Next Avengers: Secret of the Spider

Part 17

"Guys!" Penny yelled, running up out of the lab. "Guess what?"
"What," Hawkeye replied, hanging from his knees in a tree, arms crossed.
"You're not even supposed to be out of your room," Penny snapped. "What are you doing upside down in a tree?"
"I ran out of things to shoot," he replied with a shrug. "So, what made you go run screaming around that's so cool?"
"I'll tell you when everyone gets here," Penny said. "For now, at least sit up."
Hawkeye sat upright on the branch. Pym flew back a couple seconds later with the rest of the gang.
"So, what exactly crashed in our front lawn?" James asked.
"Yeah," Azari agreed. "I've only been waiting for three days."
"I too would like to know," Torin added, hovering nearby.
"Okay," Penny said, uncrossing her arms. "The thing that crashed is actually a superhero named Nova."
"Nova?" everyone asked.
"Who's he?" Hawkeye asked, looking over at Penny.
"Only the coolest guy ever," Penny replied. "He got his powers when he was fifteen! He can fly, breathe in space, and shoot these blue bursts of energy. He threw Hulk into space with a concussion and a broken arm, and he's an Avenger and a Guardian of the Galaxy."
"And how do you know so much about him?" Azari asked.
"My dad helped him get used to the swing of things," Penny replied. "Hah. Swing of things. Anyways, they're best buddies."
"He was holding Ultron's head," James said. "Why, exactly?"
"Well, he went up into space to escape Ultron," Penny replied. "But when Torin threw it up into space, someone found it and it fixed itself. He's pretty mad at Tony for that, though."
"Makes sense," Torin said. "I just didn't think anyone would find it."
"Well, someone did," Pym replied. "Obviously."
"So, is he going to be staying with us too?" Hawkeye asked, swinging his crossed ankles.
"Yeah," Tony said, walking up behind them, face emotionless. "And he's been through a lot, so all of you need to be really, really nice."
"Okay," they all reply in unison. Tony sighed and walked through them, heading towards his lab.
"Wow," Hawkeye said. "Nova must've given him a hell of a time."
"Watch your mouth," Penny spat. "Or its gonna have webs over it."
"Okay," James said, stepping in the middle. "Look. We'll just act like nothing's different. Like with Penny's dad."
"Wonder if he'll train with us?" Pym asked.
"Probably," Torin replied. "He seems like a pretty nice man."
"Speaking of training," Azari said. Everyone groaned.
"Seriously?" Hawkeye sighed, hooking his legs on the branch and falling backwards. "Do we HAVE to?"
"Yep," Penny replied, pulling his hair on the way over to the clearing. "Cmon, birdbrain."
"Ow," Hawkeye grumbled, sitting up and jumping off the branch, following them. "That was uncalled for."

Sam stood somewhat nearby the forest, leaning on an obelisk that held the memory of one of the Avengers. His eyes couldn't focus enough yet to read it exactly, but he was pretty sure it was Wasp. He was watching the kids train, but it was more like intense tag. He still wanted to join in. He sniffed angrily and looked away, jealous and frustrated. His sister would have run in anyways, and he would have run after her. But, she's in space. Dying. While he's stuck on the planet he never wanted to go back to.
"Hey," Peter said kindly from nearby. Sam didn't look up, but he saw Peter's feet. "You okay?"
"What do you think?" Sam snapped. Simply being asked that made his eyes water. He squinted, trying to make them stop. Peter walked over and set his head on Sam's, letting his arms and satchel he brought dangle. Sam tried not to laugh. Peter's every move radiated funny.
"Awe you owkay now?" Peter asked in a baby voice.
"Yeah," Sam laughed, shoving Peter off. "Thanks for the therapy, doc."
"No prob," Peter laughed back, walking away. Sam looked up through his semi-long bangs, wiping his nose on his sleeve.
"How'd you ever get over it?" he asked. "How'd you move on from losing your parents?"
"Well," Peter sighed, sticking his thumbs in his pockets. "It wasn't easy. You just have to try and find the existing good things." He looks over at the kids, Sam following his gaze.
"Are we the big kids now?" he asked.
"Oh yeah," Peter replied, giving him a gentle nudge on the arm as he walked towards the kids." You don't get babied any more." Sam smiled, but didn't move. Peter stopped, looking back. "You coming?"
"I don't got powers," Sam replied, gesturing to his head. "Helmet's busted."
Peter nodded, then started reaching into his satchel. "Tony told me to give you this." He threw something out of it, Nova catching it and looking it over.
"My helmet!" he exclaimed.
"Now are you coming?" Peter asked. Nova slid the helmet on, the familiar feel of the Nova Force sparking to life. His blue and gold armor materialized around him, his hands surrounding themselves with blue energy.
"Oh yeah," he replied, jumping and flying ahead of Peter. "Are you?" Peter ran after him, pulling out his mask and gloves from the satchel and ditching it, pulling them on.
"Wouldn't miss it!" he yelled back, shooting a web and swinging on it, catching up. They stopped in the clearing, waiting for the kids to come. Everyone had noticed them, so they all came relatively fast.
"Whoa," James breathed.
"Wicked!" Hawkeye called out from a nearby tree. The rest just stood there in awe.
"A'right!" Nova yelled, crossing his arms as he hovered beside Peter. "No more playing around."
"It's time to really train," Peter said, also crossing his arms. "But this time, with opponents who are extremely unpredictable."
"Bring it," Azari challenged, the markings all over his body lighting up with electric energy. Torin twirled her sword, then held it at them also in challenge. James raised his shield, Penny her wrists, Pym shrunk and Hawkeye drew his bow.
"You ready?" Sam asked, looking back at Peter."
"Oh yeah," Peter replied, getting down into a crouch. Nova uncrossed his arms and made his hands into claw shapes, Nova energy appearing around them.
"Go!" James yelled, and all hell broke loose.
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Reptil landed on the roof of the biodome, looking down. Kier jumped off, looking as well.
"There," Kier whispered, pointing at Nova. "That's the one."
"Okay," Reptil said, getting up. "We can go home now."
"No, wait," Kier replied, grabbing Reptil's shoulder. "I want to meet him."
"You are an idiot," Reptil snapped. "I'm younger than you and twice as smart; we're going." He pulls Kier back and turns into a pterodactyl, grabbing Kier's shirt in his beak.
"But-but-but-" Kier stammered.
"It's cold," Reptil snapped, voice slightly muffled by Kier's shirt. "I'm wet. We aren't even going to try to go in there. You saw your stupid star." Kier sighs, crossing his arms.
"Fine," he snaps. "I'll do some research at home."
"Good," Reptil snaps back, taking off and flying away. Kier smirked, turning into a blackbird and dropping out of Reptil's beak and away. But he did leave an illusion behind to fool Reptil for a while. He fluttered back towards the biodome, landing and turning back into himself, the wind whipping his hair. He grabbed the loose panel of the biodome, pulling on it as hard as he could. This is why he brought Reptil. It didn't move. He sighed in frustration and relaxed, crossing his arms. Did he have the magic to open it and fly in? No. He was already exhausted from keeping the illusion up. He kicked at the panel with his heel, trying to break it. It didn't work. He growled and waved his hand, angrily casting a spell. The biodome panel flew backwards, opening up the way. He smirked and jumped in, turning into a blackbird and flying down into a tree. He hoped Hawkeye wouldn't see him. He watched as the team trained below, fighting each other furiously. There. The red star and the blue energy. Nova. His stomach clenched violently and he turned back into himself, grabbing the trunk for support. All of his power was gone. Again. He was stuck.
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Program stopped in his tracks. Thunderbird stopped as well, looking back at him.
"Well?" he asked.
"It's Raptor," Program replied, his voice autotuned. "The time is now." Thunderbird nodded and kept walking, leaving Program alone. He stood there for a few more seconds before running after Thunderbird. One of their own was in danger. "T-Bird!" he yelled, catching up and grabbing his shoulder. "Shadowbird's stuck in enemy territory."
"So no Backflip," Thunderbird replied.
"Exactly."
Thunderbird nodded, continuing to walk. Program headed off down a different hallway, stopping in front of a frosted door.
"It's time," he said, continuing to walk. A girl with brown hair and icy eyes stepped out, walking behind him. They headed towards the back of the facility, the one that opened up into the city. Thunderbird met up with them, leading a boy with quite literal flaming hair.
"He's coming," Thunderbird said.
"I don't have a problem with it," Program replied. "Raptor's coming with a Quinjet." Sure enough, a ship landed nearby, the back hatch opening and Reptil stepping out.
"Welcome to the team," he said. "Now get in before anyone sees you."
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Mutants unite! What's gonna happen with Kier and the team? Will Reptil and his pals get there in time to get Kier out? How much of a help (or hindrance) will Nova be? All will be revealed in the next chapter! See you all soon!
-Rune