Chapter 7: Introductions part 1

-One week later-

[Reporting…

957 deeds completed, 861 D-rank, 86 C-rank, 10 B-rank.

840 D-ranks converted to 105 C-ranks, 180 C-ranks converted to 24 B-ranks, 20 B-ranks converted to 2 A-ranks.

Balance: 32 D-rank, 13 C-rank, 18 B-rank, 2 A-rank

Templates Fully Assimilated:

Pietro Maximoff, aka Quicksilver (Marvel: extended mcu)

Thomas Wayne, aka Batman (DC: flashpoint)

Peter Parker, aka Spiderman (Marvel: noir)

Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning(DC)

Lucas Bishop, aka Bishop(Marvel: Earth-1191)]

[Rolling…

2x A-rank: Vlad Dracula(Dark universe), Hashirama Senju(Naruto)

Balance: 32 D-rank, 13 C-rank, 18 B-rank]

Super score!

Before anyone can ask, I explain the rolls and why I'm happy.

"Chakra does seem like an incredible resource to have," Betsy agrees.

"Yea, and the chakra fruit was way too expensive to get on its own. Without a teacher, I'd be flying blind. In fact, I think I'll change my stance for this and be in character for most of the time, for the following days."

"Why is that?"

"For the other characters I've assimilated they've been relatively easy. Quicksilver is fast, Spiderman swings from webs, Black Lightning controls lighting… That's not to say it was a walk in the park. Timing is extremely important when moving at high speeds. Web-swinging can be difficult to not look like I'm floundering in the air. And Lightning is pretty volatile."

"But…?"

"But compared to Batman, they were definitely easy. He has such a wide breadth of knowledge that it was taking all of my concentration to learn how to be him while slotted."

Betsy nods along.

"I think slotting Hashirama will be like that. Not just in how much combat experience and knowledge he has, but also how that matches his capabilities with chakra. There's a reason they called him the God of Shinobi."

"I see. And do you think you could teach it when you're completely assimilated?"

"Sure. At least, I think so, but I don't know if it would mesh well with your current abilities."

"Oh, I agree, but maybe someone else might not." She looks away.

I'm confused until I see what- or rather who she is looking at.

"Can I be a ninja?!" Tanya shouts, starts in her eyes.

"Oh, uh, well…"

A hyperactive knucklehead with supreme powers thanks to chakra. Gee, I wonder if that could go wrong. Actually…

"Yes," I say, "but before you learn you should know the story so it will give you some fundamental knowledge."

"Yahoo!" she triumphs.

I swear she intentionally left out her rationality and calmness when separating herself from Core.

"Also, I still have to learn myself, so expect a week delay," I say while buying Naruto volumes and setting them next to her.

She just nods, then picks up the first volume and begins reading.

Luckily, there are lesser versions of the fruit that cost less. She'll have the same capacity as me and it's only 750,000 points. Which is just over half of what I currently own. So, I'll need to save up for some S-ranks to sell.

-Clint Barton, aka Hawkeye POV-

The mission was not simple. As much as Coulson made it out to be, it was not at all simple. First "clue" was the hijacking of our satellite. No evidence or otherwise that could point to a culprit. Then there was the 1% theft. No evidence and a bunch of pissed off "businessmen." Lastly, there are the individuals currently cleaning up New York city. I don't know why we're after them. Sure, one of them uses a bow and arrow like me. I don't think that makes him a copycat. It just means they have good taste.

"Report," Coulson says to me from our mic.

"Same as before: no movement," I reply.

Setting up this fake weapon sale was a good idea though. All men involved are agents, the weapons are real, and we even have fake notice on the police comms in case the group is listening. Then there is me on lookout. Waiting.

Something moves in the corner of my vision. I quickly turn and ready an arrow. A thud sounds behind me but before I can turn I feel cold, sharp steel against my throat.

"You know," a voice says, digitally altered, "Not many people carry around a bow and arrow."

I scoff. "You would know."

"Oh, you have no idea."

A few seconds pass by, I can't help but think of my wife. Another moment of wondering if this will be my last.

"What are you waiting for?" I ask. A bead of sweat falls down my face.

He doesn't answer me.

"Report," Coulson says again.

"That," the man says.

I choose not to reply to either.

"Hawkeye, are you there? Report," Coulson urges.

"You can speak," the man says.

"Yea, I'm here."

"Well?" Coulson asks.

"Well?" the man asks.

There are times. Times in which I take extreme actions. Where a life is on the line and I choose to do something drastic. It's an instinct. I just know what to do.

I make the call. "He's here."

"Where?" Coulson asks, distraught.

"'Where' indeed." the man says.

I notice the weapon against my neck is steady. No hesitation.

"On me," I say, no hesitation.

Coulson cuts out, ordering others for eyes on me.

The man chuckles. "Intuition is a funny thing isn't it?"

My heart is beating out of my chest. "Yea, it is."

What do you do now?

He takes off the knife(?) from my throat and I quickly turn towards him.

I feel a gust of wind and see a card falling. I grab it.

MYRIAD 1pm-8pm ###-####

If someone asks me what I was thinking (which my wife surely will) then I'll just tell the truth. "He seemed like he wouldn't plunge the dagger into me."

-Brian POV-

"How was it?" Oliver asks, on call.

"The message was delivered," I say, my voice distorted. I was watching the agents squirm around checking for me and question Barton.

"Right, right… How long do you think until they call?"

"I don't know," I un-distort my voice, "could be tomorrow but maybe not."

"How 'bout a bet?"

That seems out of nowhere. "What kind of bet?"

"Simple, we each bet a day and the closer one wins."

"What do you get out of it?"

"The winner gets to decide when we can use the next summons roll and how much."

"Why would you care about that?"

"We're gonna need more 'staff' eventually."

He seems sincere enough, but there's a nagging feeling I have that he has ulterior motives. "Is Tanya next to you?"

"Uh…"

"I'll agree as long as coney island is off the table."

"Oh, I don't think-"

"You can't do that!" Tanya yells into Oliver's phone.

"I can and I will."

"Grr. You don't get it! I need that giant pikachu plush!"

"How you turned into a weeb is beyond me," I whisper.

"And don't just say 'You can buy it.' That defeats the purpose!"

"And a gambling addict." I sigh. "Listen," I say to her, "I'm not saying we can't go back there, I'm just saying it's too soon. You gotta think about how everyone else will feel."

"Psh, of course I'm thinking about how everyone will feel. They'll love it."

"No, and I mean it," I set my foot down.

"But, but… Meanie!" I hear her storm off.

"Ah, ah," Oliver says, "look what you've done."

"I don't know why she's acting like this."

"You've gotta look at it from her perspective."

"I'm trying."

"I know but… Listen, she just wants to have fun before everything becomes serious and dangerous."

"I said we'd make time."

"And we will, but that's a nebulous thing."

"Making time?"

"A promise."

I think for a moment. Promises are a nebulous thing.

Oliver fills the silence, "'Don't be afraid to celebrate a promise when kept. In doing so, you're embracing the potential for a better world.'"

"Who said that?"

"I don't know. Does it matter?"

"No, I guess not."

-The next day-

We are all gathered around the kitchen table. Tanya is pouting, and everyone else is ill at ease because of her. Except Zannah, she has a permanent scowl on.

"Well," I start, "Coulson called."

"Hmph," Tanya hmphs, "So you won the bet."

"Yea," I say dejectedly.

We're all quiet for a moment.

"I said I would meet him at coney island."

Tanya turns to me, shock on her face.

"It's a neutral place with plenty of witnesses."

She gets up and hugs me. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"But this will probably be the last time for a while."

She looks sad, "I know."

I tilt her chin up. "So I'll roll five C-ranks and ten B-ranks. We'll make a party out of it."

She smiles. "Well what're you waiting for? Roll the gacha!"

[Rolling…

5x C-ranks: Kumi(Senran Kagura), Mizuki(One Punch Man), Victor Zsasz(DC), Laura Kinney(Marvel), Hekate(Assassin's Creed).

10x B-ranks: Theodore Altman(Marvel), Emma Frost(Marvel), Alexander Summers(Marvel), Arthur Pendragon(Seven Deadly Sins), Sona Sitri(High School DxD), Hightower(Wildstorm), Arthur Curry(DC), Daisy Johnson(Marvel), Daniel Cassidy(DC), Iaian(One Punch Man).

Balance: 32 D-rank, 8 C-rank, 8 B-rank]

Alright, let's go over these. Kumi: don't want teenagers. Mizuki: could be good. Victor: ew, no. Laura: no kids. Hekate: could be good for non-combat roles. Theodore: this is a teenage version, so no. Emma: definitely good. Alexander: good enough. Pendragon: he might hate mutants so I'll probably just template him. Sona: no teens. Hightower: evil so no. Curry: he might fight with Namor so probably just template. Daisy: currently alive so just template. Daniel: probably don't want a blue devil running around. Iaian: could prove useful.

I explain the rolls and my reasoning.

"That's just five people!" Tanya complains.

"Better than zero," I reply.

"Grr. Fine! But we're going on all the rides!"

"That's up to them."

[Summoning… Mizuki(One Punch Man), Hekate(Assassin's Creed), Emma Frost(Marvel), Alexander Summers(Marvel), Iaian(One Punch Man).]