Chapter Twenty-Five: Grass is Always Greener...
Okay, so I know it's been awhile since I updated but I had to use the original Hulk movie as a basis as the Incredible Hulk didn't provide much detail on Bruce's life before the experiment but it won't follow that movies plot. It's just a baseline for me so I hope you all like this chapter, be sure to follow, favorite, and comment.
Fantastic, I've spent the last hour and a half walking across the damn campus and I still can't find any chicken wings! What the hell kind of collage is this if they don't have a Wing Street around, or at the very least a Pizza Hut, or Little Caesars, I'm starving. I only had that slice of pizza and I still have no idea where it vanished too, plus anything in that cafeteria is uneatable.
I mean honestly, a salad? This girl needs some series junk food, throw out a slab of ribs, or maybe some pasta but seriously, the world's plotting against me here, just one wing universe?
Not going to happen, that would be far to nice of the world. Maybe there's like a daily quota on how many people the world can help, well who cares about them? I'm trying to save the world here! Sighing, I plop down on a park bench outside the front of the college where a woman with somewhat messy brown hair sits, reading a textbook over cellular biology.
Pretty complex stuff, if I do say so myself but easy for me due to being a whiz in the fields of math, science, and well everything. I never told Dad but my mom actually was a genius when it comes to communication arts and history fields so I not only gained brains from Tony Stark in math and science fields, but also in the other subjects that he's was pretty terrible in.
Before Dad and I ever met, I hacked into a few computer bases and pulled his official high school transcript to see what I had to compete with and while he is still better in math and science, I was much better in comm arts and history than he was. So that was a great day for me, then Mom found out I'd hacked into a computer system at a school and grounded me.
My punishment was no computer for a week, rather than keeping me at home like most parents. With my step-father Ian Powell, it's not really that big of a mystery why she never kept me there. The woman beside me bumps me slightly with her elbow and jumps, turning to face me, eyes wide.
"Oh, I-I'm so very sorry, I didn't mean to do that," she says, and I instantly recognize her face. Betty Ross, Banner's girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend, I'm not quite sure anymore. That's another thing, my Dad is the only one in a committed relationship, that is so screwed up. If anyone would be the most likely to not be in a serious relationship it's Tony Stark.
"Don't worry about it... Uh," I trail off, waiting for her to fill in the blank.
Her mouth forms a silent 'O' before she sticks out a hand and flashes a warm smile my way. "It's Betty, Betty Ross. I-I'm a cellular biologist and today is my first day and I want to be prepared for my first lesson."
Tilting my head as if debating her words I nod slowly. "It is always best to be prepared than it is to not be."
She laughs. "See that's what I've been telling my boyfriend since he saw me stressing out yesterday, oh, my boyfriend and I have been dating since college, I mean, since we both went to college together, as students."
"Oh, so, who's your boyfriend?" I ask, pretending to have no idea. Don't tip anyone off, the old side of me chimes in. It's been awhile since she's had any input in what happens. Little ten year old me, with all her cleaver, unpredictable advice. A faint shouting and footsteps catch my attention, looking up I see someone in a dark purple button-up shirt running towards us.
Betty's grin brightens at the sight of him, well that explains that. "That's my boyfriend there, Bruce Banner. He's a scientist like me but is renowned in the fields of biochemistry, nuclear physics, and gamma radiation. After proving to the board, he plans to work in the last field I mention, he's got more of a passion for it, wants to recreate something from the past."
Yeah, the Super-Soldier Serum and it blows up in his face...
"Baby, it's so good to see you," Betty exclaims, getting to her feet, placing her hands on each side of his face, and planting her lips against him. Pulling back she grins at him, like a happy couple.
"It's always good when I can see you Betty," he replies, intertwining his fingers with hers, briefly his gaze flickers to me, then back to the woman he loves that stands in front of him.
"Oh! Bruce, this is uh..." she turns to me. "Well, I never got her name but she agrees that it's better to be over prepared than not prepared at all, so what was your name?" she smiles, awkwardly.
"Panic," I say, rising to my feet, holding out a hand. "Panic Star," I say, intentionally leaving the K off my last name. Dad still would exist in this time and may be well known and so it's best to keep a cover for defense purposes. I've already had to many people find out, not that they remember anymore because Odin probably already fixed the timeline.
"Bruce Banner, it's nice to meet you. Do you attend school here?"
Just as I'm about to shake my head know, I get a better idea. "Yes, I actually I do. I was heading to the main section of campus right now to get my schedule. Just moved from across the country to come here."
"Well, I hope you like it here, the admissions is over there," he points off into the distance where a large building in the center of campus resides. "Come on Betty, we probably should get going, your first class starts in an hour and I need to help you relax otherwise you may freeze once you enter the classroom."
Curtly waving goodbye they turn their backs to me and stroll off together, arms linked, she laughs at something he said and I already know my plan of action. How to be close to them without it being creepy or odd. Getting up, I head to the admission office, entering I see a grouchy woman with a hunchback, big black rimmed glasses and a thick Australian accent.
Just as she's about to speak to me a voice in the office connected by a doorway calls to her.
"Hang on for one second," she growls, getting up from behind her desk and stepping out of sight. In an instant I jump forward, behind the desk and into the seat. Tapping furiously away at they computer keys for this old desktop as I make myself an identity as a new student. I take a picture on the old device attached to it and quickly dump the information into the computer banks and official records.
I need them to have no reason for her to question anything. I make up a schedule based on the last time I looked up this college and picked the classes that he and Betty teach so I can watch them, keep them safe from Loki. By the time the admissions lady comes back, I've been done for nearly ten minutes and she doesn't suspect anything at all.
"What can I help you with?"
"I just transferred and needed to retrieve my schedule," I say.
"Last name?" she says, eyes focused only on the computer screen.
"Star, Panic Star, a cellular biology and biochemistry major," I add as I hear he click on the mouse a few more times. Finally she looks up from the computer at me and I pretend to not notice.
"Well, welcome I suppose" with that she prints out my schedule and ushers me away as I grin down at the paperwork in my hand. I really am a genius.