— Elsewhere
New York had a rhythm.
Once you learned it, really learned it, everything else became background noise. Sirens blurred into weather. Crowds turned into terrain. Even danger lost its edge once it followed predictable rules.
That was the problem.
We were sitting on the roof of my building when I said it. Late afternoon. The city stretched out beneath us, loud and familiar, pretending it still had surprises left.
"You two ever get tired of this?" I asked.
Peter glanced over from where he was perched near the edge. Ned was lying flat on his back, staring at the sky like it might explain something.
"Tired of what?" Peter asked.
"Only being here," I said. "Same streets. Same systems. Same expectations."
Ned sat up slightly. "Are you saying you want to, like… move?"
"No," I replied. "I'm saying I want to leave."
That got their attention.
The Idea
Peter tilted his head. "Leave where?"
"Anywhere that isn't New York," I said. "Somewhere unfamiliar. Somewhere the patterns are different."
Ned squinted. "That sounds suspiciously like the start of a bad decision."
"Most growth starts that way," I said.
Peter thought about it longer than Ned did. He always did.
"You mean a trip," Peter said slowly. "Like—exploring."
"Yes."
Ned blinked. "Wait, wait, wait. Exploring where?"
I looked out over the skyline one last time before answering.
"Russia."
Silence.
Then—
"—What?" Ned said.
Resistance
"Russia?" Peter repeated. "As in… that Russia?"
"Yes."
Ned stared at me. "You just casually dropped that like you said Jersey."
"It's a city," I said. "Cities function the same everywhere. Infrastructure. People. History. Pressure points."
Ned waved his hands. "Okay, but also—language barriers, culture shock, and the fact that it's very far away."
"All solvable," I replied.
Peter frowned. Not scared—curious.
"Why Russia?" he asked.
"Because it's old," I said. "And layered. And doesn't care if you understand it."
That landed.
The Real Reason
I didn't say the rest out loud.
New York was too close to our origin. Too many threads tied here—school, family, memory. Growth required distance. Perspective.
And power, unchecked by context, became sloppy.
Elsewhere forced restraint.
Peter leaned back against the rooftop ledge.
"It would be… different," he said.
Ned groaned. "You're considering this. I can hear it in your voice."
Peter shrugged. "I mean, yeah. It's boring being careful all the time."
I turned to him.
"That boredom keeps you alive," I said calmly.
"I know," he replied. "But still."
Agreement
Ned sighed, defeated.
"If we do this," he said, "I want it on record that this was your idea."
"Noted," I said.
"And we're not doing anything stupid."
"That depends on your definition," I replied.
He pointed at me. "That answer is not comforting."
Peter smiled faintly.
"When?" he asked.
"Soon," I said. "Before routine reasserts itself."
Transition
The next few days passed differently.
Not slower—sharper.
School felt temporary. Training felt like maintenance rather than escalation. Every familiar place gained an expiration date.
Peter became quieter. Thoughtful.
Ned oscillated between excitement and dread.
I felt… neutral.
Which meant the decision was correct.
Arrival Elsewhere
The city greeted us with cold air and unfamiliar sounds.
Different architecture. Different pacing. A weight of history that pressed down without asking permission.
I inhaled deeply.
Not because I needed to.
Because I wanted to catalog it.
Peter stood beside me, hands in his pockets, eyes tracking movement instinctively.
"This feels… heavier," he said.
"Yes," I replied. "Pay attention to that."
Ned adjusted his jacket. "I don't even know what half the signs say."
"Good," I said. "You'll listen more."
Walking Without Context
We didn't rush.
We walked.
Streets unfolded in ways New York never did—wider in some places, tighter in others. The city didn't advertise itself. It existed whether you understood it or not.
Peter slowed near an old building, fingers brushing the stone.
"This place has seen things," he murmured.
"Yes," I said. "And survived them."
That mattered.
Perspective Shift
No one knew us here.
No expectations.
No reputations.
No history.
We were just three figures moving through unfamiliar space.
Power meant less when stripped of narrative.
I liked that.
End State
As night fell, lights reflected off wet pavement. Voices echoed in languages that didn't soften for outsiders.
Peter exhaled slowly.
"I think," he said, "I needed this."
Ned nodded. "Yeah. Me too. Even if I'm terrified."
I watched the city settle into its own rhythm.
New York would still be there when we returned.
But we wouldn't be the same.
Status Update
Location: Elsewhere
Exposure: Minimal
Perspective: Expanded
Group dynamic: Stable
Next phase: Observation
Chill we wil only be in russia
For a week
Only a week ned said happy
Thats arlight peter said
Welp we wil
Be trying to learn how to spar wih bears only using wrestling
What the hell ned said im not made for that
Peter this is to much
Chill you all traind like hell its just training
And after that we wil be going back to home
Arlight
Fine
They both said
Welp lets go
We 3 went to the jungle in russia and found some bears
We 3 took turns tussling with it
But we all easely beated the bears
This is to easy ned said
Peter wsipersto me and ned i feel like we are being watched
I whisper back
Yes i feel it to look at the trees on the left
Peter and ned lookd
Peter whispers back shield agents
I whsiper damm it now we are being watched
And i regennice 1 of them
Natasha romanaf
Its a good thing we are wearing our suits
Ned whispers back yes luckily