New Beginnings

Old Fears, New Friends

*{thoughts are enclosed like such}

{I can't believe how great life has been recently. Sure I got powers which messed up my whole life, but I've gotten to see things and go places very few others know actually exist. I've met Spider-Man, gotten to train with him, and now I'm about to train with Captain America. Who's next? Iron Man?}

"Hey, soldier, anyone home?" Captain America asks.

I realize I had a far off look on my face by the look Cap was giving me. "Huh? Yeah, sorry. Um, if you don't mind me asking where are we going?""We're going to do training my style", Cap says as he keys in a code to a room I hadn't noticed before.

As the doors slide open I see a room that looks like a Louisiana bayou with massive trees that look like they have been there for much longer than the Helicarrier. "Oh, this reminds me of Star Wars. Am I going to have to carry you around in a backpack and lift ships with my mind?"

"I didn't know you had that power, kid."

"I-I don't, Cap. I was making a reference to Star Wars."

"I know. That's one of the things I HAVE caught up on. I was just messing with you. No we're not going to do any of that. I am going to train you to use your environment."

"Oh ok that sounds fun."

"Yeah... Fun. This is an exercise we used to do back in the old days. No fancy machines to malfunction and almost kill you. Just me and you fighting it out with what we have. Pretty Spartan for this day and age."

"Well, are you just going to sit there talking like a museum guide, or am I going to get a demonstration?" I say as I bolt into the giant room and.

"Always leave it to the new guy", Cap says as he watches me dart around the area from the base of a tree to another waiting for his challenger. Cap throws his shield at the tree I am by, but misses my head by a few feet.

"Is that the best you got?", I ask as a run away looking over my shoulder.

Cap runs toward the tree. I expect his to pull the shield from the tree, but instead he keeps his pace and jumps on the shield wedged in the tree. I watch as he plants his hand on the shield and vaults into the tree easily pulling the shield from the tree.

"Where did he run off to?" I ask after a few minutes of silence. Just then I see Captain's glorified garbage lid land by me with a thud. "Rule #1: Stay alert at all times"

"Understood.", I say as I teleport up to the branch to dismount Cap from his perch. I teleport behind him and grapple him only to be surprised when he grabbed my arm and flung me over his shoulder. "Lesson 2: Expect the Unexpected."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah Sensei. I hear you." I say before I form a bubble around one of the closest rocks and fling it toward Cap. He flings his shield at one of the trees and jumps to the ground to evade my projectile. "Very good, you have already figured out lesson 3"

"Which is?"

"Use your environment."

Just then Cap's shield glances off of a branch and slams into my back.

"OUCH, you son of a..."

Cap: "Language."

"WHAT WAS THAT?!!"

"Lesson 4... Your opponent can use the environment too."

"Well, thanks to the major pain in my back I now think it is time to call it a day", I say as I head toward the door.

As I am leaving I see Spider-Man stuffing his face with a burrito. "Dude you have got to try the all you can eat burritos in the mess hall", he asks through a mouthful of food. "Um, Cap, why is he storming off?"