Chapter 20 : Meal and leaving

Hello everyone ! Here's a new chapter of 'Marvel : the Author'. Hope you like it !

In other news, my other story I'm posting here, (the squib who became Iron Lad in DC) is about to end (for a indeterminate amount of time). Please, comment, review and give me your power stones !In the meantime, you can and should visit my Patréon page to read ahead, discover other stories or exchange with me.

See you there and enjoy !

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A couple of hours later, we're all sitting at home, making for quite the peculiar sight. A female giant, who's actually an alien dwarf and needs two chairs to sit comfortably. My parents, looking very much normal for all intents and purposes but with very big and deep secret I still uncover from time to time. My dad, secretly a mutant and a master of the Arcane arts. My mom, a witch. On my left, there's Cory, the only normal person in the family. Only, she's not normal, and at the moment, I'm the only one in the know of her true heritage : she's got Inhuman genetics. Possibly more if she's the version who's been experimented on by her 'father' in the womb.

And finally, me in my bald splendor. I look human and rather normal, except maybe for my shiny head… But I'm pretty much the weirdest looking one there is. Boneless, tentacled. Not exactly the standard specimen of the human race !

To get here without raising eyebrows, mom gave the dwarf woman a pendant. A notice-me-not. Because people wouldn't miss a woman of her height walking the streets of New York, even if it is New York. Despite the strangeness of the city and the world already, most people don't like things that look too different.

We're all eating our lunch with Cory and I being silent. As for mom and dad… Dad's been pretty easy-going with this whole thing which makes me believe that he's already had to deal with encounter of the Third Kind in the past.

« Seriously… Who are my parents ? » I mutter with amazement as I bring a fork of pasta to my mouth.

Cory chuckles wryly as she nods, exchanging a glance with me. I feel a little bad for her these days. Until now, she was blissfully unaware of the dangers that accompanied her existence. Actually, even now, she knows that there's something after her but she doesn't know that it's her biological father.

I think it's better this way… But really what do I know ? This isn't a comic book. These are real people. With feelings, ambitions, ideas… and as such, sometimes they react irrationally. I'm not sure how she'll react if she ever finds out the truth.

As for mom and dad… Do they even know ? Does Coulson know who's after Cory ? I was too sick and out of it to really follow their conversation when he dropped by a few weeks ago. I shake my head to dispel those thoughts. At the moment, what matters is our guest and the possibility that she'll help me make the ring…

« … That's when Dana fell down the hill, rolling almost all the way to the plain. » Gagna narrates.

While dad chuckles good-naturedly, mom gives both him and her friend the stink eye.

« And who was it exactly that tripped me ? » She asks, a slight edge to her voice. I've learned to recognize the signs. For now, she's not angered, only mildly annoyed. However, I'd advise anyone to quickly change the subject… That is, if they ask me. Which they don't.

It seems Gagna and dad are becoming fast-friends over the funny stories they each have about mom. It's entertaining and enlightening, but still… Let's try and change the subject !

« So, miss, or is it missus ? »

She turns to glance at me and says :

« Just call me Gagna ! I'm not one for miss or missus. What do you want to know ? »

« Well… Actually, I'd like to talk about the reason why mom asked you to visit Midgard… »

« Midgard ? » Cory repeats. « Hm… Isn't that the name of the human kingdom in Scandinavian mythology ? »

« Indeed ! » The massive woman agrees easily. « 'Tis the name of your world. I believe you call it Earth… Or was it Dirt ? »

Cory glances my way and mouths the words : 'your world' with a raised and questioning eyebrow.

« The myths are true, to some extent. The bards and writers of that time probably embellished and altered some of it, but yeah… Midgard's Earth and Gagna comes from a world called Nidavellir. Apparently, mom met her on the world of Vanaheim. »

Her head turned so fast, I fear she gets whiplash.

« You went to space ? » She shrieks towards mom.

Mom just shrugs and clarifies :

« Not really. I was experiment with space magic in order to create a teleportation spell… and landed myself in another world. Since I didn't have the required components to cast it again, it took me some while to gather them and get back to Earth. So… I never went to space. But I did visit an alien world. »

This is indeed a comic book reality for such an extravagant even to happen. I mean… what's the chance for it to happen ? It should be more probable for her to end up in space or on some desolate planet with no atmosphere. Instead, she visited one of the worlds under Asgard's protection.

« I believe you had an enquiry to make ? » Gagna asks me.

I nod.

« Yes. Ahem… It seems mom wants us to work together to make artifacts. I actually have an idea for one… Or two. »

* * * * * *

I haven't thought this through. At all ! I mean, she's a smith, right ? When you talk about smithing, what do you need ? Right ! A forge ! Not exactly something common these days… And in the US, a country who values profit and efficiency over traditional working methods, it's probably even rarer.

So, what's the solution ? Apparently, taking a trip to outer-space… Gagna had come to Earth on a spaceship. I even wonder where she got it from. Are spaceships like cars for the dwarves and asgardians ? Does every household have at least one ?

And then, there's the whole Yggdrasil deal which is kind of confusing. In the MCU, they seem to hint that the nine realms are all in the same universe and interlinked by some mystical force or entity called Yggdrasil. But, I recall correctly, in the comics, the nine realms aren't in the same dimension and the best method to travel between them is actually this connection. That's also what the Bifrost uses for their fast travel capabilities.

Does the existence of this spaceship means that Nidavellir and Midgard are in the same dimension, here ?

But there's another, more immediate problem… I'm leaving freaking Earth ! At least, I'm on a school break right now, so that's that. However, there's no guarantee I'll be able to come back before school starts back up again ! When I tried to propose this argument to mom and dad in order to avoid this 'adventure' they just shrugged and said they'll give the school an excuse. Dammit ! I don't want to go there.

From all the sci-fi movies, shows I saw, the novels I read and my knowledge of the Marvelverse, I know there's more than a little danger in leaving my home and world. Some might, there's also more than a little danger staying on Earth and I agree… But there are heroes, sorcerers and bullshit characters to deal with all that !

In space, nobody's gonna care about little ol' me ! Actually, some might be interested in turning me into some kind of rare slave, or make me their meal or…

I shiver as my imagination gets the better of me. I hear Gagna's spaceship engines coming to life as I fasten the seat belts and ask in a resigned voice :

« Is it too late to get off ? »

« Ha ha ha ! I like you, Nathan ! You are droll ! »

To myself, I mutter as I pay careful attention to the seatbelt's latch :

« I wasn't trying to be… »

Looks like I don't have a choice… Our destination ? Forward, to go boldly where no one has ever gone before… No ! For real, we're going to Gagna's home world of Nidavellir. That's where her smithy is, after all ! Though, I call it a smithy, but I'm pretty sure it's nothing like what I have in mind.

I mean… Don't they use the heat of their own star to make their wares ? I can't even imagine how crazy that must be… Us humans haven't even been able to make an alloy that would stand getting close to our sun and they've built an immense space station dedicated to smithing around theirs !

I'm kind of amazed how anachronistic the dwarves and asgardians civilizations are. Given their achievements, it's pretty clear they are much more advanced than us and yet… They wear plate armor, fight with spears, swords, hammers and axes.

I'd be lying if I say that I'm not interested in visiting these worlds, 'cause I am ! I've always and still am a fan of fantasy and science fiction. However, I'm a fan of it because there's no danger to myself when I read or watch fiction. Now though…

I sigh. I'm starting to feel a tiny bit of resentment towards my parents. Where are the supportive and gentle parents I had a year ago ? Ever since they learned about my mutation, they've slowly morphed into spartan trainers and mad scientists ! What is this adventure then ? My coming of age ?!

« Fucking hell ! » I curse as I feel the ship ascend.