5 Chapter 5
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once"
- Albert Einstein
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-- Roughly One Month Later, Archie's POV --
It has been a month since we found ourselves in New York City, we found a two-room apartment and rented it under my name.
Half a million dollars was more than enough for the two of us to live without having to work. But despite that, I did do some... investments.
I was preparing breakfast, when a woman wearing a long white shirt walked in, she had black, curly hair, blue eyes and a very impressive physique, "Hi," her voice however was very annoying, "Do you know where Milo is?"
"He probably left for a morning run, he can't start his day without his 5 miles run." *Scene Change: Milo fighting a minor drug cartel* "He should be out for a while," I said
"Hey, do you think Milo is looking for a-" she started to ask the same thing every girl Milo brought back this month asked but I cut her off,
"No, he just got out of a long term relationship," I told her 'Ring first run a full background check on her, if she is not related to any group or agenda can you call a taxi, I don't feel like dealing with her while my show starts nor share MY pancakes with Milo's latest 'conquest', as he puts it.'
{{Affirmative}} she thought relayed back to me {{She is a recent college graduate, and is not involved in the Hero community in any shape or form. The Taxi will arrive in 15 minutes}}
'Thanks' I thought-relay to the Ring before telling the girl "Milo should be out for at least an hour, and I need to leave soon," I said gesturing towards the door.
"Can't I just wait for him?" she asks
"No, I already called a cab," I said with finality. Milo brought a girl home every other day and left early in the morning. After wasting hours trying to get them to leave or comforting (just comforting) them, I realized the easiest way for them to leave and me to get on with my shit is to be as blunt as possible, plus I refuse to share my pancakes! They have chocolate chips.
"Fine, I'll leave, jackass," she said before going back to Milo's room, probably to get dressed.
By the time she was ready to leave, pancakes were ready.
"They smell delicious," she said, and I knew that look, she wanted MY pancakes
"You can buy pancakes down the corner, I ordered you a cab though, it should be in the front gate in a few minutes,"
"Fine," she pulled out a business card and put it to the counter, "Just tell Milo to call me,"
I nodded my head but was too busy eating my pancakes and watching the final episode of DuckTales to really understand what she said. The theme song started, and I sang along
"Life is like a hurricane
Here in Duckburg
Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes,
It's a duck-blur
Might solve a mystery
Or rewrite history
DuckTales (ooh ooooh)..."
By the time I was finished with the pancakes DuckTales was still continuing. I got hooked onto this show after coming to this world, and today they were releasing the finale.
After the boys, Huey, Dewey, and Louie, had turned to Gold, Scrooge had to find the Golden Goose to save them, but-
<<Sir, Emil Blonsky, aka Abomination is spotted near Statue of Liberty>> the Ring cut me off from my thoughts
"What is he doing?" I ask, hoping not something very bad so I can finish DuckTales.
<<He has destroyed public property>> It wasn't that bad, I could probably finish- <<And is currently fighting against Mockingbird who is barely holding on as well as endangering civilian lives>
Mockingbird was one of those powerless heroes, and she was no Batman, she would probably be dead unless someone showed up for help, and soon.
*sigh* I willed my super suit on, my ring glowed and I flew out of the window,
Before I could sing the entire DuckTales theme song I was there.
Mockingbird was doing acrobatic moves, avoiding Abomination just barely, getting him angrier every passing second. Luckily unlike Hulk, he won't get any stronger.
"Mind if I give you a hand?" I said as I created a large hand, pun was intended. The large hand grabbed Blonsky.
I then threw Bolonsky to a less populated area, to the Ocean.
"Who tech fuck are you?" Bolonsky asked as he stood on top of some rocks he had landed on.
We were a few hundred meters from the shore, I should take care of him quickly.
I made a large bubble around Bolonsky, "Now would you like to give up now or after I beat the crap out of you?"
"You think you can hold me, Abomination!" he yelled in anger as he slammed my construct, to my utter surprise, it actually cracked. Abomination smirked as he punched once more and it got destroyed
"Shit," I said out loud as he leaped onto me, he was too slow to really get me in time so I punched the Abomination with a giant boxing glove, making him fly higher, I then launched multiple will powered arrows that pierced his skin mid-air and made him release a cry of pain as he crashed into the ground.
"You actually hurt me!" the monstrous ex-soldier said as he got up,
I then continued hitting him from range, with various electromagnetic blasts and constructs fired from my Ring. Until Bolonsky's healing factor couldn't keep up and he lost consciousness.
Thank god Hulks (Gamma Mutates) don't really have ranged attacks nor can they fly, or else this fight could have ended very differently. I was honestly getting kind of cocky, did not concentrate much here, 'cause during the past month no one or thing was able to scratch my constructs, seeing Bolonsky do it with two punches was really a surprise.
I focused and encased Bolonsky in a construct more powerful than I had ever formed before.
By the time I was done making sure Bolonsky was securely held by my constructs a blonde woman came on a flying scooter, I think they were called Sky-Cycle, but I wasn't really sure.
She jumped off the Cycle and did an impressive flip before landing on top of the shipwreck. She could have been an Olympic Gold Medalist in the real world, but here it does not amount to much.
"Hello," she said as she looked me in the eyes, I was still floating, so I decided to lower myself to float just barely above her.
"Hi," I said with a minor smile
"You are Green Lantern, correct? The new hero that Jameson talks about," she pointed out, JJJ was actually telling how great of a hero I have been and using how I usually relocate my fights to unpopulated locations to say how ineffective Spider-Man is.
"The one and the same," I said while still keeping my minor smile
"You did good work out there, you are obviously powerful but you miss the training that Avengers can provide,"
My eyes widen at that "Are you inviting me to join the Avengers?" the 'just like that' part was unsaid but understood.
"Well, not really, more like a trainee Avenger,"
Being observed by every Avenger, some of them (like Stark) probably try to create some kind of contingency plan or armor while studying my powers and me? And being treated as a second-class hero while those far weaker and less useful than me order me around? I shook my head before starting to float "I am not interested in something like that, have a nice day Mocking Girl"
"It's Mockingbird," she said as I flew away,
Once I was high up I telepathically relayed to the Ring {Is there any kind of tracking, listening or any kind of similar kinds of devices on my person}
{{Scanning… Scanning… None was found}} the Ring replied back
"Cool, you never know with these spy type heroes, one minute they'll smile to your face, the next they'll stab you in the back," I said before making myself invisible and untraceable as I flew home, the VCR was recording DuckTales so I should be able to watch it when I get home.
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-- Archie and Milo's Apartment --
When I got home I noticed Milo was back, eating cereals and covered in blood, there was a bag full of cash next to him.
"Morning," he said
"Morning," I said back as I went to the VCR box,
"Hey did Monique leave her number?" he asks as he continued to eat
"The girl from this morning?" I ask back, getting a nod "She left her card on the counter,"
"Got it," he replied
"I took down Abomination and met Mockingbird today,"
"Who?" he asks me, he seems to be confused about who that is.
"She is an Avenger," I pointed out
"Half the Marvel Heroes are Avengers at one point or another. Some of the villains too now that I think about it."
"She is Hawkeye's ex-wife"
"Still doesn't ring any bells"
*sigh* "Basically she is a blond Black Widow, and before you ask yes, she is VERY hot."
"Got it," he said before starting to drink the milk from the bowl
"She also offered me a spot in Avengers,"
"... Wait really? You gonna be an Avenger now?"
"Nah man, she wanted me to join as a trainee, probably as a way to keep an eye on me,"
"You are being paranoid,"
"It's good to be paranoid in a world full of superpowers, aliens, and magic," I told him
"Dude careful, you are going full Batman," he told me with a small smile on his face
"If I was going full Batman I would have put a tracker on her and to learn everything about the Avengers, hacked into their systems before developing specific takedowns based on their individual and team weaknesses" I pointed out "Did you leave me any beer or finished them already?"
"Yeah there should be enough for both of us, could you bring me 12," he said before muttering "Healing Factor is bullshit,"
"Was Abomination any tough?" he asks with a minor excitement in his eyes
"Strongest villain I have faced so far, tough too, but he was slow, did not have any ranged attacks and I eventually managed to run him down with range attacks. It would have been a tough fight if he could fly and throw gamma blasts and moved faster than sound," I admitted
"Do you think I can take him?" his eyes flashed a light for a second
"Honestly? Not in a fair fight. He is too durable and has a healing factor, not as good as yours but enough for any damage you can do to become negligible. It will most likely end up like Wolverine against Hulk fights where you hurt him but eventually, his absurd strength overwhelms you" I passed him a dozen beers that were carried by my constructs.
"I see…"
I put on the DuckTales tape and opened the final episode of the great show.
"WAIT! DUCKTALES FINALE WAS TODAY!" he screamed loud enough for the entire building to hear. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!"
"Are you gonna be shouting all day or are we gonna watch DuckTales?"
"Well… Du- Du- Du- Du- Du-
Life is like a hurricane
Here in Duckburg
Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes,
It's a duck-blur
Might solve a mystery
Or rewrite history
DuckTales (ooh ooooh)..." I had joined the singing as well and we watched the rest of the episode
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-- Avengers Compound --
Vision (White), Doctor Pym, Scarlet Witch, and Wonder Man were watching two fellow Avengers argue.
"You had no right to invite him to the Avengers," A purple wearing archer said in anger
"He is a powerful mutant, Clint. He took down Abomination faster than most of us can," Bobbi pointed out
"He is an unknown factor, we don't know anything about him, for all we know he is the next Magneto in the making!" Hawkeye all but yelled
"That's why taking him as a trainee where we can observe him is the right call," the blonde heroine said with frustration,
"You don't get to make calls like that Bobbi, especially when you are barely an Avenger yourself," Clint said and his ex-wife actually looked hurt, Bobbi huffed and walked out of the room
"That was uncalled for Clint, Mockingbird is a valuable member of the team," Hank McCoy said as he got up from the chair and walked back to his lab,
Then Wonder Man got out of the chair and walked out alongside Wanda who said "Just for the record Clint, not every powerful mutant is the next Magneto"
"That's not what-" Clint tried to explain himself but she was already gone. Now only Vision was there "So you think I was wrong too?"
"On the contrary, bringing an unknown factor to the Avengers can be dangerous, especially when the team has prior dysfunctionality," the android said
"Thanks, Vision, at least someone can see the dangers this 'Green Lantern' could represent," he said as the emotionless android floated through a wall.
[To Be Continued]
