BAR ROOM BRAWLS AND STREET FIGHTS

By Shawn Gauthier

There is a reason why Madripoor does not attract tourism. The city of Madripoor is a dark, dangerous place. It is filled with villainous thieves and murdering pirates, even it’s current ruler is wanted in most countries for repeated acts of terrorism.

The city’s major export is crime. Everything has a price and there is always somebody willing to collect it.

One of the most dangerous places in Madripoor is the Princess Bar. The bar has survived attacks from the Hulk, Hydra, and the Hand.

Some say it is the bar’s current owner that adds the extra element of danger to the establishment. That owner happens to be Wolverine, and Wolverine just happens to have a great number of enemies.

But tonight is a relatively calm night for the bar. Inside the bar’s walls, two old friends are sharing a few drinks in their own unique way.

“Round 28!” says Roughhouse, as he empties a bottle of tequila into two beer steins. He then places the empty fifth next to the other ten empty bottles on the bar behind him. Grabbing the stein he throws it’s contents down his throat.

The crowd that has gathered to watch this awesome display fall silent as the giant begins to sway on his heels. For a man who has consumed so much it’s amazing he remains on his feet.

“Your turn!” slurs the giant. The betting crowd cheers and money exchanges hands.

Wolverine grabs the remaining stein from the bar and raises it to his mouth. The bar falls silent with anticipation as Wolverine empties his cup. As everybody waits to see the results Wolverine tilts his head back and gargles his last swallow of tequila. The onlookers cheered and money again changed hands.

Everybody makes room as the two competitors circle each other signifying the beginning of what would prove to be the last round of their sparring match.

The heavily-intoxicated Roughhouse makes the first move as he swings wildly at Logan, who easily side steps the attack, sending the off-balanced Roughhouse crashing through a nearby table.

As he struggled back to his feet Wolverine takes the opportunity during this brief reprieve to take the time to light one of his cigars. The X-Man then flicks the burnt match at the barely standing Roughhouse and, amazingly, the giant is toppled by the tiny charred stick. Cheers fill the room as money exchanges hands for the final time.

During the resulting celebration Wolverine sinks into the shadows and makes his way to the exit. Though it felt fun to blow off some steam he had some important issues he had to contend with. But decisions like these were best made with a clear head. So he decided to get some fresh air to help his healing factor deal with the abundance of alcohol in his system.

Unfortunately his exit does not go entirely unnoticed as a frail looking man in a trench coat follows him out of the bar.

Wolverine has come to Madripoor to check up on a sick friend, Tiger Tyger. After a quick stop at her hospital room his worst suspicions were confirmed. Tyger had been poisoned. But by whom? At least Logan had hung around the hospital long enough to hear that she was going to be okay.

Things had changed in Madripoor. At one time Wolverine had chosen this location as a second home, even taking on the new identity of Patch. In Madripoor there were no rules. Here he could cut loose and let off the steam that he had to keep bottled up with the X-Men.

But when the long time Prince of the community needed to be replaced things become more complex on the island. Too many factions began fighting among each other to fill the power vacuum that was left by the loss of Prince Baran. The island was being torn apart by the conflict, so, to save Madripoor, Logan did the only thing he could. He endorsed and married Viper, in keeping with a debt of honor he owed Seraph, original owner of the Princess Bar, making her the clear favorite for the role of ruler of the island, thus ending the conflict.

As Wolverine turned onto the planks of the island’s docks his thoughts turned towards his estranged wife. Could Viper be the one responsible for poisoning Tyger? Viper’s desire and greed for power was no secret. Maybe being the most powerful figure in Madripoor wasn’t enough so she is eliminating the competition? If this was the case then he would have to challenge her rule, which would create another power vacuum.

Meanwhile, on the balcony of the Prince’s Castle, a troubled Viper peers down upon her kingdom. She has just learned that one of her rivals in Madripoor had been poisoned. This she knew did not bode well. As she expected, this has drawn her ersatz husband back to the area. She could not afford for him to discover what she was planning. Whoever had truly poisoned Tiger Tyger had clearly created trouble for her as well. The question was, if it was done intentionally what could she do about it?

Suddenly there was a knock on the door, and a Hydra soldier joined her on the balcony.

“We have just received word of increased Hand activity throughout Madripoor.” The solder seemed hesitant to relay this information to his superior. Word of her nasty demeanor had spread through the ranks quickly.

He continued, “They appear to be keeping close tabs on Wolverine, but as yet, they have made no move to intercept him.”

To his surprise however she began to smile deviously upon hearing the news.

“Yes! We will blame Tyger’s poisoning on The Hand. This way, my husband will be inclined to battle The Hand, and rid Madripoor of them for us!”

She turned and faced the soldier, “Keep a watch on Wolverine, but do not allow yourself to be detected. Report back once it’s confirmed that my husband is seeking out the Hand’s location.”

The soldier snapped a salute, spun on his heel and headed out, leaving Viper atop the balcony with an evil grin on her face.

“No matter who wins the fight,” she thought to herself, “the outcome will be beneficial to me…”

Lost in thought Wolverine finds himself walking along the streets of the upper class side of Madripoor, usually not his favorite side of the island.

As he is trying to figure out who poisoned his friend, Wolverine’s heightened senses detect something hurtling at him at high speed. Ducking, he watches as a Hand ninja, slowly dissipating into smoke, rockets overhead and crashes into a parked car.

Wolverine sniffed the air, “What the heck is HE doin’ here?,” he thought to himself, as he quickly headed off in the direction that the ninja came from.

Outside the Princess Bar a frail looking man in a trench coat is working on a motorcycle in the dark parking lot. But it is not just any motorcycle. It is Wolverine’s motorbike, and the man messing with it has evil intent.

The shadowy figure is Geist, former scientist who worked for the Nazis during World War II. Sustained by a cybernetic body, he was hired by the ruler of the small country of Terra Verde to create a superhero for them. Capturing and experimenting on an unwilling Roughhouse, Geist attempted to inject him with a special form of cocaine designed to give its user superhuman strength. Roughhouse was freed by Wolverine and cured by Sister Salvation, thus foiling Geist’s plans.

Now Geist is after revenge.

The first stage of his revenge was to poison Wolverine’s long-time friend Tiger Tyger, so as to lure his enemy back to Madripoor. He is now proceeding with the second part of his plan. He has just finished attaching a small explosive device to the bike’s engine. When the key is used to start the engine, the device will detonate, terminating its owner.

Finally satisfied with his work he begins putting his tools back into his pockets. When everything is as it should be he retreats to a building a short distance away to observe the outcome.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, an object strikes the building next door. To Geist’s surprise it is a man. Taking a step out into the street to get a better look he immediately recognizes the man as Black Tom Cassidy!

Soon the streets are filled with ninjas of the Hand, so Geist steps into the shadows of the building to wait for the coming battle.

From his hiding place Geist hears somebody calling out for Tom. Sounds of battle followed. A deep voice yells, “How many of you losers are there?” Geist couldn’t make out who the voices belong to. Then more sounds of conflict.

Suddenly a ninja flies through the wall in front of Geist like a missile. The lifeless body of the ninja strikes a support beam cracking it in half. Geist only has time to murmur a small prayer before the building comes crashing down on him.

Wolverine was closing in on his prey. He knew that he was getting close because he could smell the ninja’s fear. He expected to catch up with his target when he rounded the next corner. Instead the street resembled something akin to a warzone. In the center of the cacophony was the Juggernaut, who was presently plowing through a group of Hand ninjas. The ninjas melted away into smoke as they died, littering the street with empty ninja garb.

“I told you boys before, nothing can stop the Juggernaut!”

“Nothing except me that is, laddie…” Tom said from behind Cain. The Juggernaut whirled around too late as Tom leapt at his one time friend. To Logan’s surprise Tom managed to cut deep into the flesh of the Juggernaut’s arm. Logan looked closer, and noticed several other cuts and wounds on the Juggernaut.

The Juggernaut lashed out in anger but instead of hitting his intended target Tom, who had nimbly back-flipped out of the way, Cain connected with a power pole and sheared it clean in half. The pole crashed through a nearby roof, the broken electrical cables writhed around and hissed like angry snakes.

“No need to lose y’temper Cain,” said Tom mockingly, “it’s nothing personal y’know!”

“Nothing personal?! Yer my best friend and yer trying to kill me!” exclaimed the Juggernaut, as he picked up a nearby motorbike and hurled it at Tom.

Black Tom leapt to one side as the bike smashed through the wall of a nearby bar and exploded, engulfing the building in flames. This act shook Wolverine out of his trance, because the bike that was thrown was his own.

Tom stood in front of the burning building, and slowly extended all of his fingers into wicked-looking wooden stakes.

“Well it’s been fun boyo,” he grinned evilly, “but it’s time t’finish this wee dance…”

“You got that right, Bub…” said Wolverine announcing his presence. Both Tom and Cain were surprised to see the X-Man standing there. Wolverine leaned up against a light pole, put the trademark cigar he was carrying in his mouth, and took a long puff on it – adding to the smoke that was billowing from the burning bar. He looked over at the flaming ruin and shook his head.

“That was one o’ the best bars in downtown Madripoor,” he grumbled. Pointing his cigar at the Juggernaut, he continued, “and that bike ya threw in there just happened ta belong ta me…”

Turning his attention back to the combatants, Wolverine fixed them a stern look.

“Now is someone gonna tell me just what this is all about, or do I have ta throw down on ya’s both first?”

NEXT ISSUE: The knowledge of the Weapon X project being restarted has a drastic effect on Wolverine, as some buried memories boil to the surface! Also, we welcome aboard reknowned fan-fiction author Chris Partin onboard as the regular writer!