One casual topic led to another, then another, until eventually the discussion spun off in completely new directions.
With no urgent mission breathing down their necks, the group passed the time this way, chatting idly, joking, and reflecting. It wasn't a bad way to spend a rare moment of peace.
Uncle Receding Hairline, otherwise known as Coulson, was in unusually high spirits. Watching all these heroes gathered around gave him a fresh new perspective on what people were starting to call the Superhero Alliance.
Many of the faces here were familiar to him, yet the fact that the Avengers, the team painstakingly built up by Nick Fury, had somehow all ended up under Arthur's banner? That was almost painful to process.
Heaven only knew how much effort Fury had poured into forming the Avengers. Now here they were, working for someone else. If you thought about it from Fury's perspective, it was a rather sad affair.
But soon, Coulson realized there was a lot he could hardly keep up with anymore.
For example, Camp Lehigh. He'd known it only as a World War II training facility, where Steve Rogers had first met the Instructor. But now? Apparently, it had grown into something else entirely. A full-fledged headquarters. A base. What kind of place was it now?
Then there were the Dark Elves. Had they really invaded Earth? And it was the Instructor with Thor who repelled them? Not only that, they'd even captured a warship-class vessel? Now being reverse-engineered into Earth's cutting-edge technology?
Coulson knew about Xandar's battle, of course. He'd heard Earth's heroes had helped save it. But hearing with his own ears that Earth-born heroes now possessed the strength to protect not just Earth, but the entire universe itself…
That stirred his heart. Exhilarating… yes. But it also stirred unease.
Because that was exactly why he sat here right now, their brilliant victory had forced Xandar's hand to allow this so-called "information hub." It sounded glorious, but in reality… Pan-Universe Culture & Technology Co., Ltd. didn't actually do any real business. Until Earth had people trusted enough to send, Coulson was destined to run this front alone.
Maybe in the future, Xandar and Earth would finally dispatch personnel. For now, though, the job was his.
Still, its importance couldn't be overstated, at least from Earth's perspective. Out in the wider universe, the number of terrifying entities was staggering.
Not long ago, this group had fought and defeated a living planet.
Coulson nearly couldn't wrap his mind around it. A planet that spoke, breathed, gave birth, and if it hadn't strangled its own children, could have spread its spawn across the galaxy, ruling everything under its control.
The thought alone was terrifying.
And if that wasn't enough, this same group had recently triggered a coup on another planet.
To be fair, looking closer, their objective seemed suspiciously like… looting. But Arthur had insisted on calling it "reasoning." Still, reasoning executed with fists wasn't exactly diplomacy.
What kind of people were these?
Among them weren't just extraordinary humans, but alien lifeforms too.
Coulson's professional instincts balked. Why hadn't S.H.I.E.L.D. been informed? By all definitions, these were 084s, classified as unidentifiable objects or entities. Normally, such anomalies would be contained. Safely locked away.
Yet here they were… sitting as members of the Superhero Alliance, debating where to eat dinner tonight.
The more he observed, the closer Coulson felt to a breakdown.
It was all far beyond what his worldview had prepared him for. And yet, deep down, he also sensed this: if Earth ever faced a power far too great to resist, it wouldn't be governments, armies, or even S.H.I.E.L.D. that stood as its lifeline.
It would be them.
For the first time, Coulson had to wonder, Do I need to change the way I think?
Maybe S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn't the only force capable of saving the world. When it came to resisting invasions of overwhelming power, this ragtag group might just be Earth's best shot.
"Let's wait and see…"
During the meeting, Arthur finally spoke: "Our Superhero Alliance still isn't complete. What we have right now is mostly physical resistance against invasions. But the universe has another dark side, magical incursions. There's already a group standing against them. I intend to bring one of their key figures into our ranks. After all, in a sense… he could be considered my junior apprentice."
"Magic?"
The word fell into the silence like a stone in water.
Everyone grew thoughtful. The more knowledge they gained, the more insignificant they felt. Even the Hulk, as terrifyingly strong as he was, couldn't match everything.
And that was why the Superhero Alliance had to exist.
Different powers, different talents, all gathered together. A collection of individuals wielding strength no ordinary person could. Combined into a single force, they stood as Earth's shield.
That was the vision.
The thought made Natasha laugh suddenly, a light, genuine laugh. Her joy proved infectious, and soon everyone found themselves smiling with her.
Arthur, too, laughed. But as he gazed around at them, heroes, outcasts, aliens, friends, something stirred inside him.
The Alliance had started as nothing more than idle talk, born from a casual conversation between him, Natasha, and Steve. Just an idea. Then Tony and Banner had joined in… and now here they were, standing together, after so much gained, so much lost.
It hadn't even been many years. Yet they'd lived enough to make it feel that way.
After their talk came… dinner.
The moment they entered the kitchen, half the group rushed in eager to prove themselves masters of cuisine. Jackets came off, sleeves rolled up, voices raised proudly.
But then Banner seized control. Enthusiasm blazing, ladle in hand, he swiftly ousted Tony, Brock, and every other would-be "chef" from the battlefield.
Even Arthur, the so-called "Boss," had no choice but to retreat before Banner's iron culinary rule.
Arthur drifted out toward the balcony, over a hundred stories above Xandar's surface. Strangely, the view didn't make him feel like he was towering over the world.
The skies were alive, streams of flying craft moving in perfect synchrony. At a neighboring high-rise window, a girl with dusky orange skin winked mischievously at Coulson, sticking out her tongue and pulling faces.
Coulson, of course, was blushing like a teenager.
Arthur leaned on the doorframe and smirked. "Looks like I'm interrupting something. If I am, I'll make a gentlemanly exit."
"…No, Instructor," Coulson answered dryly. "I don't think you could ever qualify as a gentleman. Not at any time, not anywhere. But you know… I've only been here a few days, and somehow it already feels like years."
Arthur folded his arms, gazing out at the glittering city beyond.
"Those who adapt," he said softly, "are the ones who survive the longest."
A beat passed in quiet, broken only by the hum of ships streaming past.
"Tell me, Coulson… when do you think Earth will ever reach this level?"
(End of Chapter)
You can read ahead up to 70 chapters on my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GGS6395