9) Music Festival Pt. 2
The time for the Billy Joel concert was drawing nearer and nearer, and the three friends were still exploring the festival grounds. At this point, Peter, Ned, and Michelle had made their way into a large tent that housed dozens of local vendors that sold all kinds of thing: jewelry, clothing, pieces of art, little trinkets and knickknacks that were sure to warm the hearts of the most sentimental of souls. Michelle was interested in some of the artwork, while Peter and Ned entertained themselves with the knickknacks and fancy sunglasses. At one point, Peter picked up a pair that reminded him of the kind Stark would often wear. Michelle thought it looked similar as well and explained their reasoning to Ned.
"She got to meet Tony Stark and I didn't!" Ned exclaimed, trying not to project his voice so loudly. He really wanted to meet Stark, and after knowing Peter's secret for almost an entire year, he would have thought to have done so by then. But he didn't, and Peter's face felt a quick heat knowing that was one thing she had over him in the spider secret. Michelle just smirked and playfully mouthed "oops" to Peter. "I promise you; it wasn't planned."
"No, it wasn't" Michelle confirmed in a very unenthusiastic tone, as if she didn't wish to meet Stark that night in the hospital. But things happened, and it so happened that Michelle was the first of Peter's friends to meet his one connection to the Avengers. Ned eased up a bit at this news and Peter promised he would hook him up with a meeting soon. Ned smiled for that, even though it didn't take much for him to smile. Peter then slipped the glasses over his face to test them out. He looked into a small mirror nearby to how they looked, and he thought they weren't too bad. He looked to his friends for their opinion. Ned stayed as optimistic as possible, but Michelle's reaction was clear. The whole side of her face scrunched together as she cringed, and Ned soon followed. "Really?" Peter questioned, thinking that they looked okay.
"They're okay" Ned started, "but... I don't know. They're just..."
"Not you" Michelle cut in. The two boys looked to her for an explanation. "They make you look like your trying to be someone that you're not."
"Yeah, that's it. Your great the way you are, dude!" Ned added, agreeing with MJ's opinion. She nodded to Ned's words, and Peter slipped the glasses off, warming up to their meaning. He nodded with an appreciative smile and placed the glasses back on the display table. "Thanks, guys. You're probably right."
"Of course, we are," Michelle said, slinging her arms around both boys and guiding them to another area of the tent. They were starting to get hungry and there was a food truck nearby that they had been keeping an eye on throughout the day. "You guys wanna get some food?" Peter asked. Ned was quick to answer, "I thought you were never going to ask! I could really go for a burger."
"You guys go ahead," Michelle said, "I wanna check this stuff out." She lurked over to a large display of jewelry that she thought looked fascinating. Peter nodded and asked if she wanted anything. "Just get me some cheese fries or something."
"Cheese fries got it!" Peter said, giving a thumbs up. He and Ned soon walked out of the tent and took their spot in line. Michelle kept her attention to the many rings, necklaces, and earrings; finding something different in each of the ways they were crafted. She primarily picked out the pieces that had a dark or gothic look to them. She found a ring that seemed decently made. Not like a plastic rip-off you would find in a grocery store dispenser, nor like an authentic 24-karat specimen in high-class jewelry stores. Something that was durable, but wasn't classy, something Michelle always looked for whenever she was shopping for herself. It didn't matter if it was top of the line. She only cared if it spoke to her existentially and if it would last with her for a good stretch of time. Michelle liked this ring a lot, but it seemed like the woman standing a few feet to her right was also interested in the ring.
She had light auburn hair and a slim, athletic body. She had big green eyes that were very expressive, even in moments like this when she tried to keep herself inconspicuous. She looked to be a few years older than her, based on her youthful face and wardrobe selection; a pair of black ripped jeans that cut off just before the knees and a loose grey tank top. She pulled her gaze once Michelle noticed and turned back to the jewels in front of her. Michelle stared for a second before returning to the ring, only for the stranger to stare once again. Michelle could see her body shift out of the corner of her eye and knew she was interested in the ring as well.
"Can I help you?" she boldly inquired, only giving attention when the stranger popped her head up at the question. The stranger shakes her head embarrassed, breaking her curious behavior. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to stare" she replies with the sound of a fading accent. However, Michelle doesn't seem to think badly about the encounter, knowing that she was also interested in the ring. "No, it's okay" Michelle followed and extended her hand with the ring in her grip. "Go ahead."
"Oh no, I couldn't. You had it first" the stranger said humbly. "It's fine, honestly!" Michelle replied. The young woman timidly reached for the ring and took it nicely from Michelle. She inspected it, admiring the detail just as Michelle had done. As she looked over the ring, Michelle looked up and down the mellow woman that looked a little too mature to be as insecure as she would be in public. Her fingers were decorated with rings of silver, some were jaded, and some were like the one they were looking at; very gothic and exotic. Her hair fell over her shoulders in an almost curled form toward the ends.
"I like your necklace," Michelle said, noticing the beautiful scarlet-red gem over her chest. The stranger looked up and curiously smiled, "Oh. Thank you."
"Where'd you get it?"
"It was from my mother," she said, allowing Michelle to get a full look at the gem. "It's a family heirloom."
"It's beautiful. Must mean a lot to you?" Michelle said, understanding that it might have some significance to this stranger. The woman nodded and looked down toward it. "Thanks, and it is. It's my only connection to my home country."
"Wow, where are you from?" To which the young woman answered, "Sokovia." The name Sokovia sounded very familiar to Michelle, as she felt that she had heard it uttered in one of her social studies classes. "What's your name?" the woman then asked with an enthusiastic smile.
"Michelle, but my friends call me, MJ." It was so weird to be having a conversation with a total stranger, but somehow, Michelle found some weird connection with this woman. She certainly didn't know she would be capable of something like this. The woman smiled and extended her hand to shake. Michelle took it and the woman gave her name, "Erica."
Meanwhile, Peter and Ned were waiting in line at a food truck that was a premier stop for grilled burgers and hot sandwich specialties. At one point, they were in awe at one of the items on a menu that was like a double cheeseburger on steroids. "I don't get it?" Peter says out of nowhere.
"What? What's wrong?" his friend replies. "Where do people come up with this stuff? Cause' they're either insane or disgusting?"
"Isn't that arguably the same thing?" Ned countered Peter's thought. Peter nodded his head, realizing that they could be. "It's just crazy, man."
"Dude, we live in New York" Ned was quick to comment, "I'm pretty sure we've ingested things far worse than what's up on that board." Peter smiled, finding a sense of humor in his friend's words. Although it was short-lived, as a gentleman standing in line behind them addressed their conversation.
"If you don't mind my asking, children?" he said in an English accent. He was very tall and slim looking. "Why would anyone want to consume such an assortment of greases and oils? I've never seen anything so outrageous." Peter and Ned were a bit confused by the suddenness of this gentleman inserting himself into their conversation. They looked at each other curiously and then addressed the man. "Why are you asking if you're also in line?"
"Oh, um... it's for my partner" the gentleman answered, stammering on his thoughts for a moment. "She wanted to try something new. The problem is, I can't really decide what to get. Nothing seems edible to me. Would you have any suggestions?" Peter was still a bit curious, strangely because he felt he had seen this gentleman before, but he didn't know where or when.
Ned was a bit more open to helping the kind newcomer. "Oh, no problem, mate," he said, imitating his accent. "Haha, I said 'mate'" he briefly said to Peter to point out his obvious joke. Peter looked to the man for some defensive expression, but instead got all but that. In fact, he was more confused by the joke of imitation. Ned then turned back to the man, "But really, we can help you out. Now it's best to start simple."
"Simple?"
"Yeah"
"Why?"
"If you go for the craziest menu item first, you may lose your appetite for a few days" Peter added. "You mean like the time you ate the Sloppy Joe from the school cafeteria?" Ned commented, a large grin quickly forming on his lips that turned into a chuckle. "Yeah, just like that" Peter groaned, not remembering that experience fondly.
"Well, good thing I don't have much of an appetite for a... Sloppy Joe was it?" the man added.
"Well actually, the Sloppy Joe we're referring to is the more popular version. But I tell you what" Ned said with an idea forming. "Go for the Jersey Sloppy Joe. It's actually a better version and is a lot more manageable." The stranger smiles softly and agrees to take their word on the sandwich. After that, the boys order their food, including the cheese fries for Michelle. All the while, the gentleman has the same feeling Peter is having toward him; as in he believes that he has crossed paths with him as well.
The boys finish ordering, allowing the gentleman to order. Peter and Ned stay with him to give him some level of assurance that it's a good idea. Once he's done ordering, the three of them move to the side of the truck to wait for their meals to be completed. "Hopefully, my partner will enjoy it," the man said.
"Oh, she will. No doubt!" Ned answered, everyone, smiling in response.
"I'm, Simon," the man said, extending his hand. Ned and Peter shake his hand and give their names as well. But when Peter took his hand, his spider senses went off to a mild degree. It also allowed him to feel his hand, and that it was covered in synthetic skin. Peter felt more confused and on edge, as he wondered who this stranger was.
"You seem familiar to me, Peter? Have we met before?" the gentleman then said, raising more flags for Peter. Even Ned was getting a little weirded out. "You know, it's funny" Peter answered, "I have a strange feeling that we have. But I can't remember where?"
"Hmm, that's weird" Ned commented. "Yes, very strange" the gentleman added. They stood in silence for a while, making small talk every few seconds. And coincidently, Simon and his partner were going to the Billy Joel concert as well. There was a causal chuckle about it until Peter and Ned's food was called up. They grabbed their food, only for the gentleman's food to be called up just after. They started walking back to Michelle, only to notice that he was following them.
"Do you really think you've seen him before?" Ned asked quietly. Peter shook his head, "No, but my other side thinks that I have. Did his hand feel weird to you?" Ned shook his head. "It was synthetic."
"You mean like he's a cyborg. Or a robot? How cool is that?!" Ned squealed. Peter shushed him, hoping that the gentleman didn't hear him. "It won't be cool if he turns out to be some kind of super high-tech assassin or something."
"Right!"
"Just play it cool. We don't want people getting hurt if we can help it" Peter said, his problem-solving spider senses turning its gears. Ned nodded, just as Michelle appeared in their view. She hadn't left the small jewelry stand, but it seemed like she was making conversation with someone; another oddity of the day for Peter and Ned. For all the time that Peter had known and been with Michelle, she never talked with anyone unless she was given time to observe them and get to know their character. Ned knew this too, but not at the degree that Peter had. But still, it was nothing compared to the fact that the gentleman was still tailing them.
As they drew closer, Peter started to grow curious about the woman MJ was talking to. She was very beautiful, and clearly a tad older than he and his friends. She noticed her eyes jump up toward their direction, a smile soon appearing on her youthful face and directing Michelle's attention to it. When Michelle turned around, she gasped with excitement. "CHEESE FRIES!" her voice reaching a low register and being very playful. She lunged for her snack and took them from Peter's hands. As she did this, the gentleman then walked past the teens and approached the young woman Michelle had been talking to. He handed the sandwich to her and she thanked him.
"Who's this?" Peter asked, referring to the woman. Michelle introduced her as Erica to the two of them. "We were both interested in the same ring." Erica displayed the ring, allowing Peter a good chance to look at her face, which soon became familiar to him. And as he started to piece together who the woman was, he soon came to a thought of who the strange gentleman could be.
He chuckled a bit at his realization, thinking it was laughable because it was a situation that he never thought would happen. "You know, Simon," he said, and Simon perked his head up toward him, "I think I know where we met." Everyone's brows furrowed, curious as to what was happening. Simon did so as well, but more enthusiastically than the others. "Oh, where?"
"In Germany!" he said boldly, to which everyone's heads perked up. Michelle and Ned were even more suspicious due to them knowing that the only time Peter ever went to Germany was when he had to go as Spider-Man. "But I don't think your name was Simon then" Peter continued. "And you were there too. Just... not with that hair color" he turned his attention to Erica, and the too adults grew anxious and a bit vulnerable. Almost as if something they didn't want to be exposed to.
"I'm sorry. I don't understand?" the tall blonde man questioned.
"Me either!" Ned, Michelle, and the woman all said in unison. Peter was starting to feel that he had pushed this situation to a place he didn't want it to be. His spider senses were starting to alert him to a growing uneasiness from the couple. Especially from the woman, whom he could sense a great amount of energy building from the anxiety he was putting into the situation. He knew he had to make a call, and he did by just asking the most out-there question to the gentleman.
"So how's my spare room at the compound, Vision?" Michelle glared at the pair, waiting for a reaction. Ned was confused for a second but soon lost his breath from realizing who Peter was potentially talking to. The realization also came upon the gentleman's expression, knowing exactly who Peter was now. His partner was still very confused for the moment.
"Spider-Man?" Vision finally asked. Peter smiled and nodded, then turned to Vision's partner. "And you're... the red-magic lady. Wanda, right?"
Wanda let the sound of her name sink in the quietest way possible and then nodded to the young hero she remembered fighting in Leipzig.
"OH MY GOD!" Ned squealed as loud as a six-year-old.
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A/N- Good gracious am I late. Sorry folks, it took a while to find the right way to present this chapter. I swear to you, it doesn't help affect the plot in any way, but I thought it would be a fun idea to mess around with. So here you go, if you need your fill on Spider-Man interacting with Scarlet Witch and Vision, this is your chapter.
I've always liked the idea of Peter and Wanda interacting. Not sure why, it just feels right with me. But her time right now is with Vision. So, I have to stay within the universe and have him interact with Vision as well. And don't worry, they'll be in the next chapter too.
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Leave a vote if you did, and don't forget to express your thoughts in the comments. New chapter next month! Find out when a "June Updates" announcement comes up. Until next time, BYE!!!
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