Everywhere Logistics Company.
Outside, rain poured down in sheets.
Inside, Jessica Jones and Popclaw were locked in fierce combat, trading blows back and forth.
Ding!
Battle detected. Reward acquired: 5 points.
Ding!
Battle detected. Reward acquired: Arm Bone Thorn (Popclaw)
Listening to the system notifications with little interest, Fenris went upstairs to the storage room and retrieved a time controller and an electronic collar.
He was planning to head to a new world to see if someone could fix the device.
As for which world to go to, he had two choices:
The Flash or Fantastic Four.
Cisco Ramon, also known as Vibe in The Flash, was a tech genius.
And then there was Barry Allen, the Flash, and Eobard Thawne, the Reverse-Flash, both experts in time manipulation who had already twisted the timeline to the point of tears.
Meanwhile, Fantastic Four featured Mr. Fantastic, Reed Richards, the smartest man in the Marvel universe and a self-proclaimed brain surgeon.
Though the movie-version Reed Richards wasn't quite that terrifying, repairing the time controller should still be well within his capabilities.
Between the two options, Fenris chose… the beauty. Ahem! He chose the Fantastic Four.
New York, Columbia University.
On campus, Fenris turned off his enhanced hearing and stepped across the lush green lawn toward a young man and woman sitting under a tree.
The woman had long, golden hair and a face so exquisitely beautiful she looked like a real-life Barbie, only missing a princess dress.
The man beside her was tall and muscular, with a shaved head.
Susan Storm and Benjamin Grimm.
One was Reed Richards's future girlfriend and the eventual Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four.
The other was Reed's best friend, destined to become the rock-skinned Thing.
Unlike when Fenris previously traveled to The Boys universe, this time he had arrived a little early. The future members of the Fantastic Four hadn't even graduated college yet.
"Hey," Fenris greeted as he approached the two.
Benjamin's expression darkened, his eyes filled with annoyance.
His irritation was easy to understand. Susan was stunning, and no guy would be thrilled to see his best friend's potential girlfriend getting hit on.
Yes, potential girlfriend.
Reed and Susan hadn't officially gotten together yet.
Susan, however, politely nodded and replied, "Hi, can I help you?"
"Guess where my heart is?" Fenris's whimsical opener caught Susan off guard.
"On the left?" she guessed.
Fenris shook his head and smiled. "Wrong. It's with you."
Susan couldn't help but laugh, a clear, bell-like giggle escaping her lips.
"If you don't plan on returning my heart, then at least tell me your name."
"I don't have anywhere to keep your heart," she teased, still smiling. "But hello, I'm Susan."
"I have a poem for you. Just three lines."
"Really? Now I'm curious."
Thanks to the playful heart joke earlier, Susan was genuinely interested to hear what this bold and funny guy would say next.
"Your name."
"Is the shortest."
"Love poem I've ever heard."
It really was just three lines.
Susan laughed again, even more freely than before. Bright and unrestrained.
"Hey!" Benjamin finally couldn't hold back anymore. Watching his best friend's maybe-girlfriend being charmed by a stranger was too much.
Fenris turned to Susan with faux innocence. "Is he your boyfriend?"
"He's my friend. Benjamin," Susan replied, still smiling.
"I don't like you. You'd better leave now," Benjamin said bluntly.
Susan apologized, "Sorry, we're waiting for another friend."
"Her boyfriend," Benjamin added quickly, trying to make things clear.
Susan frowned slightly, clearly displeased. Whether or not she was going to date Reed was her business. Not Benjamin's.
"We're not together," she clarified. It wasn't for Fenris's sake, but for her own. Benjamin had no right to decide her love life.
Well done, Benjamin. You just shot yourself in the foot.
Fenris smiled calmly. "Even the sun can't please everyone. You say it's warm; I say it's blinding."
Benjamin's face darkened.
"A lot of people don't like me. Who are you to matter?"
Straight talk meets straight talk. Let's see who does it better.
Benjamin stood up abruptly, glaring at Fenris. The muscular powerhouse looked like he was ready to throw hands.
"Bastard, do you want a beating?"
Fenris shrugged. "If I said something that hit a nerve, please let me know, so I know where to aim next time."
"You're dead. I swear I'm gonna flatten you!" Benjamin shouted, raising his fist.
"Enough! I'm out of here!" Susan snapped, standing up with a scowl and preparing to leave.
"Wait! where are you going? Didn't we agree to meet Reed?" Benjamin called after her.
"That meeting was thirty minutes ago."
"He'll be here soon. Trust me! He'll be here any minute." Benjamin tried to explain. "I'll call him right now."
"A mouth that says it loves you, and a thousand little actions that say it doesn't." Fenris added softly.
That line hit Susan right in the heart.
She couldn't deny that Reed was a genius, and being around him felt comfortable. But he always prioritized his experiments and research far above her. That was exactly why she'd hesitated to start anything with him.
Now, she didn't need to hesitate anymore.
Reed loved science and research? Then let him love it all he wants.
Benjamin liked meddling in his best friend's relationships? Then let him go find someone else to meddle with.
She was done playing nice!