Free Fall

(("Ten minutes to the target area."))

Walt nodded and smoked the cigar directly under the no smoking sign. He looked at Yang. "Nervous?"

Yang nodded but also grinned. "Excited too. When I said that stuff earlier... this wasn't at all what I expected."

Walt chuckled. "That's what makes it fun though. I just thought... you're an adrenaline junky and we were already on the base. Maybe you'd like to see what I used to do. I seem to remember you guys had your "exit strategies" so I thought I'd show a few of you mine from back in the day."

Yang smirked. "So this is how you old timers used to do it?"

Steve Roger's and Naked Snake chuckled. "The mouth on this kid," Snake said grining while Steve shook his head. "Not exactly. In my time it was a lot lower to the ground amd we deployed our chutes early."

"They didn't start doing HALO jumps for another 20 years," Snake smirked. "Or at least that's how it was from my worlds time-line."

Walt nodded. "And they got more and more extreme. Infact we got guys who don't even need chutes now and drop from orbital entry so stuff like this might not even be considered "extreme" to some... but yeah. I held the record for doing how many of these things back in my day though again that's meaningless now. We're actually a fair bit higher up. March of progress."

"Higher, faster, further," they heard Carol Danvers say as Superman chuckled from where they flew alongside their transport.

Walt grinned. "I always wanted to do what yall did. Dreamed of being a test pilot and maybe eventually get into space. Wasn't in the cards. I grew too big and tall from standing in the manure all the time. Leastways that's what grandma claimed. Granpa said she was feeding me cement to stunt my growth and it backfired on her. Anyway this was as close I got in my day until the world changed."

He gestured to where Iron Man and Warmachine were standing by. "Danvers, Kent, Tony and Rhodes will be our spotters then Kent has to get to his part-time job. If there's any trouble they'll intercept and get us down safely... and anyone who doesn't want to jump that's fine. Now is your last chance to change your minds. Otherwise we'll do just like we practiced. I'm the Jumpmaster and Steve and Snake my assistants as stated previously."

(("Five Minutes."))

He saw the light change. "Nearly time. Final check equipment and mask up." He and Snake nodded and finished their cigars.

Yang grinned. "Hell of a group date!" She put her mask on too. The oxygen was thin outside. "We gotta do this with Ruby and Weiss sometime!"

"I think that is a wonderful idea," Penny agreed excitedly. "I am certain that they will love it! *Hiccup* Probably!"

Blake laughed nervously but her ears were back. "Ruby will but and who knows about Weiss. She's surprisingly gutsy and squeamish about certain things. I'm honestly having second thoughts... but let's do it."

Nora grinned. "That's the spirit!" She said as Pyrrha gaves a thumbs-up already double-checking Nora's gear.

Sasha chuckled. "Honestly I'm a bit nervous too. If we didn't have the others backing us up I think I might tap out as well but I'm oddly fired up!"

"Right?" Ilulu said laughing kicking her feet. "It's gonna be fun!"

"Right," Raven said. She almost apeared perfectly calm and didn't show it except for her foot tapping rapidly. Her rabbit instincts were hoped up. "Just don't forget we're on trouble spotting duty too while you're having fun, ok?"

"I won't!" Ilulu said raising her hand. "Lets all have fun safely!"

Anastasia actually smiled, "That's the adrenaline kicking in. The psychological response to doing something your instincts know to be ridiculously insane. Its not uncommon for the adrenaline to start before the jump at the moment you decide to go through with it." She took off her glasses and nodded to Roberta, Glynda and the others to do the same.

Walt started helping and checking on the others. Neo grinned and gave him a kiss and while nervous Manami did the same with even more passion. Walt gave her a hug. He knew she was trying to be brave like her namesake and when he asked if she was sure she nodded and then took Neo's hand.

Tsuyu was nervous too as was Sienna though they had a handle on those nerves. He nodded. Those with heightened instincts were rightfully trepidatious. He'd expected that. Kali and Haruhime had opted out of participating. Haruna had as well as Senko and all the others. They either didn't want to or were opting for another time. Senko had been surprisingly gung-ho about it so when she opted out it was a surprise. He had a sneaking suspicion there was a Goddess watching over them from on the ground ready to catch as well.

He noticed Glynda's hands trembling. "You ok?" He asked. "It's fine to change your mind."

"Of course I'm fine!" She snapped. "My students are doing this and so am I."

He nodded and double-checked her rig. "You're amazing, Glynda."

"W-what?" She stammered.

Walt smiled and took one of her hands in his. "I said you are amazing. You're so strong, supportive and caring of others... but please? As your friend won't you let me be that for you?"

Glynda's eyes softened and she took his hand in both of hers. "A-alright. Please do. Thank you, Walter."

Walt kissed her forehead and then gently helped her put her mask on. "Everything will be just fine," he said. "I promise, Glynda." He gave her a hug and then put his own mask on walking away.

"Oh my," Sayoko and Sienna said together looking at her and making her blush.

"Don't say it!" Glynda warned.

(("Sixty seconds. Opening the Cargo ramp."))

"Alright people," said Walt loudly as the Friday depressurezed the area then opened the cargo exit. "Stand up!" He raised both arms to signal and everyone rose. Steve and Snake repeating the signals. They and Walt would go last.

"Form lines and face exit!" Everyone got into lines behind Iron Man and Warmachine. Tony and Rhodes would lead them off.

(("Ten seconds."))

Walt looks out and sees their landmarks and when the light turns green he sees Steve and Snake give him the ready signal. Walt gives the go ahead signal and signals Rhodes who exits first with a salute then he indicates Tony at the head of the other line and so on.

Most exit fairly quickly, some quite excitedly (Sasha whooped excitedly and Ilulu giggled) until the end. They'd put the trepidatious ones for last Blake froze up for a moment and Walt nodded. They had time. He looked at Yang who nodded then looked at Blake and nodded. Blake nodded too. She exited and then Yang went right behind her.

Raven gulped and so did Manami but she turned and nodded to Walt and the others and excited knowing her friends were already out there. That galvanized Raven past her rabbit instincts and she practicly sprang forward now.

Sienna exited excitedly as well with a grin now and that just left Walt, Steve, Snake and Glynda. Glynda swallowed she looked at Walt and shook her head. He nodded and signaled to Steve and Snake. They nodded. They could take over Jumpmaster duty.

He pointed at Glynda and she looked at him. Walt smiled and pointed at himself and then her again. Her eyes got wide and she nodded once. Walt approached the exit, turned, saluted and dropped out the back with a "geronimo".

The wind whistled around him as he plumeted through the sky looking and counting everyone. Listening to the coms. Everything was going fine. He looked back to see... and there was Glynda!

Glynda felt her heartbeating ready to explode! She felt panic and then there was Walt... giving her a tiny silly little wave. She laughed. Suddenly it wasn't so bad. They were hurtling through the air to almost certain doom but they were doing it together. He pointed and she looked. They were all doing it together! All of them. It made her feel... something indescribable! Walt had drifted close to her. He pointed down. She saw yellow hair and black and red and copper... her students were below. She nodded and Walt took her hand.

Walt chuckled. Everyone was enjoying the experience. Tony, Rhodes, Danvers and Kent were doing a good job keeping them together and also putting on a show to keep them entertained.

He and Glynda caught up to Blake and Yang first. They had done the same and joined hands. Walt could tell Yang was thrilled and he nodded to her. She nodded back they angled and manuevered so Glynda and Blake could join hands smiling.

Walt started to look around for someone else but he felt someone take his other hand. He looked and saw Penny's and Neo's happy sparkling eyes as Penny squeezed his hand. He squeezed back. And past Neo was Manami and Raven and Ilulu... and it wasn't long after that they'd all managed to join hands with each other. Dropping through the sky together.

When Friday gave the signal they were nearing the chute deploy time they reluctantly started letting go and spliting apart. Those with flight like Ilulu or levitation like Raven deployed smaller braking chutes to slow their velocity before engaging wings and powers safely. It was probably unnecessary for Ilulu but Walt wasn't going to take chances on her hurting herself or straining her wings. *I'll have to do this some night with Demona,* he thought watching the others safely deploy their chutes one by one... until it was just the thrill junkies left!

Yang and Sasha grinned watching Walt, Steve and Snake do some somersaults and spins and they had fun doing the same until Friday told them to deploy chutes. Sasha then Yang then Steve... and Walt and Snake waited to the last second.

They both landed touching down first nearly simultaneously. Removing masks and helmets they smirked at the other for a brief second before checking the drop zone for enemies. Old habits died hard. Finding no immediate threats they were quickly joined by Steve and started instructing the others on their landings. Giving reminders on proper form and technique.

Yang grinned. "Ok. That. Was. Fun!" She said wrapping her arms around Blake.

Walt laughed as Sasha said more or less the same followed by a loud stomach noise and "... I built an appetite today!"

"Me too!" Said Nora and Ilulu together making everyone laugh.

Well," Walt said. "How did the rest of you-oooff!" He blinked finding himsekf tackled by Glynda laughing followed by Raven, Manami, Sienna Nora, Pyrrha and on and on until they'd literally knocked him down laughing as they all dog piled him. He was even surprised when Anastasia held off but Penny dragged her in and she didn't seem to resist too hard.

It was a nice moment... until he heard someone mutter about how if he hadn't fucked her already that morning they'd rip his clothes off right now. There were some assenting noises... more then he'd expected and that made it uncomfortable... but they were all safe and happy. He could live with it.

"Looks like the Boss is down," Snake muttered. "We found his kryptonite."

"Not funny," Kent said. "Anyway I'm off to the part time job. You all can deal with it."

"Think we should call it in?" Steve joked.

"Why not?," said Tony. "Get the satellites linked up. Gotta share this Kodak moment."

"Some guys just get all the luck," Rhodes said.

I dunno," Danvers said. "Judging from those smiles some girls do too. Anyway I'm out too. Got some Stark Interstellar stuff to take care of. You guys can take it from here. It was fun hanging out though if only to babysit. Later!"

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee and Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters

Will Return In

TBD

Coming Soon]