N-701124 {b. barnes}

IX

Belle paid a visit to the diner on the corner for breakfast. Since it was now her last day in Brooklyn, she was going to treat herself before she left. She didn't know how long it would be before she returned home. That is, if she even returned home at all.

She shook her head, pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind.

It was nice to hear the familiar chatter of families over breakfast. For once, she was being served, not the one doing the serving. The chatter around her brought back a sense of comfort. It was as if she was young again, not dealing with problems. 

She sipped on her smoothie, watching the other guests laugh and chatter. The noise brought comfort to her. It was probably going to be the most comforting thing she'd hear over the coming weeks.

As she finished the smoothie, she looked around. A paper hanging on the wall caught her attention. She grabbed it, tearing it off the nail it dangled from.

World Exposition Of Tomorrow, 1943

Belle read the page. She knew of Howard Stark; everyone knew of Howard Stark. A night at a science convention could be fun. The page was filled with rumors of what could possibly be there. 

A smile formed on her lips. A night out could be fun. 

She headed back to her hotel room to change. The easiest thing to wear was her uniform, since she knew it would be a hassle to put on early in the morning. Belle tossed her hair into a quick braid to keep it out of her face.

She tucked a bit of money in her pocket and grabbed her jacket, just in case, then left. Being on the edge of the city, it was a bit farther of a walk than she imagined, but she didn't mind. It wasn't too chilly out. 

Belle followed the others to the center of the grounds. She peered over people's shoulders to see what was going on.

She listened to the music play before a voice came over the loudspeaker. 

"Welcome to the Modern Marvels Pavilion and the World of Tomorrow. A greater world. A better world."

"Ladies and gentleman, Mister Howard Stark!"

Howard walked onto the stage as people started cheering and clapping. When it died down, he started talking to the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, what if I told you that in just a few short years, your automobile won't even have to touch the ground at all."

The female helpers took the wheels on the car off.

"With Stark robotic reversion technology, you'll be able to do just that."

The car began to hover above the ground. Belle grinned, watching in awe. However, the car sputtered and fell back to the ground.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?"

Belle giggled. A flying car would be nice. She hoped she'd be around to see them in the near future.

The crowd began to disperse, and Belle wandered off to see what else she could find. Something caught her attention and she trotted toward it, not watching where she was going. She crashed shoulders with someone and stumbled backwards, missing a few steps on the staircase.

"What's got you in such a hurry?" Someone grabbed her arm, stopping her from falling onto her backside.

"I've got stuff to see and places to be." Belle huffed, pulling her arm away and smoothing out her uniform. "You're in my way."

She looked up to see who she was talking to. There was a short blonde with bright blue eyes, dressed in a loose fitting jacket and pants standing in front of her.