A Change of Scenery Requires A Change of Wardrobe

"What the hell is this?!"

Gwen laughed looking at the collection of strings Mary Jane was holding up. "I think it was a fish net teddy... once."

Betty adjusted her glasses nodding. "It looks like something, or someone, chewed through and tore it up. Kinky!"

Glory shook her head and took it and tossed it in the trash. "It's not even sexy anymore... just sad. What kind of a freak keeps something like that. Oh... uh, sorry," she said as Pepper entered the room carrying a duffle bag.

Pepper giggled and shook her head. "Don't be. That was Tony. And that was usually my reaction to finding his "trophies". At least Tony attempted to keep his clean. Just another of his idiosyncrasies. Men are like that about the oddest things." She set the duffle bag down. "There are some of my old things in here. I already set a few aside for myself so you ladies feel free. We can also use Tony's old T-shirts and things."

Gwen looked up. "Walt isn't like that, though."

Pepper smiled. "Walt and Tony had their similarities but their differences were extremely telling. That doesn't surprise me. Walt's oddly shy about something like that... however I know he keeps different "treasures"."

Gwen thought about that then nodded. "His "toys" and "mementos" from adventures... and I know he takes pictures and videos using Friday."

Betty wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh ho! Do tell!"

Gwen laughed and shook her head. "Not those kinds! Nice pictures. Friends and family. I bet he's already close to filling a terabyte with videos of Shogo chasing chickens and pictures of villians I've caught or kittens we've rescued. Stuff like that. They're..."

"Nostalgic," Pepper said smiling. "And sentimental. That's Walter."

"What's Prime really like?" Mary Jane asked. "Like the place."

Gwen blushed. "Actually I haven't made it out of home yet? We were... busy..."

Betty giggled elbowing her. "She means they were to busy fucking!"

Glory shook her head but she was smiling with the others. "Yeah, we all got that. Still that's worrying. Just what have we gotten ourselves into?"

"I know," Gwen said seeing Mystique and Emma pass by. "Mystique! Can you explain what Prime is really like?"

Mystique paused and Emma crossed her arms. "Yes. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the subject as well."

"As would I," Elyia said carrying in another armload of odd clothes. Loki could simply change her appearance but it was important to go through the motions... and interactions like this one were interesting and what she was really after.

Mystique sighed but nodded. "Alright," She said taking a seat. "My experiences have also been somewhat limited by my being under "house arrest" but I have been outside and seen more of Home and the surrounding area as well as monitoring broadcasts."

"Hold up," Glory said pausing from trying to find the bottoms to the green and orange string bikini she was holding. "What do you mean by that?"

Mystique sighed. "Well for one thing unlike most homes or even estates ours is extremely large. The environs extend for many, many miles. It might be a cage but it's an extremely spacious one. In the beginning several of us, myself included, tried to escape it. We were never successful and found ourselves trussed up and left on the porch after each attempt."

"Well that's worrisome," Elyia said passing her a drink but Mystique shook her head and even smiled as she accepted the glass.

"Ahh... thank you," she said taking a sip. "We were quite irrate at the time, naturally. But now I see how gently we were handled. Discomfort aside, care was taken in our capture and our handling to prevent any damage. Which was even more surprising in my case."

Emma raised her eyebrow pausing from sorting clothes as well accepting a glass from Elyia. "Thank you, dear. You did something, didn't you?"

Mystique nodded looking over the rim of her glass. "I attacked and injured one of the others during an attempt. Tsuyu, the frog girl earlier."

There's a few gasps from The Mary Janes and Pepper but Emma nodded and Loki in her Elyia guise made no comment which was telling. "I'm certain he was wroth. How did Walter handle that?" Elyia/Lady Loki asked.

Mystique actually smiled. "Quite. Infact it was one of the times I've seen him upset... but he blamed himself for it. Said he should have done better. Wanted better for me. Then he handed down his punishment. He injected me with... something. I suspect it's nanites but even I don't know. That and a new collar. I'm tracked everywhere I go. My powers can be "shutdown". Friday monitors me at all times. With the exception of Walter I can't do any violent actions without authorization. My body won't follow through and freezes up or simply won't move. Even aggressive thoughts can get me a "warning shock". My body isn't my own."

"How awful!" Mary Jane said covering her mouth.

"How kind," Emma said drawing surprised glances. Elyia paused thoughtfully and nodded as well with that statement... as well as Gwen.

"He left it so you could only harm him," she said. "Your captor. He didn't want the others hurt or for you to have to hurt anyone. But he didn't want you to be impotent with your rage so he left an outlet. Himself. He punished himself and in a way protected you. He made himself a prisoner of sorts chaining himself to you. Binding you two together in a way."

Mystique nodded smiling. "And he assigned me a protective watchdog. I didn't see it that way at first, of course. I fruitlessly railed against the unfairness of it all. Tried everything I could to escape or find a loophole. But he also makes some of us attend these group meetings. They're specifically for "villains". Villain-anon"

She laughs at the faces the others make. "I know. A "self help" group! That was my take on it too but... it is and it isn't like that. It's more about support and understanding. Ourselves, each other and our goals and motivations. They don't make one stop being "villainous" but more reassess our motivations and goals and what the best ways to achieve those things are. If our "bad habits" are actually getting in between us and the things we really want. To be happy. It's... oddly refreshing and helpful. And being completely unable to escape freed up my time to think about things like that. About how unhappy I am as a person. How much misery I cause to not only others but myself and... I'm tired of that. It's fucking exhausting. It maybe odd to hear but I'm somewhere safe, secure and surrounded by people who don't mean me any harm. Who want good things for me. Who are trying to help and accept in their own way. Who refuse to hate me, like I hate myself. With a man who chained himself to me so I can never be abandoned or discarded. Made himself the outlet for my aggression and rage. And now... I..."

She wiped her eye and smiled into her glass. "I don't want that. I don't want to hurt him. I don't want to hurt others to distract myself from my own pain anymore. I don't know what I want yet, exactly... but I don't want that."

"Mystique...," Emma said softly. She'd never seen her like this before. She doubted many ever had. Her own background was complicated. But Walter was doing something for the troubled woman, and who knew how many others, that not her, Jean or Xavier could or had tried. Just letting them heal and reassess for themselves among others.

Loki smiled. It was an interesting story! It also raised questions about Walter. Was that why he was helping her? Like he was trying to help this one? Like the others she mentioned? Changing their stories? No. Letting them attempt to change their stories for themselves! Like she wanted for herself. Making them fully actualized- "People," she whispered. "Evolving beyond our stories into "people" in a world where we aren't considered as such. Oh, what a marvelous joke of a grandly, twisted idea! I approve! Highly entertaining! I was right about him!"

"*Ahem* Anyway," Mystique said. "That's what Home has been like and my experiences. As for Prime? It all greatly depends on who your owner is. Some are kinder than others while some are quite cruel as is their "right"."

She shrugged. "Few are as... interestingly unique as Walter but through him we've met a fair few who could be considered kind. Characters aren't generally cheap so their value as "things" keeps some from damaging their property and investments. Also some are like a vast majority of Walt's. Owned by a company or other business entity. "Character assets". There too they can ne treated either well or poorly depending but most are treated well because of their value. While not the norm because of their expense groups or "harems" aren't unusual at all and can range anywhere from 2 to 20 to 200 depending on owners tastes, ability to accommodate and means to purchase and then provide. Though at peace now, Prime went through a series of severe and catastrophic conflicts and wars several generations ago that both almost spelled it's doom and destruction multiple times and helped cement it's current political and social structure. Walter is apparently a highly decorated soldier of those wars and conflicts though he rarely talks about them. Amf speaking of..."

She paused before also adding, "He rarely talks about his wife either. His grief is past but he carried it for a very, very longtime. Just something to be aware of. According to Anastasia he brings her flowers when visiting her and his grandparents graves."

"He's a widower and an orphan?" Betty asked shaking her head. "On top of a veteran of nasty wars? Geez. Poor guy got hit hard with the tragic backstory stick. I wonder what she was like? Knowing the trope I'd guess a beautiful, princess type who was dignified and-"

"She looked a lot like me actually," Gwen said shaking her head sadly. "And according to him she was an artist with a quirky sense of humor, kind of a klutz and couldn't dance. She had a soft spot for animals and... what?" She asked blushing as she became the focus of several stares.

Mystique wasn't one of them however. Shr simply blinked then shrugged. "Looks like you've found out more than most of us. Some of the others would be happy to compare notes."

"Her mame was Mary," Pepper volunteered. "She grew up in foster care. She also had a love of the bizzare and was a true bibliophile. Walt's a book guy too." She shrugged. "I've known Walt for a longtime. He's not being secretive. He just shares painful things slowly and in small doses. My advice? Don't pry to much and be patient."

"We're back," Linda said coming into the room and jerking her thumb over her shoulder. "Foods here too but the delivery guy freaked out about "talking animals" and muttering something about "acid"? One of you might want to rescue him before she scares the guy senseless."

Mystique laughed and headed for the door and Elyia smiled and nodded. "I'll go with," she volunteered.

"Let's eat and go swimming!" Mary Jane said excitedly. "That pools too awesome to pass up!"

Gwen and Glory shook their heads. "No swimming after you eat," Gwen said. "The cramping thing's more a myth but you've been drinking. Go easy or you might cause trouble."

"Ok, Dad," MJ said rolling her eyes but she did relent nodding. She narrowly avoided being sick earlier. "Hot tub, then! Woot!" She tossed Glory a bikini. "I'll wear this green one and you wear the white one!"

Glory eyed the swimsuit. "Uhm... They're kinda... small?"

"It's not like they're micro," Gwen said smiling as she grabbed a thong. "Can't find the top for this one... fuck it!"

"Gwen!" Glory said watching her get changed and surprised by her boldness.

Gwen shrugged. "Walt's the only guy here. I WANT him to look! But fine I'll cover up a bit." She started holding up T-shirts with the old Star Industries logo. "Which do you think?"

"The white one," Betty said grinning. "It'll be more see-through when it's wet."

Gwen gave her a thumbs-up and returned the grin. "Thanks Miss Pro-vert!" She tossed her a swimsuit. "Speaking of wear that!"

Betty blinked looking at the swimsuit and blushing furiously. "Whoa! Seriously? I've never... but I did shave..." she held up the sling bikini.

"Oh?" Emma said having already slipped into a even more daring white one than the red suit Betty was holding. "Not going to? May I give you some advice?"

Betty bit her lip looking at the sexy, confident woman and nodded. "Please."

Emma smiled. "If you want to be bold, then be bold. Holding back yeilds little benefit. Making your intentions known doesn't make you a "slut" or a "bad girl". It actually makes you honest about what you want which is the basics of any negotiation, romantic or otherwise."

"I-I'm..." Betty blushed clutching at the swimsuit then nodded. "Thanks... I think I'll go with this one."

"Seriously?" Glory said in disbelief.

Betty nodded and Gwen hugged her grinning. "You'll look great! Trust me!"

Mary Jane smiled too and looked at Glory. "Well?"

Glory sighed and rolled her eyes but smiled. "A'ight. Player four buying in. I'll wear the tiny bikini." She shook her head. "Poor guy... hope he doesn't have a stroke!"

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters Linda T Duck Shocket Raccoon Lady Loki Elizabeth "Betty" Brant Gloria "Glory" Grant Mary Jane "MJ" Watson Emma Frost and Virginia "Pepper" Potts

Will Return In

Enter the Cock-to-Pus & Going Out With A "Bang"

Coming Soon]