Prolouge: Don't Make Yourself Angry, Banner
3 months, 4 days, 18 hours since your last incident…
I recalled how long it had been since my last incident in order to remind myself why it'd be a grave misfortune to let loose the "other guy" now. At this point, my last big Hulkout was my last real contribution as a member of the Avengers. Now that ended in a bad way.
After that incident, it was farewell to clean clothes, a nice bed, and someone to talk to. It made me angry to think about it at times like those. I need to keep optimistic. I need to pretend this is as good as it gets. As if I there are no better alternatives. OK. Life is good, Bruce. There's no place you rather be than hitchhiking in the middle of nowhere in the effort to find- judging by my location- the dirtiest motel you've ever seen thus far. God, this is stupid. Like I couldn't have been anyplace better with my doctorate's degree if it weren't for the "other guy." I can't even blame him. Tony Stark was willing to offer me a loft for god's sake if Ross hadn't… Grrr…
3 months, 4 days, 18 hours. Keep it together.
I tried hard to keep my anger at bay. I just wanted to stay a wee bit frustrated in order to have full control over the "other guy." It wasn't hard. Anyone would have been frustrated in my shoes. In fact, it was hard not to feel a little aggravated knowing that General Ross somehow ruined my fifteen minutes of fame and how he intervened while the Hulkwas finally seen as national hero. That… calm down… general just wouldn't stop until every newspaper, TV channel, and radio station was talking about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s unethical uses of the "other guy." His farce was that New York was lucky he didn't somehow deconstruct Manhattan while he was smashing Chitauris. And with that, I became a monster once again. You can never get a break can you, Banner?
So no, it wasn't difficult to be frustrated at all. It was, however, a tad bit difficult to stop myself from crossing the line. I tried to think of the possibility that the Nazi general had a point. Yea right. Immediately abandoning that position, I tried not to think about the Avengers Initiative instead. It was just too good of a day to recount on such a horrible one. It made me too upset, and I didn't want to leave the government big radioactive footprints to follow. I had to hide to survive. And the last thing I needed was some poor smashed up hobo on my conscience.
I carried on, hitchhiking my way to find the cheapest motel and some off-the-books job in… wherever I was. I continued to walk down the empty stranded, dust ball road. You used to be a scientist, Banner. You used to be a distinguished member of your field. Now look at you, begging for rides. Hoping to get a job as a janitor. It's fair to say that your PhD studies were a waste of 7 years. Going to Disney Land for 7 years would have been more productive.
It was a hot and humid day and there were no cars to be seen on the road. I could tell it was going to be another long day. My feet hurt and my body was aching from hunger and sleep deprivation but I had no place to go. Sometimes it made it easier to talk to myself. That way, I wouldn't feel too alone… or too angry.
I paused and looked behind me. Is that a truck? I quickly stuck out my thumb desperately. If this guy doesn't pick me up, I'll be sleeping on the sidewalk.
OK, that is the prologue to give some background on where our hero has left off. I will be writing a new chapter every week so expect another by next Thursday (06/20/2012.) Keep in mind this is only an introduction so the other chapters will be much more meaty and action packed. Or in laymen's terms, SHIT WILL GO DOWN! Hope you enjoyed! xo Rita
