May 21, 2014

Mahmoud Schahed/Dial

When we got back to the base, I was still in Asgardian form, helping Jen along while Ares strode ahead of us. He stopped in front of a soldier who was guarding the entrance.

“Tell the recruits to start running,” Ares growled simply.

The soldier grinned and nodded, taking his walkie-talkie out. Ares continued his stride, looking over his shoulder at us.

“We’ll need to plan things correctly for your training. I am available while my son is in class.”

“Oh yeah, you’re the Dad of War,” I joked, smiling at his back. Man, that was such a fun idea. The God of War game from 2018 had just come out in my world before I got shifted to this random Marvel universe. Now I was dealing with my own, somehow blood-thirstier, Kratos… might be best not to mention the game series where players literally kill Ares in the first game though.

“Indeed I am,” Ares said proudly. “For now, while he is in class, I train the recruits. Then I take care of him until bedtime, 2100 hours. That would be 1400 hours in New York City,” 9 PM Greece, 2 PM New York. “Would you be available anytime after that?”

“I work, but I can talk with my partners about scheduling something,” Jen said.

“My job is the Avenger gig,” I said simply. “As long as I’m not on a mission, I can come anytime. Though I’d still like to train with Natasha and Thor. Now that I’m getting a handle on this form.”

Ares nodded, looking me over.

I was still feeling like an outlet had opened in my soul. Even now, more exhausted than I’d ever been in Asgardian form, the feeling of vast power finally unleashed inside me made me feel like a million bucks. Like when you have a workout and just feel stronger afterward, even while you're sore and tired. ExceptExpect, escalated by Asgardian levels.

“I’ll have to speak with Natasha and Thor then. I also expect payment.”

“Fair. What do you want?” I asked him with some trepidation.

“6,000 dollars a month.”

I gaped at him.

“Each,” he looked over his shoulder at us. “Raising a child is expensive.”

“I… guess I can swing that?” I said hesitantly. I needed to talk to X and figure out how much money I had. I looked at Jen. “You mind if I pay for your half?”

“You're going to have to,” Jen said with some trepidation.

“Dial, Jen!” Steve said, drawing our attention towards him and Bucky. The two super-soldiers strode towards us quickly, Steve looking worried. “We heard there was a sandstorm. Turned a whole section of land into something out of the Bible. What did you guys do?”

“Had a conversation… Fine, we got our asses handed to us,” I said when Steve didn’t look convinced.

He glared at Ares, who didn’t even flinch. “They wished for me to train them. I wanted to get their measure. And I did. They’re fine.”

“For a given value of fine,” I shifted slightly and tapped the Omnitrix. I was back in human form once again in a flash of green. “Though this is the first fight I’ve lost where I didn’t mind it so much.”

“Yeah? Guess that Ulik guy will be disappointed,” Bucky pointed out.

“You lost to Ulik?” Ares asked. When I nodded in response, he scoffed. “You’ll need a lot more training than I expected.”

I grunted. Still felt really damn sour about that damn troll.

“Well, I’m glad you guys are okay,” Steve said. Our group walked along with Ares. “Ares… I’m willing to let it go this time, but-”

“I understand,” Ares growled. Ares and Steve met eyes. “You saw your soldiers injured. I would have no respect for you if you didn’t feel rage at the sight.”

Steve gave a very Ares-like grunt at that.

------

Later, just before we left the base to head back home for the day, Ares pulled me aside to take him to his favorite place in the world.

His personal armory.

“It was a part of my deal with the Greek Government,” Ares opened the doors to a large warehouse, revealing a space big enough to have a convention in. Row after row of shelves, racks, and crates lined the place from wall to wall, with spacious areas to walk down between them all. And of course, there were the weapons.

Swords, guns, axes, shields, spears, a few tanks way in the back of the room. Armor stood on mannequins about the place They were from all different periods of history. There was even a giant stone axe-sword that looked like it had come from prehistory.

“I needed someplace to store the weapons I’ve collected over the centuries. Well, a small portion of the more useful ones.”

“Small portion?” I mumbled to myself. Seriously, Neo from the Matrix would have thought this was too many guns. Let alone the sharp things. This was like weapon porn heaven.

“I’m not a man who is knowledgeable in the ways of Asgardians,” Ares said, ignoring me. “But I know how their warrior’s train. They have trouble focusing, honing, their abilities. The more naturally powerful, the harder it is for them to channel their abilities.”

I frowned thoughtfully while Ares led the way to one section of shelves. All the weapons there had an unnaturally golden sheen to them. Like, they were a beautiful color of soft gold. But they had a much… harder, sheen to them. As though their existence was a hell of a lot more solid than gold usually had. “So that’s why I had so much trouble using my full power without feeling like my head was exploding?”

“Possibly,” Ares traced his hands along a mace, then grunted in dissatisfaction and walked on. “I know of a few weapons made to channel power. Some good, some bad. Luckily, Hephaestus has given me a number of weapons over the years.”

“Weren’t you sleeping with his wife for a good while?” I asked.

Ares grunted. “Boy, if you really think Hephaestus can hold a grudge for that long-”

We met eyes, mine as skeptical as I could make them.

“...Fine, he’s still pissed. But he’s a weapons maker, and we both like weapons. He can be professional about that. In fact, I believe he’s a fan of that Stark fellow.”

“I’ll let Tony know he has fans in high places. Help his low self-esteem,” I chuckled. Still, I couldn’t hold off my excitement. “So you’re giving me a sword?”

“I’m selling you a sword,” Ares scoffed. “You will have the Avengers marketing team send free merchandise to my son for the next five years.”

“I can do that,” I said without hesitation. “You know, you’re a whole lot more of a bargainer than I expected.”

“All sorts of battlefields,” Ares raised a blade, one that looked like a spear that had broken about two feet down the shaft. “Hm. No, you aren’t the assassin-type.”

Ares continued forward. After a while, he stopped in front of a section of more ancient Arabian-style blades. “Hm… Bit cliche, but this…” Ares picked up a sword and spun it around with incredible skill, stopping it just before he would have slashed my throat. Then he brought it around to swing it back and forth, testing the weight.

“The scimitar… made from adamantine, the metal of Greece,” Ares said. “A little unwieldy, for the untrained. But it rips through enemies when you know what you’re doing. Enter your Asgardian form.”

Well, not like I was against the idea. Transforming was fun no matter why. With a twist of the Omnitrix, I brought up Sandráss and pressed it, shifting in a blaze of green light.

I felt power fill me once more. I stared down at myself, then at Ares. Ares handed me the scimitar, which I took, looking it over. It was large, thickly formed, and heavier than I expected. Which was saying something, for my Asgardian form. I slowly raised it.

Inside of me, the power of the desert responded to the blade. I felt it connect, like two souls mixing to one. Ares watched me carefully as I swung the sword carefully around, spinning it around gently and flicking my wrist. “It feels like it’s alive.”

“Very sentimental of you,” Ares grumbled. “The blade's name is Khamsin. After a dry and hot wind that runs across Egypt and Israel. Appropriate. If cliche.”

“It’s really fucking cool,” I mumbled, stopping to point my sword in front of me. “I feel like Aladdin.”

“Hn,” Ares chuckled.

“Thank you, seriously,” I said, unable to hide how grateful I felt. “Adamantine though… how does that relate to Uru metal?”

“Just as durable, and takes an edge better than almost any metal on earth,” Ares explained. He moved to lean against one of the shelves, crossing his arms. “Also impossible to affect with magic, so you don’t have to worry about cowardly wizards turning your blade into a flower. It’s good stuff.”

“You’re giving me a magic sword and all you want is Avengers merchandise for it?” I asked with a grin.

“It’s a good blade, not the best one I have,” Ares shrugged.

“Dial,” Steve said behind me. Ares and I turned to see the Captain behind us, walking past weapon after weapon. He looked over the scimitar in my hand. “Huh. Nice sword.”

“Would you like one, Captain?” Ares asked respectfully, waving around. “Free of charge, for you.”

I gave Ares an annoyed look, which he ignored.

“I’m good,” Steve smiled, shifting the shield on his back slightly. “I’ve never needed more than my shield.”

“There is something to be said for mastering a weapon,” Ares agreed.

Steve nodded, then looked over at me. “We’re headed out. Ready?”

“Yep,” I tapped the Omnitrix to shift back to human form. There was a bright flash of green light again. Then I was back in human form. And my cool new sword had disappeared.

“...” I clenched and unclenched my hand thoughtfully. Then I twisted the Omnitrix and turned back into my Asgardian form.

Khamsin reappeared in Sandráss’ hand. To test it, I turned into Four Arms. Long red arms, no sword. Same with Blitzwolfer, Fasttrack, and NRG. Then I changed back to a human. I changed back and forth twice more, then looked at Ares when the sword refused to reappear in any form that wasn’t properly god-like.

“What, you think I know why that’s happening?” Ares asked pointedly. “I know nothing about technology, and little about magic.”

“Yeah, but… what, the sword is tied conceptually to my Asgardian form?” I asked, staring at Khamsin like it had betrayed me.

“Sounds as good as any other explanation,” Ares chuckled, then rose to his feet. “You’d better go. But I expect you back here on our agreed time. Good?”

“Perfect,” I changed back into my human form, Khamsin fading in a golden flash in contrast to the green light of the omnitrix. “I guess I’ll talk to Agatha about it when I get back.”

“That old bat is still around, huh,” Ares said.

“And kicking. You want me to send a message to her?”

He snorted. “Nah, she would just nag at me again I think.”

I grinned at him, the thought amusing the hell out of me. “Thanks again, Ares. We’ll see ya tomorrow.”

“Hn,” he grunted.

Steve and I shared a grin, then turned back to head home.

------

May 22, 2014

When Jen and I got back to New York, we both immediately went to sleep. The sun was still up in New York, but neither of us felt up to much. Even with the Omnitrix healing me as soon as I switched forms, and Jen’s natural healing powers, we were both wiped. When we woke up the next morning, it was at the same time. She was in her human form. And resting on my chest.

We met eyes for a moment, Jennifer blinking wearily at me. She looked at her position, then grumbled to herself.

“Uh, hi?” I said experimentally.

“Hey,” Jennifer said uncomfortably. “Sorry. Just, getting used to this.”

I chuckled, swinging out of bed as well.

Time to start a new day.

------

While Jennifer headed to work, I went to fulfill a promise to Agatha.

It was about 7 AM when I entered her office. She was alone, as far as I could tell. Although, considering what she’d done before with that mirror dimension thing, we could have been surrounded by people. Terrifying thought, that.

Agatha was sitting there, sipping at some tea while she waited. “Good morning, Mr. Schahed.”

“Morning Ms. Harkness,” I moved over to sit in front of her. “So. I promised I’d share information with you. About the multiverse and such?”

“You did,” she smirked. “But first. Tell me about me.”

“Could be tough,” I said with a grin. “You’re a very mysterious figure.”

She gave me a level look. I shrugged, then began to speak. “Well, one thing that always shows up in your history, in the history of most other Agatha Harkness’ anyway, is Atlantis.”

Agatha gave me a look like she was trying to stab me with her pupils. “Well… You know more than you should, don’t you?”

“That’s the pain of being me. Anyways, the first I heard about you, was when you started babysitting the strongest kid in history, one by the name of Franklin Richards.”

“Strongest in what sense?” Agatha asked.

“Reality warper. Could literally build new universes with his mind before he hit puberty.”

“I’ll have to keep an eye out for that then,” she said, as though that kind of power happened every week. Which, ya know, it kinda did, considering. “What else?”

“Well,” a meow brought my attention down to my ankles, where Ebony was looking up at me. Apparently I’d ignored her for way longer than she felt necessary. She hopped up onto my lap and stared up at me until I started rubbing her head. “Ebony shows up a lot. And sometimes has the ability to become a giant super-cat.”

Ebony meowed at that, while Agatha smirked. “‘Super’ cat?”

“Heals super quick, is super fast, strong, and vicious,” I pet Ebony with a smile. “You’re a tiny murder machine, aren’t you?”

Ebony meowed happily.

“As I said. You know far too much,” Agatha said, sipping at her tea. Then she seemed to realize something. “I seem to have forgotten my manners. Here, a drink,” she waved a hand. A glass of caramel milkshake, my favorite drink, popped into existence on the desk. I took it gratefully. After chugging it, the glass started to refill itself.

“Coooool,” I whispered while staring at the drink.

“A simple cantrip, nothing more,” Agatha said, dismissing my magical caramel milkshake with a wave of her hand.

“Man, why are magic people so jaded about cool shit?” I asked.

“We’ve seen too much. Now, tell me. What else do I tend to do in these other universes?”

“Well, you seem to end up training Wanda in most every universe. Usually it turns out pretty well. Although this version of her doesn’t seem to have exactly the same powerset as her other ones.”

“How so?”

“Well, she doesn’t get her powers from a weird ass scepter in any universe,” I scoffed. “Seriously, I’ve never heard of Loki’s scepter in any universe, but here it can give Wanda, Pietro, Davida, and Helen weird ass powers.”

“So that weapon is something outside of your experience?” Agatha frowned. “Or, it’s hiding secrets we can’t be sure of.”

“That’s true of a lot of things,” I scratched Ebony under the chin. “I will say that there’s a lot of threats, magical and otherwise, that I’d like to talk about… Any chance you know about someone named the Scrier?”

“...Keep talking,” Agatha’s voice sounded like ice chips crashing into bone.

Ah boy. This was going to take a bit.