The Tour

"Now that the Transformations are over, allow me to guide you through this version of the Avengers Tower!" Edith exclaimed. "Please follow the highlighted lines."

Again with this bullshit, Emma thought. Just telling us to follow her orders and not explaining anything.

For once, I agree with you Peter thought.

Everyone stood up and followed the neon lighting.

Edith guided them to an elevator. "For now, the rooms available will be limited; one room for each floor. The room we are now exiting is the lounge floor. Other miscellaneous floors currently available are the dining floor, the training floor, and the entertainment floor."

"What does the entertainment floor have?" MJ asked.

"I'm glad you asked, Miss Watson," Edith said. "That floor has several rooms. One is dedicated to board games, another is dedicated to any form of tabletop games, included but not limited to table tennis, pool, and carrom."

"That sounds like a good bit of fun," Felicia said.

"I'm glad you think so!" Edith said. "Feel free to explore all the rooms have to offer in your own time. Currently, we are headed to the Gift Shop."

The lauded place filled with everything we could want. Emma thought.

"While the elevator takes the trip down, allow me to introduce you to our Simply Well Integrated Neural Gimmick, also known as S.W.I.N.G.. SWING is directly uploaded to each Contestants' brain: just think of it, and you'll see an Augmented Reality screen in front of you. SWING will show you many essential things; your Patrol tasks, current Web rankings, what day of which Season it is, and how many Dollars you own. Currently, you all are at 0 Dollars and 0 Webs, but I look forward to seeing your rankings rise."

The elevator doors opened, revealing what seemed to be a typical gift shop.

"Welcome to the Gift Shop," Edith said. "The left wall contains any and all Transformation related items. This includes but is not limited to: Transformation Upgrades, Transformations that have been sent to the Shop, and Temporary Transformations."

Emma headed to the wall and began inspecting the products.

"What exactly do Transformation Upgrades and Temporary Transformations do?" Emma asked.

"Transformation Upgrades cost 50 Dollars, and they upgrade either your Transformation or another's, increasing the effects said Transformation would have," Edith explained. "That can mean one of two things. Either that would enhance the effects of said Transformation you've chosen to upgrade. For example, if Mrs. Parker's Transformation Every Harem Needs A MILF were to be upgraded, she would have upgraded proportions. Other Transformations would bring on a new set of effects. For this example, we'd take Miss Frost's Mother. If upgraded, she'd now receive the urge to have anyone suckle on her teats."

"Yes, I won't take that, thank you very much," Emma said.

"You're welcome, Miss Frost," Edith said. "Temporary Transformations have a varying cost, and the effects vary for each one. They can last from an hour up to three days. A simpler one would be Viagra, which would make the targeted individual extremely lustful for the next day. On the intense side, we have options like I'm Just An Animal, where the targeted Contestant would only be able to crawl for the next three days. Another example would be Stilettos, where the targeted Contestant would have to wear heels for the next two days."

Hmm, this Transformation doesn't look like a bad investment, Emma thought, then she turned to Peter. I wonder if...

What are you thinking of do— Peter thought, but his train of thought was cut off by Emma pulling her arms around him and giving him a deep French kiss.

Pardon me, dear, but I had to start kissing you before my brain told you my plans, Emma thought. Now, just bear with me, I have to read your mind for a full documentary of your life before I get this Patrol completed.

What!? Peter thought, still somewhat shocked as Emma's tongue interlocked with his.

Emma pulled away after a few seconds, receiving a set of notifications on her SWING.

1 Web earned: First French Kiss on the Show!

50 Dollars earned: French Kissed Peter Parker!

100 Dollars earned: Patrol: Understand Peter Parker Completed!

3 Webs earned: Get to a point where you think you can fall in love with Peter Parker!

Emma broke off the kiss and grabbed a Transformation off the shelf. "Edith, how do I go about purchasing this?"

"Picking it off the rack starts the process," Edith said. "Transformations all cost a base 90 Dollars, with a 20 Dollar surcharge to place it on another Contestant."

"I'll take the 20 Dollar surcharge," Emma said.

"Emma, I don't know what Transformation you have in your hand, but don't do this," Peter said.

Sorry, Peter, I can't not do this, Emma said. It's Natasha's For The Vibes Transformation

"Once the Transformation has been lifted from the shelf, it cannot be placed back down," Edith said. "Also, no Contestant can pick up a Transformation without the necessary minimum Dollar amount. Miss Frost, which Contestan have you purchased this Transformation for?"

"Natasha Romanoff," Emma said.

"Natasha Romanoff has now been given the For The Vibes Transformation," Edith said.

Natasha glared at Emma and walked up to her. "I'll get you back for that, bitch. I don't care how long it takes, just know that I'll get the Dollars I need to fuck you over."

"Why would you do that?" Peter asked.

"Be pragmatic, Peter," Emma said. "I know you can do that. From a basic standpoint, the show wants to see us do things like this, Natasha was going to be a problem, so I found the best way to do both."

"But you don't have to!" Peter said.

"I got four Webs from kissing you and understanding you," Emma said. "You know we have to. You might not have to do what we do, but you do have to entertain our advances, or all of us risk turning into playthings for a demon, even more than we already are!"

Ok, that's a fair point, Peter admitted. "But you didn't have to fuck Miss Romanoff over!"

"I'd argue that I had to fuck someone over," Emma said. "I'll be honest, I personally don't like Natasha, especially after calling me a lab experiment, but this whole thing is designed around fucking other Contestants over! Forget trying to achieve love with you, this is a drama reality show! People don't watch drama to see people sing kumbaya, they live to see the nasty fights, and if they don't, then they get fucked over!"

"We can make it through without fucking each other over," Peter said. I know it's a flimsy argument, but it's all I have.

"Peter, listen," Felicia said. "I hate to say it, but look at what we have going on here. Ava's a friend of a version of you with a totally different life from yours. Aunt May isn't even our Aunt May, and like it or not, she looks like your aunt! I'm the closest person to knowing you here, but you don't even know me, and I'm dealing with getting my memories of you returning from some fuckass spell! Olivia here was a supervillain, and Natasha here is a damn spy! Emma is clearly the definition of the bad guy on the good side! I have no idea what is wrong with Anne and MJ, but I'm sure we'll find out within the next few days! Tell me, how is it possible to find love with each other!"

Peter was silent.

Meanwhile, Felicia received an alert on her SWING.

1 Web earned: Push Peter Parker 1 step to accepting the reality of the Show.

"Dears, you raise great points," May said. "I don't see how all nine of us could possibly survive to the end of this fiasco. I remember dying once, so that's an inevitability I find myself unconcerned with. However, I don't see where or how that leads us to wanting to push each other down."

There has to be a way to prove this, Emma thought, then she saw a Temporary Transformation that looked fruitful for the occasion.

"Edith, how much does Dome of Honesty cost?" Emma asked.

"Dome of Honesty: Causes everyone to be truthful in a thirty meter diameter around the targeted Contestant for the next hour," Edith said. "The cost is 25 Dollars for oneself and 30 for another Contestant."

"I'll buy it for myself," Emma said, picking it off the shelf. "Now, Miss Romanoff, let me ask you this. Had I not placed the Transformation on you, how would you ensure your win?"

Natasha winced. "I would have discreetly used the Shop to sabotage other Contestants, guaranteeing the win for myself."

"She's a spy," MJ said. "Of course she'd do that, but that doesn't mean we have to stoop to that level!"

"Actually, it does," Anne said. "As a journalist, you cover a lot of things. One of the main problems of San Francisco was the high crime rate. ****, ****, kidnappings, you name it. My Spider-Man may have hated me for it, but the way I brought crime in San Fran to a previously unseen low was by killing the kidnappers, murderers, rapists, all the lot of the worst people. Now, I'm not saying we should all go out and sabotage each other. I'm just suggesting that Romanoff no longer vying for the win is to our advantage, all of ours. As for Frost, I don't care what she does, so long as she doesn't sabotage me, I won't sabotage her."

"You guys can fight for this bullshit tournament," Natasha said. "I only want the White Queen."

"See?" Anne said. "It looks like Emma has her hands full."

"That isn't the way," Felicia said. "I know winning this is practically impossible, but that's still not the way."

"I've lived a very long life," Emma began. "Sometimes, I wonder if I'm actually only 37. I've worked in the Hellfire Club, I've led it, I've been the leader for the mutant populace, I've governed Krakoa and Arakko, and two things have stood true: might makes right, and to get to the top, you have to do a lot of unsavory things. Now, do I see the need to sabotage any of you? No, however, if I do see the need, I won't hesitate. In Natasha's own words, she'd have found the best way to discreetly cause all of our demises while simultaneously securing her future. It was a necessary decision, and I know you're thankful that you're not having to deal with her trying to sabotage you anymore, I know I am. I'm not trying to sabotage you or her for the fun of it, though it is cathartic knowing that the bitch that called me a lab rat will get fucked over. I'm just trying to ensure my future, no matter the cost."

"And what, pray tell, differentiates you from her?" Ava asked.

"I'm not trying to sabotage you," Emma said. "She was. Eight of us have to make it through the end with over 120 Webs. Once everything gets a little clearer, I'll even help whoever I think would win. Until then, I'll only stop whoever I think will make me lose."

Emma received an alert on her SWING.

1 Web earned: Push Peter Parker 1 step to accepting the reality of the Show.

"Unfortunately, I'll have to cut into your moral debate, ladies and gentleman," Edith said. "We don't have a lot of time, and the Tour isn't near completion. I'd like to guide you all to the right side wall, where you'll find clothing. If you ever need any help finding clothes, or want a new pair of jeans, come to this side of the Shop and talk to me! In the middle aisle, we have sex toys, of all kinds, some even have magical effects! I can't wait to sell them to you guys."

"Just get on with the tour, damnit," Venom said from Anne's shoulder.

"Very well," Edith said. "If you all could go back into the elevator?"

Everyone got into the elevator, the doors closing behind them.

"Alright, the next and last step for the tour is showing you your floors," Edith said. "Allow me to explain the rooming system. There are five penthouses available in the Tower. The lowest penthouse is for the Fourth pair of Contestants, Miss Romanoff and Miss Frost. The one directly above it is for Miss Weying and Miss Hardy, the next is for Miss Watson and Miss Octavius, the next is for Mrs. Parker and Miss Ayala, and the highest penthouse is for Mr. Parker."

"How is our roommates being decided?" MJ asked.

"As I'm sure you remember, when you entered the Tower, you were introduced in pairs," Edith explained. "Those same pairs are being given a room together: One of Kwanu Anansi's Contestants, and one of Mephistopheles'."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened, revealing a bedroom.

"Miss Romanoff and Miss Frost, this is your stop," Edith said. "There is a curfew in place, as you must be in either your suite or Mr. Parker's by 9 P.M.. The date schedules will be released tomorrow morning at breakfast, and please have a good night."

Emma and Natasha glared at each other but wordlessly entered their room, then the elevator started going up again.

Pair by pair, everyone left the elevator, until it was just Peter, and the doors opened to his own bedroom, which was quite a bit more lavish than the others.

"Mr. Parker, before you retire, I'd like to introduce you to the T.R.A.C.E.R. system," Edith said. "TRACER stands for The Remarkable Application Chronicling Every Room. As the name suggests, it allows you to view every single room in the Tower, allowing you to get hidden insight on everyone and ensure everyone's safety, including yourself."

"Yeah, I don't want to use that," Peter said. "Matter of fact, I'll let the others know about it tomorrow morning."

"Informing them is your own prerogative," Edith said. "However, I'd like to inform you that Miss Frost and Miss Romanoff are in a very heated argument and are very near to exchanging blows."

"And what benefit do I get from seeing that?" Peter asked.

"It can help inform you in this path to finding love," Edith said. "Beyond that, should the argument become a fight, I will give you access to the intercom to order them to stop fighting."

"And why can't you do that?" Peter asked.

"It's not within my set duties to break up fights, only to guide all of you," Edith said.

Peter sighed. "Turn the TV on then, I guess I'll keep an eye out."