Fade To Blue » Marvel |3|

Chapter 23. Quarantine Style Staycation

April 15, 2024. 8:04 PM.

"Grab your snacks now before I start explaining, cause this is gonna take a while" I say. Peter runs off to the kitchen and returns with a large bag of Doritos and a bottle of Sprite. "Alright, so back in Wakanda after everyone comes back to life, I'm sitting in a garden. Well, I find a random painted rock. I put this rock in my pocket and put it on a shelf when I got home. I think it was... black. Like, pitch black. When I went to the Underworld to get Mama and Loki, I found another random rock. This time, it was teal. What if they're Infinity Stones?"

"Holy crap, Alina, that's just- jeez."

"You don't believe me?"

"I do, it's just this is all really big." Bruce sighs. "Let's scan for gamma radiation when we get home."

"Wahoo!" I exclaim. "That actually didn't take very long to explain, now that I think about it."

"Home in ten, everyone get your stuff around." Clint says.

I gather my weapons and the Night Stone and strap into my seat. Today's gonna be wack, I just know it.

Eight and a half minutes later...

"Loki, can you grab the possible stones from one of the shelves in my room? You'll know it when you see it. Tony, can you please take the Iron Man suit off? The arc reactor's messing with the scanner."

"Why?"

"It's going on the fritz, see for yourself." I say, stepping aside. Tony looks at the monitor display and his eyes go wide.

"Blueberry, we got ourselves another Infinity Stone."

"What?" I ask.

"How would that work?" Mama asks. "There wasn't a need for another stone back in 2010 when you created that, so how's this playing out?"

"Well, perhaps the universe knew that there would be a need for one and they just had Tony make it then so we'd have it now. Who knows?" I shrug.

"Universe? Really? You seriously think that there's some overlord making everything happen?" Tony asks.

"No, I don't. I think that it's a possibility. I don't necessarily believe in it, but, Tony, we have time travel, aliens, gods, even a set of people who save the world, so who's to say that it's not real?" I ask. I wander into the kitchen and grab a pack of blueberries out of the fridge. Tony eyes me weirdly as I eat. "What?" I ask.

"You're a cannibal, kid." Tony says.

"Wha- seriously, Tony?" I ask.

10:09 AM.

"Alright, everyone! Listen up." I exclaim, standing at the head of the conference room table. "We have confirmed the existence of five new Infinity Stones. I'm not sure if there is a sixth, but if there is, we'll find it. Hang on, where's Mama?" I ask.

"She ran out to get something, no idea what." Clint replies.

"Didn't I tell everyone to stay put? Isn't the building on lockdown or something?" I ask as I pull out my phone.

Sunshine: Where are you?? Just about to debrief the squad.

Mama: I have something freaky on my hands, I'll be home for debrief in five. Save my seat.

Sunshine: Nobody would dare take your spot, don't worry.

"Clint! What did I say about stealing her chair?" I ask.

"Not to do it." Clint sighs. "But her chair is comfy and not plastic!"

"Buy a new chair then, dude. Or, better yet, everyone can pay for custom made chairs designed by yours truly. You know what, never mind, I'm on it. I'll start design tonight." I say. "Liza, remind me to make the nice chairs."