Chapter 13: Short Change Hero 1/2

Author's Note: All properties are the rights of their respective owners, Marvel, Respawn Entertainment, etc.

First order of business, thanks to ravens18 for betaing this chapter for me and making it better.

Second order, anybody have suggestions for coverart? I'm a complete novice when it comes to that kind of thing and any help would be great.

Alrighty folks, the second arc is now officially underway. This one is, in my opinion, a bit more ambitious than the last. Cooper will develop as a character, Hardy too, that isn't to say that other characters won't show up, but that those two are the main focus. The issue of right and 'wrong' is something that will crop up, so if you get easily triggered, know that there will be bad things, there will be bad people, and our protagonists will do bad things to bad people. I'm not saying that what they do is right or that it's what I think should be done, that's why this is a work of fiction. I know that may seem obvious, but I think its best to point out just in case.

Got that? Good, cause god knows I don't like stating the obvious like that. The title is the song by The Heavy best known as the one used to open Borderlands 2, and it's a nice little throwback with Borderlands 3 coming out not long after this chapter is posted. This is a song picked for tone, far more downcast then most of what's come up to this point.

Power Without Question – Chapter 13: Short Change Hero

And what matters ain't the who's baddest but the

Ones who stop you falling from your ladder

And doin' things just to please your crowd

But I love you like the way I love you

And I suffer but I ain't gonna cut you 'cause

This ain't no place for no hero

A week later, Cooper was about to begin the thing he had been dreading even more than the trip to the tailor Hardy had been pestering about, even the Gala he had to get the suit for paled in comparison to what he was about to undertake. "Let's get this over with" muttered the Pilot as he slipped the helmet on and turned to Mary Jane, the reporter setting up her recorder. "You're alright with me recording this too, right?"

"Yeah, sure thing" she answered, turning to Matthew. "You ready?" she asked, Cooper nodding as he continued to tap his foot nervously on the floor. "The story you're going to tell, it's not the one you told me, is it?" she asked.

The Marauder shook his head, "No, it won't be. It's safer this way, we both know that" he answered firmly, the notes for what he was going to say scrolling along his HUD. "I'm going to need you to help sell this, alright?"

"Yeah" answered MJ as she went back to making sure her equipment was ready. Far from a professional setup, they were doing it at the small breakfast table in her apartment. "No problem" she said as she sat down and composed herself. "Whenever you're ready."

Cooper took a breath and sat down in the chair opposite her, turning it around so his elbows rested on the chair's back. MJ gave him an odd look, but his jump kit made it awkward to sit in normal chairs comfortably. He gave a nod and the redhead turned on the recorder and camera before speaking. "Mary Jane Watson, investigative reporter for the Daily Bugle. November 25th, 2017" she declared before looking across the table to Cooper. "Interviewee, could you please identify yourself" she asked curtly.

"Callsign: Renegade Nine. Pilot, serial number 7 dash 416 3854" rattled off Cooper, "member of the Frontier Militia's Special Recon Squadron." He then tapped a gloved finger on the insignia on his armor, "Marauder Corps." He paused, lips forming into a smile behind his helmet, "around here? People have taken to calling me the Marauder."

Mary Jane knew all of this, but she paused for effect anyway before asking her first question. "Could I ask you to elaborate on that, I'm not familiar with…nearly any of those terms" she said, if Cooper was any judge, she could have been an actress with how convincing her delivery was.

"Any one in particular?" he asked, his acting didn't have to be nearly as good, helmet and voice filter to dull his emotions.

MJ shrugged as she tapped her notebook, "Uh, you said Pilot, so, do you fly?" she asked.

"No Ms. Watson" replied Cooper with a small chuckle. "Where I come from, pilot means two things, someone who controls an aircraft, and someone who controls a Titan. I am one of the latter." He took a breath, MJ giving him an encouraging look. "On the Frontier, Pilots are the true dominant force, walking one-man armies. It was recently I joined their ranks. Pilots move, fight, and think differently. Using speed, deception, and overwhelming force, even the most impossible odds are known to turn in our favor."

"You're a soldier then?" asked MJ, "Your equipment looks like that of a soldier" she observed.

The helmet bobbed up and down in a nod. "I joined the Militia five years ago, just before my eighteenth birthday" lied Cooper smoothly. "The Militia is the military force that defends the various worlds of the Frontier. These planets banded together when faced with the threat of the Interstellar Mining Corporation, the IMC, who sought to bring those planets and their inhabitants under their control. Exploit the people as labor and strip mine the planets for resources, often using brutal tactics and overwhelming force to do so" explained Cooper. None of that was technically a lie, exaggerated perhaps, but based in truth.

The redhead tilted her head inquisitively, just like they had planned, she had picked up on some of the details in the explanation. "Did you say worlds?" she asked, Cooper nodding. "You're not from Earth?"

"No" answered Cooper bluntly, "the Earth I knew was far different. If memory serves then there should be Hammond Robotics, one of the core subsidiaries of the IMC, but there isn't. As a result, I don't think I'm from the future, this future anyway." Damn, this was going to get confusing, and that was leaving out the part about where he was originally from.

"Then, how did you come to be here?" asked Watson, brow furrowed in curiosity.

"The SRS launched a mission to investigate anomalous energy readings at a supposedly uninhabited world on the fringes of known space. I was just a rifleman, and my Rifle Company was assigned as support for this mission" he began, memories flooding back to him of his first time in combat. "We walked right into a trap; the IMC was waiting for us. Our ship went down just after my unit deployed, right into the waiting arms of their mechanical infantry. The entire company was wiped out, I only survived because of the intervention of an SRS Pilot, Captain Tai Lastimosa. Lastimosa had been training me for a few weeks up to that point, he was cut off from his platoon and alone" recalled Cooper, his voice faltering. "The Captain died of injuries he sustained in that fight; his last action was to transfer control of his Titan to me. The two of us were deep behind enemy lines, cut off, with no communications with the Militia or even the other units scattered across the planet. We managed to find out what was happening though, the IMC was developing a 'Fold Weapon' that was capable of destroying entire planets and powered by an ancient, alien, power source."

"What were they going to do with that kind of weapon?" she asked.

Cooper continued the story. "At this point, the IMC was on the back foot, the Militia were poised to completely remove them from the Frontier. The Fold Weapon was going to target the planet Harmony and its 40 million inhabitants to break the back of Militia resistance and pave the way for an IMC counteroffensive."

"My god" breathed the journalist.

The Marauder nodded solemnly. "We managed to get word to the SRS, who responded with every available unit, including the entire Marauder Corps. The Corps was so shorthanded that I was assigned to it, despite having only been a provisional pilot for a few days. The Commander of the Marauder Corps, Sarah Briggs, personally led the assault on the weapon." The vigilante took a breath before resuming the fantastical tale. "We threw nearly everything we had at the IMC, when all was said and done, my battered Titan and I were the only ones anywhere near the weapon. With the weapon about to fire, there was only one option available to us."

Mary Jane had heard this story before, but it didn't stop the redhead from being on the edge of her seat. "What was that?" she prompted.

"My Titan's reactor core was damaged, leaking radiation. I thought that maybe, if I could get my Titan close enough, then the damaged core would destabilize the weapon" he recounted, thinking how foolish it sounded, even with BT running his millions of calculations. "It was a Hail Mary to be sure, but we were out of time. Thing was, I had to get the Titan there manually. I was still inside when the weapon went critical" he explained, clicking his tongue. "I thought I was going to die that day, but the reason it was called the Fold Weapon was because it folded space and time, albeit in a controlled manner."

"But when I did…that, controlled went out the window, when it went up, I was caught in the blast. What exactly happened after that I'll probably never know, but when I came to, I was thirty miles outside the city." He flashed a sardonic smile inside his helm "The rest, as they say, is history."

"Wow" breathed Watson as she took the expected amount of time to collect her thoughts. "That really is an incredible story, hard to believe any of it is true" she said skeptically.

"I know, believe me" he answered dryly, "but I also have the mission logs to prove it. I am leaving some stuff out for brevity's sake, the rest of the story is just as incredible" he assured, mainly because it included dueling the APEX Predators and his capture.

With his immediate backstory covered, MJ shifted to more recent events, all according to plan. "Since you've arrived in New York, you've been fighting the criminal elements in the city. How do you justify your actions?"

He took a deep breath, now came the time where he would have to lie through his teeth. MJ didn't know what he was going to say, so any reaction she had would be genuine. "I joined the Militia after my colony was raided by the IMC. They looted our belongings, rounded up the colonists, and killed any who resisted. I hid and watched as they summarily executed my family and rounded up my friends and neighbors like cattle. I lived in that ghost town for two days until a Militia ship came to investigate and picked me up. I fought for five years because of what the IMC did to my home, then I come here and see criminals stealing, taking advantage of people, and killing the police who try to stop them" he then shrugged tiredly. "The more things change the more they stay the same I suppose."

"I suppose" echoed Watson as she moved on to her next question. "Many people comment that you seem to seek out fights. They say you're less concerned with protecting the innocent and more concerned with just fighting. What do you say to that?"

Cooper snorted, "I think it's ridiculous. The Militia, and the Marauder Corps in particular, does not believe in reactivity. If you sit back, people like these, like the IMC, they will pick you off, one at a time. But we don't hide and let them come to us, we go to them."

"So…the best defense is a good offense?" ventured MJ, Cooper nodding in agreement. "Many are still concerned about you, however. An unknown entity using lethal force and completely unchecked roaming the city."

"Understandable" conceded Cooper, "Which is why I would like to make a statement, if that's alright."

"By all means" agreed the redhead, the time had come for his big gamble.

The Pilot cleared his throat before looking directly at the camera. "Mayor Osborn, if you're watching, listening, reading, whatever, if you see this. I am willing to come to the negotiating table with you in good faith, with the hope that a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached."

"You want to negotiate? With the Mayor?" she asked incredulously, despite being aware of his plans to stack the deck. "What do you hope to get from this?"

"Less people to shoot at me" he answered dryly, drawing a bark of laughter that was quickly contained by the interviewer. "In all honesty? I want to keep doing this; and will do it alone if I have to. I just figure that trying to work out an arrangement would be in everyone's best interest; and it doesn't hurt to try."

Mary Jane nodded and 'hmmed' in acknowledgement as the blue visor shifted back to her. "I for one would be in favor of such an agreement, I wish you the best of luck" she said honestly. Spiderman had never attempted such a move, despite her encouragement, she hoped he would reconsider if Cooper could be successful, relying in the good will he had built up instead of blackmail. "Now, I would like to ask you about your interactions with Spider-Man…"

Cooper groaned inside his helmet; it was going to be a long day.

When the three-hour long interview concluded, a mentally exhausted Cooper arrived at FEAST in street clothes. The Pilot had volunteered at the shelter every day that week, usually being a handyman of sorts. Stepping through the door he was met with the kindly old woman who ran most of the day to day operations at the shelter, her auburn hair and warm smile meant she stood out wherever she was. "Matthew dear" May Parker greeted warmly as the SRS Titan Jockey ambled in, "good to see you again. Here to help?"

"Sure am ma'am" he drawled in reply, only for the kindly older woman to wave him off.

"I've told you, call me Aunt May, everyone else does" she insisted. "You like exhausted, is everything alright?" she asked, her concern genuine. It was easy to see where Peter had gotten his upstanding nature from considering this woman had been the one to raise him. The apple didn't fall far from the tree it seemed.

Cooper nodded, "everything's fine ma'a...May" he corrected. "Just a rougher than usual day on the job, I had to work a different shift and it wasn't exactly what I'm used to" he explained, only half lying to the woman. "But it's over now, thank god, and hopefully tomorrow I'll be back to my usual schedule."

"You poor thing" offered the Parker matriarch, "well I appreciate you still coming to help out. It's good having someone with your skills around" she admitted honestly. Cooper meanwhile still couldn't believe how the skills he had developed maintaining BT were applicable in such a mundane setting. "I need you and Peter to finish up assembling the shipments that came in earlier this week" she said as the Pilot nodded. "And if it isn't too much trouble, I think something's bothering Peter, could you make sure he's alright?"

"Of course Aunt May" returned the Commando seriously, "sure thing." With that, the Renegade headed deeper into the shelter in search of the webslinging Queens native.

"Hey Matt" said Parker, "you look like hell, everything alright?" he asked. The Texan offered his friend a weak smile in reply.

"I just got out of an interview" he said as he followed Peter back to help assemble some furniture the pair had started on the previous day. "You know the one." As the pair continued and soon found themselves surrounded by half assembled desks, beds, and shelves. "I thought you'd be there, ya know. Hear the story and all that" mentioned Cooper casually as he set to work.

The two were alone in the backroom, and it was a thought that had been nagging at the back of the Marauder's mind since the interview began. Peter still didn't fully trust him, and really didn't trust the Marauder, and Cooper was surprised that he would let MJ interview him without Spider-Man being there. The hero was a protective sort, especially those he cared about, and the Pilot had come to learn that the only person the Queens native cared more about than his girlfriend was his last living relative, May Parker, the very woman Matt had just spoken with.

It took a few moments for Cooper to register that the usually quick-witted Parker hadn't answered. He turned to see the vigilante look shaken, and a bit angry. "I wanted to" he murmured, forcing a weak smile, "you know how MJ is. Stubborn, headstrong, doesn't take no for an answer" he said, though the words were strained.

Matt's eyes went to Peter's balled fists and he took a step back, flexing his hand in anticipation of drawing his P2016, for what little good that would do him. "It all started with you. I helped her with her stories, checking out places and making sure she was safe, but when you showed up to her apartment…she saw an opportunity and took it. For the first time, she went behind my back, wouldn't let me protect her" he said, steadily breaking down as he recounted the decline of their relationship.

Watson was a formidable and capable woman Matt had come to respect. Confident, intelligent, and charismatic, she refused to be held back by anything, stretching boundaries in pursuit of her goal. Peter's protective nature had become another obstacle in that pursuit.

While he was working with MJ to halt Cinderblock, the reporter had been sacrificing her relationship with his friend to do so. Peters core belief that it was his responsibility to protect those he cared about and his insistence of carrying it out had put the two at odds. When Peter tried to be there for the Interview, it had been the final straw, neither Watson nor Parker was willing to back down and as a result they had split up two days ago.

Within a week, Parker had lost his girlfriend and had the foundation of his friendship with Cooper was almost irreparably rocked. Only now was the toll this crumbling of his personal life obvious to Matt, and Cooper felt pity for him but stopped just short of guilt. "Peter" he said firmly, getting the superhero to remove his face from his hands and look up at him, "listen to me, neither of you are wrong. I know you probably don't want any more 'help' from me; but trust me when I say that you can't take care of anyone when you look like…that."

"And what exactly do I look like?" he asked.

"Hammered shit" deadpanned Cooper with a small grin. "Listen, Parker, I get that you and MJ are close, I'm not saying forget about her and move on. But take care of yourself, and if you can't fucking do it then get someone to help you" finished the Marauder firmly, a firm shake applied to Peter's shoulder to knock him from his stupor. "Hell, I'd be willing to do it."

Thankfully, the sudden force seemed to do the trick. Parker straightened, scrutinizing Cooper for a few moments. "You would?" he asked, dumbfounded. "I've treated you with nothing but suspicion all week when I should be trying to help you."

"Parker, if anyone deserves to treat me like an asshole, it's you" said Cooper with a bark of laughter. "I'm surprised you're still talking to me. Christ, I've killed people in your city, beat the shit out of you, kidnapped you, threatened to kill you, and caused you and your girlfriend to break up. If I were in your shoes, I'd be trying to strangle me" he countered, gesturing towards himself. "I owe you, so let's get this done and then drinks are on me. No arguments."

Thankfully, there were none, the two diligently working until their they were surrounded by freshly assembled furniture, though Matthew had to almost drag Peter out of FEAST before he could ask his Aunt May for more work. Following that, Peter led him to a small nearby bar and the two vigilantes ordered a pair of beers, clinking them together before drinking. "I'm still not sure about this Coop" said a worried Parker between sips. "Is this really going to do anything?"

"Truthfully?" said Matt as he took a moment to check over his shoulder, that habit being hard to break, "no. But that's not the point" said the Pilot with a grin. "Great power comes with great responsibility, and that's true, but I think you're missing part of it" said Cooper, ignoring the glare Peter was giving him.

He took another casual sip, "How do you know that?" asked Parker, the gears of his mind clearly turning. "I never mentioned that."

Cooper worked his jaw, "We're not nearly drunk enough to discuss that" he answered with a dismissive handwave. "But my point is, you have a responsibility to yourself as well" he drawled as he finished the first beer and ordered a second. "You know that I don't have many friends" began Cooper honestly, "and to see one of the ones I have tear himself up like this…I don't know what else to do."

"Didn't know you cared Coop" said Peter wryly. "I'm fine though. I've been through the wringer before" he assured. "You're doing alright, you haven't had it easy either. Hopefully the worst is behind us and we can have a go at being normal."

That word, 'normal' felt odd to hear. What did normal mean? Such thoughts were pushed aside, he simply chuckled dryly as the two continued to drink for several hours, swapping stories about growing up, friends, family, all the things that Cooper had left behind. Matt heard about Harry Osborn, the friend that had departed for Europe a few months back, the Mayor's son, and the reason Peter was hesitant when it came to dealing with him.

Cooper understood, but he and Hardy had already been to both Kingpin's and the Mayors offices, well, Hardy had, and he had covered her with the Longbow, minor details. They had their connection, luckily, the two were arrogant and too reliant on their security systems. Emails and phone transcripts with both of their names on it, even discussing the sale of properties that had been targeted in Cinderblock.

It hadn't been money Osborn wanted either, that would have been too simple. No, Kingpin had Osborn convinced that the two could be partners, could both become more powerful. They had emails dated as far back as a year ago. As far as Cooper was concerned, Osborn had been complacent in if not partially responsible for Cinderblock and the deaths of 50 police officers and over 200 criminals.

Finally, the two called it a night, Peter seemingly not able to hold his alcohol nearly as well as Cooper, which struck the Marauder as odd. The Pilot helped Peter back to the wallcrawler's place, which thankfully wasn't too far, considering their current state prohibited any alternate forms of travel.

It was past one in the morning when Parker finally opened up the door to his cluttered apartment. But as soon as Matt helped him inside and the door closed, Peter turned on him. "There is one thing" said the New Yorker, any semblance of a slur gone, "how did you figure out who I was?"

Matthew couldn't suppress a laugh in his inebriated state. "You won't believe this shit" said Cooper as he flopped down on the crappy sofa. "Suppose I've had enough to drink to try and explain this. Back home, Texas home" began Cooper. "Spider-Man, everyone knew that story. Some high school nerd named Peter Parker got bit by a radioactive spider and wore questionable outfits while fighting people with cooler names and powers" said Cooper with a bark of laughter and slight slur. Peter frowned at the description of his life as the Marauder continued. "You were in comics, cartoons, even a couple of films, big blockbuster ones too."

Parker wasn't sure how to take the revelation that his life was entertainment for those in another dimension. The thought that Matt was messing with him crossed his mind, but was quickly dismissed. Cooper's story was crazy enough to be true. "So, you, just recognized me as soon as you saw me or what?"

The Marauder shook his head. "Not quite, but I knew Spider-Man was Peter Parker, just dumb luck I ran into you" he said with a laugh. "Don't take this the wrong way, I was never your biggest fan" rambled the Pilot. "So don't ask me what happens next."

Peter laughed at the inebriated sarcasm, though his curiosity about what else the Pilot could tell him prompted him to ask another question. "Was it…exactly like this?" he asked tentatively.

"I…I don't think so" replied Cooper after a second, rubbing his forehead as he pondered the question. "Watson was a super model…or was she an actress? Fuck if I know" he managed before laughing. "Though I think in one movie you shot webs from your wrists."

Peter laughed at the thought, looking down at his arms and imagined what that would be like. He was about to ask another question when he saw that Cooper had passed out on the sofa. The man had been running on fumes since he walked into FEAST, it was a miracle he had lasted this long. With an amused smile, he let the man sleep as he went to his bed and followed suit.

"Fucking Hell" groaned Cooper as he registered where he was, it wasn't his own bed, and it wasn't Felecia's. With the two most likely candidates gone, his eyes looked around at the messy space he was in and the lumpy sofa he was on as he shook his head.

The Pilot heard a laugh, "not exactly" said a friendly and amused voice. "I'd like to think hell would manage to be a bit more organized" quipped Parker as he walked over and handed him a glass with some odd colored tea. "Trust me, it'll help" assured the webhead as Cooper took the offered glass.

Taking a tentative sip, Cooper felt his head clear somewhat and began drinking eagerly. "I take it we didn't get into any fistfights?" he said as he looked at his intact knuckles and Parkers shaking head. "Pity" said the Marauder with fake disappointment and lopsided grin. "In all seriousness, did it help at least?"

"I think so" said Peter, "it was nice to relive memories and just remind myself that I'm still Peter Parker, not just Spider-Man." Cooper listened, his mind replaying the night as his memories got fuzzier the further on he went.

"Uh, Parker" said Matthew as the replay reached the place he currently was, "I didn't say anything out of the ordinary last night…did I?"

His hopes that he hadn't dropped rapidly as he scrutinized the man's expression, Parker really needed to work on his poker face. "You might have…something about Spider-Man movies" said Peter, causing Matt the sigh and deflate. "And that MJ was a supermodel?" he said with a raised eyebrow as Cooper buried his face in his hands. "Is that really true?" he asked disbelievingly. Cooper nodded, though his face was still buried in his hands. He didn't usually get that drunk, and was worried things would get even more awkward between the two heroes, somehow. "It's fine Coop, even with that you've treated me fine through all this" said Peter, as if he was reading the Pilot's mind. "Its odd to think that I'm a movie character in a parallel universe. My life sure is crazy enough to be though" he said with a weak smile.