//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Enter the Prowler // Story: DJ-Spid3r: Vinyl The Spider-Woman // by Smashed Tapes //------------------------------// “You know, if you wanna ask her out, you might wanna do it like soon. Isn’t that concert this weekend?” Vinyl swung past another building as Lyra talked to them, their setup was basic, phone, earphones with a mic, but it did mean they could talk to each other while she went on patrol. “I know, but like, she just gets to me, you know? It’s hard to think straight around her, let alone get around to asking her on a date.” “Vinyl, you’re gay, you never think straight.” “Ha ha, you know what I fucking mean.” Landing on the edge of a rooftop, Vinyl sits down and takes a moment to just watch the city. “Still Vi, you fight bad guys on the daily and asking a girl out is somehow harder?” “I’m sorry, remind me, how long did it take you to ask out Bon Bon again?” “Yeah fuck you too.” They both chuckled for a moment. It was almost midnight now and it was quiet. “There’s nothing out here, I might head back early and call it a night. You heading to bed soon?” “Maybe, I’m still working on your slimer web shooters.” “Oh sweet, when would those be done? These are great but I will admit they are kinda bulky.” “This weekend, actually, if progress keeps going smoothly.” Vinyl lept off the roof and began to do one last round before calling it. “Oh nice, I am really sorry about breaking it last time.” “I should be the one saying sorry! I really hope just having the one isn’t impacting you too much. And you can like, punch with electricity! I think finding that out was worth you blowing up one of them.” Her attention was quickly turned away from Lyra’s comments as she spotted a group of people on a rooftop dressed in black. “Hang on Lyra, I think I got something here, I’ll call you back.” Landing on a wall close by, she looked closer at the group as they were setting up what seemed to be a large harpoon or some sort. “Do these things ever come with instructions?” “Dude just shut up and screw that in, he should be opening that window at any moment.” Vinyl smirked and looked up at where they were aiming, seems like they were trying to rob Crystal Corp, an impressive target for goons like these. “Hey! I’m no expert but I’m pretty sure it’s righty tighty, lefty loosey.” She jumped off the wall and landed onto the device, they all gasped her name in surprise before trying to get some punches in. It wasn’t even a fight, she kicked the end of the machine and caused it to swing into two of the guys, knocking them out. Then all she had to two was throw one against the floor, pieces down, all that was left was one goon and her. “Okay dude so, you’re going to tell me why you’re trying to harpoon a building and I’ll just web ya web instead of knocking you out.” “I-It’s a zipline! W-We were going to zip in when he opened up our way in!” “He? Who?” “Me.” Her spidey sense went wild as she narrowly dodged the incoming attack as the figure swiped at her with giant metal claws. Spinning around, Vinyl saw the figure in question, wearing a purple cloak and outfit accented with green tech and eyes with the large claws in question. He spoke with a deep, obviously modified voice. “Woah! Okay so now I’m two for two with costumed bad guys with big claws.” The figure said nothing as it charged forward, showing he also had some type of rocket propulsion with his large boots and claws. Vinyl managed to dodge again, looking back at him. “Uh hello?? Mr Speedy Stabby! Honestly you try having a decent talk with people these days and they ignore you, so rude.” Lyra always said Vinyl’s big mouth may backfire, and it did in this case, allowing the man to charge forward and grab her, flying with her off the edge and throwing her onto another rooftop. “Apologies, but I’m not one for conversation. Now stay out of my business, Spider-Woman.” Vinyl slowly got up, wincing at the bruises she knew would hurt more tomorrow. “Oh sure! I’ll just leave you to rob places then! Yeah no, that’s not what’s happening here.” “I’m stealing from those who stole it from others. Tell me, how do you think Crystal Corp got so big over these years?” Getting to her feet, she readied herself for another attack. “I’m not defending them, rich assholes, I get that, but there’s also innocent people in there that you’re putting in danger and I am not letting that slide.” “Hmm, so you do actually have a brain under that mask.” Sirens could now be heard from the streets below, finally, someone reported all the racket. “I have nothing against you, Spider-Woman. In fact, I hope our next meeting is more….civil than this.” Vinyl lept forward and threw a punch at him. Dodging and kicking her back to the ground, the man turned away. “Fucking stop! Just who the fuck are you anyway!?” The man chuckled before standing on the edge of the building as Vinyl tried to get to her feet. “Name’s Prowler. And if I can offer you some advice….” He turned his head back around, glancing one last time at her before flying off. “Get yourself an actual suit” Vinyl rose to her feet, trying to see where he blasted off to, but the purple trail of his jets quickly faded, leaving no path to follow. “Where do all these guys come from?” She remarked, wincing in pain once again. ----- “AND THEN THIS SO CALLED ‘HERO’ SWUNG IN AND SAVED THE DAY! Now, some will say that this is great, but I would tell you to OPEN YOUR DAMN EYES! How else could Spider-Woman get there so quickly if she wasn’t working with the muggers in question! Ever since she showed up to Canterlot City she’s been nothing but a menace! A good for nothing-” Bon Bon closed the video on her phone and sighed. "I swear all he does is complain about her." Octavia nodded, placing the music sheet stand down. “He seems to have a grudge… for whatever reason.” “Yeah he kinda gets annoying after a while, don't you agree, Vinyl?” Vinyl looked up from her task of moving the drum set, a task proving more difficult than normal due to her various injuries that she got from the Prowler. “Huh? Oh, I don’t really pay attention to news stuff.” Which was half true, normally Vinyl couldn’t care less what the press talked about, but now this JJ dude was going off his rocker about Vinyl and her hero deeds. With some people being convinced by his words, he annoyed her to no end. “Do….you need some help with that, Vinyl?” Octavia walked over, raising an eyebrow with concern. “Uh, yeah actually. I think I slept funny cause my back is killing me.” The girl quickly took the middle drum and walked over to the other side of the room to the rest of it, Vinyl pausing in awe. “Wow, do you secretly have abs under that vest?” Octavia slightly blushed and placed the drum down. “Well, no. But carrying a cello around for years has its benefits.” Lyra nudged Vinyl as she took Bon Bon to grab more equipment from the back. She took the que and slowly walked up to the cellest. ‘Come on, be cool Vinyl.’ “Hey, uh, you a fan of the Sunlight Orchestra?” “Oh yes! They’re simply wonderful! I tried to get tickets when they announced their dates but they were all snapped up so quickly.” Vinyl reached into her pocket and pulled out the two tickets she had won from the discord carnival. “I actually managed to get some! A….mixing buddy of mine got em. And I was wondering if you….you know….wanted to come see them with me?” Octaiva paused in pace as her blush increased. “O-Oh! That...actually sounds rather lovely.” “A-Awesome! These tickets are for friday, so I guess I’ll pick you up around 8?” “You have a car?” “Uh, no. But I figured we could at least take the train there together.” The brown haired girl smiled and leant forward, placing a small peck on Vinyl’s cheek. “It’s a date then.” Vinyl’s grin turned into a dumbfounded wide smile as Lyra and Bon Bon came back. Bon Bon hauling in a large case. “Octavia? You know these string instruments better than I do, care to help?” “Of course! Well you’re currently hauling a double bass there, here let me…” Lyra walked up to her spider friend with a grin, seeing her with her wide smile. “Soooooo?” “.....got the date.” “Fuck yeah.” ----- “Holy shit, that sounds brutal. I mean, jet boots?” Vinyl finished her can of soda and threw it into the trash can. Relaxing against Lyra’s bed as she finished her story about her encounter the previous night. “Yeah, he was something else. Kinda hard to react to him with only one shooter. Speaking of, how are the new ones lookin?” “See for yourself.” Standing up and walking over to Lyra’s desk, she smirked. “Damn those are tiny compared to the old ones.” “But they still hold just as much webbing. *And* should hold up under your venom strikes!” “....Venom strikes?” “Yeah! Cause you know, stings like venom? Look it’s better than boring ‘electric punch’ or something like that.” “Yeah yeah I guess so.” “Well? Give em a shot!” Vinyl happily did as told, sliding on the new shooters onto her wrists. She shot out a web to an unopened can of sode across the room and flung it to her, catching it. “Fuck yeah! Now try out some of your venom!” Smirking, she charged up her venom into her forearm and into her fist, then letting out a small burst of it, the web shooter still intact. “Lyra you are a fucking genius.” “Please, heap more praise upon me. Fill my ego more.” They both shared a chuckle as Vinyl suddenly remembered. “Oh right, almost forgot. Remember back when you said you wanted to make me a suit?” Lyra spun around to her, beaming. “Yes! Yes I know what you’re asking and I’ll absolutely make you one!” Vinyl opened her bag and threw it to Lyra, a certain page bookmarked. “Can you make me one like that?” Lyra opened up to the bookmarked page and smirked. “You fucking know it.” ----- Vinyl grabbed the edge of the roof and launched herself over it, shooting out another web to the large building. Swinging to the wall and clinging to it, checking out herself in her new suit in her reflection. “Well, suit? Got it. Prowler better prepare himself now.”