys have quirk that really help our family. It should be obvious what kind of family I'm talking about. Back on the topic though, the odds of your boys having quirks like those are astonishing. One boy who could find noisy cops and goody two shoes heroes and another who could help with recruitment and scoping out the competition", Mogsey explained which only brought more worry for them.
As the two men discuss, Francis and Michael were using their quirks to see just how bad the situation was getting. Francis used Evil Eyes to count how many of these criminals there were, and Michael used Good Eyes to see if any heroes or police officers were going to do anything.
"Hey Francis, I'm not seeing anything. Everyone's on gray. Why aren't the cops doing anything? Hey Francis, why aren't you saying anything? What are your eyes telling you?", Michael pleaded for his brother to give him an answer.
Francis couldn't bring himself to answer him. With both their quirks, anyone who would be considered a civilian or someone who didn't know what morale they were had a white orb with a gray aura that represented their soul. With Good Eyes, Michael could detect anyone with a sky-blue orb with a navy-blue aura. With Evil Eyes, Francis could detect those with pink orbs with scarlet aura. Unfortunately, that's all he was seeing. Not just the gangsters, every cop that surrounded their area were detected evil through his eyes.
"Michael, the cops aren't going to help us", Francis to his brother with a fearful tone.
"But isn't there job to help us? These guys are criminals in plain sight, so why aren't they getting involved", Michael said in confusion.
Michael's eyes then tracked to a figure that was standing on the top of a six story building. He then recognized it to be the famous New York hero, Arms Akimbo. He felt relief coming to him and told his brother that a hero had arrived.
"Francis, look it's Akimbo. He'll do something about this", he said with relief that quickly cracked away when he saw his brother's fearful eyes.
"Michael, he's evil too", Francis said to brother with the truth that there was no hope for them.
"Wow, those quirks can tell ya who's a legit hero… and who isn't. Yeah people, the truth is that all these cops you see around you are all under the boss's payroll. Some of New York's heroes are also working for the boss, heroes like Arms Akimbo up there. With more and more heroes making the economy hard to work with, a lot of us hard working folk aren't making as much, hell all you should understand this being a military family and all. The world is just not giving us non-heroic folk a chance to grow. So, the boss thought it be a good idea to make the hero community of New York into a business and for the past twelve years it had work. However, each year there's always a new batch of heroes that just make our jobs harder. But, if your two boys are on our side, then things might go smoother for us. So, what do you say? Hand over those two boys and nothing bad will happen or rainwater won't be the only thing washing over this grass", Mogsey proclaimed as his men had their guns ready.
The whole Castiglione family held each other close with the adults covering the boys. As he looked to his wife, Mario and Louisa both knew there was no other way for them. Mario would be the first and the last to speak for his whole family.
"We'll take our chances", he said as he had everyone close in his arms.
Mogsey exhaled in annoyance and his men locked and loaded.
"Such a waste of a perfectly good quirk combo. Ah well, you heard them boys, light em up"
Before the bullets hit, Michael used his own body to cover Francis's front side at the last second. For Francis, he couldn't feel anything for those three whole minutes. He watched as the bullets pierced through his father, mother, uncles, aunt, and his twin brother. Even though his whole family covered him, some bullets managed to penetrate him as well. Three had gone through his left leg, two had went through his right shoulder, and one was stuck somewhere in his chest. After one solid minute, their bodies finally fell to the floor.
"Hey Mogsey, we should probably get going. Commissioner Kyle and his boys radioed to us that the department is going to send another unit to the park, but it's going to have that honest cop, Lieutenant Robert O'Hara. Arms Akimbo had also informed that other Pro-heroes will be heading where we are too", one of Mogsey's men informed him.
A tick mark appeared on the gangster's head at the thought of the damn cop who had become a lieutenant faster than any cop in the force. He wondered why they didn't just cap him off already.
"Alright boys let's get going and report back to the boss. Once he hears about us killing a family in public, we can all expect a twenty percent…", Mogsey was then cut off by an explosion at one of the park's walls.
A black and heavily weaponized van drove out of the smoke and sped towards the gathered group of criminals. It came bulldozing through a majority of Mogsey's men and use an on-board homing missile launcher to blow away most of their cars with highly explosive projectiles. As Mogsey tries to run from the scene and leave his men for dead, the powerful and deadly vehicle continues to mow all the gangsters and even some of the corrupt cops that tried to shoot at it. The ammunition from their weapons didn't seem to make a dent into its armor. The van then parked itself next to the dead Castiglione family.
Unknown to everyone in the battle, one of the bodies was twitching. Francis Castiglione had miraculously survived the bombardment of bullet that his family had been slain by. His left eye was half-open and twitching. His right was functioning properly, and the pupil had some movement. He looked to his left to see his dead brother's face facing him. He looked to his right to see the black van with a white skull poorly painted to its side. He then saw the weapon on the top of the van open fire on all the remaining black cars and police cars, causing a chain reaction of multiple explosions. After the cars were destroyed, the cannon switches to a minigun and mows down any on foot combatant that held connections to the Bondigas family.
The driver seat door then opened and stepped out was a tall, masculine, and intimidating looking figure. He wore a black full body attire that was styled to be that of a marine corps combat utility uniform and over it was a trench coat. His head was covered by a full head black ski mask with a poorly painted skull on the area where the face is. In his hands, he carried an AK-47 with scope, grip, expandable stock, muzzle, and an ammo capacity of 54 seven sixty-nine caliber bullets per cartridge. The figure looked down at the dead family on the ground, not knowing that Francis was still alive, and said his peace.
"I'm sorry I didn't arrive sooner, but don't worry. I'll make sure no one leaves this park alive", he said in a voice that could someone chills.
The masked figure then walked to the direction where Mogsey was limping away. With his gun ready, he marches towards his target who was trying to escape. Mogsey looked back to see the mad man that killed his men and he was terrified to be the next to go. He quickly reached to his radio and contacted Arms Akimbo.
"Hey asshole, aren't you going to do anything? I'm going to die in this fucking park if you don't do your damn hero work", Mogsey said in desperation.
"I've already sent some of my sidekicks on the way, but I seriously suggest getting out of there while you still can before Lieutenant O'Hara and other pro-heroes arrive on scene. On second thought, maybe that would be a good thing for you. Better than whoever that is behind you", Arms Akimbo responded with smugness.
"You would let me die just so my paycheck gets added to yours, is that it", Mogsey guessed.
"Pretty much, I'll see you in hell, Mugs", Arms Akimbo responded with no care.
"You're an Asshole", Mogsey finished and threw away his radio.
He looks behind him and sees the figure just standing there with his gun over his shoulder. He felt that in any second he just gets shot by this stranger in black and white, until Arms Akimbo's so called sidekicks got in between him and the mad shooter. He would have felt more relief if it wasn't for the fact that the only reason these schmucks become heroes were due to the boss to have some leverage on the hero community. The truth was that most of their undercover heroes had absolutely shitty quirks. One could easily tell from their costumes. One was based on water bottles, the second guy looked a mixed of a transformer and night guard, and the third guy was literally a fucking box of tissues. He knew today would be the day he dies, and he can admit that probably deserves it. He was just surprised that it took this long.
"You mad man, how dare you gun down innocent civilians in Manhattan Park. you will now face the might of our divine trio. PAPER. RUBBER. AND PLASTIC. And together we are…", they all shouted in unison, until.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG.
The odd trio never got to finish their dramatic entrance for they were all pelted with bullets from the stranger's AK-47 which had a smoking barrel. He then walks towards Mogsey but stopped when he noticed the guy dressed up as a tissue box was still moving. He lowers his gun. BANG. and continues towards the gangster.
"Were those really the best you could afford", the stranger said to his target in a cold tone.
"In all honesty, yes. I take it you're here to kill me. Did someone sent you or is this something personal?", he asked his soon to be killer.
"Personal", the stranger answered.
"Was it that family gun down earlier"
"No, but I'll add that to the list of sins I'll kill you for"
"Well aren't you preachy. So, what now? You're just going to shoot"
BANG.
"Yes", the stranger said as he shot Mogsey and threw away the empty ammo cartridge.
Noticing that more cops and heroes were coming, he retreated to his van to avoid arrest. Before he could get the van started, he heard a voice behind him. He looked down to see a hand rising from the pile of bodies that were once the Castiglione family. He removed the body that was once Michael and saw Francis who seemed stuck in between the world of the living and dead. The stranger snapped his fingers for the boy to focus on him, but Francis's eyes remained focused on the sky.
"Help. some… someone… help. Please", Francis's voice tugged at the stranger's soul.
Something about this dying boy had remind the stranger a lot of himself. Thus, he picked up the boy and placed him in the van. The stranger then started the van and sped out of the park to avoid the police and the pro-heroes.
On August 19, 2155, a manhunt had been active for five days for the suspect responsible for the murder of twelve men, twenty police officers, and a family of seven. This of course was a fabricated story made up by the Bondigas family who paid a journalist to make it into the paper. The manhunt was initiated by the local law enforcement in response to the public concern. Lieutenant Robert O'Hara and his unit were made the lead investigators for this operation due to the loss of Lieutenant Kyle. All the bodies in the park were sent to the morgue, but forensic scientists say that one body was missing. That body being Francis who was currently on an operating table in a place that was once technically a hospital.
On the abandoned property of North Brothers Island, there stood a ruined building that once acted as a hospital for those with yellow fever. After so many years, it had been left to be overtaken by the plant life and receives visits by tourists. However, a small portion of the island had mysteriously broken off and sunk into the water. It was then decided that all access to the island would be denied from the public. And so, the island was left to rot away. Or was it? The island was secretly claimed by an unknown individual. On the outside, it may seem like an abandoned piece of property. On the inside however, it is a fort that no one would dare enter. The island itself was infested with security measures, the underground cave system that house several waterfalls that each carried an attack boat, and an armory that held more than just guns.
Within a secured lair, Francis Castiglione was resting on an operating table with a heart monitor next to him. His eyelids twitched a few times until finally opening to reveal his blue eyes. He slowly sat up and was met by bright lights and moist air. He could taste the sea salt in the air he was breathing and the lamps above him weren't helping his eyes. He got off the table and removed what was attached to his arm. Doing so had caused the heart monitor to go into a long beep. The sound was almost hypnotic as it caused memories of what happened at Manhattan to flash in his mind. He fell to his knees out of the pain in his head. He had lost everything. There was nothing he could do to change that.
"Hurts, doesn't it kid", Francis was brought out of his shock when he heard that familiar voice from the shadows.
"Trust me when I say that I felt that pain before. To lose people you love to some punk who thinks he has more power than you. Those kinds of people are the ones that always get a bullet to the head. I know, because I'm the one who shot them", the masked stranger from the park stepped out of the dark to reveal himself.
Francis finally decided to stand up to meet the person and asked one simple question.
"Who are you", the stranger looked at the boy and gave him his answer.
"I'm the Pulverizer, but you can call me Frank Casket", he said as he takes off his mask to reveal the face of a tired veteran who had no other place to call home.
"I'm Francis", spoke the depressed boy.
From there, they talked to one another about how they both started out. Francis told him about his family and Frank told him about his. It's safe to assume they both went through hell. Francis was a child who lost his family and Frank was a husband who lost his wife and unborn baby. This meeting of these two tragic souls would kindle a bond that held strong as Frank offer Francis to be taught under him as his ward in his war against crime. Of course, Francis accepted, and he would be taught a thousand ways to kill criminals and villains. He was surprised to have learned that Frank was once a SHIELD agent serving under Director Dum Dum Dugan. Frank himself was surprised to hear about Francis's quirk, eyes that allow its owner to detect evil intent in people. With a quirk like that, villainy could be eliminated at the source. Frank's own quirk left Francis speechless. Frank's quirk was called Blade Immunity, allowing the user to never be killed by anything that is considered a sharp edge.
For the next three years, Francis was taught in twenty-four fighting styles, training with every form of close quarters combat with bladed or blunt weapons and had achieve complete accuracy with every form of firearm. Frank had turned Francis into the deadliest teenager in North America. Dawning his own black attire with the white skull, Francis had killed over four hundred criminals before reaching the age of sixteen. During their time working together in their small-scale genocide of the villain population of the United States, Frank and Francis had been infamously known by the criminal underworld as the Pulverizer and Pain.
They had even made international news.
"Punisher and Pain leave British alleyway in a bloody mess with piles of dead drug dealers"
"Amateur Russian villains left within a burning furnace overnight"
"Halloween pedophiles turned into chopped limbs with pumpkins during Jersey October Festival"
"July the fourth was cancelled due to a warehouse filled with illegal Chinese fireworks combusted along with a group of villains with unstable fire-based quirks"
They were unstoppable in their war against crime, not even heroes dare to come near them. The only ones that seem to continue at brave yet unsuccessful attempts to apprehending the duo was Lieutenant Robert O'Hara and his police unit. The public themselves see the duo with mixed reactions. One side believes that these vigilantes are what New York needs, while the other side see the two as menaces to society. In under three years, they had become a part of New York's history as the start of a new age everlasting age of vigilantism.
Unfortunately, all things come to an end eventually.
On May 6, 2159, the day had come for the Bondigas family empire to die and have their names forgotten. Bursting through the gates to the Bondigas's last stronghold, the battle van played the part as distraction by eliminating any criminals and crooked cop that was protecting the boss of the family, Big Al Bondigas. As that was happening, Pulverizer and Francis made their way to the warehouse. From there, they dealt with any who were left of the crime family until there two left, Big Al and Arms Akimbo. Pulverizer would be the one to kill Big Al and Francis would be the one to kill Arms Akimbo.
Arms Akimbo's quirk was rather difficult to handle. His quirk was called Stretch Armstrong, giving him muscular and stretchy arms. Francis had thought to use his available firearms, but the bullets would get bounced off by Akimbo's arms. He was then left with the two bowie knives in his belt. Francis runs at him with his knife, but he takes a few punches and was sent to the wall. He keeps at this as many times as he could until he gets his opening. Arms Akimbo just laughs at Francis and continues to mock him with insults to his dead family, but his laughing stopped when he started to feel his arms numbing. He took a closer look at the knives and there was another color mixed with his red blood. A purple substance that was most likely poison. Francis didn't care about the pain he was in. all he wanted was to kill his target for betraying the title of hero and for allowing his family to die. Once Arms Akimbo lost all feeling in his arms, Francis threw both knives at each of the false hero's kneecaps. Once he was on his back to the floor, Francis got on top of him and pulled out two objects from his pocket. They were his parent's dog tags. He then wrapped it around his hand and balled it into a fist. He proceeded to punch Akimbo's face repeatedly. He kept punching with no reason to stop for all he saw was red, but once he did stop punching, there was absolutely nothing left of Akimbo's head.
Realizing that he took too long with Akimbo, Francis quickly took off to reunite with Frank and see if he was alright. As he busted through the door to Big Al's office, he saw his mentor and his target on the floor, both were a bloody mess. Big Al's body was missing its head due to Frank's shotgun. Frank was on the floor with three gunshot wounds to his chest caused by the revolver in Big Al's hand. Seems like his Blade Immunity didn't him in his last gun fight. Francis knelt to his mentor and for the first time in three years he had started to shed tears. But before the first tear fell, he heard his voice.
"I thought I train you to never cry, but I guess death machines like us have to show some humanity sometimes", Frank spoke with blood dripping from his mouth.
"I can still get you out of here and get you help. Our war still isn't over. I can't finish it without you", Francis said in a pleading tone.
"There's no time kid. I lost too much blood already and plus some has to stay to make sure the bomb goes off", Frank said as held the detonator to the bomb that was by Big Al's body.
"But why? He's dead right", Francis asked in confusion.
"Look at him, kid. His head is slowly growing back. It turns out all this time the bastard had a Quirk that gives him regeneration during nighttime. Maybe if we had hit him during the day, we would have truly done him in", he said as he coughs out some blood.
"Let me tell you a small story Francis. This world was meant to be unfair, because that's the only way any of us can learn. The truth was that Big Al and I were once the closest of friends, up until we fell for the same girl. I was just some farm boy and Big Al was a rich kid, so to see her chose me had caused something in him to snap. He became egotistical to the point that he starts his own crime family. While I was still in SHIELD, he had built the Bondigas family just to prove he could get everything and whatever he didn't get he would just make sure that no one else will. The day I finally came home and decided to start a family with my wife, he decided he needed to make a statement to the criminal underworld. So, if he couldn't have her, then I shouldn't"
Francis stayed quiet as he processed all that, but there was one thing he needed to know.
"What was her name?"
Frank laughed a little and maintaining the blood coming out of his mouth.
"Polly, her name was Polly"
They both share a small laugh. Frank then places a hand on his shoulder and his bloody eyes met with Francis's tearful eyes.
"In war, there will always be casualties. I'm just one of them and you are the last of our unit. But this war, I just keep thinking about how I brought a kid who I found at death's door into a war that's not even his. You don't have to be another fighter, but it's up to you. People like us aren't what the world needs, but we exist either way. There is one thing for sure I want you to do and that's to live to be whatever you want"
Frank then puts his white skull mask in Francis's hands.
"But if I made a bad call and made you believe that fighting would be the only thing you will ever be good at. Then I want you to inherit this symbol, Memento Mori, and show any son of a bitches that think they can take anything from anybody that you're not just there to give them Pain. you are there to give them their Punishment. You are the Punisher"
In the distance, police sirens could be heard.
"Go kid. Now", these would be the last words that Francis would ever hear from Frank as he fled the warehouse with mask on his head.
Frank then looked to Big Al's body which had its head halfway grown back. Unable to talk and only able to see through one eye. That one eye looked at the explosive on his lap.
"You see that bomb, Al. It's my special mix of Napalm and C3. An explosion more corrosive than acid. Made it especially for guys with very stubborn healing factors"
The two longtime enemies stared at each other as Frank tightens his grip on the detonator.
"See ya on the other side"
BOOM.
Lieutenant Robert O'Hara and his unit had just arrived at the warehouse but made it just in time for the explosion. Robert ordered every cop to turn the whole area into a crime scene. At the corner of his eye, he spotted a silhouette standing in front of the moon. Francis stood at the top of the nearest building staring back at Robert O'Hara. Before the officer could reach for his radio, Francis detonated an explosive within the battle van, ruining any piece of evidence on him. It was on that night that Francis Castiglione became the Punisher.
Three years had passed.
On January 8, 2162, a nineteen-year-old Punisher had successfully killed a nuclear terrorist named Yasir. This now dead villain was well known in the middle east for having a quirk that allowed his pores to secrete a mucus like substance that carried nuclear radiation. The punisher who took a major risk at contaminating himself through that much radiation was able to snap Yasir's neck with his bare hands. Falling into a coma from the radiation, Punisher was then taken into hospital care and then transferred to a cell in the local police station for interrogation. While he was in hospital, several protest groups rallied at the entrance with the purpose of supporting the release of the Punisher and chanting that the Punisher is the true hero of the incident since the pro-heroes didn't arrive. As the protest group ranted for the release of the Punisher, the hospital itself was going to be given a surprise visit some very important people. Arriving to the location via Quinjet, Colonel Margaret Carter and another individual entered through the emergency helicopter landing pad. The two of them, as well as six heavily armed SHIELD operatives, walked the hospital's fifth floor until they made their way to the room that held Francis Castiglione. Before they entered, director Carter gave orders to her men.
"Nori and mark, you two watch this door, Don go back to the Quinjet and tell the pilot to keep full satellite surveillance of this hospital, and the rest of you go and patrol the perimeter. I don't want some pathetic villain busting in here just to get payback on the Punisher", she ordered them.
The agents nodded with confirmation and went to perform their tasks as director Carter and her guest entered the room. There they see the Punisher still in his coma from all the radiation. His bed was covered in a secured vacuum isolation, that the radiation doesn't spread. Even the doctors were wearing hazmat suits and they noticed her entering.
"Sorry miss, but you shouldn't be here", one of the doctors told her.
Carter whips out her badge and states, "I'm Director Carter of SHIELD and I say I'm allowed in here. Now tell me, is he fully recovered aside from the radiation"
"Well, his bones are no longer broken, blood levels have been stabilized, and even with the radiation all of his hair is still intact. The only concern there would be the possibility that the radiation could cause cancer and organ failure", the doctor answered.
"All I needed to hear. Now I'm going to have to ask you all to leave for the Punisher is now SHIELD's priority", Carter ordered.
"But he's still in recovery", the doctor protested.
"And he will recover, just in a medical room within a shield facility. Now leave", Carter shot back.
The medical staff left the room, leaving Carter and her guest within the room.
"You know it doesn't hurt to say please sometimes, they were just doing their jobs", the guest quipped.
"We're on the clock here, so we don't have the time to enjoy those luxuries. Tell me Forge, are you sure that this will help Francis Castiglione?", Carter asked the one named Forge.
"The SHIELD scientists and researchers gave everything to me. The statistics, the data, and the probabilities. As well as the latest in Radiation based tach, all I did was make the damn thing. But don't worry, I'm sure it'll work for our walking deathtrap over her", Forge said back with nonchalant present in his tone.
"I'm serious, Forge. Francis Castiglione is one of us. Another reincarnate from our original multiverse. Think of the secrets he might hold", carter told him.
"Whatever they are, Carter, are definitely not child friendly. This is Frank Castle, the Punisher. He's a very well-known ex-marine who spent the rest of his life killing criminals and villains. I'm not surprised that he still doing it in this new earth of ours", Forge said with some nervousness about the man that going to join their inner circle.
"That's exactly why we need to get him out of here and bring him back to SHIELD. He doesn't know that "that" is truly who he is. We must give him back his memories", Carter assured him.
"Are you even hearing yourself? You're willing to a man the memory of his wife and two kids being killed in a mob shooting. What if he doesn't want to remember? I mean he already went through the death of his parents and brother, why not had more dead bodies of loved one into his head", Forged said with the return of his nonchalant tone.
"Still, I'm not just going to leave him here. He'll be perfect for SHIELD's Thunderbolt initiative. I'm sure he'll do great with the other two. Speaking of which, have we got confirmation on their agreement", Carter evaluated.
"Percy Scandia a.k.a Black Knight, a well-known vigilante from London. It is said that he migrated to Michigan when Hydra agents disguised as Pro heroes had staged a manhunt for his vigilante bounty. It says here that he is responsible for the death of several alleged criminals and villains across the European continent. Some bodies were never found, but few had been discovered parts of their brain missing with traces of chemicals and metallic fragments that don't belong in the periodic table and almost seem alien. Also found in the crime scenes are sticky notes that read "I didn't do it" all of which had Percy's fingerprints. It's also important to note that he was born around the same year as Francis, but mysteriously disappeared with his father without a trace at the age of three. He had return to society when he made his debut as the Black Knight. Unsurprising, our boy Jimmy contacted Percy to place him under arrest and take him to the helicarrier. What is surprising is that Percy gave himself up without a fight", Forge informed her.
"So, he's now in helicarrier, that's good. What about Charles Barton?", Carter asked.
"Oh yes, The archery vigilante from Waverly, Iowa. He was also born around the same year as Francis and Percy. The infamous Trick Shot. You will be happy to know that Wyatt Wingfoot and his sisters were able to apprehend Charles Barton and taken his unconscious form up to the helicarrier as well as profiled a few contacts of his, just in case if they too were reincarnates like us", he said as he got the device to turn on.
"Excellent. Now, let's get Frank all better, so we can drag him back with us"
To this, Forge held out a cylindrical device with a handle and trigger and pointed it at Francis. Pulling the trigger, the device drained all the radiation from Francis's body, fully healing him from all cancer cell and internal organ failure.
"And just like that, our boy Franky is clean from all radiation and is healthy as a singing bird. So, how are we going to get him out of here?", Forge asked Carter who only looked at him with an expressionless face.
…
Three hours later
…
"Hurry up Forge. We don't have all day", Carter said loud to Forge as she was waiting for him inside the Quinjet.
"HEY, you're not the one pushing five hundred dollars' worth of medical equipment with an unconscious nineteen-year-old villain killer on top of it", Forge shot back at her as he struggled to push Francis along with the medical bed onto the Quinjet.
…
Three more hours later
…
Francis was on the verge of waking up, but a part of him wanted to stay asleep. Until, he heard a voice.
"Wake up man"
Francis resisted the words.
"Wake up dude, come on"
Francis continued to resist the voice but gave in when he felt a bucket hitting his face.
"Finally, you're awake. Me and helmet head here had been waiting for you. Now get ready for…", the stranger was cut off when Francis punched him in the face and had him in a choke hold.
"Who the hell are you and where am I? You better answer my fucking question, or I'll snap your damn neck", Francis ordered with the intent to kill this stranger.
"Relax friend, you don't need to kill him, even if he's being annoying. Not every form of evil needs the sweet release of death just yet. For without life, how will we truly define ourselves", another stranger said to Francis from a laid-back position on their bed.
"How about instead of preaching, how about you tell this nut job to let go of me", the stranger still in Francis's chokehold struggled to say.
Francis then let him go and looked at both two men he was trapped with.
"Who the hell are you guys and where am I?"
"You're on the Helicarrier, my friend"
"Wait, the SHIELD aerial mobile base"
"The very same and for who we are", the stranger on the bed said as he rose up from his bed.
"I'm Percy Scandia, but others may know me as Black Knight. The guy on the floor is…"
"Yeah, hi jackass. The name is Charles Barton, but the world knows me as Trick Shot, the greatest archer to ever live"
"And who might you be, my new intimidating friend"
Francis looked at both and decided to tell them the name that he always went by to the NYPD.
"I'm Frank Castle, The Punisher"
"So, you're the guy who leaves piles of dead villains in New York. I must admit your methods are gruesome. Effective, but way too gory for my taste", Trick Shot gave his critique to Frank.
"Oh really, what the hell are a bow and arrows going to do a villain with a gigantification quirk?", Frank gave his critique on Trick Shot.
"Oh, and what the hell are bullets going to do? You're at the same league with us if guns and knives are your answer for everything", Trick Shot argued back.
"Now calm down you two. Let's not forget why we are brought here today. Miss Director Carter has a job offer for us"; Black Knight reminded them to cool down the situation.
"Well sorry to disappoint her, but I already have a job and that's keeping the streets clean"
"You do realize you're saying no to SHIELD, right? To someone like Director Carter, vigilantes like us don't have that choice. It's either yes or life in prison"
"I do believe we should hear her out. Who knows? Maybe having SHIELD as an employer would make it easier to have an income. I've been low on money ever since I fled from London"
"Hey yeah, I've read on that. A hero team put a vigilante bounty on you"
"Yes, it has been difficult for me since my fellow countrymen had forced me to flee my home. I was fortunate that SHIELD had found me, for as you can see"
Black Knight lifts his shirt to reveal the bandages that held fresh bloodstains. This wasn't unnoticed by Frank.
"These bandages are new. So, SHIELD picked you up when you fled, how long ago did you migrated from Europe to America"
"Six hours ago, but I've been the States for two days. After all, the three of us had been taken to Helicarrier on the same day. So of course, I accepted their invitation in exchange for proper medical help"
Before they could question him any further, the doors to the section that held their holding cell opened to reveal Director Carter with Forge, Wyatt Wingfoot, and Jimmy Woo.
"Hello three of the world's most infamous vigilantes, I hope the room conditions are to your liking", Carter said to three locked up young men.
"It's not much the living arrangement, more of the company", Barton said with some honesty.
"Well I'm sorry to hear that, but as we all know all forms of vigilantism have to be restricted with the utmost precaution and awareness of quirk regulation laws are to be taken seriously", Carter elaborated.
"Not that we're against the law, guys like us see them as just things that get in the way of us going what others couldn't do", Frank gave his best judgement to the quirk regulation laws.
"If you're talking about the pro-heroes in the world, then I believe heroes like All Might would absolutely disagree with you"
"Oh please, that show off, I'm any of us could beat him if we try", Barton gave his remark on the number one hero.
"Nonetheless, I brought the three of you together for an important project of ours that would completely help SHIELD in our efforts in ending the European civil war epidemic"
The three vigilantes looked at one another.
"You sure it's a good idea to enlist three vigilantes who use lethal force on their enemies to become the solution to the pain and suffering of millions of European lives", Barton questioned Carter's idea.
"Not to mention it's none of our business, except for Black Knight here. Why not just get other European vigilantes?", Frank also questioned.
"Because Black Knight didn't side with either the pro-regulation government or the anti-regulation rebellion. Percy Scandia was the only vigilante of the European continent that was available and thus we needed to recruit vigilantes of other countries"
Black Knight could understand why SHIELD would be doing this, but he and the other two didn't like what their possible job offer was. Frank decided to step up said what needed to be said.
"Are you planning to turn the three of us into a black ops team? If so, then to kill who? Because if you're telling us to point our weapons to either the government or rebellion, then you're dead wrong Carter. We aren't going to be some suicide squad", Frank said angrily to the Director of SHIELD.
There was silence. Percy and Barton stayed where they were in the cell. Forge, Wyatt, and Jimmy were getting nervous, but kept their postures. Frank and Carter stared at each other for what could be felt as an eternity, until she spoke.
"With the recent events happening on our world, the United Nations had become desperate and left Europe's civil war problem to SHIELD. Events such as the new hero ranking establishments in the Asian countries that has cause more economic and political uproars thus causing more resources and wealth being put into that as a dependency. Or how about, the recent incident that occurred in Africa back in 2159 where a massive meteorite hit south Africa. The locals of those countries are still trying to rebuild what they lost and still trying to isolate contaminated areas that held a type of virus that has killed hundreds of African that were near the site where the meteorite had impacted. As well as the random occurrences of blackouts that occur in several low populated cities across the world from random surges of energy fluctuations. So due tell me Castle, why shouldn't I turn you into a black ops team to settle such pitiful exchanges of ideals", Carter challenge Frank. and as he was about say something back at her, Frank was cut off when she raised a hand to halt him and spoke.
"With all these international problems being a major struggle to work with, the United Nations had given SHIELD full access to international resources and political involvement. It is because of this desperation that SHIELD can almost do anything they want and that's why as Director I propose the Thunderbolt initiative to the United States government. Once it was given green light, we immediately looked toward the vigilante community to enlist some capable warriors for this solution of ours… Of course, that the cover story we decided to tell the world"
Hearing this, the three vigilantes were confused on what was now happening, until Carter explain further.
"You see, gentlemen, the world is about to change soon and not the United States government or any of the United Nations are prepared for it. To better explain to full scope of what we at Shield are preparing the world for, Mister Barton would you stand in front of me", Carter asked the archer as she opened the cell door.
"You sure you want to open the cell, Director Carter. I mean you and your friend are looking at three wanted men. Who to say we won't try to escape?", Barton questioned her.
"Because in a few seconds, you and I shall trust each other as if we were best friends. Now, stand in front of me and allow me to use my quirk on you"
"Woah, wait. First off, I don't even know your quirks. Second, I don't even know any of you people", Barton hesitated.
"My quirk is memory restoration. Nothing harmful will happen to you"
Barton took a step forward, but still not too sure about the situation.
"So what? You're just going to help me remember something"
"In a way, yes. I'm going to help you remember who you truly are", and that she had placed her hands on Barton's head and her hands had started to emanate a bright light.
Soon, Barton's eyes had started to glow the same light and he just stood there for a whole minute. Percy and Frank were being to feel cautious for what might happen if they went through the same thing. After the minute, Barton's eyes had stopped glowing and he was left speechless. He looked around him to see the cautious expression on Frank and Percy. He then looked to the other way to see the sympathetic and understanding looks of Carter, Forge, Wyatt, and Jimmy.
Charles Barton then slumped to the wall next to him, placing one hand on his knee and the other on his head. He was trying to comprehend what his current existence was and then one thought came to his mind.
"Wait, is Clint here?", Barton asked Carter with worry in his voice.
She looked to him with a saddened tone.
"I'm sorry Barney. Clint Barton didn't reincarnate into this world like the rest of us", she answered him sadly.
Barney Barton slumped further down in submission to the fact that he will never see his brother again. To Frank and Percy, the word "reincarnated" was what caught their ears.
"Okay, hold up. What do you mean by reincarnated?", Frank asked in confusion
"Reincarnated, as in living a past life? What does that have to do with what's going on?", Percy questioned as well.
Carter turned to them to explain.
"It's more along the lines of being reborn into a different world", she told them which only made them more confused.
"It's better if you guys just let her use her quirk on you, believe me, it will answer all of your questions", Barney said to them as he finally stood back up and fully accepting to what his new life has become now.
"You seemed to have gotten over it awfully quick", Frank said to Barney's sudden change of mood.
"If you think about it, what point is there to stay sad forever? When your own multiverse threw you away to some other one just to make room", Barney said, giving his full resolution to frank who only still didn't get it.
"Like he said Frank, let me use my quirk on you"
Frank still felt hesitated by the effects of her quirk messing him up, but then Percy stepped up to volunteer for his memory restoration.
"If my question is truly to be answered through you quirk, then I will let you do so", Percy accepted his fate.
As she did to Barney, she placed her hands on Percy's head and his eyes started to glow. Once he stood there for a minute, Percy was also left speechless. He started to feel sadness unlike any that had felt before, but then it switched a silent anger as now know what brought him here.
"Modred, you damn fool. Was power truly worth the destruction of a once united and peaceful land?", Percy muttered to himself for the loss of his family and homeland. Just like Barney, he too accepted that it doesn't matter now. He was reborn into this new strange multiverse and as long as he lives, Camelot shall continue to thrive. And then all eyes fell to Frank, who still hesitate about having his memory restored.
"It's your turn now Frank, this won't take long and you'll understand what exactly is going on", Carter stood near him.
"Alright fine, I better not regret this. I'm not going to be some dog to SHIELD", he said to her as her hands were placed on her head.
He felt relaxed for a bit, but then his eyes glow and he stood there for a minute. He then slapped the hands away from him and then placed his own hands on his face. He walked to the furthest part of the cell and smashed the only mirror it had. The others were about to calm him down, but Carter stopped them and wanted to see if Frank could control himself. After a few more seconds, he just stood still as the memories of his original life started to flow back to him. The death of his wife Maria and their two children Lisa and Frank Jr. the times that he had battled Daredevil and Spider-man. The intense training, he had gone through. All the otherworldly beings and creatures he had killed. And finally, the days he spent in his one-man campaign against Hydra and killed so many of their operatives, except for that bastard Zemo.
Everyone waited for his next response and received only heavy breathing. After one last exhale, Frank gave them his answer.
"I shouldn't have listened to you, because of you I now remember who I am. I now carry two dead families in my head and still fight in this war of mine. I gladly be the Punisher for this new and crazy world. With my original capabilities, the new training given to me by the old man, and this quirk of mine, I can clean up this whole world in a faster rate"
That statement got everyone on edge, the men that were there were questioning whether giving Frank Castle his memories back was a good thing. But not Carter, she wasn't about to give up on him. Percy and Barney were about restraint Frank, until they hear him speak again.
"But. as long as Hydra lives, then my war will never end, and I've lived long enough to see that as a fact. So yeah, I'll join your Thunderbolt initiative"
Frank turned to Director Carter and gave her his request.
"Now tell me Colonel Margaret Carter, Director of SHIELD, where should my guns be pointed"
Carter slowly formed a smile at those words from him. And like that, the Thunderbolts had been formed. Two years before SHIELD recruited Punisher, Trick Shot, and Black Knight, six infant boys had been born on the year 2160 in separate countries.
On March 24, 2160, an infant boy named Victor Creed was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
On April 5, 2160, an infant boy named Max Eisenhardt was born in Nuremberg, Germany.
On May 2, 2160, an infant boy named Edward Brock was born in Queens, New York.
On July 15, 2160, two infant boys named Izuku Midoriya and Mirio Togata were born in Musutafu, Japan. Meanwhile in the sovereign nation of Latveria, an infant boy named Victor Von Doom was born.