POV: Scott
Life in Marvel is hard.
Like, Souls-like hard.
And then you ask me, why?
Because of dimensional beings that want to destroy the universe?
Villains and heroes who destroy streets and cities on a daily basis?
Or maybe because of the yearly apocalypses that are always one step away from destroying humanity?
My answer is....
None of those.
The biggest problem with living in Marvel... Is money.
Yeah, the fanfics and movies lied to me.
Living in Marvel without a source of income is a nightmare...
No money to buy food, water, basic necessities, etc....
Fuck, I've been inside Lucy for three days,
without food or water, because that damn bastard Qin didn't include the bag where I kept all my savings.
Yeah, maybe I should've thought a little more before walking into a mystical portal without taking anything with me.
Fucking idiot.
Only now can I see the greatest enemy of all.
It's not Thanos, nor Galactus....
It's unemployment.
The good thing is that Lucy still has half a tank, so transportation isn't the problem.
On the other hand, I still have three days of hunger and thirst to make up for...
My Chi is keeping me standing and functional even after three days without anything, which is already a miracle.
Again, Magic Bullshit.
Now the question is, how do I get a job far away from supernatural problems, that pays upfront, and that I don't have to risk my head for?
I don't have to think much to realize that's unrealistic, because if a job like that existed, everyone would already be applying for it.
The military crossed my mind for a second, since I'd have food, water, and a bed there.
Don't get me wrong, Lucy is a mechanical marvel, but she wasn't made to serve as a bed.
Except, surprise, joining the military is basically suicide, because once again, I'm a mutant.
And guess who hunts mutants on a daily basis? Ding, ding, ding, that's right, the government. And by extension, the military.
Another alternative would be freelancing, a good way to make money, and anonymity is guaranteed as long as you know the bare minimum about cybersecurity.
The problem? I don't have a phone or even a laptop...
And believe me, I searched the original Scott's entire room, and I didn't find anything...
Otherwise, I would've taken it with me, even if it was just to resell later.
And there wasn't anything inside Lucy either, which makes me think the original Scott was definitely a weird ass guy.
For Fucks sake, who lives in the 21st century without a goddamn smartphone?!
I'm literally at a dead end right now, and the hunger and thirst aren't helping.
I also thought about going back to the hotel where I left my stuff, but let's be realistic.
My things have probably been stolen a long time ago.
So even if I go back, I'll probably hear something like: We can't do anything.
Come on, Scott, think! Think...
A way to make money quickly, really quickly...
It doesn't necessarily have to be legal, but it can't be something bad either...
After all, at the first sign of trouble, I'll probably be surrounded by the X-Men, the police, or the government.
At that point, forget about vacations, I'll probably end up in custody.
Something that makes money quickly, with upfront payment if possible.
Something I can do immediately and get immediate returns from.
I got it!
Information Broker.
Fast, morally normal, I can do it immediately!
I just need to find a client, give them some information about the future using meta-Knowledge from the comics, get paid, and boom! Profit!
Okay, It's not as easy as it sounds, since if someone has money, they probably already know a lot about what happens behind the scenes.
And even if they're not rich, it's hard to get someone to pay for information from some random nobody...
Luckily, I'm not a nobody.
Well, at least the original Scott wasn't... I think.
Cyclops' word has to be worth something, at least!
I just need to find the right target...
Not too irrelevant, not too relevant... Right in the middle.
That way I don't attract too much attention, I make money, and the client gets the information!
Win-Win situation!
Now the question is... Who?
Preferably a mutant, so Cyclops' identity works better...
Someone accessible, not too relevant and not too irrelevant.
Someone interested in information and with enough money to pay for it...
Fuck, that's it!
If it's him, this could work. I just hope I have enough gas to find the bastard...
Without thinking twice, I start the engine, release the clutch, and head toward downtown...
I just forgot that I don't know where I am.
Fucking perfect.
_______________________________________________
POV: ???
???: "All in."
You know what the biggest secret in poker is?
It's heads or tails.
A metaphor for the uncertainties of life.
You never know exactly what's going to happen... And that's exactly what makes people make stupid decisions most of the time.
And is the same in poker.
The uncertainty of the hand your opponent has, and the doubt about the hand you have.
Whether it's a full house or a pair, you're always wondering whether it'll work out or not.
The man across the table looks at me seriously before saying.
???: "Fold."
He throws his cards into the center of the table and sighs in frustration.
I smile and look at my hand.
Seven-deuce.
The worst hand in poker.
And I know exactly what he had...
Straight.
I simply throw my cards into the center of the table without showing them, grab the pile of chips, and pull them toward me.
And that's the second biggest secret in poker.
The wise player?
Always Cheats.
???: "Another one?"
The man sighs and nods.
The dealer starts dealing the cards to everyone at the table again...
Heads or tails, my friends.
It's all about heads or tails.
_______________________________________________
TIME SKIP
POV: ???
Andddd I've made it onto another blacklist.
How many have there been just this week?
???: "Haaa, oh well. What can you do?"
I continue toward the exit, without thinking too much about how I almost drove another casino into bankruptcy.
Okay, not literally, but they definitely took a loss today!
???: "I wonder what I'm going to eat tonight..."
Walking a little farther while thinking about dinner, I notice a certain car parked across the street...
Hold on, I know that car.
Yeah, trouble.
Better get the hell out of here while I still can.
I pretend I didn't notice the car and start walking a little faster.
After all, good news rarely comes with that guy.
???: "In a hurry?"
I subconsciously stop and look toward the voice...
???: "Shit."
Scott: "Hello, Gambit."