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S1 ep.3 fanfic title: Why do I smell Dead? part 1
'Where am I?'
The girl suddenly asked no one around her, still wondering why skeletons and bones surrounded her.
She decided to look down at her lap and saw her pale hands as she traced down from her wrist to where she could see her forearms being marked by needle holes, where her veins were located. Confused by this, the woman began gawking in surprise.
'When...' Smoothing her right forearm where the needle spot with her thumb, she continues: 'Since when did I have needle holes on me, and why does this place look like a ditch filled with dead people in skeletons?'
"Hey! STAND DOWN!?!" A shout came from above, interrupting the woman's thoughts. which caused her to jump and turn to look over her shoulder to be met with a couple of soldiers pointing their blasters and guns at her.
The SHIELD agents tightened their grip on their weapons, their fingers hovering near the triggers. "Don't move!" one barked, his voice sharp with authority. "Hands where we can see them—now!"
The woman's breath quickened, but she forced herself to stay still, her mind racing.
'Why can I see them so clearly? Am I wearing contact lenses?' She hadn't worn her contact lenses since she was in high school, yet every detail of the soldiers' gear was sharp—the matte black of their body armor, the faint scratches on their rifles, even the tension in their stances.
And then she saw it—the unmistakable eagle emblem stamped on their shoulders.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
Her stomach dropped. 'This isn't just some kind of joke...right?'
Before she could speak, one of the agents shifted, one of their voices turned colder, "Last warning." Shifting their aim and ready to shoot her: "Identify yourself or we will fire." Her throat tightened, but she managed to keep her voice steady.
"I—I don't know how I got here. I just woke up, and—"
A sudden movement cut her off.
A new figure stepped forward: a muscular man in a V-shaped purple mask, wearing a scaled purple vest, a purple band around his right bicep, dark purple fingerless gloves, dark purple pants, and purple boots.
He carries a purple quiver around his back filled with arrows, which includes him having a collapsible bow attached when not in use. His sharp blue eyes locked onto hers, and for a split second, his expression faltered.
'Hawkeye?' Recognition flickered in his gaze, but it was gone just as fast, replaced by wary disbelief. "...You."
The woman blinked. 'Does he... know me?'
Before she could react, Hawkeye raised a hand, signaling the agents to lower their weapons. "Stand down," he ordered, his voice low but firm. Then, to her, he said, "You okay?"
The world spun around her.
'What the hell is happening right now?'
"Um... I'm fine. Why do you ask?" she responded hesitantly, feeling overwhelmed by the superhero standing in front of her, but also confused. "Here," he suddenly says, extending his hand toward her. "Give me your hand."
The woman stared at his hand for a moment before responding, her expression deadpan, "Are you going to tase me like in those spy movies?" Hawkeye was startled by this, which earned a chuckle at her joke, and says, "Nope, just giving a person a lift out of the ditch."
Hand, still outstretched to her, while the woman stares at him for any signs of lying, she realizes that he had none, and finally accepts it. As soon as he pulls her out of there, he witnesses her trip on her own feet, which causes her to collide into his chest with an "Oof!" sound.
"You good?" he asked, concern evident in his eyes.
Nervous and frightened, she looked up to get a better view and decided to ask the question, "How do you know me?"
That question hit Hawkeye like a bombshell. He studied her for a long moment, his sharp blue eyes searching hers before he asked, "...You really don't remember anything?" His voice was quieter now, almost hesitant.
The woman shook her head.
"No. The last thing I remember is waking up in that ditch. That's it."
A flicker of something unreadable passed over his face—was it guilt? Regret? His jaw tightened before he let out a slow breath. "Damn." He glanced back at the SHIELD agents, still standing at attention, though their weapons were now lowered.
With a quick hand signal, he motioned for them to fall back, giving them space. He turned back and motioned for her to follow him inside. She hesitated, but quickly walked to his side, while Hawkeye and the woman were silently walking together.
The woman felt anxious until he cleared his throat.
"From what I gathered after you...died." Using his fingers to make quotation marks, Hawkeye continues to explain her background to her, "Your name is Mia Lightwood, orphan. No family, no close contacts on record."
"You volunteered for a classified, off-the-books SHIELD gamma radiation experiment. Big payout, but..." He trailed off, frowning.
Mia, as we're introduced to in the story, continues walking alongside him, noticing and glancing at him, with her finger on her chin as she processes the information given to her.
'Mia? That name sounds vaguely familiar, but it couldn't be mine... That's not my name, but wait! Who exactly is this Mia he speaks of? Is this her body I'm inhabiting right now? Am I trapped inside someone else's form, someone named Mia?'
Mia, who's going into deep thought, glances at him, before pausing her steps and looking down at her hands and arms, 'Or more accurately...' Suddenly, she gasped in shock, which didn't go unnoticed.
Hawkeye realizes that she wasn't following him.
'Did I Isekai myself in the Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes 2010? OMG! It makes sense now! But which episode am I in?' Her eyes sparkle in excitement for a split second before she turns serious at the theory becoming true, until a certain someone shakes her shoulder gently.
But it was enough to let her hear him.
"Hey, I know it's a lot to take in, but..." Hawkeye's voice snapped her out of her deep thoughts, and she snapped out of it and felt her stomach twist in knots until a pain came into her mind in a flash that Mia winced and almost fell if it weren't for the archer to catch her on time.
His voice became faint as memories of her doppelganger download themselves into her mind, the pain sharp of seeing vivid images of herself or her 'other' self's upbringing by a nun, the lack of formal education, her self-education in libraries, and being sent to the giant cube lab.
She had somehow agreed to let the doctors experiment on her.
The next memory was a clear picture of them holding vaccines filled with green chemicals labeled gamma radiation. The last memory was of Hawkeye witnessing the experiment, his expression stricken with fear as he tried to stop them.
But it was too late; the chemicals had already entered her bloodstream, killing her as foam frothed from her mouth, and she coughed violently. until the last thing she heard her doppelganger say was: " '𝗶𝘁...𝘄𝗮𝘀...𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘁.' "
And died in his arms after he unstrapped her.
Now back to the present, Mia gasps after she glances at Hawkeye and exhaled sharply, "The experiment... it killed you. At least, that's what the reports said." His gaze flicked over her, as if confirming she was, in fact, very much alive. "Guess they were wrong."
Mia's breath caught in her throat.
'Killed me?' She glanced down at herself. 'Ah, the needle marks, the new name, and the hospital gown I'm wearing. Huh, guess that means I have a doppelganger in this world. But it doesn't explain why I woke up in the ditch!'
Her hands unconsciously trembled.
"But that's impossible. I thought I was..."
" ' asleep?' "
'Asleep in my room.' Is what she wanted, but if Mia wanted to keep the secret that she was a different soul being isekaid inside her doppelganger's body, then she had to be careful with her words.
Luckily, he chipped in right on time: "Yeah, well, now you aren't, which is weird," Hawkeye muttered but, after a beat of silence, he then adds, "But you do look like you've been through hell. And considering you just woke up in a ditch, I'd say that sounds about right."
"I see..." Mia's voice trails off when she was met with a locked door in front of her, as she then turns to him, "So, can you tell me where I am exactly? Like location and stuff, or is it a one-to-know basis?"
He chuckles at her joke before he presses a button on the keyboard that suddenly appears from the wall, "S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Barton, Clint. Codename: Hawkeye. Access granted." As soon as the doors slid open, Mia watches Hawkeye walking inside while leaving her in awe and shock.
"Oh my god."
She found herself in a long, futuristic, dark gray tunnel. Angular, dark gray structures formed the walls and ceiling, lined with metallic panels displaying green lights. Dim lighting cast shadows across the walls, highlighting the glowing indicators.
Ahead, Hawkeye stood waiting, having turned to face her as he got to witness her hands covering her mouth in shock, eyes wide. His eyes went gentle slightly before approaching her. "Don't worry, I made sure you won't be staying in a cell anymore, and no one will lay a hand on you."
She swallowed the fear, still shocked by this place. "That's a relief?" Mia questioned hesitantly, and he placed a comforting hand on her back and motioned for her to follow.
Together, they walked forward, not glancing at the villains.
Sadly, it didn't stop the curiosity getting the better of Mia as she finally took the chance to glance at the familiar villains she recognized and startle at their appearances: Mi-Beast, Absorbing Man, Vapor, Leader, Zzzax, Vector...
Each one of these villains made Mia stop her tracks to meet X-Ray, curious as she gets closer until he slams the glass window with a loud growl, thinking it would make her flinch but, instead, she just stick her tongue out.
"Keep walking," Hawkeye sternly scolded her, making Mia roll her eyes.
Back in her world, Mia had admired the artwork, her favorite characters, reliving her roleplays of interacting with them through the mirror; now, she was trapped within the TV show of the Avenger's Earth's Mightiest Heroes, where she was inhabiting her doppelganger's body.
Though she felt their eyes on her, her heart pounding and a shiver running down her spine, she realized this fear was new, and that, for the first time, she wasn't intimidated.
Just a simple, awkward glance at them and that's it.
Hawkeye came to an abrupt stop as a scientist with blonde hair stepped out from the confines of the cell. The scientist's eyes immediately fell upon Mia, who reacted on instinct, quickly attempting to hide herself behind the archer's back.
However, it was useless, offering little real cover. Hawkeye's concern for Mia was unmistakable, etched clearly on his face. "How is she—?" the scientist began to ask.
"There's no time to explain that right now, Leo," Hawkeye cut him off, his tone urgent and conveying the gravity of the situation. "Could you give us just a moment alone with the big guy? We need to speak with him privately, if that's alright."
Mia cautiously peeked out from behind Hawkeye, 'If my memory serves me right,' She thought to herself, finally recalling what she could gather right now: 'I've somehow landed myself smack-dab in the middle of Season 1, specifically episode 3.'
'And if I'm not mistaken,' She peeks a bit out to glance at him, and then at the briefcase, 'Leo has already managed to successfully take Bruce Banner's blood sample.'
"Uh, right...sure." As soon as he left the cell, Mia watched him go with the briefcase, which contained the Hulk's DNA, as she then began forming a secret plan in her mind, and before she could act, Hawkeye stepped forward, but stopped her by saying, "Wait here."
This made her jump a bit, and Mia nodded.
"Don't come out until I'm done." He pointed to the floor, "Don't leave this spot. Got it?" She nodded, watching him enter. Knowing who it was, she easily guessed it was Dr. Bruce Banner, codename the Hulk.
Who's completely immobilized from escaping, Mia couldn't help but feel guilty for him as she decides to take a peek at them, overhearing the conversation. With Hawkeye, he is already standing in front of Bruce, raising an eyebrow at him with his arms crossed.
"Let me guess," Bruce begins with a sarcastic scoff: "You thought that I'd be bigger?"
Mia silently stares behind.
"Funny." Hawkeye stares up at him, putting his hands behind his back, and walks towards him: "The Hulk...He's a monster, right? I mean, that's what they told us. That's what everyone thinks. Military and SHIELD have been chasing him for years, he's caused untold destruction, he's a monster."
Bruce narrowed his eyes at him, "What do you think?"
"What did the Hulk save that ship? Could've just escaped..."
On cue, Mia had already taken the chance to sneak away, whereas Hawkeye, who is unaware of her disappearance, continues interrogating the chained man.
To be continued...