"I can take anything you can dish out, you don't have to go easy on me."
"Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of dishonoring you like that."
Steve Rogers grinned as he quickly dodged a trio of rapid jabs from his sparring partner, before sending out a powerful uppercut that just barely missed its target destination. His companion swiftly took advantage of the opening and hit him in the chin with her elbow, disorienting him as she wound up for a powerful kick. However, Steve recovered quickly, grabbing his opponent's incoming leg with both arms and tossing it aside, before bolting down into a crouching position and sweeping her feet. Normally she would be able to easily hop over such a predictable strike, but the previous parry left her off balance, and she fell to the floor with a heavy thump.
Chuckling softly as she accepted defeat, Diana, better known to the world as Wonder Woman, graciously accepted Steve's extended hand and was pulled up from the floor by him. This revealed the fact that she stood around half a head higher then the over six foot tall man, immediately betraying her Amazonian heritage.
"You're quite the formidable opponent." Steve stated. "I'd hate to face you on the other side of the battlefield."
"Coming from you, that means a lot." Wonder Woman replied. She had steadily grown to greatly admire the man in front of her. She recalled back on her home island of Themyscira, her mother would sometimes frighten her fellow Amazon's with horrific tales of what was known to mankind as the Second World War, particularly the atrocities of the Third Reich, all to drive home her point that man's world was beyond all possible hope. What her mother pointedly neglected to mention was that the rest of the world didn't take such evil sitting down. In fact, there were countless groups of heroic figures fighting against the Nazis' advancement, from the squads of courageous servicemen such as the Howling Commandos and the Easy Company to the spectacular teams of superheroes such as the Justice Society and the Freedom Fighters. Of course, standing head and shoulders above them all was the leader of the Invaders, the symbol of Democracy everywhere, the one and only star spangled soldier himself, Steve Rogers, aka Captain America.
Diana's first and best friend from beyond her homeland was military officer Steve Trevor, and the man spoke of Rogers as a veritable demigod, as if he was the modern age equivalent to warriors such as Achilles or Perseus. Diana trusted Trevor's judgement, and the research she'd done on the Captain certainly painted an impressive picture, however she doubted that any man could live up to such a lofty reputation. After all, even the greatest myths and heroes of old had their vices and vulnerabilities. However, what she didn't know at the time was that she would soon get to intimately know the man behind the legend.
A few months ago when the Captain was seemingly resurrected from a block of arctic ice, she was asked to help him adjust to modern society, seeing as she had to go through a similar process when she first arrived in man's world a few years prior. The two bonded over the feelings involved in having to suddenly adjust to an all new world, as well as their shared warrior spirit. They spent a lot of time training and sparring together, each one appreciating the opportunity to learn from such a unique source of knowledge, Diana having knowledge of various ancient fighting arts while Rogers having the experience of a long and storied career both as a superhero and as a super soldier.
"My sisters back home were the best of the best, and taught me better then nearly anyone else on this planet." Diana once told Rogers. "But as Trevor's military friends say, 'experience outranks everything.' The Amazons haven't seen real combat in millennia, but you're essentially straight from the battlefield."
It wasn't just his combat prowess Diana admired in the man, but also his strength of character, as he was every bit the inspirational icon Trevor and the rest of the world perceived him as. His presence naturally exuded authority, but his words made everyone around him feel valued, like they all had an important role to play in the fight for justice. He always took whatever mission he was dealt with the utmost seriousness, but also knew when to let go and be a bit playful. He had the energy of a stern but caring father figure you knew always had your best interest at heart, something Diana never had growing up in a society of all women but found incredibly comforting once she had it. Diana saw Rogers both as an ideal leader and a trusted friend.
This admiration went both ways, as the Captain was able to see Diana's by now well established superhero career up close and personal due to her being his escort, and what he saw impressed him. He appreciated the dichotomy that encompassed her being, how she was both one of the most compassionate souls he ever met yet could unleash an unmatched ferocity if the situation called for it. She cared deeply for the plights of everyone she came across, from comrades to civilians to even the more sympathetic of her many foes, but she could also be absolutely ruthless against those that would seek to hurt others for their own personal gain. He also respected her strong dedication to the truth, her unwillingness to accept pleasant lies and "necessary" secrets. She saw honesty and openness as crucial moral principles, particularly in establishing and maintaining trust both between teammates and with the people at large. However, what he admired the most about Diana was her relentless drive and determination, never giving up a fight even when she was at the point of physical exhaustion if the battle was to protect others. Her willingness to self-sacrifice, unwavering resolve, and belief in humanity all made her a truly exceptional hero in his eyes.
In short, the two were trusted companions, bound by similar experiences, shared interests, and mutual respect.
"Well, I think that's enough training for now." Steve said while wiping the sweat from his brow. "Good work soldier."
"Thanks Cap." Diana responded while stretching her weary muscles. "So what's next?"
"We could finally watch the Space Adventure pictures. They're one of the last things on my catch-up list." Cap brought out a small notepad filled to the brim with various scribbles, doodles, and writings. Ever since he got to the modern day, nearly everyone he ever met had at least one suggestion for something he had to watch, listen to, or experience that he missed out on whilst being frozen solid. He had been diligent in completing this collection of recommendations during whatever free time he had between training and superhero missions, wanting to understand this strange new world he found himself in as best he could both to settle himself in and to be able to properly serve its people.
"Weren't we saving Space Adventures for Friday? That's always our movie night." Diana pointed out. "Why don't we go get some ice cream to cool down? Remember the first time we got some together?"
"How could I forget? I just get out of being stuck inside a glacier for nearly a century and the first thing you have me do is try out a ton of frozen desserts."
Diana grinned playfully. "Ironic, sure, but I know you loved it."
Cap's subtle smile betrays him as he reminisces. "It's crazy how many flavors they came up with while I was gone. I didn't even know what half of them were."
"And yet they're all so delicious. I love how creative man's world is with its food!"
"Well you two are going to have to satisfy your sweet tooth some other time." A new voice chimes in, this time from Agent Maria Hill, second in command of SHIELD, as she walks into the gym. "Captain, Fury wants you suited up now. There's a disturbance in Brazil that he thinks you'll be able to defuse. I'll debrief you on the situation once you're all set."
Cap nods. "Yes ma'am."
"You can come too Princess, but make sure you play by the rules this time." Hill's voice held a hint of disdain she barely tried to conceal. "I don't want a repeat of the incident in Bialya."
"I saved those hostages from H.I.V.E.'s clutches, that's all that matters."
"Bialya has made it explicitly clear they don't allow foreign interference of any kind, be it from military groups like SHIELD or so-called heroes. Your actions nearly caused an international incident!"
"Innocent lives were saved, that's more important than some petty politics."
"Just don't get in our way!" Hill snapped. "For everyone's sake." She then quickly left to attend to her other duties, leaving the two heroes alone once again.
Wonder Woman was the first to break the silence. "I'll never understand how you can be so comfortable being pushed around by these people."
"Good soldiers follow orders." Cap replied, somewhat solemnly. "You were raised to be a warrior, you should know the importance of following commands."
"Yes, but it goes both ways. Warriors follow orders but also trust that those orders are in the best interest of them and the people they are sworn to protect. SHIELD seems more interested in pleasing their masters at the UN instead of helping people. Remember what happened with Rhelasia?"
The Captain's face grew grim, and his voice apologetic. "Look, I'm not as rich as Stark or have the senses and mobility of Superman, I need people to help me know where the bad guys are, help me get there, and provide me the resources to get the job done. And for now, SHIELD is the most efficient option I have."
"There are plenty of independent heroes out there, Steve."
"But most of them only protect one city from crime, at best. I'm trained for fighting more international enemies, widespread army-like terrorist groups like Shadaloo and Hydra." Cap still couldn't believe his old World War II foes survived into the modern day, but that was besides the point. "So far this is the best I got, but trust me, I give the higher ups as much hell as I can and I'm constantly looking for something better. I just don't know what that is yet."
Little did Captain America know that the "something better" he was looking for was just around the corner.
Seemingly appearing out of nowhere in a sea of glowing white spots, the Wasp excitedly walked across the state-of-the-art laboratory over to a hunched over Tony Stark. Giddy with glee to the point where she didn't notice her friend's intense concentration, the young woman started enthusiastically gushing about her latest action packed escapade.
"Tony you'll never guess what just happened, I fought Whirlwind again! Again! Can you believe it! I mean he just got back into prison but I guess those guards are terrible at their jobs or something because he was right back to robbing banks today I swear this is the fifth time in a row I kicked his ass oh! Does that make him my nemesis? It would be so cool to have a nemesis I just hope he doesn't go as crazy as the Joker I don't think I could handle that, how about you Tony who's your nemesis maybe Hammer or the Mandarin or…"
Janet's impassioned ramblings were completely unheeded by the focused Stark, a fact which Jan had only now realized. Slightly frustrated, she walked up to Tony and gave him the lightest shock her bioelectric powers would allow, which still made the man bolt up in his seat due to the sheer surprise.
"Come on, Tony! I get enough of this from Hank! Step away from the science for one second."
Tony quickly recovered, then chuckled. "Sorry Jan, I didn't notice you come in. I've just been super focused on studying these readings from this jewel Stark Industries found about a week ago. The energy output in this thing is so insane it makes my biggest Arc Reactor look like a damn firecracker."
"Wow, really?" Jan replied, intrigued. "Just how much energy are we talking here?"
"Enough to power an entire continent. Indefinitely."
"Woah…" Janet said, not knowing how else to respond. Something she appreciated about Tony in comparison to other super geniuses like Reed Richards or Hank Pym is that he used over complicated technical jargon sparingly, always making sure to word his findings in a way where even the most scientifically illiterate, such as herself, could understand the significance of them. Jan figured this trait is why he was such a successful business man compared to others of his ilk.
"So what is all this about Whirlwind?" Tony pivoted.
"Well, now it doesn't seem as impressive compared to what you've been up to." Janet crossed her arms and playfully pouted, feigning annoyance.
"Come on, I'm sure the world is a much safer place now that the human beyblade is behind bars."
"Oh my gosh, shut up!" Janet giggled and lightly hit Tony on the shoulder. The two had grown incredibly close over the past few years, though they had known each other for even longer than that. Before either of them even dreamt of engaging in superheroics, they were two wealthy socialites that naturally saw each other at many of the same parties and functions. They were each attracted to the others wit and snarky sense of humor. However, they didn't become close friends until after Jan got her powers and Tony decided to become Iron Man. Suddenly they had genuine common passions, with them being able to talk for hours about both the joys and frustrations of crime fighting. They were also able to see the true altruism within each other via their valiant efforts, allowing both to start fully respecting the other's character. In fact, Janet was one of the few people truly there for Tony when he had his intense bout with alcoholism from accumulating too much stress which resulted from his guilt and overworking. Tony counted Janet among Rhody and Pepper as one of his best friends, and Janet was always eager to share her latest adventures with the armored warrior before anyone else.
Before they could continue their friendly banter, the entire building was suddenly rocked by a rapid succession of violent shakes that ended nearly as soon as they began. Red lights started flashing and alarms started blaring as a calm, polite sounding robotic voice with a British accent began speaking over the intercom.
"Sir, security has just been breached."
"Yeah, I can tell JARVIS." Tony replied sarcastically, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Can you tell me who did it and where they are now?"
"The perpetrator has already left the facility." Tony and Janet were stunned by this revelation. How could anything get in and out of this highly secure building that fast?!
JARVIS continued. "The only evidence they left behind was this image from one of our high speed cameras." The image in question was then projected from one of the many computers scattered across the room, showing nothing but an indiscernible blue blur approaching its prize.
"The gem!" Tony exclaimed.
"That is the only thing the intruder took." the AI confirmed.
"No one can just waltz into my tower and take my stuff like it's no big deal! JARVIS, let's suit up! We need to follow that creep!" Tony swiftly approached a glowing platform in the center of the room where a series of robotic arms stood ready for him.
"Just who could this mystery thief be?" Janet pondered as the metallic limbs attached the various pieces of Stark's trademark red and gold armor to his body. "It was obviously someone with intense superspeed, but who? Does the Flash have any blue enemies besides Captain Cold?"
"Hell if I know. All I'm sure of is that we need to get that jewel back! Who knows what sort of damage something with that level of power could do in the hands of some supervillain nutjob! JARVIS, do a global scan for anything going at the same hypersonic speeds as our intruder, then make sure they're as blue as them."
"Done sir, and we already have results. There seems to be a nearly identical blur heading south as we speak"
"Good work JARVIS." Tony responded. "I'm on my way to give this guy his speeding ticket." Tony began to crouch down to begin lift off before Janet called out to him.
"Hey, don't you dare think about flying off halfway across the world straight into horrific danger…" Jan shrunk down and flew onto Tony's shoulder. "...without me!"
"You really don't have to come, Jan. It was my power source it stole."
"Oh come on, you know I'm always up for an adventure, plus I heard South America is lovely this time of year." Janet grinned playfully.
"I'm serious Jan, it was my defenses that failed to keep it out. I don't want you getting hurt over my mistakes. I don't want that to happen to anyone ever again!"
"I know one of my main powers is shrinking, but I can take care of myself just fine, thank you very much." Janet's face momentarily got serious. "Besides, haven't we talked about letting your guilt control you?"
Tony paused. They've indeed had discussions like this before, about how Tony's agony over allowing his weapons to fall into the wrong hands drove him to overworking or rejecting help from others. Pepper has had to practically force him to get some sleep some nights, and it took a fair amount of convincing to get him to continue eating actual meals instead of pumping the necessary nutrients straight into his veins to save time. He's gotten a lot better at controlling himself over the years, but he still has trouble working alongside others, especially when it comes to his stolen tech. He felt that since he caused the problem, he alone should bear the burden of fixing it, despite his friends being willing to assist him in their own ways.
Thinking on all this, Tony relented. "Alright, you're right. Come on, Jan. We're going diamond hunting!"