Chapter 47: Chapter 47: "Street Shadows and Family Glow"
The gym's shadowed stillness exhaled a faint creak of worn mats and rusty weights, Jade's steady glow a quiet hum as Jake sat on the bench, the Mask resting beside him. Its faint green light pulsed soft in the dimness, Jen's silhouette a green anchor near the door—firm, warm, a presence he didn't lean on but couldn't ignore. Jade crouched on the mat, her green skin catching the faint glow—steady, not flaring—her hand resting near her sister's, a tether between them. The younger girl—small, green-skinned, eyes wide with his own spark—curled beside her, chaos-streaked fur faded, her fragile touch brushing Jake's knee—a spark he'd lit and now held. "Glow," he muttered, voice low, the word tasting solid—his kids, Jen's kids, lights he'd sparked and now had to guide.
Flatbush wasn't stirring tonight—the air hung soft and thick, green and emerald pulses dim across the skyline, leaving Church Avenue a quiet vein in the city's bruised sprawl. Beyond the gym's boarded windows, brownstones loomed like weary sentinels, their stoops empty, streetlights casting faint pools of sodium over the chaos-scarred pavement. The stillness stretched—Jen stepping closer, her heat brushing them—not pushing, just there—Jade shifting beside her sister, her gaze flicking to Jake sharp, green, steady—Jen's steel, his wildness, daring him to stay.
He didn't rush—no chaos, no flare—just leaned forward, elbows on his knees, glancing at them sidelong. "Alright," he said, voice rough but soft—watching Jade steady, her sister fragile—his kids, his echoes—his why. "You're channeling—aiming it now. She's with us—another light. What's the green humming about?" Jade tilted her head, her jaw tightening—a flicker of Jen's resolve, his wildness tempered—her hands flexing, the green glow pulsing faint, then brighter, like she was tuning it. "Soft," she said, voice steady, not a kid's lilt but something forged—Jen's grit, his fire—her eyes flicking to the window. "Buzzing low—still off, but close. Out there—something's moving."
The gym's hush pressed in—weights racked crookedly along the walls, the punching bag sagging in the corner, Flatbush's quiet a cocoon around them. He squinted through the boards—beyond the glass, a faint green shimmer flickered down the block—not wild, not loud—just pulsing, weaving through the shadows of a narrow alley like a thread caught in the wind. "That it?" he said, voice quieter now, tasting the hum—Jade and her sister, his daughters, not just flares but guides, echoing his chaos with intent—Jen stepping closer, her hand brushing his shoulder—not pushing, just there—steady, warm, a tether in the dark.
Jade nodded, slow, her hand brushing her sister's—not grabbing, just resting—a spark syncing with his own, the chaos steadying—not wild, not loud—just there, a hum she held like a thread—her sister's hand brushing his knee—soft, fragile—a spark he'd sparked and now held—Jen's hand on his shoulder—firm, warm—a spark he'd sparked and now guided. "Yeah," Jade said, voice low, deliberate—Jen's law, his wildness, finding rhythm—her eyes narrowing as she tracked it. "Feels off—wrong, but soft. Like it's moving—waiting for us."
He exhaled, slow and sharp, running a hand through his hair—the Mask hummed in his pocket, low and smug: "Two lights now, kid—gonna guide 'em or let 'em glow?" He ignored it, standing instead—the bench creaking as he rose—moving slow, not rushing—just guiding, Jade beside him, her sister in his arms—Jen following, her boots a soft echo—not leading, not pushing—just there, a steady presence at their backs. "Let's see," he said, voice rough but steady—stepping toward the door—moving slow, not rushing—just guiding, Jade beside him, Jen a step behind—his kids, his why.
The air hung thick—Flatbush's quiet stretched, brownstones casting long shadows across Church Avenue, the gym's glow fading behind them as they stepped onto the pavement—Jade matching his stride, her sister curling closer—her small hand brushing his chest—not grabbing, just resting—warm, real, a spark syncing with his own—Jen's heat a quiet anchor at his back—moving slow, not rushing—just guiding, Jade beside him, Jen a step away—the shimmer pulsing faint down the block—not wild, not loud—just there, weaving through a dumpster's shadow like a hum caught in the dark.
They stopped a few feet off—Jake crouching—the shimmer pulsed stronger—green tendrils curling around the dumpster, faint but steady—not wild, not loud—just shifting, threading through the metal like roots in soil—moving slow—not rushing—just guiding, Jade crouching beside him, Jen standing watch—her sister shifting in his arms—her glow pulsing faint—watching with those eyes—his eyes—sharp and green, daring him to stay. "Feel it?" he said, voice low—meeting Jade's gaze—past the green, the chaos, to the kid with his eyes, Jen's steel—Jen's hand brushing his shoulder—not pushing—just there—steady, warm, a tether in the dark.
Jade's hand hovered—not grabbing, just resting—her green glow pulsing soft, syncing with the tendrils, the chaos steadying—not wild, not loud—just there, a hum she held like a thread—her sister's hand brushing his knee—soft, fragile—a spark syncing with his own—Jen's hand on his shoulder—firm, warm—a spark he'd sparked and now held—Jade's eyes narrowing as she tracked it—sharp, green, steady—Jen's steel, his wildness, daring him to lead. "Yeah," she said, voice low, steady—Jen's grit, his fire, finding rhythm—her eyes flicking to her sister—sharp, green, steady—Jen's steel, his wildness, daring them to stay. "Feels off—wrong, but soft. Like it's moving—waiting for us."
He nodded, slow, the weight shifting Jade and her sister, his kids not just chaos but a hum, a chance to tune what he'd let run wild—reaching out guiding Jade's hand—not pushing—just there—steadying her grip—moving slow not rushing—just guiding—the tendrils pulsing stronger—green, sharp, weaving through the dumpster—bending it slow—not breaking—not smashing—just shifting—a shape beneath—not wild—not loud—just there—a figure—small—green-skinned—eyes blinking open—sharp—green—like Jade's—like his—chaos caught in her frame—pulsing faint—a girl—younger—maybe six—waking slow—not wild—not loud—just there—tangled in his green—another spark—his kid—not just Jade—not just her sister—but another—sparked without knowing—waiting.
Jen crouched beside them—her heat brushing them—a quiet gasp breaking through—grit and warmth—a steady edge cutting through—her hand resting on his shoulder—steady—warm—a tether in the dark—her other brushing the new girl's hair—Jen's steel—his wildness—daring them to stay. "Another," she said—voice a murmur—glancing at Jake—past the green—the chaos—to the kid with his eyes—her fire—daring him to stay—"Ours—your chaos—my strength—been quiet—waiting too."
Jade's hand brushed the new girl—not grabbing—just resting—her green glow pulsing soft—syncing with her own—the chaos steadying—not wild—not loud—just there—a hum she held like a thread—her sister's hand brushing Jake's—not pushing—just there—soft—fragile—a spark syncing with his own—Jen's hand on his shoulder not pressing—just there—steady—warm—a tether in the dark—She-Hulk's fire—a quiet strength cutting through—grit and warmth—a steady edge daring him to stay—Jade's eyes flicking to Jake—sharp—green—steady—Jen's steel—his wildness—daring him to lead—"She's like us—waiting—watching—what's next?"
He exhaled—slow and sharp—the weight settling—Jade—her sister—and now another—his kids—not just chaos but a why—a hum he'd sparked and now tuned—reaching out—guiding Jade's hand—not pushing—just there—steadying her grip—moving slow—not rushing—just guiding—the new girl's green fading—quiet now—his chaos—hers—steadying under their touch—Jade beside him—her sister in his arms—Jen at his back—his kids—his why—"Next," he said—voice rough but steady—meeting their gazes—past the green—the chaos—to the kids who'd dared him to stay—"We move it—aim it—together—you're my sparks—guess I'm your guide too."
The gym's quiet wrapped them—weights racked crookedly—the punching bag still—Flatbush's hush pressing in like a held breath—the Mask hummed—low and smug—"Twenty-six and counting—kid—the sparks are glowing—gonna lead 'em?"*—he stood—the gym a sanctuary of quiet ruin and glowing shadows—Flatbush a battlefield of green and emerald—his kids—his chaos—simmering low—She-Hulk's fire—the world trembled under his legacy—Thanos loomed—SHIELD hunted—and the X-Men watched—he gripped the Mask—grin sharp as a gentle spark—Jade beside him—her sisters in his arms—his kids—his why—"Time to guide the glow."