A shimmering, cobalt-blue construct, vaguely humanoid but clearly a being of pure energy and advanced technology, materialized beside Ranger. It wasn't solid, more like a sophisticated hologram with tangible force, and it buzzed with a familiar, almost boisterous energy.
"Still keeping the name 'Ranger' in this new universe, huh, buddy?" The voice was a high-energy, slightly metallic tenor, filled with an irrepressible, almost childlike enthusiasm, yet undeniably sentient. This was Steel.
"Yes, Steel. I am." Ranger closed his eyes for a moment, a flicker of some deep, unreadable emotion crossing his features.
"Whoa, there, partner! Let's not go diving into the flashback lagoon, okay?" Steel zipped around Ranger, performing a series of playful aerial maneuvers. "We had way too many of those in our previous adventures, remember? All that angsty staring into the middle distance? Good for brooding, bad for ratings! And it's not like it's gonna give us some sweet new Turbo Mode upgrade this time. Unless..." Steel's optical sensors widened, his metallic arms coming up to stroke an imaginary chin. "Wait a minute! Will it? Will it, will it, will it?!"
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" Steel suddenly bounced up and down in mid-air, his energy form crackling with excitement. "You got that Infinity Stone thingy, right? The big, glowy, reality-warping stoney-woney! You totally do! When I finally get to come out and play properly, can we go Turbo: Unnatural Nova Mode?! Pleeeease? We haven't busted that bad boy out in, like, ages! It feels like a gazillion universal cycles!"
Ranger remained quiet, a faint, almost nostalgic smile playing on his lips as he watched Steel's energetic display.
"Remember that time, partner? We only used Unnatural Nova once! When that creepy 'One-Below-All' dude, or whatever his ridiculously oversmilplified name was, tried to turn the Hulk into his personal cosmic sock puppet! Seriously, who names these all-powerful beings? It's just lazy writing, if you ask me!" Steel threw a series of mock karate chops and kicks, his energy form blurring. "Anyway, we did a solid in that fight, didn't we? All that 'Ka-pow!' 'Hai-ya!' from that ancient Kung Fu data-scroll we uploaded really paid off! We were awesome!"
Steel suddenly stopped his antics, hovering directly in front of Ranger, his optical sensors narrowing. "Partner, you've been quiet. Like, super-duper quiet. For a long, long time. Why? You starting to hate poor old Steel? Is it because you can't handle an incredibly handsome, fantastically intelligent Ultralink like moi stealing all the heroic spotlight? 'Fess up!" Steel did a dramatic, mocking pose.
Ranger finally chuckled, a genuine, warm sound. "You just know me too well, don't you, Steel? You even remember that time you flirted with that... that fabulous piece of advanced alien electronics in the Cygnus X-1 cantina, while you conveniently left me to fend for myself against those rather unfriendly Ravengers."
"Whoa, there, buddy! Hold your space-horses!" Steel cut in, zipping around Ranger indignantly. "I need to stop you right there! I asked you to be my wingman that night, but you refused! Said you had 'more important things to do,' like, I dunno, brooding over the fate of the universe or something equally boring! You can't blame me if I subsequently scored with a fem-bot hotter than anything you've ever even dreamed of interfacing with!" Steel did a cocky little flip. "Besides, don't hate the player, buddy. Hate the game."
Ranger reached out, his hand passing through Steel's energy form for a moment before the AI solidified just enough for contact. He pulled Steel into a rough, heartfelt hug. "Yeah, buddy. Hate the game, not the player." His voice was softer now, tinged with a genuine affection. "I missed you, Steel. More than you know."
Steel's usually expressive optical sensors blinked, showing a rapidly cycling exclamation mark, then a question mark, then a series of confused emoticons. "Whoa! Whoa there, partner! A hug is... okay, a hug is A-Okay! But don't go hugging me when your eyes are tearing up like that! I draw the line at heavy bromance, and anything beyond that is strictly out of the operational parameters! You understand me, amigo?" Steel wriggled out of Ranger's embrace, circling him warily, though his energy form seemed to pulse a little brighter.
Ranger just nodded, a faint, knowing smile on his lips. "Sure thing, pal. Understood."
"Good! Now that we're on the same operational wavelength." Steel declared, suddenly becoming all business, his form sharpening, a pair of holographic reading glasses even materializing over his optical sensors. "Let's finish this debriefing, shall we? You've got a lot of work to do, hero stuff to get back to. Worlds to save, ladies to impress, you know the drill." Steel hovered, adopting a professorial air.
"So! The Sit-Rep! You were hit with a rather nasty flame blast. Not super-duper powerful, mind you, just hot enough to melt your fancy flight suit into your skin and char your internal organs to a perfect, well-done consistency." Steel made a thoughtful "Mmmph" sound.
"Who attacked me?" Ranger interjected, his voice calm but with an underlying edge.
"Whoa there, buddy! Spoilers! Don't disturb the dramatic flow of my expertly crafted narrative!" Steel chided. "Anyway, where was I? Ah, yes! Well-done! Oh, baby, do I love me a good, well-done catastrophe! And on top of that, your brain was already deep-fried from that Sentry-Void dude's trauma-inducing, reality-manipulating mind-whammy! Luckily, you had that Infinity thingy, the glowy red one. Which, now that I think of it, is probably what kept your brain from turning into complete scrambled eggs! We really need to figure out a way to bring more of our actual power over from the other universes, partner. This whole 'starting from scratch every time we jump realities' thing? It just gets boring! One cosmic cycle we're casually rearranging nebulas and giving Celestials wedgies."
"And the next, we're getting our armored asses handed to us by some no-name, wannabe fire-brat! You need to up your training regimen, man! Can't let the other Ultralinks find out my human pal is getting his butt kicked by some low-ranking, Zippo-lighter-level pyrokinetic! My reputation will be in the space-dust!" Steel did a dramatic, spiraling flip towards the ground, then zipped back up.
"Anyway — you were toast. Super-dead. Cardiac arrest, brain mush, the whole cosmic bingo card. Only reason you're breathing is me — and that flashy red rock keeping your neurons from throwing in the towel. All because of that over-enthusiastic lighter. But your best buddy Steel." he puffed out his energy chest, "made sure your amazing Turbo Energy went into overdrive, fighting off both the Sentry-Void attack residue and the third-degree burns! And then, when your original AI, you know, me, was healed just about enough from whatever cosmic cooties the Sentry left behind, I came online and took full, glorious control of your body! To facilitate your complete and total recovery, naturally!"
Steel paused for dramatic effect. "So, I made a little deal. A bargain, if you will! With some... local entities. Said if they let you recover peacefully, you'd give them some compensation, whatever their little hearts desired. Though, there was this one stretchy guy, super handsy with the diagnostic equipment, kept trying to poke you. So, I... uh... made him busy." Steel looked away, feigning innocence.
"Whoa, don't give me that stink-eye, partner! I didn't kill him! Promise! Just gave him some... highly confidential, potentially Nobel-Prize-winning research files from one of our previous universal jaunts. He reminded me of that other stretchy scientist, what was his name again? Dr. Impossible? Mr. Bendy? Spaghetti? Whatever." Steel shrugged dismissively. "Not that it matters. Then, that overgrown Zippo lighter came back! Attacked you again! While you were unconscious! Can you believe the nerve? Luckily for you, the Ultralinks I whipped up from the local junk fought him off! Even made that awesome fire-titan elemental, REMORSE! But... I didn't use it. Not at first. Heh. Hehehe."
Steel giggled, a surprisingly mischievous sound for an AI. "Please don't tell me," Ranger sighed, his hand covering his face.
"Of course, I didn't use it right away!" Steel declared triumphantly. "See, the lighter? He has a sister! And oh boy, partner, she is a hot one! Capital H-O-T! A real looker! Body so fine, even my advanced mechanical parts started feeling a little… tingly! And you know how long your old pal Steel has wanted to be an Uncle! To do cool, dangerous, hero-stuff with his adorable little nieces and nephews! So, I, uh, may have slightly manipulated the situation. Just a teensy bit! Played it so that the lighter got his flaming butt royally kicked by the elemental titan! I even named it REMORSE, for that extra little psychological kick, you know? And." Steel did a little flourish, "I even subtly maneuvered things so that you look like the much, much better, more stable, more heroic choice for her! You can thank me later, buddy! When I'm bouncing your kids on my energy knee!"
"Steel..." Ranger's words seemed to fail him. "I... I don't have words to say."
"Oh, my emotionally constipated softie!" Steel cooed, zipping over to pat Ranger's cheek with an energy tendril. "Just say 'Thank you, Steel, you magnificent, match-making AI, you!' and then get to work and make me an Uncle! Fast! I want to play 'Go Turbo: Diaper Change!' with my future nieces and nephews!" Steel giggled again.
"So, anyway." Steel continued, suddenly serious again, "I even made sure to play the 'good guy' and tell her that because she asked to save her idiot brother, the compensation would be decreased. And they believed it! Morons! So, when you wake up, partner, you gotta play it up! Act all mean and broody! Try to milk them for everything they've got! And hey, if you like the girl, the sister, take her out on a date! I know you've got the brains to do it! Twist her words, use 'em against her, charm the pants off her! Literally!" Steel's energy form displayed a cascade of celebratory confetti.
"Okay, Steel. Okay. I will... see what I can do." Ranger managed, a weary but fond smile on his face. "But first, tell me who exactly attacked me, and in whose house did I end up recovering?"
"Oh, right! Details, details!" Steel snapped his energy fingers. "The Zippo lighter? Calls himself the 'Human Torch.' Part of some group called the 'Fantastic Four.' Honestly, partner, I could write a better, more dynamic team name even if my primary processing core was running on lukewarm coffee and existential dread!" Steel joked.
"Steel. Focus." Ranger interrupted gently, before Steel could launch into a full comedic monologue.
"Right! Focus! Where was I again? Ah, yes! And the place you were so rudely convalescing in? The 'Baxter Building,' home of said 'Fantastic Four.' Anyway, don't worry your handsome, scarred head about it; I made sure the Ultralinks repaired any and all damages. Spotless! So, use the guilt, use the charm, use whatever you gotta use, but make me an Uncle, Ranger! I wanna see little Turbo-powered kids running around when I come visit your universe! You hear me, partner?!"
"And if you don't do what I say." Steel declared, tapping his energy foot impatiently, "I am... I am..." He scratched his energy head, zipping around in a tight circle. "I GOT IT! I am going to the old man's grave and I am going to complain! Loudly! Tell him his precious, adopted grandson doesn't want to continue the family bloodline! That he's denying me my god-given right to unclehood! That'll teach ya!"
Ranger sighed, a sound that was part exasperation, part deep affection. "I will see what I can do, Steel. But no promises on the immediate timeline for unclehood."
"YES! HELL YEAH!" Steel fist-pumped the air. "A 'no promises' from you is worth more than all the legally binding contracts in the known multiverse! I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE! WHO AM I?! EVERYONE, SAY IT WITH ME! IT'S ME! UNCLE STEEL!" Steel did an elaborate, surprisingly agile victory dance for a good minute, his energy form pulsing with joyous light, while Ranger watched, a genuine, warm smile gracing his features.
"Anyway, man." Steel finally calmed down, his energy form dimming slightly, a hint of something almost wistful in his voice. "I guess it's time for you to go. Get back to being among the living, and all that boring hero stuff. And hey... don't forget about old Steel, okay?" He pretended to wipe an electronic tear from his optical sensor with a holographic napkin. "And definitely bring my niece and nephew along next time you pop over for a visit. Deal?"
Ranger's smile faded slightly, his expression becoming more somber, filled with an unspoken emotion. "Yeah, Steel." he said softly. "Next time." The space around them, the mental construct, the shared memory, began to shimmer, to fracture.
"Steel." Ranger spoke again, his voice quiet, "in case I forgot to tell you before... all those times..."
"What is it, partner?" Steel's optical sensor formed a large question mark.
"You still suck at storytelling. But I missed it anyway."
The room, the shared space between them, fully shattered.