Chapter 4: Taking a Stand
The next day, the group began to work on the Quantum Tunnel inside of Luis's van while Parker and T'Challa arrived at the Avengers Compound.
Peter: (Walks inside with T'Challa, seeing the others) Hey guys! What's up?
Sam: (Turns to Peter) Hey kid. (High fives Peter) Nice suit!
Peter: Thanks, made it myself thanks to T'Challa!
Natasha: (Turns to T'Challa) You helped make him a new suit?
T'Challa: I merely supplied the resources. (Folded his arms) Now there's something we need to talk about.
Hulk: (Walks into the room with Hope wearing her father's Quantum suit) Most indefinitely! (Turns to see Parker and T'Challa) Parker! Your Highness! It's so good to see you two!
Peter: (Widened his eyes when he saw the Hulk talking like Banner) Heeey, Bruce! You're looking... Green.
Hulk: I know! And I'm not angry anymore! It's amazing!
Peter: Yeah... (Turns to Nat) Is this why you-?
Natasha: It's not important, it's fine.
Sam: Nothin' to worry about.
T'Challa: Then why bring us here?
Hope: Because of this. (Opens the back of the van, revealing the Quantum Tunnel)
T'Challa: (Sees the Quantum Tunnel) What's that?
Hulk: It's a Quantum Tunnel! It's basically an interdimensional portal that teleports us into the Quantum Realm.
Peter: Okay, so this is another form of Quantum Tunneling? We're basically talking about passing through a potential barrier through subatomic particles!
Hope: (Points at Peter) Except we're not talking about it, we already made that happen!
Peter: Okay, cool! So-! (Widened his eyes) Wait, did you guys say something about a Quantum Realm?
T'Challa: Why are we going to the Quantum Realm?
Sam: We're not, she is! Long story short, we found a way how to travel through time.
Peter: Time Travel? What, like Back to the Future?
Sam: Exactly like Back to the Future! Only what Hope needs to do is not bet on sporting events, no talking to her past self-!
Hope: Okay, not exactly like Back to the Future!
Peter: Yeah, the movie's cool, but it's a bunch of bullshit.
Sam: Seriously? Come on, tell me it's not bullshit!
T'Challa: Can you actually do this?
Natasha: That's what we're trying to find out.
Hulk: Alright, here we go! Time Travel test number 1! Hope, fire up the van thing.
Hope: (Turns on the van) Done.
Sam: Okay, the breakers are all set while emergency generators are on standby!
Hulk: Good! Because if we blow up the grid, I don't wanna... (Points at Hope) Lose little fairy over here in the 1950s.
Hope: (Raises a brow) Excuse me?
Natasha: (Smiles) He's kidding! (Turns to Hulk) You can't say things like that.
Hulk: It was just a... Bad joke.
Hope: (Nodded uncertainly) Okay... (Turns around)
Natasha: (Turns to Hulk) You were kidding, right?
Hulk: (Turns to Nat) I have no idea! We're talking about time travel here! Either it's all a joke, or none of it is! (Turns to Hope with a big thumbs up) We're good! Put your helmet on!
T'Challa: (Folded his arms) I have a feeling this is going to end well.
Peter: Well, hey, it's Bruce Banner! I mean, he should be able to figure this out!
Hulk: Hope, we're gonna send you back a week, let you walk around an hour, and then bring you back in 10 seconds! Make sense?
Hope: (Nodded) As much sense as I can conjure in this life.
Sam: Alright Hope, you got this!
Hope: (Nodded) Okay... Let's do this! (Gets inside of the Quantum Realm)
T'Challa: (Sees Hope vanishing) Now what?
Hulk: Now we bring her back! On a count of three! Three! Two! One!
Hope: (Comes back in a form of a 12-year-old) Uh, guys? Something's wrong!
Hulk: What is this? What's going on?
Natasha: Who is that?
Sam: Is that Hope?
Hope: Yes, it's Hope! (Gets put back inside)
Peter: (Turns Bruce) Hey, you guys know what you're doing, right?
Hulk: I think I do now! (Works on some circuitry before bringing Hope back)
Hope: (Is back in the form of an old lady) Oh! My back!
Sam: Okay, we do not got this at all!
T'Challa: Can you fix this?
Hulk: I'm working on it!
Peter: Wait, don't you think-! (Sees Hope going back into the Quantum Realm, and coming back into reality) Oh crap.
Hope: (Is seen as a little cute baby staring at the Avengers) ...
Sam: (Stares at Hope) It's a baby.
Hulk: It's Hope!
Sam: As a baby!
Hulk: She'll grow!
Sam: Okay, bring Hope back right now!
Hulk: Alright, when I say kill the power, kill the power!
Natasha: Oh my god! (Turns to a breaker)
Hulk: (Works through the machinery) And... KILL IT!
Natasha turned the breaker, reversing everything that Hope went through as she now reverted back into her original age.
Hope: (Stares at everyone) Okay... Is there some underwear lying around? Because I think I might have just peed myself.
Sam: (Turns to Hope) Which one? The baby you or the older you?
Hope: Either way, it's just me.
Hulk: (Smiles) Time Travel! (Has everyone giving a WTF look) What? I see this as an absolute win!
Natasha: (Turns to T'Challa and Peter) It's a work in progress.
T'Challa: We can see that. (Turns to Nat) Nat, we need to speak about something that involves the special task you have requested me to complete.
Peter: (Sees Natasha blinking at T'Challa before she turned to him) Yeah, I gotta... (Turns to look at Luis's van in curiosity) I gotta go ahead and call Pepper... (Turns to Natasha) It's good seeing you again! Really, it's good to back! (Turns to leave)
Natasha: (Walks over to a disclosed space where she and T'Challa can speak privately) Alright, did you find anything?
T'Challa: No... We found someone. While Peter and I were in Moscow, a man wearing a Black and Gold Hood appeared during our mission and began killing every criminal that came in his way. The man we apprehended called him the Ronin.
Natasha: And why tell me this?
T'Challa: His voice... He kept it low, but he was not that good at disguising it.
Natasha: (Stares at T'Challa, realizing where he's going at) ...You think that Clint is-!
T'Challa: Five years have passed since Thanos, and his family was one of the few that were taken out in the fallout. And during those years, there were sightings of this Ronin taking out parts of the criminal elements in the world, including last night with the Federales in Mexico. It's not a coincidence that his face was not seen during the years.
Natasha: (Sighs as she looked over the balcony) ...Okay... Why do this? (Turns to T'Challa) Why just go after common thugs?
T'Challa: I don't know, but the way he fought... The way he moved, and the way he spoke... It was like he was angry.
Natasha: Do you know where's he going next?
T'Challa: It's unclear where his next destination will be, but I had placed a tracker on him right before he beheaded Kravenoff. (Gives a Kimoyo Bead to her) I thought it would be wise if you had tracked him down yourself when he strikes again.
Natasha: (Sighs as she held the bead in her hand) Thank you, T'Challa.
T'Challa: (Nodded as he looked down at Luis's van) Now... About the reason for this, Time Travel experiment...
While they spoke, Peter went outside to call the Potts family as his wrist holographically displayed Pepper and Morgan on screen.
Morgan: (Sees Peter) Spidey!
Pepper: (Smiles at seeing Peter) Peter, hey!
Peter: (Smiles at Pepper and Morgan) Hey guys! How are you doin'?
Pepper: Oh, we're doing great!
Morgan: (Gets out a Blue Iron Mask) I like the new present!
Peter: Whoa! Is that your birthday gift?
Pepper: (Laughs) No, of course not! But she is getting a much better present than that!
Morgan: How are doing?
Peter: Oh, I'm doing pretty good! I'm traveling around the world, seeing new people, and you know, helping out the little guys just like you!
Morgan: Do they get juice pops?
Peter: (Smiles) Oh, they definitely get juice pops!
Pepper: Alright, screen time's over! Why don't you go outside with Uncle Happy, and I'll join you soon after I talk to your older brother!
Morgan: (Waves goodbye at Peter) Bye!
Peter: (Waves his hand) Bye little Morgan! Have a nice day!
Pepper: (Smiles at her daughter before turning to Peter) How are you?
Peter: (Nodded) Same as I just said before; meeting new people, and helping out the little guys.
Pepper: You haven't been getting into trouble, have you?
Peter: I can't say I haven't! How's Happy?
Pepper: Happy is doing pretty good! Morgan likes having him around, so it's good to have a helping hand.
Peter: I know, I'm sorry I'm not there to help out, but you know how it is!
Pepper: I know, but it's okay! Besides, seeing you grown up and being the best of everyone... Tony would be proud of what you're doing.
Peter: Yeah... (Turns to look back at the van) Maybe he would be proud...
Pepper: (Raises a brow) Is everything okay?
Peter: (Turns back to Pepper) Yeah! Yeah, I'm just... Thinking about stuff.
Pepper: What kind of stuff?
Peter: Just... (Looks at the van) Work, related... Stuff.
Pepper: A personal project?
Peter: (Turns to Pepper) Yeah! Yeah, you could say that...
Pepper: Well... Tony would always have these personal projects involving new suits, and whenever he worked on a project, he puts his mind into it! So if you're working on a project, just put your mind into it! That's what Tony would do if he were standing where you are right now.
Peter: (Nodded) Thanks, Pepper... That helps out a lot.
Pepper: No problem! Now be careful, alright?
Peter: Alright, you take care!
Pepper: Alright, goodbye! (Ends the call)
Peter: (Sighs as he turned around, looking at the van) Put your mind into it...
Later, the group was put into the board as they discussed what went wrong with the last test.
Hulk: (Writes out an equation) Alright, so we know now that Time travels through the individual rather than the individual traveling back in Time!
Hope: It's like a role reversal in that scenario, something I should have thought about more before testing it out!
Sam: I don't understand this; I thought we had this whole time travel shit all worked out?
Hope: We only understand part of it.
Hulk: Using Time Travel through Quantum Physics is very complex, yet very complicated too! And more importantly, we believe part of it is because the Quantum Tunnel inside of the van isn't compatible to move through time properly.
Natasha: So we'll need another machine to work it all out.
Hope: We'll need resources to create just the right one! Something that is compatible enough for this particular project!
Hulk: And with Tony gone, we were hoping T'Challa might help us out by having some Vibranium inputted into the project.
T'Challa: Is this the reason why you brought me here?
Hulk: T'Challa, your entire nation stands strong not because of Vibranium, but because of your sheer knowledge and wisdom of it! If there is anyone in the world that understands better than we do, it's you!
Sam: He does have a pretty point.
T'Challa: For many generations, Wakanda has made many achievements in the ages. (Turns to Hulk) But none of them involved moving through time.
Natasha: That doesn't mean we shouldn't try! Look, whether we care to admit or not, we've been looking for a second chance to reverse what's been done! This might be it!
Hulk: But even so, it may take years to fully be able to work it all out! Let alone, figure out the right date to make a destination.
Sam: Alright, well that's why we're getting some more help! Maybe the Raccoon and Blue Bald chick can help! Along with Parker, they could-! (Raises a brow) Wait... Where is Parker?
Hulk: Yeah... Where is he?
Natasha: Peter was calling Pepper to check how she was doing before heading outside.
Hulk: Alright, so where is he?
While they searched for him, Parker was seen onboard the Royal Talon Flyer working on something related to what the group was discussing about as he worked on the table with Karen.
Peter: (Is seen on the Talon when he works on the table) Alright, Karen! Let's do at least one more scan before calling it a night; see if the simulation checks out in the shape of a Mobius Strip inverted, please.
Karen: (Does what Peter requested) Processing...
Peter: (Watches Karen work when he noticed something different) Hey, gimmie that eigenvalue and add that particle factoring into the spectral decomposition! Should take only a sec!
Karen: Just a moment... Model rendered... (Display's model success) Congratulations Peter! The model is a success!
Peter: (Is seen staring at the machine being compatible for time travel, sitting back on his chair in amazement) Shit!
Sam: (Sees Peter figuring out the right model) Parker?
Peter: (Widened his eyes as he turned to Sam, T'Challa, Natasha, and Hope inside the Flyer) Guys! Hey, W-What's up?
Natasha: Just checking how you're doing, what's up with you?
Peter: Uh, nothing! Nothing much, just working on a little...
Hope: (Sees the model) Is that what I think it is?
Peter: Side, project! I-It's nothing important! I'll go-!
Hope: (Sees the schematics) Oh my god... It works! It actually works!
T'Challa: (Turns to Peter) You made this?
Peter: (Stood where he was, feeling a little bit shy) Uh... (Turns to the group) Yeah... Yeah, I made it, it's my idea.
Natasha: Why make it?
Peter: Well, I saw Bruce having trouble working out the... Thing, so I thought I might look into it, and I uh... I just thought I could help out. (Points out the exit) You know what? I'm sure you guys got it all taken care of from here, so I'll just make my exit!
Sam: Whoa, hold up! Why are you leaving?
Hope: Hey, what you did was pretty amazing! This could have taken us years to make, and you only made it in a day!
Peter: (Turns to the group) I-I gotta be honest here; I've been wanting to be a part of something pretty great for a long time but seeing everything that's happened in my life, I... I dunno, Avenging is your guys' forte and let's just face it, I'm just... (Sighs) I'm just a Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.
Natasha: Peter, we have to take a stand.
Peter: We already did, and we lost! And I just don't wanna lose again, not like we did all those years ago!
T'Challa: Peter... (Walks over to him) Peter, you have done something no one has ever done before; let alone utilize an Artificial Intelligence inside a Flyer without any trouble!
Sam: And look; Tony made you his protege for a reason! And obviously, he wouldn't have done it because you shoot webs out of your wrists. So if there's anyone other than Stark who can help change what happened all these years ago, it's you.
Peter: (Takes a deep breath as he rubbed his hands together) ...And how do we know we won't lose again like last time?
Sam: Because years ago, we weren't together like we should have been... This time, we'll have each other's backs, as it should be.
Natasha: So... Will you help?
Peter: (Bit his lip, looking back at the model) ...Yeah... Yeah, okay. (Turns to the group) Where do we start?
Edit; I made some changes to the Hulk, made him say "An absolute win!" instead of "A success!". Note to fellow writers that plan on making what if stories like these, NEVER always cite your quotes from IMDb.
BTW, thank you, guest reviewer H.S. for pointing out that small critical error! That saved me all the trouble!