Taking a stroll in Salem, Massechutes was a pleasant activity for Amber. It was a new scene besides Gotham's gloomy and depressing aura.
As Amber continued her walk she passed by a store that strangely seemed to catch her attention.
Looking up at the sign she saw it was a coffee shop. Curious as to why the store caught her attention Amber entered the store. Looking around she didn't seem to find anything in particular.
Other than a gray slated haired man sitting at a table with a drink staring absently at a locket in his hand.
Not understanding why she had a pull to this shop Amber turned on her heel to leave.
However, there was something inside of her that was telling her to stay.
'Well, I guess staying wouldn't do any harm.'
Approaching the counter to order Amber gazed at the menu.
Having not been the type of person to drink coffee Amber was a little lost on what to order. When she was about to pick a random item she was interrupted by a voice.
"I would recommend the shop's special. It has just the right amount of sweetness and pucker power."
Gazing to her side she saw the grey-salted-haired man standing beside her, gazing up at the menu. The man then turned to look at Amber giving her a kind smile.
"Apologies, I saw you from over there. It looked like you were having a bit of trouble picking." Amber only nodded in response.
Peeking up at the menu once more Amber decided to take the old man's advice and order the shop's specialty.
Upon getting her drink Amber was surprised to see that the man was right.
'Hmm, he was right. Just the right amount of sweetness with a bit of pucker power.'
Turning to the man she expressed her thanks. "Thank you for the recommendation. You were right about the drink."
He let out a laugh at her response. "Hahaha. It's no problem, it's always lovely to help a young soul out."
A realization seemed to dawn on the man as he brought his hand in greeting.
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kent Nelson."
Taking his hand Amber gave hers, "Sarah Good."
Nelson then invited Amber to join him at his table and Amber decided to take up the offer. They lightly shared conversations while drinking their coffee. In their conversations, Amber got to learn a lot about the man and his spitfire who had passed long ago. She had even learned that despite the man's looks he was well over a hundred years old.
Amber wasn't too surprised at the news after all appearances can be deceiving. Despite only looking fifteen Amber was technically twenty-three years old. It helped that Hydra had put her in a cryogenic freezing capsule, slowing her age progressively.
And through all of their conversations, Amber had found herself relaxing in the man's presence. It was a strange feeling as though Amber was home again with Tony, Pepper, and the others. It was a feeling Amber didn't know she was missing.
From there on Amber had decided to come to the shop every two weeks. And from there she would meet Nelson to join with a cup of coffee. And during every visit, Amber felt a speck of home.
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Amber was on her way to the coffee shop when she heard a scream from nearby. From the sound, Amber could tell that it was a woman who was screaming for help. Keeping to the shadows Amber went to take a look.
Taking a peek around a corner Amber looked around to find where the scream came from when her eyes landed on a woman on the ground.
She then heard someone shouting some random nonsense about "fear me" something something, "Abra Kadabra."
Looking at the man he was dressed in a beige buttoned shirt with the top ones undone. The man had a yellow chain, with black hair and a beard to go with.
It snapped inside her head that this man is Abra Kadabra and with him were a few other villains.
The names of them weren't coming to Amber's mind immediately, but it mattered little to her.
'The Justice League should be here soon enough.'
Checking her phone Amber saw that she was running late for her meeting with Nelson. Turning her back to the chaos Amber left, but before she could get far, Amber heard another shrill scream.
Looking over her shoulder Amber's eyes widened slightly seeing that the woman from earlier was screaming again. And it wasn't because she was in danger. Following the woman's line of sight she saw her looking at a child. A child that was right where all the villains are.
A twitch in Amber's fingers began the longer she stared at the endangered child.
'No, I'm not a hero. Not here.' The same thought kept going through her head as she stared at the child.
Looking to see if any of the Justice League members had gotten there yet. Amber saw one who she recognized as the Flash and his sidekick. The name of who she can't remember at the moment.
The two of them were engaged in a different fight and were not able to go and assist the child.
Amber then saw one of the villains reach down to the child weapon in hand prepared to strike.
'Damn it.'
Flicking her wrist three cards appeared in her hand. With immense speed and skill Amber threw the three cards, as they turned into daggers, and hit the weapon out of the villain's hand.
Flicking her wrist again more cards appeared as Amber once again threw the cards, and watched them turn into daggers and heading straight for the villain. The daggers inlodge themselves into the villains clothing pushing him back to the wall and therefore making him stuck.
Afterward, a wire slipped down from Amber's arm, under her sleeve. Amber then used it to lasso the child and tug the child to a safe place before doing the same to the mother.
After the mother was released she rushed to her child and held him close to her. The mother then looked up in search of her savior and for a brief moment, her eyes caught Amber's now glowing red ones.
Seeing as Amber had been caught, she stepped back into the shadows disappearing from the woman's view. But before she disappeared she saw the gratitude that was held in the mother's eyes.
What Amber didn't know was that while rescuing the woman and the child a pair of eyes were watching the entire time.
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A ding sounded in the doorway as Amber entered her usual coffee cafe. Looking around Amber was quick to spot Nelson sitting down with a cup of coffee and another across from him.
Making her way over to sit down Nelson looked up at her with an amused face.
"I almost thought you forgot. I thought I was supposed to be the one with the faulty memory."
A small laugh left Amber as her lips twitched upwards at his joke.
"Sorry, I got held up on the way here."
Intrigued Nelson raised an eyebrow in questioning.
"Really now. And what may that have been."
Looking up from sipping her coffee, Amber's lip twitched upwards. "Oh, just had to help some lady with her kid. The kid needed some help so I offered."
An all knowing look appeared on Nelson's face as if knowing that wasn't really the truth.
"You know you don't really come off as the type to willingly help others."
Amber's thoughts trailed back to today's earlier predicament.
"Yeah. I surprised myself a bit too."
"Indeed I was almost concerned when you were about to leave instead, but you came through."
Amber froze momentarily as her guard raised all of a sudden. Looking up at Nelson who was not at all fazed.
Amber put on an indifferent expression.
'Looks like the gigs up.'
"You saw?" While it was a question it came off more as a statement demanding to know.
Nelson peeked up at her from sipping his drink.
"Yes."
Remaining calm Amber asked, "What do you want?"
"Please there is no need to worry, I mean no harm, truly. I merely have become interested."
Quirking an eyebrow at him, "Interested how?"
"Ever since I first met you I sensed that you had some sort of mystical ability in you. Am I correct?"
Amber nodded yes in response.
Humming for a bit Nelson continued, "However despite sensing the mystic powers in you I had sensed something else, something darker, more dangerous."
At this Amber froze entirely. Flashes of past memories went through her mind, memories that Amber had stored deep in her mind.
Amber's tone grew dark, "Who are you?"
Letting out a chuckle Nelson said, "I told you I'm Kent Nelson."
"Allow me to restate my question. What are you?"
"A sorcerer or as of now just the holder of Nabu."
"Nabu?"
"Yes, and I must say he has taken quite the interest in you, little one."
Amber gave him a questioning look.
"Ah, apologies. You probably know him better as Doctor Fate."
Now that rang a bell for Amber. Doctor Fate was one of the Justice Society's members but as far as Amber knew the guy had retired or something. A group very similair to the Justice League back in the days.
"You still haven't answered my question. What is it that you want from me? I highly doubt you would bring this up just to talk about it."
"Well, in all honesty, I-well I should say Nabu has become keen on me bringing you to the tower. He has sensed your abilities and wishes to test them."
"Is this because he sensed something dark within me?"
Nelson looked at her for a moment before replying, "Yes."
"Then you can forget it. I'm not interested in your experiment-test."
With a sigh, Nelson said, "Trust me I do not mean you any harm. And besides I had hoped that you would come along and should your abilities be proven I was hoping you would join in the fight. Nabu as well."
"Fight? You mean against all of the villains?" Nelson nodded in response.
"Look, I'm not interested in playing hero."
"But you saved the mother and her child did you not?"
"Doesn't mean that I suddenly want to be a hero." 'At least not here.' the words seemed to hang from her lips as they went unspoken.
Going to stand up Nelson said, "I hope you will at least think about it. Should you decide to, I'll be here at our usual time."
Nelson then left the cafe leaving Amber to ponder.
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Arriving back at Gotham City, Amber had taken to a small stroll to ponder on Nelson's request.
'No. I can't get involved in the hero business. Not here. It's not even my world.'
However, despite all that Amber felt the need to accept Nelson's request.
Amber had been born and raised in the Red Room her entire childhood life before she was brought to Hydra for research. And in it all, she was taught and trained on how to fight, how to kill. It was all Amber ever knew before SHEILD had gotten her out and she met Tony.
Tony and Pepper had become her salvation her next reason for living after she no longer served Hydra as some mindless puppet. The two of them taught her a new side of life. Something that she would be eternally grateful for.
But even then it wasn't long before she was back in the fight and the Avengers were formed. From there it was only more fighting, though instead Amber wasn't fighting for Hydra she was fighting for something bigger. For once Amber wasn't the one doing the killing and the bloodshed, but the one doing the protecting. It was a new feeling for her.
Amber had enjoyed the time she spent with the other Avengers and getting to know them. They were her family, it was where she belonged. Despite how closed off and silent she was she knew that the others knew that she was trying.
So, when the Avengers had their civil war it saddened her that her family was falling apart. Of course Amber had sided with Tony. While she was grateful to the others Tony was someone she held in the greatest regard alongside Pepper. Even if she felt like Steve and Tony could have gone about the matter a different way she stuck with him.
It was honestly the whole reason she had gotten stuck here in the first place. When the team had gone their own way Tony had stuck to keeping out of the fight and enjoying his married life with Pepper.
And in a way as Tony had said and quoted Pepper, "Amber your family, whether you like it or not kid. You're stuck with us."
Amber then stayed with Tony and Pepper, however, every now and then she would get a call from Fury having him send her out on missions.
She kept it a secret from Tony and Pepper not wanting to worry them, but one way or another Tony had caught wind of Fury sending her on missions and it had become a whole thing.
It was one of Fury's missions that she was on before she was transported here.
After learning that this world also had its villains and heroes Amber had hoped to stay away from it all. It was so she could prioritize and hope to get back home.
However it always felt wrong when she saw the heroes in the newspaper or T.V. She felt the need to be there, to be fighting, to be protecting like Tony had shown her. But all she was doing was keeping to the sidelines, in the shadows away from plain sight, sticking to an average life.
But now Nelson was offering her an opportunity to jump back into it. She just didn't know if she was truly ready for it right now.
Looking down at her hands, 'Besides I still can't fully control them.'
Ever since Amber had arrived in this world her powers and abilities had gone out of control. While she had gained most of the control they were still unpredictable in battle.
But if she were to accept Nelson's offer just maybe not only would she feel the satisfaction of being in battle again she could gain full control of her powers again.