Chapter 12: The Past 4 Years...
"Mhm..."
Barry hummed along to a melody, syncing it with the song playing through his earphones from his phone as he stood nonchalantly at the bus stop, awaiting the arrival of his transportation.
While engrossed in his wait, Barry happened to catch a glimpse of a group of kids dashing by. Each child clutching toys, portraying characters from a well-known group of superheroes—the Avengers.
Among the familiar figures were Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the rest of the team but there were some new faces among the toy figures as well.
Given Barry's avid fandom of the Avengers, he immediately recognized the new members among the kids' toys. It would have been quite a joke if he, as a dedicated fan, couldn't identify these new additions to the superhero group.
It was Vision, an android made to fight against Ultron...
And Red Tornado, an experimental android created by Hydra that rebelled against them...
Now one shouldn't forget the famous Maximoff twins, the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver...
Lastly, the two familiar faces that joined late due to reasons unknown to him were the Falcon and War Machine which is now called the Iron Patriot.
Barry identified these six individuals as the new members who had joined the Avengers in the past three years.
While there were initial complications and doubts surrounding some of the new members, over time, they had proven themselves to be quite capable and trustworthy.
Yes, a lot has happened...
Even Barry couldn't help but feel a sense of strangeness at the sheer number of extraordinary events unfolding simultaneously.
Barry had initially considered the Battle of Manhattan to be a rare occurrence, but he never anticipated that the following year would bring about another significant incident in London, later dubbed the Dark World.
In that same year, a shocking event unfolded yet again as Iron Man, or Tony Stark, was attacked in broad daylight at his own residence and the world declared him dead.
Upon hearing the news back then, Barry couldn't bring himself to believe that Tony Stark, his idol, was truly dead. Barry held firm in his conviction that someone of Stark's caliber wouldn't succumb to such an incident, especially given the absence of a body. So, Barry waited with hopeful anticipation.
Fortunately, Barry's intuition proved correct as Tony Stark resurfaced alive. Stark not only survived but also defeated his adversary, playing a pivotal role in rescuing the kidnapped President Ellis alongside Iron Patriot.
And just recently, the Ultron incident concluded just a month ago, and its aftermath still continues to reverberate worldwide, particularly due to the events that transpired in Sokovia as the incident remained a topic of global sensation.
The sight of an entire city soaring in the sky was indeed remarkable, though the thought of what might have occurred had the Avengers not defeated Ultron was equally frightening.
Barry found it challenging to place blame solely on Tony Stark for creating Ultron, considering its initial purpose was to protect the Earth in the first place. However, society tended to lean in a different direction.
Despite the circumstances and intentions, there were still numerous protests rallying against Tony Stark to this day, holding him accountable for the damages incurred in Sokovia.
Well, it was all in the past now anyway...
What's done is done, it's best to move on to a hopeful future now.
After all, what are the chances that Ultron managed to live?
Lost in his thoughts, Barry was abruptly jolted back to reality by the screeching sound of a tire. Before him, the bus he had been waiting for finally arrived, bringing an end to his moment of contemplation.
Seizing the opportunity, Barry wasted no time and boarded the bus. Finding an empty seat, he settled in, and shortly after, the bus commenced its journey, navigating the road and carrying him along.
Barry gazes through the window as buildings whisked by, each one a testament to the changing world. He couldn't help but feel a sense of complexity, reflecting on how much the world had transformed over time.
While admiring the passing scenery, the bus arrived at another stop as two individuals in lab coats boarded, and shortly after, the bus resumed its journey, departing from the stop.
As the bus continued its movement, the two individuals in lab coats began walking towards the back, passing by Barry when suddenly, the bus jerked for a moment after hitting a road bump.
Due to the sudden jolt, the two individuals wobbled and nearly lost their balance. Fortunately, they managed to steady themselves in time. However, an ID fell from one of them, landing beside Barry's feet which caught his attention.
Picking up the ID, Barry examined the picture of the man and saw the name Maxwell Dillon was written below, and judging by the logo on the ID, he appeared to be a researcher at Oscorp Industries.
"Excuse me"
"...?"
"You drop your ID"
"...Ah!"
Feeling a tinge of embarrassment, Maxwell thanked Barry as he retrieved the ID from his hands with a hint of gratitude before opting to wear it around his neck instead for added assurance.
"You should've worn it in the first place, like me"
The other man, who had accompanied Maxwell, chimed in and displayed his ID to affirm that he had kept it secure, unlike Maxwell, who nearly lost his and Barry happened to catch a glimpse of the man's name on the ID after his display.
'Edward Clariss..'
Barry didn't dwell too much on the name, letting it slip to the back of his mind as he maintained a quiet presence, eavesdropping on the conversation between the two men.
"Tch, tch... this is why you'll always be just an ordinary researcher, Max"
"..."
"You're just way too slow in life"
Edward shook his head and fixed a gaze on Maxwell, a hint of arrogance evident in his expression, causing Maxwell to lower his head in response.
Hearing the exchange, Barry quietly frowned, contemplating whether to say something.
However, he ultimately chose to refrain, not wanting to be perceived as rude as it occurred to him that their interaction might have been a mere banter between two friends.
"Unlike me, I'm already a level-3 researcher. My future is practically set on, haha"
"..."
"Compared to me, you won't amount to much if you keep this up, Max"
Maxwell kept his head lowered, a sense of shame permeating his demeanor as he remained quiet, continuing to listen to his co-worker's praise for himself.
Barry, uncomfortable with the situation, finally decided to intervene as he discreetly nudged Maxwell, redirecting the man's attention toward him.
"Hey, don't listen to him. I think you'll become something great, someday"
"..."
"Just trust yourself and ignore others. Eventually, you'll be someone everyone will look up to"
"Thank you"
Maxwell expressed a grateful smile toward the young man, feeling a sense of relief as he straightened his posture and adjusted his glasses before lifting his head, and seemed to regain some composure.
On the other hand, Edward was engrossed in his self-praise, remaining oblivious to the change in Maxwell's expression as he continued to boast about himself, unaware of the dynamics shifting around him.
Screech~
The sudden halt of the bus disrupted Edward's balance as the momentum it carried caused him to lose his footing and land unceremoniously on his backside.
"Gah?!"
Witnessing Edward's misfortune, Barry couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, sensing a touch of karma in the moment. Even Maxwell couldn't hide a smile, though he made sure to keep his expression discreet.
"Ah... my stop is here"
Barry just realized that his destination had arrived, so he stood up and made his way towards the exit of the bus and before leaving, he waved his hand goodbye to Maxwell.
Regarding Edward who was on the floor, Barry chose to ignore him as he walked past without acknowledging his presence and soon exited the bus, observing it fade away into the distance.
Turning around, Barry spotted his school in the far distance. Glancing at his watch, he noted that he still had time to spare as he smiled with relief and broke into a run.