Episode 116: Marémon Stalker!

Just before MJ could speak, a loud thud was heard as something fell from the rafters of the stage onto the floor. When Jean-Paul and the girls looked, the thing was revealed to be a teenage girl with long black hair tied into a ponytail wearing a purple quarter-sleeve hoodie who was groaning with pain. Then on silent wings, an owl-like Marémon with purple feathers flew down from the rafters.

"Is that…a Hawkeye?" Liz remarked, looking at the owl-like Marémon with awe.

"But it has darker plumage compared to Barton's Hawkeye," MJ noticed. "So it's female."

The dark-haired girl stopped groaning and looked up at MJ. "You've seen Clint's Marémon?"

"Yeah?" MJ said, not understanding why this girl was so interested.

"Where did you come from?" Gwen demanded. "Did you break in?"

"I did, but only because I had no choice," the dark-haired girl claimed as she got to her feet and dusted herself off. "The security guards outside the amphitheater wouldn't let me in, saying something about the theater being at max capacity. So I snuck around the parameter and used my Hawkeye to glide across the river and into the theater. But I guess I lost my footing on the rafters, which must be why I fell."

"Quite the ambitious break-in," Felicia commented. "Though if you were hoping to steal the Intimacy Ribbons from us, we haven't won them yet."

"Oh, no, I'm not here to steal anything," the dark-haired girl said. "I just wanted to see Clint."

"Are you one of those Avengers fangirls I've heard so much about?" Jean-Paul asked.

"Um, I wouldn't call myself that…but I am a big fan of Clint," the dark-haired girl admitted. "It's why I got my own Hawkeye, and am competing in the Avengers League."

"So why are you wasting your time trying to see Clint here when you should be getting the Reality Stone Badge?" MJ said. "Wouldn't it be worth more seeing him after you've gained all the badges instead of before?"

The dark-haired girl looked embarrassed. "I never thought about that. Guess it would make sense, huh?"

"Yeah, especially since the second round of the Intimacy Ribbon Contest is about to start in five minutes," Gwen said, looking at her wristwatch.

Liz, Jean-Paul, and Felicia immediately went to get themselves and their Marémon ready. Gwen followed their example, but MJ didn't move and neither did the dark-haired girl.

"I'm not sure what I was thinking coming here," the dark-haired girl said as she started to leave. "Sorry to bother you guys."

"You're not bothering anybody," MJ said. "And I was just making a suggestion, not telling you what to do. If you want to see Clint, then go ahead!"

"No, you're right," the dark-haired girl said. "I should wait to see Clint until after I've collected all the Infinity Stone Badges. Especially since he's…."

"He's what?"

"Never mind." The dark-haired girl shook her head. But before she left, she turned around and held her hand out to shake. "Oh, I almost forgot again. I'm Kate Bishop."

"Michelle Jones, though I prefer to be called MJ," said MJ as she tepidly shook Kate's hand. "And what do you mean you 'almost forgot again'?"

"Well, before I came over here, I ran into this guy in front of the Sokovia City Realm entrance and I rambled to him for so long without introducing myself first," Kate explained. "So I wanted to make up for my earlier mistake. The guy's name was Peter Parker, and he had the coolest-looking Spidermin with him!"

"You met Peter?" MJ exclaimed. "Was there anyone else with him?"

"No, why? Do you know him?"

"We're traveling together, but it's not like we're dating or anything like that."

"But you're blushing. You like Peter, don't you?"

Embarrassed, MJ looked away. "Just because I'm traveling with a guy makes other people think we're a couple, but we're not! And even if I did have feelings for him, it's not like he notices!"

"Then maybe you're not trying hard enough to get him to notice you," Kate advised before stopping herself. "Although I admit I'm not the best person to give that kind of advice, since I'm not dating anyone right now."

"All right, ladies, you're on!" Barton's voice said from behind a hidden entrance to the theater.

"Crap!" Kate panicked. "I can't let him know I'm here."

So Kate's Hawkeye picked her up by the hoodie and flew her back up into the rafters. This time, Kate stayed put as Barton arrived backstage.

"Is everyone ready?" Barton asked the contestants.

"We sure are!" Liz said.

"Except for the girl who randomly barged in here not too long ago," said Felicia.

"A girl?" Barton looked around in confusion. "What did she look like?"

"Had dark hair, wore a purple hoodie," Gwen described.

"Did she give a name?" Barton asked.

"Kate Bishop," said MJ.

Groaning, Barton muttered, "Not her…."

Jean-Paul looked confused. "You know this girl?"

"She's been stalking me for the past several months," Barton explained. "I thought about putting a restraining order on her, but decided not to after I didn't see her last week."

"That must've been when she started participating in the Avengers League," Gwen realized.

Barton glanced at Gwen with surprise. "Did she tell you she was doing that?"

"Yes, and she had a Mind Stone Badge on her hoodie," answered Gwen.

"And where did she go?" Barton looked up in the dark rafters.

"Out the fire exit," MJ lied, not wanting to give Kate's position away.

Everyone was completely silent as Barton continued to look at the rafters. There was a brief creaking sound, and then nothing.

"Must've been the wind," Barton shrugged. "All right, let's get the second round started! You'll all be put into pairs and have to battle each other in a Marémon Match. But during the match, you have to demonstrate your level of intimacy with your Marémon."

To be continued…