Taste Bad

Charlie scanned the four monsters surrounding him, marking them quickly in his visor. Aside from the stunned bat creature lying beneath his feet, each of these new monsters looked like a twisted version of a wild animal: one resembled a hulking black bear, another a snarling wolf, a third a scaly crocodile, and the last a lizard with sharp claws and leathery skin. Charlie couldn't help but wonder how these creatures—each from a different species—had come together. It seemed like they'd formed some sort of bizarre alliance.

Well, whatever the case, he was ready for a "chat."

The wolf creature, looking like the leader, kept its eyes on the wounded bat monster on the ground. It made a series of low growls, and the bat creature shrank back, whimpering softly.

Charlie guessed that the wolf might be questioning the bat, maybe accusing it of leading him there. The bat, in turn, seemed to be pleading for innocence, but it was only a guess. For all Charlie knew, this was just a pack of monsters with no plans at all.

The four monsters growled deeply, low sounds rumbling from their throats as they began to move forward, their eyes locked on him. Each step was slow and deliberate, like they were savoring the anticipation of an easy victory. Their body language made it clear—they thought four against one was more than enough to win.

The wolf and crocodile, in particular, eyed him with something close to hunger. They looked like they considered Batman a nice extra snack for the night. Healthy or not, a "bat" was still meat in their eyes, and these creatures didn't seem to care about the menu.

Just then, the air around them shimmered, and blue ripples appeared out of nowhere. A red blur flashed down from above, and Deadpool dropped into the middle of the scene, two swords already swinging. His blades sliced through the air with a sharp hiss, slashing into the thick scales of the lizard creature and drawing dark, thick blood from deep wounds.

"See? I knew you couldn't handle this without me," Deadpool grinned, glancing at Batman. "So, does this make me a magical boy now? When's payday, Bat?"

The lizard screeched in pain, swinging its tail in Deadpool's direction without even looking. But Deadpool teleported out of the way, vanishing just in time. The lizard's heavy tail missed Deadpool completely and instead smacked right into the crocodile's broad, flat head with a loud crack.

The crocodile monster's eyes went wide, caught completely off guard. It blinked in confusion, only to see its teammate, the lizard, withdrawing its tail. In an instant, rage flashed in the crocodile's eyes, and it lunged at the lizard, growling furiously.

Deadpool had reappeared beside Batman by now, casually leaning his elbow on Batman's shoulder, grinning as he watched the two monsters tear into each other. "Wow, I would NOT want to be that poor lizard," he said with a chuckle. "Getting pounded by your own teammate? Even by monster standards, that's rough."

Deadpool paused, then let out a playful gasp, covering his mouth. "Oops! Did I just throw shade at you, boss? I mean, that's something people would say, right?"

Batman said nothing, simply shrugging his shoulder to dislodge Deadpool's arm. Deadpool let out a yelp as he lost his balance and stumbled forward, barely catching himself before he hit the ground.

"Hey! Is that any way to treat your trusty sidekick?" Deadpool huffed, brushing himself off.

Meanwhile, the wolf creature had managed to separate the crocodile and the lizard, letting out a growl that seemed to signal a command. The four monsters immediately spread out, each taking a different position around Batman and Deadpool. There was an odd sense of discipline in their movements, almost like they were following a battle plan.

The wolf locked its gaze on Batman. While it seemed more intelligent than a normal wolf, there was still something primal in its eyes, a hunger that couldn't be ignored. As it readied to pounce, it looked more like a hunter considering where to take its first bite.

The wolf lunged, moving with impressive speed. It darted forward in an unpredictable, zig-zagging pattern, creating a series of afterimages that made it difficult to track. Its movements were calculated and quick, each step designed to confuse and overwhelm.

Batman, however, didn't even flinch. He remained calm, standing completely still, his gaze steady as he watched the wolf approach.

The wolf seemed infuriated by Batman's lack of reaction. With a snarl, it feinted left, then veered sharply right, aiming for Batman's head with its jaws open wide, ready to bite.

But instead of flesh, its teeth snapped down onto something as solid as metal. A loud clang echoed through the night as its powerful jaws slammed shut on nothing but air. The creature recoiled, its entire body shivering from the shock.

Dazed and in pain, the wolf pulled back, looking at Batman in confusion. Somehow, it had gone right through him, like he was a ghost.

Batman had activated his phasing system, allowing the wolf to pass harmlessly through his body. Without missing a beat, Batman spun around and threw a freeze grenade at the creature. The grenade burst with a sharp crack, spraying icy crystals across the wolf's body. Within seconds, the wolf was encased in a solid block of ice, its wide eyes still locked on Batman, filled with shock and confusion.

Meanwhile, the crocodile had turned its attention to Deadpool, jaws snapping as it lunged for him. Deadpool, however, teleported out of reach just before the crocodile's teeth could clamp down, leaving it biting nothing but empty air. The crocodile blinked, confused, as it looked around, seeming to ask itself, "Where'd my meal go?"

Before it could think twice, Deadpool dropped down from above, his sword aimed right at the crocodile's open mouth. The creature looked up in horror, but it was too late. Deadpool's sword plunged straight down its throat, piercing through the top of its skull and into its brain. Blood splattered as the crocodile collapsed, dead before it even hit the ground.

Deadpool pulled his sword free, doing a little spin as he landed. But before he could celebrate, he felt a sudden, sharp pain in his chest.

Looking down, he saw that the bear monster had crept up behind him and driven its massive claw through his heart. Blood sprayed from the wound, but Deadpool simply grinned. Without a second thought, he swung his sword around, slicing clean through the bear's wrist and severing its paw.

The bear let out a howl of pain, stumbling back as it clutched its bleeding stump, staring at Deadpool in shock.

"You really thought that would stop me?" Deadpool scoffed, pulling the bear's severed paw out of his chest. The wound began to heal almost immediately. Rolling his eyes, he added, "Come on! Haven't you ever heard it's rude to interrupt a guy's victory pose?"

The lizard monster, watching from the other side, saw that Deadpool was distracted. Its eyes lit up with a gleam of opportunity. With a hiss, it lunged forward, sinking its teeth deep into Deadpool's shoulder, tearing off a chunk of flesh.

For anyone else, the pain would've been unbearable. But Deadpool simply looked down at the gaping wound in his shoulder, then calmly turned his gaze to the lizard, who was happily chewing on the piece of his flesh.

"If I were you," Deadpool said, deadpan, "I'd rethink that snack choice."

The lizard froze mid-chew, its expression shifting from satisfaction to horror. It gagged, then spat out Deadpool's flesh, doubling over as it vomited violently on the ground.

"Oh, come on!" Deadpool yelled, looking offended. "It can't taste THAT bad!"

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