Avengers Academy

Chapter 2: Assemble

It's been a minute since Tony had his brilliant idea. It's also taken him a month to get the remaining Avengers together for a meeting. It's not that they were busy, it's for the fear of coming back to something that would ultimately lead to one of their deaths. They were all ready to retire. Call it quits. But after much persuasion, Tony managed to get them together. When they gathered in the office at the upstate Avengers building they were weary of the events to come. Most looked pale in fear that he'll be announcing another battle. Amazing heroes are now fearful of even a smile in their direction.

After everyone sat down, a usually cocky and confident Stark, stood nervously in front of everyone. He faced the table full of Avengers that will soon show his presentation, using 3D images thanks to B.A.R.F., and inhaled deeply letting it out quite loudly. Stark then turned to face the now small Avengers team. He quickly took in who was there. Nick, Maria, Wanda, Sam, Bucky, Clint, Scott and Bruce.

"Well," he started with a clap. "I did not call you all here to say we need to get the gang back together to fight again. I'm well aware that our days of kicking ass are over." He paused. He thought that would get a head nod or a chuckle out of someone, but no one reacted.

"Ok then. Well, I called you all here to ask a favor that will hopefully better the future of society." Another pause and presses a button his glasses to start the presentation.

"This is what I came up with one night when I couldn't sleep." The title popped up of his idea.

"The Avengers Academy?" Clint Barton asks worried.

"Yes. An academy where young, gifted people will come to learn how to be better." Stark replied.

"So you're asking kids to commit suicide?" Scott Lang nervously but aggressively asked.

"No, no. An academy where they learn the basics of crime fighting to the extreme skills like what..." he paused, trying not to tear up. "Like what a Natasha had."

Just her name left the room eerily silent. The beeps and hums of the tech were louder than people's breathing. No one really talked about Natasha or any one who lost their lives to Thanos for that matter. It left a bitter taste in their mouths. After a moment of silence, Tony continued his presentation.

"This will teach them how to become stronger but also stay safe and get the credibility they deserve. I have chosen twelve gifted individuals. Not to sound like a creep but I've been watching them closely and believe that they have what it takes to be heroes. I just need instructors now." He pauses and looks at blank faces.

It's dead silent in the room for what felt like an eternity but it was just 30 seconds.

"I'll do it." Clint speaks up. A glimmer of hope spreads across Tony's face.

"But on one condition, these kids WILL NOT get hurt in the process. If they do get hurt in anyway, I'm out of the deal." He states strictly. Tony simply nods from lack of words that are being consumed by hope.

"Alright if the badass archer is in then I'm in too." Scott speaks up. Tony starts to smile.

"Will there be orange slices though? Because that's a deal breaker if they're not in it." Tony nods and chuckles at Lang's odd request.

Eventually everyone in the room agrees to help which leaves Tony so overjoyed that he's speechless. For a month he feared that all of this would be an idea that would never become a reality. Once he realizes that he's been standing there oddly grinning for to long he clears his throat and claps again.

"Well to continue on, I have the students here. I will be recruiting from all over but mostly from here in New York. During the week they will be staying with people whom I can trust and they will go to the same school as Mr. Parker "undercover". What I mean by that is I will tell them that if they are asked why they are there, it will be the same excuse Peter had, this is the Stark internship and that there is no schools near the facility so I'm having them go to a school I can trust. Now here are the recruits." He pauses to change the screen.

"Miles Morales, age 15. He currently goes to Midtown so I don't have to worry much about him transferring. Both Peter and him do not know they go to the same school because of the large population. His powers will come as a slight shock but not so much. Now when he was about 14, he too was bitten by the same type of spider that Peter was bitten by. This gave him almost the same exact powers he does. He's like the undercover spiderling. Knowing Peter's potential, I believe Mr. Morales will make a great asset." He changes it again.

"Laura Kinney, age 18. She's from Xavier's School for The Gifted. She's a mutant with the ability to lift a car and jump almost half the height of a small apartment complex. She also has, now don't flip out, Adamantium claws that come out of her hands and one foot. Laura is rough around the edges but means no harm unless taken over by a specific scent that I've been trying to pick apart but am unsuccessful. Another possible great asset."

For another 30 minutes he went over each recruit, explaining how he felt they would be great assets. At this point he was more than proud of his accomplishments and glad that everyone was in on it. Once he was done they all stared at him in awe. They were shocked yet not that Tony put in this much effort into creating something that could potentially be a masterpiece. At then end of the meeting people were assigned students to recruit and what skill sets they would teach.

Around two weeks later, everyone started to recruit. Everyday someone was getting confirmation from both students and their parents that this will be an amazing thing to do. A lot of parents felt as if this was a good way for their children to learn how to control their powers properly. Charles Xavier gave full permission to recruit those whom Tony seeks to have. Some were reluctant at first but then eventually gave in. Some being more stubborn than others. In the end, after three weeks of recruiting, everything turned out as planned and training would begin two weeks. Leaving Tony with little to no time start creating their suits.

Each student that he worked on their suits had special features in which suited them. These suits aren't properly done unless they have the highest quality tech made by the big man himself. Hours were put in to make perfection. But in the end, he had golden masterpieces. Something he was proud of and will take pride in later. For now, he was going to get some sleep. He deserved a good night's rest.