" One's friends are that part of the human race with which one can be human."
– George Santayana
(Chinatown, Los Angeles, 12:30 AM)
Avoiding such trouble from the patrolling policemen, the Kree-Lizard hybrid and his companions kept hiding from them. The homeless pink-Kree man and the little girl, Chen leaned on the small building's dark concrete walls. Hearing witnesses from the streets, an elderly Chinese woman spent talking with the authorities. She saw an unidentified hooded being taking a child away from the crime scene.
The hybrid boy felt anxious as some people of the streets knew of his first heroic act which Mar-Vell forbade him to do so. Chen remained silent as she didn't know what to do or say anything after the murderous incident happened in her house. Somehow, fear and despair had been present this time which the three was experiencing. They exchanged glances as they saw the policemen left the scene.
" Look, Boy, " Mar-Vell lowly spoke. " Damage is done. I understood why you saved that little girl from the crime scene, but everyone really gets suspicious of why did you appear in the first place. "
" You mean me as the murderous 682? "
" Yeah, I'm glad you have gained your common sense. But this time, we should do something right, " the Kree looked at the girl. " We can't let her with us hiding like we usually do. "
" We need to find someone who will take care of her. "
" Yeah, you're right, " he nodded. " We're taking her to the orphanage. "
" Where? What is an orphanage? "
" Look, I don't have much time to explain things... " Mar-Vell heavily sighed and scratched his head. " But fine... It's a place where kids have lost their parents or they got abandoned. "
" Abandoned? "
" Yeah, like being left-out for some reasons, " Mar-Vell answered and turned to the little girl. " Okay, Kid. What happened to your parents? "
" They're...gone, " Chen sadly answered.
" Like literally? How? "
" I heard loud noises outside my room and then I heard nothing. "
Mar-Vell and his Kree-Lizard friend understood of the girl's account as they knew something skirmish had happened to her place. Chen was indeed telling the truth and the real witness of the crime scene. Earlier, the boy rescued her from another impending trouble.
" Can you tell us who killed your parents? " the bearded pink-Kree asked.
" I don't know. Mommy asked me to hide inside the room. "
" Okay... okay. I understood why my friend saved you from any trouble would happen. But right now, we have decided to take you to a place where you can be safe. "
" Why? " she asked.
" You can't stay with us any longer, " the Kree-Lizard boy answered. " Everyone will think we have taken you for bad reasons. "
" But where will you take me? "
" To the orphanage. " Mar-Vell sternly replied.
Chen couldn't understand what the two men had said. She didn't know how to react or reply in this conversation. Her hellish experience from that incident was still vivid in her mind. The two homeless men had decided to take her to the place where abandoned children were confined and raised by their caretakers. The three instantly left the alleyways of Chinatown and headed back to Downtown LA.
(DOWNTOWN LA, 12:40 AM)
The three headed to a two-storey brown building. The name Hollygrove Orphanage was embedded on the bushes. This place was once a childhood memory to the great bombshell Norma Jean Baker or Marilyn Monroe. Between the building, the trees were standing and greeting the two men bringing a little Asian child.
Mar-Vell kept ringing the doorbell when no one responded. Chen and the Kree-Lizard boy waited for him. The bearded pink-Kree continued pressing the doorbell button, becoming more impatient than ever.
" Dammit! " he angrily cursed. " I keep pressing this damn doorbell, but no one gets to come out of that building. "
" Mar-Vell, just keep doing it, " the Kree-Lizard boy reminded. " You need to wait. "
" What do you mean wait?! Can't you see, Boy?! We're gonna stay here until sunrise for those Earthlings to wake up, talk to them, and bring this little girl! This is a pretty damn time waster to do it. "
Chen yawned and covered her mouth which the boy carried her into his arms to sleep. Mar-Vell turned to his companion and sighed.
" Sorry, " he sadly spoke. " It's just I'm so harsh to that little girl. I don't know how to deal with Earthian kids like her. But yeah I rescued a lot of people before I ended up like this. "
" Skoùro just told me once of her new goal was to save lives, " the hybrid replied. " Maybe, rescuing Chen from any trouble is the only way to begin with. Mar-Vell, you did your best as a hero before your friend took over. We just really need to do the right thing when trouble comes. "
" Yeah, I guess you're right. You just remind me of my greatest granduncle who kept telling me about these humans who need help. "
" Perhaps, you could have learned something good from him. "
" True that..."
The two men waited and sat on the ground as they were looking at the stars. Chen was still sleeping on the boy's arms which she found comfort and safety. Mar-Vell looked at him which the boy reminded him of the Kree Eternal Methu-Selah, his greatest granduncle.
" This boy is really far from 682's brutal personality, " the bearded pink-Kree thought. " Every time I see his eyes and hear such little wisdom from him, I feel like old Methu-Selah is trapped in that monstrous shell. Could this one be his missing son? Why on Hala has to be like that? He must be created as a mistake, but he has something unique in him. Perhaps, Tam-Borr only knows about the boy's life. "
Suddenly, Mar-Vell noticed someone coming out of the building and poked the boy's shoulders. The Kree-Lizard hybrid was surprised at his fellow beggar's gesture.
" What?! " he exclaimed in low voice. " Mar-Vell can't you see she's still sleeping?! "
" Boy, just please give me the little girl, " his friend ordered. " I see someone coming. "
" Wait...what?! "
" Am I fooling you? It's a human, silly! We need to take her to the one who's in-charge of that orphanage while you're hiding elsewhere. Don't worry, I'm gonna tell him or her that you found Chen in the crime scene. Okay? "
" Sure...sure..." the boy nodded and carefully put the sleeping girl on the homeless man's arms. He quickly hid in another bush.
The person who opened the gate was a middle age African-American lady caretaker who crossed her arms and glared at the bearded blond man. She raised her eyebrows in doubt, thinking the homeless had done something to the child. Mar-Vell nervously grinned and secretly read the woman's mind.
" Sir, you could have been doing maliciously to that girl, " she sternly spoke. " I will call the police and arrest you for pedophilia and rape. "
" Let me explain, lady, " Mar-Vell replied. " My friend found this child on a crime scene somewhere in Chinatown. Her parents were brutally murdered by some unidentified intruders. "
" So, your friend is a witness of the crime? "
" No, no! He found the girl locked herself inside the room after the incident happened. Please help her. I don't know how to handle an orphaned child. Only you can help her. "
" Okay, but where's your friend who saved her? I wish to speak to him. "
Mar-Vell turned his head around as his Kree-Lizard companion went hiding and listening at the conversation. He was worried if the boy showed up. The woman would be frightened to see a monstrous one wearing a hooded tunic.
" Ma'am... he's not here, " the pink-Kree spoke and made an excuse. " I'm sorry, but he asks me to bring the child to you before any authorities will come. "
" Okay, " she nodded and understood. " As the headmistress of Hollygrove Orphanage, I will take responsibility for taking care of another orphan along with the other caretakers. I assure you and your friend that she's in good hands. "
" Thank you, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you. "
" You're welcome, my name is Doris Ozpin. You must be? "
" Just Mar-Vell, the ex-Captain Marvel, " he slightly smiled. " It's nice to meet you, Ms. Ozpin. "
" Wait... you're supposed to be that masked hero and..."
" It's a long story. Now, I'm just tryin' to do good again. Thanks to my faithful companion who just left me. "
" Sure... Likewise. Please tell him, thank you. "
" Yeah, I will tell him. "
Ozpin smiled at the bearded pink-Kree as Mar-Vell smiled back and watched the lady and the girl entering the building. He sighed in relief and felt grateful for such deed which he and his friend had done.
" Hey, Boy, you come out, now, " he called the Kree-Lizard hybrid out of the bushes.
" The lady is happy, " the boy stood up. " Chen is going to be fine in this place. "
" Yeah, we did great. Thanks to you. "
" So, what's next? "
" Let's just go somewhere else and hang-out. What do ya think? "
" Good idea, I want to spend a sleepless night, not experiencing those nightmares again. "
" If you fall asleep, I can wake you up anytime, okay? "
" Sounds fair. "
(TWELVE HOURS LATER)
After doing their street begging exploits and eating lunch from the alley dumpsters, the Kree-Lizard hybrid and his friend were walking on the streets and sidewalks talking about going elsewhere beyond Los Angeles. The boy became very intrigued at the places which Mar-Vell had mentioned in continuing their adventure.
Suddenly, the two men paused their conversation when they saw a TV screen at the appliances store. It was a news coverage featuring a blonde woman wearing a blue suit with red and gold trimmings and a golden-yellow star on her chest. She was flying above the city as they attentively watched her.
" We are live here in New York City where Captain Marvel is on her away above 1000 feet. She is making a world record by flying above the atmosphere in less than 30 minutes, " a female newsreporter declared. " This is the first Guinness Book of World Record which a superheroine is attempting this act."
" So, is this the one whom you were referring to last night? " the Kree-Lizard curiously asked.
" Yeah, that's her, Carol Danvers, " Mar-Vell answered. " She's a lady who likes to show-off and feels proud of her ability and achievement. In addition to that, she's tough and feisty. She wants to take down bad guys instantly. "
" How come? "
" She usually did that everytime I talked to her some years ago. It's just she had a lot of guts to do everything. "
" And you find her that interesting? "
Mar-Vell blushed and heard that question from his friend. He wanted to ignore, but he sighed, and scratched his head. The Kree-Lizard boy gave him a suggestive look, waiting for him to speak.
" You know what I had given up my crush on her, because of her becoming the new Captain Marvel. But I admit, she's pretty, smart, funny, and confident. She's the coolest half-Kree person that I have ever met. "
" Will you ever meet her someday? "
" I don't know. I believe there's someone who has the biggest crush on her, " he grinned while watching the TV news. " Definitely, he will be very happy to meet her. "
" Is that so? "
" Yeah. "
" I want to meet her too someday, " the Kree-Lizard boy said and watched the blonde woman reached beyond the atmosphere. " But I don't think if she would like to see me as a monster. "
" Whether she likes you or not, you will meet her very soon. "
" Okay..."
Mar-Vell took a piece of crumpled paper and started to cough as the boy noticed him. The homeless Kree man was startled to see drops of blue blood coming from his mouth. He quickly wiped his mouth using his purple scarf wrapped around his neck.
" Mar-Vell? " the Kree-Lizard boy curiously raised his tone and looked at his fellow street beggar with a concern. " Are you okay? "
" I'm fine, Boy! " he falsely grinned and laughed. " Oh come on, this is just a sore throat. No worries! I'm gonna drink more wine or beer to soothe it! "
" Are you really sure? "
" Yeah, just don't worry. I'm gonna be absolutely fine. "