Melting Pot Concept in Marvel

The Next Day

The sun was already high in the sky.

Aaron was awakened by a loud, insistent ringing of the doorbell.

He didn't need to open the door to know it had to be Kate—her pheromones were unmistakable, carrying a light, fresh scent.

Everyone's pheromones differed in subtle ways, and Aaron could precisely distinguish them. He could even manipulate his own pheromones to some extent.

He wondered whether Mystique or the Skrulls could mimic someone else's pheromones while shape-shifting. Something to test out if he ever got the chance…

Amid that faintly sweet aroma, he also detected an ocean-like scent.

Oh, Eleanor was here too?

He then heard Eleanor scolding someone, probably telling them not to disturb Mr. Aaron's rest.

The doorbell stopped.

After getting up and washing his face, Aaron opened the door.

"Hello, Mr. Aaron. I'm so sorry to bother you—Kate has been dying to see you. She insisted on bringing me over first thing this morning."

Eleanor spoke apologetically.

Beside her, Kate rolled her eyes dramatically.

Aaron glanced at the sky—yep, "first thing" was already midday.

"The sun's straight overhead. Don't you have school, Kate? It's not the weekend."

With a proud tilt of her chin, Kate declared, "All that schoolwork? I've already finished it! I can't be bothered hanging around those little kids."

"In a bit, I'm starting my training program. Mom signed me up for Boxing, Tai Chi, Bajiquan*, Sanda**, Jujitsu, Karate, Fencing, and a few more. Once I've mastered them all, I want to be strong and righteous, just like you!"

Kate's face brimmed with admiration. If Eleanor weren't holding her back, she'd have already dragged Aaron away with her.

"Is that so? But I don't think you should try to be like me…"

Aaron's expression turned a bit strange.

"Why not?"

"Well, I'm no champion of justice. I'm just an ordinary person who does whatever he wants… A 'Homelander'—cough, I mean, just a normal guy."

Kate didn't buy it, but Aaron didn't bother explaining. He'd rather she not try to follow in his footsteps; he felt like that would be a bad influence somehow. Besides, his abilities weren't so easy to learn.

"Since you're both here, mind giving me a lift somewhere?"

Aaron yawned, looking pretty lazy.

"Of course—happy to," Eleanor replied with a warm smile. She certainly wouldn't say no to spending more time with him; the closer her family's relationship with Aaron, the better for both Bishop Security and Kate. After all, she could tell Kate wasn't one to stay on the sidelines. If her daughter wanted to take flight and become a hero, Eleanor would support her wholeheartedly—offering the best possible logistics and protection. Having Aaron around would make Kate that much safer.

"So, where to next?"

"Oscorp!"

"That big corporation? Are you applying for a job there?"

Eleanor asked while driving, occasionally glancing at Aaron in the rearview mirror.

"In a sense, yes."

Aaron nodded. Applying as its boss was still applying, right?

Eleanor felt a twinge of disappointment, though she kept quiet about it. Bishop Security had money, but Oscorp had more money. No comparison there.

During the ride, Kate chattered nonstop with Aaron on all sorts of topics—one moment talking about how smart Batman in Gotham was, the next about where to find the best food in New York. Aaron responded occasionally, but mostly it was Kate talking. He really wasn't that familiar with this country; even going to Oscorp the previous day had been half by chance. If he had to find it again alone, he'd probably drive in circles around midtown Manhattan.

Before long, the three arrived at Oscorp. Outside the building stood a large group of people, lined up neatly on both sides, apparently awaiting the arrival of some VIP.

"What a shame," Eleanor sighed. "It doesn't look like you'll get a chance to apply today. They're obviously rolling out the red carpet for someone important. Probably the president coming."

"It's fine," Aaron said, unfastening his seatbelt and getting out. Eleanor seemed about to say something else, but Aaron merely waved back at them and headed toward the crowd.

From a distance, Eleanor could see a few people in the crowd step forward. Leading them, if she wasn't mistaken, was Norman Osborn himself. Kate's jaw dropped slightly.

"Mom, do you think they might beat him up? Maybe… we should call an ambulance?"

"Huh?"

"Well, it's clear they're going to chase Aaron away. I have a bad feeling something big's about to happen!"

Eleanor felt a little nervous at that, but in the next instant, the unexpected occurred: Norman Osborn enthusiastically shook Aaron's hand, chatting with him. The Oscorp executives behind him all wore broad smiles but didn't even dare speak—just standing by with polite grins.

What…who on earth is Aaron?!

Kate scratched her head. "Did the political climate shift? I haven't heard of this particular brand of 'politically correct'…"

Then they watched Aaron heading into Oscorp Tower, clearly at the front of the pack. He looked rather displeased by all the ceremony, and Norman kept apologizing with a smile, trailing half a step behind.

What in the world—this is like a fairy tale crossing over into reality! Kate thought dully.

Meanwhile, Aaron strode into Norman's old office, wearing a grim expression.

"I'm sorry, boss," Norman said nervously. "I saw some videos from your country and thought maybe this was one of your customs. So I arranged a welcome party without your permission."

Aaron had been pretty upset—he hated fuss—but seeing Norman's anxious humility made his anger dissipate by half.

"Alright, just don't do it again. It means nothing to me."

Norman nodded in understanding. Evidently, Aaron wasn't an ordinary man—what normal people strived for all their lives was worthless to him. What he wanted was perhaps a divine seat of power? Or…could he already be some sort of god?

That thought only made Norman more uneasy.

After some hesitation, he finally forced himself to speak: "Boss, there's one more thing. I found several candidates for the position of your personal secretary. They could handle both your work and personal errands. Would you like to schedule one-on-one interviews with them?"

"Where are they now?"

Aaron considered it. He probably did need a secretary. Although he didn't plan to be directly involved in Oscorp's day-to-day operations—preferring to let professionals do their jobs—he'd inevitably have to deal with some of the company's affairs in the future. Having a secretary to sort everything out would be handy.

Of course, he definitely wasn't influenced by Norman's slightly suggestive look. Absolutely not!

"I told them to be ready in the lounge at nine this morning, so they're all waiting there. I'll call them in, one by one."

Norman stepped forward and opened a file. "Here's their information—please take a look."

Once Norman left, Aaron flipped open the first file.

Name: Felicia?

Gender: Female

Age: 21

Marital status: Single (no dating history either; medical report attached)

…

Aaron raised an eyebrow. Interesting.

He flicked through the pages. Wow, this medical exam is more thorough than any premarital checkup—extremely detailed!

"Woman, you've definitely piqued my curiosity," he murmured. Taking a look at her photo, he was reminded that Felicia was that personal assistant to Harry Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. She did indeed have quite a unique charm.

He skimmed a bit more, then opened the second file. His expression froze.

Damn it, we've got a mole. Stop the transaction!

…

Notes / Glossary

Bajiquan (八极拳) is a Chinese martial art known for explosive, short-range power. The user text says "八喜格斗术", which might be a playful or mistaken reference, but commonly it's "Bajiquan."

Sanda (散打) is a Chinese self-defense system and combat sport, also known as "Chinese kickboxing," combining traditional kung fu and modern combat techniques.

~~~

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