It was the next morning that Lila found herself finishing up packing for the big science trip to Europe. Her suitcase opened on her bed while she was grabbing clothes from her closet and the things she needed.
She walked over to her nightstand and pulled out the drawer... revealing her bracelet. Deciding internally whether she should pack it or not but ultimately burying it underneath her clothes and out of sight.
"Do you have your passport?" she heard her mom ask from down the hall. "Yes mom." she said with a smile. Placing it in her carryon.
"Mini toothpaste for the flight?" she asked. "Yes mom." she repeated. Grabbing the black leather jacket Nat gave her and folding it on top of her clothes. Zipping it up and grabbing her bag. Walking out to the living room to see Laura waiting for her by the door.
"So, I have your flight numbers and Mr. Harrington and Mr. Dell's numbers…" Laura said but Lila interrupted her. "Mom. It's just a little trip to Europe for the week. We're be under constant supervision and everything will be fine." she said, amused, and Laura smiled back.
"I know, but I'm your mom. I know you're nearly an adult and independent but I'm allowed to mom you… and sometimes you're still just turning twelve to me. Now, you're off to Europe. And next year, MIT." she said proudly, pulling her into a hug. Lila hugging her back.
"Well. I still haven't been accepted yet and I'm also as tall as dad is now." she joked, pulling back to look down at her mom who laughed. "Speaking of. Your father is going to come here on your last day of school. Cooper has been begging to see the city all year." she replied.
"I'm assuming he wants to meet Brad?" Lila asked knowingly. "Yes. But don't worry about that. Now go off and have fun in Europe with your friends."
Lila and Laura took a rideshare to JFK where Lila met up with her friends. After checking in their bags and going through security, she, and Brad along with Peter and MJ were making their way down the aisle of the plane towards their seats in economy.
Her having her headphones wrapped around her neck. She opening the overhead tray to put her carry on in after taking out her Stark tablet.
"Allow me…" he offered, putting it away for her. "Thanks." she smiled back.
Him sitting next to the window seat before she took the aisle seat. Her peaking over to see Peter and MJ sitting ahead of them.
"So, have you flown abroad before?" Brad asked her. "Uh, not on a plane technically no. You?" she asked back. He was about to respond but Flash interrupted them from the other side of the plane.
"Yo, Parker! This is called an airplane. It's like the buses you're used to, except it flies over the poor neighborhoods instead of driving through them." he insulted. Lila glared at him.
"Hey, Flash, three things. One your parents are rich, not you. Two, nobody cares. And three as someone who's been on an actual spaceship that went warp faster than the speed of light to the other side of the galaxy you can just sit down because all of this is kinda pathetic really." she joked with a fake smile. That earned a few chuckles from the fellow classmates and she saw him faulter but then MJ got the attention of a flight attendant
"Ma'am? He blipped, so technically, he's 16, not 21." she said, pointing to the glass of champagne in Flash's hand. "He's also back here with us. Not in first class!" Lila added.
"I'll take that." the flight attendant took the glass out of Flash's hand. "They're lying! I don't even know them!" Flash said, chasing after the attendant.
"Nice." Lila said, leaning over to their front row and her and MJ giving each other fist bumps. Smiling to Peter who smiled back before leaning back in her seat.
"That was hilarious." Brad grinned and they kissed each other. "You'd think the blip would've given him humility." she sighed.
"Well, for him it was like nothing happened I guess." Brad shrugged. "Lucky for him." she muttered under her breath.
"So, what was that about going to space?" he asked and she sighed, not realizing that part slipped out. "That's… another story for another time." she denied but then a chime went off.
"Good afternoon, this is your captain speaking. Our flight time will be eight hours, 49 minutes to Venice, Italy." was heard. Brad pulling out the headphone adapter from his coat pocket. "So, what do you want to watch?"
The flight went smoothly and the next thing Lila knew she was in Venice! They were waiting to get through immigration and Lila had her passport in her hand. Rolling her suitcase as she made her way up the queue to the counter.
Handing her passport to the agent behind the Plexiglas. Her watching the agent swipe it and… the recognition appear on his face and sighed. "Ciao! Grazie benvenuto a Italia Lila Barton!" he said kindly. Stamping it and handing it to her.
"Grazie Mille." she said diplomatically. Rushing up to the group and joined MJ and Brad.
"Even here people recongize me." she muttered to them. "Maybe it won't be so bad. I mean, We're finally in Veince!" Brad smiled.
She forced herself to smile back but looked around… not seeing Peter. "Where's Peter?" she asked with a frown but he came running up to them.
"Sorry. Sorry. I'm here. Mr. Harrington." "Oh, thank goodness."
The group took a gondola to their hotel. Lila happily taking pictures and selfies with her phone.
The boat passing under the Rialto in the warm sunshine. They made their way down a canal and docked at their hotel… which had scaffolding on the outside.
"Looks like we're here. They're doing renovations to the place. Getting some upgrades. Oh, this is trash. That must be the concierge. Okay…." Mr. Harrington noticed. Lila got off with the group and they walked inside the lobby… to be greeted by a wet stone floor. "This place is sinking." Flash stated.
"I think you mean "charming." Harrington corrected. "That's one way to put it." Lila muttered to Brad.
"I believe he meant "it has character." he joked and she giggled. "Well the smell of the place is certainly character building." she joked back.
"Okay, everybody, drop your bags off. We're gonna meet at the da Vinci Museum at 3. Let's go!"
The students made their way to Piazza Saint Marco square to enjoy the sights and sounds. Lila taking photos and selfies with Brad, MJ, and Peter.
Her bag being strapped over her shoulder. Her and MJ being swarmed with Pigeons with them landing on their arms and shoulders.
Her laughing while Brad and Peter took their pictures before she flicked them off. "At least they didn't crap on me." she joked back.
"Hey do you want to walk across the bridge?" Brad asked, pointing to it in the distance. "Sure." she smiled and they grabbed each other's hands.
They walked down the sidewalk, joined by Peter and MJ along the canal but then she noticed crabs climbing out of the canal in a hurry. "Hey…" she got MJ and Peter's attention.
She and her took pictures of it but then noticed a ripple in the water. It rapidly moving towards the center of the canal.
Peter nudged her, getting her attention towards a storm drain and the water receding into it quickly. She frowned but then heard a huge gush as the water shot hundreds of feet into the air!
It sending a tsunami into the nearby shops, drenching fleeing tourists and engulfing the gondolas… and Ned and Betsy right towards them. "Hey! You guys okay?" she asked with worry. Her and Peter helping them out.
But then Lila saw the water in the middle of the canal engulf upwards! Circulating around until it formed into a very large aquatic figure!
"What the hell!" she exclaimed. "Guys, we gotta go!" Betsy said and ran off with the fleeing crowd.
"What is that?" Ned asked with worry. "I don't know." Peter shook his head.
"Neither do I." Lila said with worry. "What'll you do?" Ned asked them.
"I left my suit in the hotel." Peter replied. "Why?" Ned frowned.
"Because I'm on vacation, Ned! Everyone's gonna see my face." he argued "Well they can see mine. Get everyone out of here Ned! We'll handle this!" Lila ordered firmly.
Reaching back in her bag for her bracelet. Putting it on and her nano tech black suit assembled around her. Her bow and arrow automatically strapping to her back along with her sword.
"Cool…" Ned mumbled in awe. "Go!" she ordered forcefully.
He ran off and Peter reached for his bracelet. She knocked an arrow fired at the face of the creature.
The force of the water swatted it down but that got the figures' attention. It punched them with its fist, sending the strongly back with a large wave of salty war.
The pair sliding on their backs, fully drenched and her coughing the water out of her mouth. They helped each other help but then saw the creature heading for the bridge.
"Oh no you don't!" Peter said and the two gave each other a nod. Chasing after it, they leapt over the wooden supports holding the docks but then Peter grabbed her waist and used one to pendulum swing ahead of the way and high onto the bridge. She instantly reaching down to help a tourist help.
"You okay? Go!" she said urgently. Getting him out just in time before the pair were punched again.
She winced as they were flung back onto the stone railing. She wiped the long drenched strains of hair out of her eyes but then a green blast came from the sky and hit the creature!
She looked up to see a caped figure with a globe encased with fog on the head and it arming itself. Her and Peter gave each other confused looks as they got up and the two faced each other off above them on the bridge.
The caped figure flew, firing his blasts at the aquatic nemesis. The caped hero using a shield to hold another blast back… but it was to no avail and he was flung back into a boat, hard.
The aquatic villain used the canal to grow in size with a road but then Peter reached for a masquerade mask. Him and Lila climbing onto the roof of the bridge.
"Hey! We can help! I'm an Avenger and I'm good with a bow and sword!" Lila got his attention with a shout. "Yeah and I'm really strong, and I'm sticky!" Peter added and Lila couldn't help but smile.
"I need you to lead it away from the canals!" he said and she nodded. He flew away but then the figure smashed the bridge!
Lila flipping away from the crumbling ceiling. She fired an arrow towards the building on the other side of the canal and it locked on like a grabbling hook.
She nodded to Peter and while he leapt across she was repelled high over the canal, holding onto her bow before detaching the arrow. Putting it back in her quiver.
The two ran over the collapsing buildings. Running on the tiled roofs while Peter swung and used his webbing to prevent them from collapsing into the canal. She followed suit, using her arrows as grappling hooks to attach the crumbling walls to the buildings that weren't collapsing as they chased after the creature.
They hopped onto a roof and found themselves back in the piazza. The fight engulfing it and they saw the tower of the cathedral severally cracked and beginning to crack.
Lila looked down to see the group taking cover under a shop stall. "You take care of the church. I'll get them!" she said and the two took off.
She scampered down the wall and landed hard on her feet. Rushing over to them.
"Lila what are you…" Mr. Harrington began but she interrupted him. "You can give me detention later! You need to move!" she shouted, ushering them out and away from the square as the fight happened above them.
She got them out… just in time before the tower slowly collapsed on them. Turning around to see the caped hero defeat the elemental villain.
He glided down and her classmates began cheering and clapping behind her. Turning around to see the caped hero walking up to her.
"Thank you. You and our friend saved a lot of lives today." he said while shaking her hand. "I just tried staying out of the way. It was… my partner who stopped the buildings from collapsing." she improvised humbly.
Stepping back to let him fly off into the sky.