The Next Day
"These microbots… we could probably build the entire city in less than a month," I said, watching the small swarm move seamlessly across the table. "The only reason it'll take that long is because we'll need to order and ship the materials first."
Marlize stood beside me, her arms folded, studying the bots with a mixture of awe and calculation. "They're incredible. They could completely revolutionize construction. Change the way humanity builds... everything."
I nodded. "Yeah, they could. But that's exactly why I'm not planning on releasing them to the world—not yet anyway. If one person with a command terminal can build entire cities alone, millions of construction workers would be out of a job overnight."
Marlize gave a small hum of agreement, still admiring the swarm.
Right now, the two of us were discussing the city I planned to build for mutants—a sanctuary where they could live safely, away from government persecution and societal fear. The microbots were the key to making that dream a reality.
I'd already shut down the factory that used to mass-produce standard robots. We'd refitted it to churn out microbots instead—tiny machines capable of constructing entire skyscrapers, roads, parks, everything.
The foundation was laid. All that was left was to begin.
"I'm still searching for the Mutant Underground," I said, leaning back slightly. "Finding the Morlocks has helped speed things up, but I haven't made direct contact yet. I'd rather wait until the city is ready—have something real to offer them first."
Marlize nodded thoughtfully. "It's the smart move. A dream is good, but a real city they can see with their own eyes? That will make all the difference."
I glanced down at the microbots one more time, a small smile playing at my lips.
Soon.
As Marlize and I were deep in conversation, Church suddenly appeared.
"What's up, Church?" I asked, glancing at him.
"Nothing much. Richard and Mary want to talk to you," he said casually.
"Alright," I nodded.
Without another word, he disappeared.
I turned back to Marlize. "We can pick this up later."
"Sounds good," she said with a smile. "Bruce and I were planning to hang out anyway. It's almost about that time."
I smirked. "You two have been hanging out a lot lately."
Marlize rolled her eyes, though I caught the faintest hint of a blush. "We're just friends. That's it. Neither of us is looking for a relationship. He's just... a good friend."
I chuckled. "You said 'friend' twice in the same sentence, but alright, I'll leave it alone. Bye, Marlize."
Before she could respond, I teleported away with a grin.
Ruby POV
I was just sitting in the cafeteria, enjoying one of Ice Bear's amazing sandwiches, when I saw her — the so-called goddess.Ed sometimes called her that too. Stupid goddess.Amora spotted me and walked over.
"Hello, young mortal. Is the bear here?" she asked.
I kept eating, barely glancing up. "Name's Ruby. And no, Ice Bear's not here."
"Do you know when he'll return?" she pressed.
I shot her a flat look. "Do I look like his assistant? Ask one of the AIs. I'm pretty sure they know."
I went back to my sandwich, ignoring her.
"You should show me a bit more respect, girl. I am a goddess," she said, her voice tight with anger.
I smirked. "True, you're a goddess. But from what I've heard... not exactly a smart one."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "He told you?"
"He told everyone on the base," I said casually, taking another bite.
Amora's face flushed in embarrassment. "Why?"
"Part warning," I said with a shrug, "part entertainment. Gotta be honest — it's hilarious."
"It's not funny," she snapped.
"From where I'm sitting? It's hilarious." I leaned back, grinning."I mean, come on. You fell in love with some prince who didn't even love you back. Instead of moving on like a normal person, you mind-controlled him, tried to overthrow an entire kingdom, got your ass handed to you by an old man and woman... and then, in total desperation, you tried making a deal with an evil god whose whole thing is enslaving and destroying everything he touches. If that's not stupid, I don't know what is."
Her anger flickered into sadness and something like shame.
"You don't understand," Amora said quietly.
"You're right," I said, standing up. "I don't understand. If someone didn't love me, yeah, it'd hurt. But I'd move on. Find someone who would love me back.You? You didn't want Thor — you wanted the idea of Thor. You wanted the throne, the power, the spotlight. Not love."
Amora's hands balled into fists. "You're wrong. I loved him. Since we were children."
I tilted my head. "Sure you did," I said dryly. "Then why didn't you just mind-control him and leave Asgard? Why try to take the throne?"
"Odin would never have let me live in peace with him," she snapped. "I had to take over!"
"But you're a sorceress, right? Couldn't you have just used magic to hide? Find some remote planet? Live in peace with your mind-controlled prince?"
She hesitated.
"I wouldn't hide," she muttered, trying to sound proud.
I laughed. "You're hiding right now with a bunch of mortals.If your pride was really that important, you wouldn't be sitting here — weak, injured, magicless, hiding on an island you don't even own."
Amora was silent. Completely silent.
I grabbed the last bite of my sandwich. "Thought so."
She looked away, eyes burning, but said nothing.
"Look," I said, softening just slightly. "Half the people here are going to therapy. Maybe you should too. You think you're fine — but you're not. You're still clinging to a version of yourself that lost.Change. Prove to Ed — and to yourself — that you're not just some villain who can't let go.Who knows? Maybe you'll even get a second chance. Maybe you can even help your sister, if she's still alive."
I stood up, tossing my napkin into a nearby bin.
"Up to you," I said, not bothering to look back."I gave you the advice. What you do with it is your problem."
And with that, I left her sitting there, alone, at the table.
Anya POV
"Man, this is starting to get annoying, when are we actually going to be heroes?" I asked.
"I know, right?!" Julia added, groaning. "We've been training for months. We're more than ready."
"That's what a lot of rookies think, too — especially in the police force," Gwen said. "My dad's always complaining about new recruits doing stupid stuff because they get impatient."
"But we're not cops, Gwen. We're trying to be superheroes," Julia said.
"Exactly. Which means the fallout's even worse if we mess up. We need to be fully ready before we put on the mask," Gwen said seriously.
I sighed. "Makes sense... but I gotta ask — have you guys decided what your hero names are gonna be?"
"My hero name's going to be Ghost-Spider," Gwen said proudly.
"I'm calling dibs on Spider-Girl," I grinned.
"Oh, come on!" Cindy groaned.
"What? Spider-Woman's already taken — Julia claimed it!" I said, laughing.
"Then what am I supposed to be called?" Cindy said, frustrated. "I can't be Spider-Girl or Spider-Woman! And Miles — he's probably gonna call himself Spider-Boy or something."
"Like hell I am," Miles said. "My hero name's gonna be Arachnid."
"You know," I smirked, "you could just name yourself Silk. You don't have to have 'Spider' in the name."
Cindy paused, thinking about it."...Sht,* that's actually a good point. Fine — my hero name's Silk."
"Alright," Gwen clapped her hands together, "now that we've got all our hero names figured out... who's gonna be our team leader?"
"What are you talking about? Ed's the leader," Peter said.
"Yeah, but I mean for our group. Ed can't be with us 24/7," Gwen pointed out. "So who's leading the Web Warriors?"
"Not it," Miles said immediately.
"Not it," I echoed right after.
"Not it!" Cindy chimed in.
Gwen looked around, stunned. "Seriously?! None of you want to be the leader?"
"Hell no," I laughed. "I see how much work it is. I'd rather just be a hero without the extra responsibility."
"Yeah," Julia agreed. "Besides, do we really even need a leader?"
"We kinda do," Gwen insisted. "What if there's a situation where we have to coordinate? Someone needs to be calling the shots."
"Okay then," I said, smirking. "Who's it gonna be?"
Gwen straightened up. "I'm a year older than all of you."
Peter smirked right back. "Yeah, but I've been Spider-Man way longer than you.Experience beats age."
They both looked at each other, eyes narrowing.
"Only one way to decide," Peter said with a grin.
"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Gwen asked, crossing her arms.
"We either vote... or play Rock-Paper-Scissors. Fair warning though — I'm very lucky," Peter said proudly.
"If you're talking about that Parker Luck, I wouldn't bet on it," Ed said, walking into the training room.
We all turned toward him.
"Good, you're here!" I said, waving him over. "You can help us decide who's gonna be the leader of the Web Warriors."
Ed raised an eyebrow. "Huh. You guys are just now deciding that? I thought it was already settled. But sure, I'll help."
He paused, looking serious.
"But first — I hope all of you understand — being a leader isn't fun. It's a responsibility. You'll be responsible for your teammates' lives... and the civilians you're saving. It's not just about giving orders — it's about carrying the weight when things go wrong."
Peter nodded, standing a little straighter. "I know. Responsibility's practically my family motto."
"And my dad's a police captain," Gwen added. "He taught me what it means to be a leader. I get it — it's serious."
Ed smiled slightly at that. "Good. Then both of you will respect my decision, right? No arguing, no getting mad if you're not picked?"
"Nope," Peter said.
"Of course not," Gwen agreed.
"Alright then," Ed said. "Here's my decision — Peter will be the team leader. Gwen, you'll be second-in-command."
Gwen blinked, but didn't argue. Peter looked a little surprised too.
"I chose Peter because he's right — experience beats age. He's been doing this longer. But Gwen, you have the right instincts and abilities to lead too. So I'm counting on both of you to work together and lead the team right," Ed said firmly.
Peter nodded seriously. Gwen gave a small smile and a salute.
"Got it, boss," Peter said, grinning.
"Web Warriors, assemble!" Miles said dramatically, throwing up a fist — and we all just laughed.
Escanor POV
I was at my bar, wiping down the counters as usual. We were closed for the night — though I'd be opening again soon enough. That's when I heard something crash out back, a loud clatter like someone had knocked over the dumpster.
I grabbed a towel just in case and went to check it out.
Outside, in the alley behind the bar, I spotted them: two kids rummaging through the trash. They looked young, ragged... clearly homeless, and searching for food.
"Hey there," I called out gently.
They froze. Fear flashed across their faces, and they looked ready to bolt.
"Wait — you don't have to run," I said quickly, raising my hands in a calming gesture. "If you're hungry, I'll get you some real food. No tricks."
They hesitated, still wary, but they didn't run. I didn't blame them for not trusting me.
"Just stay right here. I'll be right back," I promised.
I rushed back inside, headed upstairs to my apartment above the bar. Luckily, I had some leftovers from last night — a few homemade burgers and some fries. I warmed them up, added some mayonnaise, packed two bottles of water, and hurried back down.
When I returned, they were still there, hovering close to the dumpster.
"I'm glad you stayed," I said, setting the food and water down a few feet from them. Then I backed away and sat down at a safe distance.
Slowly, the younger one reached for the food, but the older girl pulled her back protectively. Only after a long moment did they approach the plates and start eating, still cautious, their eyes darting to me now and then.
I noticed how worn their clothes were... especially the older girl's jacket, ripped and stained.
"Can you tell me your names?" I asked softly.
The younger one spoke first between bites. "Molly."
The older one hesitated but finally said, "Gert."
"Nice to meet you both. I'm Escanor," I said with a warm smile. "I own this bar."
They didn't respond — too focused on eating — but that was fine. They needed it more than conversation.
"Are you two alone?" I asked.
Gert shook her head. "No. We have friends. If we don't come back soon, they'll know where to look."
I nodded. "That's good. But don't worry — I'm not gonna hurt you. And if your friends are hungry too, I'd be happy to feed them."
She still eyed me with deep suspicion. Life on the streets had taught her that much.
"Why aren't you in a shelter... or a foster home?" I asked gently.
"Some shelters are full... and dangerous," Gert said bitterly. "And foster care? They keep trying to split me and my sister apart."
I felt a pang of sadness. Kids should never have to live like this. Judging by how defensive they were, I could tell they'd been burned by adults before.
An idea sparked.
"How about this," I said. "Since you're looking for food and someplace safe... I'll make you and your friends a deal."
Gert tensed. "What kind of deal?"
"Simple things," I said, keeping my voice even. "Help me out around the bar a little — clean up, small stuff — and I'll pay you in food and some money."
She stared hard at me, looking for the catch.
"I'd need to talk to the others first," she said cautiously.
"That's fair. Take your time," I said. "If you decide you're interested, come back tomorrow near closing time."
Before they could leave, I hurried back inside and gathered more supplies: canned food, bottled water, even some basic medicine — just in case they needed it. I packed everything into a bag.
When I returned, they were still there. I set the bag down and stepped back.
"Take it," I said. "For you and your friends."
Gert hesitated only a second before grabbing it. She gave me one last suspicious look, then she and Molly disappeared into the night.
I gathered the empty plates and quietly went back into the bar, hoping they'd come back tomorrow.
And hoping I could give them a little more than just food.