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“So, you and your band…” Peter-Three started
“The Avengers aren’t a band.” The youngest Peter said in frustration.
“Okay…what did you call them? The Earth’s Mightiest Heroes…?”
“Yes.”
Peter could hear the pouting over the phone. He wasn’t quite sure how they could still talk on their phones. Maybe, it was their desire to stay connected. Maybe, it was nice to talk with people who understand.
Brothers.
He like that. Although the whole talking on the phone thing, it was most likely magic.
Magic is strange and way above his pay grade to understand.
“…this guy…Thanos have been gathering gems to wipe half of Earth’s population,” The youngest said.
“How does that even work? It would require a lot of energy and there must have been some requirements for who it tags to wipe out. It is the user…or the weird energy thing…Oh…oh…I got a theory!” Peter three said eagerly.
“Don’t forget the structure of the gem might have something to do with the intensity of the energy released…” He added.
“Ooo… High Energy and Particle Theory….”
“It could be. MIT uses it a lot in their high intensity experiments.”
The youngest made a wimping noise.
“It looks like the kid wants to continue his story,” Peter-Three said.
“Sorry, Pete. Go on,” He said gently.
“I do have another question. Why Earth?” Peter-three asked.
“I’m not sure. From what everyone said…Thanos wanted to erase half of the universe’s population to prevent the universe’s demise. Nebula talked about it a little when you know….”
There was a pause.
“Your universe sure does have a lot of teams. In my universe, we have a few solo heroes. I work together from time to time. Nothing like yours.” Peter three said.
“Who did you work with?” The youngest asked.
“Huh…Felica. There is…”
“Felica, huh?” He injected.
“There is nothing between me and the Black Cat. She is nice to work with from time to time. Sometimes, she has worked against me but her powers are super cool. She has the subconscious ability to affect probability fields. She gave me “bad luck” plenty of times.”
“That does sound super cool! Does it have a limit on how many people it affects?” How is the radius of her field? This is so cool! You know I never got to ask Thor how his powers worked. I know the whole god thing but I know the human body holds some electricity. Human cells are dedicated to conduct electrical currents. I wonder if Thor can hold a lot more. Wait…Have you worked with any other superheroes, Peter-Two?” The youngest said eagerly.
“Hmm…Wade. Better known as Deadpool. He…is unique.”
“Unique?” The middle brother said.
“Imagine a high schooler persona inside of an adult body with an unbelievable healing factor. That pretty much sums up Deadpool.
Deadpool was loud, crass, and sometimes, funny. His middle brother wasn’t the only one to point out his whole young pastor vibe. He is good in a fight when he isn’t dropping one liners or killing himself or a colorful combination of both.
“Wow…”
“What does he do…you know…for a living?” The youngest asked.
“He is a part time mercenary? Maybe? He never really told me what he does. He popped up every few months. I think that he is worried about me in his own way. He makes fun of me for a week or so and helps me for whatever reason then disappears.”
“He does sound…interesting.” Peter-third mumbled.
“You made a friend. A very weird friend,” The youngest said.
“It happens in our line of work. Didn’t you make friends with a talking…racoon and a tree?” He said with a slight pause.
“Okay…you have a point.”
“Man, I’m trying to wrap my head around a talking racoon…” The middle brother said.
“Well…he never shut up and the tree carries a gun..so…,” Youngest said.
“So weird,” The middle brother mumbled.
He let out a chuckle.
“Man, we are totally getting sidetracked. We are never going to finish this story.” The middle brother said with a sigh.
“It’s okay. It will be fun to start again next time. Besides, we don’t want to get into another debate about randomness of the Blip,” He pointed out.
“It was a complete random selection,” The youngest mumbled.
“Nothing is random,” He and Peter three said in unity.
The youngest huffed.
“Anyway, what were we talking about?”
“The stones,” He answered.
“Ultimate power…and all of that jazz,” Peter Three said.
“You’re trying to make me start the story all over again,” Peter One said with a moan.
He laughed.
“We can save it for another time. How is your studying?”
The youngest moaned louder.
Peter Three laughed a little.
“Come on, man…it isn’t that bad.”
“Yes, it is. I get everything but social studies.”
He hummed.
“I had some students tie into their hobbies with moments in time. Once, I had a big sports guy that could rattle off sports facts and dates like it was nothing. We found a way to tie important historical dates and facts with sport dates. The same with the geography portion. I learned a lot about soccer that year. He was able to pass the social studies section with ease.”
“You know…that is a good idea,” Peter one said thoughtfully.
“Way to go, teach,” Peter Three said cheerfully.
“I heard from the rumor mill that you two have been debating about the math and science questions in the GED study guide,” He said amusedly.
“It was the wrong answer!” They shouted in unity.
He chuckled.
“I wrote them and explained the correct answer,” The youngest mumbled.
“As you should,” The middle brother answered back.
“Another rumor is someone is working at the Daily Bugle…” He said with a grin.
“Urgh…does every Peter work for that place?” The middle brother said with a sigh.
“Not me?” The youngest said.
“Not yet.”
“It is quite possible. We seem to be draw to that place,” He said mildly.
He did get a good laugh when Peter Three told him that he was working there. He knew that his brother pouted a little bit about it but it was easy money.
In their line of work, money can be hard to come by. Those early days were rough.
Seeing his brothers go through the same thing. It made his heart ache.
He got through it. He was sure that his brothers would do the same.
The youngest let out a yawn.
“It seems that it is time for us to go,” He added.
“No…No! It was a little yawn!” The youngest said followed by another yawn.
Peter Three and him talked about the youngest not reaching out to his friends. He understood. The desire to protect.
But the loneliness…
It hurts. He and the other Peter tried. Dear lord, they tried to be there for their brother in arms but they had lives. Sometimes, they don’t talk for weeks.
He just wished…
His middle brother wanted to talk to the youngest to reach out to his friends. He doubted it. Experience dictated results. How many people got hurt or died because they knew? One to many…
And….
Parkers are a stubborn bunch. They won’t reach out until they are ready and the youngest isn’t ready.
They will just be there until he is ready.
“We will talk again in a few days. Is Sunday open for everyone?” He asked his brothers.
“Yup as long as the crime isn’t crazy,” Peter three said.
“Yup, the same…”
He chuckled.
“Good, it is settled.”
The youngest yawned.
“Good night, you guys…”
“Night, little Pete,” The Peter Three said.
“Don’t call me that,” The youngest mumbled.
He chuckled.
“Good night, Peter,” He said.
He heard the phone on his end click.
“Man…I worry about him.” Peter three said.
“I worry about the both of you,” He answered back.
“I’m fine, Pastor Peter!”
He grinned at the joke. It lacked the bitterness and bite that comes with Peter Three’s comments.
“Good.”
“You are such a dad.”
“I will try.”
Peter Three mumbled softly.
“Thanks.”
“Get some sleep. Both of us have work…and patrols. I talk to you on Sunday”
Peter three mumbled yes and a good night.
His brothers are strong. They will get there.
He will be there when they do.
End