OMG???? NEW AVENGERS????
Natasha took me down the elevator to a floor I hadn’t seen before. It was a lecture hall, but it was mostly empty. We sat in the front row. A couple of minutes passed, and two people walked in. Mr. Stark and Bruce Banner. Mr. Stark stepped up onto the platform, but Bruce remained on his left.
“So, every day, I want everyone in this room at ten am and ten pm. If you can’t physically be here, then I want you on the video line,” Mr. Stark gestured to the screens behind him, currently dark. “Peter and Kamila are the only ones allowed to miss the call without notice. Everyone else needs to notify me in advance.”
I looked around the room. There were quite a few familiar faces, but there were plenty of new ones.
Mr. Stark snapped, and orange magic covered the desk in front of me. A black box appeared.
“In front of all of you is a StarkPhone and earpiece. You must have both on you at all times. You don’t have to wear the earpiece all day long, but it must be worn while suited up, unless your suit has coms. Code names must be used for those with secret identities. This summer will be a very productive one, if you follow my rules. Failure to do so will result in a dock of pay.”
I raised my hand.
“Yes, Peter?”
“We’re getting paid?”
“Yes, Peter.”
“How much?”
Bruce looked up from his tablet. “We’ll evaluate after the first week.”
Mr. Stark cleared his throat. “Banner is working on the schedule for patrol. You must patrol the streets of your area during your time, but you are free to do so whenever you like as well. Pay is based on time on patrol, and quality of time spent. You must be in your suit, if you have one. You are also required to manage the Twitter accounts I had made for you, for PR's sake. You can sign up for other accounts, but you must talk to Pepper first. Pepper’s guidelines are on your phones. Follow them. I am putting a lot of trust in all of you. I expect you to follow the rules. Any questions?”
A moment passed.
“Yes, Loki?”
“Why am I here?” He said in a very flat tone.
“I’m paying for you to live here, so you have to earn your keep. And, I want you to restore your reputation.”
I heard Loki scoff.
“Any other questions? No? Okay. I want all the new members to stay here and mingle. Everyone else is free to go. Be back here tomorrow at ten.”
Natasha patted my shoulder and left. I turned around, and the new people were at the very back of the room. I made my way up there.
I recognized Jen, so I stood by her.
“So uh, how should we do this?” A British-sounding guy said.
“Should we go in a circle? I’ll start,” Jen said.
“I’m Jennifer Walters. Jen. I’m She-Hulk. I’m also Bruce’s cousin. I can also do this-” She shifted to her normal Jen form. “I’m a lawyer in LA.”
Matt laughed. “Matt Murdock. I’m also a lawyer, but in Hell’s Kitchen. I’m Daredevil, and yes, I’m really blind. My other senses are enhanced. No,” He turned his head to Jen. “I don’t use echolocation.”
Beside him, was the British dude. “Oh, uh, is it my turn? So I work at a gift shop. Well, I used to. I thought I just… sleepwalked, but apparently not! My name, me, the one you’re talking to, is Steven Grant. Turns out there’s another person up here,” He pointed to his head. “And he’s a superhero? His name is Marc Spector, and he’s MoonKnight. He used to be the Avatar of Khonshu, but not like, blue people or cartoon avatar, but like… servant? Anyway, I guess Marc should meet you guys too, so…”
His body language completely changed. He looked at all of us, then at Matt. “Really, Steven? No, I don’t want to…” He paused. “Ugh, fine.”
“I’m Marc. Moonknight. I’m the actual one.”
He was enveloped in a white outfit, probably his suit. “You want to see the body in this suit. If you see the other one, you’re gonna die. Steven?”
The suit changed. It now looked like… a suit.
“Rude. I’m perfectly capable of fighting. He’s quite annoying, isn’t he? Okay, our turn is over.”
Well, that was… something. Matt cleared his throat.
“Oh! Hi, I’m Kamila Khan! I found some bangle, and apparently, I’m a djinn? Anyway, I don’t really have a superhero name yet. I can do this-” She punched the air, and her hand stretched, enlarging. It was covered in crystal. “So that’s cool! Yeah, that’s about it.”
A girl beside her stepped forward. “Kate Bishop. I’m Hawkeye’s protege. Some people have called me the world’s greatest archer. I’ve fought some baddies, no big deal. I was born and raised here, in New York.”
Kate pushed the girl beside her forward.
“Kate! Okay, Hi. I’m America Chavez. I can travel the multiverse. I’m not from this universe, 616. Most people have other multiversal selves, but I don’t. There’s only one of me. I was hunted down by Wanda for a bit, but we’re cool now. I can make portals, but I don’t really know what else I can do yet.”
That leaves me.
“I’m Peter Parker. Spiderman. I was bitten by a radioactive spider, and I got some cool powers,” I walked over to the wall, and climbed it. I then jumped down and got back in my spot. “I can climb walls, I have super strength, and I can sense danger. I also made these,” I showed them my webbers, and shot two webs at the ceiling. “They allow me to shoot webs, which I can use to hold things down or get around. They dissolve in two hours. I’ve been spiderman for three years now.”
I was finally able to make it to my room after I showed everyone all of my powers. I locked and webbed my door, not fully trusting Loki yet. I opened my window and climbed up to the roof.
Natasha stared me down. I sat down on the ledge.
“Hello, Peter.”
Was she expecting me?
“I knew you’d come up here,” She said, sitting next to me. “How’d it go?”
I looked to the skyline. “They’re a lot. Marc scares me.”
She laughed. “He’s actually my favorite. Anyway, Tony wanted me to get your moisturizer for you,” she reached behind her, handing me the bottle. I nearly dropped it.
“I- Natasha-”
“It’s okay. I didn’t tell him.”
“Natasha, he can’t know. Nobody can,” I turned to her.
“Your secret is safe with me,” She stood up. “But, they’re all more open-minded than you think, Peter.”