Chapter 13: Time-Out for Pranks – Or, "My Remote Control Can Pause Reality. Your Argument is Invalid."
The uneasy alliance between the Avengers and the Maximoff twins was a delicate dance. Ultron's threat was unifying, but underlying suspicions remained. Steve and Natasha, ever the pragmatists, were wary. Tony, consumed by guilt and the looming threat, was mostly oblivious to the social dynamics, focused only on the looming robot menace. Adam, however, saw his chance to bridge the gap, to solidify his connection with Wanda, and to generally inject more chaos into the lives of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
' Okay, so Wanda has the magical seatbelt. Mental Fortress is online. Now, about that speedster. Pietro. Fast, furious, and probably in dire need of a good, old-fashioned prank. And conveniently, the system just gifted me the ultimate prank tool. '
The previous day, after meeting Pietro and witnessing his incredible speed, Adam had received another system notification.
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: Special reward for meeting Pietro Maximoff: Normal Draw unlocked! ]
Adam had, of course, immediately performed the draw, hoping for something equally absurd and useful. And the system delivered.
[ SYSTEM MESSAGE: [Normal Item] Universal Remote (Click) acquired. Recipient: Adam. ]
He pulled the remote from his inventory. It looked like a generic TV remote, unassuming, black, with a few extra buttons. "Pause," "Rewind," "Fast-Forward." A small digital display showing "Battery: 87%."
' The Universal Remote from Click! This is amazing! Oh, the possibilities! Think of the strategic advantages! Pause a collapsing building! Fast-forward through a boring meeting! Rewind to catch a villain's confession! Or, you know, just use it to skip commercials in real life. The true power is in the little things, people. '
He also remembered the caveat: limited battery, but Tony could charge it. That was key. He'd have to find a way to get Tony to juice it up without revealing its true nature. Perhaps by pretending it was a prototype "universal remote for everything, even thoughts," and seeing if Tony would obsess over reverse-engineering it. That sounded like a very Tony thing to do.
His first opportunity to experiment with the remote came during a particularly tedious tactical briefing. Tony was droning on about algorithms, Banner was mumbling about gamma radiation, and Clint looked like he was about to fall asleep. Steve was taking meticulous notes, of course.
Adam subtly took out the remote, aiming it vaguely at Clint, who was stifling a yawn. He pressed "Pause."
Nothing happened to Clint. But suddenly, Tony's voice became a continuous, drawn-out hum: "Ahhhllgggooorrithhmmmmzzzzz...." Banner's mumbled, "Gaaammmmaaa...." stopped mid-word. Clint froze, mid-yawn, his mouth wide open. The entire room, save for Adam, was perfectly still.
Adam stared, wide-eyed. ' Holy crap, it works! And it's not just for people! It's for everything! This is... god-tier prank material! Or, you know, just really, really useful for when you need a mental health break from the sheer amount of genius in this room. '
He walked around, examining the frozen Avengers. He poked Clint's cheek; it felt solid, unmoving. He leaned in close to Tony, whispering, "You know, for a genius, you really talk a lot. And your fashion sense needs work." He resisted the urge to draw a mustache on Steve's face. Barely.
He pressed "Play."
"…go algorithms and… gamma radiation… -awn." Clint finished his yawn with a loud stretch. Tony continued his sentence as if no time had passed. No one noticed.
' This is incredible. I'm practically a god! A slightly clumsy, sarcastic god who can pause time for fifteen seconds at a go. But still! '
He tried it again later, just for kicks. He paused Pietro mid-sprint across the compound, watching the speedster freeze in a blurry streak. He walked around Pietro, marveling at the effect. "You know, you're a lot less annoying when you're not constantly moving. Just saying." He then picked up a dropped pen, unpaused time, and watched as Pietro completed his sprint, utterly oblivious to the temporal anomaly.
His main mission, however, was to bridge the gap with Wanda. The other Avengers, particularly Tony and Steve, were still wary. Adam noticed the subtle side-eyes, the hushed conversations, the way they seemed to keep the twins at arm's length.
' Come on, guys. They're literally victims of HYDRA! They're not evil, just traumatized. And incredibly powerful. Which, okay, can be a little intimidating. But still. Time for a little PR campaign, Adam-style. '
He started small. During team meals, he'd subtly shift conversations to humanize Wanda. "Did you know Wanda's actually pretty good at chess? Or at least, she beat Clint three times in a row yesterday. Which, granted, isn't saying much, but still." Or, "Pietro was telling me about how they used to steal bread to survive. Makes you think, doesn't it? About privilege. And the sheer audacity of baked goods."
He often found himself defending them during quiet moments with Steve or Natasha. "Look, Cap, I know they came from a bad place, but they're not bad people. They were used. They're scared. And they have every right to be angry. We'd be too, if some super-spy agency messed with our brains and then tried to blow up our home."
Natasha, ever perceptive, watched him with a knowing look. "You care about them, don't you, Stiels? Especially her."
Adam tried to look nonchalant. "Care? Pfft. I just appreciate a good origin story. And I'm a connoisseur of complex emotional arcs. What can I say? I'm an empath. And also, you know, I have a weird thing for people who can move things with their minds. It's quirky."
He also directly addressed Wanda's concerns, listening patiently as she expressed her fears and her anger. He didn't try to dismiss her feelings, but acknowledged them. "It's okay to be angry, Wanda. It's okay to be scared. And it's okay to want to lash out. But you get to choose what you do with that power. You can use it to hurt, or you can use it to help. And believe me, the good guys could use a lot more help right now."
He shared his own anxieties about his powers, about the weight of his meta-knowledge, making himself vulnerable. "Sometimes, I know things I shouldn't, and it's terrifying. Like knowing what's going to happen, but not being able to stop it. Or having the power to make everyone fall asleep, but knowing it won't fix everything. It's… a lot. So, I get it. The power, the fear, the responsibility. It's heavy."
His honesty seemed to resonate with Wanda. She started to seek him out, just to talk. About her past, her fears, her growing understanding of her powers. He made her laugh, too, with his self-deprecating humor and his absurd observations about the Avengers.
One evening, he found her looking particularly troubled, her mind swirling with negative emotions. He knew this was the time for a light-hearted, yet effective, distraction.
He pulled out the Universal Remote. "Alright, Wanda. I know you're feeling a little overwhelmed. So, I'm going to show you something cool. Something that will make you question the very fabric of reality. Or at least, question why Tony buys such bad coffee."
He waited until Tony walked by, holding a steaming mug. As Tony took a sip, Adam aimed the remote and pressed "Pause." Tony froze, mid-sip, a single drop of coffee suspended in the air.
Wanda's eyes widened. "What… what did you do?"
"Magic, my dear Wanda. Or, you know, advanced technology. Depends on who you ask," Adam grinned, walking around the frozen Tony. "Look at him. So confident. So oblivious. See that coffee? It's decaf. I switched it out. He'll never know."
He pressed "Play." Tony finished his sip, frowned slightly, then continued walking, utterly unaware.
Wanda laughed. A genuine, bright laugh that startled both of them. It was a beautiful sound, and it melted away some of the tension in the room.
"You are truly strange, Adam Stiels," she said, still smiling.
"And you, Wanda Maximoff, are truly extraordinary," he replied, his heart doing a happy little jig. "Now, about that Ultron problem. Maybe we can team up. Your chaos, my naps. We'd be unstoppable. Or at least, incredibly confusing to our enemies."
The foundation was laid. The Universal Remote was not just a prank tool; it was a bridge. A bridge built on shared laughter, subtle understanding, and the occasional temporal anomaly.
A Special Message to My Amazing Readers!
To keep In Marvel With My Gacha System growing and deliver more chapters faster, I've launched a Patreon! Join today for 5$ unlock 20+ additional chapters and become a vital part of this story's journey. Your support means the world!
you can read also 20+ chapters of "Arrowverse: I'm a Hero"+"The Boys: I'm the New Hue, I Need More V" and "legends of tomorrow : Im a Legend Now"
Click here to dive deeper: [patreon.com/TheFinex5]