I hate my life.
The reason I say this is because I am living in the marvel universe because of reasons unknown to me. I went to bed after studying for a test I was probably gonna fail then I woke up in a random apartment and of course I freaked out but after I freaked it I calmed down and then freaked out again finding out I'm in the Marvel Universe. I found that out in such a funny way. Let's get into that and it also how I found out I did get something out of this. Almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jordan King and this is my story of how I became the world greatest hero called The Red Ranger.
Streets Of New York
Guess it's time to find a job. That's the thought running through my head for what feels like the hundredth time today as I stare down at my ID, the cheap plastic already scratched up like it's been through more than I have, and right there in bold it says I'm twenty years old.
Twenty not a kid with excuses, but an actual adult who's supposed to have his life together, and yet here I am standing on a sidewalk in the middle of New York with nothing but a high school diploma and a whole lot of rejection.
I found the diploma earlier in my apartment, tucked away like it was supposed to mean something, like it was supposed to open doors for me, but every single place I walked into today took one look at me, asked about experience, and then hit me with the same polite smile before telling me they'd "call me back," which is basically code for "get the hell out."
By the tenth time, I wasn't even mad anymore, just tired, confused, and honestly a little pissed off at the world because how the hell am I supposed to get experience if nobody will give me a chance in the first place.
At this point, I'm walking with no real direction, hands shoved in my pockets, muttering to myself like I've officially lost it. "I might actually have to become a male stripper," I say under my breath, half joking but also not really because rent doesn't pay itself. "They get paid good money, I'm not ugly, and I can dance a little…" I pause, thinking about it for a second longer than I should. "I watched Magic Mike, I basically know what I'm doing."
I shake my head immediately after, trying to push that thought out of my brain before I accidentally convince myself it's a good idea, and that's when my eyes drift upward without me really meaning to.
Towering above everything else like it owns the skyline is Stark Tower, shining like a reminder that some people out here are saving the world while I can't even land a minimum wage job.
I stare at it for a second, squinting slightly against the sunlight reflecting off the glass, and I let out a quiet breath. "I still can't believe I'm really here," I mutter, more to myself than anything. "No powers, no connections, nothing… just me struggling to survive." It's a humbling thought, one that sits heavy in my chest for a second too long until something catches my attention.
At first, I think it's just my eyes messing with me, but then I see it again, clear as day that a bright blue beam was shooting straight up into the sky like something out of a sci-fi movie. My brow furrows, confusion kicking in before it immediately flips into realization. "Wait… what the hell is….." and then the sky just… opens.
"OH SHIT!"
A massive hole tears through the sky like reality itself just gave up, and out of it pours an army of things that are very clearly not human. Chitauri. I don't even need someone to explain it to me, I just know, and the second they start flooding down in droves, riding those flying metal creatures and firing blasts that explode against cars and buildings, my brain does the smartest thing it's done all day.
I take off instantly, legs moving faster than I thought possible, adrenaline slamming into my system so hard it feels like my heart is trying to break out of my chest. People are screaming, cars are crashing, explosions are going off behind me, and I don't even look back because I already know what's happening.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of a red and gold figure shooting up into the sky toward the portal it was Iron Man and for a split second, I almost stop because holy shit that's actually him, but then a blast hits somewhere way too close and snaps me right back to reality.
"Yeah, nope, I am not built for this!" I shout as I cut sharply into an alleyway, my shoes scraping against the pavement as I duck behind a dumpster, pressing my back against it like that's somehow going to protect me from an alien invasion. My chest is heaving, breaths coming out fast and uneven as panic starts creeping in, that tight, suffocating feeling building up like I'm about to have a full-blown breakdown right here in the middle of the apocalypse.
"Okay… okay… just breathe…" I mutter, clutching at my chest as I try to calm myself down, but then something drops right in front of me with a solid thud.
I freeze and slowly I look down, my eyes locking onto a small box that definitely was not there a second ago, and sitting right on top of it is a note. My hands are still shaking slightly as I reach for it, flipping it open and reading the words.
Want to live? Open me. From a good friend.
I stare at it for a second, blinking slowly as my brain tries to process the situation because this feels like the start of a horror movie or the world's weirdest prank, but then another explosion echoes nearby, followed by the sound of something heavy landing not too far away.
"…You know what?" I say quietly, exhaling as I grab the box. "If it's a bomb and I die, I was probably gonna die anyway, so let's just roll the dice."
I open it and inside are two things and there was a strange phone-like device and a hexagonal piece with a symbol on it that hits me like a truck the second I see it. My eyes widen instantly, my breath catching in my throat as recognition slams into me.
"No way…" I whisper. "No actual way…"
"This… this is from Power Rangers Samurai," I say, my voice somewhere between disbelief and excitement, because that show was my childhood, and there is absolutely no logical explanation for why this is sitting in front of me right now in the middle of an alien invasion. My fingers hover over the items for a second before I notice another note tucked inside.
Might want to hurry. Aliens behind you.
"…Of course there are."
I turn my head slowly, and sure enough, three Chitauri are stepping into the alley, their glowing weapons already pointed in my direction like they've found their next target. My heart spikes again, but this time something else mixes in with the fear and it's excitement.
I glance back down at the instructions, quickly skimming over them, and yeah… it's exactly what I think it is. A morpher. I feel a brief wave of secondhand embarrassment just thinking about doing this out loud in public, but then one of the aliens lets out a distorted screech and raises its weapon, and that pretty much kills any hesitation I had left.
"…Yeah, okay," I say, grabbing the device and stepping out from behind the dumpster. "Dignity later. Survival now. Fuck it we ball."
I straighten up, trying to look intimidating even though I'm pretty sure I look ridiculous, and I point at them. "HEY! Stupid aliens!" I shout, my voice echoing slightly in the alley. "Guess what?"
They start moving faster then I take a breath, grip tightening around the morpher as adrenaline floods my system again, and I yell it out anyway.
"IT'S MORPHIN TIME!"
I snap the device open, press the center, and draw the symbol like the instructions showed me, spinning it as a burst of bright light explodes around me, swallowing everything in red and gold energy. I feel it wrap around my body, forming, locking into place like it was always meant to be there, and when the light fades, I'm not the same guy who was hiding behind a dumpster a second ago because I feel stronger.
The Chitauri rush me at the same time, weapons raised, but something clicks in my mind, instincts taking over like muscle memory I never learned. The first one swings, and I move without thinking, stepping to the side and drawing my blade in one smooth motion, the steel slicing clean across its chest as I pivot and drive a kick into its midsection, sending it crashing into the wall.
The second one fires, but I twist, the blast barely missing me as I close the distance in a blur, bringing the blade up in a sharp diagonal strike that drops it instantly.
The third charges, letting out that same distorted scream, and I meet it head-on, blocking its strike with my blade before shoving it back and spinning, my leg snapping out in a clean, powerful kick that sends it flying straight into the dumpster I was hiding behind earlier.
For a second, everything goes quiet again and I stand there, chest rising and falling, looking down at the three bodies, then slowly turn toward a broken piece of glass leaning against the wall. My reflection stares back at me, red armor shining, symbol clear, and I can't help the grin that spreads across my face.
"…God damn," I say, tilting my head slightly. "I look good in red."
I admire the suit that i use to see all the time on Saturday mornings. The suits has
this deep, striking red, not dull or flat but almost shining even in the low light of the alley, like it's catching every bit of light and throwing it back out stronger.
It wraps around my entire body perfectly, not loose or bulky, but tight in a way that shows every movement, every shift in my muscles, like it was made specifically for me. The material looks smooth but strong, like some kind of advanced armor disguised as fabric, and I can feel that it's durable, like it could take hits and keep going without slowing me down.
The helmet is fully enclosed, smooth and angular, with a sharp, almost blade-like design running down the center. The visor is dark, reflecting the world back at me in a distorted way, hiding my face completely, and yet somehow it feels expressive, like I can still see through it perfectly, like it's not even there.
Another explosion, louder than the last, shaking the ground under my feet as I turn to walk out of the alley at a full sprint, my boots slamming against the pavement as the city opens up in front of me like a war zone.
Smoke is rising from multiple buildings, cars are flipped over and burning, people are running in every direction, and above all of it, those things called the Chitauri are swarming through the sky like a nightmare that doesn't end. My grip tightens around the sword in my hand, my heart pounding hard against my chest, but this time it's not panic locking me in place because just then I see him.
Standing right in the middle of the chaos like he belongs there, like this is exactly where he's supposed to be, is Captain America.
He's not fighting right now, not directly, but somehow that makes it even more insane because he's just… in control. He's standing in front of a group of police officers, giving orders like he's been doing this his whole life, his voice cutting clean through the chaos around us.
"You need men in these buildings," he says, pointing toward a line of apartments as another explosion echoes in the distance. "There are people inside that could be running right into the line of fire. You take them to the basement or through the subway. You keep them off the streets. I need a perimeter as far back as 39th."
The cop he's talking to just stares at him for a second like his brain hasn't caught up yet, like he doesn't understand why this guy in a suit with a shield is talking like he's in charge, and honestly… I get it. If I didn't know who that was, I'd probably be confused too.
"Why the hell should I take orders from you?" the cop says, clearly irritated, clearly not getting it and for half a second, everything kind of pauses. Then two Chitauri drop from the sky and they land hard behind Cap, weapons already raising, and I barely even have time to react before he
moves. It's fast. Faster than I expected. He pivots on one foot, shield snapping up just in time to deflect the first blast, the energy ricocheting off with a sharp crack as he steps in close to the second one. His fist slams into its face with a force that makes my eyes widen, and before it can even recover, he grabs its arm, twists and rips it clean off.
I blink. "Oh… okay," I mutter under my breath, because yeah, that just happened.
He doesn't even hesitate. He turns, slamming the ripped arm into the other Chitauri like it's just another weapon, knocking it off balance before finishing it with a clean shield strike that drops it instantly.
The cop doesn't say another word. He just turns and starts shouting orders. Yeah… that checks out.
But before I can even process that fully, something else catches my eye.
Up above, one of those flying Chitauri vehicles is diving straight toward him, its weapon charging up, aimed directly at his back while he's focused on the civilians.
"Yo…!" I start, but I don't even finish the sentence because my body moves first. I push off the ground hard, sprinting forward before planting my foot against a nearby wall and launching myself upward, the momentum carrying me higher than I expect as I twist mid-air, my grip tightening on the sword.
The world slows for a second, just enough for me to see it clearly as the alien pilot turning toward me too late, its weapon about to fire and then I swing.
The blade cuts clean and there was barely any resistance as it slices through the alien's neck, the motion smooth, controlled, like I've done it a hundred times before even though I haven't. Its head separates instantly, the body slumping forward as the vehicle loses control, and I use the momentum to flip off of it, pushing away just as it crashes behind me in a burst of fire and debris.
I land in a crouch, one knee hitting the ground, the impact steady, controlled, and for a second everything feels… quiet again. Then I look up and he's looking at me.
Captain America stands a few feet away, shield in hand, eyes locked on me, and for a split second I completely forget how to function like a normal human being because that's Captain America. That's actually Captain America.
He nods once and that hits like a truck and I almost start smiling like an idiot right there under the helmet, like I just got approved by the coolest person alive, but I manage to keep it together… mostly.
"You look like you could use the help," I say, trying to sound casual, like I didn't just internally freak out for five straight seconds.
There's the smallest hint of a smile on his face. "We really could use your help."
Okay yeah, that's going in the mental record forever. He studies me for a second, quick but sharp, like he's already assessing what I can do, then asks the obvious question. "Who are you?"
For half a second, my brain blanks because yeah… I didn't really think that far ahead. But then it clicks.
"Red Ranger," I say, nodding once like that's been my name forever. He doesn't question it but just nods back like, yeah, that works.
"Alright, Red Ranger," he says, already turning as another group of Chitauri drops into the street ahead of us. "Keep up with me." then he's moving fast and I don't even think, I just followed:
I push off the ground, falling into step beside him as we charge straight toward the incoming group, my heart pounding again but this time it's different, because now I'm not just fighting to survive im fighting with one of the greatest fictional characters to ever be created.
"Three on the left, two on the right!" he calls out instantly.
"I got left!" I shoot back, already breaking off.
The three Chitauri raise their weapons at the same time, but I'm already closing the distance, my feet hitting the ground in quick, controlled steps before I leap forward, spinning as I bring the blade down in a diagonal slash. The first one tries to block, but it's too slow, the strike cutting through its weapon and into its shoulder, dropping it instantly.
I land and pivot immediately, the second one firing, but I twist to the side, the blast barely missing as I step in close, driving my elbow into its chest before following up with a quick upward slash that takes it off its feet.
The third one lunges at me, more aggressive, and I actually have to adjust, bringing my sword up just in time to block its strike. The impact sends a small jolt through my arm, but I hold, sliding my foot back before twisting my body and redirecting the force, knocking it off balance.
"Okay… you're a little tougher," I mutter, then step in and finish it with a clean horizontal cut.
Behind me, I hear the distinct clang of metal on metal as Cap handles his side, and when I glance over, he's already done, his shield ricocheting off one Chitauri and straight into another before snapping back into his hand like it's nothing.
"Not bad," he says, stepping up beside me again. I can't help it. "Not bad?" I repeat. "I just took down three!.
Before I can say anything else, more of them drop in, at least five this time, spreading out, trying to surround us. Cap shifts slightly, raising his shield. "Stay moving. Don't let them pin you."
"Got it," I say, rolling my shoulders as I adjust my grip.
They attack all at once with blast fire from multiple directions, and I move on instinct, ducking low as one passes over my head before rolling forward, coming up inside their formation. I slash at the closest one, then immediately pivot, using the momentum to spin into a kick that knocks another back.
To my right, Cap throws his shield, and I watch it bounce between two enemies before he charges in, using it to block another blast and slam into one of them with full force.
I take a step back, then launch forward again, leaping into the air and bringing my sword down in a controlled strike, landing clean before turning and sweeping the legs out from under another enemy.
Within seconds, they're down. I straighten up slowly, breathing steady, looking around at the aftermath, and I can't help the grin that spreads across my face under the helmet. As
I glance over at him, still trying to process that this is real, and for a second, the only thought running through my head is that I'm teaming up with the Avengers… oh my fucking god.