Ultimate Spider-Woman: Change With the Light

Chapter 102: All The World's A Stage

"A little to the left…oh, that's it," Gwen Stacy said as Liz Allan massaged her aching shoulders. "Thanks, that feels so good," Gwen continued, stretching as she and Liz stood up and walked to the meditation studio's lobby where they'd left their shoes.

"It's fine," Liz said as she and Gwen put their shoes on and left the studio, "but you're more tense than I'd like. Are you sure you're taking care of yourself?"

"I…"

"You're a bad liar, Gwen. What's on your mind?"

"I keep thinking about what the Brothers Grimm did to those people they killed. If I'd stopped the Brothers sooner, those people might still be alive."

"…I thought as much. Don't beat yourself up about it, Gwen-it wasn't your fault."

"Yeah, I-"

"And don't go beating yourself up over not being able to get over it, either. Seriously Gwen, you're too hard on yourself. You always have been."

In response, Gwen just laughed and brushed her hair back.

"Don't I know it," she said with a rueful smile. "It's just hard to ignore that feeling, though."

Liz just grasped Gwen's hand as they continued walking towards the subway station. She'd learned that Gwen was also the superhero Spider-Woman, and tried to help Gwen with the stress Gwen experienced trying to balance her superhero career with her civilian life. It was hard going for Gwen, and Liz worried about not just Gwen's physical health, but her mental well-being too.

SPIDER-WOMAN #102

ALL THE WORLD'S A STAGE

"Checkmate," Philippe Bazin said as he checkmated his first opponent.

"Checkmate," Bazin said again as he checkmated his second opponent.

"Checkmate," Bazin said a third time as he checkmated his third opponent.

"Checkmate," Bazin said as he checkmated his fourth and final opponent.

All four of Bazin's lieutenants squirmed in embarrassment as they stood up from the tables holding their chessboards. Bazin had challenged all of them to play him at once in separate games, and he'd checkmated all of them easily. With his strategic skills, it was easy to see why Philippe Bazin rose to become New York's most powerful crime boss. His study was lined with books on strategy and warfare, including the works of esteemed writers like Clausewitz, Machiavelli and Sun Tzu. His crisp dark suits, immaculately cut goatee and moustache and the cold, hard glint in his eyes only emphasized the intellectual air he carried.

Bazin sat back down at his desk, and his lieutenants gathered in the chairs in front of him. Clasping his hands in front of him, Bazin glared at each of his lieutenants in turn, his eyes narrowing as they shrunk back from his icy gaze.

"How disappointing," Bazin finally said. "I'd expected you all would be trying to broaden your strategic knowledge. Perhaps if you can't, I should replace you with those who will?"

More than one of the lieutenants blanched at that.

"Your lamentable performances today illustrate my point exactly," Bazin said. "Sun Tzu noted that if you know both your enemies and yourself, you will never lose a battle. I know my own capacities, and I know yours is well, so is it so surprising that I checkmated you all?"

"There's a larger strategic goal we're going to pursue?" one of Bazin's lieutenant's ventured, as a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

"Just so," Bazin said, as an uncharacteristic smile made its way onto his face. "Sun Tzu similarly noted the importance of annoying an enemy with a choleric temperament, to say nothing of the importance of avoiding prolonged warfare. Machiavelli spoke of the need to seize fortune, and to act as either the lion or the fox when necessary."