Marvel vs Capcom: Summer Splash

#3 - Into the Abyss

Venice Beach was relatively quiet, at least in comparison to yesterday's brawl and the Hulk visiting the day before that. This was where Rikuo felt most comfortable, above the waters. It didn't matter where on Earth he was, heck, it didn't even matter what Earth or planet he was on. Rikuo's duty was to protect the ocean and all creatures that lived within. But Rikuo sensed something was off. While the beach was busy as ever, it was quiet. Much too quiet.

Suddenly, that changed. A great rumbling, from somewhere deep underwater, like an earthquake, shook Venice Beach to its core. Many land beings fell to their feet while others scrambled about in their attempts to run away. The merman, his skin a pleasant shade of green, calmly sat up, in contrast to everyone around him running. For all the rumbling, from what he could see there was no easily identifiable culprit on the surface. He filled his lungs with air before diving. Whoever, or whatever, dared disturb his seas, and their sanctity, would know the full fury of Rikuo.

Rikuo swam down faster than what was humanly possible, quickly cutting through the water. He had feared such a seismic disturbance would harm his amphibian friends, but they all seemed to be alive and well. Still, there was no sign of anything unordinary. Rikuo breathed a sigh of relief and swam deeper into an abyss of blue, pushing harder against an increased current, which was no trouble at all for his great strength. Oddly out of place, a manhole cover appeared. So far his search had yielded no results. He had gone down to the ocean floor and found nothing, but Rikuo wouldn't give up so easily.

After lifting the manhole cover, Rikuo found himself in what appeared to be a civilization long since passed. Aged stone pillars kept the structure from collapsing, with only a few paltry torches providing light. Positioned at the centre of this lost society, sitting on a throne only fitting for its gigantic stature, was a being clad in black armour. An inscription below read, in barely visible writing: Abyss.

"What is he?" Rikuo wondered out loud. "Some sort of king?"

"I'd like to know that myself."

Rikuo spun around to see a man he recognised, with a face unsurprisingly stern, as...

"Namor the Sub-Mariner?"

"And you must be Rikuo. I assume we're here for the same reason."

"Yes. It is my sworn duty to protect these oceans, so naturally, when I sensed a disturbance within them, I had to investigate."

"I see." Namor did not sound impressed by the fish-man's heroics. "But back to the matter at hand. Do you think that thing is the cause of all of this?" He gestured to it.

"It would appear so." Rikuo gasped, lowering his head. "My fellow sea creatures...dead at its feet...how could I have not noticed? What kind of being would do such a thing?!"

Amidst his anger, the being did not move at all. This only seemed to infuriate him more, and after Namor had covered his ears, Rikuo unleashed a deafening blast of sound upon Abyss for minutes on end, until finally, he could scream no longer.

Namor's ears now bled slightly, but Abyss showed no signs of being affected. A previously blackened visor now glowed a neon shade of green. What had been thought of as an unmoving entity rose from its seat. Abyss had been awakened. Rikuo, chest still heaving after his last attack, looked up with an expression that belied his fear. He considered Jedah Dohma, ruler of the Dark Dimension, to be an imposing figure, and Abyss was easily over three times his size. But he could not dwell on it for more than a moment; already, the monster had swung its fists at them. Barely, just barely, he jumped out of harm's way, Namor ascending beside him with the tiny wings on his ankles.

"My strength is greatly reduced while on land, and this Abyss is a formidable creature. How do we defeat it?" Rikuo shouted, leaping onto a pillar and then jumping off before Abyss swung again.

"I do not know for sure, but we do it together, curiously attractive fish-man."

Namor had little time to talk and even less to formulate a strategy, manoeuvring away from colossal hands that would surely crush him if they made contact. Abyss' target was unmistakably the ocean-loving pair, however, in its attempts to destroy them, it had destroyed everything else in its wake. What had once been pillars propping up the temple were reduced to mere rubble. Seeing this, Namor's perspective changed. If Abyss ended up destroying its surroundings, then it would surely end up destroying itself.

"Namor!" Rikuo looked up to see Namor, and above him, cracks across the ceiling. "Where are you going?"

"It will take care of the temple before it takes care of us. Come, let us leave, while there still is a temple."

Without a moment to waste, they escaped. Had they bothered to look back, both men would have seen that Abyss was buried underneath what remained of the temple.

Namor and Rikuo quickly returned to the surface. Beach-goers had resumed sunbathing and swimming. Thanks to their defenders, the oceans were once again safe. For now...

Author's note: I would've also included Abyss' 2nd and 3rd forms in the fight, but I didn't want this story to be too long. Let me know what pairings you want to see and they may be included in next week's chapter! Thanks for reading!