Stuck in The Multiverse

Chapter 9 - Pranksters pair in the making

"It might work actually", he states contemplative, "in fact you just gave me a wonderful idea!!" He starts jumping like an excited puppy all around the room. "What if...what if I come for you every time I need an alibi? Since, as you said, you're bound to this bed, you're the perfect cover story for all my pranks."

"Scott", I sigh, "if you come for me every time, don't you think they'll start to see a pattern?" I look at him, waiting for him to understand.

"But then...what can I do? I won't be able to play jokes anymore! That's all I can do to keep myself entertained!"

"That's why", I continue, "I have a plan." I give him a mischievous smirk. I take the next hour to explain thoroughly my plan to Lang. The others have serious reasons to worry from now on. We will do as follows: each time Scott will want to prank someone he will come see me first, he'll excuse this as looking out for me and we will set a plan up together, including an undeniable alibi. Then, he will be able to go play jokes.

"But remember", I warn him, "you can't come to see me, straightforwardly, every time before, sometimes you'll can, sometimes you'll have to find an excuse, and sometimes we'll plan more than one joke at a time, understood?"

"Absolutely, fellow prankster," he exclaims smiling.

"Oh don't call me that!" I giggles. "And now go out discreetly or they will be suspicious about both of us, you're already been in here for too long." I smile to myself as he gets out of the room. He really is just a child in an adult body, so much that it's surprising the others put up with his pranks. I guess Thor, at least, is accustomed, having grown up with Loki. Well, it's not really my problem anyway because I'm a part of this future pranks.

The days are long in my room. Nothing has really changed from when I was still in my cell: Natasha comes to give me food and stay sometimes to talk a bit when she has the time between training and meetings and paperwork. Yeah, I was surprised too, the first time she told me, but the Avengers actually fill their reports themselves. Mission reports, intelligence collection, even training reports for those who have powers. The government keeps a close eye on everything they cannot possibly lock up in a room or control. Besides that, Dr Banner comes in twice a day to check everything's fine and that my stitches are healing well. Scott swings by every time he needs help to plan his next prank. Thanks to me he hasn't been caught since that time with Barnes last week. Sometimes, the Avengers don't even know he has a thing to do with it; they call it bad luck, coincidences or clumsiness. The only one who knows that I have something to do with it is Nat, but after making me swear we would not pull pranks on her she promised to keep our secret.

One lunch, nearly a week after my little incident, Nat is in my room and we talk about her ideas to improve the physical training of the team.

"And I think about asking Tony to improve the treadmill to back Steve and Barnes further in the corner, what do you think?"

"I think it could be a good idea but, just out of curiosity, how fast do they run for you to ask such a thing?"

"Well, minimum 36mph, if you believe what Wilson says about when they go running together", she says unfazed.

"36 mi– what the fuck?! How is that even possible?!" I try to convert that into the metric system I'm used to. "It's nearly as much as a race horse running at full speed?! Like, 58km per hour?! Oh. My. God." I am agape. Natasha chuckles.

"Yeah, I assume it is a sane reaction, to be honest, I'm so used to it I don't see it as abnormal as you do." She laughs a little before turning serious. "What's on your mind Inès, I can tell you're bothered by something."

"Well, it's just– you know yesterday, when Scott was there, he said he wanted to make a joke to Clint for his comeback, and since, I've been thinking about what you said on my first day here...about me reminding you of someone."

"Oh...well, and so, to what conclusions do you have come to?"

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I wanted to apologise for the belated chapter, I have been caught up in mid-term exams and then in end-of-term ones (yeah all that in the span of 4 weeks) and I haven't really had time to write chapters. But now I am officially done with the school year so posting will be once again regular.

Thank you to all the people that have been voting on my story lately and adding it to their lists, I can't tell you how much it means to me.

I'm also thinking of making at the same time a Marvel Oneshots/Imagines book, so if you have requests for some, feel free to drop me a DM I guess? Well enough talking!

Remember to stay safe and to do something that brings you joy every day. xx

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