"Maybe we're all a group of extraordinary people."
Natasha Romanoff glanced around at everyone present and named them one by one. "Each of us has had experiences far beyond what ordinary people face. It's because of those experiences that we've become who we are today.
"If none of those events had happened, we might all be living ordinary lives—but reality changed all that. Chance brought us together.
"We can no longer live as ordinary people, and our world faces constant threats."
Her tone was neither hurried nor slow, but it carried a captivating weight that drew everyone's attention.
"Werewolves, vampires, demons, undead, alien life… who knows what else exists? Reality shows us that our world has changed. We refuse to live as ordinary people, so we choose to fight in this extraordinary world.
"We don't have the all-powerful abilities of the Saint Seiya, which would make defeating demons and alien threats easy—but we can contribute our own strength and leave our mark through repeated struggle."
Everyone listened intently and nodded in agreement.
Natasha's words touched their hearts. Hulk—well, perhaps Hulk wasn't entirely capable of such understanding. His mind was simple.
From the moment of his birth, people treated him with malice, fueling his omnipresent anger and immense destructive power.
But meeting Natasha and joining the Avengers changed everything. Hulk learned friendship. Friends treated him with kindness, invited him to eat, drink, and play billiards.
Sometimes, of course, Hulk's control over his power wasn't perfect.
But Natasha, Ava, and Psylocke never disliked him. They taught him to control his strength and even introduced him to two new companions: two giant, furry golden retrievers.
The dogs didn't care about Hulk's size. After he restrained his anger and fed them a few times, they bonded completely with him.
Moreover, Natasha mentioned one of the dogs was pregnant, promising a litter of puppies, which delighted Hulk.
Hulk had recognition, friends, and battles. Fighting alongside friends repeatedly made him feel truly satisfied.
Natasha spoke at length, but Hulk didn't fully understand. He only knew that if there were enemies, he would rush in first, smashing them with his fists—or following Natasha's orders without question.
His actions reassured the agents at the headquarters. They respected him sincerely, giving Hulk a sense of belonging. His usual pervasive anger could now be restrained, only to be released in battle when necessary. Simple.
Natasha didn't know exactly what Hulk was thinking. She turned to Bucky and whispered, "I know you were brainwashed, and I know the pain, struggle, and suffering you endured—but you found yourself again.
"We believe in you, as a member of the Howling Commandos and a friend of Steve Rogers.
"We tested your mind and confirmed there's no trace of brainwashing. That's why we are releasing you."
Bucky listened silently, absorbing her sincerity.
Seeing his expression, Natasha smiled and continued, "You are extraordinary. Your experiences make ordinary life unsuitable for you.
"On behalf of everyone here, I invite you to join us—to fight for this world and leave your mark on it.
"This is not mandatory. You may also choose to return to ordinary life and live as you wish. We will not interfere."
Bucky fell silent. He looked at everyone, then lowered his eyes. No one spoke.
After a long pause, he picked up a glass, took a sip, and looked at Natasha. "Are you sure I'll accept?"
"I've read all your history," Natasha said. "Through my repeated interactions with you, I can understand your character, Sergeant. We've had similar experiences.
"We were puppets, tools controlled by others. We were forced to harm innocent people. Our hands stained with blood.
"After escaping, we were confused about the future and felt guilty for the people we had hurt.
"If we hadn't found you, you would have tried to use your memories to locate the families of those you harmed, right?"
Bucky remained silent, bitterness in his eyes confirming her words.
"I've been in purgatory, helpless. I escaped the devil with Barton's help. At the time, I thought I'd defeated him. I was confused about the future and felt guilt over those I had harmed.
"I joined S.H.I.E.L.D., carried out missions repeatedly, hoping to atone for my past sins," Natasha said, her words sincere, reflecting her own experience.
Her sincerity resonated with Bucky, who had endured similar struggles. "I believe you are the same, Bucky," she said.
Bucky sighed. "You are a persuasive negotiator, Natasha. What else can I say?"
"Don't think that joining our team will erase your past," Natasha added lightly, causing Bucky to laugh. The others smirked.
"You know that your shot scared me for years," she continued, "so I'll take revenge during our training battles."
Her playful tone made Bucky laugh. "Alright, then let's see whose fist is stronger."
He extended his fist. Natasha smiled and bumped it with his.
End of Chapter)
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