Episode 91: Sorting the Situation Out!
After Thor stepped through the Sling Ring portal, another person emerged from it a few minutes later. It was the young man with the short blond hair and blue eyes that was with Nick Fury when Peter Parker and the other former prisoners of Sakaar encountered them in the caves outside of La Vie City.
"You can go back," the short blond-haired man said to Straio. "I have orders to remain here."
The Straio nodded in understanding and left through the portal closing it as he left.
"Okay, people, listen up!" The short blond-haired man shouted, getting everyone's attention. "My name is Captain Steve Rogers. Nick Fury asked me to stay in Sokovia City in his place until the situation gets sorted out. Do any of you need medical attention, or are mentally unstable from the Anomaly?"
No one said a word.
"I'll take that as a no," Steve said, and turned his attention to Pepper Potts. "Miss Potts — "
"You don't have to be formal with me, Steve," Pepper assured. "Just call me Pepper."
"Right, Pepper," Steve corrected. "Are you able to run the Marémon Theater competition here in Sokovia City?"
Pepper paused and said, "Sure I can! I just need to make a few phone-calls, assure my shareholders that I'm not dead, and get my guest judges here."
"How long will this take?"
"About a day or two."
Steve then looked at Monica. "Do you know if the original Sokovia City Realm is intact, Monica Rambeau?"
"I'm not sure, Captain, but I'll check," replied Monica.
"Use this to find it." Steve threw something into Monica's hand which glowed red. "Wanda gave the Reality Stone to me before I came here. She said the stone should resonate with the Realm that the Champion created with help from Doctor Strange's magic."
Monica then changed into her Marémon form and flew off with the stone.
"We should make an entry about her in our MarGuide," MJ suggested. "I'm sure Professor Banner would like that."
"Yeah," Peter responded in a sad tone. "I just can't believe Thor's gone."
"He said he won't be gone too long," Felicia said. "And so I think you should trust him on that."
Then Felicia whispered something to her Blaccet, causing it to jump onto Liz's shoulder. Liz was startled while Blaccet swiped the inside of her yellow jacket. After a moment of swiping, Blaccet's paw latched onto a mint-green ribbon and she leaped off Liz.
"Hey!" Liz snapped. "That's my Encouragement Ribbon!"
Blaccet then ran over to Felicia, who picked up the mint-green ribbon and grabbed something from the inside of her jacket. She turned to face Liz with the ribbon in her hand.
"I'm sorry about that," Felicia apologized, giving the ribbon back to Liz. "My Blaccet likes to jump on people sometimes."
"You should train her better," Liz insisted.
When Monica came back, she said the Sokovia City Realm inside the ruins of the Novi Grad Church was still intact and resembled the HYDRA facility where Wanda and Pietro were experimented on. So Steve decided to meet with Pepper and Monica to determine the best course of action for determining the next Realm Champion to replace Wanda. As this was happening, Darcy and Betty took the next available plane back to Yortown to give an update on the Sokovia City situation to the press. Felicia also decided to leave, but left a note for Peter in his jean pocket as she hugged him much to MJ's annoyance.
"'After what happened in Westview, I've decided to return the Encouragement Ribbon I stole from Liz and head to New Asgard Town to get my own ribbon properly,'" Peter said, reciting Felicia's note after MJ insisted. "'Not sure when I'll see you again, but I'll prove to you that I can be good. Love, Felicia. P. S. Blaccet sends kisses to Spidermin.'"
Spidermin made a gagging motion with his mouth, walking alongside Peter and MJ away from the Sokovia City Airport.
"Then she really is Black Cat," MJ realized.
Peter looked surprised. "I thought you were brainwashed by Wanda to say that."
MJ looked away in embarrassment. "After the Hex Barrier was dispersed, I started remembering things I said that I didn't want to, or didn't mean, and now I'm not sure what things I said were true and which things were false."
Just as Peter contemplated what to say, Monica flew down from the skies in her Marémon form and changed back into her human self.
"Hey, Monica!" MJ said, changing her bitter tone to a more chipper one. "You're just the person I wanted to see."
"I am?" Monica looked puzzled.
"We'd like to enter your Marémon form into our MarGuides," MJ said, holding up her tablet. "Professor Banner asked me and Peter to document new Marémon."
"Um, I'm not sure," Monica replied nervously. "I should ask Professor Banner about it first, once I'm done with things here."
"So you're leaving too?" Peter said.
"I will have to provide my testimony of what happened here to the military court if I get called for a hearing on how SWORD mishandled the Anomaly," Monica said. "And I'm sure The Daily Bugle would be interested in my viewpoints on the situation. But in the meantime, I plan to stay here until a new Realm Champion is chosen and that's where you two come in."
MJ and Peter gave each other confused looks.
"Because of how you handled the white Vistro attack, Steve would like you to accompany him to meet the candidate we have in mind for the next Sokovia Realm Champion," Monica explained.
"Is it just us?" MJ asked.
"No, Peter Quill and Gwen Stacy have been summoned as well," replied Monica.
"What about Liz Allen?"
"She's opted to stay here until Pepper Potts makes the arrangements for the Sokovia City Marémon Theater competition."
"Then maybe Gwen and MJ should stay in Sokovia City in case the competition gets underway before the Realm Champion candidate is found," Peter suggested.
"Pepper has decided to delay the theater competition until the new Realm Champion is chosen, so it doesn't matter whether MJ or Gwen stay or not," Monica said.
"And even if Pepper started the competition before we got back, I would rather go with you than sit here and do nothing," MJ said to Peter. "Unless you had other reasons for making me stay."
Unable to answer, Peter said nothing.
"So if you two are coming along, meet Steve at the Novi Grad Church tomorrow morning at dawn," Monica stated. "Don't be late."
To be continued…
