Marvel: A Tale of Shadows

"You could have told me that we walked into a trap." Felicia spoke as she had a stare down with her opponent.

Ethan smiled as he pointed at the cameras, "I wasn't a hundred percent certain since those cameras are sometimes destroyed by miscreants." Then Ethan shrugged, "besides I quite literally threw the rock at random."

"Random!" Silver almost yelled, now annoyed by her bad luck. While the old man let out a chuckle.

Felicia took the chance and swung her purse at Silver while leaning forward. Silver had to step back. "But why were you looking at cameras?"

Ethan shrugged, "habit."

This time the old fox was surprised and Ethan noticed.

He charged the man and threw several boxing punches at him. Causing the man to have to lose ground. Every once in a while Ethan would punch nearby objects to discombobulate the man with the noise but it didn't work.

"They are used to fighting. Use our advantages." Ethan yelled over his shoulder.

Felicia smiled and nodded as she stepped towards Silver with confidence which scared Silver making her step back. But then Felicia ran towards Ethan's apartment. Silver was stunned before she understood that she was playing with her. In anger she growled and gave chase.

Once they were out of earshot Ethan asked something that caught the old fox off guard, "so I am guessing my parents hired you to train me. But does that also mean Walter hired you to train his daughter as well?"

The old fox shrugged, "yup. I am guessing you clocked me at Turnover & Hilt as well as Gada's?" The old fox threw two quick jabs forcing Ethan to slide diagonally back.

"So how are we doing?" Ethan asked.

"You have potential and considering Felicia's reaction I would say she knows how to naturally evade enemies. So both of you are fitting in the area I thought you would. One is a combat specialist, the other a thief." Ethan nodded as he went for a leg sweep. "Just like your parents."

The old fox jumped up but Ethan went from a sweep to an upwards kick. So the old fox flew into the wall and slid down onto the ground. He took a minute to catch his breath as Ethan walked towards him and offered him a hand.

He took it and stood up, "nice hit."

"Thanks, should we go?" Ethan asked as he started walking out of the alley. The old fox stretched his sore body and followed after him.

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Meanwhile in an alley by Ethan's apartment.

Silver was looking around. She lost sight of Felicia a few minutes ago but hadn't been able to trail her.

As she looked around, Felicia stared at her from the shadows on a fire escape above her. She was waiting for the perfect moment to strike or escape.

Silver eventually backtracked to see if she could find where she went but as she was walking past a garbage can there was a loud noise to her right. She went to defend herself when a foot hit her arms making them numb for a moment and forcing her back out of the alley way.

Silver attacked back with her own kick and was blocked by another kick. Then after a few minutes of matching attacks there was a rhythmic set of claps from the alley entrance. Silver and Felicia looked over to see Black Fox and Ethan standing in the alley way.

"We are done. Come on girls." He then walked out of the alley way while leading them away. Ethan followed quickly behind Black Fox while the girls exchanged a look before they started following as well.

It was quiet for a while but eventually the girls started talking. They didn't stop until they entered a large warehouse. Which looked normal on the outside, but on the inside was a whole different world.

The equipment inside was high end. For a moment they doubted they walked into the right place. But the old fox's next words cleared that up for them.

"For the next 6 months this will be your training ground. When you aren't sleeping, working, or going to school you will be here." The old fox explained.

Felicia sighed, "So what exactly are you training us for?"

The old fox smiled at them, "well I am training you both in the ways of stealth, acrobatics, and a few other things."

"Why pick us out of the crowd?"

Old fox smiled, "Well your father hired me to train you. While for Ethan, someone else hired me. Honestly I was surprised when I came to find you and found you together."

Felicia seemed stunned, "why would my father hire you to teach me those skills?"

"Because he knows you will probably end up like him, a thief." Felicia seems gobsmacked when she hears this, "considering her talent for causing trouble I would say you enjoy causing mischief."

Felicia then remembers something, "what about Ethan?"

"A combat specialist," Felicia is surprised when she hears Ethan's voice behind her. She quickly turns around to look at Ethan with wide eyes. "My parents are playing possum. But it seems they didn't want me to not finish my training."

Felicia is confused, "training? Wait, Possum?!?"

The old fox started roaring in laughter, "yes it appears his parents faked their death to avoid their Hydra pursuers from finding out about Ethan. They also hoped it would teach Ethan a lesson. Unfortunately all it taught him was how to take advantage of a situation."

Felicia became even more confused. She looked at Ethan as if asking, 'what is going on?'

"I can tell you about it later. I have a feeling we won't be here long." Ethan tells her while smiling and grabbing hold of her hand.

"That is true, I just wanted to introduce ourselves and to tell you what time to show up tomorrow. Which will be 7 AM. We will be going all day so don't be late." The old fox continued, "and you can call me Black Fox or Paine."

Ethan furrowed his brow then nodded and waved as he walked away, "see you tomorrow then!"

After they left Silver Sable turned to Paine with a confused expression, "I thought that it would be more trouble like it was with me?"

But Paine just shrugged in response, "I am guessing he is far smarter than his parents let on or even knew about."

—-------------------------------------------

When they got back to the apartment they started to strip down. "By Possum I meant they are playing dead. Basically my parents faked their deaths to hide from a group within Hydra."

Felicia seemed stunned for a moment before she sighed and shrugged, "Okay and 'combat specialist'? What is that about?"

Ethan shrugged as he walked into the bathroom, "my parents are assassins and spies so of course they trained their unwanted son as a combat specialist as well. Not that I mind, like you I have the urge for a…" Ethan stopped as he tried to find the right words, "exciting extracurricular activity."

Felicia smiled when she heard this and joined him in the shower, "well I guess mine will be theft. But I don't feel right about it so I might just steal from the bad or the annoying like karma. What about you?"

Ethan shrugged, "I will kill bad guys for money or bounties."

Felicia frowned when she heard this, "you don't mind killing? I mean I personally can't picture myself killing someone."

"Oh? I guess it makes me a monster?" Ethan asked teasingly.

Felicia chuckled, "no but I am guessing there is a story?"

"Not really it is just I feel that there are some monsters that need to be put down. Even if they are humans." Ethan explained as he started washing Felicia's back with soap.

"Mmm… I guess." Felicia nodded as she enjoyed the slight massage that Ethan was giving her. "Just out of curiosity are you hiding anything else important from me?" Felicia said jokingly.

"Hmm… yeah I guess I did get some superpowers recently." Ethan told her honestly as he went to kiss her collarbone.

"Mmm…Wait! What!" Felicia yelled and spun around quickly a bit too quickly which caused them both to slip and a moan slipped from Felicia's lips when they crashed into the ground.

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The next morning they were eating a quick meal before they left. While they were eating Felicia was looking at a spider that was in a sealed glass vial.

"So you just keep it in the fridge? And why was there a vial of blood in there?" Felicia asked as she looked at the intricate design.

"The blood is yours, it is from the night they drugged you. And until I get a lab up and running, yes I will keep it in my fridge." Ethan gave her a pancake and turned off the stove. While Felcia put the vial back in the fridge.

—----------------------------------

A few hours later they were sweating while training their bodies in acrobatics.

"So when do you think we can do another raid?" Felicia asked as she swung from one rope to another.

Ethan frowned at her as he walked across a thin metal beam. Glancing at Felicia with annoyance.

"Raid?" Silver Sable asked as she cleaned her gun at a table nearby. The gun was shiny and silver. But it looked larger and more intricate than most guns.

"They mean going to abandoned secret facilities and cleaning them out." Paine explained as he pointed out the flaws in their techniques. "It is something Ethan does every once in a while. I am sure he has a collection of secrets even the organization I work for would be itching to get a hold of."

Silver nodded as she understood. Then she started loading some bullets with a blue hue to them into her clip.

"Organization?" Felicia asked.

"Yes. A secret spy and crime organization and maybe. I plan to scout it out today, but before you ask. I won't take you with me for scouting this time." Ethan explained as he could feel her annoyed stare from below. "There is chatter that both Shield and Hydra are on high alert watching a place in the city. If it is that warehouse then I will have to do this one alone."

"Oh? And how do you plan to do that?" Paine asked.

Ethan shrugged as he completed the course, "I have a back entrance I plan to use instead. Most of the time the information about the backdoors are impossible to get but this time I can get access. Mostly because it wasn't sealed up like the others."

"Very well, what else do you two have planned for this week?" Paine asked.

"Nothing, but I do have an interview for an internship next week. I will need time off for that." Felicia explained.

"I also will need some time in a few weeks. I plan to go to a chess tournament that a bunch of schools put together." Ethan explained, "but if anything else pops up I will tell you."

"That reminds me I need some time this week to move into my new apartment." Felicia explained as she reached the next stage in the obstacle course.

"Okay… we can take some breaks. As far as I can tell you are both naturally adept at this type of training so it should not take more than a month or two before you finish the basic stuff." Paine explained as he pulled out a clipboard and started writing on it.

Ethan grunted as he started going back down the training course, "great. But I might need some additional alterations to my training. I will talk to you about it later."

Paine raised an eyebrow at that.

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Meanwhile in Asgard.

"I still don't understand. Frigga, why are you so intent on this?" Odin asked worriedly.

The Queen chuckled as she sat in her lobby watching Odin pace. It made sense that he was nervous. It was the first time in years that she was leaving Asgard. When she was younger she used to travel all over. But since Thor and Loki she saw no point in leaving.

"You are overreacting. Besides, I am curious about Midgard. Thor has such 'high praises' for it after all." She pulled out one of the notebooks she obtained to study Midgard. She figured she might as well do a study of modern Midgard while she was down there.

"At least take some guards with you." Odin stated as he grunted while looking out at the city.

"No need, besides I plan to take Loki. In fact he is the reason we are going there in the first place. He was curious about a subject from the archives." Frigga explained.

"Then just teach him about it here. Why do you have to go to that blasted Midgard?" Odin yelled.

"Because I have to. I wouldn't expect someone who hasn't read the entire Grand Library to assume that they might know more about something than I would." Frigga waved him off as she double checked the items she had before leaving tomorrow, "since you never learned a bunch of that 'useless knowledge' from the library, so I had to instead."

Odin visibly flinched when he heard this. Regretting his choices from the past.

"I still need that tree sapling I requested for when I go."

Odin grunted, "it is coming in tonight. Did you at least tell Thor you were going? He could help accompany you."

"Nope, and I forbid you from telling him I am going. He is overly flashy when he goes to Midgard. Myself and Loki on the other hand plan to be covert so we aren't discovered." Frigga explained, annoyed at her husband's blatant favoritism towards Thor.

"But why Loki? There is no telling what mischief he will cause." Odin asked begrudgingly.

"Because- you know what I just explained this to you. Leave now and know that should you take an action of any kind you will know my wrath." Frigga waved him off after feeling thoroughly annoyed.

"Wrath? I am the King of Asgard. The Allfather. I fear no-" Odin was interrupted as he was about to rant.

"I mean as your wife. Not as the Queen. Now leave." Frigga gave Odin a stare that sent a shiver down his spine. So he quickly left in hopes of avoiding a fate worse than death, his wife's anger.

—--------------------------------------

In New York at a random high-end hotel.

Loki was making sure all the accommodations would suffice. His mother had him come a day early to set up sleeping accommodations, since they would be on Midgard for an entire month. She even specified the city because it was where the Apostles of the Weaver were located.

As Loki was looking over everything he suddenly felt calm as he decided he had everything ready. So he turned his attention to the black box, it was called a Television. Apparently the humans had invented it along with many other items of interest. He found that out after hypnotizing the hotel attendant into showing him what everything did.

He clicked a red button on the item called a 'remote' and with a flash the Television was playing the news. Which had information about the changing criminal underworld in New York. He then looked over the food that was brought up to his room by the hotel staff. He had wanted to try this food even if he did not necessarily need this food. What he ordered was something called a cheeseburger with fries and a pickle. He also got a strange brown bubbling beverage on the side that was called a 'soda'.

As he picked up one of the fries with a fork and looked it over with disgust. He then took a bite of it and was delighted by the taste. A moment later he was cutting a piece off of the cheeseburger before biting into it, moaning in delight not a moment later. He then took a quick swig of the soda beverage and was delighted by the taste.

He continued making delighted noises as he ate.