Chapter 9
Today was supposed to be a normal day. But being a secret vigilante doesn't really stack up to the meaning of normal. Penny and Riri had gotten to their respective homes yesterday, and are now in school.
"So, the Rogue Avengers are back in the Tower?" Ned asked. Both Penny and Ned are in the cafeteria eating their lunch together. "Yep. Riri and I spent some time with some of them. They're actually pretty nice." Penny smiled.
"Awesome."
They sat there in a comfortable silence. "Does Captain America give great hugs?" Penny looked up from her lunch to Ned, "Huh?"
"Does Captain America give great hugs?" Ned repeated.
Penny looked up in thought, "Hm. Not sure. Never really asked. It would be awkward."
"I bet he gives great hugs." Ned said. Penny shrugged, not caring much about the topic. "Probably."
They both sat in silence once more. Then a familiar face appeared. "Hey, losers." MJ, that familiar face, said.
"Hey, MJ." The two nerds greeted. "What were you two talking about?" MJ wondered.
"Ned was wondering if Captain America gives great hugs." Penny answered.
"Does he?"
"Not sure."
"You should ask." MJ suggested.
"How? Not like I know the guy." Penny attempted to cover to her tracks.
"But with that Internship with Stark, you should've met him right?" MJ tilted his head, with slightly squinting eyes.
"Uh.." Penny stammered.
"Maybe Pen hasn't met the guy yet." God bless Ned. What did Penny do to deserve him?
MJ made a slight hum of agreement. Then continued to read his book.
Penny mentally sighed. She liked MJ, really, - not like that, she mentally reminded herself - but didn't want him knowing the truth just yet. People she cared about would be far more safer without knowing the fact Penny had gotten bitten by a radioactive spider.
Riri kept smacking her head on the desk. To say she was bored out of her mind was an understatement. She was suffering. Immensely. She already knew about all this. Having an Internship with Iron Man really helped.
"Are you alright?" A classmate of Riri's asked.
"What is life? Life is just a reality spectrum of lives with a beginning, middle and end. Life is only a story for people to enjoy. Do we really exist? Or are we just entertainment for a higher order?" Riri put her head back down with a audible pound.
The student just sat there, staring at her.
"Yes, I'm fine." The student withdrawn back to their desk to continue their work. Riri groaned and set her head back down.
She was to smart for her own good.
"Who broke the coffee machine?" Tony demanded. The people in the room, Nat, Clint and Steve, looked up to him.
"Well? Who was it?" Tony pushed.
"It wasn't me." Clint insisted.
"Yeah, it was." Nat confirmed.
Tony growled, although there wasn't much bite in his words. "Damn it, Legolas. That's the second time on the third day you're back."
"Hey man, the buttons are very complicated." The archer argued.
"It's literally just a push of a button." The mechanic shot back.
"I'm not seeing the problem here." Steve raised an eyebrow. "It's just coffee."
"JUST COFFEE?" Tony screeched, but lightly. Kinda.
"This cup of coffee, right here, is my living source. The world relies on coffee, whether you realise it or not. This mere drink will give me more energy to survive today. It also ensures me of more life, because this is life."
Nat rolled her eyes, resuming what she was doing. Steve just looked dumbfounded. He didn't bother saying anything else.
A new figure now enters the room. "Guess some things just don't change." Tony looked to up to see his best friend, James Rhodes.
"Platypus! So nice of you to drop by." Tony walked up to greet him.
"Good to see you too, Tones. Heard you guys were back, so I decided to drop by." He looked over the two familiar faces. "It really is nice to see you guys."
Nat had a small genuine smile, as she gave a brief hug to the colonel. Steve shook his hand and smiled.
"Wow, great beard Cap." Rhodey complemented. "Thanks. I grew quite fond of it." Steve grinned, absentmindedly rubbing his beard.
Scott, Sam and Wanda then entered the room. Sam grumbled a greeting grabbed a cup of coffee then left. Wanda muttered a "Hello," as she grabbed some French toast and plopped them in the toaster. Scott looked awake enough to give a proper greeting.
"Oh, hi! You must be Rhodey. Stark mentioned you at some point."
"At some point?" Rhodey looked over to Tony, with mock hurt.
Tony shrugged, and walked off.
"Wow. See how you like it when I only 'mention' Tony Stark." Rhodey finger quotes.
Tony looked over, "Better not or your best friend privileges are revoked."
Rhodey just rolled his eyes out and Scott watched their interaction with mirth.
In change of events (because why not?), red sirens went off. "What's going on?!" Steve asked.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y, what's wrong?" Tony looked up the ceiling.
"There seems to be a small army of soldiers downtown Queens." F.R.I.D.A.Y responded.
F.R.I.D.A.Y gave the room occupants a holographic visual of the events onscreen. The "Soldiers" seem to be destroying everything in their path. All armed up and loaded. Gunning down anyone on sight.
"Shit." Tony cursed. He regained his surroundings, "Rogers, get everyone to suit up." Steve looked at the Mechanic in slight shock. "Me?"
Tony rolled his eyes, "Well duh, you are the leader." He then walked off to get his suit.
Steve smiled, then did what he was meant to do.
Penny was paying attention in class, (Gasp!) when she felt a sense in the back of her head. She looked up from her notes and out the window she saw explosions occurring in the horizon in downtown.
It was fairly close to the school.
Oh, shit. Penny then raised her hand, "May I be excused Ms. Warren?"
The teacher sighed, "Go ahead."
She quickly looked over to Ned, making a thwiping gesture. He understood immediately, in slight awe.
Penny silently thanked Ms. Warren as she went off. She grabbed her suit from her locker, and quickly dashed into a bathroom.
Penny put on her suit, as she opened the window leading outside, quickly checking for anyone looking, put on her mask, jumped out of the window, and web-swinged into action.
Riri was in her free period when she received a text from Penny.
Riri Williams -----> Penny Parker
Penny: Get to Queens quick
Riri: What's up?
Penny: There's a small army of soldiers tearing everything down
Riri: Shit
Penny: Exactly
Riri: Tony and the rest there?
Penny: Doesn't seem like it, no
Penny: There is so many of them!
Penny: I'll need some backup
Riri: On my way
Riri: I'll text the rest of the group
Riri: And you actually admitted you need help
Riri: I'm shocked
Penny: Is this really the time?
Riri: Yes
Penny: Look I'm sorry I didn't call for help that one time
Riri: Bitch you could've given a heart attack
Riri: As I was carrying you to the compound, you claimed
Riri: And I quote,
Riri: "I'm fine, Riri, it was just a couple of bullets to the chest."
Penny: Yeah, not my finest moment
"Clint, what took you so long?" Nat and the team looked at the archer.
"Look, it's been awhile okay?" Clint whined.
The team, except Scott, boarded a Quinjet to get the warzone.
"Wait, how come Tic-Tac isn't coming with us?" Sam wondered.
"Scott doesn't have his suit. He would pretty much die as soon as we get there." Tony answered. Scott mumbled a "Rude" as the jet flies off down state.
The ex-con sighed as he went back inside. However, as soon as he went inside, he heard a small buzzing.
Scott ignored it as he went back inside. He had more important stuff to do.
Riri grabbed all her stuff, shoved it into her dorm, grabbed her nano housing unit, she called it her Heartbeat Complex, tapped on it twice as she was outside, then let her suit form around her.
As it finished it's formation her AI spoke to the young lady, "Hello, Riri, is there a problem?"
"Yep, downtown Queens is getting stormed up by soldiers. What kind, we're not sure yet. Please give me the fastest route to the area, Natalie."
"Of course, Riri."