Begin Again In Marvel

I am sitting in my living room as I wait for Mal0 to finish getting ready. While I wait I check up on Seto's attempts to buy YouTube and the status of his animation studio.

'Hmm, it seems Seto is still negotiating with Google over it. Maybe I can use my power to speed up the negotiations. I see his TV series about Duel Monsters is going to air soon I gave him a copy of the entire original series and he has gone through the editing to remove anything too dangerous to us. Mostly changing the Millennium Eyes appearance and KaibaCorps presentation. My TV show won't air for a bit longer since even though I have gathered the talent and even purchased a complete compendium on the series we still have to make it look like real people produced it.'

I have to stop thinking about it as Mal0 shows up.

Mal0: "I am ready."

Rio: "Very well let's get going."

When we are approaching the car I get a look at her and see she has taken a unique appearance. She has deep black hair that goes down to her waist and eyes of a very light blue. Her skin is a very pale white which I find to be odd since she is usually covered in black fur. She is wearing an open-top satin cerulean blue maxi dress with black high heels. I question how she is wearing high heels since her feet are paws and not human appendages.

'It must just be the Talisman making it look like she is wearing heels.'

Rio: "You look lovely this evening."

Mal0: "Thank you, you look nice as well."

I was dressed in my old Sith Robes as they are formal and functional. That and the only times I would wear the non-combat version is in formal settings Count Dooku would force me to practice for. Something about infiltration training. I was always suspicious of why he wanted me to do the training but I am glad I did it.

Rio: "Thank you, now I would like to know what kind of restaurant this Omelette Du Fromage is."

Mal0: "I think you were trained to be patient. So I imagine you can wait. Though I would like to know what vehicle we are taking."

I smile at the joke and more to the surprise she is about to get.

Rio: "Oh you lecture me on patience and yet you want to know what car we will be using when we are walking to it. You will soon see, I think it will be quite interesting to you."

She tilts her head in thought as we keep walking. Once we get to the car her eyes go wide as she recognizes the car.

Mal0: "How? I thought that this car didn't exist here. Oh wow is it the real thing? Does it have all the features of the one in the movie?"

Rio: "In order, I won it. It does now. Yes, and Yes."

Mal0: "Oh this is the coolest thing I have ever done. Can I drive it?"

Rio: "Do you even know how to drive?"

Mal0: "No, but I have seen a lot of people drive before so it shouldn't be too hard to learn."

Rio: "I don't want to be late but I will let you drive it back from the restaurant. How's that sound?"

Mal0: "Oh, thank you thank you thank you, this will be the best night ever."

I get flashbacks of a group of friends who thought that. I shake my head trying to hope Mal0 didn't just raise a flag.

Rio: "Well let's get going or else we might be late."

We get in the Batmobile and I start up the engine. I added some simple notice me not charms to the Batmobile to make it so that while others will still see the car they will only see it as an ordinary car. Not a car with a rocket built into the back and covered in bat motifs. Once we get to Omelette Du Fromage I can see it is a fancy French restaurant.

'I do find it odd the name of the restaurant is cheese omelet. I feel like I have heard that exact word but whatever.'

We check in and get seated toward the back which I appreciate as its position is in a way that allows easy escape if something happens. Once seated I look at the menu.

Rio: "The options are quite interesting. What are you thinking of getting?"

Mal0: "Hmm, I think I will get some Crémant wine. As for the food I haven't decided. I think I might try the Chicken Dijon or maybe the Lobster Thermidor. What about you?"

Rio: "I will just have water and I think I will try the Ratatouille as there was a famous movie about it. Though it hasn't come out yet I think it will next year."

Mal0: "Don't you want to have some wine? I mean you are what like 60 years old or something right?"

Rio: "No, I don't like alcohol and I am underaged. That and I shudder to think what a drunk Alicorn would be like. As for my age, I thought it was rude to ask someone their age."

Mal0: "I mean I think you would be a funny drunk but fine. As for the age thing that's only for females."

My face becomes serious as I quote a wise man.

Rio: "I yearn for true gender equality. I have no patience for one who talks about female privilege when it suits them, and then complains about someone "not being a man" when it's convenient."

Mal0: "I am not sure how to respond to that. That being said I can tell you practice that since I seem to recall our first meeting showing you have no qualms about attacking a lady."

Rio: "Of course, I will attack a person who is a threat regardless of gender. I know of several very scary females that I would gladly run away from with my tail tucked between my legs. Shudder. A few are of my species. Very scary, if you see a female Alicorn your best bet is to run away. Even a baby Alicorn is scary."

Before I continue I see a Waitress approaching.

Waitress: "Are you 2 ready to order?"

I look to Mal0.

Rio: "I am if you are."

Mal0: "I am. I will have a Crémant and the Lobster Thermidor."

Waitress: "Can I see your ID?"

Mal0 seems to be flattered by the Waitress asking for her ID.

Mal0: "Yes here it is."

Waitress: "Thank you and for you sir?"

Rio: "I will have water and the Ratatouille."

We hand our menus to the Waitress.

Waitress: "Very well I will be right back with your drinks."

Rio: "So where were we? Ah yes, females and how powerful they can get. I think the next example would be the Scarlet Witch which was target 5. She at full power could say three words and change reality as we know it. Her most famous time was when she said No More Mutants and just like that all mutants ceased to be. She could also say No More Alicorns and I cease to be. Thus why I say it matters little of your gender if, in the end, you are strong."

Mal0: "I never knew she could get that strong. I just thought she could manipulate reality on a small scale. But let's talk about something else like what is your favorite color mine is blue."

Rio: "Mine is blue as well. I am more partial to deeper blues what about you?"

Mal0: "Hmm, I think I like all blues but if I had to choose one it would be Cerulean as it reminds me of the sky and of freedom."

Rio: "Hmm, I always wanted to ask but how were you summoned if it's not a sore subject."

Mal0: "Oh I was in a containment cell when I saw a portal appear before me. In the portal, I saw you. Well, you from a distance. I had been in containment for many years at that point and decided to jump into the portal. Best decision I made, I have friends, a home, a well-paying job and no one judges me for what I am. Heck, I am not even the strangest one in our group."

Rio: "I don't know about that last one."

Mal0 just looks at me with an unamused look.

Mal0: "Hah Hah, you are so funny. Why it's so funny I forgot to laugh."

Rio: "Come on it wasn't that bad a jab. I mean you are somewhat out there. Though I agree you aren't the strangest one to be summoned. Just between you and me, I think Renamon is the strangest one. She is kind of like you as she is half digital but the strangest thing is how she acts. She is heavily infected with Tsundere syndrome. She is always skulking off to do something and I can tell she is always looking to impress me or get a compliment. But whenever I compliment her she acts like she doesn't care. It's sometimes adorable other times hilarious. The funniest times are when she and Lucario are competing in some random thing. Yesterday they were competing to see who juggle the most oranges."

Mal0: "Hahaha, yeah that sounds like her. I have hung out with her a few times since we are similar in circumstances in the way we usually can't be seen by humans. Even with me, she is exactly like you described."

3 Hours Later...

We had been talking for a while and I realized it was time to go so I paid the bill and we headed to the car.

Mal0: "Perfect now you can show me how to drive a car."

Rio: "Sure just don't crash. Oh and don't hit any pedestrians."

Mal0 stands straight and gives me a salute

Mal0: "I will try my best Captain."

After a few seconds, we both burst into laughter.

Rio: "Never call me Captain again as funny as it was it sounded so wrong coming out of your mouth. Also are you sure you aren't drunk?"

Mal0: "I am a bit tipsy but I assure you I can still drive."

Rio: "How can you know that? You have never driven before."

Mal0: "I am just built different."

Rio: "Sigh. Fine but if we start and you can't control the car I will drive instead. Got it?"

Mal0: "You're the Boss."

We get in the car and I start to instruct her how to operate the vehicle and how to do it safely. I was right to think we would need more time to get to the restaurant if I taught her how to drive as it took 2 hours to get home.

Mal0: "Well we made it, despite your directions."

Rio: "I should have never shown you Steamed Hams. But regardless congrats on learning how to drive. You only hit 4 trash cans and nearly sent us into a ditch once. Overall if I was a DMV employee I would fail you."

Mal0 punches me in the arm.

Mal0: "I wasn't that bad. We made it safely home. As for those trash cans they jumped in front of the car. The ditch was just you overreacting."

I just raise an eyebrow at her excuses and she has the decency to look a little embarrassed.

Rio: "Sure we will go with your explanation. Also, don't press that button. I know you have been looking at it all night but you can't press it."

Mal0: "I have no idea what you are talking about. I was just making sure I didn't press anything I wasn't supposed to."

Rio: "So you aren't reaching towards the button right now?"

Mal0 pauses then slowly retracts her hand.

Mal0: "Nope."

Rio: "Uh huh well..."

I don't get to finish my sentence as Mal0 quickly presses the button and she is launched out of the car. I smile and then burst into laughter.

Rio: "HAHAHAHAHA! I told you not to press it but you didn't listen."

Mal0 gets up from the ground and glares at me before approaching and pressing the button next to the previously pressed one. I don't even realize what she did before I am being launched into the air and faceplanted into the ground. I hear Mal0 falling over in laughter. I joined her laughter a few seconds later.

Rio: "Okay that is enough I need to go to bed and you need to go to sleep as well. It's already past midnight. Since it's so late you can sleep in one of the guest bedrooms."

Mal0: "Thanks I will take you up on that offer. I am fairly tired but what about the Batmobile?"

Rio: "Oh that I can fix it real quick."

I place the Batmobile in my inventory and then guide Mal0 to the guest bedroom.

Rio: "This is your stop. I had a great time tonight we should do this more often."

Mal0: "I had a great time as well. I will try to invite you again but this time I will pay."

Rio: "Sounds great, have a good night Mal."

Mal0 smiles and responds.

Mal0: "You too Rio."

I head back to my room and get cleaned before retiring for the night.

POV Mal0

'Oh wow, he actually called me Mal. That was the first time he had done that. Too bad I have to return this Talisman tomorrow. I can't wait for our next date. Wait was that a date? He never called it that but I think that book would call this a date. Maybe I should ask Renamon if she knows. Or maybe ask Monika.'

Yawn

'I am too tired to think about this. I will figure it all out tomorrow.'

I fall into the bed and drop the Mirage before dozing off.

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Authors Note:

Another chapter that is more character-focused than plot-focused. I have never written a date before so I hope it turned out. If any of you are wondering Mal0 has feelings for Rio but Rio has no love interests at this time. I haven't even decided on the pairings for Rio. You can suggest pairing in the comments I won't guarantee that I will take said suggestion but I will at least keep them in mind. Also if you have any suggestions for TV or anime series Seto could publish let me know, just try to keep them to a series that existed before 2006. With preference to series that ended no later than January of 2006. Until next time Ciao.