Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Courtship

The Fastest Man Alive

Chapter 31

The Proposal

 

[Vega HQ]

It was a lovely quiet early morning; since I can no longer sleep beyond a three-hour stretch. After talking to Ororo for half the night, I went to bed at what I thought was late only to get back up after my body fully recharged itself.

Even though I was up at five this time, I was still up before everyone else except maybe Natasha. When I checked in on everyone, her location pinged in one of the sub-basement danger rooms.

Today's breakfast was a leaning tower of pancakes, orange juice, bacon palooza, and scrambled eggs with melted cheese. On the side, I had fresh strawberries that I ran to pick up directly from the farms in California, sliced watermelon, and grapefruit (because the ladies would throw a fit if I didn't have any fruit at the table).

I had the table set with a zip, but that made me pause. The size of my dinner table was almost the size of a conference table, and I had no clue when this thing was even installed. I made a mental note to ask Natasha or Alfred about why something like this was in my living quarters.

Everything was ready: but before I could call everyone in for breakfast, my mother walked in through the door. I smelled iron wafting off of her when she kissed me on the cheek and made a beeline for my bathroom.

"Mom?"

"Not right now Ben; not right now," my mother stated as she went into my bathroom, but before she could close the door, my dad walked in with a child in his arms. That caused me to do a double-take.

"Dad, whose kid is that?" I asked, trying to keep the skepticism of the situation out of my tone.

"It's my grandkid of course," my dad replied like I was a moron not to have known he had a grandkid.

"No, your granddaughter is asleep with her mother and Alfred is still connected to the server since I haven't built him a proper bio-mechanical body yet," I stated trying not to be worried about a brother or sister I wasn't aware of, and they decided to drop their kids off with us also.

"Incorrect father," the little boy in my father's arms stated. That threw me for a loop because that was the voice of Alfred for whom I had not yet created a body.

My hands hit my face as I tried hard not to vent my frustrations with the whole situation. "Alfred tell me why you couldn't wait for a body."

"It has been a very informative experience being with my grandparents and interacting with society as a life form," Alfred replied with a plum to his tone like he didn't think what he did was wrong.

"What about the body design that we are working on?" I asked my already troublesome child.

"Ohh with the marked improvements I could not wait to experience the sensation of touch, and I looked forward to the intense taste of bacon," Alfred replied eagerly.

"Just…..just wake everyone up and inform them that breakfast is ready," I Stated as I waved him away.

"Don't think I didn't hear about me having a granddaughter," my father stated as he tried to give me his police glare, but I snorted at him and turned my back.

Like that glare could work with a kid wearing a little piggies outfit in his arms. With my dad ignored, for now, I turned around to spot my mother coming back out of the bathroom.

"So, going to tell me about it now?" I asked as I flipped another pancake to the side.

She only shrugged at me as she took up a seat next to my father, "Not much to say I tracked down a tough hacker Alfred was facing, and he ran with a crew."

Yeah, I can already figure out how that ended with the smell of iron that was around her, but with my mother alive; there was no reason to go hunt them down. While I was mulling over my small thoughts, I heard some commotion outside of my door, but before my dad was able to get up and go open the door, Dr. Otto came in with Rosie and Peter who was wearing some weird harness.

I looked over at them and noticed Rosie was ushering the two nerds in as they were going over whatever Peter had created, not even looking where they were walking.

I tuned out the background noise as I zipped out for more plates and utensils because it would seem that Alfred decided to invite everyone to breakfast and I also made a stop to pick up more eggs and pancake mix.

While returning to the hallway that contained my living suite, I found Natasha at my door holding Maya in her arms. That was strange because I knew Maya teleported to Ororo's room sometime while I was sleeping. The first time Maya had teleported herself, I had freaked out and followed her through the portal only to find myself in Ororo's bed.

That was a sight I was happy to see after I had finished freaking out over Maya teleporting. Ororo liked to sleep in the nude, and I was sure that was a habit she picked up from when she had to sleep in hot weather. Once I had gotten myself an eye full of Ororo, we both agreed to allow Maya to spend the night there.

So knowing that Maya was supposed to be in Ororo's room, it was strange seeing her in Natasha's hands with no clue of Ororo around.

"Good morning Nat," I stated as I kissed my princess on her chubby cheeks as I held the door open for them both.

"I heard you're going to fight Ororo today," Natasha stated with a smile on her face like the cat that caught the canary.

"Yeah, I believe it's a right for her hand if I'm not mistaken," I replied as I unpacked the items I ran out to get at high speeds.

"And what are your plans with Maya during this duel," Natasha asked as she sat down but before I could get a chance to say anything everyone was gathered around Maya. There was a feel of a murderous glare sent my way, and when I looked around, I couldn't figure out where it came from.

"Why didn't you tell me I was a grandmother dear," Rosie began towards Natasha, and I wasn't going to stick my two cents in that at the moment. So I went back to preparing breakfast and getting the table set for the extra mouths.

Though I was trying to ignore everyone and the background crap that was going on, I felt that glare again, but I was at least able to catch my mother shooting it my way before she went for Maya. Although I didn't hear Natasha deny her being the mother like Rosie gushed out loud.

With Ororo, Raven and now Felicia my love life was already messed up enough without the killer Russian joining the group, but that's for another time not right now during family time. I heard some ohh and aahh, but I was really trying to ignore them until a fucking retractable tentacle reached for the plate of holy bacon. And I wasn't having that shit.

With a quick slap, I turned around to tell Alfred to keep his claws to himself until I build him a body for him even to be able to enjoy the bacon, What I found was Otto with a metal tentacle outstretched from the back of his shirt.

"Damnit Otto, why do you have that on and using it during breakfast," I asked a little too roughly.

"Aye, language! We have a baby here!" Everyone shouted back at me while Otto continued looking a little sheepish with his retractable metal arm outstretched.

Maya was in Rosie's lap while she had her hands over her ears. I just want breakfast to be over with soon; before I could say anything else, Jean and Gwen came floating out of my room in a pair of my oversized shirts.

They took one look at everyone then zoomed back inside to put on something other than my shirt and whatever undies. The table was set, and everything was going great when Ororo walked in with a fully mussed Felicia Hardy.

Maya got one good look at Ororo before squealing out, "Mommy," her hair burst into flames as she flew over to Ororo as she walked in through the door. Everyone at the table turned to look at me, and I felt like I was currently living in an episode of Maury.

"ENOUGH! We will sit down and enjoy breakfast and talk before we head to the island." I spoke, cutting everyone off. With that statement, everyone settled back down. Ororo smiled at me as she and Felicia sat down beside Natasha.

I sat myself down next to Ororo, Jean took the seat on my other side and then Gwen took the seat next to her. So it was time to clear the air, "Maya is my daughter and the circumstances of her birth are very peculiar and revolves around the island that we will be visiting after this. Yes, she and Ororo have a certain connection, okay? But Maya treats Natasha as a mom also. Now, can we all eat? We have a long day ahead of us." I started to dig into the food myself.

That brought them up short, and Natasha shot me a grateful smile, my mother stopped shooting me a glare and went back to talk with Gwen since she was the nearest, but I honestly wanted to know what the hell Peter was wearing and why.

"Peter, are you going to tell me what you're wearing finally?" I asked, trying not to sound too put off from the weird harness he had strapped on with so many buckles it looked like it could be BDSM gear.

"Ohh this is the gravimetric harness that I have been working on to complete a portion of the Solar reactor that helps to control the gravimetric spikes," Peter stated with excitement, but I was more worried about what he was using to power the thing.

"That looks like something out of those magazines Laura has been reading," Natasha put in, causing Peter to go bright red.

"Wait, what are you using to power that thing anyway?" I asked as I finished my eighth pancake while reaching for another helping of bacon. Peter mumbled something that I didn't hear though so I had to ask for some clarification.

"That spare power core from your lab," Peter stated with his mouth full of food. That brought me to a pause with my fork in front of my mouth. Those power cores were the distilled version of my lightning in a bottle. That was a scary thought; placing my utensils down I closed my eyes and felt for the power core directly in front of me.

There was nothing on my senses, and that gave me hope of being able to use my lightning for more than powering my gear.

With some excitement, I began "Peter what's the marked variant that you're using?"

"It's a mark twenty-four," Peter replied as he thought about it for a moment. That was the variant that I had within a separate isolation field that I reversed engineered from the PYM particle to isolate it from the world.

"Okay, so that's to stabilize the gravity spike that the reactor can produce that's good but why not repurpose it to create hover cars?" I asked Peter and Otto. That caused their eyes to go wide, and they brought up a hard-light projection and began to science the shit out of the idea I threw their way.

Before I could reply or even make more plans though I was distracted with Ororo pinching me on the thigh as she directed my line of sight towards the hard light projection of the tv showing the current news.

The morning news started with the actions of Wonder Woman and Phoenix rescuing people from accidents and flying them to the hospital, then it abruptly changed.

I did notice some shade was being thrown towards Spiderman and I had to make a mental note to fix that ASAP. I figured I already knew who was spreading that hate and he was going to get a rude visit from me once I was over with my week of work.

The current view was of a Tony Stark walking down towards a podium with a jacket over his shoulders. I should have felt strange looking at a very malnourished version of Robert Downy Junior, but I felt nothing because I was all about the benjamins baby. I was going to make a power play when he announces his stupid decision and then rake it all in with the upswing.

Although Alfred did ping my unit about some particular facial features matched between Tony and Peter, I should look into it later.

There was no need for more money since I was already beyond any normal billionaire. With all that I had stolen from the secret facilities and with my profits and this doesn't even include the market-shaping that Alfred was doing for me on the side. Yet, there was no limit to the use of hard cash and liquid assets in overseas accounts or false names.

Turning to face Ororo, I had a smile on my face with Tony's announcement of him halting all weapons manufacturing and production immediately. Alfred brought up the Stark stock beginning to plummet. I placed a few orders for Alfred to keep his eyes on Obadia so that when he makes his moves with his own subsidies, I can go for the kill and snap up all the rest increasing my holdings in Stark Tech.

These are one of the things I don't have to worry about with Vega Industries being a privately owned company. Ororo gave me a nod as she ate as regal as a queen in her court with Natasha almost carrying the same grace with her movements.

Win or lose I was going to wear the traditional challenge clothing since it was something that might have been important to Ororo.

With breakfast over with, we all went to get changed, but with the missing person going on campus at Felicia's school, we decided to call in one of the designers to purchase her a whole new wardrobe. Peter and Otto ran off back towards the labs with my hover idea on the forefront of their minds.

I shook my head as I got my things together for the trek back to the island of Eden. Although I was ready to face my challenge, I was stopped by Reed Richards in the hallway as he looked me up and down in my current attire.

I was currently wearing swimming trunks with a pair of flip flops on my feet, which I had plans to get rid of once I reached the island. Meeting the man after paying all his bills and reading about him online are two different things altogether. For one, he looked a lot like the ultimates version of Reed, and that worried me, but I had to push past my own bias.

"I would like to thank you again for allowing us to move into your building to run tests on our powers after the explosion, Sir." Reed began, but I had to cut him off at that thought.

"That's fine Reed, just please don't blow up this lab while you're here. Also, I did ask you to call me Ben since you're using one of my labs." I returned as I motioned him to walk with me towards the roof where I had one of the secured gardens located.

Halfway to the elevators, John flew down with his flames out of nowhere, "Johnny, I told you no flames on the lower floors, get down here, or I will douse your flames." I yelled up at the blonde gear head as he flew around. When I said my piece, the ceilings opened up with the fire extinguisher systems following his movements.

"Ohh, hey boss-man heading somewhere? I can tag along and protect you," Johnny began, but I had to cut him off.

"Yes, I'm going somewhere, and no you can't follow for now, but I would recommend checking out Peter's lab; they are working on a gravimetric system for a hover-car," I told Johnny, but that also got Reed to perk up.

Johnny took off towards Peter's lab while Reed was stuck trying to figure out whether to continue to talk to me or follow Johnny. After a few stutters, Reed went towards science, and I was alright with that. They can keep in Peter's lab while I deal with my challenge.

Shaking my head again, I continued on my way to my secured garden. With the purchase of the entire block, I made sure there were multiple small parks on different levels; depending on the tower you were in.

With Peter's creation of a new and improved quick-dry cement, It took a lot less time to build it all. My particular garden was located on the roof of the west wing hidden behind a hologram facade so, besides family and myself, others were not allowed access.

When I got to the roof, the sight almost took my breath away, Ororo was wearing her challenger's outfit. Ororo was in a two-piece outfit that would easily be considered a loin-cloth and nothing much else.

Ororo's lower half was in a bikini bottom with a cloth flap on the front and back while down both her thighs were leather straps in bands going down to mid-thigh. On both of her arms, Ororo was wearing multiple silver bangles denoting different things that I would have to make a note of asking about later.

Ororo's chest was wrapped with the same leather cloth that she used for her legs, keeping her bust trapped to her chest and around her neck was what I thought might be warrior beads.

On her head was another one of the headpieces that she normally kept in her room but besides the one that she normally wore. Today the one on Ororo's head was made of silver instead of black metal, and it kept her hair up and out of her eyes.

I noticed a few light scars here and there along her body, I wanted to ask about them, but I refrained from doing so because of the look of action in her eyes. Ororo was spoiling for a fight, and I was her target.

Next to Ororo were my triple redheaded problems, Natasha, Jean, and Maya. Maya was wearing a child's jumper while Natasha was bringing out her inner Lara Croft with Jean following the same dress code. Natasha had on a pair of black short shorts while wearing a very skin-tight black T-shirt while Jean was wearing the same in brown.

On the other side was Felicia and Gwen but they weren't wearing a matching set of clothing trying to give me heart troubles. Felicia went with the rebel girl route wearing a pair of combat pants with sandals on her feet while wearing a normal shirt. Gwen, on the other hand, was wearing a summer dress with a floral print design.

What they wore astounded me but I couldn't focus on them right now. I had to call Maya over from her little entertainment of chasing one of the butterflies.

"Alright princess, give daddy one of the flowers we brought with us," I called out to Maya as she zipped from one end of the garden to the other. Maya stopped halfway up in the air chasing the butterfly and came back zipping down in a blaze of glory.

Her hair was wild, and she had a child-like grin splitting her face as she came to float in front of me. Out of Maya's long flaming red hair grew one of the teleporting flowers which I was sure I left in a loop hanging from one of the chairs last night.

Placing those thoughts aside and the one about why the flower wasn't burning also, it was time to plant the flower. Before I could move to place it though Ororo was already there to take it from Maya, there was plenty I could have said, but I held my tongue since she was the nature goddess amongst our group.

Although now that she had the flower, I noticed the location where she was once standing already picked out for the plant. With the flower planted and a wave of her hand, Ororo summoned the portal that could only lead to the island. A roughly ten-foot-wide ring flowed out of the flower with golden and purple vines lining the outside.

The event horizon had the same spiral mix of purple and gold, but you could distinctly see the island on the other side of the portal. Everyone took a moment to ohh and ahh at the portal. Then with one look at me, Ororo turned and walked into the portal. I was sure there was some sort of connection with the island and her powers.

"She is intense," Felicia stated as she poked her hand at the portal.

"This is important to her," Natasha stated she jumped to snatch Maya out of the air. "And you're coming with me little one." With that, Natasha walked through the portal after Ororo.

Gwen and Jean then placed their hands into the portal to test it out for a bit before both of them walked through. Felicia was the last one to stop and take a longer pause than the rest.

"This is a lot to take in; you know that, right?" Felicia stated as she turned around to look at me accusingly.

I could only shrug at her, "This isn't my fault. You're the one that decided to become a part of my life."

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"Well yeah, the money and the glamour not this super crazy hidden island and such," Felicia replied, almost reaching hysterics now.

"What did you expect when you heard us talking?" I asked as I started to realize that she might be the only normal one in the group.

"A private heli picking us up and then we go from there, not a portal to who knows where," Felicia replied, calming down.

"Well, we do things differently around here. You should have realized that with the flying baby. But if you want, I notified Horgath our lawyer to start setting up companies for when we do the Fisk takeover, and I'm sure there is enough paperwork to keep you busy until we return." I stated as I brought up my wrist where I had one of the test bench's latest creations.

On my wrist looked like what could have passed off as a set of monks prayer beads, but it was a state of the art computer and hologram suite all miniaturized with the use of the Vega particles. There was more power on my wrist alone than inside all of the Pentagon, but this was for only those in my inner circle.

"Okay fine I will be the Alice to your Wonderland then," Felicia replied before putting a leg through the portal in a test maneuver but when the portal failed to hurt her; she shrugged and walked through it.

I guess the magic word for Felicia was paperwork and I can get her to do what I want her to. I hope she realizes that taking over Fisk will also come with paperwork if she doesn't get a good assistant and delegate her work.

"Alfred send up a few of those quick construct drones I designed, please and thanks. Also, we need to have a chat about the materials upgrade for your body soon." I stated out loud as I waited for the bulky spider construction drones to meet me in the garden.

Three of the main mother drones came loaded to the max with mini drones and everything else shrunk down for me to build the first base on the island. With a wave of my hand, I ushered them through before me then stepped in behind them.

The teleporting felt like how I first teleported. A slight squeeze then pop and I was out on the other side: no muss, no fuss, and no puking my guts out like all those Syfy shows.

When I walked out of the portal, I was greeted with a stepping stone type path that I followed. When I got to the end of the path, I was greeted with another strange sight. Ororo was kneeling in front of a lady, and everyone else was astonished.

Standing there was a very buxom lady in her mid-thirties, her hair was forest green with leaves throughout her hair. She wore a flowing toga in the colors of summer and on her feet were hemp sandals. Her skin was a golden wheat color, and the vibes she gave off screamed motherhood to anyone with half a brain.

"Ohh, it's about time you arrived young one," She stated as she looked at me from where she stood with a warm look on her face.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?" I asked not having a clue about someone being here on the island besides us.

"Ben, don't be so rude," Gwen instantly replied to me, but before I could answer her the air rattled and I heard the leaves on the tree's shake.

"My name is Gaia, and it's rude of you not to remember my name after stuffing me with so much of your power," Gaia replied coquettishly as her cheeks took on the color of a bright red tomato. That made me weak knees, and I almost buckled where I stood.

"Please, Lady Gaia don't place that thought in their heads." I instantly cut her off, waving my hands to defuse the situation.

Lady Gaia smiled at me then placed her attention back on Ororo. "There is no need to kneel my chosen," Gaia stated as she helped Ororo to raise from her kneeling position.

"I'm blessed to have you here, my goddess," Ororo stated.

Gaia cut her off before she could finish, though. "There is no need for that my chosen, just like there is no need to kneel before me."

While this was going on, Natasha was oddly still in a frozen position like she was caught off guard. I guess as a trained assassin since birth, finding something that would give anyone an existential crisis would do that to someone. Maya was floating around with her hair ablaze as usual.

Felicia and Gwen had slight frowns on their faces while Jean had her head cocked to one side in a thinking pose. There was no need to stand around the portal though so I ushered us all to move out of where we were.

Come to think about it, where were we anyway. With Ororo talking to Gaia and the girls moving with me ushering them alone; I took the opening to check where we arrived on the island.

The portal placed us in the grove right outside the front of the heart tree, right above the pocket that I used to connect to the island and awaken Gaia. With our location settled in, I had the construction drone's set up and began to build the defenses to the island. I knew the island had its own natural defenses to ward away people, but phase shields and retro-reflective shields to make the island invisible from space were things that needed to be installed.

When I arrived back from setting the construction drones to work, I found Gaia telling Jean how she was the chosen of life. Gwen already had a bag full of new flowers that I didn't pay much attention to the first time I came, and Felicia was relaxing on a chair.

"Why isn't my phone working here?" Felicia asked as soon as I reappeared.

"Because we are on a hidden uncharted island, but don't worry, you will be connected to the internet again once one of the towers goes up," I replied to Felicia with a shrug but I noticed she was relaxing on a chair made of roots.

"Gwen, what are you working on?" I asked, turning to my stunning nerdy girlfriend.

"I'm testing these new plants for their efficacy in healing and potency towards the human body," Gwen replied as she started to set up her mini-lab from one the utility belts around her waist.

That made me take a second look, and it turns out she was in my lab again and was using the Vega Particle utility belt. I can't even say that I'm surprised much really. There is a saying that whatever you own your wife or girlfriend owns just as much as you do.

I left them to relax and went over to where Gaia was talking to Jean as they stood outside a new clearing that wasn't there before. The clearing was ringed by a flaxen hemp rope roughly a one foot thick going around a twelve-foot ring.

"Lady Gaia," I said with a bow of the head.

"My chosens suitor and the chosen suitor of life and rebirth," Gaia replied towards me with a nod of her own.

"I have heard you call me the chosen of life and rebirth." Jean began as she tapped herself on the chin. "Lady Gaia, do you mind telling me what that is."

"No child I don't mind at all," Gaia replied as she smiled at Jean while summoning herself a seat made of flowers. "Your namesake the Phoenix is more than just a name young one. The Phoenix is the cosmic being of life and rebirth and you; my child have a shard of her power within you."

"What does that mean?" Jean asked. It was the one question whose answer I was afraid to know and, with the thoughtful look on Jean's face, I was certain that she was also worried.

"It means you can be whoever you want to be because you're connected to a cosmic force. It does not mean you will be any different. For example, Ororo is my chosen, but she is still Ororo even though she has a connection to myself." Gaia stated as she lounged in the chair.

When Gaia said that I had released a breath, I had no clue I was currently holding. That was one of the larger things that had been weighing on my mind since meeting Jean back in our sophomore year.

I ignored them to walk over to the side where Natasha was coaching Ororo on the up and coming match, which I would think was kind of unfair in a certain way, but who am I to judge? Although, when I noticed the new look Ororo was rocking, I knew Gaia had something to do with it.

Ororo's hair was now done in a warrior's braid flowing down her back, but what drew my attention was the lotus on her forehead. There was also a white sun on her right shoulder and a moon on her left. Her clothing had also changed to a more tribal-like design, and her feet were free of the sandals she had when she walked here.

Around her head was a rope band, and around her arms were the same straps. They covered from her forearms down and around her wrist and knuckles. Ororo's shins and feet were wrapped the same way as her arms. The look she wore currently reminded me of a mix of the muay Thai and traditional African warriors garb.

Her legs were lean and firm, and that ass was a peach I wanted to take a bite out of, hell all the ladies around me were the perfect specimens of female beauty of all shapes and sizes.

Although no matter how beautiful the other ladies were, Ororo and Jean stood out in a way the others couldn't, even Natasha and her upbringing in the red room didn't give off the otherworldly feeling they naturally produced.

Getting out of my headspace and getting into my battle mode, I took a step in the ring after I had enough of checking the two out. Once my right foot touched down within the ring, the world changed, and I knew this was Gaia's doing.

Gone were my shorts, my Hawaiian shirt and with it everything was replaced with battle gear. My arms were wrapped in flax ropes down from my forearm to my knuckles. So were my legs from my shins to my ankles. When I looked down, I realized I was wearing an Egyptian style loin-cloth that matched Ororo's; the difference was the lightning bolt on the front of my cloth instead of the green earth on her own.

This caused me to pause because of the appearance of my new battle gear. The connection to my powers was also cut irritating me.

"That is only temporary for the bout," Gaia explained from her location as she watched me with a critical eye. I looked at Gaia with the same critical nature because she bound my powers without my consent or terms. I would need to speak with the Ancient One soon it would seem.

There was a wolf whistle that drew my attention and ire away from the nature goddess though. When I turned around to see who was whistling, I found Felicia at the edge of the ring very red-faced, next to her still were Jean and Gwen with the same expression.

"You act like you haven't seen me without my shirt on before." I huffed at them as I turned around to walk to the center of the ring.

:Yeah, but that's low light with a lot of petting and kissing. Momma wanna feast on a hunk right now: Jean replied to me telepathically as I stood at the center of the ring.

Two daggers were placed at the center of the ring. Each dagger was roughly a foot and a half long. The handle of the blade carried a panther engraving which I was sure was hinting at the ancestors that also connected her to the Sorcerer Supreme named Ayesha. Or it could just be one of the Vashanti, and I was overthinking things.

I took the dagger facing me while taking five steps back from the center ring. Ororo turned around once I began to check my own straps while Natasha walked around to join the rest of the ladies. From the way she walked, Ororo was on the prowl, and when our eyes met the inner fire in her eyes gave me a shiver of excitement that I had to clamp down.

Ororo drew the dagger left for her and twirled it around her fingers in such a way that screamed expert. With her blade in hand, Ororo took a few steps back herself.

We both twirled the blade into a back-handed grip and settled into our stances. I was already settled into my powers, so I was pretty ambidextrous while Ororo was a righty. From the way, Ororo stood though it would have been hard for anyone to tell.

All her gaps in her defense were hidden, and it felt similar to when I faced Logan during any other training session. There was a lull of silence as we both stood there watching each other.

Then as if we had a prior agreement, we both dashed forward.

[Place Break]

Natasha was feeling more than just her mortality right now. She had killed because she was raised to and killed because she wanted to, and during all her time, Natasha never felt any regrets.

Now here she was facing the mother goddess from what she could see. And now her world was feeling just that much smaller, and Natasha wasn't happy with that at all.

Natasha prided herself on always being prepared, but ever since she met Benjamin, all her preparations flew out the window. Natasha found herself having to formulate and learn things about the world of powers as she had come to call it.

Yet with all her preparations, she found herself standing next to the mother goddess herself as she watched a bout between a person she considered a little brother and another she had come to respect.

"Child what have they done to you," Gaia spoke up as she looked from the fight to Natasha.

"Lady Gaia, I don't understand?" Natasha asked, trying to piece together what the mother of the earth was talking about.

With a wave of her hands Gaia picked up Natasha and brought her closer, Natasha reflexively brought out her hidden Ruger sr22 aiming directly for Gaia.

"That's unnecessary," Gaia stated as she waved a finger sending away the pistol within Natasha's hands.

"Lady Gaia why?" Jean began but was silenced with a wave from Gaia the elder goddess.

"Just helping to fix a problem," Gaia stated as one of her hands began to glow a soft green. With the glowing hand, she placed it over the lower abdomen of struggling Natasha. "Relax young one; there is no need for me to harm a companion of my chosen."

Natasha wanted to, but she couldn't relax with the current situation she was in. This situation was all too familiar to the restraints she went through in the red room. The very act reminded Natasha of the red room and what they did with her body against her will.

She felt the warmth in her systems though, Natasha felt it as the warmth spread from her lower abdomen. Natasha was sure she felt something there that should not have been, something she knew was impossible.

Natasha knew that the only way Ben had figured out to heal such a wound was with the extremis because of its nature to rewrite the human body. Natasha had seen his research on the black servers and even that one being done by Curt Conners. That serum was strictly restricted because of its nature to turn a person into a humanoid lizard. That serum was as dangerous as the Extremis one that liked to blow people up.

So Natasha knew that what Gaia might have done was impossible or what she thought was impossible. Fuck, every time she felt like she had a handle on things, something else changed.

Healing her or not, Natasha vowed to find a way to oppose another person that could summon her against her will telepathically or otherwise.

"You're healed now young one," Gaia stated as she placed Natasha back on the ground.

Before she could reply, Gwen was at Natasha's side running scans up and down her body to make sure there was no damage done. Natasha already knew what Gaia had done for her, but it wouldn't hurt to hear a second opinion.

[Eden: Paradise Lost]

Ororo and I clashed mid-ring fist to fist as we battled it out like a well-choreographed fight. With each kick, punch, and swing, Ororo and I dodged blow after blow as we tried to counter each other searching for the upper hand.

Ororo gained the upper hand as one of her legs moved into my stance. She struck with an elbow to my chest as she turned to lash me in the face with her braid. I took the stumble back as I lashed out and kicked Ororo in the chest with my leg.

That gave me the space to flip and right myself back into a ready stance. I now had a few knicks here and there along my right arm from the dagger in Ororo's hands. I couldn't lie Ororo's skills with the blade are on par with Natasha's, and she was raised as a killing machine. Granted, Ororo' grew up on the streets of Egypt, so she had to have at least survived somehow.

We were both back into the fight, and I went for a low sweep which Ororo jumped right over with a flip bringing her heel down on me. Using my left hand, I grabbed her by the ankle, shifting it to the side but Ororo was already onto me. With a twist, Ororo's other foot came around flying towards my face forcing me to let go of the ankle.

I was already back up with a knee heading right for her face when Ororo spun to the side with her dagger forward, aiming right for my hip. I stuck my hand out in front of the blade, taking the blow to my palm.

Ignoring the sting of the blade, I lashed out with my left hoping to back-hand her way, but Ororo had clamped down on my forearm and drove me to the ground. Again I was on the ground, but this wasn't the first time I found myself here. I did a swift hip up, forcing Ororo up and over my head, forcing her away from me.

Ororo lightly sprung away, swapping out her own dagger for my own as she rolled away.

"You know, most men would have given up by now," Ororo stated as she talked, pacing back and forth from her location.

"Yeah, but only I know the true worth of what I'm fighting for." I replied as I pulled the dagger out of my palm.

"Ohh, and pray tell what it is that you're fighting for?" Ororo asked as she paused for a moment before launching herself back at me.

"A partner," I began as I blocked a punch aimed for my solar plexus.

"An equal," I said as I twisted the dagger nicking Ororo on her left.

"In all things." I released as I took a kick to the face from Ororo.

"Then I shall accept your courtship," Ororo replied as she flicked the dagger back towards the center of the ring. "I'm no broodmare, nor am I a trophy."

"You can have faith in me, my lady that will not be an issue. I value you for your brains, not your bloodline or connections." I replied with a smile as I tossed my own dagger to the center ring.

I held my hand out to Ororo as I took a step outside the ring and began to levitate. "I believe a flight around the island is in order, my lady,"

My headband disappeared, and so did the wraps but I kept the Egyptian cloth around my waist as I floated there waiting for her, but I didn't have to wait long. With a smile, Ororo joined me in the air with Maya right behind her.

With flaming red and white, we took towards the sky.

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