Morning Activities and Errands

"Well?" [What do you think?]

"What do I think?" Mary Jane said excitedly then hugging Manami and Neo. "I think it's awesome!"

Glory nodded watching the screen. "You guys did this overnight? Color me impressed! Thank you!"

Neo smiled texting. [It was nothing.]

Manami nodded. "It's only the rough. We need to get you all setup here in the studio and shoot some more as well as make the studio recording. Walt will probably get you all a 3S musical expert for that."

Mary Jane smiled looking around as Glory setup their instruments. "What a killer space!" She looked at some of the art. "Is this Walt on the horse? I didn't know he painted! I guess there's no end to his talents."

Neo shook her head pointing to another of Walt and a Gwen look alike before waving and texting. [She did. I gotta go. Harley wants to hang out. U OK?]

Manami nodded giving her the thumbs-up. "Tell her I'll join you all in a little bit!" She turned to MJ. "That was Walt's wife. He built this space for her. She was a rather prolific artist. We felt it was important to put up some of her art in here."

Glory blinked. "Whoa... she and Gwen could be sisters!"

"Crazy," MJ said staring. "Hmmmm... you know these are... kinda awesome!" She looked at a big, acid etched metal piece. "She did all of these?"

Manami closed down her program and then joined her. "Yeah. Apparently she was extremely prolific and talented. They appear simple but the more you look at them the more things and details you notice." She pointed at the bird sculpture. "Did you notice the faces yet?"

MJ blinked. "Faces?" She stepped closer to lean down and look along with Manami. "Oh wow! You're right! Glory come look at this! It looks abstract at first but it's made up of faces!"

Glory joined them and after a few minutes... "Whoa! You're right! Wicked!"

MJ smiled. "Well that makes her different from Gwen. I guess them looking alike is just a coincidence. That's good."

Manami blinked but nodded, smiling. "Obviously. Walter's not superficial like that!" She smiled. "He's... the best! The greatest!"

MJ and Glory traded glances. It was clear Manami was love struck. But they both blushed and smiled. "He really is quite special," MJ said.

Glory nodded. "He sees us for who we really are and loves people for their differences and cherishes their uniqueness."

Manami smiled. They both understood! "Yes! He's a wonderful person!"

They smiled. "You know... I think this is gonna be an awesome place to make music!"

"...And when the timer goes off, I take them out of the oven like so! These should be cool enough by now. Here try one!"

Dave smiled and took the cookie Penny offered him biting into it, smiling. "Mmmhmm... Perfection!"

Penny smiled happily. "Oh, I am so glad you like them! I am going to make a bunch to send home with you and Harley!"

Dave chuckled. "Well there goes my girlish figure!" The kitchen filled with laughter as he enjoyed his chocolate chip cookie. It was busy but also a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere as the ladies all worked together. He was surprised. The ranch had always been pleasant to visit before but now it just seemed so lively and yet... homey. Comforting. *It's the ladies,* he thought. *They've filled it with domestic bliss. From Kali's motherly aura, to Senko's wifely energy. Even Penny explaining all the scientific factors that go into her cookie baking... she's the one tying all the happiness together in harmony... and she does it so sweetly and gently it's effortless seeming but it's actually a lot of work. She's just got a talent for this! Walt really lucked out... and I couldn't be happier for him!* "You're sure you don't mind?"

Penny nodded as she stared taking cookies off the cooling rack. "I do not mind at all! I want too! It makes me happy! I think about how the cookies I make will make others feel. Like a hug that they can eat! And that makes it all worthwhile! Oh! That reminds me! Anastasia can you get me the mustard from the pantry, please? I want to make a big batch for when the Gardeners get home and send it to them! Help me get the ingredients ready and then you can play with the others."

Anastasia courtsied. "Thank you. Right away, Ma'am."

Dave blinked. Baroness was a perfectly believable maid just then. Even her smile was just right. Also- "Mustard?" He muttered quietly to himself... then smiled. Starfire, of course. He chuckled. "No, I meant are you sure you want to..."

Penny smiled. "Be your "mother"?" She nodded touching the broach she wore. It, just like the amulet Dave wore, was also goven to her by Walt. The two were linked and were important for the ritual. "I am. You will be you, but also not you. You'll be someone new. Our son. That part is clear and I am certain. I want that. For you. For Harley. For Walter... and for myself. I want to meet that person. Raise them and watch them grow. I want to love them alongside Walt and everyone else here." She looked at him. "Are you certain that you want that? I have not had any experience with such things until recently. Thankfully we have several experts here who can guide me. I hope I will be but... I might not be very good at being a good mother."

Dave shook his head, smiling. "No. I'm sure... and for what it's worth I think you'll be the best mother."

"Thank you," Penny said beaming. "I will do my best!"

"So adorable!"

Ilulu smiled at Pepper and nodded as she held Shogo who nuzzled her breasts. "Ain't he though! I never knew human larva were so adorable."

"Babies," Willow corrected her with a gentle smile. "Humans have babies. Insects have larvae."

"Oh, that's right!" Said the simple dragon. "Babies. Not larva."

Lifts-Her-Tail smiled. "I also get confused. To my people all babies and children are "hatchlings", wheter they come from an egg or not. No offense is meant by it."

Willow smiled. "That's understandable and honestly that is fine. I was just clarifying for Ilulu. We all know none of you mean anything bad by it." She giggled. "Actually it's rather charming."

Ilulu grinned. "Yeah?" She held up Shogo who babbled happily. "You want to be a hatchling, kid? Maybe you can grow up to be a dragon!"

Shogo flapped his arms and laughed but Jubilee entered the room, wearing a tank top and shorts, and shook her head. "Oh no. Not again! You stay a human baby for your mommy for a while! She needs a break!" She sees the others stare at her and she shrugged. "Looong story. Remind me someother time. The Cliffs notes is "been there... done that." You're sure you don't mind watching him for a bit?"

Ilu nodded. "Yup! You go have fun... I'm a little bummed that I can't play though but I get it. Whatever team had Jen or myself would have a huge advantage."

Jubilee nodded. "We're playing "no powers" and she wanted to spend time with her villain-anon friends so it's going to be heroines and villainesses mixed. But you two can totally join in. We're gonna play the last couple innings with powers after all."

Ilulu smiled. "I'm ok at operating at human level... but this is good! I get to play with Shogo! Maybe we'll come watch or join in later. We'll have fun, right?"

"Mawmaw Ahwoo-woo!" Shogo said happily patting her chest and watching it bounce and jiggle.

Jubilee's eyebrow twitched and she shook her head. "So I see. *Sigh* That's my boy." But she smiled and kissed his head and hugged Ilulu. "You have fun!" She smiled. "Would you care to join us, Pepper?"

Pepper blinked. "Me?"

Jubilee nodded. "Yeah, you! You haven't had a chance to hang out with the others much yet, right?"

Ilulu smiled nodding. "That's a good idea. You don't have to but we all kinda spend time doing different activities together to get to know one another better. We got several groups of friends that have been established."

Pepper smiled wryly. "Oh... I don't know. That sounds a bit "high school" for me."

She-Hulk enters the room chuckling. "I thought the same thing at first but it really isn't like that. A lot of the ladies belong to several different informal "groups" of shared interests and like minded individuals... and they're all really open to others trying or joining them... or not." She shrugged sitting next to Ilulu and playing with Shogo. "It's actually been pretty fun! I'm going to play with the kiddos and then tryout the library club later today since I enjoy reading."

Ilulu smiled. "I didn't know that. That's great! Ravens in that group too! I hope you have fun!"

Pepper smiled. "I see. You all are low-key trying to make friends with each other."

Jubilee nodded. "Different people like different types of things. That's natural. But with lots of informal groups of friends and cross pollination between the different groups people interact with different people and form additional relationships..." she shrugged. "Or that's how it was explained to me. Some belong to a bunch and-"

"Some of us belong to none as of yet," Anastasia said joining them. She'd changed but... "Do I really have to keep wearing the maid headdress and apron?"

Ilulu grinned giving her a thumbs-up. "Yes! A bet is a bet! And aren't you and the other "bad girls" kind of a thing?"

"Not particularly," she said adjusting her glasses. "We aren't that close."

Ilulu shrugged but gave her a knowing smile. "But you and Pirotess have become friends, yeah? And through her you have become chummy with both Sienna and Merida?"

She frowned at her but after a moment nodded. "I suppose so," she said rolling her eyes. "What are we playing? Did Harley say-" she caught a mitt that had been tossed at her.

"Baseball," said Sayoko as she and Roberta appeared. They appeared as they always did but Sayoko was wearing a smiliar mitt and seemed oddly excited.

"There you go... want another?"

"Merrow," said the big, dark grey cat looking up at Walt with green eyes before placidly taking the treat from his hand, purring.

Walt waited until he'd finished eating then started scratching under his chin, smiling. "You're very welcome, big guy. You know with the name "Murderface" I was expecting a bit more attitude... but you are one chill cat."

Murderface continued to pur contentedly.

"Just shove it in there!" Gwen could be heard in the other room of the small apartment.

"Uhh, how about "no". Doing that'll make a mess and wrinkle it," Betty could be heard to say. "Besides it only takes a second to fold."

"Whatever, dad," Gwen snarkily replied. "You're usually the chillest of us but still so anal retentive about the oddest things..."

Betty sighed. "Sorry. We can't all pull off the "sexy, homeless person who don't give a fuck" look, Gwen. Seriously not fair how awesome you look without giving a fuck, you slob. Talk about OP super powers."

"I'm not a slob!" Gwen retorted weakly. "I'm just... Uhm..."

"Organizationally challenged?" Betty zinged. "Proving the Chaos Theory?"

There was a pause followed by Gwen sighing and saying, "Gawd, I missed being your roomie, bitch!"

Walt heard Betty chuckle. "That makes one of us... FYI I love you but I am not picking up after you at the ranch."

"I'll be good! I swear! Besides," Gwen said. "Walt has maids so-"

"I already told Lita who's the head maid not to coddle you," Betty interrupted. "They'll change the sheets and clean but will not be picking up our room after you."

"Wha- but... That's not fair!" Gwen protested. "Why do you hate me?"

"I don't but I have lived with you before," Betty said defending her actions. "Your dads right. If you're adult enough to "be a super hero" you're adult enough to put your own clothes in the hamper and then put the clean ones away. I know you. I bet when you were living with Jen, Jubes and Walt in that mansion you didn't do laundry once, did you?" There was a long pause before she continued. "That's what I thought. I bet Walt did it all for you. For shame, Gwen Stacy."

"He likes doing those things!" Gwen lamely protested. "For a rough edges kinda guy he's oddly domestic."

"No," Betty said bursting her friends bubble. "He just loves you that much. That's how I knew you were seeing someone good right away. Only someone who loves you is gonna pick up your dirty clothes and not give you shit about it. But that ends now," she said firmly. "That's a two way street. He deserves better and so do the others and you're better than that... And I'm not putting up with that from a roomie again... so you know what you have to do, right?"

Gwen sighed. "Fi~ne!" She said drawing the sound out and Walt tried not to chuckle while scratching the cat as he pretended he couldn't hear the two friends close enough to bicker companionably. "I'll do better! Promise! Good enough?"

"Good enough," Betty said. "Black notebooks on the second shelf please."

There was rustling and then Gwen saying, "Oh my! Dirty girl!"

"I didn't say look through them!" Betty hissed. "Those are private!"

Gwen whistled. "I'm surprised you keep a physical diary of your dirty thoughts! How very old-fashioned of you. Wouldn't Walt like to hear some of these... oh, I get why you want it! A "to do" list, right?"

There's the sound of a brief struggle followed by Betty saying, "It's not like that! I write all kinds of ideas in there! Song lyrics. Normal "to do" lists and reminders. All my late night thoughts."

"Including juicy stuff," Gwen said but then quieter. "Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I won't look again, Bets. Don't be mad. I think it's cool. We'll find a good place to hide it or het a lock for it, 'kay?"

"Kay... thanks, Gwen," Betty said quietly. "It's not weird?"

"Not even a little," Gwen reassured her. "I know... if you decide you want to try some of them, Walt will be very supportive of you. He'd be more than happy to make your fantasies reality..."

Walt swallowed and picked up Murderface in one arm grabbing the cat carrier in the other. "Let's uhh... go wait outside for the girls. Alright, Compadre?"

"Meow," Murderface agreed. That was probably a good idea and he was all for it.

[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 - Raven "Mystique" Darkhölme - Pirotess - Lydia - Aela the Huntress - Serana - Mission Vao - Curie - Ada - PAM - KL-E-O - Merida - Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy - Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee - Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters - Linda T. Duck - Shocket Raccoon - Lady Loki - Elizabeth "Betty" Brant - Gloria "Glory" Grant - Mary Jane "MJ" Watson - Emma Frost and Virginia "Pepper" Potts

Will Return In

Score

Coming Soon]