Looking at the skinny guy in front of them and thinking of the Captain America they knew, both girls couldn't believe they were the same person.
Emma began circling Steve, looking him up and down from every angle.
"Uh... what are you looking at?" Steve asked awkwardly. Seeing the girl studying him so seriously, he felt strangely underestimated without knowing why.
Emma stopped in front of him and spoke honestly.
"I feel like I could beat you by myself."
Steve blinked before letting out a small laugh. "Well... you're probably stronger than I look."
Only then did Emma realize she had said exactly what was on her mind. "Oops... sorry."
Steve smiled and shook his head. "It's alright. I didn't take it to heart."
"You're really kind." Emma grinned. "My name is Emma Walker, and this is my friend, Morgan Stark."
Morgan gave a small nod. "Nice to meet you."
Steve smiled warmly.
Before anyone could say anything else, Bucky bent down and picked up the enlistment papers that had fallen during the fight.
"How many times is this?" He looked at Steve with a helpless expression before reading the form. "You're from Paramus now? It's still illegal to lie on an enlistment form."
Steve rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I had to try."
His eyes then fell on Bucky's military uniform. "Looks like you got your orders."
"107th Infantry." Bucky nodded proudly. "Shipping out to England first thing tomorrow. This is my last night."
"That's great." Steve smiled, genuinely happy for his best friend.
"So..." Bucky grinned and held up a newspaper. "Let's celebrate tonight. I'll show you the future."
"Can I take a look?" Morgan asked, pointing at the newspaper. Bucky handed it over without thinking much of it.
Morgan unfolded the newspaper while Emma leaned over to read it with her. The front page advertised the Stark Expo, with Howard Stark's demonstration taking place later that evening. The two girls exchanged a quick glance.
"So this is where Grandpa is..." Morgan thought to herself.
"Are you two interested in the Expo?" Steve asked after noticing how seriously they were studying the newspaper.
"Yes!" Emma nodded immediately. "We're planning to go there too. Want to come with us?"
Bucky was about to refuse. "...No—"
"Okay." Steve agreed before Bucky could finish.
Bucky stared at him in disbelief. "...Steve."
"Excuse us for a second, girls." Bucky grabbed Steve by the shoulder and pulled him a few steps away.
"Why did you invite them?" Bucky whispered. "Just look at their clothes. They must be young ladies from some wealthy family. I already had two girls meeting us tonight. If we bring these two along, how are we supposed to enjoy ourselves?"
"Then you go on ahead." Steve replied calmly.
Bucky sighed in defeat before walking back toward Emma and Morgan. "So..." He scratched the back of his head. "Where are your parents?"
Morgan answered before Emma could speak. "We got separated from our family earlier today. We're looking for them."
Steve frowned with concern. "You girls shouldn't be wandering around New York by yourselves."
"We'll be fine." Emma smiled confidently.
Seeing how confident the two girls were — and guessing they came from a well-off family nearby — Steve didn't press the matter any further. "Alright." He nodded. "We'll help keep an eye on you until you find your family."
Bucky could only sigh. "So much for my evening..."
"Steve, do you know where we can exchange this gold chain for money?" Emma asked, taking a gold chain out of her storage bracelet. "We need to buy clothes."
Steve looked at the chain and immediately realized it was worth far more than ordinary jewelry. "If it's only for clothes, I have enough money." He searched his pocket and pulled out a few folded bills.
Emma looked at the small amount in his hand before quietly shaking her head. "No thanks. We need money for more than just clothes."
"I know a pawn shop nearby." Steve pointed down the street. "I used to work there. The owner is an honest man."
A short while later, after exchanging the gold chain, Emma and Morgan bought clothes that matched the era. Emma changed into a simple knee-length dress with a light cardigan, while Morgan chose a modest blue dress with a matching coat. Their modern jeans and T-shirts were replaced by clothes that blended naturally with everyone else on the streets.
Emma looked Morgan up and down. "Wow... you look completely different."
Morgan smiled. "So do you."
Bucky clapped his hands together. "Alright, girls. We'd better get moving before the Expo gets too crowded." The group then headed toward the Stark Expo together.
Following Steve and Bucky, Emma and Morgan soon arrived at the entrance of the Stark Expo. The moment they stepped through the massive gates, both girls stopped in their tracks.
"Whoa..." Emma's eyes widened.
The entire fairground was packed with thousands of people. Bright lights illuminated every corner despite the evening sky. Massive banners with the words STARK EXPO hung from towering steel arches while lively music echoed through loudspeakers across the grounds. People moved from one exhibition to another with excitement — some gathered around futuristic-looking machines while others watched inventors demonstrate strange new technologies. Soldiers in uniform, families with children, businessmen in suits, and women in elegant dresses filled every walkway. Laughter, conversations, and applause blended together, making the entire place feel vibrant and full of life.
"This is amazing..." Emma muttered.
"This is what people back then imagined the future would look like." Morgan smiled and said quietly so only Emma could hear. "For them, everything here is decades ahead of its time."
In the distance, a giant rotating globe stood above the central pavilion with the glowing words STARK EXPO shining beneath it, and searchlights swept across the night sky, making the entire expo look even more spectacular.
"So this is Grandpa's Expo..." Morgan whispered, unable to hide the smile on her face. Even though she had grown up surrounded by holograms and technology far beyond anything displayed here, standing in the place where Howard Stark had inspired countless inventors and engineers felt strangely special. For a brief moment, she forgot they were stranded in the past and simply admired the beginning of the Stark legacy.
Steve smiled when he saw their reactions. "Pretty incredible, isn't it?"
Bucky grinned — but before he could say anything, two young women in fashionable dresses hurried over and wrapped their arms around him.
"There you are!"
"Hey, girls." Bucky laughed. "This is my buddy Steve, and these two are Emma and Morgan."
The two women gave Steve and the girls a polite glance before immediately turning their attention back to Bucky, chatting happily as they walked beside him.
Emma leaned toward Steve. "Looks like they only came here for him."
Steve smiled awkwardly, clearly used to it.
"Don't feel bad about not having company — we'll keep you company." Emma grabbed Steve's hand and pulled him away, and Morgan sighed before following behind them.
The three of them wandered from one exhibition to another, looking at all kinds of futuristic inventions while Emma happily bought and sampled different snacks from the food stalls.
"Emma..." Morgan sighed. "Don't spend all the money already."
Emma puffed out her cheeks as she chewed. "Relax. We have plenty." She took another bite before her eyes suddenly lit up. "Let's go over there!" She pointed toward a large crowd gathered around the main stage. "Something's about to start!" Before either of them could respond, she grabbed Steve's hand with one hand and Morgan's with the other and excitedly pulled them through the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome... Mr. Stark!"
As the announcer's voice echoed through the speakers, the stage lights shifted to one side. A handsome man in a sharp suit confidently walked onto the stage, casually handed his hat to a nearby woman, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, earning loud cheers and whistles from the crowd as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Emma blinked.
"So... that's your grandpa when he was young?" she whispered to Morgan. "He looks like a total playboy."
Morgan looked at Howard on stage before letting out a helpless sigh. "...Yeah. Grandpa has always been like that." Even so, seeing Howard Stark in his younger days filled her with excitement.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Howard spread his arms dramatically, "what if I told you that in just a few short years, automobiles will no longer touch the ground at all?"
The audience erupted into murmurs. As two assistants rolled a bright red car onto the stage and removed its wheels, the crowd watched in anticipation.
"Yes! With Stark Rubidium Reversion Technology, you'll be able to do just that!" Howard flipped a switch on the control panel, and the car slowly rose into the air.
"Ohhh!" The audience gasped in amazement.
But only a few seconds later — pop! The machine sputtered, sparks flew, and the floating car dropped back onto the stage with a loud thud as smoke poured from underneath. For a brief moment, the entire crowd fell silent.
Howard simply grinned. "Ah... I did say it would take a few years."
Steve looked around and spotted a poster that read I WANT YOU next to a nearby army enlistment booth. "You girls wait here for a minute, alright? I need to take care of something. I'll be back soon." Before leaving, he added, "And don't wander too far."
"Got it." Morgan nodded.
Emma waved her hand. "Go on. We'll survive a few minutes without you." Steve smiled before heading toward the enlistment booth.
Morgan watched him leave. "So... what do we do now?"
"Are we going to talk to your grandpa?" Emma asked, glancing toward Howard, who was surrounded by reporters, signing autographs, and posing for photographs.
Morgan hesitated, still thinking about whether they should ask Howard for help or avoid involving him altogether.
"Hey... Morgan." Emma tugged lightly on Morgan's sleeve.
"What?" Morgan asked, slightly annoyed at having her thoughts interrupted.
Emma pointed toward a nearby exhibition booth. "Isn't that the idiot scientist? The one whose broken time machine nearly got us killed?"
Morgan immediately followed Emma's gaze. A man dressed in a black suit, wearing a hat and carrying a cane, was calmly walking around one of the exhibition booths. His attention was completely on the exhibitions around him, and he didn't even glance in their direction.
Morgan's eyes narrowed. "...There's no doubt. It's him."
A/N: The Patreon version is already updated with 20 advanced chapters. If you'd like to read ahead of the public release schedule, you can join here:
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