Issue #14
After Beating the Freelancers...
Y/N: So, this is your place.
You looked around Amadeus' apartment impressed. You had joined him and the other Champions, minus Viv, for games and pizza. Kamala finally let you and Sam go after thanking the two of you profoundly for the message you had put out.
Scott: The two of you did a great job today. Thank you.
Sam: No problem, Slim. Champions have to stick together after all.
Scott: You're right. We need to stick together. But, I really want to thank Leviathan.
You lifted your head and turned to look at the others. They were all looking at you proud.
Y/N: Me?
Scott: Yeah. You're completely new to this team yet you stepped up and defended us. That takes bravery.
You rubbed ghe back of your neck a bit embarrassed.
Y/N: It was no problem. You guys are my team now. We have to look out for each other, right?
Kamala: Absolutely! Now, let the unhealthy consumption of pizza and soda, commence!
Sam flew over to the couch with Miles close behind. Amadeus pulled out his phone and dialed the pizza place while Scott looked at the menu. You returned to looking around the apartment.
Kamala: Hey.
You looked over and saw Kamala smiling widely. Of course, you didn't know her as Kamala. She was still Ms. Marvel at this point in your life. Regardless, she was already a good friend.
Y/N: What's up?
Kamala: I just wanted to say thank you, again. What you did with Sam was really cool.
You just waved it off.
Y/N: You should be thanking that bucket head. It was all his idea to begin with.
Kamala: And I will. But, you didn't have to. You could've stepped down but you helped us instead.
Y/N: Well, it's like I said. We have to look out for each other.
Kamala smiled even wider before she grabbed your arm.
Kamala: Come on! I wanna beat you in Street Fighter!
She dragged you along but, you didn't argue. You instead smiled under your helmet as she lead you towards the others.
--------
Paris, France
Present Day...
Y/N: Wow. It smells like cigarettes no matter where you go.
You tried to fan away the smell but decided it was pointless. Mur-G'nn looked around the city with wide eyes and an open mouth while Nikki checked his phone to make sure the hotel rooms were all ready to go. You had touched down in Paris about an hour ago but Nikki had to settle something at the airport.
You tried to ask him about it but he refused to tell you. He said it was a surprise or something. You debated on rather or not to use your third eye on him but, it seemed pointless to bother with it.
Nikki: Our rooms are ready.
Y/N: Nice. Though, do we really need two rooms? It would be cheaper if we just kept doing what we've been doing.
Nikki: Do you wish to share a bed with Mur-G'nn again?
You just laughed.
Y/N: Nope! Besides, it's your turn anyway.
Mur-G'nn: Am I undesirable to sleep with?
The three of you stopped walking. You and Nikki looked at each other for a moment before you shrugged.
Nikki: We just, like our space is all.
Y/N: Yeah. Sharing beds is a bit uncomfortable.
Mur-G'nn: Ok then. But, to answer your question before, it would easier to deal with the phantom if you were in a room alone.
Y/N: I guess that does make sense. I don't want to end up waking you guys up or something if I get back late.
Nikki: Indeed. Come along now. We should go unpack.
You nodded and followed Nikki towards the hotel. The three of you walked the streets of Paris as the smell of cigarettes and wine filled the air. The sky was blue with few clouds and people were everywhere. It was oddly relaxing. Almost felt, nostalgic. The smells and people seemed to remind you of your time at the House of the Bull.
It took about 15 minutes before you reached the hotel. Another 3 minutes and you had your bags unpacked and your weapons laid out on the desk to check over and clean. You were oretty sure Baba Yaga's eye stuff was still there somewhere.
Nikki: Me and Mur-G'nn will be heading out to get food later. For now, I'm going to try to get some rest. I suggest you do the same.
You nodded as he left you to be alone. You turned back to the gun on your desk before you sighed.
Y/N: I should get a shower. After that, a nap.
You then remembered something. You began to dig through your bag for a moment before you lifted up an empty canister. Looks like you were out of Nadia's Sleep Serum.
Y/N: Damn. Looks like I'm just laying around then.
You sighed before you headed toward the bathroom.
-------
Nikki: Nadia should be here soon. Once you're ready, we can head back to the airport and pick her up.
Mur-G'nn: That sounds good. What is Nadia like?
Nikki raised a brow.
Nikki: That's right. You've never met her.
Thinking back on it, it does make sense. Mur-G'nn hasn't really been on Earth and she was in the command ship the entire time the Cotati were attacking. Nikki gave it some thought.
Nikki: Well, Nadia Van Dyne is the daughter of Henry Pym and his first wife. Currently, Nadia is Janet Van Dyne's step daughter. Her alias is the Wasp. At least, the other Wasp. She leads a small organization known as G.I.R.L and is a proficient scientist. While she is a bit naive in many things, she is very enthusiastic in helping others and changing the world for the better. I ended up admiring her during my time impersonating Y/N.
Mur-G'nn: She sounds like a wonderful person.
Nikki nodded. While he didn't fully approve of dome of your motives or ways of doing certain things, he did approve of your friends. Not just the Champions either. Gib and Hyde, the few times he had met them seemed like they were good and sincere. He knew that you and Gib have known each other since you were kids and that you and Hyde met through Janet. Regardless, he ultimately approved of Nadia.
Nikki: She is. Hopefully Y/N won't be too shock to work tonight.
--------
After Returning From Counter-Earth...
You were leaning forward on Vision's couch. You had no idea how long you had been sitting there. Minutes? Hours? Has a day passed by? You had no idea. Your mind was just filled with doubt and despair. Your mind was in the dark place you never liked going to.
If you had just moved faster, did something instead of standing there...maybe Viv would still be here. You clenched your fists in anger. It was just like with Hailey all over again. You were weak then and you were weak now. You couldn't protect her. You couldn't save her.
What kind of hero were you?
Kamala: Leviathan?
You snapped out of your thoughts and looked over to see that Marvel was now here. Her and the others had stopped by their homes to make sure everyone was safe before they decided to head here. Looks like she was the first one.
Kamala: How are you holding up?
You just returned your gaze to your fists. The other Avengers were hanging around the house so you were alone for the most part. Probably for the best. No one said anything, but you knew that they were blaming you for this.
Kamala: Levi?
Y/N: I messed up.
Kamala looked at you for a moment before she sat next to you. You were mad. Angry. Pissed. But, most of all, you were disappointed. You were disappointed beyond belief at yourself. You failed.
Suddenly, Kamala placed a hand on your fist. You snapped out of your thoughts once again at her touch. You slowly turned to look at her.
Kamala: I'm not going to blame you for what happened. It could've happened to any of us.
Y/N: But I...
Kamala: Shhh. Just, not now. Please. We're all hurting. Just, for now at least, sit with me.
She laid her head on your shoulder and closed her eyes. Right. She must be tired after everything. Maybe you were to.
Kamala: And if you need to talk later, I'll listen. I'll be there. But, for now, let me be a bit selfish.
You just sat there as the sounds of the ticking clock filled the room.
Y/N: Ok.
---------
Present Day...
You leaned against the railing of your balcony as you watched the streets below. From this view, you could actually see the Eiffel Tower. Music played from somewhere below and the cool breeze made you smile. It was a nice day in this foreign city.
Y/N: Maybe I judged the French too harshly.
French Man: Go eat a c@&$ you motherf#@!er!
Y/N: Or not.
You sighed before you began to stretch. Your mind ended up wondering to where Timber was. Surely he, uh, she was helping his, ah, her father with something important. One-Above-All did say that it would be a while until you could see her again. How long was that going to be? Hell if you knew. Having Timber around right now would be pretty damn useful though.
The sun was about to set meaning the spell Mur-G'nn preformed this morning was going to take effect. The barrier was already set so when the vampire wouldn'tbe able to enter. Of course, the barrier would be broken if anyone else tried to get in or if you tried to escape. Luckily, Nikki and Mur-G'nn were already coming back from whatever it was they were doing.
Y/N: It's only a matter of time now. I kinda wished I had some Nadia's Sleep Serum though. I want to take a nap.
Nadia: Then I guess it's a good thing I brought some with me.
You turned around at the sudden voice. Standing there was Nadia, Nikki, and Mur-G'nn. Nikki and Mur-G'nn were smiling to themselves while Nadia was smiling at you brightly. You were honestly speechless. This was the first time you've seen her since the invasion. You subconsciously hid your Vibranium arm behind you as Nadia tossed her bag to the side and walked over to you.
Nadia: You surprised?
Y/N: Absolutely.
She finally reached you and you immediately embraced her in your arms. It had been so long. As the two of you hugged each other, Mur-G'nn and Nikki watched. Suddenly, your eyes shot open wide.
Y/N: Wait.
You separated from Nadia and turned to Nikki.
Y/N: This is a problem.
Nadia: Problem?
Nikki: I'm confused. Are you not happy?
Y/N: I'm ecstatic. The problem is the, the, thing we're dealing with.
Nikki and Mur-G'nn looked at each other.
Mur-G'nn: I believe he is referring to the ghost.
Nadia: Ghost?!
Nikki: I see. It didn't cross my mind that she was going to be here for our hunt.
Nadia: What are you guys talking about?
Her eyes then drifted to the desk where your gear was.
Nadia: And, is that a gun?! Why do you have your gear here?!
You and Nikki looked at each other for a moment. Maybe, he didn't think this through entirely.
--------
Nadia: So, this whole trip is just a cover up for you and Nikki to hunt down these demons your father have under his command?
Y/N: That's the gist of it.
Nadia: And you lied so that no one would worry or tag along?
Nikki: Indeed.
Nadia: And tonight, you are going to put yourself in direct danger to be bit by a vampire so that you can kill him?
Mur-G'nn: You do catch on fast.
Nadia was sitting cross-legged on your bed while the three of you explained the situation to her. She seemed to be taking it well enough. Well, as well as a girlfriend could after hearing that her boyfriend may be possessed by a spirit from hell.
Y/N: I'm sorry for not telling you all this earlier.
Nadia: I mean, I get it. I think. This is a bit much. Shouldn't you be recovering after the attack?
Y/N: Not really. Uh, don't freak out about this but, I died again.
Nadia: What?!
Y/N: One-Above-All brought me back. I'm as good as new. Minus the arm. Shuri hooked me up with this new one though.
Nikki: I have also been monitoring his brain and heart activity. If anything is wrong, I'll pull him out and have him rest for a few days.
Nadia: That's not the point! Y/N, you died again?!
You rubbed the back of your neck embarrassed.
Y/N: Yeah. I did.
Nadia looked at you for a moment before she turned to Nikki and Mur-G'nn.
Nadia: Can I have a moment with him. Please?
Nikki nodded and lead Mur-G'nn out of the room. He spared one last look at you before he closed the door behind him. It was just you and Nadia now. You turned back to your girlfriend to see that she looked a bit worried. Understandable.
Nadia: Why didn't you tell me?
Y/N: I didn't want anyone to worry.
Nadia: How could I not worry?! You died, Y/N! Again! And your arm is gone and you're hunting demons and, what the hell?!
Y/N: I know this seems bad...
Nadia: Seems?!
You sighed. She had a point.
Y/N: Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you any of this. I was going to after the fact but, I need to do this. If me and Nikki get rid of these demons, we're one step closer to stopping my father and whatever he's planning.
Nadia stared at your arm for a moment. It was definitely something she would need to get used to. Your hair was a lot shorter to. Despite everything else, you looked fine. Maybe a bit tired but, you were ok.
Nadia: I'm not mad about that. I was just, hearing that you died again is really terrifying.
Y/N: I know. I'm not going to blame you for that.
Silence took the room. You stared at your feet as you leaned against the dresser while Nadia looked at her lap. She turned to you and patted the empty spot next to her. You hesitated but you gave in to her silent demand and sat next to her. She held your hand before she leaned on your shoulder.
Nadia: We can talk about this later. For now, I just want to enjoy being with you.
You smiled softly.
Y/N: Ok then. We can do that. Actually, since I have you here...
You and Nadia sat up so you could look at each other.
Y/N: How is everyone? Sam, Miles...
Nadia: Well, Sam has been with his family. He's been kinda quiet on the new line. Oh! We should get you and Nikki connected on it. Uh, Miles has been silent to. No one has heard from him in a while.
Y/N: That's concerning. I'm sure he's fine though.
You silently looked at your hand for a moment.
Y/N: And, Kamala?
Nadia: Her condition is improving. She's still not awake, though.
At least it was something. You, you were just glad she was getting better. Hopefully soon, you'll get to talk to her again. Maybe she'll lecture you on being a leader. Oddly enough, that sounds nice right about now.
----------
Shortly After Scott Left...
Sam: Bank robbery foiled! Champ-ions! Champ-ions!
Amadeus: Try not to get a big head, buddy. That was just a simple crime alert.
Miles: A crime alert that we totally owned!
Sam and Miles high fived while Amadeus just rolled his eyes. You shared their smiles as you all headed back to Viv's home.
Sam: I'm still kinda bummed that Slim left. I'm gonna miss that 40 year old man trapped in a teenager's body.
Y/N: He was our age. Just from the past.
Sam: And he watched Seinfeld. Your point?
You were going to debate but, there just wasn't a point in it. You walked alongside the others before Kamala looked at her phone.
Kamala: Crap! I didn't realize how late it was!
Y/N: You have a curfew?
Kamala: Yeah. In, like, 30 minutes. Can anyone teleport me to my house?
Sam raised his hand.
Y/N: Actually, Can I tag along? I need to talk to you about some stuff.
Kamala looked at you for a moment.
Kamala: I mean, I guess? You'll have to wait outside though. My parents aren't exactly, uh, supportive of boys my age.
Y/N: That's fine.
It was, really. Sam had zapped the two of you to Kamala's home and you swung yourself to her roof while she entered through the front door. You sat on her roof and looked into the night sky as you waited. In truth, you had a lot on your mind. Things that had been bothering you for days now.
Kamala: Hey.
You looked up to see her pull herself up with her enlarged arm. She walked over and sat next to you as you pulled off your helmet. You pushed your hair aside which made her laugh.
Kamala: Maybe you should get a hair cut.
You pulled on a strain and shrugged.
Y/N: Chick's dig the long hair.
Kamala looked at your hair for a moment before she rolled her eyes.
Kamala: Maybe. So, what did you need to talk about?
You hesitated for a moment. Slowly, you removed your gloves and held up your hands. Kamala covered her mouth at the sight of them.
Kamala: What...
Y/N: I'm not a highly trained fighter or someone with super powers. I'm just a normal guy. My gloves don't absorb the shock.
Your hands were bruised and bloody and honestly, they hurt.
Kamala: Why are you showing me this?
You set your glove down and looked back towards the sky.
Y/N: I'm showing you this so that you know, that I'm nothing special. No super soldier serum, no spider powers, I'm not an inhuman or a mutant. I'm just some kid with gadgets. That being said, I doubt I can be useful in large scale missions like what we did on Counter-Earth. One of us died and I take full responsibility but...
Kamala: No. We talked about this. What happened to Viv wasn't your fault.
Y/N: But it was. You guys can try all you want to convince me other wise but, in the end, I messed up. I wasn't fast enough to save her. I was supposed to protect her and I failed.
Kamala gently took your hand which caused you to look at her. Your eyes widened when you saw the tears in her eyes.
Kamala: Stop. Just, stop. We all had a rough few days but I refuse to let you give up that easily. I just lost Scott and I don't want to lose you!
Y/N: Kamala...
Kamala: You messed up. Big deal. We all do but we learn from it. We move on. Please, don't give up on us.
You looked at her for a moment. Slowly, you gently squeezed her hand.
Y/N: Fine. I won't. It won't stop me from feeling any less responsible.
Kamala gently squeezed your hand back with a soft smile.
Kamala: Then we'll share that responsibility. I am the leader after all.
You sniffled a laugh as she rested her head against yours.
Kamala: You said it first. We have each other's backs.
Y/N: Yeah. Always.
You both separated and you looked at the time. It wasn't too late and you didn't have a curfew so you weren't really concerned.
Y/N: Should I be going?
Kamala shook her head.
Kamala: It's been a while since I've star gaze with someone. You can stay if you want. I can sneak up some snacks.
You smiled.
Y/N: Sounds good. For now, we can just hang here. Enjoy the silence. I can help you sneak some stuff up here later.
Kamala gave you an odd look.
Y/N: You pick up some things when you've been doing this thing solo.
Kamala: I'll take your word for it.
The two of you returned you gazes back up to the stars. The entire time, you held each other's hands.
Things were always so uncertain for you. The future, the past, everything. But, at this moment, you were at ease. You were content. You were, happy.
-------
Present Day...
Nadia: Are you sure it's alright for us to be gone for this?
Y/N: Yeah. Go have fun. Me and Nikki were going to do this on our own anyway. Enjoy Paris.
Nikki: Indeed. We shall meet you again after we are done.
The plan was for the girls to explore Paris, Mur-G'nn for research and Nadia since she's never been, while you and Nikki headed out to find the spirit. Hopefully this will be done sooner than later.
Nadia turned to you and kissed your cheek.
Nadia: Stay safe. Please?
Y/N: I'll do my best.
The girls said their goodbyes and left. You and Nikki looked at each other for a moment before you sighed.
Y/N: So, how will this work?
Nikki: Come along. I'll show you.
He walked over to the balcony where you joined him. Night had now fallen over the city and everything glowed brightly. It was, beautiful.
Nikki: The dust of Rabbi Loew's Golem lies quiet in the attic of Paris. But at night her courtyards, passageways, and narrow streets give over to her restless dead.
Your eyes grew wide when you suddenly found the world before you covered in spirits, ghost, and phantoms. All from different deaths, backgrounds, and times.
Y/N: What the hell is this?
Nikki: This, little brother, is the power of the catacombs. We can see it thanks to the blood in our bodies. The souls that rest within us. Our eyes that show us the true horrors of the world. This is all because of our father.
This sight before you, was truly hell.
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen247.Pro