C103 Music Binge!

C103 Music Binge!

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——————

A few days had passed since Peter, now in possession of his prized cassettes, had dived headfirst into a musical binge. His ship echoed with the sound of blasting music day and night. Peter’s excitement was unmatched as he danced, head-banged, and lounged around, completely engrossed in his new music.

His crew, Groot, Cosmo, Howard, Revan, Rocket, Teefs, Lylla, and Floor, had initially tried to endure the constant noise, even enjoying it in the beginning. However, they soon found refuge in the floating red room base, unable to bear the relentless sonic assault.

Even his grandparents, Jason and Anne, who had only reunited with him recently, found it challenging to keep up with Peter’s non-stop party.

Yet, one person stood by him through it all: Natasha Romanoff. Trained as a Black Widow from a young age, Natasha had missed out on much of her childhood and teenage years. This was her moment to indulge in simple pleasures.

She joined Peter in listening to music, eating fast food, and even playing video games, where she somehow managed to outperform him, much to his annoyance.

Today, however, was different. Peter had a scheduled meeting with Director Peggy Carter, which he had completely forgotten about. But, his grandparents, aware of his appointment, decided to remind him.

————

Jason and Anne approached the ship, the sound of blasting music growing louder as they neared.

Play U Can’t Touch This by MC Hammer

You can't touch this

You can't touch this

You can't touch this

You can't touch this

My, my, my, my

(You can't touch this)

Music hits me so hard

Makes me say "Oh, my Lord

Thank you for blessing me

With a mind to rhyme and two hyped feet"

It feels good when you know you're down

A super dope homeboy from the Oaktown

And I'm known as such

And this is a beat, uh, you can't touch

...

..

.

They exchanged amused glances before stepping inside, instantly bombarded by the music. The living area was a mess, strewn with fast food wrappers and empty soda cans.

In the center of the chaos, Peter was dancing energetically, mimicking MC Hammer's moves. He wore a sideways hat and no shirt, lost in the rhythm. Natasha sat nearby, laughing and nearly falling out of her seat.

Jason and Anne stood at the entrance, smiling at the scene. They waited patiently until the song ended. Natasha clapped, still giggling.

Peter, grinning, pointed at her. "Your turn, Nat."

She shook her head, not laughing anymore. "No way. I only know ballet and ballroom dancing."

Peter smirked. "Then show me what you know. It's only fair. I’m sure I can find a song that fits...”

But before Natasha could respond, Jason cleared his throat, catching their attention. Peter spun around, his eyes widening in surprise. He quickly grabbed his shirt, tossing it on and adjusting his hat.

"Uh, hey, guys," Peter said, a bit sheepish.

Natasha straightened up, trying to appear more presentable. "Mr. and Mrs. Quill," she greeted.

Jason and Anne glanced around the messy room. "Peter, maybe you should clean this up before any fungus starts growing," Anne suggested.

Natasha immediately stood, frantically rushing to start cleaning. "I’m so sorry," she said.

Peter held up his hand, stopping her. "Relax," he turned to his grandparents. "Watch this."

With a wave of his hand, he used the Force to telekinetically gather all the garbage, moving it to the ship's compactor. He then levitated cleaning supplies, quickly sanitizing the whole room.

Natasha and his grandparents watched in awe. "There, clean. So, what’s up? Did you come to listen to music with us? I still have a few cassettes I haven’t gotten to yet."

The Shield agents and Peggy were stunned into silence, their eyes wide as they took in the technological marvel far beyond anything they had ever seen. Even Shield’s most advanced facilities paled in comparison.

Peggy quickly regained her composure. "Peter, would you be willing to sell this to Shield? We would be willing to pay you handsomely."

Peter thought for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I don't need your money."

Peggy tried again, offering, "The price could be in the hundreds of millions, maybe even billions. Are you sure you don't want to sell?"

Peter laughed, surprising everyone. "I recently turned down a billion dollars for a cassette tape. You won’t be able to sway me with money."

Seeing their confused expressions, he continued, "But I wouldn't mind if you used the Red Room when you needed to. Though only you, I don't trust anyone else in Shield."

Coulson raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

Peter gave him a look that said, 'Are you serious?' before responding, "Because I don't know them. Do you let strangers you don't trust into your home?"

The explanation seemed to satisfy them, though Peggy still looked contemplative.

Peter added, "Besides, I have other reasons not to trust Shield. But you'll find that out after the meeting..."

His cryptic comment left them curious and worried as they neared the floating base. The hangar doors opened automatically, and Peter expertly landed the helicopter inside.

Of course, he chose a secondary hangar away from his ship, not wanting Peggy or Shield to know about his space travels just yet.

The helicopter settled, and the group disembarked, still in awe of the technological wonder they had just entered.

“Follow me, the Widows are waiting,” Peter instructed as he walked off, the group following after him.

————

Peter and Natasha led Peggy, Fury, and Coulson through the labyrinthine corridors of the floating Red Room base. And eventually, they reached the auditorium, where the adult Black Widows had gathered, curious and expectant.

Peter had summoned them without explaining why, and now they waited, trusting him implicitly after he had freed them from the Red Room's hypnotic grasp.

As Peter, who had donned his mask along the way, entered, the murmurs in the auditorium quieted, all eyes turning to him. Peter stepped onto the stage, with Peggy, Fury, and Coulson following close behind.

Peggy was slightly taken aback by the sheer number of Black Widows—around 150 or more, far beyond Shield’s previous estimates. She realized just how powerful the Red Room had been.

"Thank you for gathering," Peter began, his voice carrying through the large room. "I know I called you here without much explanation, but it's important." He gestured to Peggy, who nodded and smiled at the crowd. "I've made a deal with the woman behind me, a deal that affects each and every one of you."

The room buzzed with confusion and worry as the Black Widows exchanged anxious glances. Whispers filled the air, their faces reflecting a mix of curiosity and apprehension as they tried to decipher what Peter’s announcement might mean for their futures.

Peter continued, "She has agreed to acquire documents for all of you, including the children who aren’t here, which will make you United States citizens. This means you can live as you please, far from your pasts, as whoever you want to be. A fresh start at a normal life, away from killing and manipulation."

The crowd began to murmur, excitement and wariness mixing among them. Some were thrilled by the prospect of freedom and a new life, while others were cautious, unsure of what was to come.

"Of course," Peter said, "this doesn't come for free. As I said, we made a deal."

Those who were wary moments ago nodded, anticipating a catch.

"In return for her help, I've agreed to allow her to talk to you. She will say some words and you will listen, that is all. Remember, you are not obligated to do anything but listen."

Peter stepped back, and Peggy took the stage. She eyed the crowd before clearing her throat. "I am Peggy Carter, the Director of Shield." Her introduction elicited some reactions from the crowd, especially from the more experienced Widows who had encountered Shield before.

"I see that some of you may have heard of Shield," Peggy continued with a smile. "That's good. It makes this much easier." She said, pausing for a moment.

"Many of you might have already guessed why I'm here, but for those who haven't, I'm here to recruit you." She revealed, taking a step toward the edge of the stage, looming over the crowd. “Shield, or the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division is a global intelligence agency tasked with protecting the Earth from all threats, both terrestrial and extraterrestrial.”

“Joining Shield offers many benefits. You'll receive high pay, comprehensive benefits, and vacation time, but most of all you'll have the chance to use your skills for a cause far greater than yourselves. You'll be protecting people and making a real difference in the world."

She paused, making sure to make eye contact with several of the women. "But I want to be honest with you. This job isn't easy. It can be dangerous, and the hours are long. You'll face challenges that will test you in ways you haven't been tested before. But if you're willing to take on those challenges, Shield can offer you a place where your skills and experience will be valued and put to good use."

“But as you already know," Peggy concluded, "you’re only obligated to listen. You don't have to accept my offer. You are free to choose your own path." This assurance released much of the tension in the room. "However, I know that at least a fraction of you won’t want to live normal, boring lives. And for those who’d like to live a bit more dangerously, I would be more than happy to take you under my wing..."

And as she guessed, a small fraction of the Widows were most definitely interested, their eyes lighting up at the prospect of a new mission. But before anyone could accept her offer, Peter stepped up beside Peggy.

"Before anyone makes any life-altering choices," he said, "I’d recommend taking some time to think this over. This is a major life decision and you shouldn’t make it hastily."

Peggy looked a bit peeved, as a handful of Widows were about to agree before he spoke, but she kept her composure, knowing she needed to maintain a good image in front of such high-level recruits.

As the Widows began to leave, off to contemplate her offer, Peter turned to Peggy. "Okay, now that that's done, follow me. I have something important to show you..."

“?”

A/N: 2426 words :)