Ra-One, at the ripe age of 10, stood before his blue screen, grinning like a kid who'd just hacked NASA.
His STATUS WINDOW was a masterpiece: Red Hood Template—100% integrated, his body a peak-human weapon honed by Perfect Adaptability and Hanma Bloodline.
His brain? A quantum computer, buzzing with skills like Intuitive Genius, Omni-Linguist, and Kinetic Memory.
"Ten years to become Gotham's edgiest export? Worth it," he crowed, flexing biceps that belonged on a 15-year-old.
But his parents, Alicia and Rudra, were in a funk. Their son, who looked like a teen bodybuilder and spoke like a TED Talk host, was a walking anomaly.
When Ra-One casually gifted Rudra a software prototype that sold for $50 million to a tech giant (in Rudra's name, naturally), Alicia wept, and Rudra muttered about "needing a parenting manual for prodigies."
Ra-One, oblivious, was already planning his next move: a road trip to Los Angeles with his dad, ground zero for the Captain Marvel chaos. Using his Kinetic Memory, he recalled the exact Blockbuster where Carol Danvers would crash-land.
A quick scout through LA's strip malls, and he found it, neon sign and all.
Back home, Ra-One dropped a bombshell. "Mom, Dad, I'm heading out for a few days. I'll explain everything when I'm back."
Alicia and Rudra barely blinked, which threw him off. "Uh, why aren't you freaking out?"
Rudra sighed, rubbing his temples. "Ra-One, remember the backyard tree that 'fell'?"
Ra-One's palms sweated. "Yeah, hit by lightning, right?"
Alicia's eyes narrowed. "We saw you roundhouse-kick it to splinters."
Ra-One froze, then let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his head. "Heh, oops?"
Maria, the family's maid—a Sofia Vergara lookalike with ex-Black Widow vibes—stepped in, smirking. "Young master, can't you share something so we can brace for your wild adventures and trouble that will come along?"
Ra-One sighed. "I'll spill when I'm back. Dad, buy a property outside the city and build a mansion. You're retiring and going off-grid. Maria, don't snitch to Grandma Peggy. I know you're one of her retired agents."
Maria's jaw dropped, but she recovered with a nod. "Noted, young master."
Ra-One grabbed his gear and bolted for the Blockbuster. He hid inside after closing, lounging in the sci-fi section with a book, waiting for destiny.
At 5 AM, BOOM—Captain Marvel, aka Carol Danvers/Vers, crash-landed 10 feet away, from the roof of the Blockbuster building.
Ra-One strolled over, mango Slurpee in hand. "Yo, alien lady, welcome to Earth! Peace offering?"
Carol, a 6-foot blonde bombshell in a curve-hugging Kree suit, blinked at the hoodie-clad kid unfazed by her entrance.
She grabbed the Slurpee, sipped, and sighed. "Hits the spot. Thanks, kid."
Ra-One offered a hand, pulling her up, his eyes definitely lingering on her curvy body. Carol smirked. "Eyes up, kid."
"Damn, you're hot," Ra-One blurted. "Alien genes? Can you shapeshift?"
Carol laughed, stunned by his audacity. "No shapeshifting, but the aliens I'm after can. Got a communication device?"
Ra-One donned a red mask, covering all but his mouth. "Follow me, Alien Queen." He led her to a payphone, where she ripped it open, rewiring it with her gauntlet computer to contact her Kree team.
As sunrise bathed them in golden light, Carol connected with her leader, Yon-Rogg.
Ra-One snatched the phone, dropping his voice to villainous gravel. "Greetings, Kree scum! I, Red Hood of Earth, have your teammate. One million Kree coins, or she's my sex slave per Earth law!" He cackled maniacally.
Carol smacked his head, grabbing the phone. "Knock it off, kid. Yon-Rogg, he's just a C-53 local helping me." The Kree crew exhaled, relieved.
Carol briefed Yon-Rogg: she'd crash-landed on C-53 (Earth) after Talos, a Skrull leader, kidnapped her to extract memories about a scientist, Lawson. She wanted to protect Lawson, but Yon-Rogg, spooked, ordered her to stand down. The connection cut, and she pinged her location. Yon-Rogg's ship, 22 hours away, set course for Earth.
Ra-One spotted a young Nick Fury in a suit, striding over with a rookie Phil Coulson. "Yo, Vers, company."
Fury eyed the crater. "Miss, know anything about a lady blasting through Blockbuster's roof? Witness says she looked like a Laser Tag reject."
Ra-One chimed in, "Saw her, super hot, went that way. Run, you might catch her! Vers, let's bounce—your family's probably worried sick." Carol smirked.
Fury wasn't amused. "Smartass kid, what's with the red mask? IDs, both of you."
Carol snapped, "Vers, Kree Starforce. We don't do ID cards."
Ra-One grinned innocently. "Krishnadevaraya, Prince of Vijayanagara Empire. Diplomatic immunity."
Fury's eye twitched. "Lady Starforce and MR. Prince, Why are you on my planet, and how long you staying?"
Carol replied, "Hunting fugitive Skrulls. I leave when they're caught."
Ra-One added, "Helping her nab Skrulls, then back to my empire."
Fury growled, "Congrats, you're both arrested."
Ra-One's Danger Instinct pinged. "EVERYONE DOWN!" He shoved Carol and Fury against a wall as a Skrull sniper fired.
Carol unleashed a photon blast, obliterating a building corner, and sprinted after the Skrull. Ra-One followed, parkouring like a caffeinated ninja.
The Skrull, disguised as a human, slipped into a metro station. Carol and Ra-One vaulted barriers, but the Skrull boarded a train.
They sprinted, leaping onto the moving train's roof. Carol gaped at Ra-One's speed. "Kid, what are you?"
Inside, Ra-One addressed shocked passengers, stone-faced. "Greetings, Earthlings! We're hunting a shapeshifting alien. Spot one, and I'll give you a tour of my alien ship!" Jaws dropped.
Carol, annoyed, searched carts for the Skrull, who'd shapeshifted again.
Ra-One clocked an "old woman" he'd seen at the last station. With an evil grin, he said, "Grandma, know any magic? I saw you at the last stop."
Carol raised an eyebrow. The "old woman's" smile vanished. Carol punched, but the Skrull kicked back, lunging at Ra-One.
He parried every attack with Red Hood precision, countering with a palm strike that sent the Skrull stumbling. Passengers, thinking they were attacking a granny, mobbed them.
"Guys, come on!" Ra-One pleaded. "What old lady moves like Jackie Chan? We're the good guys!"
Carol shoved through, chasing the Skrull to the train's roof.
Ra-One joined, seeing Carol grappling the Skrull. Below, Fury and "Coulson" chased by car. Fury got a call from the real Coulson, revealing his partner was a Skrull.
The fake Coulson attacked, crashing the car. Fury survived, injured; the Skrull died.
On the roof, the Skrull kicked Carol, leaving her dangling at the edge of the metro as a tunnel loomed.
Ra-One roundhouse-kicked the Skrull into a cart gap, then yanked Carol up.
"Vers, blast the roof!" She blew a hole, and they dropped inside, dodging the tunnel by a hair.
At the next station, the Skrull escaped, shapeshifting again.
Ra-One, dusty and bruised, grinned at Carol. "That was fun."
Carol stared. "Who are you, kid? You fight like a soldier. Are you really Human?"
Ra-One flashed a grin. "Welcome to Earth, Vers. I'm Red Hood Strongest Human on earth, your not-so-friendly neighborhood hero. Where to next?"
—To Be Continued—