Marvel: The Foundation

Hiro looked around the alley, surrounded by the eclectic assortment of items he had pulled from the vending machine. The piles of odd trinkets, tech, and jewelry seemed to be mocking him. He had managed to gather a treasure trove, but now came the challenge of what to do with it all.

The machine had proven to be an almost endless source of wealth, but Hiro realized he might have bitten off more than he could chew.

Carefully, he began to pack the more valuable-looking items into his bags, leaving behind the mundane snacks and trinkets. He needed to move fast—he couldn't risk being caught here by someone who might ask too many questions.

 It was late, but the city was never truly asleep, and an alley with a young man surrounded by random items would definitely draw attention if someone happened by.

As he finally slung the bags over his shoulders, Hiro started down the narrow alleyway, his thoughts whirling. He needed help, and there was only one person he could think of who would know what to do—Yuki. She had always been the level-headed one, the cautious one. She would know how to handle this.

He made his way to Yuki's apartment, the weight of his bags and the oddness of the entire situation pressing down on him. It was almost midnight by the time he arrived. He knocked, quietly at first, then a little louder.

The door swung open, and Yuki stood there, her eyes widening at the sight of him and the bags on his shoulders. "Hiro? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice a mix of surprise and confusion.

"Yuki, I need your help," Hiro said, his voice barely above a whisper. He stepped inside, glancing around as if making sure no one else could hear. He dropped the bags on the floor, the contents making a muffled clinking sound as they settled.

Yuki stared at the bags, then back at Hiro. "What did you do?" she asked, her tone sharper now. She knelt down and unzipped one of the bags, her eyes widening at the sight of the items inside. The shimmering necklace, the glowing crystal, the strange, ethereal trinkets—it was all there.

"Hiro, what is all of this?" Yuki's voice was hushed, almost fearful. She picked up the necklace, turning it over in her hands. "Did you… did you take all of this from the vending machine?"

Hiro nodded, a grin spreading across his face despite the exhaustion. "Yeah. I went early, and I just… kept going. Look at all this, Yuki. It's incredible! We could sell this stuff, make some real money."

Yuki looked at him, her expression a mix of disbelief and concern. "Hiro, this… this is insane. Do you even realize how strange this is? How did all of this come out of a vending machine? And what if someone's watching? What if it's a trap, or something dangerous?"

Hiro waved her concerns away, his excitement undimmed. "Come on, Yuki, think about it. We've been using that vending machine for weeks, and nothing bad has happened. If anything, it's been amazing! I know it's weird, but this could be a life-changer. Just look at this stuff." He picked up the glowing crystal, holding it up as if it were a trophy. "Imagine what we could sell this for. We could split the money, do whatever we want."

Yuki sighed, putting the necklace back in the bag. She rubbed her temples, her mind racing. She knew Hiro was right about one thing—there was a fortune sitting right here in her apartment. But it didn't feel right. The vending machine, the randomness, the strange items—it all felt like it was building up to something, and that something might not be good.

"We need to be careful, Hiro," Yuki said at last, her voice steady. "This isn't just some lucky find. There's something else going on here, and we need to understand it before we do anything

reckless. We can't just start selling this stuff without knowing what we're dealing with."

Hiro sighed, dropping into one of the chairs at the small kitchen table. "Alright, alright, I get it. But we can't just let it sit here, Yuki. We have to do something. Maybe we could… sell a few of the smaller things? Just to see how it goes."

Yuki frowned but nodded slowly. "Maybe. But we have to be careful. We don't know who—or what—might be watching. And we need to keep an eye on that machine. If it's giving out this kind of stuff, there has to be more to it. We have to understand why."

Hiro leaned back, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Alright, deal. But I'm telling you, Yuki… this is just the beginning. I can feel it."

Yuki couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. She hoped Hiro was right—that this was the beginning of something good. But a part of her, a growing part, feared that they were stepping into something far more dangerous than they could imagine.

…

The following day, the three friends met up at Mika's small apartment. Yuki had filled her in on Hiro's haul, and Mika's eyes widened as they spread out the items on the table. Hiro still wore the excited grin from the night before, while Yuki's expression remained serious, her concern evident.

"Okay," Yuki began, looking at Hiro. "We need to start small. Something that won't raise too many questions if we sell it."

Hiro nodded, pulling out the ornate box with the silver necklace. He held it up. "This one. It looks valuable, but not so strange that it would cause suspicion. We could probably get a decent price for it at a jewelry shop."

Mika reached out, running her fingers over the delicate chain, her eyes shining. "It's beautiful. But Yuki's right—we need to be careful." She looked at Hiro. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Hiro nodded, determination in his eyes. "I'm sure. We can sell it, make some cash, and figure out what we want to do next."

Yuki sighed but didn't argue. They had come this far, and there was no turning back now. The vending machine had drawn them in, and now they had to see this through.

"Alright," she said. "Let's do it. But remember, we take it slow, and we stay careful. We don't know what we're dealing with here."

Hiro grinned, stuffing the necklace back into its box. "Careful. Got it." He looked at Yuki and Mika, a spark of excitement in his eyes. "Let's see just how far this rabbit hole goes."

Yuki watched as Hiro stood, her heart pounding. She had a feeling that once they started down this path, there would be no turning back. She only hoped they were ready for whatever lay ahead.

…

Hiro stood outside the small jewelry shop, the ornate box in his hand. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He had rehearsed his story over and over in his head—a story that would justify how a young man like him had come across such an exquisite piece of jewelry. The truth was too strange, too dangerous to share with anyone, and so he needed something else. Something believable.

He pushed the door open, the chime ringing softly as he stepped inside. The shop was quiet, the warm light from the display cases reflecting off rows of sparkling jewelry—rings, necklaces, bracelets—all neatly arranged. An older man stood behind the counter, his eyes glancing up at Hiro with a polite smile.

"Good afternoon," the man greeted. His hair was gray, and he wore glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. His demeanor was calm, professional—exactly the kind of person Hiro hoped to deal with.

"Good afternoon," Hiro replied, trying to keep his voice steady. He approached the counter, placing the ornate box in front of the man. "I… I'd like to sell this necklace. I was hoping you could take a look at it."

The man raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting to the box. He opened it carefully, his eyes widening slightly as he saw the shimmering silver chain and the brilliant blue gemstone. He picked up the necklace, holding it up to the light, his eyes narrowing as he examined the craftsmanship.

"This is quite exquisite," the man said, a note of admiration in his voice. "Where did you come across a piece like this?"

Hiro swallowed, giving the story he had prepared. "It was given to me by a family friend. I… I want to sell it because I'm trying to raise money to help those who lost everything in the recent Tokyo attack." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "A lot of people were affected, and I want to do what I can to help."

The jeweler looked at Hiro, his expression softening. He set the necklace down gently, nodding. "That's a noble cause, young man. Not many your age would think of something like that." He smiled, a warmth in his eyes that made Hiro feel a little more at ease.

The jeweler picked up a magnifying glass, examining the gemstone more closely. "The craftsmanship is remarkable," he said, almost to himself. "The cut, the clarity… this is no ordinary piece. I'm surprised someone would let go of something like this."

Hiro nodded, his palms sweating slightly. "I know, it's… it's valuable. But helping people feels more important right now."

The jeweler glanced at Hiro again, a thoughtful expression on his face. He set the magnifying glass down, then turned to his computer, typing something in. After a moment, he looked back at Hiro. "I think I can offer you a fair price," he said. "How does 5 million yen sound?"

Hiro's eyes widened. He had hoped for maybe half that—5 million yen was more than he could have imagined. He nodded, trying to hide his excitement. "That… that sounds great. Thank you, sir."

The jeweler smiled, nodding as he began the paperwork. "It's always good to see young people with such a strong sense of compassion. I'll make sure the payment is ready for you in just a few minutes."

Hiro watched as the jeweler worked, his heart pounding in his chest. He could hardly believe it—5 million yen. This was it—the beginning of something big. As the jeweler handed him the paperwork to sign, Hiro couldn't help but feel a rush of triumph. He was going to make this work, and nothing was going to stand in his way.