Issue #7 (April 2018)
Written by Dan Dolan Featuring: Jocosta
Josiah Bradley
Tommy
Will
Patriot
Artemis
Hulkling
Riri Williams
Queen Divine Justice
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"The Bottle Episode"THE HIDEOUT, NYC
Jocasta was a robot. That was a simple fact. She was an artificial lifeform. That being said: everything about her radiated warmth. She was charismatic, genuine and kind. She stood at the head of the room, she was physically there but even as she stood there the children knew her consciousness could be just about anywhere; spread over several robotic bodies, computers or the “cloud”. Assisting Iron Man in some far off mission or having long talks with Machine Man in the ether in the space of a millisecond. And there she was. Handing out pizza slices and being genuinely wonderful. She had suggested a “pizza party” as a way of relaxing and allowing her to get to know her new charges. It was working, mostly. They were talking, laughing even but there was still an air of apprehension about them. Teddy was casting nervous eyes at Will, Victor casting sad glances at pretty much everyone, Tommy hadn’t said a word the whole time and Victor’s girlfriend Nico had invited herself and was making everyone on edge, seemingly for her own amusement. Josiah however was the biggest “wet blanket” by his absence. He had excused himself early to retire to his quarters. Eli had alluded to this through innuendo and snide comments all night, this did not go unnoticed by Jocasta but as of now she said nothing. “We should play a game.” Teddy smiled dorkily, “Like truth or dare or something.” “Ooh or spin the bottle.” Nico proffered sarcastically, clearly mocking the skrull, “Please what is this Saved by the Bell?” “Actually Ms. Minoru I did indeed get the idea for this informal get together from teen sitcoms.” Jocasta giggled nonchalantly, “Very astute.” She hummed but Nico looked less than pleased at the compliment, Jocasta continued: “In many of these. The participants divulged secrets or fears they had been concealing in order to create a bond.” “Doesn’t that sound like so much fun.” Nico deadpanned Victor sneered at his girlfriend and moved to stand closer to Jocasta. He’d been quite close to her since her arrival and Nico’s attitude only increased this. An almost maternal radiated off the artificial woman anytime the boy was near and he was clearly very protective of her in turn. The others, for their part, seemed spurned on by Nico’s disapproval. Determined to have fun in spite of her and in fact maybe to spite her as well. “I’ll go first.” Kate sneered shooting the goth witch a snide look, “My secret is…” Her voice dropped, the adrenaline of defying social convention and Nico’s naysaying draining as the image of her secret came to the forefront of her mind, sobering her, “My secret is… I never cried after my mother died, I never went to her funeral… and for the most part I wasn’t even sad she died. I barely knew her…” Riri immediately collapsed onto Kate, having been sitting right next to her, her arms winding around the archer. Kate hugged her back and while she did look solemn, she also looked relieved. “It’s okay. No really. I feel good. I haven’t ever said that aloud before.” The energy in the room shifted and they felt all the warmer, more at ease. “I’ll go next…” Chanté said putting her plastic cup down, “Mine’s a fear and a secret. Everyone keeps telling me I’m a born leader. In Wakanda and here… and the problem is I think they may be right. It does seem to keep happening. But the choices I make… I don’t trust them. I chose not to BP’s legacy and it got an innocent girl murdered. What kind of leader can I be… if I don’t trust myself?” Eli gave a soft smile, which she returned after a nod. “My fear is…” Eli started, breathing deeply, “I’ve built my whole life around my grandfather’s legacy and after what we found in the Freezer, that addendum on my file… I’m afraid my whole life is a lie and I don’t know what I am without that…” “What file?” Will asked, dumbfounded but soon sensing he’d stepped on a serious moment. “We…” Eli paused with a sigh, “When we found the Young Avengers file at the Freezer there was an addendum on mine… it implied that my powers may not be inherited from my grandfather.” Eli said quietly. “That’s messed up.” Will snarked but Eli didn’t seem to take offense. “Yeah.” The patriotic hero replied. “What’d the file say?” Tommy chirped shyly. “We didn’t open it. I should have. I was too angry…” He sighed. “Let’s do it now.” Kate hissed excitedly. “What?” Chanté asked. “Yeah, yeah.” Kate went on excitedly, “Ultron Jr. here should still have a copy cached in his “hard-drive” right? I know how computers work.” She giggled. At this Victor got a cross look on his face, even as the whole room turned to him in excited curiosity. “Could you?” Eli gasped. “Actually my secret/fear was… somewhat related to this kind of thing and…” “That’s perfect.” Kate sad jumping up, “Kill two traumas with one stone!” “Yeah Vic… you gotta do what your new little friends want you to do.” Nico taunted meeting Victor’s eyes and refusing to look away. “Fine.” The android teen sighed, standing up. Will however caught a look in his eye and remembered their earlier conversation. “No wait…” Will started standing up as well. “No, it’s fine.” Victor said tensely but cast Will a small smile if for but a moment. Will looked like he wanted to further protest but Jocasta walked up behind him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay.” She said softly, so only he could hear. Victor stood up and walked over to the new and improved monitor bank. After a moment his eyes lit up and a blue spark flew from his fingertips to the nearest port. Kate and Eli who had seen this “show” before gave little reaction but everyone else’s eyes widened and the stood nearer the Hispanic young man as he worked. “Wow…” Riri gasped “Victor that’s…” “Freaking amazing.” Victor snapped cutting Chante off, his curtness was overlooked as the file came up on the monitor causing Eli to rush over. “Perfect!” Patriot shouted with pure exhilaration as the rest slowly closed in around him to read as well; not noticing as Victor slunk back, save for Will, Tommy, Nico and Jocasta that is. “I’m gonna…” Victor mumbled before realizing no one really heard him as they buzzed about the file and instead turned and left the room. Nico stomped after him. The part of Will that was trying to be a better person was telling the mutant twin to follow the couple, he looked to Jocasta and she seemed to be nodding approvingly at him. He then looked to Tommy looked like he was ready to join the rest of the group unless Will had other ideas. After a breath, Will jumped up and impulsively followed Victor leaving Tommy to decide for himself. “I don’t want to say I told you so but…” Nico paced back and forth, the two of them having absconded to Victor’s room. “So don’t.” Victor snapped cutting his girlfriend off. “Why are you trying so hard to win their approval? Even at the expense of your own mental health.” Nico sighed. “Don’t be so dramatic. They just upset me. I’m not Wynona Ryder in Girl Interrupted quite yet.” “Ooh can I be Angelina Jolie than?” Will laughed as he let himself in. “Excuse you.” Nico snapped with a scowl, but her boyfriend smiled ever so slightly despite himself, “We’re having a private conversation.” “It sounded like such a pleasant one too. You really know how to be supportive there Nicki.” “Nico.” The Asian witch snapped angrily. “What’d I say?” Will smiled mischievously. “You know don’t you dare judge me. You’ve known us like two seconds. We’ve been through more than you could ever know.” Nico waved her finger at Will. Will glanced at Victor who had a defeated look on his face and wasn’t looking at either of them. “And such a bond you must have formed.” Will snarked, “When the going gets rough the rough get verbally abusive? …That just doesn’t quite have the same ring to it does it?” “You don’t want to start with me.” Nico snapped. Will smirked with a shrug before stepping toward Nico. “You’re an amateur witch right?” Will asked apropos of nothing. “…Yes.” She said hesitantly, regarding the other boy warily. Memories of the demon who shared his face flashing through her mind. “Do you know who my mother is? She’s pretty big in magic circles.” “I’ve been told…” She stammered. “Then sweetie…” His hands began to glow red, “You’ve got no defense for it, the heat is too intense for it… What good would common sense for it do?” He winked and nodded to the door. Nico looked back at Victor with wild eyes. “Chill Nic he’s just kidding… I think. Give us a bit.” He said barely keeping the smile off his face. Nico sighed. “You know what. Whatever.” She rolled her eyes, “Call me later.” She grabbed her coat from off his bed and stormed passed Will and nearly knocked Tommy over as he meekly slunk into the room. “You weren’t really…?” Victor laughed a little, turning to Will. “No, of course not.” Will scoffed letting the glow around his hands dissipate, “You knew that.” Will said, actually a little astounded that the other boy knew right away he had been joking. Often he found his humor went over others’ heads or more often just straight up offended them. Suddenly they heard some yelling from the next room, breaking the pregnant pause for a moment. “What’s that about?” Tommy asked edging towards the door. “Eli being dramatic again.” Will said dismissively. “Was there something you wanted?” Victor sighed smile dimming but not fading as he dropped down on his bed. “Believe it or not ladies and gents I actually wanted to see if you were okay, shocker I know.” Will winked. “You’ll may just make among us puny mortals after all.” Victor sighed. “And you? What’s going on… up here?” Will asked, tapping his temple as he did so. “I’m just tired.” He didn’t sound tired at all though, he sounded mad, “Tired of people projecting onto me like I’m just some stupid machine. Nico keeps trying to get to feel what she wants me to feel. Eli tells me not to do what will actually make me feel better but forces me to do what will make me feel like crap. No one actually listens…” He sighed. “We’re here. We’re listening.” Will shrugged, Tommy coming up behind him, “You know… when we talked before: you didn’t tell me what it was you wanted to do. Try me.” Victor looked up at the brothers, and for a moment said nothing. “I…” He paused, “I want to turn off the part of my programming that believes I’m Victor Mancha. The computer game that is my life. All those artificial memories and digital instincts. I want to see who I am without it.” “That doesn’t sound like such a…” Tommy stammered but Will whipped his head around. “Hey Tommy why don’t you go see what all the fuss is about out there?” Tommy looked abashed at his brother’s suggestion and slunk out of the room. “Yeah that’s how people usually tend to react when I say that.” Victor sighed. “Did I react like that?” Will shrugged, “Did I run screaming or look for the nearest pitchfork? Nah…” The probability manipulator smirked. “You think I should do it?” “I honestly don’t know if it’s the best thing for you but I’m not an expert. In fact almost no one is an expert in anyone but themselves. So that fact that you think it’s for the best? Counts for a lot.” “What if I do turn out to be… I dunno Ultron Jr. or something? I could go crazy and kill someone…” “Or you could be like Data from Star Trek!” Will gushed in only half jest. “Will…” Victor groaned. “Sorry.” “Tommy’s mentioned all the Scarlet Witches you’ve met in your journeys through the multiverse… and I know you said he’s technically not your dad but have you met many Visions too?” Victor asked. “Yeah. A lot actually.” Will shrugged. “Were they all like this world’s Vision? A hero right from the start, no issues with a killer machine taking over?” Victor asked with a new level of vulnerability in his voice. “You know I’d be lying if I said yes. Of course there were some rotten apples but that’s life. One of them tried to put me in conversion therapy because he’d been programed with a “binary social structure” that didn’t account for homosexuality.” Will laughed, “It didn’t end well for him or the good Reverend Craig who ran the conversation camp either.” Victor slumped back against his pillows a mixed look on his face. “Listen,” Will said trying to sound encouraging “Why don’t you set it up beforehand that the “Victor program” will automatically reactivate after like three minutes? And I will stand right here and remember when we first met? I stopped you then, I could stop you now.” Will winked. “You’d really do that for me?” “I would.” Will said in uncharacteristic sincerity. “Right now?” Victor said, suddenly nervous. “Hey now. This was your idea… don’t get all jumpy now.” “You’re right.” He breathed, “You’re right. Okay…” He closed his eyes, “Three minutes. I can do this.” He breathed deeply again, “You ready?” Will wasn’t really but he was really confidant that helping Victor was the “right” thing to do. It felt right. So with no hesitancy he nodded and smiled: “Ready.” “Here we go…” With a heavy heart and the comforting presence of his friends pressed behind him, Eli clicked the “True Blue” addendum with a quick intake of breath. At first there was just practically meaningless legal gobbledygook. He scrolled his nervousness quickly being overtaken by impatience. Waiting for something horrifying, shocking or just plain interesting to appear before him and change his life forever. “Wait what’s that?” Riri leaned forward pointing at the screen, “That’s a parental consent form.” Eli’s heart dropped seeing his mother’s signature. “This says I was born baseline human.” Elis said in a practical whisper, “The research of the project that empowered my grandfather had been taken over by new doctors once the originals were finally prosecuted and they asked permission to study my mother and me… they paid her.” Eli felt a wave of so many emotions wash over him. “That doesn’t mean it was something untoward.” Chanté said calmly resting a hand on his shoulder. “How’d you get to be bulletproof then?” Kate asked, completely fascinated by the screen. Eli ignored her and kept scrolling. That was until a word they all recognized came up in bold. “The Freezer.” Eli, Kate and Chanté said at once in similar tones of familiar acrimony. Lists of heroes stored in the Freezer flashed over the screen, many were listed under a sub-list indicating that just their DNA was on file rather than the hero themselves being kept on cryo. On this list many were in a bold print, lines correlating them to dates on Eli’s participation sheet under the program. “It’s always the fucking Freezer.” Kate shouted. Eli paled and backed up a little as a legal document came up, in which his mother agreed to let him be injected with serums derived from superhero DNA in return for a series of payments to be paid both to her and a to a trust set up in Eli’s name. “What the fuck…” Eli stammered. “Oh my God.” Riri gasped looking to Eli to see how to react. “I can’t fucking believe this!” Eli screamed. “Calm down.” Kate said also looking hesitant in both speaking to and getting anywhere near Eli at this particular moment, “Maybe it’s not as bad as it seems.” Tommy re-entered the room and seeing the group in a huddle around the monitor, felt his anxiety flare up, made worse by their agitated states and instead of joining in as he had longed to do when he felt obligated to follow Will he stayed back. He sidled up to Jocasta who seemed content to let events play out. Eli looked like he might vomit but he pushed on. “It says…” He said slowly, his voice shaky, “That the Freezer used at least a dozen strains on me before one took. A serum they developed from the blood of Elton Morrow AKA the Blue Diamond.” “Well isn’t that intriguing?” Jocasta smiled cheerily, causing five pairs of teenaged eyes to turn towards her, having almost forgotten she was in the room, in abject horror. Victor’s eyes illuminated a soft cyan light. He sat cross-legged on the bed, almost meditating and completely motionless. “How do you feel?” Will said standing just close enough to Victor to act if needed but far enough away to give him his space. “Different.” The other boy uttered and yes while his tone was off it wasn’t the flat stereotypical robot voice Will had half been expecting. It was still very human, if it hadn’t been for his now entirely opaque eyes… Will would’ve thought nothing had changed, “I can see the Victor Mancha program, the stored memories that come with it. But I can see other memories as well: My activation. The real first time I met the woman who would be my mother. I see it Will. I see all of it. I understand all of it.” “All of what?” “Me.” And internally William Maximoff wished more than anything he could say the same about himself. Josiah was having a bad week, month… life. Hearing the shouting from the general area he decided to let Jocasta handle it, now that he had that option. Preferring to continue to stew in his own turmoil. He hated to admit that the other may have had a point. He liked to think of his problems as so deep and grandiose, unique to him and him alone but at the end of the day they were definitely along the lines of the issues these teens in his charge grappled with: Who am I? Why am I here? Worse yet he worried that he was using these kids as “band-aid”. Something to help him feel better about his own life and not teaching them out of passion for their education. Could he be that basic? That shallow? Further shouting roused him, finally, from his reverie and he consciously chose to push such questions aside and walk into that room as the teacher they needed, if for but a moment. To try on for size the role he had been acting in for months and see if it was the role for him. “Is everything all right?” He asked in a tired voice as he came on the scene. “No I rather think not.” Jocasta chirped. “Did you know?!” Eli snapped stepping towards his uncle. “Eli…?” Josiah asked bewildered but then his eyes scanned the room and saw the monitor. The different ways this scenario could go ran through the patriotic hero’s mind as he thought how to answer his nephew. A comforting lie? The truth? Should he take him somewhere private to talk or treat him like he would any student? Was this a challenge to be risen to? Or an exception to his rule of “tough love”. Ultimately he knew that the truth was always best. “Yes I knew.” Josiah said simply, “Sarah was desperate for money and it was before the family was compensated for what the government did to our dad and to me. She made sure that the serum they had developed had been tested for safety concerns, they had been assured that the only x-factor was the development of superpowers and the only possibly “negative” outcome is that there would be no outcome at all.” Josiah sighed, ready for whatever reaction Eli would have. “They couldn’t know that. There’s always a chance with these things. Anything could have happened…” Eli rambled looking like he might either vomit or hit something/someone. Josiah looked like he wanted to argue but shrugged, “You’re right. Something horrible could have happened… and even if it were 100% safe it never should have been done without your knowledge or consent.” “Don’t do that.” Eli spat, “Don’t tell me I’m right only after lying to me for years. Don’t wave off what was done to me with a “my bad” thinking that’ll be the end of it.” Jocasta stood by watching. “I don’t know what to think here… The Freezer created us… more or less… and they just keep rearing their ugly heads.” Riri sighed. “Not just them… the adults keep turning on us like hamsters who eat their young.” Kate rolled her eyes. “Life is about tough choices.” Josiah said steadily, “After you make such choices you can never take them back. Other may look on and say they would do something differently but until it’s their time to make such a choice, all they can do is theorize. That’s the point of this group to take theory and turn it into experience.” “That’s what you call this? Experience?” “Yes. Whatever else it is, it is most certainly that.” Josiah said sadly. “Maybe you were right.” Kate said suddenly, “Maybe… you’re not the leader we need.” “What makes you say that Ms. Bishop?” Jocasta said suddenly. “Have you been paying attention?” Kate asked aghast. “I have. What I’m asking is what make YOU say that?” “If he could keep something like that from his own nephew!” “So you’d say he had been malicious.” “No… misguided… maybe.” Her voice faltered, “Inconsiderate.” She said more definitively. “So you’d prefer a teacher who is perfect? Forgive me, no need to answer that question it was of course a verbal trap.” Jocasta laughed. Kate looked thrown by this entire line of questioning. “One could argue that we have that in you.” Riri said suddenly. “And what good what that do you? An honorary avenger, a glorified secretary and now a babysitter? Though I don’t think that last one is fair to either myself or to you all. You’re not children, I know that’s why you’re angry you feel you’ve been treated that way but consider that in your angry you are reinforcing such an image of yourselves by your behavior.” Jocasta hummed. “I know where you’re going with this.” Eli seethed. “Where do you want to go with this Eli?” Josiah said suddenly. “I don’t know even how to look at you… I don’t know how I’ll even talk to mom…” He cried. “Be angry but remember you owe that woman as much as you think she may owe you. You feel your feelings but you do so with the respect that even you cannot argue she has earned.” “And when we talk to you?” Chanté said suddenly. “What?” “I just want to make sure we know what we owe you and what we are owed in turn, as you say.” Chanté continued, “What level of transparency will we be dealing with when it comes to our bodily autonomy or our very lives?” “Mister Josiah…” Tommy said suddenly stepping forward, “We just want to know we’re safe with you.” He said quietly. Somehow this simple admission from the boy who barely ever spoke… seemed to deal a blow to Josiah that none of the other verbal volleys leveled his way had done. Josiah wished for a moment that the Earth would swallow him whole. Just as the thought passed through his mind the ground did indeed begin to rumble. “What the…?” Kate gasped shielding Riri in the cocoon of her arms, Eli standing behind them to cover them with his bullet proof form as the items began to fall off the walls. “Everybody get to cover.” Chanté snapped as she raced along the walls and tackled Tommy to floor. “Sister Irenia!” Josiah shouted suddenly as he turned suddenly to go to her but another shock knocked him to the floor. Jocasta went to help him up just as part of the wall came loose and fell forward. The dust and rubble falling like Pompeii the gathered heroes coughed and flailed as they were thrown to the ground but they were otherwise unhurt. Standing there, framed by the gigantic hole she herself had created, was a young woman unknown to any present. She was blonde, wearing a costume of mostly red in Asgardian style fashion. She had a stern look on her face and was quite beautiful despite also being a little on the dirty side. “Avengers Youth!” She bellowed, “I have need of thy aid!” Will and Victor ran into the room to see what the trouble was, Victor’s eyes had returned to normal and Will’s hands quickly came alight with their familiar crimson hue. “Who are you?!” Josiah shouted. “I am Thrud. Daughter of Thor.” She said casting a menacing look in Josiah’s direction, “The Avengers are not who they seem. The heroes who bore and reared you are not the ramparts of virtue you know them to be! Come we must take back the future… TODAY!” She shouted another tremor accompanying her final line for dramatic effect. The Young Avengers looked at one another and then to Josiah and Jocasta. Eli managed to stand first and approach the young woman. “We’re listening." |