NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Observations and food
[Avengers Tower - Medical Bay]
Issei's eyelids fluttered open, greeted by the soft, sterile white of a medical bay ceiling. He felt… strangely calm. Drained, but calm. The chaotic storm within him had subsided, leaving behind a lingering ache of emptiness.
He turned his head, and his breath caught in his throat. Sitting beside his bed, watching him with gentle concern, was a woman with long, flowing red hair and kind, blue eyes. For a fleeting, hopeful moment, his heart leaped.
"Rias…?" he whispered, the name a fragile hope.
The woman's expression softened, a flicker of sympathy crossing her features. "I'm sorry," she said gently. "I'm not Rias. My name is Jean. Jean Grey."
The hope died as quickly as it had flared. The crushing weight of reality returned, the knowledge that he was alone, stranded in a strange world. He closed his eyes, fighting back the sting of tears. Of course it wasn't her.
Jean placed a comforting hand on his arm. "It's alright, Issei. You've been through a lot. You're safe now."
He opened his eyes again, looking at her with a mixture of gratitude and lingering confusion. "Safe…?"
"Yes," Jean said. "You're at Avengers Tower. We're here to help you."
He remembered the winged man, Sam… and the overwhelming feeling of… nothingness… when he'd tried to call for Ddraig. The memory sent a fresh wave of despair through him.
Jean seemed to sense his distress. "You were… experiencing some emotional difficulties," she said delicately. "We helped you calm down. You've been asleep for several hours."
Issei pushed himself up into a sitting position, feeling a slight twinge in his left hand. He looked down at the DAAM, still embedded in his skin, pulsing faintly.
"Are you hungry?" Jean asked, changing the subject. "We can get you something to eat."
The question, so mundane, so… normal, brought a faint smile to Issei's lips. It was a small anchor of reality in the swirling chaos of his new existence. He realized he was incredibly hungry.
"Yes," he said, his voice still a little hoarse. "I am."
Jean smiled back. "Good. Come on. Let's get you to the cafeteria."
She helped him out of bed, and he followed her out of the medical bay and down a long, gleaming corridor. The DAAM, now functioning at a much lower level, subtly provided him with information about his surroundings, identifying the materials, the technology, the layout of the building. It was like having a constant, unobtrusive tour guide.
They entered a large, brightly lit cafeteria. Several people were already there, eating and chatting. Some were wearing what looked like superhero costumes, others were in casual clothes. They all turned to look as Issei and Jean entered.
"Everyone, this is Issei," Jean announced. "Issei, these are some of the… people who work here."
She didn't say "Avengers," Issei noticed. He suspected it was a deliberate omission, a way to avoid overwhelming him with too much information too soon.
The heroes offered polite nods and greetings, but Issei could sense their curiosity, their cautious assessment. He felt like an exhibit in a zoo.
"He looks… normal," Clint Barton muttered to Natasha Romanoff . "Doesn't exactly scream 'planetary threat'."
"Appearances can be deceiving, Clint," Natasha replied, her eyes narrowed. "Strange said his power is tied to his emotions. We need to be careful."
One young man, however, reacted differently. He was sitting at a table with a blond haired girl, and when he saw Issei, his eyes widened in shock. He almost choked on his drink, a startled gasp escaping his lips. He looked to be around the same age, with dark, intelligent eyes and curly brown hair. It was like he was seeing a ghost.
This young man, Daniel Parker, was in a state of internal turmoil. He was Peter Parker's twin brother, but unlike Peter, Daniel retained full memories of his previous life – a life on Earth, a world where Marvel was a fictional universe, a collection of comic books and movies. He'd been reincarnated into this world, this Marvel world, and had spent years carefully navigating its complexities, keeping his knowledge a secret.
He knew, with absolute certainty, that Issei Hyoudou should not exist here. Issei was a character from High School DxD, another fictional universe entirely. His presence here was a paradox, a glitch in the reality he'd come to accept.
Daniel's mind raced. How is this possible? Multiverse? Dimensional breach? Some kind of cosmic joke? He felt a surge of panic, a fear that his carefully constructed understanding of this world was about to crumble.
He forced himself to take a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm. He couldn't reveal his knowledge. Not yet. Not until he understood what was happening.
The dark haired girl next to him, his girlfriend, Gwen Stacy, noticed his distress. "Danny? Are you okay?" she asked, concern etched on her face.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Daniel said, forcing a smile. "Just… surprised. That's all."
He avoided Issei's gaze, pretending to be engrossed in his food. But his mind was working furiously, trying to make sense of this impossible situation. This changed everything.
...
She guided him to the food line, explaining the various options. Issei, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar choices, simply pointed at something that looked vaguely like pasta. The DAAM helpfully provided the name: Spaghetti Carbonara.
As they sat down at a table, Jean began to ask gentle questions, trying to piece together his story without overwhelming him. Issei answered as best he could, keeping the more… unbelievable details to himself. He explained that he was from another… place, that he'd been brought here against his will, that he'd lost someone very important to him
He carefully avoided mentioning magic, dragons, or dimensional traders. He wasn't sure how much these "Avengers" knew about the supernatural, and he didn't want to risk another… episode. The DAAM provided constant, subtle nudges, guiding his conversation, helping him navigate this potentially treacherous social landscape.
Though unaware that when trying to calm him down Jean was able to gain a glimpse into he's mind and make a copy of he's memories of being sent to her world without a choice.