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Chapter Text

Scotch Whiskey. It’s odd how something so smooth and rich could be abundant when Tony Stark’s around. In his room, on his private island in the Caribbean, and in the Helicopter he privately owned, which is landing on a battlefield.

“Pepper, what the hell are we doing here in the Mojave Desert? It’s hotter than a beach in California!”

“Well, boss, General Thaddeus ‘Thunderbolt’ Ross bombarded my phone lines all night last night, demanding you come down to help.”

“General Ross?” Colonel James Rhodes said in the pilot’s seat, “Thunderbolt Ross? Why the hell would he ask… for… holy shit!” Rhodes shouted as he looked out the window, causing the others to look as well.

All around was warped, crunched-up metal, military trucks and tanks torn up and tossed across the wasteland. On the ground, men screamed as flames scorched the land. Tony was used to traveling to lands bombed to hell, but rarely did he see the United States Army devastated so hard, metal crinkled and torn as though it were made of paper! Tony turned towards Pepper, who covered her mouth at the carnage before them,

“Pepper, do you know what the hell happened here? Did Ross say anything about this to you?”

“He didn’t, boss,” Pepper said, “Whatever it was, General Ross called you personally.” Tony sighed as he drank the rest of his scotch, pouring himself another glass,

“I know what he wants,” Tony said, placing his hand on his chest, “But I’m not selling.”

“You think he wants Stark Weapons? He knows you stopped selling weapons months ago, right?” Pepper said as she shuffled through the papers and contracts,

“No, Pepper, he wants my bodyguard,” Tony said, looking out the window while he finished his glass of scotch as the helicopter landed.

Tony stepped out as Pepper followed closely, looking at the destruction that warped the guns and trucks that littered the land. Pepper looked over at Tony, looking sharp in his suit, and smiled. If anyone were to do anything about this, it would be the man of tomorrow.

As they walked around, an older man in his late 50s ran up towards them, looking as though he saw the motherload of tornados run through his military hardware, the world’s greatest army reduced to scrap metal,

“Stark!” The older man said, his clad green uniform wearing large, shiny medals that clanged against his chest, grabbing Stark by the arms, “Thank God you're here! My men and I are going through hell out here!”

“Looks like it, General” Stark said as he looked around, “What caused this?”

“Some kind of… Hulking brute that smashed up my tanks and tore up my jets like wet tissue paper! Millions of Uncle Sam’s dollars, down the drain like that!” General Ross said as soldiers ram across the field, grabbing and nursing injured men,

“Did anyone die?” General Ross took off his cap as he looked across the horizon,

“By the grace of God, no. But my best men were in those vehicles as that Hulk tossed them across the air!” Tony stared out at the field, Pepper knows he was doing the calculus and math as to what monstrous strength caused these military trucks and guns to be tossed around like children's toys!

“Let me guess, you want me to send my best man on it?” Tony said as he folded his arms, looking at the General with disdain,

“Hell yes!” Ross said as he marched alongside the billionaire industrialist, “This monster has terrorized us the day we tested the gamma bomb! It has kidnapped Dr. Banner and, if my intel is correct, killed a teenager!” Ross then grabbed Tony by the jacket of his suit, “Stark, this thing took my girl. My daughter, Stark! My Betty! I’ll hunt that son of a bitch to the ends of the earth if it even touches a single hair on her head!” Ross said as hatred filled his eyes, livid, unquenchable hatred against the thing that threatened to destroy his life, his daughter, and maybe even his country! Tony placed a hand on the General’s shoulder,

“General, I understand your rage and I am concerned about your daughter’s well-being. I’ll call Ironman, and see that he’ll get the job done,” Stark then looked over at Pepper and coughed, as she gave him a contract, “Of course, Ironman is paid by me, but he makes sure that anyone that I give his services to shall have to sign this contract to lease Ironman.”

“Lease him? I thought you were out of the weapons manufacturing business,” Ross said with a raised eyebrow,

“The contract is only to keep any lawsuits from the government or SHIELD suing Stark Industries for getting involved with any illegal superhuman activities. The contract stipulates that any funds earned by Stark Industries from the lease shall be put into a donation of Mr. Stark’s choice,” Pepper said as she pointed out the contract, “But unless you have a problem with government money being donated for the good of the American Citizen, we can take our helicopter back to our offices and Ironman will save someone else, is that right General Ross?”

“What? No, don’t go! Give me that pen!” Ross quickly signed it as though his life depended on it, and turned towards Stark, “Good, now: Call him!” Tony pulled out his phone and tapped on its surface,

“Right away, I’ll call him right after I get a drink real quick, it’s drier than the Middle East over here!” Tony winked at Pepper, who gave him an endearing smile. Tony Stark may be a playboy billionaire, who dates beautiful women daily, but something about him makes Pepper’s heart swoon to the moon.

Tony, meanwhile, steps back onto the helicopter, pouring himself a glass of Jack Daniels, trying to inject some liquid courage into him while trying to find something a bit harsher to wake him up,

“You got the suitcase, Rhody?” Tony asked his confidant while slamming down his third drink of the day, least to Tony’s recollection,

“You’re gonna fight whatever made this?” Rhody asked, shaking his head, “You know, it was nice being your best friend, Tony, it really was.”

“Oh please, drama queen,” Tony said as he debated having one more drink for the road, “It’s probably some walking gamma-irradiated test monkey that has tumors the size of basketballs! It’s probably dying as we speak,” Tony said as he grabbed the suitcase from Rhodes, “I’m more worried about Betty and Dr. Banner, getting them to decontaminate is the highest priority I have right now.”

“A radioactive monkey that is a walking tumor? You think that did this ?” Rhody said as he pointed towards the tow trucks hauling away scraps of the American Army, “Hell no! Whatever did that is still out there, pissed off as hell! Are you sure you wanna tangle with this, Tony?”

“I think you’re forgetting that I fought my way through jungles and deserts with an armor I made in a cave, while my heart was being stabbed with metal shrapnel. I think I can handle some big, gray boogeyman,” Tony then took a shot of vodka before stepping off the helicopter, “But just in case, Rhodes, take this bird somewhere safe,”

“Where’s safe, Tony?” Rhody said as he looked at the army men putting out fires and pulling out injured men from absolute wrecks, miraculously alive, “You stay safe, alright man?” Rhody took off from the base, as Tony walked over by Ross and Pepper, holding out his phone, 

“He’s on his way. Now, where is the bunker? Whatever this Hulk is, it sounds unsafe to stay out in the open.” Ross nodded as a military truck pulled up,

“Right this way, Stark, we’ve established headquarters in the town a few miles south from here. This way!” Stark climbed onto the truck, taking a sip from his flask until Pepper snatched it from him,

“Pepper!” Tony cried out as the truck started to move,

“You had enough today, Mr. Stark,” Pepper said as she opened up her pager, “Besides, you have a meeting with the Oscorp talking about the acquisitions of a failed start-up hardware business, The Tinkerers ”

“And to think I’m the boss!” Tony said to the soldiers, earning some chuckles while he smiled at Pepper, her cheeks blushing when she smirked back at him.

Lieutenants rushed around the base as they saluted General Ross, marching down to the command center, “Here’s where we have established the best signal towards our satellite. If there was anything that could find that son of a bitch, it’s the finest satellite the president could lend us.”

“The president?” Stark asked, amazed at how far this situation has escalated in just a couple of days. Of course, he walked close to Pepper, trying to stride with the buzz that dulled his nerves,

“I have fully briefed the President and his staff of our situation, and we’re going to be receiving the top-of-the-line equipment until the Hulk has been either contained or eliminated,” General Ross then looked over at a younger man taking a leading, saluting each other as the slick black haired man took off his hat, “Major Talbot, any report?”

“We have successfully organized the Hulkbuster units, as they are equipped with experimental railguns, laser guns, and a targeting system for a satellite strike, sir!” Talbot said with a cheeky smile, Pepper in awe at how advanced the government is that it shows itself to be. Stark, however, seems unimpressed,

“Great work Talbot,” Ross said with furrowed eyebrows, “There’s just one small detail you left out: Where’s the Hulk?” Talbot gulped and folded his arms behind his back,

“We’ve tried to locate the creature through changes in the geography of the desert, but we’ve found little evidence, sir.” General Ross grimaced as he clenched his fist, slamming the table out of frustration,

“Damn!” Ross shook his head as Tony looked around the room, full of dunderheads. Pepper looked at him with a smile, and Mr. Stark stepped forward,

“Have you tried tracing the gamma energy?” Tony said, getting the attention of the army men, “Look, there’s no denying that the Hulk is somehow linked to your gamma bomb test. If that’s the case, then we can trace the energy it’s dissipating, and triangulate its exact position!” Ross looked over at the lieutenant at the monitors and waited. After a few seconds of the lieutenants standing around twiddling their thumbs, the General’s face grew redder and redder,

“You heard the man! Trace any source of gamma energy and give me its coordinates, now! Double time! Move! Move! Move!!” The lieutenants rushed to work as Ross looked over at Tony, “Well, Stark? Where’s your shellhead now?”

“He’s on his way,” Tony said as he looked at his phone, “But if you excuse me, I have to go somewhere private.”

“Private? While there’s a walking nuke with my daughter!?!” Ross said with a face as red as a tomato,

“Sorry General, I still have a company to run,” Tony then turned towards Pepper and smiled, “Hold the fort while I’m gone?”

“On it, boss!” Pepper said as Tony stepped out of the room, now in a bunker that is crawling with military personnel, holding only a suitcase that weighs a ton . 

Tony walked down the hallway, only to find a soldier tailing him. A spy of Ross, perhaps? Or… maybe even Hammer? Obidiah Stane? Any sort of corporate spies that would take a risk to sneak onto a military base to sneak a glance at his blueprints. Tony kept walking, walking out of the bunker onto the military base. 

Tony walked around, trying to find some modicum of privacy, but to no avail. It seems that Ross’ paranoia extended towards the whole facility, trying to weasel out any traitors that could betray his nation and any secrets that could aid the United States of America. But by some miracle, an alarm rang from the base,

“THERE HAS BEEN A HULK SIGHTING!!! I REPEAT, THERE HAS BEEN A HULK SIGHTING!!!”

Men ran throughout the base, getting into defensive positions in their trucks and tanks, aiming their useless guns at the Mojave desert as though the boogeyman was coming. Tony chuckled and slipped away from sight.

He popped open his suitcase and unbuttoned his shirt. Instead of a manly hair of a rich genius that graced his fingertips, was cold, gray metal that, in the center of the chest, held a large light that hummed quietly. Tony hated having to wear a chest plate, because not only did it hide his good looks and make playboying hard as hell, but Tony knew it was the only thing keeping him alive. Without it, metal shrapnel would hit his already weak heart, killing him within hours! Sure, he had a bulletproof chest. Sure, he had a power source that’ll keep him alive when the sun turns red. But as of right now, as Tony opened the briefcase, he was no longer a mere man.

Inside the suitcase were nine pieces of armor: two boots, two cuisses, two gauntlets, two pauldrons, and a helmet. Each piece of the suit was made of a titanium alloy and saved his life as he escaped from the jungles. The boots and gauntlets were the largest pieces as Tony set them down, putting on the pauldrons and cuisses first.

Tony wondered, as he put on his pauldrons and hooked them up to the chest plate, is this weapons manufacturing? He’s selling Ironman for the U.S Government! But it’s for a good cause, Tony thinks aloud. He has to save the General’s daughter. He has to stop this monster once and for all! And hey, if he can get Uncle Sam to donate nearly a million dollars to… Alzheimer’s, Tony decided, then so be it!

Tony stepped onto the boots, only for metal sheets to pop out to connect with the cuisses. He placed the gauntlets onto his hands, metal sheets connecting to his pauldrons. Tony could feel the arc reactor’s energy going through the suit, the hundreds of transistors that Tony put into made it all too easy to move the ton of metal. Finally, he raised the helmet up, seeing the emotionless mute face that looked back at him. He place on the helmet, and tapped into the radio transmitter of the suit,

“Rhodes, you there?” Tony spoke into the helmet, equipped with a radio transmitter as his head’s display started online, giving his exact coordinates, temperature, and weather of the area he was in,

“Well good morning Ironman!” Rhody said with a cheerful grin, hightailing the helicopter as far away from the Hulk as possible, “Last chance to back out Tony, no one would judge!”

“Please Rhodes, you're just worried about my good looks because how else will you get the phone numbers of some beautiful, beautiful women?” Tony said as he felt the water cooling system running through the suit, beating back this desert heat,

“I’ll manage,” Rhodes clicked and pushed some buttons on the helicopter, “Alright, I’m patching you into the military communications line, you can switch it over if you need me.” Tony heard radio static for a split second, flinching as his ears were filled with yelling,

“Goddamnit, I want eyes there!!!” General Ross roared over the comms, desperate to get his daughter back into his arms, “Damnit Talbot, send something!”

“Who in the hell are we going to send in there, General? Who!? Who!?!”

“Calm down, Talbot,” said a very robotic voice, only hinting at some human identity, “Mr. Stark told you I was on the job, didn’t he?”

“Ironman!?” Talbot said, “How did you get on this radio signal, this is a private, government—”

“Can it, Talbot!” Ross said as he snatched the microphone from Talbot, “Ironman, we are currently sending you the coordinates, has Mr. Stark briefed you on the situation?”

“Most of it, a giant gray monster smashed up your toys, and you want your daughter back. Don’t worry sir, I’ll deal with this Hulk.”

“If you aren’t back within three hours, I’m sending my men in to retrieve my daughter, then we’re bombing the hell out of the area, with you in it or not. Do you understand the risks involved here, Ironman?” Tony picked up the coordinates on his head’s up display, and had a wide grin on his face,

“I’ll answer that question with another question, General,” Ironman said as his boots began to bring him to life, putting his gauntlets to his side, palms facing the ground, “Can birds fly?”

PFFFFOOOOOM! Racing off through the clouds at speeds faster than sound itself, Ironman races toward the coordinates, the roaring of his jet boots blasted throughout the military base, every soldier looked up to the sky as Ironman soared towards the Hulk.

Flying at nearly Mach 2 over the Mojave Desert, inside his suit of armor that has saved his life more times than he could count, Tony Stark shouted at the top of his lungs to one of his favorite songs, made by the legendary Kenny Loggins,

“HIGHWAY, THROUGH THE, DANGER ZONE!!!” Tony bobbed his head up and down, images of Top Gun flashed through his mind as he soared through the sky, “GONNA TAKE YOU RIGHT INTO THE—”

“Mr. Stark?” An old butler said through the radio transmission, cutting through the song,

“OhmygodJarvis!!!” Ironman said as he swerved in the air to avoid getting hit by a mountain. Tony could feel his heart skip a couple of beats as he hovered in the air, breathing heavily as he muted the music, “Sweet Jesus, I need to put in a notification or a ringtone in this suit!”

“I’m so sorry sir, I should’ve waited for the guitar solo, but I’m afraid I can’t wait,”

“It’s fine Jarvis, just flying to fight a monster straight out of a cheap science fiction movie,” Tony said as he resumed flying, “What’s up?”

“Your lab has reported that your new suit, ‘Mark Two,’ is ready to be used, along with the new arc reactor.”

“You’re kidding? That’s great! I can finally peel off this metal cage, and resume my single-mingling life!”

“How incredible, sir,” Jarvis said unamused, “I also regret to inform you that Mr. Hammer has left a voicemail on your phone.”

“Oh great, let me guess: ‘You have no idea who you're messing with Stark, I’ll bury your company!’ Along those lines, Jarvis?”

“Ah, a genius and a psychic! Your parents would be so proud.” 

“I don’t know Jarvis, I don’t think my mother would approve of my need.”

“Your need for what sir?”

“My need for speed!” Tony blasted back Kenny Loggins as Jarvis sighed,

“I trust that, when you do get back, serve you a glass of cognac?” All Tony heard in that sentence, through the music, was the word cognac , and got the gist immediately,

“Jarvis!” Tony yelled through the music, “You know me so well!!!”

Half an hour passes by, and after jamming to Kenny Loggins, ACDC, Metallica, and other awesome rock music, Tony turned off the music as he hovered in the air, stunned. Unless the desert mountains, tall stone pillars that reached the sky, had craters naturally forming, Ironman found the Hulk’s trail. 

Tony flies above the craters, each having the diameter of a school bus! And in these mountains are vast caves and crevices, Tony can’t help but feel watched , that somewhere in these mountains, something is just waiting. Maybe it’s just paranoia, maybe it’s just anxiety! Whatever the hell Tony got himself into now, it’s too late to back out now.

Tony follows the gamma signature, though the levels of radiation are safer than he expected. This Hulk must be somehow retaining the gamma radiation, but Stark doesn’t have time to do the science. Because right now he just spotted a lake, where a woman rests nearby.

Ironman lands nearby the woman, wearing a purple dress, skipping rocks by the nearby salt lake,

“Ms. Ross?”

“Who are you?” She said as she raised an eyebrow, standing up with a rock in her hand,

“I am Ironman,” For some reason, Tony never got bored saying, “I was sent by your father, I’m here to rescue you from the Hulk!” Betty chuckled,

“Of course, my father would send you. You're his version of a knight in shining armor to save his princess, but of course, his knight is a man inside a walking tank.” Betty said as she skipped the rock across the lake, “The Hulk isn’t endangering me, he just wants to be left alone! He wasn’t the one who started the fight!”

“He’s not?” Ironman asked,

“No! He just showed up at my door and wanted to talk to me. He knew my name, and it was… it was almost like he already knew who I was! I wanted to know who he was, why he was there, but for some reason, I wasn’t scared! I should’ve, a hulking gray brute just knocked on my door and said my name! But it… it was the way he looked at me, like someone I know.

“Then my father shows up, barking and yelling at the monster for being near his daughter. I tried to get them to calm down, but Talbot fired the first shot!”

“Talbot!? That moronic weasel,” Ironman said, angered beyond belief. All the damage, all the destruction, done because someone couldn’t keep their trigger finger down, “Well it doesn’t matter! If I don’t get you out of here, your father will send in his whole army to take you back, then bomb this place to hell!”

“Sounds like him,” Betty said as she looked around the desert, “The Hulk hopped off somewhere, saying he wanted to, ‘Get something pretty, like Betty.’”

“That’s nice, but let’s get you out of here!”

“No, don’t! If you take me back to my father, he’ll destroy this place! I can’t leave here knowing that Hulk’s hidden Rick and Bruce somewhere in these mountains!” Betty then sighed as she shook his head, “It thinks it’s protecting us, but from what? My father? The world!?” Ironman shook the lady out of it as his wides went wide,

“Rick? The kid? He’s alive?”

“Yes!”

“Your father said the Hulk killed him!”

“What? No! He’s been actually trying to help the Hulk since he wandered onto the testing site! He’s in the government storage facility nearby, where they store radioactive waste,” 

“That makes sense, no sane person would go near that place!”

“As for Bruce, I… I don’t know! I tried asking the Hulk where he is, but…”

“But what, Ms. Ross?” Ironman asked,

“When I asked him where Bruce was at my house, he said that he, ‘ Hates puny Banner, ’” Betty sobbed, “I’ve seen the Hulk fight, he doesn’t kill! Not one person died, and it made sure of it, but… What if it killed Bruce?”

“Trust me, Ms. Ross,” Ironman said as he held out his hand to take her away, “I’ll find Dr. Banner, and I will find Rick too! Just let me take you away from here before your father levels it to the ground.” Betty looked down and sighed, and lifted her hand onto Ironman’s palm.

BOOM! The Earth shook as a cloud of dust plumed across the lake. Ironman looked up as he put down Betty’s hand, his mouth dry as he slowly stood back up,

“Ms. Ross,” Ironman whispered, “You need to get somewhere safe, now!” Betty nodded as she slowly stepped aside, as they could make the figure out in the smoke.

Standing seven to eight feet tall, bound only by bulking muscle and tattered clothes, skin gray as the autumn sky, the figure lumbered out with heavy stomps, lifting its arm through the smoke,

“Hulk has pretty flowers for Betty,” The Hulk said, showing the remains of a desert flower. The Hulk then stared across the lake, directly at Ironman, and scowled with his heavy brow, his jet-black hair flowing through the desert night wind, “Metalman, hurt Betty!?”

“No Hulk!” Betty tried to say, but it was too late. Hulk leaped over the lake and landed in front of Ironman, looking up as his repulsors were charging up,

“Listen Hulk,” Ironman said as the Hulk loomed over him, staring through his mask and into his eyes. The eyes are what made Stark so unnerved, inhuman eyes that glowed a sickly green, “Betty wants to go home, right? And Hulk should do what a lady tells him to do, okay? So just show me where Banner and Rick—” Hulk’s eyes brightened as he gritted his teeth,

“Rick!?! You want to hurt Rick and Betty like Army did!? Like Ross did!?!” Hulk roared, charging toward the “Invincible” Ironman,

“Oh, crap—” Ironman was then knocked toward the nearest mountain,

“HULK SMASH METALMAN!!!” Hulk then bounded towards the mountains, leaving Betty alone at the lake,

“Hulk! Stop!!!” Betty called out, her voice unable to reach the unstoppable monster. Betty then sat down on the rock, utterly helpless as she heard the battle in the mountains. She then stared out into the still lake, complementing what the Hulk said. How did he know her? Why does he think her father hurts her? He, not once in her life, laid a finger on her. But before she could dig into her thoughts, she saw the water move, as air bubbles emerged from the lake.

“aaaaaaAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!” BOOM! Rubble falls down the hole in the mountain as Ironman pulls himself out of the crater, placing his hand against his chest plate as a fist-shaped dent that pushed an inch deep towards his chest, “Goddamn, that felt like a truck on steroids! I might have to bust out that Mark II after all!” BOOM!!! Landing nearby, rising out of the crater and dust, was the gray giant known as the Hulk,

“RAAAHHH!!! HULK SMASH METALMAN!!!” Ironman quickly lifted his hands as Hulk leaped towards him. With a glow and hum of energy, a radiant beam of plasma and muons fired from his hands, repulsing the Hulk yards away from Ironman,

“I don’t think so, gray and gruesome,” Ironman said, his jet boots roaring as he charged through the air. Ironman swung his fists, fists that have torn through steel doors and punched a giant altered head, and clocked Hulk on the jaw. Hulk didn’t even flinch, as he reeled back his fist.

Ironman knew he needed to dodge Hulk’s attacks at all costs, and fired his jet boots as he flew over the Hulk’s fist, raising his arms in the air. Hulk looked up, confused as to where the Metalman went, only for Ironman to deliver a repulsor-powered drop kick, crashing the Hulk into the ground. Ironman then hovered in the air, safely away from the Hulk, who rubbed his sore jaw,

“Alright Hulk, stay down or I’ll have to hurt you for real!”

“Bah! Puny Metalman! Stay still so Hulk can crush you!!!” Hulk said, picking up a boulder and chucking it like a crumpled ball of paper! Ironman blasted his repulsors, swerving to the left as the Hulk chucked another boulder, nailing Ironman out of the sky. Ironman groaned as he picked himself up from the ground,

“I knew I should’ve made a dry martini before I left that helicopter,” Stark’s eyes then shot open as the Hulk closed in. He fired his jet boots, intending to make some distance between himself and the gray monster, but was halted in the air. The Hulk grabbed onto Ironman’s leg and began to reel him into his grasp. Ironman could feel the Hulk slowly crush the metal around his leg, and knew he needed to do something, fast! Ironman lowered his arm at Hulk, his gauntlet rearranging itself to reveal a nozzle, and dosed the monster in napalm.

“RAAAGH!!!” The Hulk said as napalm seeped into its eyes and face, letting go of Ironman as he bashed his head against the dirt, trying to put the fire out. As the monster stood back up, still rubbing its eyes from the burning sensation. Ironman then stood in front of the Hulk, the central light glowing more and more as sweat beaded down Tony’s forehead. He knew he shouldn’t do this, the Mark I wasn’t made to do this, but Tony knew he had to do something!

Muons and plasma gathered from the heart of the Arc Reactor, overclocking the shoddily made thing that kept Tony alive in a cave. Ironman then reeled back as a large blast of repulsor energy sprang forth, speeding towards the Hulk at nearly the speed of light. Hulk was blasted back, his massive body driving through rock and stone as it crashed through a mountain. 

Ironman stopped firing his unibeam as he bent over, placing his hands on his knees. Just one shot from the Unibeam drains his power to 75%! But Tony knew it was the only thing that could knock the Hulk, out at least. Nothing could withstand a solid beam of energy and plasma, right? Right?

Ironman flew over to the crater, waiting for any sign of the Hulk to emerge. Tony scanned the mountain, his display picking up drastic changes to the geography of the mountain. It reported saying that a massive tunnel was made from the collision, one that was… still… forming…

Ironman turned his head toward the ground as the Hulk crashed through the Earth, growling as it reached out for Stark. Tony fired both of his repulsors at the Hulk, flying up and up away from the monster. Hulk landed back on the Earth, roaring as he smashed the ground in frustration,

“Puny Metalman scared of Hulk! Fight Hulk now!!!” Hulk then bounded toward the sky, trying his best to catch the flying Ironman. Tony looked back to see the Hulk jump from the earth to miles in the air, closing in on him. Tony then had an idea, a last-ditch one at best, but it was an idea. Ironman charged his jets and flew around the Hulk, and tackled its back. He then redirected his feet towards the Earth and began to raise the Hulk up, up, up into the sky.

Hulk roared and screamed, trying to unbalance himself from Ironman’s grasp. But Tony held on tight, boosting the amount of power his boots could use as they soared through the clouds. The sky grew darker and darker as Tony began to shiver. The armor was being pushed to its limit, as frost and ice began to form on the suit, the head’s up display flickering as the armor began to slow down. The Hulk, however, had other plans.

With one last roar, one audible even this high up in the atmosphere, The Hulk managed to raise his arms and clap. The thunderous clap knocked Ironman and Hulk backward, causing them both to plummet towards the Earth, Hulk screaming the whole way down. Ironman, inside his suit, scrambled to get the suit back online, feeling his heart slow down as he gasped for air. Tony then banged against his chest, hoping that disconnecting and reconnecting the arc reactor would get the suit back online.

Falling through the clouds, Ironman slammed against his chest, grunting as he gasped for air. Suddenly, a weight was lifted off of his heart, and Ironman could feel the suit’s power coming back online. With a powerful FWOOSH!!! Ironman’s jet boots roared alive as he could see the ground coming at him really, really fast.

The Hulk, meanwhile, crashed into the Earth like a meteorite, the Earth shaking as Ironman slowed down his terminal velocity, merely crashing through two or three mountains before landing back on solid soil.

Tony’s armor was dented, scratched, burnt, with the arc reactor’s battery only at… “10%!? Crap! I gotta find Ms. Ross before the General comes blundering in! But what about the kid and Banner?” Tony then patched into the armor, “Rhody? Rhody. Rhody!!!”

“Tony? What’s wrong?” Rhody asked he patched into the radio transmitter,

“Is the helicopter all fueled up?” Tony said as he tried to patch up whatever he could of his arc reactor, trying to keep it stable before it burns out,

“Sure is Tony, why?”

“Come to my coordinates and tell Jarvis to send in the Mark II at my location, this armor is about to die.”

“Holy crap! You’re still fighting the Hulk?”

“Not anymore. Son of a bitch took nearly everything I had, but I dropped him from the sky. I don’t think that even the Hulk could survive that,” Tony then sighed as he looked at his power, dropping below 8%, “Just have Jarvis send the armor, okay?”

“And who’s gonna help you put in your new Arc Reactor? Yourself? That’ll be like performing heart surgery on yourself! Tony, I saw you without an arc reactor in you, and it’s scary!”

“Look, I’ll figure out, just…” Tony then looked through the slits in his armor, past his flashing emergency warnings in his head’s display, he saw a green light, “No way…”

Crawling out of the crater was the Hulk, bones mangled and sticking out of his arms and legs, his organs dislodged in his torso, and his jaw practically hanging off his skull. By God, how can such a thing still be alive? But the Hulk just stared at Ironman, his green eyes glowing with intense fury. Then, from his chest, a new green light emerged. It took Tony a second, but he realized that it was the creature’s heart, glowing and pulsating as the light ebbed and flowed throughout the Hulk.

First, its jaw snapped back into place. The skin, muscle, and sinew reconnection like two strings of slime merging into one. Then, the organs inside the Hulk rearranged themselves, and Tony could see his intestines wriggling around like two pythons within the belly of this monster. Finally, its bones sunk back into its arms and legs, snapping into place as the Hulk stood back up.

Tony stood still, in sheer disbelief as the Hulk regenerated in mere seconds. Tony then slowly stepped back, “Rhody, this thing is still alive,”

“What?”

“You heard me, Rhodes, The Hulk is still alive…” Tony said as the Hulk roared and howled at Ironman, gritting his teeth as the glowing dissipated. The Hulk’s skin was still dark, but it was no longer a neutral gray. It was a dark green, mute due to the original gray tone of its skin,

“METALMAN HURT HULK, HULK RIP OFF METALMAN’S HEAD!!!” The Hulk’s voice echoed throughout the desert, his rage audible from the General’s headquarters,

“Get Jarvis to send the Mark II, NOW!!!” Tony shouted as he flew back, the Hulk bolting over to where Ironman was. Hulk smashed at the ground, grabbing a huge boulder to knock Ironman out of the sky. But Tony had enough and started to blast the Hulk with repulsor blast after repulsor blast. He leveled the area, but in doing so clouded the area in dust and rubble. But before Ironman could do anything, the Hulk leaped through the smoke and grabbed onto the playboy billionaire.

Hulk slammed Ironman into the ground, pinning him under his inhuman brute strength. Ironman bashed at the Hulk’s abdomen with his gauntlets, but it was like a toddler punching a brick wall! Hulk then raised his fist and hammered onto Ironman, each hit making a dent that kept cracking and fracturing Tony’s ribs,

“Metalman should’ve left Hulk alone!” BOOM! “Hulk just wants to be alone!” BOOM! BOOM! “HULK WANTS TO BE LEFT ALONE!!!” BOOM! BOOM!! BOOM!!! Monstrous fists slammed into Ironman, denting his armor more and more, “Puny Metalman should’ve known! EVERYONE SHOULD’VE KNOWN!! HULK STRONGEST THERE IS!!!” Hulk raised both fists in the air, preparing to make Ironman into a busted can of strawberry jam. But then, they both heard something through the stillness of the mountainous desert. The screaming of a woman echoed in Hulk’s ears, and Tony spotted something in the Hulk’s monstrous eyes, something… human? Hulk stood up from Ironman and looked towards where the lake was, “Betty? BETTY!” Hulk jumped up to his feet and bounded back towards the lake.

Tony coughed up blood through the mouth slit of his suit, the dented suit making it hard to breathe as he stood up. The armor wheezed and groaned with every step he took, the arc reactor in his chest plate flickering as he wandered through the rocky terrain. Tony looked up at his display, and shook his head,

“Damn. 5% of power left,” Tony linked back to the radio, grunting and groaning as he stood back up, “Rhody, are you still there?”

“Loud and clear, Tony, the Mark II is on its way!”

“I don't have time for that anymore, pal.”

“What do you mean, Tony?”

“Look, I’ll admit it: I took on a bigger fish than I anticipated, and boy did it bite back,” Tony said as he looked at his armor, “I think… I’m starting to think this is it, Rhodes,”

“Tony, don’t start talking like that, the armor is on its way--”

“I didn’t think about the Arc Reactor, Rhodes!” Tony said, “I have no way of inserting the new Arc Reactor by myself, and I can’t do it by myself. Either way Rhodes…” Tony looked at the flickering light in his chest, “I’m toast!”

“Tony, wait, we can figure this out, fly back! I’ll get there and--”

“You won’t make it time, Rhody,” Tony stood up straight, aiming his palms at the floor, “And tell Ms. Potts… Tell her I said thank you, for making me have a heart again,” Stark then kickstarted his jet boots again, disconnecting the radio as he soared after the Hulk through the air. But what bothered him most was if the Hulk and Ironman were in the mountains, whose with Ms. Ross?

Tony used his display to zoom in on the lake, only getting one shot to do this right. At the lake, Betty screamed, terrified, as a large being emerged from the lake. It had dark, fish-like scales and gills, with sharp teeth and webbed ears. It snarled at Ms. Ross approaching her with sharp talons and webbed fingers. But before it could touch Betty, the Hulk landed.

The Hulk roared and screamed at this… this Abomination , and launched into battle. The Abomination slashed and clawed at the Hulk, spreading green blood all over the desert sand. The Hulk howled in pain as it smacked and bashed at the Abomination, trying to take it to the ground to smash into the Earth. But the Abomination then charged its fangs at Hulk’s neck, tearing out his jugular as it spat out his green blood. The Abomination then turned to Betty, and its green, toothy grin caused her to faint.

Ironman hoped he was making the right call, and boosted all of his remaining power into his jet boots, charging at the scene. The monsters turned toward the sky, seeing a shooting star coming at them as Ironman knocked the ever-loving daylights out of the Abomination, launching him several yards away as he collapsed onto the ground. Tony, with 1% of power left in his suit, lying on the ground as his heart did a drum solo in his chest, working double time as the arc reactor’s power faded. He lifted his head to see the Abomination get back up, clicking its jaw back in place as it peered its eyes at Ironman, snarling.

The Abomination then turned its sights onto Betty and approached her unconscious body. Tony wanted to get up, to lift himself out of his suit and try anything to help Betty, but he couldn’t! His body ached from broken bones and bruises, his left arm getting numb as his vision began to fade. What can Tony do, a mere man, against such monsters?

Tony lifted his arm and fired whatever napalm was left in his tanks, lighting the monster ablaze, shrieking in pain as it ran back into the lake. Tony chuckled as he collapsed back, he is one of the smartest men in the world, resorting to the first tool of man: Fire. 

Tony then heard heavy breathing as stomping turned into splashing. Tony then saw the Abomination fly overhead, bloody teeth flying out of its mouth, as the Hulk leaped after it. Tony turned his head to see the Hulk crash his humongous fists down upon the Abomination, not caring that the beast was slashing away at his guts. 

Green blood splattered across the desert sand as the Abomination cracked the Hulk over its knee, the Hulk’s intestines flying out of his belly. At this moment, Tony wished for two things. One: His eyes were ripped out. And two: That he installed a vomit bag in his suit. The Abomination then tossed the Hulk aside, a callous laugh as it quickly regenerated a new set of teeth. It then walked over to Betty and tossed her over its shoulder, walking off as Tony eyed over at the Hulk, not seeing any movement from the gray giant. But then, once more, Tony saw the green light ebb from the Hulk.

“Oh my God,” Is all Tony could say as the Hulk’s spine snapped back into place, the Hulk howled in pain and hatred as it roared in the sky. Its guts and innards began to slither back inside the Hulk, pulled by some unknown, unnatural force to go back to where it came from. The Hulk’s torn skin then began to reconnect again, his skin now a brighter green, no longer the dull, gray tone from before. It heaved in the air as it panted, shaking its head as it cleared its mind.

“Betty?” The Hulk rumbled out, then snapped his head all around, Betty nor the Abomination in sight, “Betty? BETTY!” The Hulk stood up and looked at Ironman with his heavy brow, and that was the last thing Tony Stark saw before he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Pepper drove the military truck through the cold desert night, her fingers twitching as she gripped the steering wheel. Rhody called her, and she could tell he was panicked. She doesn’t know why Tony is in trouble or why he’s in the middle of a desert! All she does know is that he is in trouble, that she stole a government-issued military truck, and is currently slamming on the gas pedal as she speeds across the desert plain. She sighs, she’s nowhere near Tony’s location, and even if she gets to him, how can she help with any--

BOOM!!! Pepper slammed on the break, the tires squealing as a large crater formed right next to her. She looked over at the crater, eyes unblinking as she dared not to breathe. Then, stepping out from the smoke and dust, was a green giant that lumbered over Pepper’s stolen truck. The Hulk, Pepper is guessing as nothing else could match such a description, looked down at Pepper, carrying in its arms… Ironman!

Pepper stepped out of the truck, and slowly approached the creature. The Hulk looked down at Pepper with intense eyes. The creature’s voice then rumbled, freezing Pepper where she stood,

“Metalman helped Hulk. Hulk help Metalman.” The Hulk then dropped Ironman on the ground, weak groaning coming from inside the suit,

“Thanks… big guy…” Pepper snapped her head at Ironman, puzzled. The voice that came from the helmet wasn’t modified by the armor, it had no power left, but it sounded familiar. Pepper shuddered in horror as the pieces fell into place, immediately dropping down onto her knees and placing her hands on Ironman, looking into his eye slits. By God, those eyes… She knew those sparkling eyes anywhere,

“Tony!?!” Pepper said as she grabbed the helmet, lifting it off his head. She gasped to see a bruised, bloodied Tony with a swollen eye, his perfect nose broken as he was drenched in sweat. His hair, the hair Pepper had seen Tony pay thousands to maintain and stylize, was a wet, sleek black as he heaved in the fresh air, “I… What!? How… WHAT!?!”

“I… I understand,” Tony said as he took off his gauntlets and boots, weakly tossing them aside, “And… I promise you Pepper I will explain… Everything…” Then groaned as the light coming from the armor’s chest flickered out for a moment, “Agh… Will be explained… First, I gotta stop dying at the moment…”

“What’s wrong Tony? Is it the chest plate, do you want me to--”

“Don’t touch it!” Tony yelled, panicked as he clutched onto the light, “Pepper… I’m sorry… I should’ve told you… I should’ve told the whole world, but… I was… Scared .”

“What do you mean?”

“When I was kidnapped… I was hit by shrapnel… Which is currently millimeters from my heart,” Tony said as he pointed to his fragile organ, “This suit… It got me out of that cave, but… Pepper, it’s the only thing keeping me alive …” Tony then groaned as the light flickered out again, gasping as Pepper held onto him, “I was scared… Because when I dropped out of weapons manufacturing… It saved lives, but look at how many people are after… my throat?

“Hammer… That bastard wanted my damn company when my dad ran it! Obadiah… He… He stabbed me in the back to take control of my company! Pepper, Everyone is after me like Tony Stark, sitting alone with a company that sells ideas. Imagine what would happen to me, to all of us, if everyone knew I was Ironman?” Then, they heard a powerful jet overhead, Hulk scowling toward the sky as Tony shook his head, “Wait! It’s mine, Hulk, it’s mine!”

Landing in front of Pepper, Tony, and the Hulk, was a golden armor that stood proudly in the desert. The light in its chest was a powerful, neon blue that hummed loudly. Tony smiled as he began to unhook the chest,

“Tony, what are you--”

“This Arc Reactor, the thing keeping me alive,” Tony said, “Well, it’s busted. Who knew constant use of a piece of junk found in a cave would cause it to burn up from being a, basically, an artificial star!” Tony then took his chest plate off, his torso covered in scars from the shrapnel that hit him, healed from the suit. What it didn’t do was make sure that Tony didn’t smell awful, which left Pepper in a weird spot. She’s seen Tony make speeches, gamble thousands, slam hammers, flirting with women, but never on the floor smelling like a foot in a boot, gasping for air.

Pepper went over to the suit, and the suit opened up. The Mark II, instead of being made of multiple, heavy parts that Tony had to carry in a suitcase, the whole damn thing is one piece connected by an exoskeleton. However, Pepper could see on the inside side of the chest, a small Arc Reactor. This piece of technology was definitely not made in a cave from scraps, this was a state-of-the-art piece of Stark tech that would only be found in realms of science fiction.

Pepper grabbed the Arc Reactor from the suit, slumping over without its power source. Pepper could feel the warmth of the Arc Reactor, like feeling the light of the sun through a window. She ran back to Tony, who ripped out the sparking, slightly smoky, Arc Reactor, and tossed it aside. He collapsed into her arms and looked at her,

“I… I need you Pepper…”

“Right, I figured this is why Rhody called me,” Pepper said as she peeked into the metal hole in her boss. Inside, Pepper could see a port that connected the Arc Reactor to… well… Tony’s heart! She gagged as she could see that the metal inside was not a metallic gray, but a dark red. She grabbed the cord, and gently placed the Arc Reactor plug into Tony.

Suddenly, Tony seized out of Pepper’s arms as he gasped for air, as though he were struck by lightning! “AHHH!!! Okay! I’m awake now!” He breathed heavily, taking the Arc Reactor from Pepper and locking it into his chest, “Okay… I’m alright now,” Tony stood back up as he looked over at Pepper, “Potts… You saved my life!” Tony and Pepper then remembered that the Hulk was still there, scowling at the two of them, “A-and you too, big guy?” Tony said with a nervous thumbs up, and looked over at Pepper, “Alright, we need to get out of here!”

“Wait, what!? Why?” Pepper said, suddenly angry at Tony since he isn’t dying anymore, 

“No--”

“Don’t you say, ‘No time, Pepper!’ I literally had to steal a military truck, and drove miles through a cold desert to save you, Tony! I had to put my arm in you, Tony, I literally have your blood! ON! MY! HANDS!!!” Pepper said as he showed Tony her red fingertips. Tony slowed himself down, and wiped the blood off Pepper as he held her hand,

“I’m sorry, Pepper! This new Arc Reactor, makes me feel like a racehorse compared to my last one! I promise I will tell you everything while we get Rick, Banner, and Ms. Ross as soon as possible.

“Wait, why do we need to go--”

“Because, Pepper, Ross is going to blow this place to hell! We need to get them out of here!”

“Well, I can drive back to the base--”

“You’ll never make it in time,” Tony then jumped into his golden suit, the whole armor coming alive. The Mark II was nearly identical to the Mark I, same shape except for a cuirass that covered his waist and thighs, and the new golden armor that was a gold-nickel titanium alloy that was tougher, stronger, and lighter than the last armor, which laid in pieces in the desert. Tony approached Pepper, “You have to come with me.”

“W-where are we going?”

“Wherever that… Abomination took Ms. Ross. It may be gamma-powered, like Hulk, but I don’t know how I could track--”

“You could try using the radio transmitter to locate high frequencies…” Pepper and Ironman looked over to Hulk, who furrowed his eyebrows,

“Hulk did you just--”

“YOU’RE WASTING HULK’S TIME!!! TRACE GAMMA, NOW!!!”

“On it!” Tony said, quickly rotating around in all cardinal directions, “Right, if the helmet's picking up the gamma correctly, it should be… There!” Ironman pointed, Hulk gasping as frowned,

“That’s where Rick is!” Hulk then slammed his fist in his palms, his veins flowing with liquid rage, “Abomination try to take Rick and Betty from Hulk, HULK WILL SMASH ABOMINATION!!!” The Hulk then bounded off, roaring in the mountain rage toward the nuclear facility,

“Right, off we go, Ms. Potts?” Pepper grabbed onto Tony’s armor as Ironman placed an arm around Pepper. Slowly and gently, Ironman lifted off the ground with almost no noise, then blasted off towards the base, Pepper yelled from the ground going away from her feet faster and faster,

“Oh my God! This is amazing!!!” Pepper looked at Ironman, “You do this every day? Why?”

“Because… I owe it to Yinsen.”

“Yinsen?”

“He was a physicist that was captured when I was. Without him, I would’ve never gotten out of the cave. He died helping me, begging me to make a good change in the world, to do something with my riches and brains. And I guess, I wanted to be a hero.”

“You’re doing a fine job at it, Tony,” Pepper said as they flew through the air, speeding after the Hulk and Abomination.

Tony flew across the mountainous canyon, Pepper in his golden arms, as he patched into his radio transmitter, “Rhodes, you there?”

“Jesus, Tony,” Rhody blew a sigh of relief as he leaned back in the helicopter, its blade whirring above them, “You okay? Is Pepper…” Pepper then leaned in towards the Ironman helmet, and yelled above the wind,

“Hi, Rhody!” Rhody laughed as Tony looked at the clock on his display,

“Listen, we have 30 minutes till Ross storms in and bombs the place to hell. Can you come to my coordinates?”

“Wait, why don’t you fly them out of here?”

“Rhody, you think I can carry four people, flying at Mach speeds, without any of them getting hurt? I may be a genius, but I’m not a wizard!”

“Alright, I think I can make it just in time, just give me active updates to your location,”

“Will do!” Tony then resumed flying, explaining to Pepper the details of how, why, when, where, and who. 

Tony flew across the rocky desert, following the large craters that dotted the landscape. They then came across a canyon, a creation of God digging his hands through the earth. They flew between the twists and turns of the canyon, until they stopped in front of a metal door, with a green giant looking up at the Metalman.

“Puny Metalman, where’s Abomination!?!” Hulk said as he looked around the canyon, his emerald eyes stalking the red rocks that lie in the canyon, “I thought puny Metalman was supposed to be smart!”

“Hey, I did your idea, pal!” Ironman said, pointing at the jolly green giant as though it just didn’t nearly kill him earlier,

“It was not Hulk’s idea, puny Metalman!” Hulk clutched his head in pure frustration, snarling like a rabid beast, “Stupid Banner! Hulk will smash--”

“Whoa, big guy!” Out of the steel door, came a teenager that walked calmly next to the Hulk, his leather jacket tied around his waist, “Don’t smash, don’t smash!!! This is Ironman, for cripes’ sake! He’s a good guy!”

“You Rick Jones?” Pepper asked as she hopped off Ironman, steadying her balance,

“Yeah! Who are you? Ironman’s gal?”

“No, just the gal who just saved Ironman!” Rick's jaws went slack as he looked over at Ironman,

“Whoa! That’s awesome! Man, wait till the guys hear about this!” Rick said as he bumped Hulk in the shoulder with a jovial fist, who just nudged Rick over with a slight poke of his pointer finger, “Oof… Yup, that’s gonna smart,” Hulk picked Rick up as though he weighed nothing, shaking the dirt off of him, “T-thanks, big guy…”

“How are you even alive, Rick?” Ironman asked, “Ross said you stumbled in a testing site for a gamma bomb! How are you even alive? And where’s Dr. Banner?”

“Man, I know you have a lot of questions,” Rick said as he eyed the Hulk, in disbelief that he’s friends with this… this… marvel of man, “But it’s such a long and crazy story that, well, I don’t expect you to believe me, how can anyone believe this ?”

“Trust me,” Pepper said as she eyed Ironman, “I can believe even the craziest of stories.” Rick sighed and 

“Alright, what do you think, Hulk?” Rick said but got no response. He then looked up at the Hulk, his emerald eyes gazing intensely at the shelf above,

“You okay, big guy?” Rick asked as the Hulk stepped forward, eyeing up at the craggy rocks,

“Abomination is here…” Hulk grumbled through his scowl, Ironman swerved around as his jet boots came alive. He hovered in the air as he scanned the rock wall, picking up a large gamma signature. He monitored the gamma energy of the Abomination, and how it stabilized and maintained its gamma energy. Tony also made sure to sneak a scan of the Hulk, saving it in his computer files; Sure he’s currently trying to save a general’s daughter from two gamma monsters, but it would be a shame for nuclear science if Tony didn ’t scan these impossible creatures of pure science fiction! He’ll just have to pick at the data later, right now it’s monster ass-kicking time!

“Pepper, Rick, RUN!” Tony yelled as he charged his boosters as the Hulk bounded towards the Abomination, landed in front of his rival,

“RAAGH! WHERE’S BETTY!?! SHOW BETTY, OR HULK WILL SMASH YOU, PUNY ABOMINATION!!!” The Abomination cackled as it bellowed in its deep voice,

“WEAK, LITTLE, HULK!!!” Hulk was taken aback as the Abomination said such a preposterous thing to the green goliath, “WEAK, LIKE, HER!!!” Abomination then lifted his scaly arm up, holding Betty by her arm. Betty was very much awake, and began to scream,

“Help--” Her mouth was then covered by the webbed hands of the Abomination, his pointed teeth grinning as Hulk growled,

“Let. Her. Go!” Hulk said in an oddly calm fashion, one not like the simple words of the Ol’ Jade Jaws that Tony remembered fighting,

“You, want, her? Come, and, get, her!” Abomination said as he tossed Betty off the cliff, Tony rushed towards the falling woman as Hulk bolted after Abomination, his voice of rage and malice screaming throughout the mountainous canyon as the gamma monsters battled once more.

Tony slowed down his speed to match Betty’s and gently wrapped his arms around her waist as he began to power his boots slowly. Too fast, her spine would become a foldable chair! Too slow, and Ms. Ross becomes splat as Hulk tries to make Ironman splat! But Tony knew this situation was bound to happen as Ironman, requiring such precise calculations that would take too long on the spot while in a fight, and inserted a rudimentary a.i. to do the rocket science and calculus for him when he made the suit.

Ironman’s boots touched the rocky ground as Betty ran over to Rick and Pepper. Betty was ecstatic to see someone human, someone normal that day, but the people were horrified as shadows were cast over them. Huge boulders fell from the rocks, each weighing tons that would crush Betty, Rick, and Pepper. However, Ironman raised his hands and fired at the boulders, reducing two of them into fine dust and pebbles that showered the normal humans caught in the fray. However, there was one last boulder, easily the size of a car, still coming down. Tony fired up his boosters to the max, trying to fly in and catch the rock before it crushed them!

Above them, the sound of huge fists slamming into flesh and monsters roaring at each other thundered out as Hulk battled against the Abomination. Hulk and Abomination grappled each other, the Abomination cackling as he bent the Hulk back,

“Come, Hulk. Come, and join, our master! Our Leader!” The Hulk’s mind went into overdrive, trying to use his big head. He then decided to bash his big head into the Abomination, shattering the Abomination’s teeth as it stumbled back,

“HULK WILL SMASH YOU!!! HULK WILL SMASH LEADER!!! HULK WILL SMASH YOU ALL!!!” Hulk said as he swung his fists madly at the Abomination, finally knocking it back with a hammer swing with his fists. The Abomination, beaten and bloodied, shook its head as Ironman hovered above them, holding up the boulder on his shoulder with his mechanical strength of Atlas,

“Hey, ugly!” Ironman called out to Abomination, “You dropped this!” Ironman then threw the boulder at the Abomination, grunting as he charged his boosters to help move it. The Abomination had little time to get back up as several tons of rock and stone slammed into him. The Hulk leaped towards the rock, punching through the stone to beat the hell out of the Abomination,

“PUNY ABOMINATION!!! HULK’S THE STRONGEST THERE IS, NOT YOU!!!” The earth shook with every fist that was thrown down onto the Abomination, the Hulk’s hands now covered in green blood that was not his. With one final slam into the ground, Hulk drove both fists into the ground. The earth rumbled, as Ironman saw the shelf of the earth starting to slide off the canyon, down towards the people below.

Ironman flew down towards Pepper, Betty, and Rick, grabbing them all and heading into the nuclear disposal facility. An avalanche of rocks descended upon Ironman and the crew, barely missing them as they flew past the steel doors. Ironman dug his boots into the concrete floor, making a bumpy landing as Ironman held on tight to the people clinging onto him for dear life.

Ironman set them down and looked around the facility, “Rick, where’s Dr. Banner? You were with him, weren’t you?”

“Uh… Doc managed to sneak off, but…” Rick pointed over across the facility, massive and filled with vaults full of radioactive waste, to a sealed titanium door encased in lead, “Through that door is a nearby town, and I guess the facility detected Hulk and Gill-man back there,” Tony raised an eyebrow at Rick, knowing he was telling less than he actually knew, but didn’t have time.

Ironman flew over to the door, trying to see if the door could be wirelessly hacked. However, Tony realized that it would take hours to hack past government-issued software to keep nuclear waste from spilling out and contaminating the local population. 

“Guys, get over here! We need to get out, now!” Ironman then dug his fingers into the door, and felt his servos grind as he pulled the door apart, feeling the metal doors fight back against the golden armor,

“Hurry! These doors are clamping to be shut!” Ironman then pressed his leg against the door, using his body as leverage for the others to get through the door. In front of them, a helicopter swooped in and hovered, the door opening to reveal Lieutenant James Rhodes,

“Hey, everyone! Get the hell in!” Betty went first, followed by Rick. Pepper was about the crawl through when the boulders blocking the door on the other side were broken apart like mere eggs, as the Hulk stumbled into the facility,

“Betty? Rick?” Hulk called out, looking over at Ironman holding the door open, a helicopter holding all of his friends, “…Metalman… Tricked Hulk?”

“Oh crap!” Ironman then pushed Pepper through the titanium doors, “I promise, I’ll see you again! Now go!!!” Ironman then stepped back into the facility, locking himself in with the Hulk,

“Metalman! Trick Hulk! HULK!! WILL SMASH!!! METALMAN!!!!” Hulk bolted across the facility but only made a powerful dent in the door as Ironman flew above his head, firing repulsor blasts at the large back of the creature, stunning the Hulk. 

“Look, jolly green, you and Betty? I’m sorry, but it’s never gonna happen!” Tony said as the Hulk got back up, his nostrils flaring as he scowled at Ironman. Tony then blitzed through the air as Hulk launched from wall to wall, trying to catch Ironman with his strong hands, “She’s someone who isn’t a rage monster that smashes up anything in sight!” Tony said as he fired repulsors behind him, the Hulk 

“SHUT UP!!! METALMAN NOT KNOW, METALMAN DUMB!!!” Hulk said as he slammed a fist into the concrete wall, heaving with rage, “Hulk need Betty… Betty needs Hulk!!!”

“Really? A girl like her is bound to have daddy issues with the General, and you ain’t exactly boyfriend material, are you?” Hulk gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with rage at being compared to Ross. He leaped at Ironman but was blasted into the floor by a powerful Unibeam. Hulk shook his head as he shook with immeasurable rage,

“SHUT UP! SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!!!” Hulk said as he smashed at the floor of the facility, honest-to-God tears flowing down his face, “Hulk love Betty, and Hulk knows Betty loves Hulk. So, Metalman…” Hulk said as he huffed and puffed at the flying shellhead, “LEAVE! US!! ALONE!!!” With a thunderous BOOM, Hulk clapped his hands. Tony then felt the force of the Thunderclap catapult him through the Titanium doors and out onto the clearing, where the helicopter was already flying towards the sunset. Hulk’s scowl quickly turned into a frown, “No, no no no!” Hulk muttered as he went to jump after the helicopter, but was charged in the back by Ironman,

“Don’t even think about it, Hulk! You may break the earth, and wreck the government’s toys, but you’re not even gonna touch my friends!” Ironman blasted the Hulk through mountain after mountain, each one knocking the Hulk’s head back with each mountain. None of which bothered the Hulk,

“METALMAN! TOOK HULKS! FRIENDS!” Hulk roared above the rushing air going past them, trying to fight the air to wiggle out of Ironman’s tackle, “GIVE! HULK’S! FRIENDS! BACK!!!”

“NNNNOOOO!!!!” Ironman screamed, throwing the Hulk down to where it all began for the Golden Gladiator, screaming all the way down as he landed deep beneath the earth, “Until that monster learns to calm down, Betty and Rick will never be safe around it,” Ironman then flew far from the scene, tapping into the army’s radio frequency, “General Ross?” Ironman said as he spoke into the transmitter,

“Ironman, what in sam’s hell took you--”

“You’re clear to bomb the hell out of the area, Ms. Ross is safe,” Ironman said as he began to fly the hell out of there,

“You heard the man Talbot, move your ass!” General Ross said over the radio, “Alright, you’re clear to go, Ironman. Uncle Sam has this situation under control!”

“Uh huh,” Ironman said as he tapped out of the radio frequency, still feeling the cracked ribs from earlier. Ironman flew back towards the helicopter in mere minutes, his jets outpacing the turbines. He then opened the side door, and stepped inside, “Sorry for the delay, the Hulk wasn’t keen on reason.”

“I’m glad you’re alright, Ironman!” Rhody said, “But what about the Hulk?”

“The missiles are arriving as we speak, so you might wanna step on it, pal!” Rhody nodded and leaned the helicopter forward, eager to get the hell out of there,

“I still wonder where Dr. Banner is,” Pepper said as she poured everyone a glass of water, 

“He’s probably at that town nearby,” Rick piped up, “It should be safe, right? The General wouldn’t risk endangering a local population, right?”

“You’re probably right, Rick,” Ironman said, knowing that Rick was holding onto something, but that can wait, “I’ll pick Banner up from the town once I get this armor charged. I can’t believe after all of that, it’s at 45%!” Tony smiled at the success of his new armor. Sure, it’s a bit clunky, still not the sleek model that he was after, but it’ll do for now till Tony can think of another color to go with golden armor,

“You think he’ll be okay?” Betty asked, looking out the window as the sun began to rise, “The Hulk, I mean.”

“Why do you care, Ms. Ross?” Ironman asked, “He’s the one who kidnapped you! Shouldn’t you hate the Hulk, at the least be scared of it?”

“But I’m not,” Betty said, “I’m not scared of the Hulk. He’s… He’s like an angry child, confused and scared at a world that hates it, and lashes out. Wouldn’t you be angry if people like the army or metalmen came after you?”

“Personally,” Ironman said, “I feel the Hulk can be a good person, even a hero! But right now, it’s a dangerous creature that can crumble a tank into pieces! Hell, it almost killed me!” Ironman said as he clutched at his heart, “General Ross said that the Government will handle it, but I’m not sure there’s anything on this Earth that could match the Hulk!” 

“What about the Fantastic Four?” Rick asked, “The Thing is super strong, maybe he could--”

“I don’t know, kid,” Ironman said, “This Hulk is something I’ve never seen before, especially after I read his gamma signature,”

“What does it say?” Betty asked,

“The cells in his body have finally adapted to the level of gamma radiation, using the energy to fuel the mitochondria. Due to this, muscle mass is created as the skin changes to gather more radiation. The amount of gamma radiation the Hulk takes spikes with the amount of adrenaline, making it so that the madder he gets, the stronger he gets!” Ironman shook his head as Pepper smiled,

“Looks like Mr. Stark has his hands full with the Hulk then?” Ironman turned to Pepper, and chuckled,

“I guess so, Ms. Potts. Why do you think so?” Ironman asked,

“Because no matter what, Mr. Stark can keep moving forward,” Tony smiled under the helmet, looking into Pepper’s beautiful eyes, feeling his heart skip a beat. Tony then leaned towards Pepper, 

“Ms. Potts,” Ironman said as he looked into Pepper’s eyes, “Would you be a dear and pour some scotch into my Helmet? My head is pounding, and I could use a drink!” Pepper rolled her eyes as she poured some water into another cup,

“I don’t think so, Ironman,” Pepper said smirking, “Something tells me you had enough to drink as is!” Pepper said as she gave Ironman some water, carefully dripping it into his mask,

“Come on, Ms. Potts!” Ironman said in between sips, “Shouldn’t the hero get a reward after battling a green giant and saving the day, shouldn’t he?” Pepper raised an eyebrow and sighed,

“How’s this?” Pepper then leaned forward and planted a kiss on Ironman’s mask, right where Tony’s mouth would be. She slowly pulled away as Tony looked in the glass window of the helicopter, seeing her hot red lipstick matching well with his golden armor,

“That’ll do, Ms. Potts, that’ll do!”

Meanwhile, alone in a desolate wasteland, the Hulk got back up from the lake. He shook his head as he swam back towards the lakeside, his low brow furrowed as he looked away from the rising sun. He then turned his dull head towards the ground and picked up the flowers he got for Betty. Shredded and ruined, crumbled into bits, the Hulk couldn’t help but drop a few tears as missiles descended from the sky.

Chapter Text

Darkness. It was the first thing that greeted Hank, who rubbed his eyes as he went to get up. Suddenly, pain rocked his whole body as he fell back down, as though he smacked into a wall! 

“Oh, what the hell did I do this time?” Hank asked himself as he felt up his left arm, nothing seemingly broken, but definitely some bruises, “Am I dreaming? Cause…” Hank said, remembering an awful dream that flashed in his mind, him falling down and down towards the ground. Hank shook his head, “ Aw hell, I don’t even know how I got here!” Hank looked around the darkness, his eyes trying to pick up any source of light nearby,

“Huh,” Hank said as he patted the ground, his fingers touching the stone and dirt rocks that made up the floor, “Okay Hank, where were you the last time you remembered?”

Hank rubbed his eyes as he patted his jacket, looking for anything to reveal some sort of insight into where the hell he is. He found his lighter and flicked it. And flicked it again. Once more, a flame appeared, illuminating the space around Hank. Before Hank was a cavernous tunnel that seemingly stretched on forever into the darkness,

“Okay… What the hell?” Hank asked as he rubbed his head, “I know I wasn’t drunk… but man, my head’s killing me!” Hank then snapped his fingers, “Of course, a concussion! That probably explains why I’m so confused, and why I can’t remember how I got to… wherever the hell I am…”

Hank held the lighter in front of him, slowly inching his way down the tunnel, which kept going on and on and on! Hank gulped as he took a minute, and examined what he had on him.

On his jacket were a couple of pens, two vials, one nearly empty and one-half full, and his laboratory I.D. that said, “Dr. Hank Pym, Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics, Computer Engineering. and Biochemistry.” Hank remembered his parents' wide grins as their son held three PhDs in such a record time. Sure, Tony Stark had 4 and Reed Richards had 6, but Hank knew that he should be proud, of his parents, and so was—

“Janet!” Hank gasped, his hand surging toward his pocket. He was then left with despair as his phone wasn’t even turning on, the battery dead from however much time Hank was unconscious, “Of course, Hank! You just had to forget about your date with the girl of your dreams! You just had to get lost in a godforsaken tunnel to who knows where! You just had to stay in the lab and—” Hank stopped berating himself and halted in place, “Wait, of course, the lab!

“I was… working on… my thesis! Of course, my thesis! The Pym Particle!” Hank said with enthusiasm. His theoretical particle, one scoffed at by his peers, was unlike any other particle. A type of boson, these particles could, theoretically, change the relative position of one’s self to the universe! But Hank believed this particle was meant to be something that controlled the speeds of relativity, how did it get him here? Did it get him here?

“Uh… wait a minute,” Hank then pulled out the empty vial, and examined it further, upon closer inspection, a crimson-red fluid could be seen sparkling inside, leaving Hank in worry, “I did it! I remember doing it! I found it, I found the Pym Particle! I was even crazy enough to distill it into a serum and drank it! But… Why am I not going at the speed of light? Why am I in this… labyrinth?”

Hank then thought he heard something in the darkness, something like a chitter of some sort. Hank proceeded to shut up and speed walk through the tunnel,

“No way… Can it be?” Hank squinted his eyes, seeing a light, “Yes, an exit! Oh thank God, thank You!” Hank screamed out as he ran over towards the light, ready to frolic through some flowers if he had to! What he didn’t expect was to be hit face-first into something in front of him, knocking him on his ass, “Ow!!! What the hell!?!”

Hank got back up, rubbing his nose as he approached the light, letting his eyes adjust. He raised his hands and felt a soft, smooth, cold surface as he saw through the blinding, gasping as his jaw hit the floor. Past the large glass wall that kept him from the outside, was his laboratory. But, huge. Like, really huge! Stupendously gigantic, the whole lab was bigger than anything Hank had ever seen! 

The soda can next to Hank was like a mountain, condensation dripping down like a moving lake. The whole lab was as vast as an ocean and wide as the sky, as though nothing on earth could have such an eye-opening view except for space! And the window, God, the window was like the sun, bright and radiant as it shone down through the lab. Hank gasped as he stretched his jaw from the sight, unable to truly process how the hell this is all happening!

Hank focused his mind, trying to think through the cloudy fog that his concussion made for his mind. He… was working on the Pym Particle, distilling it into multiple serums… He tested it! He discovered that the blue serum grew things and the red serum… shrank… things…

“Oh my God, I shrank myself!!!” Hank groaned as he clawed at his hair, “I can’t believe how stupid I am! Three doctorates, my ass!” Hank then paced around as he tried to think of an idea, but one thought was gnawing at his inner physicist, “Why did the Pym Particle do that? It’s supposed to base itself on relativity, not the size of things… unless,” Hank pressed against the glass, struck by the beauty of his discovery, “Of course! How could I have been so blind! I didn’t shrink, the room did! At least, from my relative perspective!

“To me, everything’s bigger, but to everything, I’m smaller!” Hank said as he balanced himself with only But really, nothing’s changed at all! Well, to the Universe, anyway!” Hank hooped and hollered as he danced around, then froze in place, as he heard something in the darkness. 

Chitter, chitter, chitter , the gnawing of some alien, inhuman jaw that echoed throughout the tunnels. Hank listened as the chittering kept echoing from different parts of the ant farm, as though there were multiple… Things that were in the darkness, beyond Hank’s vision. Hank then looked out at the lab, pointing at the immeasurably giant things,

“Okay, so if that’s my soda, then I must be on the desk. What do I have that’s--” Hank’s eyes snapped open as he shuddered at the tunnels, the chittering echoing louder and louder, “Oh my God, I’m in my ant farm!” Hank smacked himself on the head as he grabbed the vial with the blue serum, “I’m not sure if I have enough of the growth serum to return me to normal size!” Hank said as he looked around the tunnel, “Based on the thickness of the glass, five millimeters, being a thick wall of glass to me, I must be around one or two millimeters tall!” 

Hank didn’t want to grow inside his ant farm, knowing it took years to get it to this size. Plus, it was a gift from Janet, from when they met at college. She said that Hank should have a hobby, one that focused on taking care of something small, fragile, living. Hank then gathered his courage, what remained of it, and ventured up the ant farm.

The chittering grew louder and louder as Hank crawled up and up in the tunnels. Hank knew this passage led to the topside, as it was one of the main holes his ants would venture from, and kept clawing at the tunnels. But they were growing steeper and steeper as Hank crawled, these tunnels were obviously not made for a human being. He then came across a spot of light coming down a shaft that led straight up, Hank put his hands and feet to the sides of the tunnel, and slowly crawled toward the light.

The light was then obstructed as Hank looked up to see what caused the darkness. A large creature, the size of a bus to Hank, looked down with cruel, hungry mandibles. An ant. Hank gasped as the ant then proceeded to charge after Hank, who let go of the sides of the tunnel and began to slide down. The rocks scraped against his legs and arms, the dirt messing up the clean clothes he was going to wear for his date with Janet.

Hank scrambled to his feet as he heard the ant chittering loudly, stomping its legs as it chased after the nest’s next meal. Hank sprinted down the tunnels, taking the path that he took from the start. He went down and down, thinking that the glass wall gave some sense of security. But when Hank got to where he thought he came from, there was no glass wall. He had taken a left, right? Or, was it the right, instead? He’s lost, in his own maze!

Hank went back down to the intersection, trying to find another way to the surface, and was confronted with three paths. Hank went down the first path but found an ant slowly approaching him, its antenna madly twitching. Hank backed out of the tunnel and went down the second path. His heart worked overtime as Hank marched the inches, the whole ant farm chittered as he could hear the ants march around to eliminate the intruder in the name of their queen.

Hank turned to his left and felt everything collapse as he met a dead end. Hank held his hand out to the wall, shaking his head, “No. No, no, no, no!” Hank yelled as he clawed at the wall, but to no avail. Hank then got back up and went back to the corner, only to meet ants blocking his way, slowly swarming in to devour their prey.

Hank ran back to the dead end, huddled close as the ants approached. So this is how a renowned scientist dies, trapped and eaten by ants. And no one would know what happened, the crime scene too small for anyone to inspect. And Janet would forever wonder what happened to the man who showed her the marvels of the world around her.

No. This would not be Hank’s end! He looked up at the ants coming to devour him and smirked as he reached for a vial. He tipped his head back as he gulped down the serum, and waited to burst out of this ant farm. He would just have to explain to Janet how he broke her present. Hank then put the empty vial back in his pocket, next to… the blue serum?

“Aw hell,” Hank said as the Pym Particles were taking effect, the world getting bigger as he kept getting smaller and smaller and smaller, until the ants, neither man, could spot the astonishing Hank Pym.

Hank felt the world getting bigger and bigger as the scene around him changed. The pebbles on the floor became vast boulders, which became vast moons. Hank then could see tiny microorganisms wander around him, growing bigger and bigger until they faded out in the background, growing darker and darker as Hank grew smaller than any living creature before him! He was the world’s smallest man! Finally, Hank was greeted with darkness and immediately felt his lungs burn as he clutched at his throat. 

He was just… too small. There was… No air. Not… at least… in regular… breathing… form. He struggled to look up, only to see millions and millions of lights floating in the black void. Each of them was hexagonal in nature, hovering in an ever-shifting rhythm, like dancing stars. They looked familiar, almost as though Hank saw them before, through an electron microscope.

Hank reached out for one, recognizing its shape from… somewhere. It was hard to think, as there was no air at this level of size. Two hexagons swiveled around and Hank shot out his arm toward the shape. The hexagonal star then started to drift towards Hank, getting closer and closer to him. He then grabbed ahold of the dancing star, which was as fluffy as an electric cloud, and shoved his head into it.

Hank gasped as oxygen flowed into his lungs as his hair stood up at its ends. He wrapped the molecule of oxygen around his head, sticking to his hair through static electricity, and stood up in this unreal dimension. Hank scratched his head at what the hell he was even looking at, then it hit him! He must be at the atomic level! These electric clouds were molecules of the air, as Hank looked around. All around were tiny atoms that floated around, the nucleus is made of dancing, twin lights, followed by buzzing electrons that hovered around, jolting in and out within the radius of the nucleus.

Hank thought of an idea and grabbed an electron from the air, its buzzing tickling his hand. He held out his phone, zapping it with the electron. He then let the electron go, zapping towards the nearest nucleus that would accept it. Hank grabbed ahold of his phone with both hands, grinning as it came alive,

“Yes!” Hank scrolled through his phone, and saw a couple of missing texts from Janet,

Wasp Queen: I’m here, Hank!

Wasp Queen: Where are you?

Wasp Queen: It’s been almost half an hour, where are you? >:(

“Crap!” Hank said as he quickly texted a response,

Pym Nye: So, so, so sorry sweetie! Was caught up with lab work, it’s being problematic, almost got it!

Hank waited in anticipation as he saw the three dots bouncing. He held his breath within the oxygen molecule as Janet finished her text,

Wasp Queen: Thank God, you better get here in the next ten minutes! I’m ordering, what do you want?

Pym Nye: I’ll get a mushroom and swiss, and don’t you dare think of paying for the meal! ;)

Wasp Queen: Hold you to it! LOL, :)

Hank smiled as he put his phone in his pocket, looked around the void, and raised his arms out. With only but a little wiggle, Hank began to fly through the darkness, whizzing past the atoms and molecules.

Hank swam through the darkness of the void, with no gravity to hold him down at this small level. In fact, that’s probably why the oxygen molecule was sticking to him, his weight being greater than the molecule’s, severely attracting it to his gravitational field. Of course, he would do the physics of this quantum mechanic’s thought experiment made real. In fact, could he test Einstein’s thought experiment, and ride a photon? Go as fast as light? It would probably kill him, but it would be a cool death!

Hank traveled through the endless void, attracting as many oxygen molecules as possible so he didn’t choke on anything. Whizzing by were massless, shapeless photons, small balls of light that first started the study of quantum mechanics, these little workings bounce around the endless void, illuminating the areas around them with their quantum energy. 

Hank then began to wonder if flying through the atomic level was even doing anything, the sheer size he was at right now making what seemed like a mile only a mere centimeter! He stopped as he looked around. As cool as this level is, with atoms and molecules flying around as small subatomic bosons and fermions whizz by, he’s just too small! He had to grow bigger.

Hank reached into his jacket and pulled out the blue serum he meant to drink earlier when confronted by ants. He doesn’t have enough to grow anywhere near his original size, but knows he can’t grow back to let those ants eat him! He then fingered out a way, and drank a drop of the blue serum.

All around Hank, the void grew smaller and smaller. Hank could now see the large, moon-sized pebbles that made the dirt of the ant farm and did a little bounce. It was like he was on the moon! He hopped through the air, from moon to moon, the air feeling almost like water, keeping him aloft in the air.

“Whoo hoo! This is awesome!” Hank said as he bounded millimeter after millimeter, “I wonder how big I am now?” Hank then looked up, frozen with horror, “Or rather… how small am I now ?” A large shadow was cast over Hank, the shadow of a colossal and beyond human comprehension. Hank gasped as the creature looked down at him, his eyes having to dart from left and right to actually see a mere portion of the ant! The ant, not being able to see Hank as a potential meal for the hive, begins to skitter off. Hank then smiled, his confidence regained, as he leaped and hitched a ride on the ant. Who better to take him to the surface than the architects of this magnificent maze!?

Hank leaped toward the ant, standing on its hard abdomen, and proceeded to travel toward the head of the ant. Hank then dropped to his stomach, as he saw something slumping over the horizon of the ant’s large behind.

In front of Hank was a large, shapeless blob that slurped the ground for basic nutrients and small, single-cell organisms living on the ant’s exoskeleton. Coming out of the blob were shapeless hands that sensed its nearby area. It then halted, and went toward Hank’s location,

“Crap!” Hank said, the air almost too humid to talk through, “It’s an amoeba! If it eats me, it’ll dissolve me to my bones!” Hank rolled on his sides, hoping to flank the shapeless cell and make a run for it. However, Hank was then confronted by a looming sight that lumbered over Hank and the Amoeba. Its six, hulking legs grasped the ground as the Whale-sized Tardigrade began to slurp the ground, hungry enough to waste its time with an amoeba and a very odd, multi-cell being! 

Hank screamed as he scrambled to his feet and ran past the amoeba, who stuck to the floor and battled against the giant tardigrade. Hank could only look as he backed away, how the tardigrade slurped up the single-celled amoeba. Hank saw the poor cell squirm inside the see-through tardigrade, slowly disintegrating into only nutrients for the tardigrade.

The tardigrade then spotted Hank and lumbered over as Hank ran on top of the moving ant. Hank couldn’t believe that nature’s smallest animal, something that can survive in extreme cold, hot, radiation, and in the vacuum of space, is now trying to devour and melt him down to nutrients! Hank knew that he was doomed.

Suddenly, in front of Hank, came four long tendrils that hovered in the air, slowly descending upon him and the water bear. This immortal cell, with its multiple heads connected to its main cell, was Hydra Vulgaris. The tardigrade roared at the hydra, leaping into the air and battling the creature, not for any sense of superiority or greed, but of its nutrients and own survival.

Hank left the microorganisms to their duel to the death and kept on hitching a ride in the ant. Once the coast was clear, Hank collapsed onto the bony floor and heaved in the air to his burning lungs. Who knew running the inches could make the body burn?

Hank knew he could have drunk his growth serum and escaped his predators, but he wasn’t gonna risk having to tangle with the nest of ants again. He knew he just had to wait, wait till this ant reached the topside, then he just had to drink the serum, hop over to his lab equipment, and join Janet on their date! Simple!

Hank slowly began to recognize the path the ant was taking, and grinned as he saw the tunnel toward the exit! He hopped from rock to rock, feeling as though he could leap tall pebbles in a single bound!

He then made it to where he was before when the ant blocked him off and chased after him. He could feel his body ache from the constant shifting of sizes, the scraps, and cuts from running through the tunnels, but it was all worth it! Hank placed his hands on the top of the hole and poked his head out.

Dozens. Literally, almost a hundred of those ravenous ants skittered the bright, dry surface, the desk lamp barring down the warm sands. Beyond, Hank could see the ants rationing the last of their food, water is preserved in a pond beneath the shade of a rubber leaf. 

No wonder these ants wanted to devour Hank, they were all on the brink of starvation! Hank was gonna feed and water the ant farm, right after he got done testing the Pym Particle, but Hank, of all people, knows what exactly happened next.

Hank pulled himself up as he saw the ants madly skitter around, trying to find anything that would feed the Queen and her new Brood. He then pulled out his growth serum and looked at the glass case that sealed these ants to this prison. If he could grow to the right size, Hank might be able to break out of the glass case and be home-free!

Hank uncapped the bottle and took a swig from its magnificent power. Hank could see the world around him shrink as he grew to five millimeters, the height he was at when the ants were chasing him. The ants around Hank snarled and charged at him, causing Hank to take a sloppy second swig. This time, Hank grew taller and taller, looming over the ants at the mighty height of two-and-a-half inches tall,

“How do you like me now, you little shits!?” Hank called out as he carefully walked towards the lock on the glass case, gently kicking the ants out of the way to not hurt his own pets but to let them know that he was the boss.

However, on the hot dirt floor, lay a drop of the growth serum, when Hank grew out of panic. Skittering by, an ant picks up its pheromones, and examines them to see their value to the colony, as a giant was walking around. The ant ingested the growth serum, not feeling anything as it skittered along, running from the giant.

 Then the ant became extremely confused as to why its fellow comrades were now tiny, or why the holes to the colony were now too small for the large ant. Suddenly, the ant felt something coming through its antenna, and realized that it was the frequency of the queen! Now, the ant knew what to do, what it must do if their colony was ever gonna survive.

The giant intruder looked down to see all the ants scuttle past him, causing Hank to turn around and see what the buzz is, “Oh crap,” Hank said as he eyed up the large ant that stomped towards Hank, roaring as it charged down its owner.

From a normal perspective, it looks like two small creatures fighting on an ant farm. From the perspective of dozens of ants scuttling around, however, it was like a kaiju fight! The giant human yelled and screamed as the ant bit and scratched at his arms and legs. Hank punched and kicked the gigantic two-inch ant away, but it kept crawling back to try and gnaw on his leg,

“Agh! Leave me alone!” Hank said as he kicked the ant away again, trying his best to open the glass case. Hank could see that the glass could be opened, but nothing would be able to close it. Nothing would stop those ants from escaping and trying to devour him! “Ahh, screw it!” Hank said as the ant bit him again, causing him to toss the ant off where he was. Hank then placed a hand on the case and took one last swig of the growth serum.

The case opened as Hank hopped out, now the size of a cool action figure! He turned around to see the ants skitter out of the tank, led by the two-inch-long ant, about to devour Hank for the hive. Hank looked over to see the once mountainous soda can was now at level height with Hank. Hank then grinned as he tipped the soda can over, letting the ants get soaked as they sensed and smelled the bubbly water.

The ants’ antennae began to bob madly, telling everyone in the hive just how amazing this liquid is, and that they have a much better food source. They carry droplets of soda back to the hive, as Hank blows a sigh of relief,

“Alright, I think I should be good from now on. No more vast voids, no more blobs on the microcosmic level, and no more killer ants!” Hank then smiled as he slowly walked across his desk, the room around him still quite massive, “Alright, I got out of the ant farm, but how do I get myself back to normal size?” Hank then spotted his lab equipment, and saw in the beakers enough for one more growth serum! “Great! I just have to get down from here, walk over to the equipment, climb up that desk, and make the growth serum. Man… Am I gonna have enough time?” Hank asked as he pulled out his phone to see three more texts:

Wasp Queen: Hank, I ordered your mushroom and swiss, are you still busy?

Wasp Queen: Hank, it’s been twenty minutes, and I just finished my food, where are you!?

Wasp Queen: I paid the check.

“Uh oh,” Hank said as he stared at the last text, how that single black dot, how one period can show just how done Janet is with Hank. Hank doesn’t hold it against her, he’s always late to their dates and dinners. It’s just that he’s so damn busy all the time! Always searching for a new discovery that would knock the socks off the scientific community. Something that would define Hank Pym to the rest of the world!

Hank began to climb down the desk, grabbing onto the drawer knobs to make his descent. Hank could feel the dust clumps on his doorknob, reminding him that he needs to dust the lab from ceiling to floor. He then dropped to the floors, wiping the dust off his pants, as he walked towards the lab desk. 

Hank smiled as he walked the long, few feet that made up the distance. He thought that the nightmare was over, that there would be nothing on this scale of reality that would kill him. But Hank then heard something, something every New Yorker has to deal with once in a while, and Hank scowled as he turned his head toward the squeaking noise.

Sniffing the floor, coming from their hiding hole in the walls, were rats. Large, New York City rats have infested the laboratories for quite some time now. These resilient parasites of civilization have now invaded Hank's lab, looking for their next meal within these clean, white walls. Hank locked eyes with a rodent, its red eyes peering into Hank’s soul as it squeaked at Hank, getting the attention of the other rats.

Hank leaped toward the lab desk, climbing up and up as the rats swarmed toward Hank. Their ravenous hunger motivates the savage rats to climb up the desk, trying to cut off Hank by hopping on the chair, the duller ones gnawing on the legs of the chair. The rats leaped in the air, trying their best to catch Hank and disembowel him for their next meal.

Hank rolled into a drawer, hiding from the rats that swarmed around. Hank took out his lighter, flicking it to create a light. In the darkness, Hank saw glimmers of light bounce back at him. Hank stepped towards one of the glimmering things and saw one of his scalpels the size of a spear. Hank picked up the scalpel, holding it with two hands as he sneaked back towards the opening of the drawer.

The rats clambered at the drawer, the smell of the small, hairless mammal driving their taste buds mad. Hank stepped on top of the drawer, holding his scalpel in front of him,

“Hey assholes, back off!” Hank said as he threw a scalpel at the ravenous horde. It stabbed through the leg of one of the furry beasts, as Hank carried another scalpel with his hands, “You want some more? Huh, do ya!?!” Hank hollered at the rats, waving the scalpel around like a caveman. The rats flinched and scurried away, not forgetting this day.

Hank threw the scalpel down into the drawer and climbed to the top of the desk. He huffed and puffed as he pulled himself up, sweat beading down his forehead. He laid on his back, turning his head to see his giant lab equipment. He made it all this way, from the size of an atom to the size of an action figure, Hank had faced the odds. Now, he just needed to make more of the growth serum, and somehow make it all up to Janet.

Hank got to his feet, taking a step forward toward his equipment when he heard tapping. Tap, tap, tap , Hank slowly turned towards the window. On the other side, slowly tapping at the window, Hank shuddered in absolute horror as the pigeon was slowly opening the window. It dumbly looked into the lab, thinking the tiny human on the table is a mouse, or perhaps some leftover food. Either way, that pigeon is getting in there.

“You gotta be shitting me!!!” Hank said as he bolted towards his lab equipment, “I can’t get a fucking break, can I? What the actual fuck!?!” Hank said as he moved and lifted the test tubes and formulas around frantically. He prepared the two serums, as he started the process.

First, Hank had to hop around his keyboard. The A.I. Hank mad, Ultima-Tron 9000, started as a basic project he messed around with in High School, now is a specialized bloodhound that can sniff out a nearby Pym Particle like spotting a black dot on a white background. Hank let the Ultima-Tron 9000 run its program as he looked over at the window, the pigeon tapping the window open enough to squeeze its beak through,

“Come on, Ultima-Tron, hurry up!” Hank said as he carried the two serums to the distilling unit. He had to make two at a time, due to the nature of the Pym Particle being neutrally charged. With the distilling unit, Hank was able to create two entangled Pym Particles that have become positive and negatively charged, the positive growth, and the negative shrinking. Hank would wonder if there were more types of Pym Particles, one that would change the density or speed of the target, but right now he was too busy running around to not become pigeon food. 

DING! The Ultima-Tron caught a Pym Particle, taking it down to the distilling unit. Hank rubbed his hands as the neon green particle was split into two, creating the glowing red and blue serums. Hank stepped as FAR away from the red vial as possible, not wanting to be stuck starving and choking to death on the subatomic level. Hank grinned as he approached the blue vial, grabbing the vial of power. With this blue serum, Hank could fix world hunger, growing fruits and vegetables to ten times their size! With the red serum, Hank could fix genetic malnormities, fight cancers, and aid the immune systems of millions!

Hank, proud of himself, goes to lift the vial. Hank then gasped as the weight of the vial caused him to stumble back, the liquid-filled glass vial far outweighed the small scientist. Hank then placed the vial ever so carefully onto the desk.

The flapping of wings caught Hank off guard as the pigeon was now able to squeeze its head through the window, chirping madly as it battered the window. Hank gritted his teeth as he sprinted over to his large pencil, lifting it up as a long lance to fend off the flying menace,

“Alright, fine! You want me? Come and get me!” Hank yelled out as the pigeon finally opened the window. Suddenly, the lab door busted open as a woman barged in, her face redder than a stop sign,

“HANK! PYM!! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!?!” Janet Van Dyne yelled out, scowling as she looked across the lab. Her idiotic super genius boyfriend was nowhere in plain sight, the lab covered with oddly sized pieces of furniture. Over by his desk, ants madly dashed around an open can of soda, on the floor, and rat blood marked the ground. And over by the lab desk, her tiny boyfriend was fighting for his life as a pigeon came charging through the air. All anger faded away as Janet walked over to the lab, “Hank!? Oh, God!”

The pigeon flew madly around the lab desk, knocking over the terminal for the Ultima-Tron 9000. It then knocked the red serum across the desk, shattering against the floor as Hank chucked a sharp pencil at the pigeon. The pigeon squawked in pain as the sharp pencil jabbed the bird. It then grabbed the blue serum, and flew out of the lab through the open window,

“Damnit!” Hank said as he collapsed to his knees, punching the ground, “For God’s sake, can’t you just throw me a frickin bone!?!” Hank then looked over at the destroyed terminal of Ultima-Tron 9000. The only thing Hank had that could make more Pym Particle serums, was destroyed. And the only guy that could fix it was currently fourteen times the size and too small to even begin the process to fix it. Hank decided right then and there, he might as well give up.

“Hank!?” Janet called out, causing Hank to look over at his girlfriend, knowing he let her down. However, she was nowhere in sight. Hank got up and walked over to the edge of the desk, and gasped. Down on the floor, surrounded by shattered glass and red serum that splattered around, was Janet, currently 4 inches tall, “You have five minutes to tell me what the hell is going on, where the hell was you, and why is this happening!?!”

“Janet!” Hank said as he looked over at the window. It was one thing for that sky rat to dash his hopes, now it was personal , “Come on! I’ll tell you when I get down there, I got an idea!” Janet sighed, taking off her heels as she began she waited as her boyfriend climbed down,

“Why don’t you tell me on my way up?” Janet said while Hank slowly climbed down,

“Right, well…I found the Pym Particle…it exists! I was testing it… And I accidentally shrunk myself… I was then almost… Eaten by ants and single-celled… Microbes, and fucking rats!” Hank said as he was halfway down the desk, “And the only thing that can cure us… And return us to our correct height is currently in the… Talons of that pigeon!” Hank said as he got to the floor, walking over to Janet, “When I texted you, I thought I would’ve been done by now!”

“Why didn’t you say anything when you texted me?” Janet said with her arms folded,

“Like what? ‘Hey darling, just checking in, currently getting my legs mauled by an ant, how about you?’” Hank said, Janet, looking at his wounds, how her boyfriend was covered head to toe in dirt. Made him look manly, like an action star in an adventure movie,

“You could’ve said you were in danger,” Janet said, “I would’ve dropped everything and rushed over here!”

“I know, I just… I didn’t want to be a bother to you, Janet. I mean, look at us! We need a ruler to measure us now! I never wanted this, I just… I just wanted to matter, to not feel… small .” Janet closed the distance between them, holding her hand on Hank’s cheek,

“Hank, honey, no matter what, no matter what size we are, no matter what you do and what you don’t do, you will never be small to me,” Hank smiled as they kissed, holding each other close. Hank then looked out the window, and stared at the wreckage of the Ultima-Tron,

“Alright, it’ll take a minute, but I got an idea. You have to trust me though, okay?”

“Okay!” Janet said as Hank tore apart the terminal, “What’s your plan?”

“I’ve been toying with the idea for the longest time, but I never got the chance. But for it to truly work,” Hank said as he eyed the splattered liquid on the ground, “I need to get smaller!”

Janet looked out the window as Hank tinkered with the components of the destroyed Ultima-Tron 9000. Janet had never heard of such a nerdy name for a computer in her life, and it came from her boyfriend. She looked over at how he put together the innards of some machine that was gonna help them. Whatever it was, Hank would find a way to fix this, like he fixes everything!

Maybe she was a little bit too harsh. Sure, she thought she was standing up, ignored as Hank worked away at his projects, which has happened. But this time was different, this time he was fighting for his life! Did things that scientists dream of doing, venturing into realms of size that man can only imagine of what it would look like. Atoms, molecules, cells, insects, and rodents, Hank had done things that made Janet stunned, amazed, astonished!

Hank got up from the broken computer, his high school project that aided him in every field of study he decided to dabble with. He would have to rebuild it later, upgrade even, but right now Hank walked over to Janet with the device in his hand.

“What is it?” Janet asked as Hank placed the device on his head,

“It was supposed to be some sort of psionic helmet, allowing someone to commute their thoughts to other people!” Hank said as he extended the antennas of the helmet, “It never worked with contacting human minds, they were just too complicated. However ,” Hank said as he raised his hands, looking up at his main desk ahead of Janet.

Coming down the desk, like tar dripping down the desk, was a swarm of ants. They charged in droves, approaching Hank and Janet. Stomping next to them was a giant ant that was nearly the size of Hank and Janet, Janet now hiding behind her boyfriend, his cheeks connected by a deep grin as he looked at the crowd. Hank then raised a hand, stopping the ants in their tracks as they looked at the two humans,

“Wait, why did they stop? I thought they were going to eat us?”

“It’s the helmet, Janet,” Hank said as he pointed to the device, “I was using the wrong frequency this whole time, I can communicate with the ants!” Hank then looked over at the ants, tapping a button at the side of his helmet of scrap. Popping up in front of Hank’s mouth was a microphone, which Hank began to speak into,

“Hear me, my ants!” Hank said, clearly hamming it up as though he were the newly crowned king of the people, “I know many of you have tried to eat me, others terrified that I would stomp you. But know that I want neither, for I am your owner!” The ants looked at each other, startled. A power even beyond their queen? “It is because of me you have that soda, the sweet water! It is because of me you have food, water, and a hill in the first place!” The ants looked at their owner in great reverence, like a god amongst mortals, “However, that way of life is in danger for me, and for you all.

“For you see, I am not supposed to be this small,” Hank said, “I have big ideas for the future, and right now there is a bird in the way of my ideas, my future, my own happiness,” Hank looked at Janet, holding her hand as he looked back at the ants, “Those blessed with wings, step forward. The rest of you will split into two groups, one for the protection of the nest, the larva, and the queen. The other half, you shall guard this woman with your very lives,” Hank said, the ants doing exactly what he instructed. Hank then put his microphone back into the helmet, looking at Janet,

“I don’t get it, how are you doing that?”

“It’s what ants do,” Hank said, “Well, not mechanically, of course. With pheromones and their antennae, they can communicate like a hive mind. With this helmet, I can transmit radio frequencies that would match the pheromones--”

“Mimicking the language of ants!” Janet said, gleefully jumping into Hank’s arms, giving him one last smooch, “I love you, my little Einstein!”

“I love you too, my Wasp Queen,” Hank said, stepping away as he knew there was a task to be done. Hank scooped up the remaining droplets of the red serum, drinking it. All around him, the lab, his girlfriend, the ants, all of them grew bigger as he grew smaller. 

Hank was now the size of an ant, giving a thumbs up to his colossal girlfriend. She gasped in amazement as Hank walked over towards a winged ant, cool as a cucumber as Hank climbed onto its back. As Hank raised his arm, all the winged ants began to flap their wings. Hank popped the microphone back on,

“All right my pretties, let’s fly!” Hank said, the ants slowly lifting off the ground. They swarmed around Janet, Hank waving goodbye as his crack team of insects flew out of the window, in search of the growth serum.

Hank’s helmet began to pick up a large source of positive Pym Particles nearby, and Hank looked around. The campus was busy, with finals nearing the corner. If only the students could see Dr. Pym flying above them is currently around the size of five millimeters! The look on their faces would be priceless to Hank. Hank then looked towards the tree, finding the source of the Pym Positives.

“Alright,” Hank spoke into the microphone, transmitting his words to the simple yet complex minds of these ants, “The tree will probably have a next, with a glowing blue vial. Our mission is to extract the vial and bring it back to the lab. In return, the hive shall receive for their efforts…” Hank paused, the flying creatures looking at him in anticipation, “Ten, I repeat, ten whole boxes of jelly beans!” The ants snapped their heads back, Hank able to pick up their transmission,

“Is the Owner serious?” Said one ant, chittering in the gentle breeze, “We cannot last long in this wind if the Owner is lying!”

“How dare you!” Said an older ant, roughly a few weeks old, “I saw him, myself! He was a giant of giants, granting us food and water. You are but a mere five-day-old, so be careful of using that foolish head of yours!”

“And, if the Owner is telling the truth,” said the ant carrying Hank, “It shall greatly benefit towards the hill, the queen herself would leap to the opportunity! It is worth the risk!”

“Forward!” Said all the ants, charging forward toward the fight of their lives.

Above them, sitting in a nest of twigs and leaves was the pigeon. In the nest was a series of large eggs, and a vial of glowing blue liquid. The ants quickly flew above the nest on a branch, looking down as Hank rubbed the back of his neck, 

“How the hell are we gonna take that back?” Hank asked, “I was ten times your guys’ size, and I could barely keep it from shattering!”

“My owner,” said the ant who rode Hank to the branch, “There is a secret to the power of ants, for our size is our greatest strength!”

“We are as light as the leaves themselves,” Said another ant, “Therefore, there is nothing to keep our strength from its full potential. If we were to work together, we can carry the blue vial back to your white room!”

“Yeah, that could work,” Hank said as he put that piece of knowledge in the back of his head, “But how are we gonna get that dumb bird out of the way without anyone getting eaten!?”

“M-my Owner,” Said an ant from above, causing all the other ants to look up in horror. Hank looked up to see a large spider web, with an ant caught in the web, “I-I didn’t see it while flying, I-I’m so sorry…” Then, the web began to move.

Picking at the strings of the web, was a soft humming, as a large spider began to move towards the ant, “Aw, lost, are we?” The spider said to the ant, Hank being able to hear the spider’s own pheromones, “Don’t worry, you won’t be lost from my belly any time soon!”

“Hey!” Hank called out as he snapped off a twig, chucking it at the spider, “Leave my ants alone, you arachnid!”

“Ah,” The spider said as it eyed up Hank, “A tiny human? My oh my, how many organs and juices are inside that tiny little body, I wonder?” Hank squirmed as the spider approached them, looking down at the dumb pigeon as it slurped up a worm begging for its life. Hank then concentrated, his own thoughts now being transmitted. The ants looked at each other, nodding as they flew around the spider web,

“I’ll give you one last warning, you pest!” The Spider looked at the ants swarming around, their mandibles ready to snap the support strands that kept the web to the tree, “Let the ant go, and we won’t destroy your web.”

“And you think that is supposed to scare me?” The Spider said as it plucked its cords, “This is a spider’s web, no insect can cut through this with only mandibles!”

“No, but this will,” Hank said as he flicked his lighter, a flame causing the spider’s simple heart to nearly stop, “I’ll burn your spider web to the ground.”

“And burn up your ant?” The Spider asked as it stepped back up the web, “Why would you do that?”

“Think about it,” Hank said, “If you eat the ant, you die. If you kill the ant, you die. But, if you free the ant, you’ll live! And besides, I think you can manage with one less meal, can you?” The Spider looked around with its eight eyes, looking at the ants ready to fight the spider to the death for their comrade,

“Fine! But if I catch any of you on my web again, I’ll drink your organs!” The Spider cut the webbing around the ant, letting it fly free from its clutches, “And I’ll see you again, human.”

“I don’t think so,” Hank then set the web aflame, the web strands melting as the Spider dashed madly around, falling down as the insect predator screamed to its peril. Falling and falling, till it met the gaze of a pigeon. The pigeon, having finished its earthy meal, looked down at the spider and flew after it, “Alright, now now now!”

The ants flapped their wings as they went to the vial, each grabbing onto it with their six arms. They flapped ever so carefully as they went towards the window. Then, they heard the coos of a pigeon. Hank looked behind him to see the pigeon, having dealt with the nasty spider, has now begun to fly towards the group of ants taking its shiny blue thing. Hank looked back at the window, seeing how they were so close!

“Take the vial to Janet!” Hank ordered the ants, leaping off the ant and diving at the pigeon. The ants looked on in fear as Hank and the pigeon battled in the air, the large bird flapping as Hank grabbed at the wings, hitting the bird’s beak. The pigeon tried to peck back and eat this incessant little snack, but Hank was just too small!

Hank then made a fist and punched the pigeon square in the eye, causing the bird to cry out in pain as it flung Hank off its wing, flying back to its nest in defeat. Meanwhile, Hank was falling toward his death, the large grassy field getting closer and closer as Hank closed his eyes.

Suddenly, Hank was caught out of the air, as Janet smiled down at him, “Hi Hank!”

“Janet!” Hank cried out, smiling as his girlfriend took him back inside and closed the window, locking it so that the pigeon couldn’t break its way in again, “You’re normal again!”

“All thanks to your plan!” Janet said, whispering to not hurt Hank’s ears, “But you owe me new shoes!” Janet pointed towards her shoes, now fit for a barbie doll.

Hank, like a nomad in a desert, drank the oasis water that is the growth serum. He grew taller and taller in front of Janet, finally at his normal height of six foot, one, “Holy Jesus, I’m normal again!”

“I don’t know,” Janet said as she stared at the empty vial in her hand, “Maybe a couple of inches taller wouldn’t hurt!”

“Tell that to the square-cube law,” Hank said as looked at his lab, in a complete mess, “I’m really sorry about everything Janet. I swear to you, I’ll make it up!”

“Okay,” Janet said as she pondered, “I wanna have a date somewhere exotic, somewhere you won’t be late too!” Hank scratched his head, thinking of a couple ideas as to where to go.

“Alright,” Hank said, fishing through his drawer for his wallet and keys, “I’ll think of something. Now, how much was the meal?”

“Oh, Hank,” Janet said as she smooched his cheek, “I’m sure you’ll make the next date twice more expensive than this one!”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be something, not even the moon could hold a candle to!” Hank said, his words keeping Janet on the edge of anticipation for over a week. He kept quiet, cleaning his lab, repairing the Ultima-Tron 9000, and doing more careful experiments. Janet then received a text from Hank,

Little Einstein: Come by the lab, our date reservations are ready!

Janet entered the laboratory, finding it empty once again. The rat holes have been plugged up, the ant farm is buzzing with fabulous riches of brightly colored candies, and her boyfriend is nowhere in sight. Janet wandered around, gazing at the numerous equations on the chalkboard, each one sectioned off for their respective field: Quantum Mechanics, Chemistry, and Biochemistry. Janet shook her head, then looked at the center of the room as a light began to cut away the darkness. Coming in from sizes ever so small, was a large box that had a one-way window and a bolted door. Stepping out was a man in a red and black suit, with a silver helmet that had an oxygen mask,

“Hank?” Janet asked,

“Hi, honey!” Hank said through the suit, depressurizing as Hank took off the helmet, “I was getting the last touches ready! Care to step in?” Janet raised an eyebrow as they walked into the large pod, a diner table set inside the little room, a yellow and black suit resting on her chair,

“What are these suits for?”

“Strolls in the parks in between reality,” Hank said as he pointed at his suit, “These suits are designed to keep us, well, alive at sizes we’re not meant to be in. Oxygen, life support, communication between suits, and an exoskeleton to help fight off any hostile creatures! So, what do you think?”

“How romantic.” Janet said, her eyebrow still high up as she lifted the suit, “And how is this gonna make up for the last date?”

“Have patience, dear, and put on the suit for your own safety,” Hank said, shutting and sealing the door to the Pym Pod, “Now then, let us begin the voyage once more!” Hank turned the valves, pressed the precise computations to the machine, and cranked the lever as the Pym Pod began to hum with life. The pod shook as it harvested the nearby Pym Particles, Janet and Hank feeling the ebbings and flowings of the quantum field fluctuating around them, as they shrank in size.

Hank stood at the terminal, looking at Janet with pride as they descended in size, “First up is the world of insects, where the ants and the wasps' frolic,” Hank said, looking at Janet, as he crank the lever again, the machine humming as they grew smaller, “And here we have entered the world of the microscopic,” Janet got up from her seat as she leaned her head against the glass, looking at the alien creatures that exist with her on a day to day basis, “Here is where the dust mites rule with their size supremacy as the single cell organisms continue their simple existence,” Hank cranked it again, shrinking even smaller again.

Janet gasped as she saw photons stream by as clouds of molecules and tiny atoms whizz by, “Welcome to the world of the atom. Someone at our normal height would need to use an electron microscope in order to see us!”

“My God!” Janet said as she saw the building blocks of the universe, “This is incredible!”

“You think this is incredible, just wait!” Hank cranked the lever one last time, the machine going smaller than any man-made object, Hank and Janet being the first Micronauts to reach this point, “Welcome, darling, to the world of the Subatomic!”

Large photons whizzed by, energy being contained only by the electromagnetic force, lighting a way as neutrinos whizzed right by the photons! The protons and neutrons bundled together in their neat nuclei, the electrons zipping around the nuclei what felt like miles away. Inside, Janet and Hank could see the protons and neutrons swivel as the many different quarks and gluons danced around each other, creating the fermions that are the building blocks of the universe,

“Oh my God!” Janet exclaimed, Hank stepped away from the terminal as he opened a picnic basket, “Is this… is this our date?”

“I don’t know,” Hank said as his cheeks blushed, filling their glasses with sparkling grape juice, “The sight of the universe itself keeping those protons and neutrons together reminded me of us, Janet.”

“Like?”

“That we are inseparable,” Hank said as he dug into the basket, giving Janet her food: Crackers, cheese, and sausage. Small snacks that made Hank, “Even though we are smaller than the heads of your own hairs, no energy or force in this universe can split us apart. We’ll always… stick!”

“Hank, what are you getting at?” Janet asked as she made herself a cheese and sausage cracker sandwich,

“Janet,” Hank said as he held her hands, “I almost died, and for a split second, I imagined a world without me. A world where nothing would’ve been different, except you not having that smile!” Janet and Hank locked eyes as Hank reached into the basket for one more thing: A modified ray gun made of a junkyard trap,

“What is that?” Janet asked,

“Something to fire streams of Pym Particles,” Hank said as he pointed at the table, zapping a particular spot. Suddenly, growing from sizes infinitesimal to both Hank and Janet, was a small black box,

“H-Hank…” Janet said as she held her mouth closed, Hank grabbed the box as he knelt beside Janet,

“Janet Van Dyne, my muse, and cheerleader, the girl that gets me out of bed to try to make tomorrow a better place for her, the girl that made me appreciate the small sides of life. Janet Van Dyne… Will you marry me?”

“Oh Hank, yes, yes!!!” Janet said as she leaped into his arms, kissing her new fiance as they floated in the microcosm. Hank looks out the window with Janet in his arms, knowing the boundless horizons his discovery has given him, how he and his wife shall change the world as they know it!

Chapter Text

Jean Grey was the girl everyone knew. The jocks, the preps, the cheerleaders, the nerds, and even the goths smiled and waved when Jean Grey walked by. Unlike the girls that obsess with gossip and deceit, Jean Grey wore her heart on her sleeve. Her promises rang true, and she listened intently to everyone’s problems. She was a star A-student, a people pleaser, and a good girl.

Then, she heard whispers. It was quiet, first, like a gust of wind blowing past. She shrugged it off, but she kept hearing more whispers. 

“OMG, She looks soooooo fat in that outfit!”

“Who said that?” Jean would ask around, but no one owned up to it. She shrugged her shoulders, and went on with her day, hearing no whispers for the rest of the day,

“My God, look at that piece of meat!”

“Gross,” Jean said as she rolled her eyes, not realizing no one even said anything,

“What a bitch!”

“Excuse me?” Jean would say, calling out those who said that they were her best friends,

“God, Grey is weird! I bet she’s possessed by a demon!”

“What?” Jean said, turning her head around, finding no one there every time. She began to shift her eyes around, Who the hell was doing that whispering? And it just wouldn’t stop, not even when Jean put her hands over her ears. Like she was hearing these whispers without actually hearing it like she was… “I’m not crazy,” Jean said to herself, every morning as she was greeted with whispers.

Over time, Jean Grey realized these whispers were not her thoughts but were actually the people around her. It had to be! The whispers in the morning sound like her parents, wondering what’s bothering their daughter lately. The whispers in the afternoon sound like the classmates around her, bits of gossip floating around as Jean learned horrible truths and harsh words from the people she thought were her friends!

“Are you alright?” Said one of her friends, when Jean heard those words, “Why is she so freaking weird?” Janet didn’t eat as much anymore. She wasn’t as lively anymore. She didn’t hang around with people who were just using her, lying to her right to her face. But no matter what, the whispers were still there. And worse yet, they were getting louder and louder.

Jean would lay awake at night, hearing every dream and nightmare within the square block. She tried and tried to block out the blood-curdling screams of those falling forever or trapped in a box. She tried and tried to block out the wants and desires of everyone around her, getting an up-close look at just how human everyone around her is.

She ate alone at lunch, not having to look up to know who was watching her. How their whispers talked about how weird she was, how crazy she’s been lately, or how she was a freak. Jean before the whispers would’ve been hurt, her heart shattered to know just how everyone felt about her. But now? Jean began to become numb to the insults and comments, the whispers had worn down her stone-cold heart.

It was one day, surrounded by everyone who glanced at Jean, the whispers now deafening as Jean felt nauseous. They drilled into her brain, hammering against her forehead as she felt sweat bead down. She would’ve thrown up if she ate enough food. And Jean would try to go about her day, failing to restrain her shock at the knowledge forcibly entering her head. But today, she felt something burst inside her. Something that made her heart race, burning and alive as something in her soul finally had enough.

“SILENCE!!!” Said a voice that was not Jean’s, which floated out of her mouth and rang through the minds of everyone in the school. For a split second, everything and everyone floated. Books, papers, bikes, pencils, students, teachers, everything floated from the ground as Jean screamed out, stomping her feet as every electrical light shattered. Everyone was pulled back to the ground, their minds filled with the secrets and lies that floated around them, looking up in horror as Jean Grey’s eyes burned an ember red.

Jean blinked, and stood in the middle of the hallway, her nose bloody as everyone looked at her like she was the devil. She stepped forward to try and help someone up, but everyone pulled away from her, student and teacher alike. The announcement immediately called Jean to the office, and the cacophony of gossip and whispers blended together, as though they were one.

Jean sat outside the office, the muffled sounds of her parents and teachers yelling at each other deafening the school office, all the staff glancing over at Jean as though her face were melting. Jean curled up in her chair, her hood hiding her tears from the world,

“I WILL OWN THIS SCHOOL!!! I WILL OWN YOU!!!” Jean’s father roared out, slamming the office door as Jean’s mother hugged her daughter. Their whispers were the sweetest, though they still wonder what’s causing their daughter to be… different .

Jean’s parents took her to church. Of course, their first reaction is demon possession, how do you explain almost blowing up a school? The priests did their thing, spraying water onto Jean in silence. Their thoughts are just verses and phrases from the Bible, and it gives Jean some rest from the constant judgment. But, of course, there are no signs of any demons in Jean Grey, letting her know that at least she isn’t unholy.

Jean’s parents were stressed, their daughter the talk of the town. They love their daughter, and they’ll fight the whole world for their daughter… But it is weighing down on them. The constant stress of Jean’s condition was wearing their marriage down. Jean, unable to mute the constant voices, saw her parents' marriage slowly disintegrate before her eyes.

“Mom… Dad…” Jean said one day, almost hiding behind the door frame as tears welled up in her eyes, “I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, I don’t… I don’t know what’s happening to me! I don’t--” Jean couldn’t even finish her apology as her parents bear hug their little girl,

“Oh honey,” Her father said as he rubbed her ginger hair, “You have nothing to be sorry for, hun. You are a good person! You make everyone’s day brighter!”

“But… But everyone hates me!” Jean said as she stepped away, trying to keep her emotions locked in, “Why does everyone hate me!? Everyone hates me, and I don’t know why!?” Jean lost herself in her tears, her parents keeping her up on her feet,

“Jean,” Her mother said as she held her daughter’s cheeks, wiping away her tears, “We don’t hate you, and nothing on this earth could make us hate you. You are our little star, our little angel!” They held their daughter tight, clearly haunted by some affliction, “No matter what happens, I and your father will stick side by side and be in your corner.” Jean wished she could smile, that she could be magically cured from this heart-to-heart talk. But the whispers of divorce still hovered over them.

It was three days later, and Jean lay in her room, music blasting her eardrums. Each day Jean stayed home and dared not to go outside, trying anything to drown out the whispers. It was that day Jean heard knocking on the door, the whispers of her father. As Jean got up, she suddenly no longer heard the whispers. She took off her earbuds, and for a moment, enjoying the silence with bliss. More knocking came, and Jean slowly lifted herself from the bed. She stumbled towards the door, her baggy eyes trying their best to close themselves shut. She cracked open the door, expecting her dad to try and get her to eat something,

“Sweetie? Could you come downstairs real quick?” Jean’s father said, Jean for the first time in weeks not being able to hear any voices, any whispers, any secrets, any lies. Jean followed her father down the stairs, wondering if this has to do with her parents’ thoughts on divorce lately. Hell, it could be a new sibling for all Jean knew!

“Hi, honey!” Her mother said as Jean and her father walked into the living room, the house was nice, clean, and bright. Jean, meanwhile, wore dark clothes as she looked around the room. If it weren’t for the man in the chair catching her attention, Jean would’ve noticed that her parents must’ve cleaned the house together,

The man in the chair was very notable for a couple of reasons. He was an older gentleman, with no hair on his clean, wrinkled scalp. He wore a dark green suit that

“Hello there, Ms. Grey,” The bald man said, lifting a cup of tea as Jean raised an eyebrow, “It is a pleasure to finally meet you!”

“Mom, dad, who is this guy?” Jean asked, trying to see if she could peek into his thoughts. Jean couldn’t believe it, but she was so used to those whispers that she has begun to rely on them!

“Jean, this is--” Jean’s mother stopped as Jean waited for her response. Jean looked over at her mother, only to find her frozen solid. Jean swiveled around to look at her dad, seeing that he was frozen as well

“Don’t be alarmed,” The man in the wheelchair said, strolling casually as Jean’s parents remained motionless, unblinking, unbreathing, 

“What is this?” Jean said as she looked at her father, waving her hand in front of his face, “Am I having a seizure? Is this a coma dream?”

“You’re right about one thing, Jean. This,” The man said as he waved around, “Isn’t real. Well, to them, at least. To us, it is real in our minds.” The man rested his fingers on his temples, causing numerous amount of whispers to float around Jean,

“How are you doing this?” Jean asked, feeling her breath race as she moved back a step, “Who are you, what the hell is happening?”

“Ms. Jean Grey, I am Professor Charles Xavier,” The professor said, standing up as he walked over to Jean, “And I am interested in your student file!” Jean was stunned as Xavier paced around nonchalantly, “I mean, who wouldn’t? You’re a star A-student with good grades, a kind person who has a… well, had a positive outlook on things,” Charles said, his eyes looking at the sad girl, “Let’s have a walk, Jean.”

Jean and Professor Xavier walked through the living room and dining room, approaching the doors to the kitchen, “Is this magic?” Jean asked Charles,

“No, nothing about what we’re doing is supernatural! Rather, it’s fully natural!”

“So… Those whispers … they’re real people’s thoughts?”

“Intrusive thoughts,” Charles said, “I had to deal with them when I was your age. It’s always a wonder to meet another psychic!”

“Huh…” Jean said, looking down at the unreal floor, “It’s like a dream…”

“It’s the mindscape, Jean. A realm between the minds that you, I, and other psychic beings can enter, glimpsing into the minds and dreams of others, where anything is possible!” Xavier then turned the knobs on the two doors and opened them to reveal a magnificent garden. Jean walked through the doors to see a humongous mansion, one that was walled off from the outside world as the elegant architecture was no doubt a product of the enlightenment period.

“Oh my God!” Jean said as she marveled at the mansion, walking up the step stones near a water fountain, “This place is gorgeous!”

“Thank you, my grandfather built it for my family. It was my home for a while,” Xavier said, walking around the cobblestone steps, “But as I grew older, I began to hear intrusive thoughts as well. I thought I was insane, but then I discovered something about myself that I have discovered in other people all around the world!” Xavier said as he opened another door, Jean barely kept up as she walked into an auditorium, with chalkboards that reached toward the ceiling, “We are mutants!”

“A mutant?” Jean said, “No… No, I… I can’t be a mutant! My parents aren’t mutants!”

“No, but they are two of the few homo sapiens on earth with the ability to create the next advancement of humanity!” Xavier said, looking at the formulas that he wrote out in his college days, “A mutant is a new hominid, Jean. One that is no longer homo sapien. That you, I, and the many thousands upon thousands of people around the world are going under the effects of nature’s most powerful creation: the X-Gene!

“Homo Superior, as I called the new hominid, has access to the X-Gene, a gene in our DNA that can change the human body to go beyond the limits of normal people. For you and I, it is the gift of telepathy!”

“So… I am a mutant? I’m a… A freak?” Around Xavier and Jean, echoes of her classmates rang through the false reality, Xavier sighed as he heard the echoes,

“No, no, no my dear! You are… extraordinary!” Xavier said as he listened to the whispers, “Look around you, Jean! You have the ability to read minds, and the ability to move objects with your mind as well!” Jean shook her head as she paced around, “Is something the matter?”

“How is this extraordinary?” Jean asked as she pointed at herself, “You’re telling me because of some stupid chromosomes, everyone hates me? That I’m not even human!?” Jean said as she stomped away, that familiar burning emanating from her heart, “Oh no, AGH!!!” 

Charles looked around, sensing the presence of… something else. Whatever it was, it came deep from Jean’s psyche, in the interconnected realms of the unconscious mind. He looked over at Jean, clutching her aching head as she cried out in pain, her thoughts of her parents being nearby popping through the realm.

“Calm down, Jean, let your mind unwind,” Xavier calmly said as he pressed his fingers against his head, and Jean could see some sort of wave exude from his mind, like a haze or a mirage in a desert. Suddenly, the burning rage that writhed inside Jean’s head cooled off, slumbering as Jean felt the dulling pain in her head fade.

“H-how did you do that?” Jean asked, smiling as she rubbed her head,

“I accepted the weirdest part of myself,” Charles said, leading Jean to walk back into the living room, “You desperately need someone to help you control your powers, to teach you how to handle intrusive thoughts and the great potential that dwells inside your mind. Perhaps, Jean, you’ll learn more than to hear just whispers,” Charles sat back in his wheelchair as Jean stood in the doorway, “Let me teach you how to control your powers, and I will ask for nothing from you.”

“Can you really help me?” Jean asked, tears streaming down her bright cheeks, stretched by her long-lost smile,

“Of course, Jean, of course!” Charles said, everything around them warping and changing back to the Grey Living Room, “Now then, back to positions?” Charles said with an arched eyebrow, sitting back down in his wheelchair. Jean chuckled and stood back to where she first was in the living room. Suddenly, her parents blinked to life again,

“--Professor Charles Xavier, founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Students!” Her mother finished, the whole exchange between Jean and Charles taking only a second in the mindscape. The only hint Jean’s parents had was a quick flicker in the lights within the house. Charles waited, smiling as he knew what Jean was going to say anyways,

“I’m interested!” Jean said, smiling as she immediately sat down across from the Professor,

“Now, hold on a second,” Jean looked at her father, who had his arms crossed, “What about tuition? And is this a private school? Elaine, we’re not gonna send our daughter away, are we?”

“I understand your concern,” Xavier said, folding his hands as he leaned back, “Yes, my school is a private school, accepting a wide range of gifted students from all around the world!”

Jean could break through the fence that Xavier put her mind in, and saw her father’s thoughts. Distrust. Suspicion. Anger. Stress. All these emotions poured onto Jean’s mind like the waves of the sea against a shore. Jean reached into her father’s mind, and cleared his suspicions, tore down his distrust, cooled his anger, and numbed his stress. It was like playing music with a harp, plucking at the strings of the human psyche.

Jean’s father looked confused, then dropped his arms and smiled at the Professor, “Could we visit?”

“Of course!” The Professor said, “Though you would need to schedule it around Jean’s school schedule, as this school does offer the best education in the tri-state area.”

“Wait, your school is in New York?” Jean’s mother said, smiling as her cheeks brightened, “And here I thought you were in England!”

“New England, Mrs. Grey,” Xavier said, “Westchester, Upstate New York is where my school is. And as for tuition, we have none. Our school is funded by wealthy graduates and donors who are the parents of some of the students at the school. It’s practically free!”

“When can I start?” Jean asked, smiling brightly for the first time in weeks. Her parents looked at their daughter, then at the Professor,

“Our daughter could use a breath of fresh air,” Jean’s father then gulped, shuffling in his feet, “Uh… Any rumors you may have heard--”

“Just mere rumors, Mr. Grey, nothing more. I assure you, Jean is in good hands and can start class next Monday. However, she can move into her board of residence and set up her room as soon as tomorrow!”

“Mom, dad,” Jean said, looking at her parents who looked endearingly at their daughter, “Please?”

“Well… It seems the best thing for her, John,” Jean’s mother said,

“Jean,” Jean’s father said, “If it’s what you truly want, then yes, you can go.” Jean smiled brightly as the Professor smirked with a sense of victory,

“Excellent! I shall get things prepared, let me get my helper and star student of my school,” Xavier then leaned towards the kitchen, “Scott!”

“Coming Professor!” Rushing into the room was a tall, handsome-looking boy that wore a pair of thick, red sunglasses. The boy then paused and looked at Jean, smiling brightly as he held out her hand, “Hi.”

“Hi,” Jean said, blushing as she shook his head,

“Scott, meet Jean Grey. She’ll join our school and is moving into one of our dorms!”

“Great!” Scott said as he walked over to the Professor, unlocking his wheels, “We’ll look forward to meeting you!”

“Good day, Mr. and Mrs. Grey, I shall expect you tomorrow afternoon!” Xavier and Jean’s dad shook hands, and they left the home of the Greys. Jean made sure that they went to the car, their door closing as Jean jumped in the air, hugged her parents, and ran up the stairs toward her room,

Jean was practically squealing as she started to box up the most important things she needed, reusing school materials that she didn’t use at her school. Jean boxed up her clothing, her books, her supplies, her makeup, and her computer. She spent the remainder of the night with her parents, watching movies as Jean tried hard to do the things that the Professor did. She could see images of her parents' minds, though they were only flashes, showing no true insight behind them.

Jean was able to dream again, to actually visit the land of nod. She dreams of the mansion, walking down the halls of the school, and meeting people who actually like her for who she is. But Jean then came across a dark hallway and saw something in the shadows. Jean gasped, as she saw a burning flame echoing through the darkness. It flapped against the endless void, racing towards Jean as it stayed across the hallway.

Jean paid no attention to her dream as she loaded her boxes into her parent’s car. She was just excited to get out of this town, her neighbors peeking out from their windows. She didn’t care anymore, she was leaving, flying away toward a warmer, kinder place. She sat in the back seat, and her parents ran through the list of things that they already had in the car. And with the turn of the key, and a purr of the engine, Jean watched out the window as her home drifted off distantly behind them.

It took a couple hours as the sun traveled across the sky, Jean listening to music to distract her from the thoughts and images of the minds of her parents and the people on the highway. Interestingly, Jean found the mind of dogs to be the most pleasing,

“Hello, red-haired lady! Hello, big metal car! Play? Play? Play? Play? WOOF!!! ” Jean smiled as she listened to her music, looking up books on Professor Xavier. Ph.D. in Genetics and Biophysics, his published theories on human evolution and the study of mutations have been praised by many scientists, but criticized by religious and conservative people. Jean was surprised that her parents even let Charles Xavier in, knowing how her parents tended to be on the right side of the fence more often than not.

Her parents argued about which exit to use, what the map said, and who should be the one driving while Jean looked up TED Talks with Charles Xavier,

“Homo Superior,” Charles said, his wheelchair rolling around the stage, “It is scary to consider, I’ll give you that. Homo sapiens is no longer the most advanced hominid and is no longer alone, and this is what makes people scared. But, I promise you all, this is the path toward the future! That Homo Sapien and Homo Superior shall not repeat the same cycles of destruction and assimilation that Homo Neanderthalensis, Homo Denisova, or Homo Erectus suffered under! That together, these two species shall make the world a better place!”

“I hope so,” Jean said to herself as her parents drove the car through a grove of trees, the leaves giving off brilliant, vibrant hues of crimson, yellow, and orange. The leaves departed as her family turned around the curved entrance, seeing a massive iron gate, and cobblestone walls surrounding Xavier’s school.

“Welp looks like we’re here!” Jean’s dad said, her parents getting out as everyone stretched their legs, “Jeeze, look at the size of this place, hun!”

“I know, right?” Jean’s mother said, taking a picture of the school, “Alright Jean, say cheese!”

“Cheese!” Jean said, hearing only happy thoughts from her parents. They helped unload the car as a couple of Xavier’s students approached the Grey family,

“Sup bros!” Said a pale kid holding a skateboard, “You must be Jean Grey, rad!” The kid bumped fists with Jean and shook her hand, “Bobby Drake, I’m the resident advisor, welcome to Xavier’s!” Jean rubbed her hand, Bobby being extremely cold,

“Yes,” said the taller gentleman next to Bobby, his hair carefully combed while wearing a trenchcoat, “And I am the donation advisor, Warren Worthington the third,” Jean and her parents were startled by Warren’s appearance, his face very sharp, as though it were carved from marble, “You don’t have to donate if you want to, my father Warren Worthington the second is currently bankrolling this school. Though, the professor wishes that I ask just in case.”

“We’re, uh, not really in a position to help others,” Jean’s father said, rubbing the back of his neck, “We barely have enough to keep us three afloat!”

“Well hey!” Bobby said, “While Warren bores your parents, want some help taking these boxes to your room?” Jean smiled as Bobby picked up a box, dropping his skateboard in front of him,

“Thanks, but what about your skateboard? Or not just gonna leave it, are you?”

“Who said anything about leaving it here?” Bobby said as he leaped on his skateboard, carrying Jean’s boxes with ease as he dashed towards the dorms. Jean looked over at Warren, who rolled his eyes,

“Don’t look at me, Drake thinks he’s the coolest guy around,” Warren then discussed the benefits and opportunities that Jean will have due to the donors of the school, which was mostly just Xavier’s own money and the Worthingtons donations.

Jean picked up her box, hearing the thoughts of Warren as he talked to her parents, “God, why do I have to do this? My father practically funds this school! At least I was able to meet the new girl, definitely something I don’t regret!” He glanced over at Jean, his sparkling eyes staring into Jean’s, his golden hair resisting the wind with some product, his good looks looking almost inhuman, and something about the upper-class confidence he exuded made her swoon. 

But there was something behind these whispers that Jean could see, a secret that Warren was keeping. Jean chose not to dig into it and proceeded to walk away. But she knew she could’ve if she wanted to, leaving her amazed and concerned that her powers are getting stronger.

Jean could hear Bobby’s thoughts even before she could see him stride his skateboard past her, “Man, she looks cool! Can’t wait to show someone else my awesome skate tricks!” Bobby then did a kickflip as he passed Jean, grabbing another box as he sped past her again, “Man, just wait till you meet your roommate!”

“Roommate?” Jean said, speeding up her walking as she ran through the magnificent schoolyard, gorgeous flowers that were preserved even this late in autumn. Jean felt panicked, she didn’t want a roommate! She was concerned about what would happen if she did lose control again, not wanting anyone here to look at her like everyone did that day in school. And for that to happen here… Jean could not have that happen again. She ran through the main doors of the school and ventured into the mansion.

A grand staircase was at the center of the foyer, with two elevators that flanked the back sides. Two Jean’s left and right were two hallways, the left leading to a dining room, and the right leading to a massive library. Up the stairs were two more hallways that split off to the left and to the right again. However, the left side of the stairs was covered in several inches of ice! On the ice looked like tire marks that seemed to have also ground onto the handrail. Jean decided to walk up the stairs but made sure to keep a lid on the whispers that floated around, for modesty’s sake.

Jean followed the sounds of Bobby’s skateboard, trying to catch him before he skated off again. Along the way, Jean found more streaks of ice along the ground, a way for someone to speed up their acceleration! Jean then found an open door, with her boxes next to it. Jean, relieved, walked over to her boxes. At that moment, Jean halted as she saw a girl walk in front of her, coming through the wall. The girl turned with her large brown eyes, and smiled brightly as she held up her arm,

“Hi! You must be Jean Grey!” Jean was hesitant to shake the girl’s hand, leaving her confused for a second. The girl then blushed and shrunk in her place, “Oh jeez! I did it again, God I’m such a freak!” Jean felt her heart shatter a little hearing that thought. Heartbroken over such a thought, Jean decided she needed to do something! Xavier spoke into her mind, she can do the same, right? Jean tried, placing her fingers on her temple as her head began to ache again, and projected her thoughts into Kitty’s mind,

“I learned it’s alright being a freak, Kitty!” Kitty Pryde looked up with wide eyes, grinning as she held Jean’s shoulders. Kitty squealed as her mind raced, thoughts whizzing so fast that Jean couldn’t even pick up any of the whispers that ran by her. Suddenly, poking out of the doorway with almost blue fingers, was Bobby rolling in the doorway on his skateboard,

“Holy crap! Bobby! She’s a telepath!” Kitty said excitedly, almost as though she was… proud of Jean for being able to read her secrets like a page from a book. It made Jean feel… good! Great, even!

“Whoa, you can read minds?” Bobby said, his jaw-dropping as Jean smiled, now able to pick up some sort of muscle tensing in her temples. She then raised her fingers towards her left temple, the pain somewhat dulling as her thoughts were transmitted,

“And speak into minds as well,” Bobby stumbled back, almost slipping on his skateboard,

“WHOA!” Bobby yelled out, the biggest smile spreading on his face, kicking his skateboard up in his hands, “That was freaking awesome! Do it again!”

“Bobby!” Everyone turned to see Scott at the end of the hallway, wearing his thick red sunglasses, “Don’t you have some boxes to take over?” Bobby chuckled as he stepped back on his skateboard, 

“Sure thing, Summers! Hasta la vista!” Bobby skated along, firing clouds of ice to speed up his velocity. Jean gasped as she looked at Scott Summers, smiling at Xavier’s star student,

“So, this is a school for mutants? What, are we secretly trying to save the world?”

“Not at the moment,” Scott said, his perfectly square jaw smiling at Jean, “We just go around, recruit mutants, and give them a fair shot at the outside world. Saving the world… Well, that’s not the school’s job.”

“So there is a super team!” Jean said as Scott chuckled, “Then I guess we’re superheroes,”

“That’s the idea,” Scott said, “The Professor said that the only way for humanity to gain trust in mutants is to--”

“Do good acts to benefit all of mankind,” Jean said as Scott looked into her eyes, “I watched some of his TED Talks,”

“Looks like you already did most of the orientation by yourself, then!” Scott said,

“But where is everyone?” Jean asked, “I only seen you guys here,”

“Oh, well we’re the first class,” Scott said, “Me, Warren, Bobby, and you are the sophomores. Kitty, Kurt, Piotr, and Anna are in our freshman class!”

“What? I thought this school was around for decades?” Jean said, “The website said that--”

“We only say that to not attract any attention to the school,” Scott says, “Some of the kids enrolling into the school have parents that… well… don’t know their kid is a mutant.”

“Like this guy!” Bobby said, pointing at himself, “But seriously, I’m not sure if my parents will kick me out if they find out, so please don’t say anything if they come to visit!”

“Yeah, I wouldn't want any anti-mutant groups finding out about a school of mutants, it’s too scary to think about!” Kitty said as she looked at some of the things boxed up, “But don’t worry, the other students are coming back soon, and you’ll meet some of the teachers too!”

“Wait, the teachers are mutants too?” Jean asked, “Who are they? I didn’t see a staff list for the school?”

“Well, that’s because some of them might attract the attention of either our government or other governments,” Scott said, “But, there is Ms. Monroe, who teaches History and English,”

“She’s awesome!” Kitty said, “She lets you take your time with assignments, and gives out extra credit for people who need it!”

“There’s Dr. McCoy, who teaches Science and Math,”

“He’s… alright,” Kitty said, “He’ll take time to help you with something you don’t understand, but will take forever talking about some tangent!”

“And then there’s… Logan.” Scott said, looking down the hallway and sighing,

“Who’s Logan?” Jean asked, raising her eyebrow,

“I’m Logan,” A gruff voice said. The teenagers turned to see a short man, roughly the size of one Danny Devito, with thick forearms and fists as he held a cigar in his jaws, “And you’re all late to gym class!!!” 

“We’re helping introduce our new classmate to the school,” Scott said, furrowing his brow, “Jean, meet Logan. He does P.E. and trains new members of the X-Men.” Jean looked at Logan’s face, hairy and rugged, scowling as he sniffed the air. Behind Logan, Bobby skated down the hallway, his smile dropping as Logan snatched Bobby off his board, “And you, wiseguy! Stop icing up the floor, it’s hard to clean it up!”

Bobby accidentally dropped a box as Logan snatched him, Jean holding out her hand as she saw her personal items fall towards the ground, “No!” Suddenly, the objects halted in place, Jean holding out her hand as she felt… something emanating from her hand, her nerves tingling as the baubles and objects floated back into the box. It was then neatly set down on the ground. Jean started to pant, the back of her neck and head pounding as Scott touched his glasses,

“Logan put Bobby down,” Scott said calmly, standing straight up as he towered over the 

“Or what, slim?” Logan said, flexing the muscles in his forearm as something began to move under his skin, “You’re gonna report me to the Professor?”

“Not exactly,” Logan was launched down the hallway as Scott moved his glasses to his forehead, loud crackling of energy filled the hallway as Scott opened his eyes, and beams of pure crimson light blasted the small man across the hallway towards the other side of the grand staircase. Scott then shut his eyes as he rubbed the eyelids, gasping as he put his glasses back on,

“Alright,” Logan said getting back up, “You done it now, Bub!” SNIKT! SNIKT! Popping out of his knuckles were three metal claws on each hand, flashing and shimmering in the light as Logan stepped towards Scott, his burned skin rapidly healing itself as he snarled,

“Hey!” Jean said, stepping in front of Scott as Logan approached. Jean raised her hand, placing both hands on both of her temples, and felt waves of commands flow from her head, battering against Logan’s instincts, “Relax… We mean no harm… We only wanna have fun… So calm down… And walk out of the dorms…” Logan looked confused, shaking his head as he walked away, his claws receding into his arms. Jean looked back at the guys, blood dripping from her nose,

“How did you do that?” Scott asked as he wiped the blood from her nose, “I've never seen Logan back down from a fight before!”

“I told him to calm down and go away,” Jean stated, picking up her box from the ground, “It was something I saw Professor Xavier do when we first met!”

“Wait a minute, if Logan’s here,” Kitty then started to sprint towards the foyer, “That means Piotr’s back!” Kitty then jumped over and dived down towards the floor, phasing through the ground like an Olympic diver,

“Where did she go?” Jean asked Scott as he patted her shoulder, 

“All will be explained, but first we need to get you to Dr. McCoy, don’t wanna say goodbye to your parents with a bloody nose, do you?”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Jean said as she reached for Scott’s glasses. Scott grabbed Jean's wrist carefully,

“What are you doing?” Scott said, panic clear in his voice,

“Sorry, I only wanted to see your eyes, they must be beautiful if you can shoot lasers out of them!”

“They’re not beautiful,” Scott said as he pointed to the glasses, “I… I can’t stop the whole, ‘optic lasers.’ These glasses are the only thing that lets me see with my eyes open, and it can get straining.”

“Why?” Jean asked as she peeked into Scott’s head, too sheepish to say anything. Jean relented, the need to know what Scott was thinking grew too much, and Jean let his intrusive thoughts echo toward her,

“All I see is red,” Scott said as he rubbed the back of his head, “Wait, crap, you moron! She can read minds, quick, puppies!” Jean then giggled as images of puppies running through a field of flowers entered her mind, “I knew it!”

“I’m sorry!” Jean said, “I can’t help it! But you shouldn’t let things get bottled up inside, Summers!”

“True,” Scott said, as they walked down the hallway, “But at least ask first, alright?”

“Alright, fine: Scott Summers,” Jean said as she looked at the red-tinted glasses, “May I read your mind, and speak my mind about it?”

“Yes you can,” Scott smiled as he kept his lips closed as they walked down the hallway, having a conversation through their minds.

“So, are you guys superheroes?” Jean pondered as she and Scott wandered the halls, Scott giving her a handkerchief to hold her bloody nose,

“That’s the goal,” Scott thought, “That the X-Men shall open the door for all mutant-kind.”

“The X-Men? Sounds kinda goofy, don’t you think?”

“It stands for how we are extraordinary, that our powers were given to us not by choice but by fate. We use these powers to not only help other mutants but humans who are in danger from other mutants”

“Who are the other mutants?” Jean wondered,

“I… I can’t tell you that yet,” Jean could feel a part of Scott’s mind flinch, not letting any information float around. Scott was obviously versed in dealing with psychic people, “Just wait till you get a session with Xavier, he’ll tell you everything.”

“Oh, kinda like Charles Manson?” Jean dwelled on, “I only met the guy yesterday, yet you think he’s the savior of mankind! Why are you so… zealous of the guy?” The word, zealous , echoed in each other’s minds, present and weighing on their minds,

“Because…” Scott furrowed his eyebrows, then looked at Jean, “Here, look in my mind,” Jean peered into Scott’s mind, and fell into a rabbit hole within Scott’s mind. She looked outward through her eyes, but they weren’t her eyes. But rather, through Scott’s eyes! 

Scott was a troubled child. With his father and mother dying in a plane crash, he and his brothers were the sole survivors. Scott was in a coma for a few years as the Summer brothers were separated and sent through the foster care system. Scott woke up and found himself in an orphanage that was not the best for mutants.

Scott was sent to a public school, any signs of his mutant powers not showing. It was one day when sitting in class, failing to focus on the class at hand. Jean could sense the killer migraine that Scott felt, almost the same one she had when her powers arrived as well. He asked to go to the bathroom but stumbled in the hallway to the ground and he fell to his knees. Jean could see everything go red as Scott’s powers manifested, his eyes blasting two crimson beams of optic light through the walls and floors of the school.

Scott kept his eyes closed, Jean only in darkness as Scott refused to open his eyes ever again. Scott was on the run, going from town to town as he kept his eyes shut. Jean found some of these memories odd, as though they were edited in haste, but the fear Scott had was real. Scott worried that on one of those days, someone from the X-Files would’ve shown up and taken him away.

Until, one day, in the darkness appeared Charles Xavier. Charles talked to Scott about his powers, and how Dr. McCoy developed a prototype visor for Scott to control his laser eyes. The next time Scott opened his eyes, Xavier was sitting in front of him with a confident smile, fully believing in Scott and his gift. From then on, Scott had Professor X’s back.

“My God, I… I had no idea!” Jean realized, “I am so sorry!”

“It’s alright,” Scott said as he shrugged as they walked out of the dormitory, “Most of the students here have a ‘Carrie’ story.”

“A ‘Carrie’ Story?”

“A teen who gets near supernatural powers when they enter puberty, and their powers go berserk at school. It’s more common than you think!”

“Huh, then what about…” Jean and Scott moved apart as Bobby blitzed by, carrying one of the last boxes that Jean packed, “Bobby? What was his ‘Carrie’ story?”

“Actually, it’s not that bad,” Scott thought, “Though… It’s still bad.”

“What could possibly happen to cool and chill Bobby to be qualified as a ‘Carrie’ story?”

“He made his hometown have thirteen snow days in a row… Rivers and sea shores were frozen over, roads slick with ice and snow, and the sun blotted out by the most horrendous blizzard known to hit the West Coast! People were trapped in their homes, people were almost starving by the time Professor Xavier helped Bobby out!”  

“Whoa! I… I can’t imagine how he stays so positive!”

“Bobby says that life’s like the ocean, that it’ll bash you with wave after wave. After a while, you just have to let it wash over you.”

“Let me guess: He’s from California?”

“Wow, you really are psychic!” Jean and Scott giggled as they approached the door to Dr. Hank McCoy’s office, “Well,” Scott spoke aloud for the first time in minutes, “We’re here!”

The “office” was more of a laboratory, with large rafters in the ceiling and chalkboards filled with scribbles and equations Jean looked around, “Whoa! Is this the science lab?” Jean asked,

“No, this is Dr. McCoy’s personal lab,” Scott said looking around, “Though, I could’ve sworn he was still on campus.”

“Scott?” Said a voice from above, dropping down below and looming over the two teenagers. Wearing a lab coat and a refined tweed suit, was an animalistic man with blue fur, his fangs poking out of his smile, “What a pleasant surprise!”

“Dr. McCoy!” Scott said as Jean looked on at her teacher, who held his arms behind his back as he intently listened to his pupil, “This is Jean, she’s the new student who enrolled!”

“Excellent!” Dr. McCoy said, shaking Jean’s hands with his long claws. Jean didn’t mean to, but she was hesitant to shake Dr. McCoy’s pawed hand,

“Uh, I am so--”

“It’s quite fine, my dear,” Dr. McCoy said as he accepted Jean’s delayed handshake, “I am quite familiar with the looks, almost every student here who has met me was in absolute shock! But I assure you, it means no harm to me, after all, this is my gift!” The teacher then leaped into the air, grabbing the rafters with his bare feet, which resembled that of a gorilla’s or a chimp’s. Dr. McCoy then looked at Jean’s nose, “My, oh my! Have you been overextending your telekinetic prowess, my dear?”

“My, uh, what?” Jean asked. Scott chuckled as the teacher leaped back down,

“I sincerely apologize! For you see, I am very well interested in the biology and physiology of the X-Gene, and am currently compiling a research paper on the subject! But, back to current matters,” Dr. McCoy then straightened himself and cleared his throat, “Your mind, it’s like a muscle! Whatever you did recently, telepathic or telekinetic, caused your nose to bleed! I saw Charles do it a couple of times myself a couple decades ago!”

“Can you fix her, Hank?” Scott asked, “Her parents are being lectured by Warren, and I don’t think they’ll appreciate that their daughter has a bloody nose immediately when she gets her, so…”

“Right!” Dr. McCoy leaped over a few desks and lab counters, fetching some sort of nasal spray, “It should block the burst blood vessel, helping the body seal it up as it contains the bleeding,” Dr. McCoy said as he handed the nasal spray to Jean, “Such is when meddling with the minds of other people, right Ms. Grey?” Hank said with a raised eyebrow,

“It was Logan,” Scott said, “She got him to calm down and back away from a fight,”

“Ah, that’ll cause it!” Dr. McCoy said as Jean sprayed the bottle up her nose, “That would be like telling a gun with a pulled trigger not to fire!” Dr. McCoy then gasped as Jean gasped, “Oh no…”

“Ah, ah, Ah-CHOO” Jean sneezed, trying to cover most of the snot and blood that came out.

“Bless you, my dear,” Dr. McCoy said as he handed Jean a napkin, looking uneasy as a few drops of blood were on the counters. Jean blew her nose, breathing easily as the blood vessels in her nose healed. 

“Look! It worked! You’re a genius, Dr. McCoy!”

“Thank you, now please, leave my laboratory,” Dr. McCoy said as he gently shoved the teenagers towards the door,

“Did we do something wrong?” Jean asked,

“No, my dear! But I must decontaminate any germs! Can’t let anything tamper with my chemicals in this lab. Please excuse me if I appear beastly, now please leave immediately!” Scott and Jean were pushed out of the lab, the door slammed shut as Dr. McCoy quickly sprayed down his lab,

“Well, you met Dr. McCoy!” Scott said, shaking his head, “He’s a germaphobe and rambles on and on, but he means well.”

“Wow,” Jean said as she stared at Dr. McCoy’s bare thoughts, seeing no resentment towards Jean as he scrubbed the counters down, “I treated him so wrong, and he--”

“Hey, you’ll get used to it,” Scott said, “Xavier once said, ‘To overcome mental boundaries, physical boundaries must be crossed first.’ That, we must uncover as much of the unknown as possible for people to no longer find any reason to fear.”

“What about our powers?” Jean asked, “We can accidentally cause a school to collapse! What would happen if someone got these powers, and they weren’t for the benefit of mankind?”

“Well… That’s why the X-Men are around,” Scott said, “Come on, your parents are probably waiting.”

They walked back to the front gate of the mansion. Jean picked up the last box on the ground as Warren finished talking to Jean’s parents,

“You see, my great, great, great, great grandfather was one of the first to establish a bank here in New York, so we own quite a lot of real estate--” Warren then looked over as Jean’s parents rushed over to their daughter, “Oh thank God they’re back,” Warren muttered, rubbing his forehead from having to recount his family lineage from memory to impress and ensure Jean’s parents that they’ll never have to pay a dime on the school.

“Jean, what took you so long?” Jean’s mother asked,

“I was wandering around the school,” Jean said, smiling as she looked behind her, “I think I’ll do great here!”

“Okay, but if you need anything,” Jean’s father said as both her parents pulled her in for a hug, “We’re only a call away, okay?”

“Okay,” Jean then stepped back, holding her last box under her arm as she waved at her parents, pulling out and driving away, “Love you!” Jean smiled as she turned, and walked with Scott back into the grounds of Xavier’s School for Gifted Students.

“So, what do you wanna do?” Jean asked Scott as Scott blushed,

“Well--” Before Scott could even finish his thoughts, a cloud of blue smoke appeared before them with a loud BAMF !!!

“Ah! Scott!” Appearing from the smoke with yellow eyes and fangs, his spear-tipped tail twirling in the air, was some sort of blue demon, “We need you, at once!”

“What’s going on?” Jean asked as Scott closed his eyes, switching his sunglasses for a visor that made his eyes into one long, narrow red eye,

“Lay it on me, Nightcrawler,”

“A Sentinel followed the Blackbird!” Nightcrawler said, his three fingers twitching in his hands, “Colossus is working with Wolverine as we speak, but we need you on the battlefield!”

Scott looked down in deep thought, then looked at Jean, “You don’t have to go. You can set your room up, we can handle a Sentinel.”

“What is it?” Jean asked,

“A giant metal robot, programmed to capture and eliminate mutants!”

“What!?!” Jean said,

“Jean, listen,” Scott said as he grabbed her shoulders, “Can you alert Bobby?”

“I… I’ll try,” Jean pressed her fingers against her temples, reaching out for the chilled-out vibes of the Iceman. “Bobby? Bobby!”

“Whoa!” Bobby’s mind was blown as Jean spoke to him again, “That is so cool!”

“Listen, something called a ‘Sentinel,’ is near the--”

“A Sentinel? Oh crap!” Above Jean, she could see beams of ice form a large structure, as a man made of ice and snow skated along the ice.

“Thanks,” Scott said, grabbing onto Nightcrawler’s shoulder, “So, you wanna come and fight a giant robot?”

“Well… When will I ever get another chance?” Jean joked,

“More times than you would think,” Scott said as Jean held his hand, Nightcrawler closed his eyes as he grinned, bumping Scott on the shoulder.

BAMF!!! Jean coughed as the blue smoke dissipated, the eyes widening as a large, purple robot blasted lasers down on a man made of metal. On the shoulder of the Sentinel was Logan, wearing a yellow and blue suit and slashing away at the circuitry of the robot. Scott snapped his hand to the side of the visor, letting lose a controlled blast of optic lasers blast at the Sentinel’s eye,

“Jean, get cover!” Scott said, Jean running over to the side as Nightcrawler BAMF ed away, distracting the targeting systems of the Sentinel, “Colossus, you alright?”

“Da!” Colossus said, his metal body still smoking from the laser, “Its metal hide is too tough!”

“Alright, Wolverine!” ZAP! “Slash at the joints,” ZAP! “That’s the least covered area!”

“Kinda busy here!” Wolverine said as the Sentinel grabbed the small mutant. Logan looked up at the eyes of the Sentinel, snarling as he slashed his metal claws into the Sentinel’s hands, “Bring it on!”

“TERMINATE ALL MUTANTS!” Wolverine screamed as he was blasted with heat rays, his skin and costume slowly burning away as Jean scowled at the giant robot,

“Wolverine!” Cyclops yelled out, looking at Colossus, “Colossus, where’s Shadowcat!”

“She tried to phase through the Sentinel, but was bounced back through the wall!” Stumbling out of the wall, dizzy and shaky, was Kitty Pryde,

“I-I’m okay! I… I can handle those two Sentinels!”

“Stand down, Shadowcat!” Cyclops said, blasting his optic lasers at the knees and elbows of the Sentinel, with little to no effect. Coming from the sky, Iceman slides in and blasts the entire left side of the Sentinel with ice, 

“Hey tall and ugly, take a chill pill--” The Sentinel then pulled his arm out of the ice, smacking Bobby across the field, “Ahh!” Iceman blasted a thick blanket of snow toward the ground, softening his fall,

“Damn!” Scott cursed, clenching his fists as he unleashed more optic blasts, “No physical attacks affect this thing!” Scott then looked over at Jean, whose fiery eyes flickered as a flame burst from her hands, hair, and shoulders, “Jean?”

Jean reached out her hand looking at the Sentinel with flame streaking from her eyes. The Sentinel raised its fist in the air but was unable to slam it down on Bobby. It remained in the air as its other hand lifted in the air, letting Wolverine’s burnt body fall to the ground. The Sentinel scanned its surroundings, nothing physical was grabbing at its arms, but it could not compute why it was slowly being lifted in the air. Jean screamed at the top of her lungs, swinging her fists out as she ripped out its arms.

The Sentinel fell to the ground, looking down at the exhausted mutant whose eyes, ears, and nose bleed, red tears streaming down her cheeks and neck as the Sentinel's eyes narrowed, “MAIN MUTANT TARGET ACQUIRED!!!” And prepared its lasers.

“NOW!” Cyclops screamed as Iceman blasted ice over the eyes of the Sentinel, blinding it as Angel swooped in, his heavenly wings carrying him and Jean out of the way as Colossus held Wolverine in one hand, tossing him at the Sentinel like a softball. The Sentinel melted the ice out of the way as Logan slashed at the Sentinel’s face, snarling and growling as he mercilessly cut into the robot. Cyclops then looked over at Shadowcat, “Kitty, get into the arms that Jean ripped off!”

“On it!” Kitty ran towards her boyfriend, the Colossus, as he helped launch her at the Sentinel, coming through the wires and inner metal that made up the Sentinel. With matter going through the electronics of the Sentinel, it shuddered and roared as it exploded from the inside, falling to the floor and being destroyed. Kitty stumbled out, shaking her head as she was covered in soot, “Whoa! That was awesome!” She then gasped and held her hands in front of her mouth, “Oh my God, Jean!”

Angel floated down as Jean climbed out of his arms, her vision, smelling, hearing, and taste being slightly off as she wiped the blood from her nose,

“Are you okay, Jean?” Warren asked as he held his hand above her forehead, a soft light coming from his hands. Almost suddenly, all the blood stopped as the light healed Jean’s burst blood vessels. Jean felt her clouded mind clear up, looking up at her angelic savior, and hearing his thoughts, “You’re okay, beautiful.”

“Thanks, Warren,” Jean smiled as she saw Warren’s wings loom over him, spreading out as Warren was able to let loose, “Wow, your wings are amazing!”

“Thank you, but these wings aren’t the only thing that makes me an Angel,” Warren smiled, Scott raising an eyebrow as he stepped over next to Jean,

“Alright Angel, keep a lookout, Sentinels usually don’t fight alone, so be careful!”

“On it, Cyclops,” Angel said, winking at Jean as he flapped his wings, flying up and up into the air,

“Are you still with us, Grey?” Scott asked, frowning as Jean rubbed her aching head,

“Yeah,” Jean could feel the waves of stress and green envy that oozed off of Scott, “Are you?”

“Could be better,” Scott said as he looked over at Nightcrawler and Wolverine, who motioned his finger to have Scott come over there, “Excuse me, I need to help take care of the other Sentinels,” Scott then looked over at Kitty, “Shadowcat, you and Jean go back to the mansion and rest up, we may need you if things get dicey,”

“On it, Cyclops!” Kitty said, holding Jean’s hand as she ran with Jean. The last thing Jean saw was Scott teleport away with Wolverine and Nightcrawler, looking back at her. Jean then sighed and phased through the wall with Kitty.

Jean held the ice pack against her head as she unloaded her boxes on her side of the room, Kitty repainting her nails, “You didn’t do too badly for your first fight,” Kitty said as she smiled at Jean, who looked frustrated, “I remember my first fight as an X-Man!”

“What was it?” Jean said, setting up her bed with bed sheets, blankets, and pillows,

“Sentinels,” Kitty said, “The assholes who make them keep updating them, making them stronger and stronger in hopes that he can wipe all mutants off the Earth,” Kitty then laughed as she looked back, Jean seeing how Kitty defeated the Sentinel, phasing through the giant metal behemoth by jumping through it, “I thought I could do the same thing, but it… It’s getting better.”

“Well,” Jean said, blowing away her frustration, “At least you’re not alone!”

“Right!” Kitty said, “Bobby coming in, freezing the Sentinel as Warren came in and carried you away.” Jean blushed when Kitty mentioned Warren, 

“Yeah…” Jean said, remembering those perfect golden eyes, which caused Kitty to grin wider and wider, 

“Oh my God! You have a crush on Warren?” Jean could feel her face turn almost identical shades of red that her hair was, throwing a pillow that went through Kitty, “Wow! You like Angel Boy? Hmm!?”

“No!” Jean said, “Well, maybe? But I have a crush on--” Jean then clamped her hands over her mouth as Kitty pointed at her, standing up her mind raced,

“Shut up! You have a crush on Scott Summers!?!” Kitty then squealed as she jumped up and down on the bed, “Oh my God, I finally have someone to talk about boys and drama and gossip and clothes and makeup finally!”

“Look,” Jean said as she moved her crimson hair out of her face, “It’s not like I want to try and date multiple guys, it’s just… Scott is so nice and charming, and Warren is so dreamy!”

“Hey, girl, I ain’t judging,” Kitty said, getting off the bed, “Just think of what is going to happen if you choose.”

“What do you mean?” Jean asked as Kitty sit down next to Jean,

“Take me for example,” Kitty said as she sat down, “My boyfriend is Piotr, the Colossus dude, right? He is such a giant cuddle bear, but have you ever cuddled up to a telephone pole? He gets super cold overnight!”

“Why is he metal at night? Can’t he control his powers?”

“He can turn his skin back and forth between metal and flesh, but he feels more comfortable in his metal skin,”

“Why?”

“Well, let’s just say that towards the end of the Soviet Union, they were dragging any and all mutants towards the gulags. His metal skin makes him feel… I don’t know, invulnerable,” Kitty shrugged her shoulders, “I don’t mind it, it's just something that I have to deal with.”

“So, what’s this got to do with Warren and Scott?”

“Well, take Warren. What’s he got?” Jean twirled her hair as she thought about it,

“He’s got a handsome face, a nice jaw, golden hair, and perfect blue eyes, what’s not to like?” Jean said, as Kitty confidently smirked,

“How about wings that take up the whole bed, getting feathers all over your room and clothes?” Kitty pointed out, those magnificent wings that Jean marveled at would make things pretty hard to get around,

“It wouldn’t be that bad, right?” Jean asked Kitty, the brown haired girl scoffed as she listed out the reasons,

“One: Any clothes that you buy him will have to be specially tailored for him, and Two: Try telling the tailor why you need two holes in the back of his clothes!”

“Okay, how about Scott! He’s sweet and nice, and he listens to what I have to say!!”

“He’s a dork!” Kitty said, “And I mean that with the best intentions, but he’s a nerd! The first thing he’ll probably show you in his room is his complete collection of Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation! And he’s such a stick in the mud!”

“Do you even know why he’s a, ‘Stick in the mud?’” Jean said with her fingers making quotations, “He’s been hurt, Kitty! He’s just a guy who needs someone to say, ‘You’re the coolest guy around, Scott Summers!’”

“And the coolest guy around is Scott Summers?” Jean raised an eyebrow as Kitty shrugged her shoulders, “Look, all I’m saying is that you can either gaze into the eyes of an angelic adonis or dodge whenever Scott takes off his glasses.”

“Then why didn’t you date Warren, then?” Jean said, “Why are you dating Piotr? How did you two become a thing?”

“Piotr from Siberia,” Kitty said, “His family came to America in the 90s to find a ‘Better life, one where one can find comrades freely,’” Kitty said, impersonating her Russian boyfriend, “When we first met, he tried so hard to describe how I look while not knowing a word of English. He said to me, ‘You are soft as snow but fierce like ice!’”

“Did he mean that you were beautiful, cute, or scary?”

“I think it was all the above!” Kitty said, the girls giggling, “Plus, him being a giant beefcake kinda helps!”

“Okay, okay, what about the other boys?”

“Well, Bobby you’ve already met. He’s alright, but he’s a total slob!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! He leaves trash all over the place, leaving poor Kurt to clean it up!”

“Kurt?” Jean asked, “Who is that?”

“Nightcrawler,” Kitty said, “Poor Kurt, he came from a deeply religious village in Germany. Even though they tried to do… horrible things to him…” Kitty looked up with stinging eyes, “Jean, he still prays at night, before missions, asking God himself to give him some aid.”

“It’s weird,” Jean said, thinking back to the car ride to Xavier’s school, “My parents are extremely religious. Hell, my Mom wouldn’t even let me go to Health class, and fought the school that it was against our religious customs!”

“So?” Kitty said,

“So, why would they let Professor Xavier enroll me?” Jean asked, “They had to have done research on him before they would send me off! And… As much as I love them, they aren’t big fans of mutants.”

“They seemed alright to me,” Kitty said,

“That’s because I’m their daughter, and they tried to give me a baptism to drive any demons off me!” Jean said, “If I did the whole, fire eyes thing again, they would’ve asked the freaking pope to exorcize me!” Kitty’s eyes widened,

“Jeeze, my parents were way more accepting!”

“Really? Why?”

“We’re Jewish, and my dad says that if God made the Universe, he made Science. Therefore, God made life through evolution, therefore, Homo Superior is a creation of God himself, and is one of God’s many creations.” Kitty then rubbed her arm, “Sorry if I went a little overboard, my dad argues a lot with my uncles over the Holidays, they like to get into theological debates.”

“My parents believe in the freaking rapture,” Jean said, “My mom really prepared our basement, which is still stocked with cans and dehydrated food, for Y2K!”

“Man, why are parents crazy?” Kitty asked. The door to the room then opened, and a girl their age approached the room. She wore dark clothes, and fingerless gloves, and had white streaks in her hair. She shyly walked into the room, as a taller woman followed behind her, cloudy hair drifting off her ebony head, as though a rain goddess presented herself in front of the teens, the wind blowing throughout the dorm room,

“Jean Grey,” The god-like woman said, her thundering gray eyes staring into Jean’s soul, “I am Ms. Ororo Monroe,” Ms. Monroe’s eyes return to their dark caramel, her hair gently resting against her shoulders, “And I am so thrilled to see you!” Ms. Monroe looked around, the beds and neatly organized shelves now in disarray, “I apologize for the mess! I had to fly back to the mansion,”

“It’s alright, and I know the Professor wants to see me,” Jean said, stunning everyone in the room, “I… Heard your thoughts, sorry!”

“It is alright, Ms. Grey,” Ms. Monroe said, “We all have difficulty controlling our powers. Now then, shall we?”

“Well, catch you later!” Jean said, hugging Kitty as she went down the hall with Ms. Monroe and the shy girl. Jean looked over at the shy girl, who was putting up so many mental walls that she couldn’t read her mind even if she tried! Jean decided to use the old-fashioned approach, and put out her hand while they walked,

“Hi, I’m Jean, what’s your name?” The shy girl folded her arms, looking down as they walked the hallway,

“Anna,” The shy girl said in a thick southern accent, looking down as she kept lagging behind, her white bangs covering her face,

“You’ll have to excuse Anna,” Monroe spoke aloud in her mind, “Her powers have made it so that she saps the lifeforce of others through touch. Her gift has not made her life a joyous one, Jean.” Jean looked at Anna and could see past the strands of stark white hair and see how scared she was, how close she kept herself and tightened her arms around her chest. Jean sighed, knowing there was nothing she could do at the moment to help out Anna, and proceeded to go down the elevator. They walked down through the library, seeing Dr. McCoy outside the door,

“Ah! Ms. Grey and Ms. Marie, nice to see you acquainted! And Ororo!” Dr. McCoy exclaimed, hugging his dear friend, “I knew I should’ve cleaned up the lab, I could’ve been of assistance on the battlefield!”

“It is alright, Henry,” Ms. Monroe said, “But, the girls need to see the Professor,” Dr. McCoy blushed, stepping out of the way as he opened the door,

“Oh, right, quite right!” The girls walked into the office, seeing Professor Xavier at the head of the desk,

“Ah, Jean, Anna! I am so glad to see you’re here!” Charles said, wheeling around the desk as the girls sat down, “I have noticed both of you have advanced your usage of your abilities, yes?”

“Yes, Professor,” Anna said, waving her hand as the Professor smiled at her, “But… No one can still touch me,” Anna said, the gothic southern belle looking down at the floor with sad eyes,

“That’s quite alright, Anna, it’s why we must learn how to control these powers of ours!” The Professor then turned towards Jean, “I heard quite a detail regarding the effects of your powers, Jean.”

“I kept trying to tune out intrusive thoughts, and can actually talk to people with my mind!”

“That’s great, Jean,” The Professor said, “However, something tells me you’ve advanced quite rapidly since I last saw you.”

“What do you mean, Professor?”

“Let’s start with the end of our conversation yesterday,” The Professor said, transmitting images of Jean staring at he father in the living room, “Don’t think I didn’t notice you changing your father’s mind, Jean.”

“He was gonna say no!” Jean said, glancing around and worried someone may judge her, “I don’t even know how he let you in?”

“It’s because I changed his mind in the first place, Jean,” Jean was taken aback, leaning forward in her chair,

“You what?”

“Jean, your abilities, while a gift, are truly unwieldy for your mind at the present. A potential far greater than even I could estimate! And yet, it’s too much for you currently.”

“At this rate,” said Dr. McCoy, leaning into the room, “From my studies, if you use your powers past your physical extent, your brain will hemorrhage and you’ll--”

“I think she has the picture, Henry,” Charles said, not wanting to distress the psionic teenager,

“Oh, quite right, carry on!” Dr. McCoy said, leaning back in the room and reading a random book in the library,

“Anyhow, I have a solution to your troubles, but I cannot and will not do so without your consent, Jean,” The Professor leaned forward, folding his hands as he looked at Jean Grey, “I will put a mental limiter on your mind, one that would prevent any more lapses.”

“Lapses?” Jean said, “Like what happened at my old school?”

“Jean, I’ll be honest with you,” Charles said, his face grim as the grave, “There is something inside you, a consciousness that is not yours. I have rarely encountered such things on the mindscape, for they are the minds of beings so incomprehensive and unbelievable that I don’t know what they entirely are!

“This thing in you is powerful, a fully psionic being that is trying to manifest in the physical! But in doing so, it may kill you in the process, Jean. So, in order to save you and your mind, I need to place a limiter that would block off portions of your potential.”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Jean said, going through her thoughts as everyone looked at her. She gulped as words failed to come out of her dry mouth. How could she talk? The Professor said that she has an alien force inside of her! “Am I even a mutant?”

“Yes, and this being knows it. It wants a psionic mutant that can handle its powers, and peculiarly, it chose you.”

“Is… Is that why I’m here, professor?” Anna spoke up, shuffling in her seat, “To help Jean control her powers?”

“Quite right!” The Professor said, “Hank, please step in and explain your theory!” The beastly gentleman placed a bookmark in the book he was reading, and quickly walked into the room next to Charles, excited about his hypothesis,

“Now, Anna, your powers have the ability to drain the life energy of other people. What I have thought of is what if you can drain the life energy of a psionic being? Thus the theory: If we weaken the psionic being inside of Jean, then Charles can effectively incapacitate the psionic being.”

“But for this to work,” Charles said as he placed his hands on his temples, “I would need to draw out the psionic force inside of you, Jean. But,” Charles said as he made sure his fingers have not made contact with his temple yet, “I will not do this without your consent, Jean. This is your decision, for this is your gift.”

“Well, I don’t wanna die with my brain bursting!” Jean said, her smile faded and barely noticeable, “But… What if I can’t help people? I tore off the arms of the… the…”

“Sentinel,” Anna meekly said,

“Right! I tore off the arms of the Sentinel with just my thoughts alone! If you block this thing… Will I even be useful?”

“Of course, Jean!” The Professor said, “You’ll always be the kind person who will listen to anyone’s troubles for however long. And trust me, I will show you how useful a telepath with telekinetic powers is useful on the field!” Professor said, looking over at the wall at photos from the 1960s, a younger Charles stood with his Ph.D. in genetics and evolution, “So Jean, will you let me help you?”

“Professor,” Jean said, looking up at the man who gave her a second chance, “I trust you.”

“Good. Then let’s begin,” The Professor held his fingers to his temple as he reached deep into Jean’s mind, his other hand hovering above the desk at Jean. Waves after waves of psionic energy whammed onto Jean, who could feel her consciousness reel back, her body still sitting in the chair as she closed her eyes.

Deep in her subconscious, past memories of running through fields and learning the alphabet, Xavier’s mind swam through to find the thing at the bottom of it all. Xavier went deeper and deeper, finally reaching the unconscious mind of Jean Grey. A dark void filled with repressed memories and long-forgotten memories not too important to keep.

Xavier knew where to go, and went to the oldest repressed memory. There, at the bottom of it all, was a little girl. She looked just like Jean, with red hair and a red dress, sitting with her legs crossed on the floor. Next to the little girl was another little girl limp on the floor as her face faded. Xavier approached the girl, glanced down at the dead girl that he recognized, and looked into the red girl's fiery eyes. It looked back, with the intelligence of something far greater than that of this young girl,

“Are you scared, Professor?” Said the fire girl, whose voice shifted through the spaces in between,

“Never.” Xavier sent out, looking fiercely at this psionic being,

“You should be!” Xavier then rushed out of the unconscious mind as the little girl burst into flames. Chasing Charles through the subconscious mind, a great inferno in the shape of a winged beast roared out as they entered the conscious mind.

Xavier opened his eyes, snapping his head towards Anna, “Do it, now!” Anna grabbed Jean’s hand just as her eyes snapped open, her red hair floating as fire filled her eyes. The possessed Jean then gasped, looking at Anna’s hand as the fire began to die down. Xavier reached forward, grabbing Jean’s head with both hands.

The great spirit was flung back into the unconscious, gasping as it took the shape of a little girl. Xavier stood in front of this psionic being, constructing the most intricate mind cage he has ever made,

“Professor,” The psionic being reached out, “You cannot contain me. I am the forces of life and death, of creation and destruction! What can you do when I am fully free?”

“We’ll get there one day,” The Professor said, “But until then, I shall give Jean Grey peace of mind!” With one final mental wave, the mind cage was complete. Xavier fell back, gasping as Anna took her hand off Jean,

“Is it done, Professor?” Anna wondered, “Whoa, this is cool!”

“It is over, Anna,” The Professor said, “Thank you for your efforts,”

“What… What happened?” Jean said, opening her eyes as she rubbed her head,

“Jean, what do you remember?” The Professor said, “Can you tell me how you got into my office?”

“Yeah,” Jean said, “I was hanging out with Kitty, then you had me come in here, then… I… I don’t remember! Sorry, were you telling me something?” Ororo and Anna looked worried, Jean having no memory of the psionic exchange that just occurred. The Professor, however, smiled cooly, as this was the plan from the start.

“Of course, but I can see you’re tired. It’ll have to wait another day,” The Professor then looked over at Anna, “You see the memories?”

“Yes, Professor X, but why do we need to take away her memories, and why do I have them?”

“Jean cannot know about this psionic being, for that will cause it to slowly invade her conscious mind.”

“Yeah, but… Are you sure? Her incident at her high school, the fight with the Sentinel, all of it is gone! What’s replacing it?”

“I have given her slightly altered memories to replace the missing ones, ones without the use of the psionic being.” Charles then looked back over at Jean, “Anyways, I look forward to--”

CRASH! Coming through the window as the mutants in the room were flabbergasted, a giant metal hand grabbed the Professor and took him out of the room!

“Xavier!” Dr. McCoy yelled out, leaping out of the window as Ms. Monroe’s eyes began to glow a cloudy gray. The sky darkened as Beast was knocked back into the office, as a Sentinel loomed over the mansion. Anna and Jean used their telekinetic powers to keep the Sentinel flying off as the Professor held both of his hands to his bald head,

“To me, my X-Men!” The Sentinel fired lasers upon the mansion, causing Storm to try and put the fires out with rain. Beast snarled at the Sentinel, running up its legs again as the girls held the Sentinel down, dodging laser after laser. Finally, Beast manages to get to the Professor, fighting the iron grip that the Sentinel had on the headmaster. But was then grabbed by the other hand, yelling as electricity surged through the Sentinel’s hand, through the esteemed doctor through the mansion.

Rogue felt the powers fade as the Sentinels were able to push up from the ground, fighting against the wind, “Agh! Darn it! I can’t keep it down!” Rogue said as she collapsed, her mind in pain as the telekinetic powers disappeared, leaving Jean the only person keeping the Professor from being taken away,

“N-No… Y-you… D-don’t!” Jean muttered, her mind strained as her mind held onto the two-ton automaton. Jean then screamed out, her mind not taking anymore, as she fell over with the most killer headache in the world. She looked up past the spots, seeing a distant Sentinel through the fog, “Nooooooo!!!”

The X-Men raced back towards the mansion, barging through the front door. On the floor, thrown through the ceiling, Beast laid on the ground in great pain,

“Easy, Dr. McCoy,” Angel said, his soft light glowing as it slowly mended Beasts bones back together,

“What happened? Where’s the Professor?” Cyclops asked, looking around as Wolverine sniffed the air,

“Sentinel,” Wolverine said, “The metal cans caused a diversion! Made us split off and attacked the nest!”

“Wolverine, can you smell the Professor?”

“No, slim, it’s like--”

“He was taken,” Storm said, causing the X-Men to look up the stairs to see Jean, Anna, Kitty, and Ororo on the top. Immediately, Nightcrawler teleported next to them,

“Are you alright? Do you need Warren to heal any of you?”

“We’re fine,” Jean said, “But the Professor is in danger!”

“Why take him?” Scott asked, “Why did they take the Professor, why didn’t it just kill him?”

“Perhaps it was tasked with a different purpose,” Dr. McCoy said, standing back up, “Jean, do you remember what it said to you when you first fought it?”

“Yeah, it said,” Jean then used the worst impression of a robot ever, “MAIN MUTANT TARGET ACQUIRED!!!” Beast paced back and forth,

“It didn’t want you… It wanted a psychic mutant, a specific one at best! It wanted Charles!”

“But why?” Scott asked,

“We’ll find, soon enough comrade,” Colossus said, “But first, we need to rescue our comrade!”

“Right!” Iceman said, “But, uh… Where is he?”

“Jean,” Scott said, “You’re the only other psychic that we have, can you find the Professor?”

“I’ll try,” Jean pressed her hands to her head, but was stopped by Beast,

“Perhaps I have a better solution!”

The X-Men marched down through the basement, walking through a massive workshop for tech ed students, and down the stairs to the first sub-basement. Jean looked around the high-tech classrooms that would make M.I.T. and Harvard look stingy! The X-Men then entered a giant elevator at the end of the hallway and descended towards the final sub-basement.

Jean gasped as the elevator door opened, revealing a large room filled with holographic displays and computer terminals. To their left was a massively sealed room, with a turned-off light on top that said, “Danger Room.” To their right, massive terminals that looked like alien technology showed news from all over the world. Straight ahead, however, was a long tunnel that emptied into a chamber.

In the chamber was an enormous amount of space, with a stage at the very center, dangling over nothing. On the stage was a terminal, with few buttons, and a headset,

“Jean, meet Cerebro!”

“Cerebro? Is it like an A.I.?” Jean asked,

“No! That’s the danger room,” Beast said casually, “Cerebro is a… A focus for psychic mutants, able to boost their powers enough to locate anyone in the world!”

“Alright, let’s get started,” Jean said as she grabbed the helmet, Beast quickly made adjustments to the machine. Jean sat down, looking over her shoulder as Scott gave her the thumbs up.

“Cerebro turning in three… two… one…” Jean gasped as her vision reeled back, going out of her body, out of the basements, out of the mansion, above the clouds, and into space. Her mind hovered above the atmosphere, able to see lights all across the world.

“Holy mother of God!” Jean said aloud, “I… I can see the world!”

“Great, it’s working!” Beast said, “Jean! Can! You! Hear! Us!?!”

“Just because she can’t see, doesn’t mean she’s deaf!” Wolverine said, “Grey! Can you see the Professor?”

“No! Just the world, and a bunch of lights!”

“Those aren’t lights!” Storm said, “Those are people with the X-Gene! One of them has to be the Professor, try focusing!” Jean gasped and felt her mind zoom in on the world. She zoomed back onto the mansion, and started to look around,

“Okay, I see us… Jean then saw a light move rapidly away, and went towards it, “I see him! I see the Professor!”

“Where is the Sentinel taking him, Jean?” Scott asked, making sure not to touch Jean yet,

“I don’t know… Wait…” Jean looked past the Professor and saw a swarm of lights in front of her. She traveled miles and miles ahead, and shrieked at what she saw, “Oh my God!”

“What? What is it?” Scott asked,

“There’s… There’s hundreds of them, near the Canadian Border! God, it’s… It’s a sight straight from the Holocaust!”

“Is it a camp? Almost like a prison?” Scott said,

“Yes!”

“Camp X-Ray,” Scott said, “That’s where the Sentinel’s taking Xavier!”

“What are we waiting for then!? Let’s go!!!” Wolverine said, rushing out of Cerebro’s chamber. Jean unhooked from the machine, her mind feeling like a wad of chewed gum. Storm, Kitty, and Anna approached her,

“Am I going?”

“Of course, dear!” Storm said, “But, we need to give you a trainee costume.”

“A trainee costume? To hide my identity?”

“Exactly!” Kitty said, “And, we got some pretty snazzy choices! Come on!”

The girls took Jean back to the first sub-basement, towards the girl’s locker room. Jean was then handed a yellow and blue suit, with the blue being almost a full-body spandex. Jean raised an eyebrow as she looked at the girls,

“Really? This is my costume?”

“Relax, it’s mine too!” Kitty said, holding up her costume, “It’s until we’re no longer trainees, but that only happens if you complete Wolverine’s courses in the danger room!”

“And don’t worry, darling,” Rogue said, “We promise to explain what the danger room is after we save the Professor and rebuild the mansion.”

“You say that like we already did it,” Jean said, “What if--”

“Never ask, what if ,” Storm said, her white robes showing her control of the winds, “We cannot risk the fear of failure entering our minds. We must rise above it if we are to establish peace between our kind and humanity.” Jean looked at herself in the mirror, her crimson hair poking out of the mask,

“I just wished I didn’t look like a dork,” Jean said,

“Hey, we’re super people going to fight giant robots in pajamas to save a psionic bald dude. We’re already dorks!” Kitty said, her brown hair poking out of her mask, “Alright, ready super dork?”

“Yeah, let’s kick some robot ass!”

“Language, Ms. Grey,” Storm said, smiling as she marched ahead, “But yes, let us kick some robot ass!”

The X-Men converged towards the platform in the first sub-basement, almost all wearing variations of yellow and blue. Colossus stood tall in his metal form, wearing a crimson and golden suit. Nightcrawler’s fangs poked out as he wore an acrobatic red and black suit. And Angel folded his arms, wearing a sky blue and heavenly white suit. Shadowcat smiled and waved at Colossus, who would’ve blushed if he were still made of flesh.

“Alright, let’s get moving!” Wolverine said, slamming his fist on the button near the platform, which began to descend adjacent to the ground,

“Where are we going?” Jean asked Warren,

“Not everyone on the X-Men can fly,” Warren said, “So Xavier has an option for those less unfortunate,” Angel said, waving his visible hair as his mask was designed to protect his eyes and covered his upper face.

“The Blackbird was a gift that the Professor acquired over the years,” Scott said, his mask covering everything but his mouth, his visor built into his costume, “He never told me where he got it, but I think it’s something… alien .”

“Don’t listen to him,” Iceman said, “He’s saying that 'cause he watched all of the X-Files last week in one night!”

“It wasn’t the whole series!” Scott said, “Just season one through eleven when Scully leaves!” Jean smiled as Scott defended his nerddom, standing closer towards Scott. Angel looked at Jean doing this and raised an eyebrow.

“Alright, halfpints!” Wolverine said as the platform stopped moving, moving them towards a massive hangar, “Let’s go, go, go!!!” The X-Men dashed towards the long, unnaturally shaped jet known as the Blackbird. Jean sat down in one of the many seats on the jet, watching as Wolverine and Storm went to the cockpit, Wolverine taking control as Storm cleared the weather. 

“Alright everyone,” Beast said, tapping into the mansion controls and opening the ceiling apart, giving them a clear view of the sky, “Fasten your seatbelts!”

ZOOM!!! The Blackbird soared through the sky, breaking the sound barrier as soon as it touched the clouds. Jean was propelled back into her seat, feeling the full acceleration of this rocket jet. Wolverine cackled madly as Cyclops looked over at Beast,

“Dampeners, Beast!?” Beast fought against the force of acceleration, forgetting to lock his swivel chair in place. He tapped on his terminal, and everyone felt the acceleration sharply stop, pulling them forward in their seats as the Blackbird kept soaring,

“Holy moly!” Jean said, adrenaline running through her as she heard her heartbeat in her ears, “That was better than any rollercoaster that I’ve ever been on!”

“Wolverine,” Cyclops said, “Are we near the camp?”

“Almost,” Wolverine said, “Storm, give us some fog, will ya? I wanna spook the crap out of these jerks,”

“Hold onto the fog, Storm,” Cyclops said, “We need to have a clear landing if we wanna sneak in.”

“Sneak in?” Wolverine said, “They have the Professor! Listen Slim--”

“No, Wolverine!” Cyclops said, “Not only do they have the Professor in captivity, but also other mutants. If we go in guns ablazing, the Sentinels may turn hostile on the captured mutants!”

“He’s right, Logan,” Beast said, “We have no idea just how many mutants there are in Camp X-Ray, and if it is funded by the Canadian--”

“Of course not!” Wolverine barked, “I know my country, it ain’t crazy like its Hollywood-obsessed neighbor!”

“Relax, Wolverine,” Storm said, “We are close enough to the base. Cyclops, your plan?”

“Yeah, bub,” Wolverine said, sneering at the Professor’s first student, “What’s your plan?”

“Well right now, we need some sort of reconnaissance, we can’t just stumble in blind,” Scott said, “But we all can’t go in at once. But, if some of us were to cause a distraction and help with the recovery…”

“I’m starting to like this plan,” Wolverine said, unsheathing his blades from his blue gauntlets, “I call being on the distraction team!”

“But what if they follow us?” Nightcrawler spoke out, “Can we defend from an army of Sentinels at a mansion that they just broke into!?!”

“Don’t worry, Comrade,” Colossus said, “We shall crush them, and decorate our lawn with their heads!” Jean looked over at Scott, seeing a grim face as she could see his stratagems constantly change for a better plan. Jean tilted her head, and held a hand to her head,

“I believe in you…” Jean transmitted, Scott, stopping as he was planning to smile at Jean. His mind then began to race, and he immediately unclipped his seat buckle and stood up in the jet, looking at the X-Men he led,

“Alright: Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, Rogue, Jean, and I will go in as the stealth team. While we infiltrate, Angel and Storm will hover in the sky and give us a bird's eye view,” Scott then looked over at Jean, “Jean, your job will be to transmit our thoughts to each other, that way we’ll be able to coordinate more smoothly, giving the recovery team the layout of the camp,”

“Wait, is she really going into the fray as Jean?” Angel spoke up, looking over at Jean, “Jean, do you have an idea as to your superhero name?”

“Why?” Jean asked,

“Well, that way no one knows that you are Jean Grey,” Kitty explained, “Got any ideas?”

“Um… What about… Marvel Girl?”

“That’ll do,” Cyclops said, “Wolverine, Colossus, Beast, Iceman, Angel, and Storm, when Marvel Girl gives the word that we’ve located the Professor and the captured mutants, you storm in and give us a way out. Once we secured everyone in the Blackbird, we get in the Blackbird and get out. Got it!?” Everyone nodded as the Blackbird landed, the Stealth team going out as the Blackbird slowly turned invisible,

“Alright, let’s move out,” Cyclops said, the team marching through the Canadian forest. They then see a military base most unlike the Canadian government, with people stalking from their posts as Sentinels monitor the camp,

“Oh my God!” Jean transmitted to the team, “There are actual people here, keeping the mutants here! I thought it was just the Sentinels!”

“Welcome to the world of an average mutant,” Cyclops thought, “And if the X-Men fail in their mission, this will be the world of all mutants.”

“Look!” Rogue pointed towards a watchtower with no nearby Sentinels, “If there’s anywhere we can sneak into, it’ll be there!” Jean took Anna’s thoughts and sent them to Scott’s mind. It was like being the operator of a phone!

“Alright, Marvel Girl, give Storm the word,” Cyclops ordered, looking out at the battlefield he gazed at.

“On it!” Jean then shifted her mental focus toward the sky, “Storm, roll in the fog.”

In front of the Camp, the sky darkened as the fog crept through the electric fences of Camp X-Ray. Cyclops then nodded towards Nightcrawler, who grabbed onto Rogue’s jacket shoulder and teleported toward the watchtower. Bamf! Bamf! Bamf! Bamf! All around, each of the watchtowers became quiet as Nightcrawler took care of any human guards. The only lights that shone through the fog were the fence lights and the ever-piercing eyes of the Sentinels.

“Shadowcat, we’ll meet you on the other side,” Cyclops sent out his message to Shadowcat, who walked through the fences with ease,

“Marvel Girl,” Rogue sent out, “I tapped into one of the guys up here, the main base is underground!”

“On it!” Jean sent out the description of the base and prison underneath,

“My God!” Beast thought out, “Whoever is up to this is clearly well funded. Bolivar Trask, perhaps?”

“No,” Cyclops said, “Trask locked himself in his lab, either working on another Sentinel model, or he worked himself to death.” Cyclops sighed as Nightcrawler teleported in front of Jean and Scott, “Either way, we shut this place down, NOW!”

“Ow!” Jean said,

“Oh, sorry Jean,” Scott whispered, “Guess I was too thoughtful with my… thoughts. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Nightcrawler approached the two,

“Are you ready, Cyclops?”

“Ready, Jean?” Jean looked at the two and nodded. They grabbed the three-fingered hands of Nightcrawler, bamfing towards Camp X-Ray.

Jean peered through the smoke, and gasped at the sight she saw before her. Before the X-Men were mutants wearing gene inhibitor collars, constantly monitored by the Sentinels. They looked up at the X-Men with such hope and fear, their deep sullen eyes looking at the cruel robotic wardens.

“We gotta do something!” Jean transmitted her thoughts and sight to the rest of the X-Men, feeling their shock, horror, and outrage at what Camp X-Ray has done,

“In time,” Storm said, her divine gaze looking down through the clouds and fog, “But right now, we need a clear path for the mutants to escape. Could Shadowcat neutralize the Sentinels?”

“Cyclops?” Marvel Girl sent Storm’s questions to him,

“We can’t risk it, they may send out an alarm to nearby Sentinels in the area.”

“Seriously? How many of these things are there?” Marvel Girl asked,

“It’s a product of Trask Industries, they sell these things to private investors who want to be ‘protected’ from mutants.”

“Okay, what the hell? How can any of this be legal!?!”

“It’s an uphill battle, Jean,” Said a voice that was none of the X-Men, a voice that everyone heard,

“Professor!” Jean perceived, “Are you alright, where are you?”

“I’m quite alright,” Professor X said, “But I know why they have captured me, trying to use my mind to locate and find mutants for their Sentinels to capture!”

“Who captured you, Professor?”

“No time, my dear,” Professor X said, “But you all must follow Scott’s plan, the lives of these poor people depend on it! I won’t begin to describe the horrid things they’ve done to some of these prisoners!”

“We’re on it, Professor!” Jean looked over at Scott, feeling lost at all of the mental communication, “What should we do, Cyclops?”

“Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, go to the tunnel and see if there’s a way to get inside!” BAMF!!!

“I see a terminal, it needs a handprint!” Nightcrawler said, “Wait! I have an idea!” BAMF!!! BAMF!!! Nightcrawler brought an unconscious guard over to the scanner, slapping his hand on the scanner. The scanner turned green, the door opened,

“Nice work, Nightcrawler! Let’s go!” The X-Men descended upon the door, going deep into Camp X-Ray’s facility.

“Cyclops heads up. The Sentinels have begun to suspect something, they scanned the guards!” Storm alerted, “They’re scanning all the prisoners in the yard, seeing if any are missing.”

“Then we’ve got to hurry!” Cyclops thought, running down the corridors of the facility as Jean kept up beside him,

“How do you guys keep running this long?” Jean panted, not being able to focus her telepathy,

“Cardio,” Scott replied, “The danger room’s the size of a football field, Logan makes us take ten laps a day.”

“That’s if you're lucky!” Kitty said, “If you’re late, he’ll make you run thirty laps!”

“Look, we’re close,” Cyclops said, the X-Men hunkering down as they peered into the room that was hidden. In front of them all, x-rays and genetic sequences were laid up on the walls as, in front of them, was a dissected mutant. The poor man’s three eyes were wide open as the chest cavity was exposed. Jean gagged, looking away in utter disgust and horror as,

“What in God’s name are they doing here!?!” Nightcrawler demanded to know, wrath welling up inside of him,

“They’re taking the organs,” Scott said, “They’re selling organs of mutants for profit!”

“What kind of monsters would do such a thing?” Jean asked. The X-Men then turned their heads as the door opened, a surgeon halting in place as five, rageful mutants looked back at him. He eyed over to the alarm on the wall, and went for it, only for a blue tail to wrap around his neck as dark blue smoke exploded behind him,

“I should’ve known,” Cyclops said, looking at the surgeon’s outfit. It was unlike a doctor’s uniform, almost looking like a scuba diver’s gear, “The U-Men.”

“The U-Men?” Jean said,

“A cult that believes that harvesting mutant organs and giving them to regular people will help create the ‘Third’ Species of man.”

“We shall be the third species!” The U-man said, “You mutants are just stepping stones to our perfection!”

“Okay, can I just punch the guy?” Anna asked Cyclops,

“After, we need more information to fight the U-Men. But Rogue,” Cyclops said grinning, “Give him a taste of perfection…” Rogue stepped towards the man, taking off her glove, and pressing it against his cheeks. Jean could see the U-Man’s veins pop as his face turn pale.

Rogue then grabbed her wrist and tore her hand off, gasping as the U-Man collapsed,

“Too long,” Rogue gasped, “Too much…”

“Are you alright, Anna?” Nightcrawler asked,

“I’m fine…” Rogue said, walking through the lab as the other X-Men followed her, “I’ll never see guts the same way again, but follow me!”

The Rogue ventured out of the surgery room and into a hallway. Marvel Girl followed her, sneaking next to Cyclops,

“You okay?” Jean asked Scott’s mind, “I can feel the amount of stress you’re under.”

“It’s just…” Scott hesitated, his crimson gaze staring down the hallway, “The Professor made me the leader of the X-Men. If the X-Men fail, all of mutantkind will be extinct. I can’t let that happen.” Cyclops then looked forward as Rogue stopped in front of a door, “We just need to focus on the mission.”

“Right,” Jean said, making sure to keep a pin on the conversation. Rogue looked at the number pad next to the door and closed her eyes. She then entered the password into the number pad, the door unlocking for the X-Men, “Nice Job, Rogue!”

“Thanks, sugar,” Rogue sent back, “But I don’t think I can handle touching someone else!”

“That’s alright,” Cyclops said, “We should be where the Professor is!” The X-Men barged in, seeing more U-Men inside, running tests on some of the mutants held in these holding cells,

“Intruders, get—” The U-Man was blasted off the catwalk as Cyclops used his optic blasts, crimson energy crackling as he zapped at the U-Men. Nightcrawler teleported from U-Man to U-Man, kicking and flipping around the holding area,

“Mutants! Alert the Sentinels!” One U-Man cried out as Jean picked him up with her telekinesis and tossed him across the room. One of the U-Men reached for their communicator, only for Shadowcat to wave her hand through the little walkie-talkie, destroying the electrical wires inside,

“Oops, my bad!” Shadowcat said, before clocking the U-Man with a right hook. The X-Men then went over to the terminal, turning off the electric doors of the holding cells. Malnourished and pale mutants carefully walked out of their cells, timidly looking at the people in bright costumes,

“Who are you?” Said a little girl with gills on her neck, approaching Jean,

“We’re the X-Men!” Marvel Girl said, “Have you seen a bald man in a wheelchair? He’s our friend!”

“Yeah! They took him over there!” The little girl with hills pointed towards an operating table at the end of the room, obscured by medical sheets. Cyclops ran over to the closed-off section, flinging the curtain’s open,

“Professor!” Scott exclaimed,

“Hello, Cyclops,” The Professor said, his bald head having dashed lines of marker around his forehead,

“My God, they were going to dissect your brain!?” Jean said,

“The U-Men programmed the Sentinels to capture a psionic mutant, to either sell the brain or use it for their nefarious cult.”

“Alright, Marvel Girl! Alert the others!”

“Roger, Cyclops!” Jean placed her hands against her head, transmitting towards the Blackbird, “We have found the Professor, I repeat, we have found the Professor and the other mutants!”

“Alright, the Cavalry is on its way!” Wolverine said, the recovery team on their way,

“Everyone!” Cyclops called out to the room, “Follow us, we’re taking you all somewhere safe!”

The X-Men ran towards the surface, the corridors shaking from the battle above. Laser blasts and lightning bolts boomed in the background as Jean made sure everyone was following them, using her psychic abilities to keep tabs on everyone.

“We’re almost there!” Shadowcat said, the mutants running towards the light at the end of the tunnel.

Before then laid a wasted battleground. All the Sentinels were destroyed, but as though someone crushed them with a giant hand, tossing them around like tin cans! Flying through the air, landing in front of them, was a battered Colossus,

“Piotr!” Kitty said, rushing to his side, “What happened, are you okay?”

“We stormed in, dispatched some of the Sentinels, but then… He showed up.”

“Who?” Marvel Girl asked as Wolverine was tossed through the fences next to them. They then saw the fence come to life, wrapping itself around Wolverine.

“Blast!” Professor X said, “Everyone, ready yourself!” Cyclops readied his optic visor as Jean tried to use her telepathy, not reading any hostile mind, “It’s no use, Jean. He is immune to our psychic intrusions.”

“Again, who?” Marvel Girl asked,

“Really, Charles?” Called out a voice from the sky, Jean saw a man standing on nothing. He folded his arms as he floated down, sneering at the X-Men, “Captured by these Homo sapiens, how could they catch the world’s greatest psychic off guard?”

“Magneto,” Professor Xavier said, furrowing his eyebrows as he was held by Cyclops, “I should’ve known you would’ve played your hand here. What’s your game?”

“Nothing, Charles! Just the liberation of our mutant brothers and sisters, which your X-Men helped free!” Magneto said as Beast leaped at him, being smacked aside briefly by the arm of a torn-up Sentinel, “Because of that, I won’t destroy your precious X-Men today.”

Wolverine slashed his way through the barbed wire fence that wrapped around him like a python, charging with claws,

“Wolverine! Stand down!” Xavier called out, eyeing Magneto in the eye as he landed in front of the mutant refugees,

“Yes, Wolverine. Do as your Professor says, otherwise, you’ll learn what having your organs crushed by a metal rib cage will feel like!” Magneto threatened, Wolverine scowling as he kept his claws out,

“What do you want, Erik?” Charles asked,

“I wish to give my brothers and sisters a new life under my Brotherhood.”

“You wish to enslave them into your Brotherhood of evil!” Charles said, “The future of mutantkind depends on us securing the trust and respect of mankind!”

“Charles, are you really so naive?” Magneto asked, looking at the X-Men and mutants that were around Camp X-Ray, “Hear me! I have witnessed the brutality and monstrosities that man has inflicted! They will pull out your teeth, shave your hair for wigs, tattoo serial numbers on your skin, and fill the sky with your ashes!” Charles frowned as Magneto uttered his speech of fear and hate, “We must strike the first blow before our names are forgotten in history!”

“If you join him,” Charles countered, “Your names will go down in infamy, forever damning any future of peaceful cooperation!”

“Charles, look around!” Magneto said, “Sentinels, Mutant Camps, and experimentations of mutants! The humans have played their hand, now it is our turn!” Magneto held out his hand, “Those who wish to join me, my brotherhood will welcome you with open arms!”

The mutants hesitated, but one by one, mutants flocked over to Magneto’s side. They were angry, rageful, and vengeful . Jean could see their fears turn to hatred right before her eyes. However, staying with the X-Men were the child mutants. The gill girl held onto Jean’s hand,

“He’s scary,” The girl said, holding on to her hero. Jean smiled as she looked at Magneto,

“Farewell Charles. Oh, and if your X-Men interrupt my plans,” Magneto said as he leaned forward, “I will personally rip apart your school, one piece of rebar at a time!”

“Don’t worry, Erik,” Charles said as Magneto floated away, guiding his acolytes, “The X-Men will always be ready!” Xavier then looked over at Cyclops,

“We’ll be ready, Professor,” Scott said, carrying the Professor as he led the mutants back to the Blackbird. The rest of the flight was quiet, as Professor X attended to the young passengers on his Blackbird. Jean sat in her seat as Scott looked over at her,

“Well, how did you think of your first day of being an X-Man?” Cyclops asked through his mind,

“Honestly? Freaked out!” Jean thought as the Blackbird landed back inside the depths of the School’s sun basements, “I mean, driving out to the school, meeting everyone, fighting a Sentinel, the Professor getting kidnapped, seeing the whole world in my mind, and going to a mutant concentration camp where a guy who’s named himself after a magnet dropped in!”

Jean looked as Wolverine, Storm, and Professor X led the young mutants toward the dorms, “All of this, Scott, literally happened all in one day! How can you guys handle it!?

“I know, it can be a little much,” Scott said as he and Jean walked towards the platform, slowly making their way back to the first sub-basement, “Stuff like this happens at least once a week! But… That’s how life is for us now, for all mutants!” Scott then looked at Jean, “I know it’s scary, Jean, but… You’re not alone. ”

“Thanks, Scott…” Jean said. Scott looked around, grinning,

“Wanna see something cool?” Scott led Jean back towards the elevator, going down to the second basement,

“What’s going on?” Jean asked,

“You still haven’t completed the Danger Room,” Scott approached the terminals, entering his I.D. but I figured you might as well see what you’ll look like after!” Scott then tapped on the terminal, a podium sliding up from the floor. Jean gasped at her suit to be, a green dress with black spandex underneath, the black spandex that wrapped around her forehead showed her face. Where the face would show, instead was a golden mask,

“It looks amazing!” Jean said,

“Scott!” The two teenagers turned to see the Professor, rolling in on his wheelchair, “A bit too soon to show our honorary trainee her outfit, which is yet to be finished.”

“Oh, right!” Scott looked at Jean, “I guess this is goodbye, for now, right?”

“For now,” Jean said, not stopping Scott as he lifted her hand and gave her a smooch. The two blushed as Scott walked off, letting the Professor talk to his fellow pupil,

“I’m terribly sorry for this series of events, Jean,” The Professor said, “If you have any second thoughts…”

“Are you kidding?” Jean said, “I get to save people, have superpowers, and get friends who are like me!” Jean looked at the Danger Room, the terminal, and the holographic layout of the school, “I just wish tomorrow was Monday!” Professor smiled as he leaned towards Jean,

“You know, the first few programs of the Danger Room can be beaten by a single member,” Walking next to the Professor was Wolverine, “Logan, care to oversee the developments of her abilities?”

“Fine! Come on, Red, let’s see what you got!” Jean smiled as she stepped towards the Danger Room, giving Professor X a thumbs up. The door closed, leaving Professor X alone with his troubled thoughts over Jean Grey, and the withheld memories in her mind trying to boil over.

Chapter Text

Reed Richards was thirteen years old when he was given his first swirlie. It was horrid, unpleasant as water filled his ears. His hair was then yanked at the back of his head, lifting him from the toilet bowl, gasping for air as his glasses were dangling off his ears,

“You just had to be a brainiac, didn’t you dick ?”

“I told you,” Reed said, coughing up water, “It’s just Rich--” SPLASH!!! Reed tried and failed to hold his breath as the bullies held him down. Reed knew that the world record for holding one’s breath was around twenty-four minutes and thirty-seven seconds. Unfortunately, Reed’s lung strength and capacity could only limit him for a few dozen seconds at the most.

The bullies laughed as some of them punched Reed in the sides as he was forced into the toilet bowl, drastically limiting what lung capacity he had. He was yanked out again, puking toilet water out of his guts,

“Oh! Sick!” Said the Bully who held Reed by the back of his head, “Dude, let’s see if we can get him to barf again!”

“Hey!” Barging the door opened was a kid nearly twice the size of the other kids. He wore a black t-shirt with a skull, and a face that matched his name,

“Oh, uh… H-hey, Grimm…” Said the bully who immediately let go of Reed’s head, “H-how are--”

“Cut the shit, moron,” Ben said, looking at the five kids in the room, “Either you get the hell out of here, or it’s clobberin’ time for all of ya’s!” One of the other bullies scoffed, stepping up to Ben,

“Come on guys, it’s just one--” Ben immediately grabbed the kid and threw him into the wall, pummeling his face with his large fists. The kid, with tears and blood streaming on his face, begged Ben to stop. Ben looked over his shoulder, furrowing his brow,

“Well, ain’t you assholes gonna go, or do I have to beat the shit out of you too?” The kids booked it, too chicken to mess with the “Grimm Reaper.” Ben walked over to Reed, and picked him up,

“What'd ya do this time, Reed?” Ben asked, “Didn’t do their homework?”

“Actually,” Reed said, wiping off his glasses with his shirt, “I only reminded the teacher that they forgot--”

“You didn’t… Wait, who am I kidding!? Of course, you did!” Ben said, “You just had to make sure everyone had their homework, didn’t you?” Reed wiped his head and hair with the paper toweling, wringing his hair over the sink,

“Ben, if I didn't, the professor would’ve just given them over the weekend,” Reed explained, “Of course, I probably shouldn’t have made it so vocal.”

“Just… Please make sure you know what will happen if you open your smartmouth, alright?” Ben said, “I can’t keep running around the school the moment I hear someone’s giving you atomic wedgies or shoving you in a locker!”

The two boys went to their lockers, Reed looking at his neatly organized locker, filled with books rented from the library, 

“I don’t know how you can read them all,” Ben said, shoving his homework in his locker, next to the pile of papers that Ben knows only God could sort out, “And, I thought the library only let you rent two books at a time.”

“The librarian noticed I rapidly came back each day,” Reed said, “They just let me take as many books as I want. Currently, I’m reading five books a day!”

“Jeez, Louise!” Ben said, “I can only read that many books if they were comic books!”

“Speaking of reading,” Reed said as he pulled out one of the assignments, “Did you read the essay for History class?”

“No,” Ben said, “Who could give a rat’s ass what Nikola Tesla did!”

“Actually, without his contributions to modern science, we wouldn’t have the type of wires that most electronics use,” Reed said, “That, and he had hidden designs for lasers, invisible walls, and had a romantic partnership with a pigeon!”

“Holy crap!” Ben said, “Repeat what you said about the lasers? That sounds like a cool thing to focus on for the essay--”

“Ben Grimm and Reed Richards!” The announcements blared, “Please report to the Principal’s Office, immediately!!! ” Ben groaned as Reed raised an eyebrow,

“I don’t understand,” Reed said, “How are we in trouble?”

“Cause, those little dicks cried first!” Ben then slammed his locker shut, “As if I don’t got enough trouble with my grades! If my old man finds out--”

“It’ll be fine,” Reed said, “I’m sure we can explain what happened to the Principal, pointing out the flaws of whatever the other kids said!”

“Alright, but you should do the talking,” Ben said, “These jerkwads that run the school don’t appreciate my foul mouth as is!”

The boys walked into the office, and Reed noticed a couple of things right away. First, the Principal was scowling as the boys walked in. Second, the boys looked at Ben with fear and dread in their eyes. And thirdly, the fathers of each of the boys were there, Reed’s sitting next to Ben’s,

“Alright, I’ll make this quick,” The Principal then looked over at Reed, “Richards, what happened?”

“Well, it began when I was walking to my next class, after reminding Mr. Kirby that he forgot to pass out homework. Then, these guys,” Reed said, pointing over at the bullies, “Dragged me into the bathroom and repeatedly dunked my head into the toilet. Ben got the bullies to run off and--”

“What is this!?!” Said one of the fathers of the bullies, “You’re gonna take the side of this… this… Spaz!?! ”

“Hey!” Reed’s father spoke up, “Don’t you dare try and insult my son!”

“Please, gentlemen!” The Principal said, turning towards Reed’s father, “I am inclined to Nathaniel’s son’s view on the story since he’s the one who was bullied!”

“They weren’t bullying him!” Said another father of the bullies, “They were just roughhousing!”

“Reed isn’t the kind of boy to roughhouse,” The Principal said, “Hell, look at him! How else do you explain how drenched he is!?” The fathers looked over at their boys, scowling at them as they were made fools out of. Reed and Ben’s fathers stood up, “Where are you going?”

“Hell, I’m taking my boy fishing!” Ben’s father said, “Besides, I need someone to pass me a beer! Come on boy!”

“Alright, pops,” Ben said, shrugging to Reed. Doesn’t matter how, Ben’s off the hook! “See ya later, Reed!”

“Seeya Ben,” Reed then looked up at his father, “Dad, are we leaving too?”

“Do you wanna leave?” Reed’s father asked. Reed looked at his bullies, gulping down the creeping dread that crept along his back,

“Yeah, can we stop by my locker first?”

“Of course!” Nathan said, holding his son close as they stood up,

“B-But--” Is all the Principal could get out before Reed and Nathan walked out of the office. He sighed, and pressed one of the buttons on his phone, “Julie, please mark Ben Grimm and Reed Richards absent for the rest of the day… And send in some detention forms!”

Reed walked down the hallways with his father, looking up at his father with pride. The town scientist, Reed’s dad, is one of the smartest people that he knows. Any question that Reed had about the universe, whether it be about the stars above or the microbes below, his father had a scientific explanation for almost everything. Reed stopped at his locker, opening it to put his books in his backpack,

“Reed,” His father said, “How… Often are you bullied?”

“Uh… About twice a day.”

“Twice a day ?” His father said, “Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve taken care of it!”

“Whenever I want to speak with you, you’re in your lab doing research,” Reed said, “And… It’s not like I have a mom to talk to about it.” Nathan sighed as Reed threw on his jacket,

“I… I know, son,” Nathan said, patting his son’s shoulder, “And trust me, I’m this close to finding the answer, Reed!”

“What answer?” Reed asked. Nathan hesitated, shaking his head, “Dad?”

“It’s for another day,” Nathan said, “Right now, let’s go for a burger, huh?”

“Sure! Can we stop by the radioshack? I have some allowance money, and I wanna try something out!”

“For you bud, I’ll throw in an extra twenty!”

“Really? Thanks, dad! I think that’ll make what I got designed possible!”

The father and son walked out of the school, Reed lugging his heavy bag of books to the car. Nathan turned the key, keeping a vigilant eye on the winter road,

“So son,” Nathan said, “What did you learn today?”

“Not much,” Reed said as he read one of his books, “However, I did pick up two new books at the library to read before dinner!”

“Really, what are they?” Nathan asked as he drove into the local diner’s parking lot,

“ Cosmos , by Carl Sagan, and A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking. They’re really insightful! But, when I asked my teacher about black holes, he didn’t know what I was talking about!” Nathan stopped and looked at the young man that is his son,

“Really? Y’know, I could use your perspective on a project I’ve been working on… Well, for most of my life!” Reed raised an eyebrow as he and his father walked into the diner. They climbed into their padded seats at their table, ordering their burgers, fries, and ice cream, “So, Reed, how much do you know about modern physics?”

“I know the current goal is to prove either string theory or quantum loop theory to explain the absolute building blocks of this universe. Correct?”

“Almost,” Nathan said, breaking a french fry in half, “Okay, imagine this french fry is… The universe. Within each molecule of salt and potato are the infinite galaxies and nebulas that fill out the ever-expanding fabric of time and space. However,” Nathan said as he reached for another fry, this one much smaller and softer, “Now this is another universe. You do know multiverse theory, correct?”

“Yeah, but I thought it was the branching of different choices of time, but these universes occupy different spaces, right?”

“They do, but they exist on top of each other,” Nathan said, hovering the smaller fry over the fry that was split in half, “They exist within each other through dimensions inconceivable to the human mind. We poor hominids, Reed, are limited to having a mind that sees the cosmos through three spatial dimensions, and one temporal dimension that we have no control over.”

“That we have no control of so far! ” Reed said, Nathan, chuckling as he split the small fry in half, pointing towards the starch inside the fry,

“Even though each of the fries is differently shaped, each of them is made of the same stuff! That there exists within our laws of reality an equation that can be carried to all universes. The theory of everything!”

“Wow!” Reed said, “Is that what you’ve been working on?”

“Yes! My research has already shown great promise, especially a dimension that I believe we can communicate to!”

“Really?” Reed asked, “What is it?”

“I call it the N-Dimension,” Nathan said, “From what we can tell, it’s the version of our own universe if it experienced ‘Heat death.’”

“What's heat death?” Reed asked,

“Imagine you have a bathtub, one that is infinitely huge, and fill it with magma hot water, coming into being as a form of steam on the verge of plasma! Of course, it would immediately expand, trying to fill out the infinite void. In the process, the steam would become water, hot and boiling. Over time, it would become the perfect temperature to take a bath in. Then, it would get lukewarm. Then it would get cold. And colder. And colder and colder and colder until it is sheets of packed ice, being pushed by the steam engine heart at the center of the void. The ice would keep going, getting thicker and thicker, the atoms inside the ice becoming so cold that they nearly stop. Finally, they reach zero Kelvin, the coldest temperature that the universe will allow.

“Being this cold,” Nathan continued, Reed unblinking as he slowly munched on his burger, “The bathtub now becomes more cold than warm. The force of entropy steps in, a force that instills an equilibrium into the system. And if the universe will forever expand, the edges being nothing but the ice of ice, then the whole universe will be cold. It will keep expanding, some thinking that it’ll tear apart the fabric of time and space, while others believe it will keep getting colder and colder until all the stars burn out, the planets turn to dust, and all the photons and fermions slowly decaying into nothingness, forever.”

“Whoa…” Reed said, the gears in his head turning. He sat there, thinking the whole time about each word his father said, letting the sponge in his head absorb the water of knowledge. He was left to contemplate the fate of the universe, the building blocks of the fabric of reality, and the boundaries of time itself by himself. Nathan smiled as he drank his frappuccino, knowing he finally stumped his son’s mind.

They finished their meals and went back to the car. Reed was puzzled over what his father said, “The Theory of Everything.” How could everything, everything around Reed be quantified into an equation? Reed mewled over this as he read his books, trying to piece together the images that Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan were trying to convey to their readers.

That night, Reed lay in bed, dreaming of dying black holes within the cosmic canvas of the universe. Reed wanted to be like Galileo Galilei, Issac Newton, Max Planck, and Albert Einstein. He wanted to be an explorer, a pioneer of the unknown, finding the solution to everything.

Reed woke up to his alarm, running to the kitchen to see his dad, “Hey dad! Where are you?” Reed then looked over at the fridge, and sighed as he looked at the note:

Hey kiddo, I had to step into the lab, I’ll see you later tonight! Love, Dad. Reed neatly folded the note and put it into his pocket. Reed grabbed his things, especially his private project to show Ben.

“So, what is it?” Ben asked as Reed showed him the weird-looking device, “It looks like the scanner from Ghostbusters .”

“It’s sort of like a scanner,” Reed said, “I made it finely tuned to pick up a certain kind of radiation: Cosmic Radiation!”

“Cosmic Radiation? Sounds like something from a cheesy science fiction movie!”

“No!” Reed said, turning his scanner on, “Right now, it’s detecting some of the Cosmic Radiation, radiation made when the Big Bang occurred, I’m talking about the creation of the universe, Ben!”

“So, like when God said, ‘Let There Be Light!!!’ Is that the light? It’s still around?”

“Sure! And it is still around, the amount of energy behind the Big Bang would insure that Cosmic Radiation will last as long as the Universe will!”

“Is it working?” Ben asked. Before Reed could say anything, a snowball was thrown at Reed, hitting him in the head. Reed held his head, ears ringing as he held up the snowball that hit him, a rock covered in a red liquid. He looked up to see Ben gasping at Reed, then slowly turning towards the kids across the street, the same bullies from yesterday, “Alright, you stay right here Reed,”

“Ben, where are you going?” Reed asked as Ben rolled up his sleeves,

“I’m gonna go over there, and clobber their asses!” Reed saw as Ben ran towards the kids, yelling profane curses at the kids. Reed then looked over to see his Cosmic Scanner, destroyed. It shattered on contact with the ground, the fragile piece of equipment never meant to be tossed around. He sighed as he picked up the pieces, walked back home, and applied pressure to the head wound on his forehead.

Reed scratched his forehead as he looked at the math in front of him, not understanding anything about it. Not that it was anything complicated, Reed could do rocket science in his sleep. No, instead he was looking at the work of his college roommate, wondering what archaic nonsense his roommate was bringing in. Alchemical signs, zodiac symbols, and an attempt to take philosophical mindsets and shove them into a form of arithmetic,

“Victor, what are you doing now?” Reed asked himself, looking around the dorm room. His half of the room was neatly organized, photos of his father next to him and Ben graduating. He smiled as he saw Ben in his air force uniform, test piloting the top-of-the-line rocket jets designed to exit and re-enter the atmosphere. Reed then looked over at Victor’s half of the room.

Messy. Disorganized. Yet, not sloppy. It was as though it was organized through Victor’s point of view, an organization so alien to Reed that it was sloppy to him. It didn’t help that there were boxes everywhere, a project tying into Victor’s thesis.

Reed looked at Victor’s equations, trying to see if he could decode this nonsense in front of him, “To turn lead into gold? How backward can you get?” Reed looked at the board, shaking his head as he fixed Victor’s four symbols, which looked like this: ♃ ,

“For such a brilliant mind, to be wasted on superstition and nonsense.” Reed said to himself as he set the chalk and eraser down, “A shame for all brilliant minds, everywhere.”

“I don’t see it that way, Richards,” Reed looked behind him to see Victor, who always stood up straight and arched his eyebrows at Reed, “I see it as leaving no stone unturned. The alchemists of old did not believe they could literally turn lead into gold, but rather turn the impure, the unfinished, and make it whole again, pure. And, it is scientifically possible to turn lead into gold.”

“Oh yes, let’s use millions of dollars to turn some molecules of lead, through a particle accelerator, into one molecule of gold!” Reed said as he walked over to his half of the room, “I don’t know how your methods got you this far, Victor. There’s no way you can reasonably base a scientific thesis on magic! ”

“Once again, you misunderstand the situation, Richards,” Victor said, “Matter and energy cannot be destroyed nor created, they can only change. What does science say of the human mind, the soul, and the will? What does science say of hypnotism and placebos? That the human will, though not able to be measured as of late, can affect and change the world around you.”

“Really?” Reed then took a pencil and dropped it in front of them, waving his hand above it, “How come the pencil can’t come to my hand, Doom? ” Victor merely scoffed at Reed, ignoring the nonbeliever as he worked on his project, putting together some sort of machine. Reed shook his head, needing space to be alone. Reed took his textbooks and notes from his desk, “I’m heading to the library, want anything, Victor?”

“Nothing that concerns you, Richards,” Victor said, not daring to look in Reed’s direction and stop his work on the project. Reed closed the door and walked through the dormitory. He walked through the empty halls, everyone around him busy studying for their finals and thesis’. 

Reed loved college life, able to just rest his sponge mind on an ocean of knowledge. No bullies were determined to shove him into lockers, as everyone was too busy building their futures. But, he’s never been this alone. His father kept in touch with Reed for a few months after he moved out, but Reed now hears nothing from his old man. Ben keeps in touch, but he can’t come and visit due to his military duties.

Reed walked through the cold college courtyard, buying a hot cup of coffee to fight the chilly winter air, as he walked into the library. The silence continued to follow Reed, the only thing breaking it would be the occasional ringing of the school bell for each hour that passed. Reed didn’t understand, why was he bothered? He liked being alone, it was the only place he could let his mind unravel and spiral into deep thought. The longest Reed was able to just let his mind loose and not pass out was thirty-six hours.

Reed tried to tackle his thesis again, the same idea he had since he was a thirteen-year-old kid. That Cosmic Radiation was real, could be measured, and could show insight into the origins of the Universe. But every time Reed tried to rewrite his summary, and recheck his math, he met a wall. He couldn’t keep going, and he didn’t know why.

Reed closed the book and tossed it aside, rubbing his head as he sat in the library. He then heard distant humming, somewhere in the library. He slowly stood up, trying to find the only other soul in this library. Reed didn’t know why he stood up, this wasn’t something his mind was doing. Something else was tugging his legs to move.

Reed followed the humming, which sounded like sweet, quiet chimes in spring. Reed looked down book aisle after book aisle, peering through the shelves to find whoever is making that gentle music. Reed then paused, his eyes gazing upon a woman in front of him.

She was looking down at her own textbooks and notes, majoring in what looked like some field of biology. Her notes were written in beautiful calligraphy, but it was strangely her smile that Reed liked the most. Something obviously attracted him to this woman, he might as well find out why. He went back to the shelves and came back to the golden-haired woman.

“Um, hello?” Reed said to the woman, who was not hearing him. Upon closer examination, Reed noticed that she was currently enthralled in a song that she was blasting into her earbuds. Reed looked around, and attached a note to the book, leaving it on the table for her to read later.

Reed went back to his books and notes, scrawling notes on his studies of Cosmic Radiation. He noticed that the radiation was nothing like the known radiations of modern science, the closest being Gamma Radiation. However, unlike Gamma Radiation, which flung radioactive particles that were rapidly decaying, Cosmic Radiation seemed to have the opposite effect. The particles flung by Cosmic Radiation seemed to modify molecular structures, changing them somewhat randomly. Though, Reed couldn’t get any more testing done.

Reed was then interrupted, as a book was tossed on his table, “The genetics of cephalopods?” The woman said, “Why would I base my thesis on that?”

“They’re one of the closest species that could almost match our intellect,” Reed said, “Most specifically, the Octopus. I only thought it would be an interesting read for you. Why did I insult you?”

“No!” The woman said, shaking her head at herself, “It was actually one of my first picks!”

“Really? What’s your thesis?” Reed said, folding his hands as he looked at the woman. She smiled, sitting down next to the strange man,

“And why would I tell you mine?” The woman asked,

“Because I’ll tell you mine!” Reed said, putting his hand out, “I’m Reed Richards,”

“Susan Storm,” Sue said, shaking Reed’s hand as she sat down, “Sorry, it’s just… A lot of people have bashed at my thesis, but it has solid ground and merit to be explored!”

“Sounds like you’ve been working a long time on your thesis. How long?”

“Oh… about six years. I graduated college early, and started to go to college when I was only sixteen!”

“Amazing,” Reed said, “I graduated early as well!”

“Really?”

“Yep, when I was fourteen years old,” Sue’s jaw dropped as Reed’s brilliance shined brightly, “I’ve been working ten years of my life to understand one of the universe’s greatest wonders.”

“So then, Mr. Richards,” Sue said as she blushed at Reed, “What are you working on that’ll make you Dr. Richards?”

“Well, it’s my theory on Cosmic Radiation, that the light from the Big Bang still reverberates across the Universe. It is a shadow, a remnant of a time when the forces of the Universe were just one force, giving off light and gravity while decaying and binding particles together. Earth must get prepared in case a cloud of Cosmic Radiation passes through Earth, otherwise--” Reed then stopped himself, rubbing the back of his head, “Sorry, I just… I just get so enraptured, and--”

“Wait,” Sue said, “That actually works well with my thesis as well!”

“Really? Do tell,” Reed said, finding this mind across from him fascinating, and wanted to keep picking at her brain,

“Um, well, basically the idea is that modern science believes that DNA is vulnerable to radiation, but I believe humanity has some sort of… natural resistance to it.”

“How so?” Reed asked,

“Well, it started when I read a textbook on mutations. Have you heard of Charles Xavier?”

“The Genetics Professor at Harvard?” Reed said, “I read his work, seemed intriguing. Why?”

“Then you know that he discovered a gene within the codex of human DNA, calling it the X-Gene. Through some unknown means, these genes are activated and can make--”

“Evolved beings,” Reed said, “It’s truly fascinating work, I hope he makes a follow-up paper.”

“But, here’s the thing,” Sue said, “I believe I found the cause as to why so many X-Genes or superpowered people have popped up in recent history! It’s all linked to some forms of radiation!

“There’s ambient radiation in the atmosphere, which can influence random people to either have cancer in their life or activate their X-Gene. But, notice how it starts to fluctuate, and the number of the superhuman rise after the creation of the nuclear bomb!”

“Huh,” Reed said, scratching at his chin, “Any examples?”

“Captain America,” Sue stated, “Was injected with the super soldier serum, yes, but was subjected to ‘Vita-Rays.’ The government’s been experimenting with gamma radiation, testing its effects on different animals. Some outed mutants have parents that were either near nuclear test sites or were near a nuclear explosion!”

“Hmm. Your theory would state that radiation can cause superpowers,” Reed said, “But why? Why do some people have superpowers, and other people get horrible diseases and radiation poisoning?”

“That’s… The part I’m working on,” Sue said, “I know, it sounds half-baked and--”

“No, no! I can see the science there,” Reed said, “But, tests on such a matter would be rather hard, as no one can predict having superpowers sometime in their life.”

“Really? God, I feel like I’m grasping straws here!” Sue said as she ran her fingers through her hair, “Like I have no clue what I’m doing!”

“I’m sure you’re fully competent, Susan,” Reed said, looking out the window of the library, “You wanna have a breath of fresh air? I could walk with you.”

“I would like that,” Sue said, her jovial tone breaking through the weight of her stress, “But first, I need a cup of joe as well! I cannot risk sleeping tonight!”

The two walked out of the library, stopping by the coffee stand outside for Reed to buy Susan a cup of coffee. They walked through the campus of the college as gentle snowflakes fell from the silent winter night sky. They talked and talked and talked for what felt like hours,

“So, where is your dad?” Susan asked, “If he inspired you so much to, ‘Solve everything,’ Where is he?”

“He’s… Distant. I was never bothered by it, I was so used to it, but there were moments when I needed him. And it’s not like he was a bad dad, but… It was hard to trust him.”

“What do you mean?” Susan said,

“I… One time, the summer after my mom died,” Reed began, “My father and I were building a treehouse. One thing led to another, and I was stuck up in the tree. My dad held his hands out, saying that if I jumped, he would catch me,” Reed looked up at the starry sky through the falling snow, “I hesitated. I was still scared. It was so illogical, so unexplainable, yet I refused to jump. Why was I so afraid of gravity, why did I cling onto the trap that I was stuck in, even when my father said he would catch me?”

“Maybe, it has to do with how alienated your relationship with your father became until you two couldn’t connect emotionally anymore,” Reed looked at Sue with a raised eyebrow, “I have another major in Psychology.”

“I always preferred Jung over Freud,” Reed said, “Perhaps, we’re so distant because we are reflections of each other, and neither likes what they see.”

“Hey, at least you still have a dad,” Sue said, looking down at the ground, “It’s just been me and my little brother.”

“I didn’t know you had a little brother,” Reed said, “What’s his name?”

“Johnny,” Sue sighed, “I can only imagine what that little nightmare’s got up his sleeve tomorrow.”

“I’m sure he’s not that…” Reed halted as Sue gave him a stare. A stare that only one who has seen a disaster or a war could recognize. She has seen a terror unlike any man has ever seen, “Nevermind. What got you into science?”

“As a little girl who didn’t have any parents and had to take care of her little brother, I didn’t have a lot of friends. Science was something that could explain how to approach everything, and it reminded me of my dad.”

“You know, Susan,” Reed said, looking down at his watch, “I would love to talk with you till the world stopped turning, but we won’t be able to turn in our thesis’. Could I take you out for dinner this Saturday?”

“I… I would love that!” Susan said, “I’ll have to let Johnny know, but yeah!” Susan then gave Reed her number in exchange for his number, “Call me!”

“Bye Susan!” Reed said, waving as Susan ran back towards the library, to study up on her theory of radioactive evolution. Reed smiled, carrying his book bag back towards his dorm. Reed couldn’t help but hum to himself, wondering how his thirteen-year-old self would react to his future self getting a date!

Reed then gasped as he saw smoke rise from the other side of the campus, over by the dormitories. Reed ran over, looking at fire trucks rushing by as he panted. His lungs may have gotten bigger, but Reed couldn’t hold his breath for longer than he did back on the day of the first swirlie. Reed heaved in the sharp, chilly air, cooling down his burning lungs as he looked at the dorm building.

The window of Reed’s dorm was shattered as black smoke rose from it, drifting into the sky. Reed gasped as paramedics pulled out college students covered in burns, soot, and blood. From the sounds of their ramblings and screams, an explosion occurred in Reed’s dorm. Reed felt his nerves on fire as he approached a fireman,

“Hello? My name is Reed Richards, that’s my dorm!” Reed said as he pointed towards the broken, blasted-out window,

“Boy, did you luck out!” The fireman said, “Some schmuck almost blew up the whole dorm! Though, I can’t say that guy over there is lucky!” Reed looked over to where the fireman pointed and gulped as he felt his feet freeze in place.

Laying on a stretcher, wrapped in bloody bandages, was a man who stared straight at Reed. Reed slowly took a step forward, but stopped as the bandaged man raised his arm, gritting his teeth as he tried to lift himself out of the stretcher,

“RICHARDS!” Victor roared out his hoarse throat, “YOU SHALL RULE THE DAY THAT YOU CROSSED VICTOR VON DOOM!! I SHALL HAVE MY VENGEANCE, RICHARDS!!!” Victor was then pulled into the back of an ambulance, squealing away as they drove towards the hospital. Reed shook his head, looking at his work which he miraculously took with him. 

Reed put away his projector as he laughed, sighing as Susan stood outside. Next to her, blowing a bubble of gum while waving at the secretary, was her younger brother, Johnny,

“Finally! I thought I was gonna have to get some dentures!” Sue ignored her teen brother, who read a MAD magazine next to them,

“Reed, what happened?” Susan asked, wearing a smile as Reed shook his head,

“They… They didn’t invest in the expedition, Sue,” Reed said, “They thought it was a bunch of nonsense, that I should write a book with Isaac Asimov! ”

“Oh, Reed!” Sue said, “What can we do? The Cosmic Cloud is about to pass Earth within the week. If we can’t get a pilot for the ship, we’ll never get another chance at studying it!” Susan and Reed started slowly, getting to know each other. Reed knows that behind Sue’s quiet demeanor was a genius mind that made Reed fall in love with her. 

“Well, you already got a rocket made, right?” Johnny said, “We can just get our own pilot then, right?” Reed then looks up, an idea sparking into his mind,

“You know, I actually know someone who might help us!"

It was later that night at Reed’s lab that there was a knock on the door. Reed opened the door, getting pulled into a hug as Ben Grimm lifted him up,

“There’s my college graduate!” Ben said as he effortlessly lifted Reed in the air, “Oh my God, Susie!” Ben then put Reed down and gave Susan a hug,

“Hi, Ben!”

“So, this is the guy?” Johnny said, “What happened, he smacked head first into a stop sign?”

“Johnny!” Susan said, gritting her teeth, “What do we say, young man?”

“Jeez! I’m not that young, I’m seventeen for Christ’s sake!” Johnny shook his head, “Fine, I’m sorry, can we go to space now?”

“Not yet,” Reed said as Ben approached his best friend, “Ben, I called you over to help us out with something,”

“Let me guess, you need me to… Ahem , ‘borrow,’ a rocket jet funded by you and the government and go into a cloud of universe-creating light!?! Am I right, Reed?”

“Look,” Reed said. Reed should’ve known Ben would’ve said no, he’s too smart, “I know, this is something you’ll probably regret, that--”

“No way!" Ben said, waving his hands out, "I'm sorry Reed, but can you imagine if we were hit by those cosmic rays? What would happen to us!"

"Ben..." Reed said glumly, putting his hands in his pocket, "I guess--"

"Ben!" Sue said as she looked astounded at Ben, "I... I can't believe what I'm hearing! You are a test pilot of one of the most advanced space crafts on the planet, fly through wars, and you're afraid!? I just... I would never think of you as a coward!" Ben snapped towards Sue, and scowled,

"I ain't no coward, Sue! If it means that much to you yutzes, fine! I'll be your pilot!"

“Wait, are we stealing a jet?” Johnny said, “Cause if so, I’m in!”

“To be accurate,” Reed said, “We’re merely borrowing the rocket jet. We’ll send it back in the same, exact condition,” Reed then stepped forward, holding Sue’s shoulders, “I ran the numbers and equations, hun. We should be in the clear to monitor the cosmic storm from within a safe vessel!”

“Alright,” Sue said, the geniuses smooching each other as Johnny was gagging while Ben smiled, “I trust you, okay? But if things do look bad, you tell me, okay?” Susan said,

“Don’t worry, honey,” Reed said, “I promise I will.”

The four stepped out of the Baxter Building, where at the top of the building lies Reed’s lab. Johnny took out his keys and pointed toward his car,

“I’m driving, right?” Johnny said with a slick smile, patting his hot red sports car,

“Uh-uh, no way!” Ben said, waving his hands in denial, “I ain’t getting into a death trap with Susie’s little twister for a brutha!”

“Hey, it ain’t a death trap, Blockhead!” Johnny snarked, “It’s my pride and joy, my Nineteen-Fifty-Four Jaguar, D-Type 3.L, reaching zero to sixty miles per hour in less than five seconds, reaching top speeds of one hundred seventy miles per hour,” Johnny then cracked his fingers as he opened the doors, “Now, it is a two-seater, but if Sue and Reed sat on Ben’s lap--”

“Absolutely not!” Sue said,

“We need to get there as fast as possible!” Reed said, “Ben, you have your car?”

“Yeah, Ben, where’s your sloppy jalopy?”

“Har har,” Ben said as he took his keys, “It’s lasted me this long, and it actually has a driver who can navigate these slick, icy roads!”

“Whatever,” Johnny said, “I’m taking my car, whether you guys like it or not!” Reed sighed, looking at Sue,

“I’ll go with Johnny, make sure that he doesn’t hit a tree on the way,” Reed said, “You go with Ben. We’ll meet back up outside the military base, alright?”

“Okay, just… Promise me Johnny will be okay, promise me, Reed,” Reed kissed Sue one more time,

“I promise, everything’s going to be fine!” Reed then looked over at Ben, “Ben, you think your car will make it? If you can’t, call me--”

“It’ll be fine, Reed,” Ben said, “I got my gas can, oil can, antifreeze, brake line fluid, egg, and pepper for the radiator. And, I got a couple spare tires and a tire pump in the back!” Ben patted Reed on the shoulder, “Don’t worry, one way or another, we’ll get there.”

“By the time you get there, we’ll already be in space!” Johnny said, jumping into the driver’s seat. Ben tugged on Sue’s arm,

“I’m not letting your snot-nosed brother beat us there, come on!” Ben said, hustling down the street towards his car. Sue waved at Reed, following Ben. Reed sighed, looking at the sight of his beautiful girlfriend,

HONK HONK!!! “Come, Reed, I want Ben to eat my dust!” Reed shook his head as Johnny turned on the engine, a lion roaring inside the vintage car. He climbed into the passenger side, buckling his seat belt,

“Johnny, buckle up,” Reed said,

“Come on, you ain’t my sister!” Johnny said,

“Please, for your safety and mine,” Reed said,

“I think we can handle a car crash, I’ll just have to fix the dents,”

“I’m talking about Sue,” Johnny paused for a moment, and clicked his seatbelt into his seat,

“Fine, happy? Good!” Johnny didn’t waste any time for more words and stepped his foot on the pedal. The Jaguar roared as it zoomed past Ben, who was trying to get his engine to turn over, cursing and muttering as he turned the key again and again.

Johnny groaned as he had to stop for red lights and stop signs, tapping his fingers on the wheel. He stood on his foot, looking at the old woman walking across the street,

“Hey, grandma!” Johnny called out, “How about you move it before I collect my social security!” HONK HONK!!! The old lady looked at Johnny with a sour look and made it to the sidewalk. The light barely turned green as Johnny zoomed ahead, trying to reach the highway. But, was once again met with a red light. “Son of a bitch!”

“Language,” Reed said, “I don’t think Sue would appreciate that kind of language.”

“Hey, egghead! Stop trying to play teacher around me all the time!” Johnny said as he once again tapped his fingers on the wheel, “I got enough problems as is!”

“Really? What problems could a high schooler have?” Reed asked, “It can’t be harder than trying to get a doctorate in physics, chemistry, biology, and several masters in different fields of engineering and electronics!”

“I’ll give you a couple names,” Johnny said, “Carol, Sally, Sandy, Erica, and Monica!” Reed raised an eyebrow,

“Are you dating all those girls?”

“Hey, I don’t blame my natural good looks for having multiple girls flock up to my side,” Johnny said, his eyes widening as he saw a red light turn green, stomping on the gas pedal. He howled in the air as he reached the highway, finally able to let loose and go as fast as he could. 

Johnny stuck to the fast lane, weaving through the cars that were in the way. The roads were salted, but the ice was still on the road. That’s when Reed noticed that Johnny had a manual car, using the stick shift for full control over the car. As they raced down the highway, Johnny seemed to cool off,

“So, when are you popping the question to my sister?” Reed looked at Johnny with raised eyebrows, “Oh come on! The way you two make googly eyes at each other, how you make sure you kiss each other every time you two leave each other’s sight!”

“Johnny, I know Sue and I have been dating for over a year now,” Reed said, “But… We’re not at that stage, yet. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on the matter, though.”

“Why? Cause I’m wiser than you thought?” Johnny said, cruising his car down the highway,

“Actually, it’s because when I ask Sue the question, I wanted your permission first,” Johnny looked over at Reed with huge eyes, “Since you’re the only man in Sue’s family, it made sense that I had to ask you.” Johnny gasped, turning his eyes back on the road,

“Um, wow. Thanks, man, but uh… You… You didn’t need to ask me that, Sue’s her own woman…” Johnny refused to let any emotions or feelings get in the way of his machismo, “Anyways, I think we’re getting close to the base, so… I have a question.”

“Sure Johnny, what’s your question?” Reed said, letting Johnny squirm away from his feelings,

“Well, after the whole cosmic storm thing, could I… I don’t know… Have a space walk!?!” Johnny said with a bright smile. Reed mused,

“I don’t know, I’ll have to ask Sue and--”

“No!” Johnny said, “You know her, she’ll try to keep me in the shuttle the whole time up there! And I wanna tell people that I’m a freaking astronaut, Reed!”

“Technically, you would be an astronaut even if you stayed in the shuttle, like Michael Collins!”

“Who?”

“Michael Collins, he was the third astronaut with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong on Apollo Eleven,” Reed said, “Are you even paying attention in school?”

“Well, people don’t remember the guy who stayed in the shuttle,” Johnny said, “They remember the guys who walk on moons and in space!”

“Science isn’t always about being popular, Johnny,” Reed said, “It’s about exploring the unknown, a dangerous task that requires safety,” Reed then smirked at the frown on Johnny’s face, “But, if you follow the correct safety procedures, then maybe--”

“Really!?! Cause if you let me, I’ll do whatever it takes to convince Sue you’re the perfect guy!”

“Aren’t I already the perfect guy?” Reed said, “I’m a well-educated polymath who has a high rate, a successful job that pays handsomely. What else couldn’t she ask for?”

“Do you ask her how her day is?” Johnny asked, “Or, do you ask what’s bumming her out, or why she’s mad or feeling ugly?”

“Um… My father believed that women were more emotional than men due to them having puberty earlier in life, making them the active glue for most social groups in most human societies,” Reed said, “But I feel that’s quite… Outdated…”

“Sexist, It’s sexist that’s what,” Johnny bluntly said, “Women are more than hyper-emotional mothers who belong in kitchens! They’re independent souls that make a man feel whole, Reed! And it’s up to the man to make the woman feel whole as well, and it’s up to the both of them to make things equal.”

“And how do you explain having five separate girlfriends?”

“Nine, I only said the five to be modest,” Johnny said, “And, let’s face it, I’m more man for just one girl, Reed!”

“Uh huh,” Reed said as Johnny slowed the car, pulling into the parking lot of the military base. Johnny locked his car and tucked his keys into his jacket, “Are you sure you wanna come, Johnny? This is a dangerous, probably an illegal act we’re doing, do you wanna risk it?”

“See Reed, that’s the difference between you and me,” Johnny said as he shut his car door, “You look at the Universe and say it’s chaotic, that probability is the rule of the land. I, however,” Johnny said as he walked over to Reed, “Believe in fate. Today, either we are fated to go up into space and become heroes, or we’ll end up as failures! So, no pressure!” Johnny patted Reed on the shoulder as they approached the base.

However, rushing in between the two, was Ben Grimm, huffing and puffing as he rushes past Johnny, touching the door first,

“Ha! In! Your! Face!”

“Aw, what!?! How the hell did you follow us so quickly!?!” Johnny said,

“It may be a bulky jalopy, pretty boy, but it’s got the engine of a Ford Cammer!!!”

“A Ford Cammer!?! In that small thing?” Johnny said as Sue strolled up to the men,

“Don’t underestimate him, Johnny. He’ll grow on you!” Sue said as she pinched Johnny’s cheek. Johnny scowled as he followed the adults into the base,

“Now, let me do the talking,” Ben said as he got out his military I.D., approaching the secretary of the base, “Excuse me, ma’am. The colonel sends me to do some checkups on the rocket jet, here’s my I.D.” The secretary didn’t even look as she pointed towards the jet. Ben looked at the others, shaking his head as his eyes were wide, “Thank you, ma’am. I’m sure our country is safe with you around.” The four walked down the hallway, Ben muttering to the group, “What a schmuck!”

The four walked on top of the tarmac, not a person in sight, “Hey, how come there aren’t any guards?” Johnny asked, “For god’s sake, this is a military base!”

“Johnny, there’s only one thing that can make trained soldiers slack off, grab a beer, and take a break from their monotonous jobs,” Reed said,

“Sunday Night Football,” Ben said, whimsically looking into the night sky, “God, I wish that shuttle had a television!”

“Don’t worry, I set the t.v to record it so that you can watch it when we get back, Ben,” Reed said,

“See, that’s why you’re my best friend, and, I swear to God to you on this one, why you’re gonna be my best man when I’m getting hitched!”

“Please!” Johnny said, “By the time you got down on one knee, the lady is already shrieking down the next block!”

“Oh yeah, wiseguy?” Ben said as he scowled at Johnny, “You wanna say it again with my fist in your big mouth!?!” Johnny raised his fists as Ben grabbed his shirt, each of them gritting their teeth as they were ready to let lose the worst curses they could spew out of their mouths. Sue went to stop the soon-to-be hurricane of curses, a war of words between Brooklyn and Long Island.

“Guys!!!” Reed shouted, shutting both of them up as they dropped their fists, “I realized you don’t like each other, but don’t you realize that not only is my thesis on the line for this, but Sue’s thesis as well!? Not only that, but the data from this trip can not only confirm the existence of the big bang but could help explain the fundamental truths of the cosmos itself!?!” Reed fumed as he looked at his best friend and girlfriend’s brother, unblinking as he folded his arms. Both Johnny and Ben rubbed their arms and the backs of their necks,

“Gee, I’m sorry Reed,” Ben said,

“Yeah, sorry Sue…” Johnny said,

“I think you two know who to say sorry to,” Sue said, folding her arms as well as she stood side by side with Reed. Ben and Johnny glanced at each other, their anger glaring behind each other’s eyes. But it was pulled away into the back of their minds as they held out their arms, hesitantly shaking hands,

“Sorry, putz,” Ben said, feeling vomit at the back of his throat,

“Sorry, pal,” Johnny said, trying as hard as he could to not roll his eyes and groan,

“Good!” Reed said, turning to Sue, “Hun, shall we discover the mysteries of the universe?”

“Yes, dear!” Sue said, the two scientists turning around toward the jet. Johnny stuck his tongue out as he made faces at Ben. Ben sharply dug his knuckle into Johnny’s shoulder, twisting it as Johnny went to yelp in pain, no air leaving his lungs, “And you two better behave!!!” Ben sighed as he picked Johnny up,

“Come on, twerp! We’ve got history to make!” Johnny fumed, feeling as though he could burst into flames. They climbed onto the shuttle and changed into astronaut gear. Sue was so embarrassed, having to change into a separate room, and feeling invisible. Everyone met up, sitting down in their designated seats. Ben buckled up, settling down for the long trip, set as stone to get the job down. The engines roared to life, the lights turning on inside the shuttle. Reed rapidly moved between his consoles, getting everything locked onto the cosmic storm that was about to pass by the Earth, his mind stretched thin as he remembered his calculations from memory.

“Sue,” Reed said as he finished his calculations, “How are you feeling?” Sue stared ahead, looking out of the pilot window,

“Fantastic,” FWOOSH!!! The rocket jet zoomed down the tarmac, taking off into the sky, a sonic boom echoing throughout the valley as it soared through the clouds, reaching the stars. Reed felt the g-forces press against him, fear creeping onto him. He then felt a hand grab onto his, looking over to see Sue smiling at him. Reed, feeling all the fear leave him, smiled, and looked forward toward the most important event of their lives.

Shaking and shuddering through the clouds, black smoke and fire drifted off as a shuttle crashed towards a remote part outside the tri-state area. Black earth flew out with the sound of a thundering crash and metal twisting under its own weight. It dug at the Earth as it kept scraping against the ground, the trees snapping as they battered the wings, and the rocks cut into the hull of the shuttle.

The shuttle came to a creeping halt, the door opening as four astronauts stumbled out, clawing at their helmets,

“Sue!? Ben?! Johnny!?!” Reed said as he took his helmet off, heaving the fresh, Terran air. He looked over at Johnny, widening his eyes as he saw smoke coming off the young man, “Oh God, Johnny! You’re on fire!” Johnny looked at himself and yelped, patting at the smoke as fire drifted off of him. Reed ran back into the burning shuttle, looking for a fire hydrant to put Johnny out,

“Johnny!!!” Sue screamed as she tried to take her helmet off, “Stop, drop, and roll Johnny! STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!!!” Johnny didn’t even think, rolling on the ground as the grass under him turn to ash. By the time Reed came out of the shuttle with a fire hydrant, Johnny was already engulfed in flames, his astronaut suit burning away. Reed blasted the hydrant onto Johnny, panicking as he sprayed all over him. Reed carefully waited, looking at Sue as she took off her helmet, gasping,

“S-Sue!” Reed said, shakily pointing at her as his face went pale, “Y-your… Y-your face, it…”

“What’s wrong!?!” Sue said as she touched her face, “It feels fine, what’s wrong!?!”

“Quick, take off your gloves, look at your hands!” Reed said, Sue, taking off her gloves rapidly. She shrieked, seeing nothing coming out of the sleeve. She looked into the broken glass of the wreckage, seeing nothing but an empty astronaut suit before her, standing up straight and looking at her,

“Oh, God! I’m invisible!”

“Whoa!” Sue and Reed look at Johnny, expecting the worst. Instead, they found an unharmed Johnny Storm, albeit desperately in need of clothing. At least, in everyone but Johnny’s opinion, “That’s awesome!”

“Johnny, how aren’t you harmed?” Reed said, seeing smoke coming off of Johnny’s skin, “Unless… Wait, where’s Ben,”

“AGH!!!” The three looked over at Ben, who stumbled as his helmet was still on. “IT’S… GETTING HARD TA… BREATHE!!!”

“Ben calmed down!” Reed said as he walked over to Ben, reaching his hand out. Suddenly, his hand stretched out more than usual, his humerus and forearm elongating as his fingers lengthen. Sue gasped as Reed stopped, looking as his arm bent and curved in ways a human arm should not . Reed didn’t feel disturbed, or intrigued by this new development. He willed his arm to bend back, becoming his normal arm again,

“Reed,” Ben said, his voice getting deeper as his chest became bulkier and bulkier as his chest expanded. The glass of his helmet cracked as the astronaut suit ripped apart. Everyone gasped as orange rocks cut through the fabric, his gloves bursting apart as four large, stoney fingers grew. Ben yelled as he looked at his hands, tearing his suit apart as his helmet bursted open, “WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME!?!?!”

“Holy mother of God,” Reed said as Ben, his best friend, was turned into some sort of rock creature. Six and a half feet tall, the ground shaking as Ben took a step forward, his body somehow turned into living stone. Ben touched his hands and face, the orange rock covering his body like the scales of a lizard, and looked at Reed. His eyes, his bright blue eyes, the only remnant and clue that this… this Thing was Ben Grimm,

“My God, Ben,” Sue said as she approached the giant made of rocks, touching his stone skin with her invisible hand, “Are you in pain, are you hurt?”

“I’m worse than that!” Ben shouted, his voice sounding like he had a mouthful of gravel in his mouth, “I’m a freak! I… I’m a monster!!!” Ben then snapped towards Reed, scowling as he pointed at him, “You… You said it was safe. You said you did the math. So why, Reed, WHY THE HELL AM I LIKE THIS!?!?!” The Thing’s voice boomed out, like an earthquake, stomping towards his so-called best friend,

“Ben, calm down,” Reed said as he backed up towards the burning, slowly stepping away from Ben as he raised his hands, “I can answer all your questions, I just need more time!”

“TIME’S UP, PAL!!!!” The thing said as he made a fist. Reed gulped, moving his torso to the side as it curved around Thing’s fist, blowing a hole into the shuttle behind Reed. Reed leaped forward, wrapping his hands and chest around Ben, restraining Ben’s arms to his legs and chest, “Nrg, nrg! LET! GO!!!”

“Not until you calmed down!” Ben stumbled and hopped as he fought against Reed’s elastic grip, “Listen to me, Ben, I’m sorry! I promise I will find a way to cure you! To cure all of us!”

“Uh, don’t lump me in, Reed,” Johnny said as he snapped his fingers, flame coming off his thumb. He gasped as he looked at himself, summoning the will of heat into two, sweet words, “FLAME ON!!!” Fwoosh! Johnny was engulfed in flames once more, the seductive flame writhing off his head, shoulders, and hands. Through the flame, the adults could see the massive grin on Johnny’s flame, “FLAME OFF!!!” In an instant, the flame was extinguished and Johnny was left untouched once more, “Dude! I’m a freaking superhero!!!”

“Why does he get to turn on and off!?!” Ben said, “I should be able to turn it on and off, why ain’t I!?!”

“Y’know, maybe these powers brought out the truths in us all,” Johnny said, “For example, I’m super hot, so I am literally hot! You, Ben, you’re… well, let’s face it, you weren’t the greatest face around, but now --”

“That’s it!!! THAT IS IT!!!” Ben said as he ripped Reed off him, tossing him aside as he pounded his fist together, “IT’S CLOBBERIN TIME YOU LITTLE YUTZ!!!” Johnny sneered as he was engulfed in flame, tossing a fireball at Ben as he dodged to the side. However, the moment he jumped in the air, fire shrieked from his legs and he began to zoom around the air,

“No freaking way! I can fly!?! I CAN FLY!!! I AM SO AWESOME!!!” The thing raised a fist as the Johnny Storm zoomed around the wreckage, leaving streaks of fire in the air,

“GET DOWN HERE, MATCHSTICK!!! I’M GONNA SMOTHER YOU IN A LAKE, YOU LITTLE SHIT!!!”

“ENOUGH!!!” Sue said, stomping her feet as Ben walked into nothing, Johnny slamming into some invisible wall, laying on nothing. They felt their surroundings, and realized they were in invisible cubes,

“Sue, are you doing that?” Reed said, his noodle arms dragging behind him as the slunk back into place,

“I-I… I think so!” Sue said, dropping her hands as Ben stumbled forward, Johnny falling towards the ground before his flight kicked back in. Ben’s grimace bore down at Reed and Johnny, but his rocky face shifted to make a smile at Susan,

“Maybe you can turn it on and off as well, Sue!” Johnny said, “I just think it, and poof! I’m on fire! Maybe it’s the same with you?”

“I’ll try,” Sue said, standing up straight and not saying a word. Slowly, the three men saw a gorgeous blond woman with her eyes closed, willing herself back into being,

“Sue!” Reed said, running up to her and hugging her. They shared an embrace and a kiss, before looking back at Ben, “Ben, have you tried--”

“I’ve been trying everything, stretch!” Ben said as he grabbed at the rocks that made his body, “ROCKS OFF! ROCKS OFF!! But it ain’t coming off, Reed! I’m stuck as this… this… this THING!!! ”

“Should we go to the hospital?” Sue asked, “Whatever this is, we don’t know if it’s contagious or not!”

“I think we should go to Hollywood!” Johnny said, “I mean, look at us! We should make front-line news in a heartbeat! We’ll be international sensations!!!”

“Oh, and parade me like a sideshow freak!?!” Ben said, folding his arms as he turned his back on the group, “Just leave me here, I’ll rather be a dead boulder than let people shriek at me like I’m Frankenstein!!!”

“Let’s all calm down!” Reed said, “I say we go into the wreckage, find our clothes, and sneak back into my lab in the city. From there, I can figure out how to fix us!”

“Right,” Sue said, lifting her hand at the burning shuttle. The four of them could see in front of them a shimmer in the air, an invisible sphere that encircled and surrounded the whole of the shuttle. The force field refused any air to enter, slowly suffocating and snuffling out the flames of the wreck. Sue then let the force field go, but not before she and the rest of the group noticed blood coming from her nose. Reed tore a piece of cloth from his suit, giving it to Sue to hold the bleeding as they entered the shuttle.

“So, what happened?” Johnny asked, “I mean, I know I was there, but what exactly happened?”

“The Cosmic Storm,” Reed said, “I don’t know how, but it redirected its course straight at us! And its intensity was hundreds of times greater than I anticipated! But when it hit, the cosmic rays of the storm must’ve…” Reed then snapped his head towards Sue, “Sue, your theory! This proves it!”

“Really?” Sue said, “Wow, I never thought I would prove it by being the outlier!” Sue held out her hand, making her hand shimmer the light around it, slowly seeing right through it, “The cosmic rays must’ve torn through our DNA, changing and editing it to random degrees!”

“Makes sense why I’m like this, then,” Ben said, looking at himself, “I was in the pilot chair, meaning I was blasted the longest by those cosmic rays!”

“And why are we able to turn it on and off,” Johnny said, snapping his fingers to make a flame, “We were in the back seats!”

“Then what about me?” Reed said, his limbs and torso stretching at will, “Why aren’t I like any of you?”

“What are you talking about?” Johnny said, “You look… Um…” Johnny tapped his fingers together as he felt Ben’s scowl looking his way, “Y’know, like you did… before the accident!”

“No, I can feel it in my bones,” Reed said, “My flesh is no longer like anything on this earth, like Ben’s. My best guess is that my body is an incredibly advanced single-cell organism, my organs are just large organelles, but bones and skin have advanced cellular walls. It’s the only way I can do this!” Reed then twisted his right arm into a spiral, and his left arm ballooned the size of his fist to that of a mallet! He then untwisted and deflated, returning to normal,

“… Look, I’m telling you guys. One call to my agent, and we’ll be rich!”

“You have an agent?” Sue asked, “Since when?”

“Since I modeled for that guy we met at that park,”

“You did what!?! I explicitly said to not--”

“Hey!” Reed said, snapping the two battering storms, “We need to get back to the task at hand, otherwise we’ll probably be arrested by the U.S. Government!”

“Right,” Johnny said, looking down at the burnt remnants of his astronaut suit, now an ashy pair of shorts, “I don’t think the ladies would be able to handle looking at this, much less for free!” Sue rolled her eyes as the four grabbed their clothes. Reed and Johnny put on their suits as Sue put on her dress, turning invisible to have her own privacy. Ben, however, could only where his trenchcoat and fedora, once humongous on him, now a little tight,

“Alright stretch, how are we getting back to the city in the middle of nowhere?”

“I figured we could get back to the military base, and retrieve our cars,” Reed said,

“Won’t they be looking for us?” Sue asked,

“Yeah, and their state of the art shuttle craft that you promise that was would, and I quote,” Ben said, then trying to do an impression of Reed with a voice of slate, “ ‘send it back in the same, exact condition,’ How’s that now?”

“Come on!” Johnny said, “Reed’s an egghead, a genius! If anyone can fix this, it’s him!” They looked over at Reed, who was looking at the data of the ship, unblinking as sweat beaded down his forehead, “Reed?”

“I just finished looking at the computer’s last computations, at the speeds at how we crashed into the Earth and the amount of radiation we were bombarded with,” Reed look at the others, “We should all be dead.”

“What do you mean?” Sue asked,

“We should all be… Hemorrhaging our brains out as our cells rapidly mutate, becoming cancers floating on cancers! We should be mangled bodies, unmoving in a burning shuttle. But look at us! We have been changed and altered, but with abilities that no other person on Earth has been granted!

“Sue, what you’ve done has completely baffled me,” Sue smiled as Reed entered into one of his rants, “Turn invisible while still being able to see! That goes against the very nature of photons, yet you do it anyway! And , you can create force fields, which… I’m only guessing is a form of energy that you can somehow manipulate!

“Johnny, the temperatures you are at should make you violently ill, your body breaking itself down as it tried to instill an equilibrium, I have seen you engulfed in flames, hot enough to melt the flesh of your blackened bones. And yet, you stand here, not a single hair singed.

“Ben, my dear friend, I’m sorry you’re not able to control the appearance of your body, and I will work day and night to reverse that my friend. But look at what you’ve done! You punched a hole through titanium steel! You were blasted in flames, unfazed and unharmed! A mountain of a man, moving for no one else!”

“Alright, Reed, get to the point!” Ben said,

“I’ll be the first to say it: Johnny was right,” Johnny smiled as he looked at Ben and Sue, but frowned as he realized the slight jab at him, “Before we climbed onto this ship, Johnny talked to me about fate. How we were fated to chase after the stars and become heroes. And although it has ended this way, why shouldn’t we still be heroes? 

“We were given these gifts for a purpose, and I don’t know what gave us these gifts or why we were given them in the first place, but somewhere inside my heart, I believe that there is a purpose behind this. A destiny.” Reed looked at his best friend, his girlfriend, and her younger brother. Sue looked down, passed through her hands, and nodded. Ben looked at his rocky hands and nodded. Johnny looked at his fiery hands, and nodded as well,

“Right, do our best for mankind with our powers,” Ben said, “You could’ve just said that ya blabbermouth!”

“Ooo! I have an awesome superhero name!” Johnny said, “I am: The Human Torch!!!”

“Johnny, please,” Sue said,

“Come on! You can be the Invisible Girl!”

“I’m not going to indulge in your immaturity, Johnny,” Sue said as she folded her arms, “And it’s the Invisible Woman.”

“I already said what I am,” Ben said, “I’m a thing, I’m the Thing.”

“Gee, could you be any more cheery?” Johnny said, “What about you Reed? Are you Stretch Armstrong?” Reed shook his head, smiling as he stepped toward his new family,

“I know,” Sue said as she held Reed’s hands, “Even before the accident, before we even met, you were fantastic, Reed. So, who better to lead the Fantastic Four than Mr. Fantastic?”

“The Fantastic Four? ” Johnny said with a raised eyebrow, “Damn it, why didn’t I think of that!?!”

“Mr. Fantastic,” Reed said to himself, “I like it. Alright, team, let’s get to--” BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The Earth shook as the four quickly raced towards the shuttle door to the outside. Beneath them, they saw the Earth crack, “Sinkhole! Quick, escape!”

“A freaking sinkhole!?!” Ben yelled out as he leaped down, “What next, is the rapture comin!?!”

“Reed! It’s not a sinkhole!” Sue declared as she looked down in the cracks, “It’s-- AAHHH!!!” Blasting out of the earth was a gigantic hand, which grabbed Sue. An amphibian head poked out, its sharp maw shrieking as the sunlight hit its milky eyes. Johnny leaped in the air, bursting to flame as he shot bolts of fire at the creature,

“Put my sister down, you ugly frog!” Johnny blasted fire into the eyes of the creature, dropping Sue. Johnny went to go after Sue, but realize he would be setting her on fire! He couldn’t do anything!

Sue held out her hands, creating an invisible slide that took her over by Reed, “What is that thing, Reed!?!”

“From the looks of it, it looks like a fish from the bottom of the ocean adapted to live in some sort of space in the subterranean caves,” Reed then looked at the shuttle, and over at Ben, “Ben, grab the shuttle and smash it on the creature!”

“You think I’m that strong!?!” Ben asked, “Alright, but I can’t wait to see Reed Richards being wrong more than twice a day!” Ben ran over to the shuttle, digging his large, rocky fingers into the metal hull. He grunted as he lifted with his legs, carrying several tons of metal and rocket fuel with ease. He then tossed the shuttle on top of the wriggling creature, causing it to writhe and lash out of the cracks.

“Johnny!” Reed called over to the flaming teenager, “Fire everything you got on that shuttle!”

“Reed!” Sue said, “Are you sure? What about our data?”

“I manage to take a look at it,” Reed said, “I have an idea as to how to keep the memories intact, but you have to trust me,” Sue looked at Reed, and smiled at Johnny,

“Johnny!” Sue called out, “Let it have it!”

“Burn, ya freak!” Johnny said as he let loose a stream of fire that would’ve been considered biblical, igniting the fuel as he burned the subterranean creature. It shrieked in agony as the Earth collapsed, pulling the monster back to the depths from whence it came. Johnny landed back on the ground next to the others, his normal clothes burnt and ashy, “Aw hell, I was gonna go on a date with this outfit!”

“Alright,” Reed said as he stepped forward, “I took a look at the data, and that memory is somewhere in my mind.” Reed closed his eyes as he placed his fingers to his head. Johnny nudged Ben,

“What’s he doing?” Johnny asked,

“Doing what Reed always does,” Ben said, “Experimenting.” Reed’s head began to warp and expand, his forehead bulging forward as his head became a sort of cone shape. Reed opened his eyes, feeling new lobes form in his mind, wanting to test the limits of the human experience at this moment. But there was a problem at hand, and Reed fished out the memory of the data from his mind, stretching the parts of his mind that the memory laid in so that it remained fresh to him as though he just read them,

“Alright, let’s go to my lab!”

“How!?!” Ben roared, “With my looks, your head, and Johnny’s clothes, we’ll get hauled off to Area 51 before we could even ask for a lawyer!”

“How about I lend a hand?” Sue said as she wrapped them all in a force field, slowly turning them invisible to the outside world, “Better to travel in incognito mode, right?”

“Sue,” Reed said, “You really are a fantastic woman, aren’t you?”

“Only for Mr. Fantastic,” Sue said, kissing her boyfriend again as she gently caressed his elongated melon. Johnny and Ben groaned, the four of them walking through the forest toward the greatest city in the world.

Reed sat back in his chair, looking at the sprawling red, blue, and black ink that sprawled the markerboards. He rubbed his gray temples, sipping a cup of coffee as a little robot hovered over him,

“More coffee, Mr. Fantastic?” H.E.R.B.I.E. said a little robot butler Reed made to wow the public. The Humanoid Experimental Robot, B-Type, Integrated Electronics, the little guy had a pot of hot coffee in its hands, its electronic face lit on its visor with a soft humming,

“No thanks, H.E.R.B.I.E., I’m quite busy with my current projects,” Reed said, scratching at his engorged head, restructuring his lobes to focus on equations based on quantum mechanics. Reed loved to push the neuroplasticity of his brain to its full potential, sipping the rest of the coffee in his cup,

“Would you like some eggnog, sir?” H.E.R.B.I.E. asked, “Ms. Storm made some two hours ago.”

“Actually,” Reed said, “Play my recordings from the front door,” Reed said as his head shrunk back down to size, rubbing his head as he slowly realigned the folds of his gray matter back to place. He rubbed the bridge of his nose as he felt his cheeks, feeling some scruff growing, “H.E.R.B.I.E, how long have I been in the lab?”

“You’ve been researching and experimenting for thirty-six uninterrupted hours,” H.E.R.B.I.E. stated as he brought over a mirror, shaving cream, and razor. Reed looked at himself, unshaven and exhausted, wearing a white lab coat over a blue uniform with a large four in the middle, taking off his black gloves as he grabbed the can of shaving cream.

The first recording played as Reed pulled at his face, stretching his cheek to apply the cream and shave off his shaggy scrub. Standing in front of the camera outside the thick steel doors that kept everyone out of Reed’s lab, was Johnny and Ben. Johnny was older, with long blond hair covering his thick black sunglasses, wearing the same suit Reed was wearing. Ben, meanwhile, was still a large rock humanoid, wearing blue shorts as he folded his arms looking at the camera,

“Hey, Reed!” Johnny shouted at the camera, “Come on out, man! It’s Christmas!!! Even a hermit crab like you has to come out,” Johnny then pounded on the door, furrowing his fiery eyebrows, “Live a little, man, it's Christmas!!!”

“He’s not coming out,” Ben said, “He didn’t come out last Christmas, why should this one be any different?”

“Ben!” Sue said as she stepped into the camera, wearing her F.F. Uniform as she sighed at the camera, reading the big, red, glowing words that said, DEEP IN THOUGHT, IN THOUGHT KEEP OUT , “Guys, why don’t you get the food on the counters, the guests will be coming soon,” Human Torch and the Thing nodded, moving as they walked out of the video. Sue then looked at the camera, smiling glumly as she folded her arms, “Reed, I don’t know when you’re going to watch this, but please listen.

“You’ve done so much in the last four years, trying to give us a new life after the accident,” Sue said as she rubbed her head, remembering that day like it was yesterday, “And I know you blame yourself, no matter what I or the guys say. But, hun, please don’t dedicate yet another Christmas all by yourself! Please, come and spend it with us, with your friends and family. Please,” Sue said as she stepped toward the camera, “Spend it with me…” She then looked down and backed away from the camera, “If you come out, there’ll be a glass of eggnog waiting for you.”

Reed leaned back on his chair, looking over at the things he had been working on since yesterday afternoon. He then smiled as he looked at H.E.R.B.I.E,

“H.E.R.B.I.E,” Reed said, “Help me wrap these presents, and prepare the door to open!”

“On it, Mister Fantastic!” Reed stood up, looking at the other projects he was leaving for another day. Reed thought that today would be the day he would let the festive spirit whilst him away this year.

Sitting in their chairs around the living room, were the other members of the Fantastic Four. Ben sat in a chair made with titanium bars, with a blind woman sitting on his lap, smiling as she made Ben feel joy behind his rocky shell. Johnny sat on the couch, a woman in a red and green dress sitting on his lap, wearing dark green lipstick. 

Standing near the Christmas tree was Susan, who used her force powers to clean the floor under the tree. Sue looked over at the hallway, where Reed Richards stood with a tired smile on his face,

“Reed, darling, you made it!” Johnny and Ben cheer as Sue rushed over to Reed, who hugged her tightly, “What made you change your mind?”

“Well, because I just finished making everyone their presents!” Reed said as H.E.R.B.I.E. brought out oddly shaped presents, one for each person in the room. Everyone looked astounded at their gifts, afraid that shaking them would make something blow up, “Let’s start with our guests. Alicia?”

The blind woman felt the present in her hands, a small box that was obviously some piece of jewelry. With the hands of a clay sculptor, she carefully opens the box and finds some sort of wristband, “Reed, it’s so smooth and wonderful! What is it?”

“I’ve fully redone the electronics of the Baxter Building,” Reed said, “If you wear that wristband while in the building, it’ll read your thoughts and transmit commands to the electronics nearby! Want to go to the top floor? Just walk towards an elevator, it’ll open up and move you up on its own!”

“How wonderful! Thank you, Reed!” Alicia said, putting the wristband on. To everyone else, it looked like a pearl wristband made of an alien alloy, connected by hover technology that kept the beads together without a string.

“Laura, your turn,” Laura Green, the longest-lasting girlfriend of the Human Torch for almost a year! Johnny didn’t know why, but something about this girl was… outstanding! Laura opened her gift and lifted her gift out of the box. In her present was an oddly shaped tablet, with no visible metal or wires through the pure glass of the device,

“What is it, Mr. Richards?” As Laura spoke her question, the tablet glowed brightly as a hologram was projected,

“This is the info-shard,” The tablet said, its default voice set to Reed’s voice, “It currently holds the definition of every word in the English, German, French, Spanish, Latin, Greek, and Mandarin languages.”

“Laura, I know you are a foreign exchange student,” Reed said, “So I made you the info-shard to fill you in on some of the languages that I happened to know. Though I do plan on making updates to the software, so expect frequent installations of other sources of knowledge.”

“Wow! Thank you so much, Mr. Richards!” Laura then looked over at Johnny, “Isn’t this great, Johnny?”

“Yeah, I’m sure that shard can explain my whole emotions in one word,” Johnny said as the shard began to glow once more,

“Lackadaisical,” The shard said, Johnny shook his head as Laura giggled at him,

“Johnny, this is for you,” Reed said as he handed Johnny his present. Johnny was giddy, as though he was an eight-year-old again. He tore into his wrapping paper, and finding a small pair of keys,

“Reed, tell me what this is for, right now!” Johnny said as he gleamed with life,

“It’s waiting for you in the garage, next to the Fantasticar,” Reed said as Johnny picked Laura up in his arms, running towards the elevator immediately. Susan sighed, 

“You think he has enough cars?” Sue asked as she picked up the torn wrapping paper with her force fields,

“Technically, it isn’t a car,” Reed said, stretching his arm over into the kitchen for a cup of eggnog as H.E.R.B.I.E. prepared the next present. Reed sipped the eggnog, putting his cup down as he turned towards Ben,

“What, I’m next?” Ben said, “What could you possibly give me this year, stretch? And why do you look so nervous?”

“Cause I just hope it’s good enough… But I know it’s not,” Reed carefully unwrapped the present, presenting a delicate, bright blue fluid that swiveled in the glass tube,

“Uhh… Reed, we both know I ain’t the sharpest tool in this building, what the hell is that?”

“After countless months of experimentations and testings, Ben… This is the closest cure to you being the Thing,” Ben gasped as Alicia raised her hands towards her mouth in glee, “It’s not permanent. It’ll make it so that out of the whole year, you’ll only get one day to be Ben Grimm. I know it isn’t what I promised you, and I know it’s--”

“A day?” Ben said, his bright blue eyes stinging as he wiped the tears off his dry rocks, “Reed, I live every day in a body that’s not mine, facing the stares of people who judge me, who are afraid of me! To just have one day be me again… I may not be so miserable all the time!” Reed handed Ben the vial, making sure to let the glass just rest against his rocky palms, “When should I take it?”

“Why not today?” Sue asked, “That way, you’ll be Ben Grimm around the holidays!”

“But what about his birthday?” Alicia asked, “You should be able to celebrate getting older as yourself! Besides, normal or rocky, you’re still my anchor,” Ben’s harsh, cragged face softly smiled as Alicia nuzzled under his neck,

“I’ll think about it,” Ben said, “Besides, it’s not like this thing will stop working, right Reed?”

“Theoretically,” Reed said, “It would survive till the explosion of the sun, which won’t happen till another four billion years later, and I’m not sure if either of us will be alive at that point.”

“I don’t care!” Ben handed the vial to Alicia to keep safe, setting her down as he got up, “Come here, you sunnofagun!” Ben grabbed Reed and hugged him, the sound of rocks grinding against other rocks and a rather indestructible balloon. Reed would've been killed if his organs didn’t squish and folded around each other with ease. Ben let Reed go, sitting back down as Alicia walked back toward his lap.

Reed looked over at Sue, who smiled at Reed as she looked at H.E.R.B.I.E, which caused her to raise an eyebrow at Reed,

“Reed, did you make me a present?”

“I did,” Reed said, looking at the Christmas Tree, “Y’know, I did command H.E.R.B.I.E. to decorate the tree while I was in my lab. I even picked out the star myself!” Sue raised an eyebrow, looking at the star. She then furrowed her eyebrows, seeing something on the star. She used her force fields to gently take the star down, seeing a letter inside. Sue took the letter and opened it:

Dear Sue,

I’m sorry dear that I could not vocalize this letter to you. These emotions… I am often at a loss for words to describe these emotions. My difficulties with emotions often cast the idea that I am a cold, logical person who has no time for emotions. But I can feel, I feel happy when I’m with you and the team, exploring the unknown together. I feel anger and guilt daily. But the one thing I feel is the one thing that not even the words of Shakespeare or Hawking could define.

“I Love You.” Three simple words. Words that are but mere semantics compared to the cosmos of the Universe. But behind these words lies one of the greatest truths I have ever encountered. A truth greater than finding the solution to everything, a truth grander than the Theory of Everything. “I Need You.” “You Complete Me.” You deserve more, something better, something grander.

Sue put the letter down, not seeing Reed in front of her. She then looked down and saw Reed holding a black box in his hands. Sue gasped as Reed opened the case, showing a magnificent ring that sparkled and radiated with light,

“R-Reed, what is… I…” Sue grasped at the words that slipped by her, the sparkling light shining brighter than anything she has ever seen,

“Susan Storm,” Reed said as he gently took the ring out of the box, “With this star that I forge, one that will outlast all of the universe, our love will last forever. Susan Storm, will you marry me?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” Susan shrieked, jumping into Reed’s arms as he stretched his chest up, soaring towards the ceiling as they embraced, resting their lips upon the other’s. Susan put the ring on, its eternal light shining until the end of time, till entropy due them part.

Chapter Text

The sea tossed and turned as Jane looked out to the sea. Its gray skies and green sea bellowed as the ship continued to rock back and forth. Next to her, Darcy puked her guts out as she collapsed onto a nearby bench,

“Seriously? We had to go to Norway?” Darcy said, trying to steady herself as Jane handed her a breath mint, “I mean, why couldn’t we go to Spain or Italy? Why Norway?”

“Because, strange astronomical anomalies have been reported in the area, Darcy,” Jane said, “We were sent to study what is causing the disturbances, and if it’s something unknown to the world!”

“Relax,” Darcy said, “It’s probably just the Aurora Borealis or some crap like that.”

“We shouldn’t leave any stone unturned,” Professor Erik Selvig said, approaching Dr. Jane Foster and her intern/best friend, Darcy Lewis, “I have a feeling, ladies… I think we may prove your father’s theories, Jane,”

“On wormholes?” Jane said, “Are you sure? His theory relied on wormholes being a common occurrence, that one pops up on Earth once every two hundred years from his estimations, and that there were at least nine spatial dimensions in our Universe. But he could never get any evidence of any wormholes opening, and he never lived long enough for String Theory to advance,”

“Until now,” Selvig said as he showed them his laptop, leaving Jane and Darcy to be stunned at the data, “You see the gravity fluctuations? They occur the most here, in some remote sight in Norway.”

“If that’s true,” Jane said, “Then we need to go there, and run tests on the gravitational waves, see if any random particles are being produced in the area. I’m talking Neutrinos, Tachyons, Muons, Higgs Bosons, and Pym Particles, any sub-atomic particle not too common within our universe.”

“Good thing we have the particle detector,” Darcy said, pointing towards the weird-looking device, made by Fantastic Four Inc., “But, you guys realized that we’ll have to camp out in the middle of the Norwegian woods in the mountains, to find a nexus point for different dimensions.”

“Yes,” Erik said as he looked out into the sea, “I’ll acquire some supplies, but we’ll need a guide to help us through the woods.”

“I think we’ll be fine,” Jane said, “The site’s only a few miles from a rural town, we’ll just need to take a train up there and hike the rest of the way! It can’t be that bad!”

It rained the whole ride through Norway, large mountains sprawling as snow landed at the peaks. Jane, Darcy, and Erik stepped off the train, the pouring rain unrelenting. The team carefully carried the highly sensitive gear through the rain under tarps, making sure no water go onto the equipment,

“You’re right Jane, this isn’t bad: It’s horrible!” Darcy said through the booming thunder,

“Come on! We’re almost there!” Jane said, stomping through the mud,

“Jane, we can regroup in the morning after the storm passes!” Erik said, lightning flashing across the sky,

“We’re already out here, we might as well--” Jane felt her foot stuck as she tripped, stumbling backward as she fell down the muddy hill,

“Jane!” Erik and Darcy called out, setting the equipment down as they rushed over to Jane. Jane rolled through the forest, yelling as she twisted an ankle. She grasped her leg in pain, looking around the dark, muddy forest. She then shrieked as someone stood over her, reaching his hand down,

“Are you alright?” The man said in a strange, calm voice. One not disturbed by the raging storm around them. Jane reached for his hand, touching his rugged and calloused fingers. The rain then stopped, the thundering rumbling to a still as rain droplets still dripped from the branches of the forest, “Your ankle, is it broken?”

“Uh… No,” Jane said as she was able to see the man’s face. Dark blue eyes that shone through the night, and his dirty blond hair was rugged with leaves and twigs in his oily golden locks. His face was covered in dirt, with rough stubble stretching across his cheeks and mouth, “I just twisted it. Who are you?”

“Call me Donar,” The man said, his voice stiff and strong, “What are you doing in the woods? Don’t you know there are trolls out sniffing for Christian blood?”

“Please, I’m a scientist,” Jane said to Donar, “That’s just superstitious nonsense, there is no such thing as trolls,”

“Ah, in the old country, there is,” Donar said, “As there were once Giants and Elves, Dwarves and Gods. But they’re all dead now, after the last twilight. The trolls hide in the darkness, for even the light from a twilight sun shall turn them to stone.”

“Charming,” Jane said, “Look, I’m just here to examine a nearby site, for research and--”

“You mean the ruins?” Donar said, astounding Jane,

“Ruins? You know where we’re going?” Jane asked,

“Yes, ruins… To the old gods…” Donar looked grave as he clutched his head, “You mustn’t go there, for it is a cursed and sacred land. Tread there, and the dead of Vahalla shall defend their last hold on Midgard!”

“How can you even believe in this stuff?” Jane asked, “Why are you so afraid?”

“If I told you,” Donar said, “You would think of me as mad,”

“Like how I’m not doing right now?” Jane said each word dripped of sarcasm, “Look, whether or not you’re going with us, we’re going to those ruins.” Donar looked at the defiant woman, and although reluctant, bowed his head,

“Fine. But whatever may transpire there, it will be your head.”

“Don’t you mean, on my head?”

“It can mean many things,” Donar said, taking his walking cane and helping guide Jane back from the forest. They met flashlights that pierced through the darkness, and Jane was met with a tackle hug by Darcy, and a warm smile from Erik,

“We’re so glad you’re okay!” Darcy said as she took a step back. She then eyed the tall, blond stranger who held onto a walking cane, “And who are you?”

“He’s Donar,” Jane said, “And he’s our new guide!” Erik and Darcy looked at each other, raising eyebrows at the strange man. Darcy thought he was handsome, in a rugged, Conan the Barbarian way. But Jane thought he was kinda grody, a true wilderness man.

Donar led the group through the muddy marsh of the forest, taking the utmost care to respect the forest around him. He spoke in another language, one Erik almost recognized,

“Ó, faðir minn, blessaðu ferðir okkar,” Donar said, one of the many sentences he muttered,

“Is that Icelandic?” Erik said, “It’s either that, or you’re an expert on Old Norse!”

“I wouldn’t know either way,” Donar said, “I don’t remember where I come from.”

“What do you mean?” Jane asked, “You just popped up one day?”

“I remember waking up on a beach, my veins were on fire as I coughed up blood,” Donar shook his head, visibly disturbed by his recollection, “I remember reaching my hand out, as though I was… calling for someone, or something…”

“What happened after?” Erik asked, “If you don’t mind me asking.”

“I woke up in the hospital. Apparently, there was some sort of poison in my system, a sort of neurotoxin. It’s what made my foot crippled,” Donar rolled up his sleeve to show two nasty, puncture scars. Almost as though a humongous snake bit into his leg. Donar smiled, however, as he remembered the memories of spending those weeks with the doctors and other patients of the hospital, “They didn’t know who I was or where I came from, but they took care of me anyways. It’s what made me volunteer as a nurse for the hospital.”

“Then what made you into Bear Grills?” Darcy asked as she offered a Dorito to Donar. He shook his hand as he chuckled,

“As time went on, I remembered certain memories of my life. I know my mother was an environmentalist, caring for the smaller things of nature. I know my father was a mean old bastard, and we never saw eye to eye.”

“Anything else?” Jane asked,

“Nothing else, just those memories…”

“Then why do you believe in trolls?” Jane asked as Donar looked gravely at her, but kept his reasons to himself,

“I rather not--”

“Trolls?” Erik said, “My grandfather told me stories filled with trolls and giants. My favorite was the one where a giant stole the hammer of the gods, Mjolnir!” Donar flinched upon hearing the name of the mythical hammer, but was unnoticed by the others,

“Millner?” Darcy said,

“No, Mjolnir! A hammer made for the thunder god, Thor!” Suddenly, a crackle of thunder boomed from the mountains. Donar looked very agitated, his leg was bothering him even more now, “He, and his father’s blood brother, Loki, went to Jotunheim to get it back. However, they disguised the thunder god as a bride-to-be, tempting the giant to reveal the hammer! And when the hammer was revealed, he--”

“Bashed their brains across the floor,” Donar said, cold as stone as his steel eyes grew darker, “Teeth flew as the guests cried out in panic. Thor leaped from foe to foe, until his once elegant, white dress picked out by his mother was crimson and torn apart. His blond beard stained red.”

“I thought Thor’s beard was red in the myths,” Erik said,

“Common misconception,” Donar said, “He has blond hair, it’s just that in battle it becomes red.” Donar then looked ahead, his stern frown looking through the darkness of the forest, “Enough talk, let’s go,” Donar said as he led the group toward the ruins.

Donar looked up at the trees, seeing a raven in the trees. It looked down at him, studying his every move as he led the scientists through the dark woods. Donar shooed the raven away, tossing a rock at the branch to scare it away. But it remained, looking down at Donar,

“Damn birds!” Donar said as he kept marching,

“I thought you liked nature,” Jane said, “What did that bird do to you?”

“They’ve done nothing but stalk me. They watch me when I walk into town. They watch me when I walk through the woods,” Donar leaned forward towards the group, “They even watch me when I try to sleep.”

“That’s… Kinda odd,” Darcy said, “Maybe they think you have food?”

“Even when I do toss out food, they don’t go for it,” Donar said, “They just keep watching me… Maybe I’m just cursed,”

“Donar, you may be the unluckiest man I’ve ever known, and the strangest too, but I don’t think you’re cursed!” Jane said, “And hey if we’re able to prove our theories with the findings from the ruins, we’ll acknowledge you in the book!”

“Oh, I appreciate that, but I’m alright,” Donar said,

“What, why?” Jane asked,

“I’m not anyone special, I don’t want fame or praise, I just wanted to help,” Donar said, pointing ahead, “We’re here.”

Below them was a valley that sunk below the nearby hills and trees, a small lake forming around a moat around a large knoll in the valley. On the large hill, protected by the moat made by natural geography, was a large temple that was constructed from stone and wood. The wood was rotted, and the stone had stretched of vines and moss growing over the temple. Around the moat was a half-constructed wall of stone, most of the stone eroded away,

“My God,” Erik said as he looked at the temple, “It must be over a thousand years old at this point, how is it still standing?”

“The valley,” Jane said, pointing at the ridge of the decline and mountains, “It’s protected from the wind by the terrain, The only thing we have to worry about is water damage, but the foundations seem to be made of stone.”

“Man, that’s a cool hill,” Darcy said, “Can’t believe how lucky these Vikings got!”

“It’s a burial mound,” Donar said, “And not all Norse people were Vikings.”

“Y’know, for an amnesiac, you have a comprehensive history of the Norse, Donar,” Erik said, “Perhaps you were a professor before you were found stranded?”

“No,” Donar said, looking at his hands, “These are not the hands of a man of philosophy… I think I was a farmer…”

“Or a warrior,” Jane said, touching the rough skin of his palms, “But, I don’t know how a gun would make your hands so calloused over,” Donar blushed as Jane’s hands were in his. Something made his heart flutter as he looked into her eyes, like finding new lands on troubling seas. He shied away, placing his hands on his walking cane as he looked at the temple,

“We need to go to the Hof,” Donar said,

“Hof?” Darcy said,

“It’s the Old Norse word for Temples of Heathenry,” Erik then smiled, “Heck, even if we don’t find the data we’re looking for, the sheer discovery of this place alone would get us on the front page of a science magazine!”

“Right now, let’s aim for the first bird before we try to strike for two birds at once,” Jane said, carefully taking the equipment down the hill as Donar trailed behind. His leg was aching more than usual, causing him to rely on his walking cane more. He looked glumly as Jane and her friends, struggled to take the heavy equipment down safely, wishing more than anything to help them.

Donar then looked as two ravens flew overhead, peering down at the humans below. Donar furrowed his brow, and his heart began to race as the sky began to rumble. He glanced behind him, and for a moment saw an old man staring at him from afar, cloaked in dark robes as he held a staff. Donar looked back again, finding nothing as the clouds loomed in the sky.

The group made it to the moat, the temple just on the other side. Across from them was a drawbridge that was lifted. Jane groaned as Erik rubbed his forehead, Darcy tapping at her chin at the drawbridge. Donar caught up to them, trying to hide his smile at the drawbridge,

“Looks like we can’t cross it,” Donar said as he looked at Jane, whose face was as sour as milk. Suddenly, running past them in a dead sprint was Darcy, who leaped from the distance and splashed into the water. Darcy then swam to the other side, approaching the dry land. Donar widened his eyes, his frown unnoticed by Jane’s and Erik’s smiles. Darcy then approached the winch of the drawbridge, lowering it for everyone else,

“Nice job, Darcy!” Jane said as she handed Darcy a towel from their emergency supplies,

“Quick, look at this!” Erik said as he picked up the Particle Detector, which was going haywire, “The amount of disturbances in the quantum field here is insane! Hell, positrons are flying around here!”

“Wait, anti-matter particles?” Jane said, “Are you sure that machines are tuned?”

“It is!” Erik said, getting more readings of particles that were so theoretical, they fizzled out of existence by the time Erik got the next reading, seeing even more particles popping in and out, “I think… I think this is the Kirby Krackle!”

“What’s that?” Donar asked,

“It’s a hypothetical phase of matter, right before it converts into pure energy!” Jane said, “The general consensus is that they only exist at the heart of stars, but… For it to appear here on Earth…” Jane looked at the temple, raising an eyebrow, “What the hell is in there?”

“We should get out of here,” Donar said, “We’ve come far, and you’ve got your readings, now we--”

“We still need to understand what’s causing the astronomical anomalies,” Jane said, “Why are you so scared?”

“Because I…” Donar looked glumly at the group, and hung his head low, “Because I went here before, months ago.”

“What?” Jane said,

“I didn’t know why!” Donar said, “It was like some tug on my mind, that this place was always on my mind. No matter where I am, I can always trace my steps back to here!” Donar said as he stared at the large doors, “I don’t know why, but I think this place was important to me when I was myself when I was whole… But…” Jane grabbed Donar’s hands,

“But what?”

“What if I don’t like who I am when I’m whole?” Donar asked, looking at his hands, “But, when I came here, there was something… moving around. Trust me, when we go in this temple, we are not alone .”

“Doesn’t look disturbed,” Erik said,

“Besides, that was months ago!” Darcy said, “It was probably some kid that wanted to scare the crap out of you!”

“And, we’ll make sure to be absolutely careful,” Jane then softly smiled at Donar, “Will you come with us, make sure we don’t get lost?”

“… Fine, but I shall lead,” Donar approached the doors once more, placing both hands on the old wood, “Remember to stick together, and stay alert.” Donar opened the doors of the temple, and they were greeted with a large hall.

The hall had a long table, surrounded by wooden chairs. At the head of the table was a stone throne, with two ravens resting on the top of the throne. Past the hall, through two doorways, was a large ritual chamber, with a stone bonfire pit at the center of the room,

“The Norse would drug themselves with hallucinogenic plants,” Erik said as he stepped into the chamber, “They would light the bonfire and dance around the flame, spinning faster and faster. The legends claim that when the warriors did this, they saw Odin dancing at the opposite side, whispering the fates of the warriors that danced with the war god.”

“Metal,” Darcy said, “Sorry, I know that’s unprofessional, but that was the most metal thing I’ve ever heard,”

“Then, when in time’s war, plague, or famine, their Gothi would orchestrate a Blot Ritual, killing either one of the livestock or a human as a sacrifice to the gods.”

“That one is cruel,” Donar said as he took in the space of the ritual chamber, “To kill someone, not in such a manner would send their soul straight to Helheim, where they shall join the army of the damned,” Donar shivered to even think of such a fate,

“So, do you believe in Odin and Thor, like, for real?” Darcy asked, “Is that your religion?”

“Not in the sense of a faith… I don’t believe that the Aesir or Vanir were gods,” Donar said, “They were people, powerful people, that fought the Jotnar here on Earth, and when… the twilight occurred, it killed them off.”

“Aesir? Vanir? The Jotnar” Darcy said, “The hell is this, Lord of the Rings ?”

“The names of the gods,” Erik said, “The Aesir were the gods of the sky. The Vanir were the gods of the Earth. The Jotnar were beings of destruction and chaos, their father Ymir being torn apart to create the world, and Surtur destined to destroy Asgard at the end of Ragnarok. The most worshipped god by the Vikings, Thor, could be argued as a result of the order of the Aesir, and the chaos of Jotnar, creating the champion of Midgard.”

“Why do you know so much about Norse Mythology?” Jane asked Erik, “I get the Amnesiac over there, but the Professor of Theoretical Physics?”

“My mother and my grandmother were from Sweden,” Erik said, “And they instilled upon me the myths of my ferocious ancestors.”

“Professor,” Donar said to the Professor alone as Jane and Darcy began to prep their supplies, “I know much about the old tales, but… Whatever happened to the gods… After Ragnarok?”

“Why so invested in these myths?” Erik asked, “It seems to take up the most space in your head. More than your own parents!”

“It’s just… They bring me comfort,” Donar said, “I can’t explain it, but they make the pains of existence a little bit more bearable,” Erik sighed, and recounted the hours of stories his grandmother would read to him when he was a little toddler,

“Well, the first thing that kicks off Ragnarok is the death of Baldur the Great,” Erik said, “With his death due to the trickery of Loki, Fimbulvinter rolled through Midgard, giving mankind three years of winter,” Donar shook his head at the terrible plight, “During the long winter, the sun and moon are eaten by the wolves, Skoll and Hati. Finally, the Jotnar will make their towards the gates of Helheim, led by Loki and Hel on the helm of Naglfar, the ship of the damned, and head their way towards Asgard.

“Heimdall shall signal the coming of the armies of Asgard’s enemies. Odin, Thor, and Freyr lead their armies of Asgardians, Fallen Midgardians, and the Elves of Svartlheim and Alfheim. The halls of Valhalla and Folkfangr are opened, the armies clashing. However, they weren’t enough.

“Odin, the all-father, is devoured by Fenrir the giant wolf. In a fit of sorrowful vengeance, Tyr, the previous owner, and friend of Fenrir slays the wolf that killed the allfather, the friends slain by each other. Freyr, lord of the elves and the summer days, shall die in a duel to the death with the fire giant and lord of Musphelheim, Surtur, scorching most of the realms in the process. Finally,” Erik said, Donar listening intently, “Thor shall fight the world serpent that wrapped itself around the bottom of Midgard’s seas, Jormungandr! The skies and seas shall clash as thunder and lightning strike the waves. Finally, as the beast bit into Thor, the Thunderer slams his hammer down upon its skull. He survives long enough to take nine steps forward, before falling over as the serpent’s poison stopped his mighty heart, his hammer laying down near him.”

“Is… Is that the fate of the gods?” Donar said, “And the Allfather knew of this?”

“Afraid so,” Erik said, “He was trying to change things at the end, recruiting as many warriors for the battle. But it wasn’t enough, and he was devoured.”

Donar shook his head, folding his arms across his chest, “All the things he has done… All the wars he caused to fill Valhalla and Folkfangr… For nothing.”

“Hey, Erik!” Jane called out, “We’re picking something up, almost like… Gravitational waves!”

“Really?” Erik said, stepping towards the fellow scientist, “If that’s the case, then that means there is something here causing the astronomical anomalies!”

“What anomalies?” Donar asked,

“Things like stars not being where they should be in the sky,” Darcy said, “Either something millions and millions of years ago moved that star over and we are now just getting the light from the event, or the light from the star is being distorted by an object with great gravity.”

“But it has to be as dense as a neutron star to make it distorted this much,” Jane said, “And if there is such an object here on Earth, why hasn’t it immediately become a black hole, sucking the whole solar system up?”

“Hmm,” Donar said, “Well if there is an object like that, where is it?”

“I’m picking up the source,” Darcy said, pointing the piece of equipment towards the ground of the ritual chamber,

“A secret chamber!” Erik said, “Of course! This burial mound must have a hidden tomb inside! Perhaps there’s a secret door, or trapdoor that leads to it!”

The scientists began to sprawl around the ritual chamber, pressing against every tile of stone. Donar looked at them all and looked at the bonfire pit in the center of the room. Donar wiped his fingers along the dusty, ashy stone, and felt an indent in the stone. He began to wipe away the dust, attracting the attention of Jane,

“Guys! Donar’s found something!” They raced over as Donar uncovered a symbol in the ground. It was eight lines, each with an intricate, unique symbol at the end of each line, which was aligned around a circle. Within the circle was a tree, with roots that sprouted out to each of the eight symbols. Erik gasped as he smiled,

“It’s the world tree, Yggdrasil!” Erik said, “Each of these runes is the symbol of the other eight realms, outside of Midgard!”

“Look,” Donar said as he pointed toward the line of Asgard, having multiple notches. Jane looked at the notches, then at the stone tiles,

“They match the floor!”

“If they match,” Darcy said, “Why are there only five notches? There’s, like, twelve in front of us!”

“Then that means…” Jane said as she went towards the fifth tile, wiping away the dust to reveal the symbol of Asgard, “That this should be the spot!” Jane pressed against the tile, pushing it down as the bonfire pit began to open. Donar, Erik, and Darcy backed up as stone tiles began to move down, creating a staircase to the hidden chamber underneath the ritual chamber,

“What’s down there?” Darcy asked Erik, seeing nothing but the darkness within its depths. Donar peered over Erik’s shoulder as the professor mused,

“It’s probably going to be filled with old bones and dust,” Erik said, “Hand me the flashlight. I’ll go in.”

“I’ll go with you,” Donar said, holding his walking cane, “Who knows what ungodly things may dwell down there.”

“Calm down. It’s probably just some rats.” Erik said as he descended with Donar, leaving Jane with Darcy,

“So…” Darcy said,

“So what?” Jane said back,

“Oh come on! The private moments, the way he looks at you, the way you look at him!” Darcy said as she leaned forward, “I think you have a crush on the guy!”

“As if!” Jane said, “Besides, you’re the one making googly eyes at him!”

“But he isn’t looking at me, Jane,” Darcy said, “He’s been only looking at you. Maybe he’s got a crush on you!”

“Well… I would like him… If he wasn’t so…”

“Crazy?”

“Yeah, exactly!” Jane said, “He’s done nothing but spout mad ramblings about myths and speak a whole different language to freaking trees! ”

“Give the guy a break!” Jane said, “He’s an amnesiac in a land with weird as-hell geography! I would think trolls exist with only seeing half the boulders here if I had amnesia!”

“I don’t know, it’s--” Suddenly, the women heard a howl into the night. Not a wolf’s howl, or even a mock howl of a human. No, it was the howl of something that neither Jane nor Darcy have ever heard. They looked at each other as there was an explosion of rock and the wall of the ritual chamber was shattered down. Jane and Darcy looked ahead they saw numerous pairs of glowing eyes, their yellow sharp teeth slathered in saliva. Panicking, they rushed down the steps of the temple, hearing the roars and curses of the creatures,

“What the hell was that!?” Darcy said as she ran with Jane down the long corridor,

“I don’t know, and I don’t care! We need to get the others and--”

“And what!?” Darcy said, “They were blocking the only way out, we’re trapped!” They took a turn of a corner and saw a light down the end of the corridor. They ran towards the light, and were glad to see Erik and Donar,

“Darcy, Jane, what’s--” Jane grabbed Erik by the shoulders,

“There’s no time, we need to get the hell out of here now! Have you found another way out?” Jane rapidly asked, looking over her shoulder as they began to hear echoes,

“What is that?” Erik said, looking over Jane’s shoulders as Donar’s face began to darken,

“This way!” Donar said, taking the flashlight and pointing it towards the hallway, running as the echoes began to catch up with them. Snarling and gnawing began to ring as the ground began to shake as though there was a stampede approaching. 

Donar lagged behind, his leg throbbing in pain as he clutched onto his walking cane. He looked up to see the ceiling of the tunnels, rocky earth being held back by wooden beams. Donar took his walking stick and jammed it into the support beams of the tunnel, using all of his mortal strength to unlodge the wood. He looked ahead at the other end of the corridor, seeing glowing yellow eyes looking back at him. He grunted as he applied more pressure, but nothing was working.

Running over to his side, Jane helped Donar as they worked together. As the beam gave out, rocks began to fall on the creatures that chased them, killing most of the front runners. Donar, Jane, and the others gasped for air as the dust began to settle. However, began to see the large boulders begin to shake and move as the creatures tried to push their way. Jane shook her head as she looked over at Donar,

“What the hell is going on?” Donar got back up, clutching the wall as he kept going,

“We need to keep going. We need to find a way out,” Donar said, feeling faint as his grip loosened. Before he blacked out, he saw Jane reach out for him, worry in her eyes.

“Hurry! Barricade that door!” Those were the first words that Donar heard, his leg screeching out in pain as he snapped his eyes open. He staggered on his elbows, his spine and nerves working out as he could barely breathe. A slick layer of sweat covered his face and neck, wiping it off his brow as he struggled to keep his knee on the ground,

“W-what… What is happening?” Donar asked, his heart running a marathon. Around Donar, he saw that he and the scientist were in a chamber within the knoll of the temple, a stone door barricaded with old suits of armor, weapons, chairs, and tables, “Where are we?”

“Donar!” Jane said, running over the injured stranger as shakily got back up on his feet, “Thank God you’re awake! After the tunnel collapsed, we grabbed you and dragged you down the tunnels until finally, we ended up in this room.”

“Yeah!” Darcy said as she pointed at the giant stone door, “And that fell down as soon as we entered in here. But I am not taking any chances, those… things tore down a stone wall!” Erik sighed, looking around as he grabbed an extra chair, sat down,

“We seem to be in some sort of burial chamber,” Erik said, “My best-educated guess was that warriors of Odin would awaken once more, taking up arms to fight for Asgard,” Erik then looked at the suits of armor and weapons that blocked the stone door, “I’m sure they’ll understand in our circumstances if I remember Beowulf correctly.”

“Good,” Donar said, clutching at an axe that lay on the ground, resting the ax blade on the stone floor as he rested his weight on the pommel, “Grab weapons. If it comes to it, we must be ready!” Jane, Darcy, and Erik looked at each other and looked at the weapon pile.

Darcy tried to pick up a greatsword but almost fell over from the weight. She then picked up a shortsword, a Seaxe , and held it close. Jane picked up a spear, knowing that the oldest weapon of man must work if it lasted this long. Erik picked up two handaxes, making sure each axe was balanced enough if he had to throw them.

They ventured down to the end of the chamber, made to look like a hall for thirsty, hungry adventurers of the sea. They looked to their left and right, seeing two doors that lead out of the chamber. Donar opened the door on the left and gasped as the smell of death and dust seeped out. Inside were tombs of skeletons, each having some decayed, rotted, leathery skin. The hair of these skeletons that still have scalps or skin on their faces still had bright red and golden hair, covered in dust and cobwebs,

“Ugh…” Darcy said, feeling her stomach squirm, “They couldn’t even cover them up?”

“Why?” Donar said, “Their brethren thought they would rise again, to aid Odin in his time of need. If they covered them up, they couldn’t breathe or get up to have a feast in the honor of the Allfather.”

“I don’t know,” Erik said, pointing at the sigil around the room, “I don’t think this temple was meant for Odin.” Donar raised an eyebrow and looked around. He gasped, as all around were symbols of the same hammer, its hilt too short,

“It’s a temple… For Thor!” Donar said,

“I would make sense,” Erik said, looking at the corpses in their coffins, “Look at them. They do not have the circlets, rings, or crowns of Jarls or Kings. They are common warriors, common farmers, and common raiders. Mortals that, when they die, would not go to either Valhalla or Folkfangr.”

“Wait, I thought you said that’s where the honorable dead go!” Jane said,

“Well, as much as the Poetic and Prose Edda’s can tell us,” Erik said, “But some oral stories and poems indicate that Thor had his own hall, one for the common soldier to drink merrily till the end of the world.”

“Bilskirnir,” Donar mumbled, feeling something twinge in his heart. He then shook his head, “The Lightning Crack.”

“Cool! Sounds like a bar!” Darcy said. Suddenly, they heard a loud BOOM against the door. They looked over to see dust shuffle off the stone door. Jane yelped, hiding behind Donar as she pointed toward the burial room,

“OH, GOD!!!” The four then gasped as something began to stumble out of the room, its ghastly, gnarled, and thin body standing still as it held itself against the door frame. It cracked its neck upwards at the humans, its bright, blue eyes showing no sign of natural life. Its jaw creaked open as a chill escaped the dry, cavity-filled teeth of the shambling thing. It looked down and reached its spine through the space where it would have a stomach, shaking it back straight as it stood up straight.

The undead creature shambled towards the stone door, reaching down for a sword and helmet. Coming out of the room, more of the shambling undead moaned and creaked as their bones ground against each other, passing by the mortals as they reached for their weapons. Donar gulped as the undead warriors formed a line, pointing their blades at the barricaded stone door. Those who didn’t have weapons broke off pieces of the tables and chairs, lighting them on fire as they stared ahead, unblinking as the pounding got more intense,

“We should leave,” Donar said, pulling and tugging at the flabbergasted scientists, who had no logical way to explain how these thousand-year-old corpses are now suddenly walking again. He opened a door on the right, seeing a spiral staircase that descended deeper into the earth,

“Holy shit! This place goes deeper!?!” Darcy said, “Was this place even made by Vikings?” The scientists rushed down the spiral staircase as Donar kept pace behind them, hearing a loud CRASH echo throughout the temple, the sound of battle going on as the cracking of bones and the slashing of iron raged on.

Finally, they made it to the bottom of the staircase, seeing an iron gate that they immediately shut and locked on the staircase. They then backed away from the gate, seeing another gate that they closed down as well,

“Whoever made this place,” Jane said while gasping for air, “They were prepared!” She smiled at Darcy and Donar, and looked over at Erik, who looked behind the group with wide eyes, “Professor Selvig?” She, along with Darcy and Donar, looked behind them.

Standing still, the dust and pebbles floating around, was a hammer. The large, metal block that made the hammer was even more comically huge as the handle was too small, leaving barely any room for anyone to grasp the thing with two hands. At the end of the hammer was a strap, as though anyone would find a belt strong enough to hang the weapon off of. On the hammer, engraved with glowing, arcane words, are:

“Hver sem heldur á þessum hamri, ef hann er verðugur, skal hafa vald Þórs”

“What… Is it?” Darcy asked, slowly moving closer to the hammer, her fingers getting closer to the hilt,

“Darcy!” Jane said, “Be careful!”

“Don’t worry,” Darcy said as she wrapped her hand around the hammer, “It’s not like it’ll… What the…” Darcy yanked and pulled at the hammer, refusing to move as the archaic words glowed brighter and brighter, “What the hell! It won’t move!”

“Maybe you need some help?” Jane said, wrapping her hands around the hammer with Jane, each of them pulling in the same direction with all their strength, “Jeez! It’s heavier than a ton!”

“Or perhaps…” Erik said as he stepped forward, “It’s manipulating the gravity around it!”

“What?” Jane said,

“The astronomical anomalies, the mythical creatures…” Erik said as he looked at the hammer, touching the engraved enchantment, “This is Mjolnir!”

“Wait, the magic hammer?” Jane said, “How can a hammer--”

“I don’t know!” Erik said, “But… Something is telling me that this is the reason why the stars and weather have been acting weird, the hammer has been resting here for over a thousand years!”

“What are the words on the hammer?” Donar asked, “I can’t read it.”

“It’s old Norse,” Erik said, “You can’t read it?”

“I can speak it, for some reason,” Donar said, hesitating to touch the hammer with his hands, “What does it say?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit much, but…” Erik cleared his throat as he translated the enchantment on the hammer, “ Whosoever holds this hammer, if he is worthy, shall possess the power of… ” Erik then looked up, his eyes dawning on the hammer in a new light, backing away in righteous awe, “ Thor! ”

“So what? We’re not worthy?” Darcy said, “Who decides who’s worthy of things?”

“It doesn’t matter!” Jane said, looking around the chamber, “Look around, do you see an exit?”

“Uh…” Erik tore his eyes from the hammer, looking at the cave that had runes carved around the cave. He gulped as he looked at the sheer cave walls, “Oh no…”

Suddenly, the clanging of iron interrupted their growing fears, their fear boiling over as the snarls of the creatures echoed throughout the chamber, their clawed hands bending and breaking off the iron bars of the gate covering the staircases. Jane, Darcy, and Erik raced around, trying to see if there were any secret tunnels or buttons like last time, to escape from these horrid beings. But, alas, they found nothing.

Donar lifted his axe as the creatures broke down the first gate, barging against the iron door, flinging curses, and reaching out with their razor-sharp claws,

“We cannot flee this time, friends!” Donar said, “This time, we must fight!”

“Donar,” Jane said, waving at herself and the other scientists, “We stay inside labs all day long, with a little exercise! We’re screwed!!!”

“We must fight,” Donar said, “Otherwise, what’s the point of living?” Donar then snapped his head at an arm that failed to take a swipe at him, slamming his axe down. The beast cried out as it backed away, black blood spilling out as Donar gripped his axe, groaning as his leg acted up again, “Damn this leg!”

“AAAH!!!” Darcy screamed out, jabbing and stabbing her shortsword madly at the beings, making them flinch as they held their missing fingers, “COME ON MOTHERFUCKERS!! I WILL DESTROY YOU!!!” Donar chuckled as Jane stared in disbelief as Darcy entered a rage, unlike anything she had ever seen before. Erik then roared out, throwing one of his axes through the gates into the heads of one of the beasts. The axe lodged into its skull, causing it to wander off before collapsing. Jane shook her head, charging ahead as she entered the fray of battle.

Donar groaned and grunted as he crawled on the floor, seeing his friends fight for their lives as their iron weapons cut against the monsters. Those who weren’t killed immediately retreated back into the shadows, leaving everyone awed as the shadows began to mend their limbs back together. Donar felt his hand instinctively reach out, looking at what his hand was even reaching out for. He then saw the soft, glowing light of the words of Mjolnir, and frowned. He shouldn’t try and lift it, who is he to be worthy?

“AHH!” Jane screamed out as one of the clawed hands snatched her shirt, pulling her towards the gate. The monster pulled her towards its arms, shaking its finger as Darcy and Erik went over to swing at the monster. It chuckled and pointed towards the chain that kept the trolls back. Jane shook her head, but couldn’t say a word as the creature’s wriggly hands wrapped around her throat. Donar gritted his teeth, and grabbed the hilt of the hammer,

“Unhand her now, troll!!!” Donar screamed out, tossing Mjolnir at the troll. The hammer bashed through the gate and smashed the troll against the wall, splattering its brains against the stone wall which cracked. All around, trolls were zapped back as lighting coarse through the iron gate, electrocuting them as the smoke lifted off their bodies. They then looked up in horror as Donar stood up, reaching his hand up towards the crater.

Charging towards his hand, Mjolnir rushed to Donar’s side, reeling back from the momentum. Jane, Erik, and Darcy gasped in awe as Donar lifted the immovable object with ease in his hands, electricity crackling off the metal of the hammer, zapping at Donar’s arm. Donar then lifted the hammer in the sky, feeling lighting race through his body as he screamed toward the ceiling. Suddenly, the earth shook as a bright light shattered through the stone.

Jane rubbed at her eyelids, her eyes adjusting from the bright light that shattered the earth. She then looked up to feel a drop of water splash on her cheek, followed by more drips that came from the sky. Jane opened her eyes to see that the hill and temple that it stood upon, one surrounded by a moat, was now a smoldering crater as the ruins of the temple were laid around the valley. She then looked around,

“Darcy? Erik? Donar!?!” Jane then looked over at where Donar once stood and gasped as her heart raced. Standing tall and mighty, wearing a blue Viking tunic with the sleeves cut off, showing off his chiseled, godly muscles, was the man who once was Donar. His once scraggly, gaunt face was now a stern, watchful glare as a fiery blonde beard connected his hair while his grim frown looked across his field. Rain hit his winged helmet, wristguards, and golden greaves as his blood-red cape flapped in the wind.

Darcy and Erik pulled themselves together as Jane wordlessly stared at the electric warrior, gasping as they looked at Donar,

“Whoa! What happened to him?” Darcy asked, “He looks ripped!”

“He’s holding the hammer,” Erik said, pointing at the hammer wrapped in lightning, “He’s worthy enough to wield it, therefore, possesses the power of Thor!”

“Nay, friend,” Thor said, rubbing his head as he breathed in the statically charged air, “I remember now… This is my temple, this is my birthplace! I am Thor!”

“What?” Jane said, “But, you were Donar--”

“For over nine centuries,” Thor said, smiling gleefully as he felt the storm around him, “What felt like mere months was really almost a millennium of history! For nine hundred years, I have wandered and wandered the Earth!”

“But… But… Your leg! It was crippled!”

“I was injured, mortally wounded by my nemesis, the world serpent: Jormungandr!” Thor said as he raised his hand, thunder rolling through the mountains as he raised his hand, “But no longer! I have reclaimed my hammer, I am reborn!”

Breaking through the rubble, startling the mortals as they grabbed what remained of their weapons. The trolls snarled as they broke through the rubble of Earth, but weren’t able to scream as Thor leaped passed the humans, bashing his hammer into their skulls. Black blood and guts splattered across the floor, Thor grabbed a troll and rested his hammer on its chest, letting it slowly crush its diaphragm as he launched his fists of steel into the faces of the trolls, knocking off their jaws with ease,

“Are you no challenge for I? The Mighty Thor!?!” Thor spat at the ground, lifting his hand as Mjolnir charged toward him. He caught the hammer and smiled towards the scientists, “Jane Foster. Darcy Lewis. Erik Selvig. You have freed me from my own hubris. Without you three, I would never have learned to fight for anything but my own lust for battle!”

“But… You were the guardian of Midgard!” Erik said, “You died at the end of Ragnarok, how are you--”

“I do not know, Erik Selvig,” Thor said, “But I do know one thing: The battle is far from over,” Thor then whirled his hammer, grasping the leather strap at the end of his hammer. Thor then threw Mjolnir into the sky while keeping his grip tight as steel on the strap, being pulled away as he flew above the valley.

Thor looked down at Midgard, feeling the freedom of the air around him. He then stared down the forests, hills, and mountains, and scowled. Coming towards the temple, his temple, were more and more trolls. They held crude metal weapons and wooden clubs, ready to slam them into the nearest foe. Ready to try and fight the thunder god. Ready to tear apart his human friends. Thor lifted his hammer, his eyes flashing with electricity as he roared.

Blasting down around the valley, bolts of thunder and lightning shattered the earth, turning the packs of trolls into nothing but ashes. The trolls looked up in the sky and screeched in horror as the Thunderer returned to Midgard. One of the trolls, terrified, lifted a horn and blew with all the air in his lungs before he was reduced to ashes.

Thor turned his head to see one of the many Norwegian mountains begin to move. It lifted up and up into the air, almost piercing the sky with its head, as a giant made of shadow and rock stared down the thunder god. Thor gritted his teeth and flew toward the Troll king, thunder and lighting flashing against the dark cloud that surrounded the giant being. Jane, Darcy, and Erik hid behind the boulders and rubble, covering their ears and eyes, trying not to have their eardrums burst or go blind from the lightning.

The battle raged on as pieces of rock flew across the valley, the giant being roaring in pain as Thor smashed his hammer upon the living mountain. Thor roared and laughed, the world becoming redder and redder. Red, red, red, it was all he saw as the berserker rage consumed him. He could destroy this mountain giant, reduce his molecules into atoms and turn the lands around them all into black glass as the sea became a plain of salt! He was a god!! He was Thor!!!

But Thor then caught a glimpse from below as he flung his hammer into the giant’s shoulder. His electric eyes widened to see Jane, Darcy, and Erik cower behind the rubble and ruins of the temple in fear. Thor then looked around, seeing the forest that he whispered to for centuries burn. He looked at the mountains that he has wondered at for nearly a millennium, cracked and ruined. Thor let out a soft sob, coming out of his rage as he grabbed Mjolnir from the air. Finally, Thor let the storm zap his hammer, flinging it at the heart of the giant. With a loud, earsplitting explosion, the giant roars out in fear as it is obliterated.

The skies cleared as the rain stopped, Jane slowly opened her eyes and raised her head over the rubble. The once carefully, natural environment of the valley was now torn apart, trees and rocks blasted apart as the gravel and pebbles of the giant landed on top of a mountain. Rain poured on the forest, putting out the fires as Thor commanded the storm. Thor then descended down to the ruins of the temple, letting the storm pass as he rest his feet down and looked at his human friends,

“Oh thank God, is it over?” Darcy asked, “Wait, is it even God? Or--”

“Don’t strain thy brain, Darcy Lewis,” Thor said, approaching his friends, “Are you all alright? I… It’s been a while since I used my powers, I didn’t mean to use this much power!” Thor said as he looked at the destruction around them,

“Are you hurt?” Jane asked, which made Thor smile softly,

“I have dealt with things worst than trolls and rock giants,” Thor said, looking at the rising sun. He then gasped to see someone on the beach side, the same cloaked stranger from before. Perching on each shoulder of the cloaked man was two ravens, “Stay here, I must… Go…” Thor said, walking over toward the cloaked man. Jane raised a finger,

“Is that…”

“Yes,” Erik said, I believe it is…”

“What!?!” Darcy said, still trying to get hear over the ringing in her ears.

Thor felt his boots dig into the sand as he walked over to the cloaked stranger. The cloaked stranger smiled, his one sky-blue eye looking at the mighty warrior. Thor put his hammer on his belt, folding his arms as his cape slowly drifted with the calm wind of the sea,

“Allfather,” Thor said, slowly bowing his head,

“Odinson,” The old god said, smiling as his gray beard reached down to his chest. Thor looked at Odin’s face, seeing how his scars were still deep in his old man’s face. The one thing that will forever stick out for the memory of his father was his eyepatch, black as the feathers from his ravens, Huginn and Muninn, “So, how has your lesson over the last few centuries?”

“Lesson?” Thor said, “You trapped me in the body of a mortal! I could’ve stopped the horrors of mankind, Allfather! Stopped the ruthless conquerors and tyrants--”

“To what?” Odin said, “To gain praise? Worship?” Odin shook his head as he rubbed the wrinkles on his forehead, “When the dwarves made you that hammer, I should’ve known to place that enchantment on it in the first place!”

“Why!?!” Thor said, the wind slowly picking up, “My hammer was a weapon of Asgard, without me the giants would’ve torn down the foundations of our home!”

“It made you focus on might! You were focused on showing off to the mortals that you stuck around with your godly powers!” Odin then pondered as the ravens whispered into his ears, frowning as he looked at Thor, “Boy… My boy… I’m sorry that I have not shown you love in your childhood…”

“So?” Thor said, “It made me into a warrior!”

“But not a hero,” Odin said, leaning on his staff as he looked back at the scientists, “I needed you to learn what it feels like to live like a mortal being, to fight like hel for the people you love! Not to fight out of pride and might, but for the love and compassion of Midgard! Only then would you be worthy.” Thor scoffed, pointing towards his head,

“You didn’t have to mess with my mind!” Thor then turned away from his father, looking up at Jane Foster. He felt his heart burn with heat more intense than any bolt of lightning that he has ever tossed,

“I never messed with your heart, Thor,” Odin said, walking over to Thor’s side, “Inside you, Thor, is the mortal Donar. Now promise me, son,” Odin then lifted his hand, a ring on his finger that had runes that were unlike anything Thor saw on Earth before, knowing it only as some form of Dwarvish, “Promise that you shall keep Donar alive inside of you, and protect Midgard from the plights that have yet to come.”

“Why?” Thor said, “Ragnarok has passed, right?” Odin looked grimly at Thor, and slowly shook his head,

“The cycle must repeat,” Odin said, “It has to, until…”

“Until what?” Thor said, “Until mankind is reduced to cave-dwelling brutes who gather around fires again? Until the sun becomes red and destroys the Solar System? Until the universe ends? Until what, father!? ” Thor clenched his mighty fists, feeling his rage surge through his veins once more, “

“Until Asgard stands, son,” Odin says as he stares off into the sunrise, “Promise me, my boy. Promise me to keep your mother alive, keep the evils of man from tearing her apart,” Odin then looked over at his son, a tear going down his face, “Promise me, to protect the world that I love.”

Thor looked at his father, and at the sun. Was his father being honest? Or was he lying to Thor again, manipulating him into bashing down some mountains? Or… Maybe his father truly loves the Earth, the world his father helped made by slaying the primordial giant, Ymir. Thor, confronted with all these feelings, looked towards his father for guidance, only to see nothing there.

Thor sighed, and leaped back to Jane, Darcy, and Erik, putting careful restraint to not destroy the ground underneath him. He landed by the mortals, and showed a smile to his companions,

“My friends, I hope thy research has not been besmirched by the horrid trolls,”

“No problem, Thor!” Darcy said as she pulled the Particle Detector out of her bag,

“Darcy!” Jane said, “I thought--”

“You thought wrong! I manage to put this in my bag while we were running through the tunnels, and completely forgot about it!”

“What readings did it get?” Erik said as he huddled over Darcy’s shoulders, seeing the data they were able to obtain. However, Jane looked over at Thor, who was looking around the shattered valley,

“What’s going through that mind?” Jane asked out loud. Thor glanced at Jane, and sighed,

“I know I should help clean this up, but I wouldn’t know where to start!” Thor looked at the snapped trees, utterly flabbergasted, “I mean, how could I, a thunder god , replant a forest!”

“Start with one tree?” Jane said, shrugging her shoulders, “I don’t know, but… Maybe you’re on the right track. You want to help, you want to make a change. But… before you do… You should learn about the world a bit more.”

“Perhaps… Is the Danelaw still around?” Jane raised an eyebrow, causing Thor to shake his head, “Probably not… Oh! What of Vinland? I have heard legends and tales of Leif Erikson’s discovery of the forested lands. Are they only rumors?” Jane dropped her jaw as she chuckled,

“Wait, where do you think I’m from?” Thor raised his hand to his beard, stroking his mighty blond hair as he clicked his tongue against his teeth,

“Hmm… England? I guessed you were Christian, but--”

“No! I’m from America! Thor, there are two whole other continents across the Atlantic, filled with people!” Thor gasped and gazed at the rising sun. For across the horizon, lay the lands of America. Was it a vast, disconnected land of warlords of jarls? Or was their one high king, ruling the lands of Vinland and beyond?

“Who rules America? One of the descendants of Harald Hardrada?”

“Uh, no! Technically, the people rule the nation,” Thor looked back at the sunrise, and roared with laughter. He slapped his knees and buckled over, his merry laughter echoing across the valley,

“The people? Slaves and freemen? Farmers of the common land? I can’t believe thine words!” Jane simply reached into her pocket and pulled out a dollar bill. Thor grasped the small piece of green paper, feeling the intricate patterns as he looked at the man on the front, “George Washington?” Thor then turned the bill, his eyebrows lifted up as he looked at the pyramid looking back at him, “In God we Trust? TWO THOUSAND AND NINE!?!” Thor handed the paper back to Jane, rubbing his head, “I guess… I could do some catching up to do!”

“Jane!” Erik said, running over to the two, “I managed to get a signal, the board wants us to show our data as soon as possible!”

“Really?” Jane asked, “Why?”

“We managed to detect absurd amounts of Kirby Krackle in the area! It proves that something truly cosmic was here on Earth, distorting our gravity and fundamentally warping the laws of physics itself!” Erik then pointed at Mjolnir, “That hammer is something that proves your father’s theories, and this is the adrenaline talking here, but may get us a Nobel prize!”

“Well… It can’t be enough!” Jane said, looking at Thor, “Thor, we have to know more about that hammer, about you, about… everything! If we don’t… We can’t call ourselves scientists to not delve any deeper!”

“Nay,” Thor said, holding up his hammer, “I am sorry, Jane Foster, but I cannot come with you.”

“What!?!” Jane said, “Why!?!”

“Jane… I’m not the only god on earth…” Thor said, feeling the wind that rushed through his hair, “Out there is my friends and family, and… Only I can wake them.”

“Wait…” Darcy said as she strode over, “Why do you need to wake them up?” Thor looked glumly at his friends, and sighed,

“The cycle of Ragnarok has started once more. It may be a century, it may be a decade, it may even be tomorrow, but Ragnarok is coming,” Thor then looked up in the sky, seeing the last stars visible from the sunlight, “Earth shall be put to the test, for these Trolls are only the beginning of the tides of chaos that has yet to come,” Thor then looked at his friends, and sternly looked at them, “I swear to you all, no matter what may come our way, I shall make sure Midgard survives Ragnarok, and that man shall be spared! Farewell!” Thor then grabbed his hammer and grabbed onto the strap as he threw it, flying into the cloudy skies. 

Jane slowly shook her head, looking at Darcy who just shrugged her shoulders. Suddenly, lightning crackled in the sky, landing on the beach. Jane looked over, and written in the sand was black glass, that said,

“When I have acquired a ‘Telephone,’ I shall call upon you, Jane Foster…” Jane blushed heavily as Darcy pumped her fist in the air. Erik, confused, recorded the sudden weather anomaly, to prove that the dawn of the gods is upon humanity.

Rain poured on Newfoundland, and Canadian and Englishmen gathered inside their pubs and bars, drinking as the sky poured. Inside were many bar regulars, drinking to memories long forgotten inside The Ash Lad . The bartender looked around the bar, looking as though he were an Irishman.

In front of the bartender was one of his regulars. A tall, pale man with hair as black as night. He always ordered a pint of Guinness every time, and every time the bartender would give out a drink. He never said a word, for why waste breath on words that would not matter?

To the left of the bartender was a beautiful regular, a tall man with golden locks of hair. He ordered two shots of whiskey, one for him and one for which lady he took out that night. His laughter was merry, and his feet were always dancing. But, no matter how many women he lay with, none could fill the hole in his heart.

To the right of the bartender was a large, stout, fat man. His fiery red hair was laid about as he ordered two pints of dark ale at a time, along with a basket of chicken tenders and fries. No matter how much food the stout man shoved in his maw, he always had more room. In times when he wasn’t eating or drinking, he was drunkenly rambling about some imaginary battle.

Suddenly, the door to the pub opened, and cold wet air rushed throughout the bar. However, none of the patrons looked up as Thor walked in. The blond warrior raised an eyebrow and peered across the room. None were looking at him except, of course, the bartender. The bartender did nothing to hide his wiry smile, and prepared a pint of beer,

“ Tropicália , stranger?” The bartender said, “I believe it will satisfy your tastebuds!” Thor furrowed his eyebrows, folding his arms as he looked at the drink, “Oh come on, it’s not roofied or poisoned!”

“Stop this charade, Loki ,” The utterance of that name caused the tavern to flicker, the bartender’s image flickering along with it, “I’ve come on business of the Allfather, come out trickster!”

“Thor,” The bartender said, raising the glass to the thunder god, his image flickering away. Standing in front of the thunderer was a younger-looking man, no hair on his face as his pointed ears were covered by hot, fiery locks of hair, wearing dark red and yellow cloth in the fashion of a jester, “Let’s talk, old friend!”

Loki jumped over the bar, snapping his fingers as he set up a table for him and Thor. The Thunderer sipped the glass of beer, remarking how delicious the flavor is while detecting no poisons or enchantments,

“It’s nice, right? Who knew these mortals could create such fine ales and mead?” Loki said as he leaned back in his chair, setting his boots on the table, “Of course, they pale in comparison to the meads and ales of Asgard--”

“Don’t you DARE say that name!” Thor said as he smashed the glass onto the floor. Loki chuckled, his toothy grin flashing like a flame, “You are a traitor, a villainous liar, and a murderer !”

“Okay, first: I am a god of trickery and lies, it’s in the title. Two: villainous is such an abstract and relative word. And three: I wasn’t the one who threw the arrow of mistletoe at Baldur, that was Hothr!”

“But you gave him the arrow! You caused Ragnarok, and you led the armies of giants and the damned dead to our doorstep!”

“After you, Odin, and the rest of the Asgardians imprisoned my children, and bound me in the intestines of my sons! My wife, Sigyn, went mad trying to keep the acidic venom of the snake that you hanged above me from burning me! If anyone should tear apart Asgard, why shouldn’t I!?! ”

“Your children were hellspawn!” Thor said, feeling an old ache in his leg, “Fenrir, that monstrous wolf, could eat the sun, moon, and Midgard, but was fated to eat the Allfather!”

“He would’ve been a valuable ally if the Allfather hadn’t locked him away!”

“Jormungandr, that vicious serpent, was going to flood all of Midgard in the battle of Ragnarok! I had to slay the beast, only for it to slay me!”

“You’ve always wanted to kill the world serpent!” Loki said, the fires around them growing hotter, “You tried to yank it out of the sea, to hit it with that damned hammer of yours!”

“And let’s not forget your horrid daughter, Hela!” Thor spat out, the golden thunderbolts above his eyes arching as he looked into Loki’s fiery eyes, “She is the one assembling the damned army, she is the one who wields the mists of Niflheim!”

“She was banished by Odin for seeing only her appearance!” Loki said, remembering his daughter’s tears, wiping them away from her gaunt, pale cheeks, “No one could look at her, so he banished her away! A little girl, Thor! My little girl!” Loki stood up, fire emanating from his hands. He then closed his hands, and blew a breath of smoke from his lungs, “But, that was in the past. We are in a new cycle, Thor!”

“And what? Am I to forget your misdeeds?”

“You already forgot your bindings, Thor, why shouldn’t I assume?”

“My bindings?” Thor said,

“I know what lies in your heart, Thor! The love for a mortal?” Loki snickered as he tapped his sharp fingers together, “What would your wife and the mother of your children, Sif, think of that?”

“Sif!?” Thor said, his brain blasting him with numerous images of the golden-haired warrior he was smitten with long ago, “Loki, you--”

“Ah, ah, ah, I had nothing to do with this,” Loki said as he wagged his finger, pointing it at the warrior, “You’re the one who was almost smooching that girl, saying that you’ll call her! I was here, tending to my patrons!”

“Yeah, about that,” Thor said with a scowl, lifting his hammer at the three patrons at the bar, who began to look back over their shoulders, “ Fandral . Volstagg . Hogun . AWAKEN!!! ” With a neon light, Mjolnir glowed as the three men at the bar began to magically shift. The quiet, pale man stood with dark horns on his helm, his swords on his side. The gorgeous, blond man stepped forward clad in green leather, readying his bow and arrow. The stout man jumped out of his seat, his large red armor clanging against his great axe,

“No, no, no, no!” Loki said as he backed away, “You… You aren’t supposed to do that!”

“Thor?” Fandral said, shaking his head, “What is happening?”

“I shall explain soon, my friends, but first we must deal with a trickster!” The Warrior’s Three knew right then and there, that this was connected to Loki, and scowled as they blocked the exit. Loki looked at the four mighty warriors, and frowned,

“You know, Thor, we could’ve been friends again,” Loki said as he folded his hands behind his back, slowly backing up, “Have adventures in Jotunheim, get drunk in Alfheim even!”

“Those days have passed, weaver of plots!” Thor said as he patted his hammer, “Now, be still!” Loki then closed his eyes and grinned.

Loki rushed forward, smoke coming off him as two more Loki's rushed along him. Next to those Loki's were more Loki's, who had more Loki's that had Loki's next to them as well. They all laughed with glee as they all transmuted into different animals. Salmon flew in the air, wolves snarled and howled, horses neighed and galloped, and snakes slithered and hissed as they all made for the door.

The Warrior’s Three let's lose firing arrows and flinging daggers in the air as Volstagg twirled on the floor, swinging his axe around and around. One after another, the ash copies fell apart as they tried to outmaneuver the warriors. Finally, Thor smashed his hammer on the floor, thinking he smashed Loki as a snake. But they then looked out the door, seeing a wolf running into the woods, the copies all falling apart,

“Damn! That trickster could be anywhere and anything by the time we enter those woods!” Hogun said,

“Ah, let the coward run!” Volstagg said as he walked behind the bar, grabbing barrels of ale, “Let’s celebrate our reawakening!” Thor smiled as he grabbed a barrel, looking at the people who looked confused,

“Peoples of Midgard! I am Thor, and with me are the Warrior’s Three!” The warriors cheered as Thor addressed the people, “We have freed you from the ensnaring enchantments of Loki, and you are now free! As such, we shall take the beer, for we are thirsty gods who shall bless this village! Fair thee well!” Thor then walked out of the pub and raised his hammer into the sky.

Descending from the sky through the clouds, was a floating castle that touched the top of the ocean. The Warrior’s Three rushed into the halls of Bilskinir as Thor pondered where to place such a mighty fortress, one of the last remnants of Asgard! He just rested his mind and looked out into the ocean, and smiled at his mother. He then cracked his hammer on the stone of the castle, the entire structure vanishing without a trace to the small town in Quebec. But looking up in the sky, many could see a large rainbow going nowhere, towards the stars.

Chapter Text

The gray skies rolled over the German sky as the fortress loomed over the cliffside. Hidden in the dark woods of the fatherland, just beyond the gunfire and distant bombs, was Germany’s last chance of winning. Top-of-the-line scientists and generals planning the final victory for the Third Reich, creating superweapons and ubermensch to crush the Western World and reign supreme, so that every corner of the world could utter the single command they preach:

HAIL! HYDRA!

“How’s it look?” Frenchie asked the stone-cold sniper as he looked into the Hydra base, “Come on, Buck!”

“Calm down, you chicken,” Bucky said as he spotted the guards patrolling the walls, “We got a fifteen-second window, Dugan, can you set the explosives?”

“I don’t know, does my wife nag at me?” The man said tipping his bowler hat, “Is Fury coming with those reinforcements? We don’t know how many there are inside, and once I do this--”

“There’s no time,” said the tallest man amongst the commandos, who looked to the man carrying a heater shield in one hand and a pistol in another, the only man amongst them who was wearing a blue leather jacket with a star on the chest, bearing a capital A on his helmet: Captain America, “Izzy, how’s the bike?”

“It’ll be fine,” Izzy said as she wiped her brow, shaking her head at the dents and scratches, wagging her finger at the star-spangled man, “Just don’t drive it off a cliff again, alright?”

“I’ll try my best, Izzy,” Steve said as he looked down at a photo of a woman. Peggy Carter. Just the thought of her smile made Steve forget he was in the middle of a war-torn Europe. He folded the photo and kept it close to his chest pocket as he turned towards Buck, who kept his voice low,

“Steve, are you sure about this?” Bucky said, “We don’t know what the hell they got in that castle. Should we get the Human Torch here, or try and contact the Submariner again? We can even get that Canadian guy over, Howlett the berserker paratrooper?”

“The Skull’s been sighted in this area, Bucky. If we get the drop on him, we may be able to turn the tide on this war,” Steve then smiled to the group, “It’s about time we get home by Christmas!” The commandos howled in agreement, setting off the plan they hatched.

Dugan rushed through the field, carrying a stack of dynamite. He made sure the wire wasn’t tangled on anything as he rushed over to the wall, clenching the cigar in his mouth as he planted the explosives. He ran back quickly, just in time as the spotlight passed through his area. He hopped over to their hiding spot, readying the ignition lever as Steve climbed onto his motorcycle,

“Ready? Ready? Okay… CONTACT!” KABOOM!!! The wall exploded apart as the motorcycle roared to life, rushing into the base as Captain America jumped in. Hydra soldiers rushed to blare out the alarms as the Howling Commandos charged after. Captain America lifted his shield, holding it up as he fired his gun at the guards above, then immediately reeled his shield back as he bashed it into the third nazi in front of him. Steve gritted his teeth, punching the men who served evil with his red leather gloves. Behind him, a Hydra agent lifted a knife as he screamed out,

“HAIL HYD-- AGGHH!!!” Blood splurted out of the soldier’s head, Steve looked across the field to see Bucky saluting him. Steve smiled and charged into the fray once more with Bucky watching his back.

Captain America’s strength and speed were too swift for the Hydra Agents, their bones broken or teeth broken. Steve never did like using his gun, but sometimes broken bones weren’t enough as he fired lead bullets at these bastards. Otherwise, his shield smashed their ribs apart, piercing their lungs as they gasped out their last breath. He just can’t wait for this war to be over.

Steve unclipped the empty load from his pistol as he took cover, bullet fire focused on him. His costume and powers were doing their job, as the howling commandos flanked and covered Cap, allowing him to move up as he dismantled the enemies in front of him. They then got to the front doors of the base, likely barred by a wooden barricade, the doors loomed over the men. Steve stepped forward, placed his boot on the door, and kicked it open with ease.

Gunfire fired on them as Captain America raised his shield, taking the blows as he charged forward. He somersaulted above the tables and experiments, holding his shield close as he fired in the air, time seemed to slow itself down as Steve hit every single one of his targets. He landed on his feet, turning his head as he lowered his shield. He remembered how President FDR sent him the shield, a gift for America’s number one soldier on the front lines. In truth, Steve thought it was a little bulky, carrying it all the time as he ran ahead on the frontlines.

The Commandos rushed behind as Captain America stared at the Nazi’s secret weapon: A rocket! Steve could only wonder what its intentions were, or what the payload was. He then looked up at the scaffolding and spotted him .

Dressed in black leather, his bald head as red as the armband on his uniform, was the man who used to be Johann Schmidt. But with the development of Abraham Erskine’s supersoldier serum, Johann stole away a prototype of what Steve was given, and became… a ghoul , a monster of a man that cared only for the agenda of the nazi regime,

“Ah! Captain! It’s such great timing to see you and you Americans, but I’m afraid it’s too late! The Third Reich shall receive its final victory, and we shall deliver the Master Race!”

“You’ll never win, Red Skull!” Captain America said as he looked for a way up, “You’re kind never does!”

“My kind? Why, we are the same, Rogers!” Red Skull said with his yellow eyes deep in dark pits, his gaunt features warping whatever humanity was left, “We are but mere stepping stones for the true Master Race! A future where the superman rules! Do you want that?”

“You don’t want the supermen to rule, you want to annihilate any who you call weak or inferior!” Captain America said as he began to climb up the scaffolding, “That’s not a future that I’ll let come true, Skull!”

“Then come Rogers, and meet failure! Fire!” The Red Skull said, his men popping behind the corners as they took aim at the Americans. Red Skull stepped into his rocket as the gunfire went off, grinning as he was lifted to the control bridge of the rocket.

Down below, Bucky took out his revolver and fired at the men aiming at Steve, climbing behind as the other Commandos covered them. Steve threw his shield vertically, letting it drive through the floor as it homed straight into the Hydra guards above, swiftly knocking them down as Captain America got up to the top. He then turned, fists cocked as he grabbed his shield dug into the rocket, and breathed relief when he saw Bucky, who took out a gun and fired at the guy behind Steve,

“Thanks, Buck,” Steve said as he looked at the rocket, gasping as it began to shake. The top of the building opened up as smoke began to fill the floor below. The Commandos retreated, yelling for Steve and Buck to follow. Captain America looked at his partner in crime, and grinned, “One last ride?”

“Of course Cap,” Bucky said, grabbing two knives out of his ankles as he dug into the rocket. Steve followed suit, driving his shield into the rocket as they climbed up the construct of evil’s last gasp. They climbed up the rocket as the jets started it off, the heroes feeling the G-Forces as they held on for dear life.

It felt like hours when Steve noticed that they couldn’t see land anymore, the air growing colder as the rocket traveled farther up north. Steve looked down to see Bucky struggle, stabbing at the rocket as he pulled himself up with every strength he had left in his body. Steve gulped, looking at his steel-forged shield as he looked back at Bucky,

“Look, Bucky, we gotta turn back and--”

“Steve! Look out!!!” Bucky said as a bullet rang out. Steve turned to see the Red Skull sneering, cocking his pistol again and firing. But he kept missing, why wasn’t he firing at Steve. Steve then looked back, and saw blood coming out of Bucky’s chest, blood spluttering from his mouth, “S-steve?” Bucky’s gripped the loosened, dropping from the rocket,

“BUCKY!!!” Steve roared out, turning to the Red Skull with fury as he launched himself forward, lifting the shield to keep digging closer and closer to the genocidal monster. Red Skull cocked his gun and aimed it at Captain America, who held onto the shield with one hand,

“Any last words Captain, before I change the world forever?” Red Skull asked, furrowing his rigid brow as Captain America pulled something with his teeth, a safety pin. Red Skull froze with fear as Captain America tossed a grenade into his cockpit, his face would’ve turned white if it weren’t blood red,

“Burn in hell, Skull!” Steve let go as the cockpit exploded in fire and brimstone, the rocket erupting into a gigantic blast of flame and metal. The next thing Steve felt was the feeling of falling into ice-cold water, his vision darkening as the air left his lungs.

Steve lay motionless, his closed eyelids not being able to keep away the bright light outside. Was this heaven? Was he at the pearly gates, St. Peter there waiting for him? Steve was never one to think he would make it to heaven, believing that he might have a much warmer spot reserved for him. Or the dark thought of there being nothing that haunted the men he fought with on the frontlines occasionally dripped into his mind, but never would he think it was heaven. It was when someone forced open his eyelid, shining a flashlight in his face that he realized that he was not, in fact, dead.

Steve launched his fist across the scientist's face, shooting up as he looked around the room with sore eyes. Everyone was shocked, wearing white uniforms in a room covered in clean, polished metal. Steve didn’t know where he was, but he wasn’t gonna let Hydra make him their guinea pig and went to work. Doctors rushed out of the room as some tried to slowly confront the man in the tattered leather uniform, holding syringes as Steve regained his sense of balance. He swung his leg around, glass shattering as the men in white fell to the ground, blood coming from their broken noses. Steve looked across the room, seeing his vibranium shield covered in cool water as he picked it up.

Steve ran down the hallway, noticing that whoever these men were took his gun. So be it, Steve always preferred to fight with his fists rather than bullets. The lights above were abnormally brighter than the ones back home, there must be some underground bunker the fuher was building to hide in. Steve took cover just before a fork in the hallway, seeing a squadron of men run down to where he came from. They wore dark clothing, covered head to toe in black and white, bearing an eagle symbol. These weren’t nazis that Steve was familiar with, so what’s going on here?

Steve dashed down the clean maze, peering into offices as these men and women rushed around the base, looking for him. They spoke English, though they used words that Steve never heard of before. What was this sick game, another one of Arnim Zola’s experiments, an American world run by the Third Reich? But not once did any of these men or women end their conversations, their chats, their talks with those two dreaded words that Steve tried to anticipate. None of these people were hailing Hydra.

Steve turned the corner and saw a massive window that showed the outside, but he was more preoccupied as a scientist sprinted down with soldiers behind, carrying tranquilizers and batons that held electricity,

“Wait, wait, hold your fire!” Said the scientist as he looked at Steve, who held his shield up as the man stepped forward. Steve noticed as the man stepped forward that his clothes were much different than anyone he’d met so far sneaking around. A red and black jumpsuit that looked much more advanced than any uniform that Steve’s encountered, “Captain Steve Rogers, it’s okay. We’re friends--”

“I don’t know you well enough to call each other friends,” Steve said as he furrowed his stare, “Is this Hydra, son?”

“No, no! Hydra’s long been dealt with, Cap,” The scientist then placed a hand on his chest, “My name is Hank Pym, and this is SHIELD--” Steve took his chance, rushing over to the window as he slammed his shield through the tough glass, falling to the ground before, “No, wait!”

The heater shield drove into the side of the building as Steve slowed down his descent, the beaten and battered steel shield snapping as he managed to land on his feet on the pavement, breathing in the fresh air as he sprinted through the base he was on. It seemed like an island, but Steve could see buildings across the harbor as he rushed towards the docks. In fact, some of those buildings looked familiar, like that one looked like the Empire State Building, and that bridge looked like the Brooklyn Bridge, and that--

Steve stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes unmoving as he stepped forward. He gasped, lifting his battered red gloved hand to his mouth, tears that he didn’t notice welled up in his eyes as he looked on, watching her stand. She stood up high, bearing her torch for all those who would come to this city, ensuring that there was Liberty for all. Steve then gasped as he looked around again, and found himself in New York City. He was home, and the soldier made it home.

But, the buildings looked different. In fact, everything looked different as he looked at the trucks and boats, looking slimmer and curvier than the bulky cars that took him to the front lines with the Howling Commandos. He turned to see the same scientist, Dr. Pym from before, standing in front of him,

“Doc… What the… Where is… What’s going on here?” Steve said, fighting off the nerves that gripped his arms and legs,

“Captain Rogers, what do you remember?” Hank asked as Steve hummed,

“The Skull. The Red Skull, he blasted a rocket, and me and Buck--” Steve stopped, remembering the blood that came out of his best friend, “Bucky. Did he make it? Where are the other Commandos?”

“Please, Captain Rogers, you took down the rocket and fell, right? Into the water?”

“What does that matter!? Where are the boys?” Steve said as he stomped over to Hank, trying to withhold his anger as he clenched his fists,

“Dead, Steve. All of them,” Stepping toward the men was a man covered in scars, the largest of which was blocked as a large eyepatch covered the missing eye. He looked grizzled, his beard the only hair on his head as he lit a cigar, “My father was one of those men. Sergeant Nicholas Fury, right?”

“F-father?” Steve said as he grimaced over at the man in front of him, “But he wasn’t even in his fifties yet, you’re the same age as him!”

“Cap, when you went into the water, your body froze. The supersoldier serum kept you alive, waiting for someone to find you. But while you slept, the world kept turning,” Fury said as he puffed off the cigar, “World War 2 is over. The Germans are no longer our enemy, and neither are the Japanese. The Russians were our enemy after them, but we got it down to a steady stalemate, one that we would like to keep that way. Right now, in our age, America’s biggest enemies are healthcare and diabetes!”

“Wait, you’re saying that I’ve been on ice for years?” Steve said, looking around, “Ten? Twenty?”

“Cap, it’s been almost seventy years since you disappeared,” Steve felt like he was knocked out of himself, and couldn’t stop his hands shaking. Seventy years? It was 1944, and the Germans were on the run as he saved men, women, and children from the death machine the Nazis kept alive, and now it’s… the 21st century? His mom, Steve’s mom… She was dead. His friends back home, his friends on the field, the Commandos… They were dead. Everyone… Everyone Steve knew… Everyone… They were… They were…

Steve dropped his Shield, his knees thudding into the ground as he fainted. Fury sighed as he looked over at Hank,

“We tried to make it a warm welcome, too bad he woke up before we were ready,” Fury said as he smoked his cigar, “How’s his vitals?”

“Besides the trauma of the last greatest war in human history and the mental torment that we just now put him in? He’s in peak condition!” Hank said as the men lifted Captain America up, “Be careful with him, that’s a hero!”

“Moreso than anyone here at this base,” Fury said as he shook his head, “We got a lot to do with this one.”

When Steve woke up again, he was a lot more kinder to the doctors this time around, apologizing to those who had been struck. Strangely, it seems like these scientists were somehow used to this type of reaction, and were glad Steve didn’t kill anyone. The young supersoldier allowed them to take more of his vitals, seeing how delicate they were when handling his blood. Steve was irked by it but was distracted as two Shield Agents came into the room.

The man seemed older than everyone around them, his eyes wider than the Grand Canyon when he saw Captain America and quickly raised his hand,

“Captain, it’s such an honor to meet you. My name is Special Agent Phil Coulson, I’ve requested to be assigned to your case, and--” Steve looked to his right at the other Shield Agent as he shook Coulson’s hand, gasping as he looked at her face. She looked just like her, her cheeks and nose were the same shape, only her blonde hair was different from Peggy’s brown hair,

“Peggy?” Steve asked as the Shield Agent smirked,

“No, she’s my… Grandmother. I’m Agent Sharon Carter,” Steve shook her hand, sad as he looked down,

“So, she… Moved on? Did she have a happy life?”

“She did,” Sharon said, “But she always talked to us about you, how you were the axis smasher--

“Who punched Hitler in the face!” Coulson said as he smiled around the room, “Sorry, it’s hard not to be excited.”

“Well, I never got the chance to punch Hitler in the face, that was for the kids,” Steve said as he looked at his fist, “Who killed Hitler?”

“Oh, Hitler did,” Coulson said as he looked at his watch, “I’m sure you’ll have a lot of questions, and I need to get you to Fury at eighteen hundred hours, which gives us about… five hours. Wanna see the city?”

“I can do that?” Steve said as he looked around, “You got this place running around like a P.O.W. camp with the amount of security.”

“For the sake of security,” Sharon said as she opened the door. Steve got up from the chair, and followed the Agents as he was handed some clothes, “Don’t want to walk around in those raggedy clothes, right?”

“Hey, these are war relics!” Coulson said as he held up the aged helmet and goggles, “They’re just not in good condition!”

“A war relic? These clothes?” Steve said as he looked at the water-stained leather, the blue now looking like sky blue rather than its original navy blue. The red, no longer crimson, was now a rosy red, “I looked like Charlie Chaplin in these clothes. No, I prefer wearing these… I know their camouflage, but why are they brown and olive? It looks sandy,”

“I should probably explain the political climate of the 21st century, huh?” Coulson, rubbing his neck wondering how he could best explain this to the Star Spangled Man, “Right, let’s start with after the war and the end of the 20th, right?”

“Alright,” Steve said as they entered the locker room, “So, Germany lost?”

“Yup, and America had to deal with Japan,” Coulson said as he looked away, allowing Captain Rogers privacy in the empty locker room, “Do you know what a nuclear bomb is?”

“No, it sounds like something from a cheap pulp magazine,” Steve said as he took off his tattered clothes, looking at the faded scars that covered his muscles. So time did pass him by, but only his scars, “What is it, a weapon?”

“A project that American scientists were tasked with, to win the war with Japan. It’s a weapon of destruction unlike anything we’ve seen before,” Sharon said as she looked at her watch, “We speculate that is what the rocket the Red Skull flew was meant for, to carry the first atom bomb.”

“And we used it?” Steve said as he put on his new trousers and boots, given privacy and modesty by the Agents in the room, “Why the hell would we use it?”

“The Pacific front was growing too tedious for the military command, and island hopping was too slow for the people back home,” Coulson said, remembering his minor in American History, “Wanting their husbands and fathers back home. So when Japan refused to surrender after Little Boy. So we dropped Fat Man.”

“Two!?” Steve said as he turned to Coulson, putting on his shirt, “That’s… I… What else happened?”

“Remember the Soviets?” Coulson said as Rogers groaned,

“They weren’t always the best to work with,” Rogers said as he walked out with Coulson, the Special Agent motioned the scientists to collect the war clothes as they walked into the cafeteria, “Why are we stopping here?” Steve asked,

“I figured you were hungry, being frozen for over half a century,” Coulson said as he ordered a large number of things from the cooks, “Plus, it’s better to show you some of the cultures we’ve gained in that amount of time too. Ever eaten Hawaiian pizza?”

The two men mowed at their food as Sharon ate her salad, Steve devouring a numerous amount of different foods. Burritos, fajitas, the disappointing Hawaiian pizza, and other things too. Chicken nuggets. Instant Rice. It was when Steve looked across the room to see everyone looking at them eat, but he was focused on some of the bags that their food came in,

“Hey, what’s that? McDonalds? ” Coulson raised his eyebrows as he set his drink down,

“A fast food restaurant, to give the now three hundred million Americans a meal to eat as soon as possible. Especially since we were in competition with the Soviets over which ideology would succeed, Capitalism or Communism.”

“When the Soviets cracked the code for the atom bomb and had their own arsenal, the threat of nuclear destruction was real,” Sharon explained, “So the next war was kept cool, ice cold. It lasted over decades, strung together by espionage, political corruption on both sides and puppet wars that divided lands and brought about atrocities. Y’know what, we’ll just have you listen to We Didn’t Start the Fire , It’ll make this a lot easier,”

“But it sounds like it’s been spread around,” Steve said as he rubbed his temples, “Sounds like nothing but trouble has happened since I was frozen.”

“But let’s show you the greatest hits of the 20th Century, shall we?” Coulson said as he stood up, Steve following suit as they headed towards the top of the Triskelion. Coulson got onto the helicopter as he and Steve were shipped to the mainland, “We’re heading to the Smithsonian, that’ll show things better than we or a Billy Joel song can!”

Steve could only chuckle. The irony of Captain America walking into a museum was too much. Steve has heard so much about the 21st Century as he stared into the city below them. The layout remained the same, but whole blocks have been changed since Steve was shipped to Europe. He remembered the day Bucky was shipped out before Steve became America’s only super soldier.

Back in those days, Steve was scrawny, getting beaten to a pulp for standing up for the little guys. And when he kept standing back up, only to be knocked back down again, Bucky was there to help him up. When Steve kept enlisting, and signing up for a government project, he never imagined it would lead to this. Back then, he was doing his duty, proving to his superiors that he was the man to do it, to be blasted by the Vita-Rays to activate the serum that ran through his blood. Steve himself wasn’t sure, but Dr. Erskine was, he knew Steve had the heart to do it. And so did--

“Peggy,” Steve said aloud, his mind snapping back to the woman that was with him from the beginning, “Sharon, is… Peggy Carter still alive?”

“I…” Sharon hesitated, sighing as she looked at the hundred-year-old young man in front of her, “Yes, but you wouldn’t… You wouldn’t want to see her like… that ,” Coulson then leaned forward, hoping to change the topic,

“You’ll be relieved to know that she helped founded SHIELD with Sergeant Fury back in the late 40s. She didn’t think the war stopped Hydra and other groups like them from spreading their influence, so she formed the agency to squash them out.”

“That sounds like her,” Steve said as he leaned against the helicopter, “I just hope that she isn’t… Angry at me for being so late.”

“What do you mean?” Coulson asked as Steve closed his eyes, envisioning himself in a clean-cut green suit, dancing with a brunette woman, her red lips smiling as it lulled him like the first time they met, but this time he wouldn’t have to stand on his tippy toes to kiss her,

“It doesn’t matter. We just… We used to go way back before I was Captain America. It’s because of her, actually, that I got the chance.”

“I know,” Coulson said with glee, “Why do you think I wanted to work at Shield? She and Colonel Fury were mostly why I joined Shield. I’ve always been invested in superhuman activity, ever since I saw your cartoons in the 60s!”

“They made cartoons of me? Even if I was gone for that long?” Rogers said,

“You’re the modern American Tall Tale, and who could forget that theme song?” Coulson thumped his fist against his chest to a beat, “ When Captain America throws his mighty shield/ All those who oppose his shield must yield/ If he’s lead to a fight and a duel is due/ The the Red and the White and the Blue will come through/ When Captain America throws his mighty shield!!! ” Sharon shook her head, mortified that she was partners with Coulson as Steve chuckled,

“Next, you’re gonna tell me you collect trading cards of me, don’t you?”

“Not just any,” Coulson said, making Steve bewildered, “I managed to collect the first edition collection of the first set of cards that were released, they were around when you were still on the field!”

“I… Remember those cards. I think I signed a few of them too!”

“I have some signed copies,” Coulson said, “I can show them to you if you’d like.”

“Of course, you’re one of the only people who hasn’t looked at me like I’m a ghost,” Steve looked out the window, a twinge of sadness in his eyes as the helicopter landed, “Though, I guess I am one, huh?”

The three walked through the museum, which had a bunch of items that Steve didn’t remember seeing with his mom. Exhibits on the world wars and the wars after. Korea. Vietnam. Iraq. Afghanistan. Pakistan. Wars that made Steve shake his head. Wasn’t his war supposed to be the last? That his children and grandchildren didn’t have to see bloodshed and death like he had? That he can come home, take Peggy out on a night town, and pop the question, and they could live a happily ever after.

Steve then looked at the science exhibit. The Atom Bomb opened the door to a new world of energy and electronics, and Steve marveled at the new inventions. The microwave could heat food faster than any stove Steve saw his mom slave over. Transistors allowed technology to carry more and more electricity, allowing more and more power for sounds, colors, and games. Velcro was made by a man who couldn’t use a zipper due to his hands shaking and made the material to replace it. Rockets and satellites that orbited the planet, placing a man on the Moon. Television was made when Steve was back in his time, but the size and quality of the television in front of him was staggering, playing a live feed of himself as he stared into the camera.

The next exhibit was on Culture. Steve looked as he saw brave men, men who stood alone against a tide of ignorance and hate. Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and John Lennon, all were preaching for peace and acceptance. But there, Steve learned that these issues still existed, issues on Race, Sex, Violence, and everyone trying to pursue their own vision of happiness. But Steve was relieved, knowing that good men have tried to continue the fight for Justice and Liberty.

Steve was smiling by the time he walked out of the Culture exhibit, and looked around for Coulson and Carter. But his sharp, blue eyes caught certain looks in the crowd. They looked at him with a certain familiarity that made Steve unnerved. He hasn’t been out of Fury’s eye this whole time, has he? Steve kept an eye behind his shoulder as he entered the art exhibit.

Steve left the art exhibit very confused. Was… Was that supposed to be art? The music was great, Disco was hip and fun, and Rock and Roll was a little too much for Steve’s ears but he’ll get used to it. But the art? It made Steve think of his first year at art school, thinking that would be his calling in life. But when the war broke out, and America joined, Steve felt the need to answer the call, to put his life on the line like all the others around him.

Steve looked across the exhibit room, seeing Coulson looking around for him. Steve balled up his fists, rage welling up inside of him. He spent the remaining years of his life before the ice fighting in hell with his friends and now has woken up to decades of being robbed from him and all his friends are dead. Steve stomped out toward the exit of the Smithsonian, and found Agent Sharon Carter standing in his way,

“Wait, Captain Rogers, where are--” Steve moved around her, his eyes locked on the exit,

“You all said it yourself, the war is over. I served my country, and I’m going home,” Steve said before he walked onto the street, losing the scrambling Shield agents.

Steve walked through the streets of Washington D.C, not caring if Shield was watching him. It doesn’t matter that he doesn’t have his shield or uniform, Steve already let them know not to mess with him the first time he woke up. And yet, the gnawing feeling that’s been looming over him since the exhibits at the museum kept ebbing at him. He shook his head and kept walking.

Steve passed the Washington Monument and looked up to it with pleading need of wisdom. George Washington was the first president of this great nation, leading farmers and philosophers to take up arms against tyranny. How would he respond to waking up from 1783 to 1853? To know just how out of touch he was with everyone, to know how he was just out of time.

Steve then eyed a monument built between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Monument. Steve saw the first Republican looking at him from his seat, waiting for the young soldier to make his move. Steve walked over to the monument and found two large water fountains that dotted a field of water that separated the plaza, and saw two marble gazebos that were on top of white staircases. On the marble gazebos, Steve could see two words that were etched on the side of each respective gazebo:

ATLANTIC and PACIFIC.

Steve’s intrigue peaked, he walked towards the Atlantic side and saw a wall filled with thousands of golden stars. Below him was a large stone slab that bore the words, “HERE WE MARK THE PRICE OF FREEDOM.” Steve saw a podium with a sign to the side of the long wall of stars, and walked up to it, gasping as he read the words:

Freedom Wall holds 4,041 gold stars. Each gold star represents one hundred American service personnel who died or remain missing in the war. The 405,399 American dead and missing from World War II are second only to the loss of more than 620,000 Americans during our Civil War.

Steve held in his tears as he looked across the stars. Each star was a father. Each star was a son. Each star was a brother, an uncle, a teacher, a milkman, a janitor, and a friend. Each star was a hero, and Steve could only look down in shame, closing his eyes as that terrible gnawing slammed into him once more.

Loneliness is what made Steve think of his mom, watching her smile as he came home one more time before he shipped out, seeing her little boy become the man that she always knew he was. Loneliness is what made Steve think of Peggy, slow dancing with her as they moved under the moonlight. Loneliness is what made Steve think of Dugan trying his best to win an arm wrestling contest against him, using the cannon his right arm was to try to win, while Steve counted his fingernails. Loneliness is what made Steve think of Izzy, fixing up his motorcycle after Steve jumped off it to hitch a ride on a train on the tracks. Loneliness is what made Steve think of Dino and Frenchie, drinking wine as they hit on the girls in their battles in France. And most of all, Loneliness is what made Steve think of Bucky.

Bucky was Steve’s classmate, having been there since Kindergarten as Steve struggled with his asthma, Bucky slowing down so that they could run together in the gym. Bucky was Steve’s teacher, showing him how to throw a punch and jab and take a punch from the bigger kids. Bucky was Steve’s brother, waking up together at the crack of dawn, stopping Hitler and Hydra’s plans for world domination one base at a time. Bucky was Steve’s best friend, and he watched him die.

Steve didn’t need to look behind him, as Fury walked up to the old soldier,

“As I told your agents, I’m done.”

“Cap, please!” Coulson said as he walked closer, “I… Know I’m asking a lot from you, Rogers, but please listen,” Coulson said as he stepped forward, “Red Skull is alive,”

“What?” Steve said as he raised his head, snapping towards Fury,

“I wanted to wait till you were acclimated, but you forced my hand. The Red Skull is alive,”

“Where, Fury!?” Steve asked as he stepped toward the Shield Director, his fists clenched with the might of the super soldier serum, “Where is he!?”

“Wait, you don’t know what you’re getting into, Hydra is fully backing him and--”

“You said…” Steve said, his breathing getting heavier as he remembered the gunfire, the blood, the explosions, “You said that the Germans weren’t our enemies, how the hell is Hydra--”

“It’s more than that now!” Fury said, his yelling not coming from any source of anger, but desperation, “They learned that hiding was the best thing to do once you stopped the Red Skull, and they went underground. They’re partially the reason why the Red Scare was even a worry for us! We couldn’t trust ourselves for decades as they tried many times to infiltrate us and our government.”

“How?” Steve said as his fists were gripped with a rage more bolder than iron and fiercer than flame, “How!?”

“You remember what they said, right? ‘Cut off one head--’”

“‘And two more shall take it’s place,’” Steve bitterly recalled those words,

“There are many heads to Hydra now, each wanting to supplant the other for total control. That’s the one thing that’s on our side… Until recently,” Fury handed a picture over to Rogers, who looked down and felt his blood turn magma hot as he quickly scanned the photo.

The picture was blurry, but it made no mistake. It was taken in a base underground, the main source of light focused on one individual. It was as though he stepped into a block of ice himself, as he did not age a day. Steve couldn’t believe he was looking at the same man from all those years ago, and yet those were his eyes. Those were his black, leather clothes. Those were his rail-thin arms and face, lacking any muscle. And that was his skin, as red as brimstone and sin, as red as the devil himself, as red as the blood that came out of Bucky’s mouth. It was him, it was the Red Skull.

“This… This is impossible, he died! I saw him die!”

“We believed he died too,” Fury said as he cleared his throat, “But then in 1964, our spies in East Berlin received information of some kind of fallen object, and found images of a rocket capsule. It seems the grenade blast you threw dislodged the mechanism of the rocket, causing a fuel leakage that was about to be on fire. But the intentions of the rocket were not nuclear as we believed, though Hydra was working their way towards that.”

“So what did we fight for then?” Steve asked, trying his best to contain his anguishing fury, “Why did Red Skull risk everything on this?”

“We believe the intentions were to breach the atmosphere and enter above Earth’s orbit. While we don’t fully know why this was done, we theorized that Hydra believed they were able to construct a superweapon for Nazi Germany, and the Skull went to be the arbitor of Earth. How he’s still alive after all this time, and what he’s planning to do is unknown to us, but he’s been slowly unifying Hydra.”

Steve swallowed the information, letting it settle down to the back of his mind. Nazis, superweapons, madmen, dead friends, and family, all circled around his mind as he let it weigh against him. He then chuckled, shaking his head as he sighed,

“Is that why you thawed me out?” Steve asked, “For ‘Captain America’ to help out with one more Hydra mission?”

“That was not our intention, and I can promise you that!” Fury said, “I know it because… I found you.”

“What?” Steve said, bewildered as the Shield Agent shrugged,

“Our scientists found a life signature in the Arctic, and I was sent to investigate with a team of freelancers that Shield occasionally calls in,” Fury didn’t elaborate, but Steve felt there was more to that term freelancer , “It was a large glacier, as big as some of these buildings, and we managed to cut our way through. It was when I found your shield buried in the ice that we melted around the ice and brought you home.”

“I… Thank you,” Steve said as he looked back at the wall of stars, “Not many people get a second chance. But few think of that lucky person wanting everyone they know to get that second chance,” Steve then looked at Fury and furrowed his brow, “I would like to get back to the base, and gather my things.” Fury smiled, nodding over in the distance as Agent Carter and Coulson walked over, carrying a large, wide bag,

“I figured as much, which is why I think it’s time to give you a present from my father. A gift given to him from the King of Wakanda himself,”

“T’Chanda?” Steve recalled his mission stopping the Italian regiments in Africa, encountering the fierce protector of the hidden lands of Wakanda, the Black Panther! After a misunderstanding and a fight, they became friends as they took on Mussolini’s men, “I figure his son or grandson are in charge of the Kingdom now,” Sharon smiled as she unzipped the bag, Coulson giddy as he pulled out a large, flat disc made of red, white, and blue metal. On the center of this round shield was a mighty silver star, handed over to Steve, “Is this…”

“Pure, one hundred percent, Vibranium ,” Fury said as he tapped his knuckle against the shield, allowing Steve to hear how didn’t let any metallic echoes or ringing, “Absorbing kinetic energy, it’ll protect you from anything. As the Wakandan King said, ‘Unbreakable and Reliable, like the will of the man this shield was made after, ’” Steve felt the weight of the shield, almost as light as the air itself as he swung it over his back,

“The fight isn’t over, and this time it’s personal,” Steve said as he walked away from the monument, guided by sheer determination. They approached the helicopter, seeing a man wearing a purple shirt as he sneered at Fury and the Agents,

“Did you have trouble finding the old timer?” The younger man said, messing with what appeared to be an arrow in his hands,

“Behave yourself, Barton,” Fury said as he looked over at Rogers, “Steve, this is Agent Clint Barton, codename--”

“Hawkeye,” Barton said as he grinned at the supersoldier, “Is it bedtime for Grandpa already? I heard he got lost in the park!”

“No, just time to put the baby back in the cradle,” Steve said as he sat in the helicopter, “Let’s just get out of here,” The three gentlemen got into the aircraft and lifted off, heading back to the base in New York,

“So, what didya think of the 21st century, cap? Cool or uncool?” Hawkeye said as he counted his arrows in his quiver. Steve looked out of the window, smirking as he looked back at Hawkeye,

“All in all, it is cool ,” Steve said, “Though apparently, the younger men have forgotten to show their elders respect!”

“Apologies for Barton,” Coulson said, “He was a freelance agent before he was offered a full-time position at Shield, he still likes to shoot loose from time to time.”

“Hey, I get the mission done, and you dunces pay my apartment, alright?” Clint then looked over at Steve, “Speaking of that, is Captain America gonna join us busting down Hydra?”

“Better yet, he’s leading the charge,” Fury said,

“What do you mean?” Steve asked, “I'm leading? Aren’t I a couple decades rusty?”

“To those freelancers, you have more experience on the field than they have to be superheroes!”

“Us and those ‘Freelancers,’ are going over by their base. They got it way in the mountains in Norway, apparently, some base they built when the Nazis took over the region.” Clint spouted, “Must’ve missed it when Fury’s old man disbanded the Howling Commandos.”

“The sarge did that?” Steve said, “Was it because of Shield, or?”

“He didn’t want to be promoted. The old timer thought it would be disgraceful to try and take your spot. Started a new operation with a different intent and approach, real James Bond crap.”

“James Bond?” Steve asked,

“Oh boy, we got a lot of movies to catch you up on! Die Hard, Top Gun, Mission Impossible, Star… Holy crap, he doesn’t know about Darth Vader, does he!?!”

“Darth who?” Steve asked. Coulson waved his hand to the words as he frowned at Barton,

“We didn’t want to overwhelm him with too much, so we went with a historical approach--”

“Lame!” Barton chastised, “I knew it when I should’ve taken you around town. We would’ve busted down some real crooks around the streets, especially around Brooklyn, and--”

“Brooklyn,” Steve said as he looked out the window, “That’s where I grew up… It was a hectic town, sure, but it was full of life, art, music… It’s full of crime now?”

“W-well…” Was all Sharon could muster as Coulson slapped his face,

“We’re talking drugs, sexual trafficking, gang violence, and now supercriminal activity thanks to these mega-corporations that we fucking funded to make more supersoldiers, like you!”

“Barton!!!” Fury yelled at the Shield freelancer,

“I’m being honest with the guy, and that’s what he wants, the truth!” Barton argued, pointing towards Coulson, “You know it, mister president of the fan club!”

“I… Steve, I would’ve--” Coulson said as he pulled at his collar,

“You’re trying to recreate me?” Steve said, shaking his head as he felt some of his steam leave him, “And what about the crime? What happened? A catastrophe?”

“No, the ugly side of history, the side your little sidekick over there failed to mention. America got dirty and cheated over the last few decades, and now no one believes in it anymore. Nixon and those cheap bastards wiped their asses with the Constitution and left it on the side of the road, leaving politicians to replace it with the next oldest piece of paper: The Dollar Bill. So that’s why I said to not even bother thawing you out, 'cause what reason do you have left to fight for?” 

Steve looked down, his spirit tested as the helicopter landed. He marched onward, walking toward his room as the Shield Agents looked at him closely. Coulson looked at his hero with shame for himself, failing the one person he didn’t want to fail. Barton looked at this man out of time with bitter satisfaction, knowing now he’s not this legend that he’s cracked up to be,

“You are right, Barton, about one thing,” Steve said as he looked up at Barton, “The Constitution and the Bill of Rights our founding fathers made for us have been trampled over many times in our history. But the rest is where you are dead wrong,”

“How so?” Barton said, “Our country is a burning ball of garbage!”

“I still believe in my country, I believe in these people, and I believe that we must do our best to do what’s right! I have seen this country at its lowest, where all I saw growing up were hungry frowns and empty pockets. But when we saw that we could do something against true evil on the face of the earth, we pulled ourselves together and fought it. And while many of my brave, valiant men have long since passed, it’s up to me now to do my part and end what I started all those years ago,” Steve leaned back, his mind focusing as he scrolled through the tablet, Coulson helping the last of the Greatest Generation learn how to use a touch screen.

All was quiet as Barton returned to the bridge, the patrol keeping watch as he decompressed. He opened his locker and saw the quiver full of arrows that he slung over his shoulder. What did the man with a plan know about anything anyway? He’s just a guy given super steroids! What authority does he have, being Captain ? So what? That’s like the third or fourth rank out of, like, ten!

Barton closed the locker as he wore his head mask, the goggles focusing in and out as his sight sharpened. He then set it to default, looking down at the frame of his shadow, like a bird waiting for the right moment to strike. He grinned, getting his bow out as he walked down the hallway toward the hangar.

Standing in front of a Quinjet, standing in a shimmering armor of scale mail and bright red gloves and boots, was Captain America. He smiled as Sharon handed him the helmet, clicking into place as he looked at Barton with wings jutting out the side of his head,

“Wow, who’s the fangirl who made you that?” Barton said, eyeing Coulson as the older Shield Agent groaned,

“I like it,” Steve said, his blue leather pants and armor able to keep up with his athletic forms and flips without restricting his movement, “I could say the same with your getout,”

“Hey, this is the ultimate setup for the best sniper Shield has! You are a walking American flag!”

“And I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Captain America said as the Quinjet roared with life, “Ready to enter the fray?” Hawkeye grinned, getting into the jet with the Star-Spangled Man,

“You kidding? I was waiting on you, old timer!” Steve smiled, waving goodbye to the Shield Agent as the supersonic jet flew across the sea.

Trekking through the Norwegian countryside, Steve knew which Hydra base Shield discovered. It was a base that Sergeant Fury theorized could be in these harsh mountains, and they were going to strike there once they reached Berlin and took down Hitler. That never happened, but Steve can do nothing now to change that. This is a second chance, to do good for his country, even if he has no one to rely on. Steve showed kindness by leaving the letter and managing to park the airplane on a slope of a mountain.

The cold didn’t bother Steve, and he had to thank this suit. While returning to the Shield base, he was shown this in Dr. Pym’s lab. It seemed to be fit for all environments and didn’t restrict any of his movements. And besides, it’s best to let Hydra know who’s coming to knock on their door.

Steve took his binoculars and studied the base ahead of him. The patrol the guards took wasn’t as meticulous as nearly a century ago, but it appears each of the guards was outfitted with a radio that they all checked in on every few minutes or so. If Steve took one guard out, it would raise suspicion among the others! Steve looked to his left, not realizing he was trying to hand his binoculars over to Bucky. Steve sighed and steeled himself, focusing on the task at hand.

Steve climbed onto the trees, jumping from branch to branch as he got closer to the base. He walked over to the base of the branch he was on, and sprinted to the edge of the branch, vaulting over the head of the guard on the wall, and rolling as he landed near the back of a truck. His feet were light as his movements were lithe, moving with the shadows as he remarked at how advanced the suit he was wearing. It reacted to how bright the light around Steve was, becoming duller and darker in shadows. Perfect for Steve.

Steve snuck around security, using his Olympic athleticism to parkour around the guards. He peeked down the hallway and quickly saw five guards in his way, coming down the hallway. Steve hurled his unbreakable shield, striking through the crowd as it bounced off the walls, zipping right into Steve’s arms as he charged through the stunned crowd, knocking all of them through the door. He descended into the base, diving towards the rafters above as guards came to investigate what the hell happened.

Steve quickly hopped across the lights above, casually stepping from rafter beam to light fixture to rafter beam. He got to the other side of the room by the time the guards who found the ones knocked out began to reach for their radios, allowing Steve to toss his shield across the room. After the sounds of painful groans and broken bones, Steve caught his shield as he went into the next room.

These Hydra agents were much different from the ones he met back in the war. Those Hydra agents did not hide their ties with the Axis powers, wearing the black and red uniforms that Hitler and his men wore when they brought genocide to the world. These Hydra agents, however, wore dark green and mustard yellow uniforms, wearing masks that hid their faces behind bright yellow lenses. It looked strange, unlike anything Steve had seen before, as though they were hiding their humanity. Or what remained of it.

Steve looked to his right, seeing Barton pant as he caught up, “Jesus, slow down!”

“No time,” Captain America said as he tossed his shield into the room, causing Barton to groan as he pulled out an arrow, charging in. The look on the Hydra Soldiers was priceless to the two, much more so when Steve caught his shield and bashed it into the one reaching for the radio as Barton’s arrow was fired into the room, splitting off to electrify the remaining soldiers,

“Look, I’ll meet back up with you,” Hawkeye said as he pulled more arrows out of his quiver, “I’ll take care of the upper levels, you deal with that red son of a bitch. Matters more to you than it does to me,”

“Thanks, Hawkeye,” Cap said as he saw Hawkeye's eye up the stairs, letting a few arrows loose as he sneered,

“This is too easy!” Hawkeye said, dashing up the stairs. Too easy , Steve thought, taking caution as he advanced towards the stairs.

Steve saw that the base was constructed mostly of tight corridors, which led to the barracks and commons rooms. The guards who were resting, relaxing, and eating as Captain America stepped into the room had no chance. Leaving each room a mess of broken men, Steve kicked down the door and entered the lab of the base and saw a familiar man,

“Baron Strucker!” Steve knew it the moment he saw the old man in front of him, wielding the mystical claw he stole back in the war when Hydra tried to invade India. He was a younger man then, but Steve knew what deadly forces Struck wielded in his claw,

“W-what!? I-Impossible!!!” Strucker felt the weight of his wrinkles on his pale face, immediately lunging after his long-forgotten foe. But Steve parried the strike with his shield, launching his fist into the old man’s face, not wanting to waste time,

“I’m after Red Skull, Shield can have you,” Steve said as he rushed over to the next doors, and spotted a harrowing sight.

In the cells were two kids, about the age of thirteen or fourteen, who looked at Steve with such fear. Fear reminded Steve of the first camps that he and the Howling Commandos entered, seeing the horrors that the Nazis have wrought onto the world, forever staining their view of humanity. The boy’s hair was white and he kept shaking and fidgeting. The girl’s eyes were dark and red, raising a shaky hand as Steve approached the cell,

“Hello? I… I’m not here to hurt you,” Steve said as he looked around, “You want to get out?”

“<Who are you?>” The girl asked, apparently English is not their first language. But Steve recognized the language, Romani. Dino helped Steve out with the basic words of the languages around Europe, and wracked his head trying to remember what Romani was,

“<I am here to help. Do you know where the keys are?>” The boy snapped his finger, pointing at Baron Strucker, who was slowly regaining consciousness, “I told you, I’m busy Strucker,” With a swift boot to the face, Strucker fell back down, allowing Steve to rummage around for the keys. With them in hand, Steve unlocked the door, opening it as the two kids just looked at him. They slowly edged towards the door, and nothing was worth more to Steve than seeing the two smiling and crying as they stepped on the other side.

Steve was now conflicted. He needs to find Red Skull and take him down so that no one shall have to ever deal with that monster again. But he also needed to get these kids out of here, get them somewhere safe where they can be loved. The boy then started to point, dropping his jaw as he pointed at his shield,

“Captain America! Captain America!” Steve smiled as he kneeled, putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder,

“Alright, so you do know some English?” Steve looked at the two, who seemed to look at him like someone out in a blizzard looking at a fire, “What are your names?”

“Pietro,” The boy said, “My sister is Wanda,”

“Pietro, Wanda, my name is Steve, but you can call me Cap,” Steve said as he saluted them, causing them to giggle, “Do you know where your parents are? Is there anyone else in these cells?”

“We don’t know our parents, and we haven’t seen anyone else,” Pietro said, “The Redman is down there,”

“Redman?” Steve said, knowing who that was, “Listen, you too stay here,” Steve stood back up, dragging Strucker and tossing him into the cell, “I’ll go deal with the Redman,”

“No!” Wanda said the first word she said since Steve met her, “He is evil! He is Devil! He is monster!”

“I’ve dealt with monstrous men, and I’ll be alright,” Steve chuckled as he pushed open the door, “I’ve got a plan.”

Steve walked into the next room and found an altar room. The pews were empty as candlelight was the only thing that lit the room. At the other end of the room was a podium, where stood the most malevolent man Steve had ever met,

“It’s over, Schmidt! It’s just me and you!” The Red Skull across the pews, and smiled widely,

“Can it be? Mein good nemesis? Captain America?” Red Skull then shook his head, “No, it must be some parlor trick, to try and intimidate me. Let me tell you, it will not work,”

“It’s me, Skull. I’m the man who destroyed your weapon, the man who you robbed the life of, the man whose friend you took from him!” Red Skull’s eyes widened, laughing loudly,

“Ah, it is you, Rogers! Only you could’ve remembered how I shot down that American dog that followed you around! And you are mistaken, my rocket was never a weapon.”

“What? Then why risk everything, why leave the war front!?”

“You are a fool, Rogers, for I have discovered a truth. A harsh truth that was revealed to me once you sabotaged my efforts on the war front: Humanity cannot be the Master Race,” Red Skull paced around his stage, “I gave you one last chance to join me, as I ventured to the one place we have not looked for to find the key of the Master Race, the stars!”

“You risked everything to look for… for aliens!?”

“Why, Captain, that’s exactly what I did, and I’ll admit the setback I received when you destroyed my rocket would’ve doomed my efforts, I was blessed that my escape shuttle found… visitors ,” Red Skull held out his arm, and Steve’s eyes widened as it began to morph and change, “My DNA has been altered, Captain. You are finally correct, I am no longer human.”

“What… What have you--” Steve felt a sharp pain as a red tendril made of muscle smacked him into the wall,

“I found our visitors, and they were most impressed with my vision. They called themselves the Skrulls and gave me whatever I needed as long as I swore to their empire,” Red Skull groaned as the muscles in his arm began to swell, tearing through his clothing as he picked up Steve and slammed him into the wall, “It does not matter. Skrulls, Nazis, Hydra will still deliver the Master Race to the world, and I have found it!!!” Steve was launched across the room, feeling the stone crack as he fell to the ground. He stood back up, lifting his shield as a mass of sinew and red muscles slammed into his shield, backing him into the corner,

“You… Won’t…”

“How can I not win, Captain? I outmatch you, I outpower you, and you are alone! Now, enjoy your final--” Red Skull’s jaw then got rocked, holding his mouth as the two men saw a little boy standing near the pew, “How did you--”

“Pietro--” Before Steve could warn the boy, he became a blur as a flurry of blows befell Red Skull. The Red Skull let go of Steve, his massive arm unraveling as it became a swarm of tendrils that chased after the fast boy,

“Get back here, you genetic freak!” Red Skull was then shoved into the ceiling above, glowing with red energy as Wanda lifted her hands. Blood came down her nostrils as she gritted her teeth, pushing the Red Skull through the floors above. She dropped to the ground as Pietro helped her back up, Steve sprinting over,

“I guess I should’ve listened to you, Wanda, he isn’t human anymore,” Steve said as he panted, wiping away the blood from her face, “Thank you, both of you.” Steve then snapped his eyes behind him, seeing Red Skull climb back down, murderous rage marking the scowl on his face,

“The future of this world does not include the likes of you!” Red Skull said as he snarled, his skin becoming biomechanical as his legs began to elongate. From his rib cage and shoulders, a bright red light glowed out as his hands deformed, becoming wider as energy began to form inside the alien palm, “Behold Captain! The Master Race!!!”

Steve raised his shield as the Red Skrull shot out energy from his hands, protecting the kids as they were launched back. Steve looked at his shield, unaffected by the blast, and looked at the kids,

“Get out of here, run!” Steve said as he picked himself up, watching Pietro pick up his sister and dash off down the halls. Steve raised his shield, charging at the inhuman monster in front of him. Steve dove through the fire of bio-plasma, smashing his shield against Red Skrull’s head. With the alien being stunned, Steve drove his shield into his neck, digging deeper each time as Steve used his super strength. Red Skrull gagged, pushing Steve across the room as his body healed itself,

“My my, going for the kill already?”

“You took away my world, and besides, you’re not human,” Steve threw his shield at the floor, letting it bounce around as it knocked into Red Skrull. Steve then launched a fist into the Red Skrull’s face, grabbing the shield from the air and bashing it into its jaw, swiveling in time to throw down another fist across his face, “Damn it, why won’t you die!?”

“I am beyond death, Captain,” Red Skrull said as his face reformed, “I am beyond any mortal coil you can conceive of,” Schmidt then slammed Steve into the ground, aiming his blaster at his face, “Once I am down exterminating you, I shall wipe this planet of any inferior races and welcome the Master Race! Hydra shall triumph!”

CRASH!!! The ceiling above was blasted open, causing Red Skrull to look up as he was blasted by hot, condensed muons, pushing him across the room,

“Sorry for being late, but it’s not our fault someone was early,” Said a robotic voice, who lowered a hand for Steve to grab onto. Hot red metal was the hand Steve gripped, and he peered into the eyes of a modern-day knight, “Iron Man’s the name, and it looks like you did most of the heavy lifting around here,”

“I can’t believe you’re even real,” Steve said as he looked at Iron Man’s armor, beyond the imagination of H.G. Wells and any other science fiction author of Steve’s time, “It’s like Howard Stark made you!”

“Funny, cause I work with his son, Tony,” Iron Man then looked over at the genetic anomaly that the Red Skull has become, “Now, what the hell am I looking at here?”

“Skull’s modified himself,” Steve said as a fleshy tendril jutted towards them, only for Ironman to catch the lashing whip of muscle and bone, “To something horrendous,”

“Ugh, it’s like John Carpenter made you,” Ironman said as he blasted more repulsor blasts down, the Red Skull charging through as he laughed maniacally, “Oh crap,”

BOOM!!! Skull punched the metallic man through the wall, sneering as Captain America cracked his jaw, dislocating it,

“You fink vat ill sop me?” Skull gaggled out as he cracked his jaw back into place, “I am beyond you mortals, for I have found my place amongst the gods!” Whirrr, BLAM!!! A powerful uni-beam blasted into the back of the Red Skull, launching him through the base as Iron Man pulled himself out of the hole in the wall.

“There are children here,” Steve said, panting as Iron Man shook off the rubble off his shoulders, “I don’t know how they can do the things they can do, but they were holding them, experimenting with them,”

“Sounds like it,” Iron Man said as he raised his fists, his palms glowing as he looked at Steve. And although Steve couldn’t see his face, he felt like the man under the suit was grinning, “Ready to play, Captain America?”

“Ready,” The two men approached the Red Skrull, who snarled and lunged at them as a mess of spiky, fleshy tendrils. Iron Man fired his repulsor blasts, cutting through the tendrils as Captain America leaped above Red Skrull, digging his shield into him once more, cutting into the collarbone and shoulder blade as Red Skrull cried out in pain.

“ENOUGH!” Red Skrull then pushed Steve back as he began to bulk up, “I shall CRUSH you under the might of Hydra, and the new world order shall--” KRAKOOM!!! Bolting down through the hole, launching the humongous Red Skrull through the wall, was a large man who wielded a hammer,

“Of what manner is this mortal, Iron Man? Man or monster?” The large man then looked over at Captain America, and merrily laughed, “Ah, Steve Rogers! You will be happy to know that your name echos and booms within the halls of Valhalla!”

“Iron Man, who is… this?”

“Thor, and yes, he thinks he is the Norse God of Thunder,” Iron Man said as he scanned the area,

“Ah, the man of iron is a skeptic of reality,” Thor said, “Little does anyone realize that reality shall always be stranger than fiction.” Steve chuckled as he looked around, and looked back to the wall that the Red Skrull was launched into, seeing the tired dictator stumbling out,

“I… I don’t understand…” Steve smashed his shield into his face, standing above the monstrous man,

“I do. You thought that in these years, all man would do is sew evil into the land, but you’re wrong. Around me, I see men who have upheld the good fight in my absence, and if there will be good men in these years to come, you’ll always lose.”

“No, NO--” A purple arrow launched itself into Red Skrull’s neck, electrifying the head of Hydra as he passed out. From the ceiling, Hawkeye looked down,

“Could’ve said you were fighting a Cronenberg Monster!” Captain America chuckled and looked at the doorway. The heroes looked at Pietro and Wanda, who looked on in wonderstruck,

“What are we gonna do with the kids?” Iron Man asked, “Do we know their mother and father?”

“They said they didn’t know their parents, would adoption work?” Captain America asked,

“Nah,” Hawkeye said, “They got powers, Shield won’t let them out of their sight. They’ll be given rooms at the Triskelion if anything.”

“A cell?” Captain America asked, raising his eyebrow,

“Believe me, I’ll make sure they’ll get nice lives there, otherwise I’ll have to kick some--”

“Barton, language!” Steve said automatically, causing the other heroes to laugh,

“Sorry, should’ve known not to swear around kids and old-timers!” Hawkeye said as he bawked, Steve rolled his eyes as the kids laughed.

Pietro and Wanda were taken away, made sure that they were kept calm and happy as they were put on a helicopter to New York. All Hydra agents were arrested, and put into transport boats and helicopters by Shield Agents. Red Skrull was put in a container cell, a genetic power emitter suppressing his alien DNA as he was pulled away,

“Will they be tried in court?” Steve asked as Iron Man looked on,

“Most of them will, but Red Skull might not get that.”

“What, why not?” Steve asked,

“He’s not human, not anymore. He doesn’t fit into the laws that are present, at least that’s the excuse Shield gets to use.”

“That’s… What I wished he deserved,” Steve admitted, “But he should received the same treatment as his peers: A trial in Nuremberg, let him be the last to receive judgment from the judicial heads of those who have won World War 2. Then, he will receive the death penalty.”

“A just man,” Thor said as he patted Captain America on the back, “In Asgard, the dishonorable are tossed into Helheim itself, to be feasted on by the ravenous dead and to join them once Ragnarok--”

“Yeah, yeah, anyways Cap,” Hawkeye said, “We’re glad you came with us. Where you off to next?”

“Meeting someone, someone I kept waiting for a long time.”

Steve said goodbyes to the heroes as they separated, Thor and Iron Man flying off into the sky as Hawkeye stayed around to pick through the Hydra base. Steve took off his helmet, happy to see Sharon in the same Quinjet, looking out to the endless sea,

“So, you sure you want to meet her?” Sharon said, “Before you do, I should warn you… Her memory’s… She’s sick. And she may not remember you because of it.”

“I understand,” Steve said, “But I know if I don’t see her one more time, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”

“Okay,” Sharon said as she handed Steve a green suit, one given to those who return from the European front and cap, and looked with great sadness as Steve went into the private room on the Quinjet to get changed.

Steve stepped out of the Quinjet, seeing the humble retirement home in front of him. He looked around in this secluded area, far into the woodlands of America, and stepped in toe with Sharon,

“Where’s Coulson?” Steve said,

“He had to oversee another field assignment, something about a crash over in Arizona. They’ll send in a greenhorned Agent in there that Fury picked out. Nothing you should worry about,” Sharon opened the door, staying behind, “She’s waiting for you.”

“Aren’t you coming in?” Steve asked, seeing Sharon hold in a sob,

“I… I can’t. She was always in my life, always being the best Grandma I could’ve had… But then she didn’t remember me. Thought I was her daughter, so… Yeah.” Steve laid his hand on Sharon’s shoulder, letting her have tears come out of her stoic face,

“I’m sure she’ll understand,” Steve said, “But if you change your mind, I’ll make sure to open the door for you,” Sharon smiled as she wiped away the tears from her cheeks. Steve walked down the hallway, entering the building as an older man walked out, shaking firm hands with Steve as both men let out cheery smiles. The older man then stepped next to Sharon, handing her a cigar as he lit his own, grinning at the countryside as Sharon marveled at the retired shield director’s scarred eyepatch.

Steve opened the door, holding a bouquet of flowers Sharon helped him pick up, scaring the hell out of a flower street dealer as the Quinjet hovered in the air. He stepped into the room, openly lit with an open window letting fresh air in. Steve looked upon the heavenly room and gasped at the woman in front of him. 

She lay in the bed, looking out into the distance, with the mark of time weighing heavily on her. She slowly turned, looking up as a bright smile spread across her face. Steve sat down, moving the chair to face Peggy Carter as he handed her the roses. She smelled the roses, and the look of clarity flickered through her eyes. She looked at Steve, confused, yet filled to the brim with joy as they held hands. Steve smiled back as the lady of his life held onto him, but couldn’t shake the stabbing sensation of sorrow as he held her silver and gray hair, for he was out of time.

Chapter Text

Peter Parker felt a wad of wet paper hit the back of his head as the bus kept bouncing on the street. He looked behind him to see Flash laughing with the other jocks, high-fiving each other as he wrapped his arms around… Her .

Gwen Stacy. The most beautiful girl of his dreams. Peter never has a chance with her, why would she want him? Peter Parker is a freak, a loser to everyone in his school. Peter shouldn’t even bother trying to talk to her, it’ll save him from being shot down and set upon by Flash and his mob of mongoloids.

Peter looked down, alone as he looked at his lunch for the field trip. A ham sandwich and a note from the best people in the world,

Have a great day, Peter, make like a proton and be “Positive!” Love May and Ben,

Peter chuckled to himself as he ate his sandwich on the bus. Better than Flash yanking it during the lunch period. He then looked over as Harry Osborn sat down next to him,

“Hey, that hot redhead from the other school’s coming to the exhibit, I saw her across the street in the next school’s bus! Do you have any cool, hot science facts?” Peter snorted and looked at Harry,

“Why not just flash some of your money, Richie Rich?”

“Oh don’t be a Parker, Parker!” Harry said, “And it’s not my money, it’s my dad’s!”

“Oh, cause that helps,” Harry frowned, but was pelted by a wet ball by Flash, making him slump in the chair,

“This sucks! The rich kid’s supposed to be the cool kid, but I’m as lame as you!”

“Thanks, Harry, that really made my day,” Peter said as he crumbled up his paper bag, “Maybe it’s because you’re trying too hard to be cool?”

“Shut up, Parker, like you know anything about being cool,” Harry said as he looked across the bus, “Hey, Kenny’s seat is opened, later Pete. Hey Ken!” Peter shook his head as Harry was tossed around the jocks. Peter almost felt bad for him, being fooled into thinking that being tossed around and given head noogies and wet willies made him one of the guys .

The bus stopped, and the kids marched passed Peter as he looked out the window. Peter was then smacked in the back of the head, as Flash Thompson leaned on the seat, stopping the whole line,

“Sup, Puny Parker? Ready to scuttle under the rock you urchins belong under?”

“So that I don’t have to look at the block of a chin you have? In a heartbeat,” Flash grimaced as he tightened his fist, raising it as Peter flinched back. Flash chuckled, lowering his fist,

“You’re not even worth the time, Parker. Later, nerd!” Flash said as he walked out of the bus. Peter angrily grabbed his bag, looking up as Gwen passed him by,

“Sorry, I’m sure the exhibit will be fun!” Peter smiled as Gwen walked off, standing up as he walked out of the bus. As Peter stepped off, sharp pain rocked his shoulder as Flash punched him twice in the shoulder,

“Two for flinching, Parker!” Flash the bolted with the other jocks, laughing and sneering as they rolled in the grass. The teacher looked like he wanted to quit twenty years ago, and sighed as he blew his whistle,

“Alright, everyone! Today, we’ll be heading into ESU’s science exhibit, where we’ll see the modern wonders of the world,” The teacher said as unenthusiastically as possible. Peter kept to himself, using the secret superpower of all experienced wall flowers: Becoming invisible.

The exhibit was wonderful, showing the progress of Dr. Octavius and his Tritium reactor designs, Dr. Connors and his theory of cross-species genetics, and Dr. Smythe and his robotic drones! Peter felt like a kid in a candy shop and saw over in the distance across the exhibit a showcase he had been dying to see since last summer. The atomic recombiner was able to use high-powered radiation emitters to change atoms in the air. Hydrogen into Helium, Lead into Gold! It was modern alchemy, through awesome science!

Peter stood in awe as the recombiner worked its magic, the physicists below confirming the changes in the air. The sight caused Peter to look around, and pull out his camera. With Flash nowhere in sight, Peter was safe to take out his bulky camera and take a picture of the atomic recombiner to show Uncle Ben and Aunt May. 

Peter zoomed in, taking some good shots of the recombiner, when he felt something move on his hand. Peter ignored it, thinking it was nerves or Flash waiting to wallop him in front of everyone. Yet it lingered, causing Peter to groan and take his eye off the lens and look at his hand. His eyes widened as he saw a large black spider on his hand, as big a quarter, and barely reacted as it bit into his hand.

“Ow!!!” Peter groaned out, almost dropping his camera as he placed it around his neck, holding and rubbing his hand. Pain seared through it, a burning sensation that traveled through his veins. Peter grunted as he walked through the crowd, everything becoming too loud, too bright, too hot, too dizzy. Somehow, in the swirl of colors in front of him, Peter ended up in the bathroom and immediately locked the door, “O-oh God… What was that spider?” Peter gripped the counter, seeing his face drenched in sweat as his head pounded.

It’s official, you’re dying! Peter then held his hand to his mouth and rushed to the toilet, Or, more like you fell like you’re dying, Parker. Peter emptied his guts into the bowl, flushing the toilet as he slumped back onto the floor. He gasped in air as he looked into the bowl, and furrowed his brow as he saw crimson. He grabbed the railing, looked into the toilet, and grew pale as the bowl was filled with blood.

That’s not right , Peter thought as he stumbled back, pushing the door open as all he could test besides the air was iron on his tongue. He then looked as if his hand was stuck on the door. Peter yanked, yelping as he pulled the door from the hinges. He looked at his palm, seeing tiny hairs growing on his skin. Peter gasped as the hairs didn’t stop growing, growing all over his body as pain surged at the sides of his torso.

Peter dropped to the floor, his voice failing to call for help as he vomited yet again. His nails and teeth grew longer as his head throbbed in pain. He could do nothing as his bones snapped, growing longer as his fingers started to fuse together, Oh God Oh God Oh God, What The Hell Is Happening!?!?! Peter then screamed out as he could feel something rip through his sweater vest. He grabbed onto the bathroom stall, grabbing his glasses as he rubbed the sweat off his forehead. Wait… how can he do three things at once with two hands?

Peter looked down and shrieked, looking in horror at himself in the mirror. His body was malformed and covered in thick hairs, his skin looking more like chitinous armor. From his torso were a total of six arms, each having three fingers that had sharp claws. His face was malformed, the sides of his cheeks growing small mandibles that seemed to move on their own. Peter stepped back, his hind legs making him loom over the room. He tried to use his voice but was horrified to not be able to feel his vocal cords.

Peter leaned into the mirror, crying as he looked at a large growth at the side of his temple. He softly poked at the wet flesh, gasping as it opened. Suddenly, Peter was seeing things from another angle, disorienting him as he stumbled around the room. Did Peter just grow another eye!? Peter grabbed his head as he screamed allowed in his head, roaring like a monster, WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME!?!?!

“Hey, who’s in here?” Oh no, someone was outside. Peter raised his hands at the door and was disgusted as a wet, silvery goo covered the door, shooting out of his palms. Peter looked around and saw a ventilation shaft. He tore through the metal grate, squeezing tightly as he crawled and scurried into the tight vent.

Peter clambered through the metal vent, bulging the metal as the people below wondered how big of a rat was going through the vent. Peter groaned loudly as he felt his metamorphosis still happening, more eyes growing at the side of his head as his tongue smelled-- Smelled the air. My tongue smells the air now, great!!! And Peter became… Hungry .

N-no, Peter tried to control himself, drooling as he smelled the many… delicious meals walking around. God, help me, Peter looked down, trying to pray, but was shocked as his spit melted through the metal. No no no no!!!

The metal vent shaft collapsed, falling onto the exhibit below. Peter bursted out of the metal, a hulking monster that looked around as the crowd screamed,

“What is that monster!” Said reporter and owner of the Daily Bugle, J. Jonah Jameson, “You, guards paid for a living, KILL IT!!!”

Wait, wait!!! Peter raised his many hands, not getting the reaction he wanted as bullets zoomed into his thick hide. Peter cried out in pain, lashing out around as he slammed and cracked the ground. Peter then saw Flash Thompson, holding a metal bat,

“Hey guys, watch me squash the spider!” Peter felt his rage turn murderous and smacked Flash to the side. His anger dissipated as Flash was flung into the wall, a sickening CRACK echoing as Gwen ran over to him,

“Flash! No!!!” Gwen said as she held him close, looking at the Man-Spider with tearful eyes, “You monstrous freak! Just leave us alone!!!” Peter looked at himself in horror, screaming out in horror of what he had become, and jumped through the skylight window, spraying his webs to sling himself away from his monstrous deed.

The silky snot that fired out of Peter’s palms hardened into a steel-like thread and tightened as it carried the burdensome form that Peter had become across the city. Where would he go? Who would help him? Peter could find a microscope and a lab, look at his blood, and find a cure that could reverse the effects of whatever that spider did to him, but…

It was getting harder to think. Peter’s stomach clawed at his belly, causing him to groan with ravenous hunger. MEAT! MUST HAVE… Nrrg… NO! Have to… Get… Somewhere!?! Peter settled on top of a rooftop and looked down at his six hands. He tried to call out, say anything with his own voice, but found nothing but a silent screech,

I can’t talk… How can I ask anything from anyone!? How can I explain to Dr. Connors or Dr. Octavius how to fix me!? How can I say sorry to Gwen, take back everything I did!?! Flash! Is he alright?!? Did… Did I… No, Flash can’t be dead! I couldn’t have, I… I… Peter looked up as he saw helicopters spin around him, spotlights shining down at him as tears streamed down his many eyes. Peter raised his hairy arms, his mouth, and mandibles clicking as he looked up with mercy. Suddenly, Peter wailed as his mind was stabbed at all sides, the air turning harsh in his lungs as his vision’s colors warped around him.

Peter barely dodged out of the way as gunfire descended on him. He scrambled and leaped off the roof, flailing his arms out as silk carried him away, looking around frantically as helicopters kept following him. Around Peter, billboards began to flicker into large television screens, showing J. Jonah Jameson’s face,

“There! There right there is that pest from before! My brave New Yorkers, take shelter inside, for a monstrous freak is on the loose! A menace to the face of the earth, a threat to our very lives! Kill it, KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!” Peter screamed as bullets pierced one of his shoulders, falling down to the street.

Peter climbed out of the cracked crater in the road, crushing a car as he tried to pick himself up. Peter looked as the helicopters zoomed above him, and he immediately ripped the car door off, using it as a shield as bullets began to rain down on him.

PLEASE! STOP! BEFORE I HURT YOU!!! Peter wished one of these guys firing at him were psychic. Peter gritted his sharp teeth, raising three arms in the air as his webs snagged the whirling helicopter blades, sticking the vehicle to the side of the building. Peter then looked behind, seeing police cars lining up,

“Man-Spider!” Said… Oh no, Captain Stacy. Peter shook his head, feeling the famine in his guts as he involuntarily snarled at the police officers. AH!!! FRESH PORK!!!

“Ph--Phleash, LEEEEEF!!!” Peter cried out through his mangled throat, trying his best to control himself as his body cried out in need. Captain Stacy looked at his men, lowering his brow and nodding,

“Open fire!” BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!!! Peter screeched out, tossing the crushed car near him like a tennis ball, smashing into the cop cars in front of him. Peter raised his hands, spraying webs all over the cops, sticking them to the side of their cars. Peter could feel drool dripping down his jaws as he stomped forward, seeing the entangled Captain Stacy wriggled against the webbing. The Police Captain looked defiantly as Peter began to open his mouth,

NO!!! NO!!! STOP!!! Peter’s mind could not control his sharp claws reaching forward. THAT’S CAPTAIN STACY!!! GWEN’S DAD!!! STOP!!! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!! Peter’s mandibles chittered excitedly as he licked against George’s neck. STOOOOOOOOOP!!!

“Hey!” Peter whirled around, glad his hunger was distracted as three men walked forward. Peter couldn’t believe his eyes, seeing three legends walking towards him, “Pick on someone your own size, Man-Spider!”

Brandishing his mighty heater shield, wearing bright blue and red with a cheery smile, was Captain America, straight from the old serials Peter and Uncle Ben used to watch! Used to? Standing next to him were the two other core members of the Allied Invaders! To the right of Captain America was a man clad in a green Speedo, muscles carved from marble as he was adorned with wings on his ankles. To the left of Captain America was a blazing man, who looked on with no emotion as he began to float in the air.

Holy crap! The Human Torch! Namor the Submariner! Captain America! What are they… Namor began to flap his wings, dashing through the air as he launched a fist into Peter’s chest, launching him across the street. While in the air, the Human Torch blazed above, blasting fire down at the arachnid beast, singeing Peter’s hair as he writhed on the ground he crashed into, Oh, they’re gonna kill me. OH CRAP, THEY’RE GONNA KILL ME!!!

Peter lifted himself up as Captain America charged forward, bashing his shield against Peter’s face, breaking off one of his mandibles. Captain America then lifted his shield in the air, and drove it into Peter’s back, causing him to cry out in pain,

“Sorry monster, but I can’t have you endangering these fine citizens!” Then a shape flew rapidly above them, reaching as high as the windows in the skyscrapers around,

“Enough of this!” High in the air, Namor lifted his fist as Cap quickly jumped out of the way as Namor dove into the ground, “IMPERIUS REX!!!” BOOM! The ground cracked and shattered all around as Namor kept pummeling his fists, laughing as he lashed down the fury of the sea, “Is this the best you land dwellers have as monsters!? Ha! Atlantis has fought horrors that could make you look like what you are really, insect!”

Peter coughed up blood as he kicked Namor off of him, knocking him through the glass building. Peter stood back up, seeing Namor bathing inside the building’s fountain,

“Oh dear, how unfortunate for you, beast!” Namor then charged forward, carrying Peter through the air as he threw him through triple the buildings Peter put him through. If it weren’t for Peter spraying webs to break his fall, he could’ve died! Peter stumbled forward, his sore body aching as his body kept changing, keeping up with the damage as he hunched over,

“N…No…Hun…Hungher…” Is all Peter could muster, the constant thought outweighing anything,

“Poor creature,” Said a voice made of ash, flying above as the Human Torch looked at Peter with mournful eyes on his blank face, “You don’t want to harm anyone, do you? I understand the pain, of not belonging,” The android said as he looked down at his blazing hands, “But even rabid dogs must be put down. But know this: I shall mourn you.” All around, the Human Torch pointed as a circle of fire grew around Peter, looking around as he fired his webbing above. The Human Torch sighed, and burnt away the organic webbing, “There’s no use in resisting, all things burn in the end.”

So this is how I die? Peter said as he looked around, Put down by the greatest superheroes of our age… Wait… Aren’t they all… Dead?

In fact, something doesn’t seem right. Why did those billboards become TVs? How did I know Gwen, I didn’t work up the courage to talk to her until after… After… I… I don’t… I don’t remember! What the hell is-- Peter then looked around as reality crumbled around him, falling through a black void of flashing lights as he screamed out in terror.

Peter looked at his hands, seeing his extra arms fade away as his ghastly hands returned to normal. Peter then felt the hard impact of the ground, groaning as he pushed himself up. He was in a set of pajamas, drenched in sweat as he looked around,

“Hello?” Peter called out, relieved to hear his own voice again. The room around came into view, and Peter could see his bedroom. His bookshelf was filled to the brim with scientific books, and his closet which held his… His Spider-Man suit, he’s freaking Spider-Man!!! He looked at his desk, smiling at his tools and webshooters, and looked at his bed and…

Peter saw, lying in his bed, twisting and turning as he was drenched in sweat, was Peter. Peter raised his hand towards his sleeping self, finding his hand slightly translucent. Peter shook his head, wondering what the hell was going on,

“Did I… Ate something? Did I get poisoned, was it Chameleon? Is it some sort of fever dream?”

“You could call it that,” Peter spun on his heels, his hands locked into fists as he looked at the man who stood before him. With golden gloves, blue robes, and a large red cloak, the middle-aged man looked at Peter with a grin, “Hello Mr. Parker, I’ll be your doctor today,”

“Who are you!? What… What the hell was all of THAT!?! ” Peter said as he pointed at his distressed self, “I… What…”

“It’s alright, even heroes like you struggle with dealing with the supernatural and paranormal, especially one so reliant on reality as yourself,” The Doctor waved his hand at Peter’s desk, seeing a series of photos floating in the air as Peter looked around,

“Alright, who are you? Some sort of… D&D cultist or a… Harry Potter nerd?” The Doctor laughed, looking at the photos Peter had taken,

“I am Doctor Strange, Peter Parker. I, unbeknownst to most in our field of work, deal with the works of the Eldritch and Arcane. And you, Peter Parker, are in mortal danger.”

“I… Okay, what was with me being a Man-Spider? Can you, like, clear that up with me. Or am I gonna be tugged along with no context of anything?”

“In time, many things shall be revealed to you, Peter Parker, but you shall only be enlightened if you accept them as fact, rather than fiction.”

“Alright, okay, so… Magic’s real, I got that part,” Peter said, “Can we get on with… Not me being outside my own body, or me to wake up from this--”

“Even when you say you accept the facts, doubt still lingers,” Strange said as he looked down at Peter’s struggling body, putting his hand on Peter’s forehead, “We have not much time,” Strange snapped his fingers, plucking a photo from the air. It was of the exhibit, though one would struggle as it was a picture of the atomic recombiner, its light causing an almost negative effect with the photo,

“Hey, this was in my dream,” Peter said, “I took it right before the spider bit me,”

“A physical memory,” Strange said, “It was the only way I could pluck you out of the mental trap you were placed under.”

“So, in order to free me, I gotta… Walk down memory lane?” Peter groaned, “I do that enough when I’m awake, how come I can’t dream of being rich or getting the girl? How come I gotta dream of being a freaking monster, wanting to eat people!?!”

“It’s a reflection of a wound deep in your mind, a wound that is being taken advantage of as we speak. Can you recall this wound?”

Peter chuckled, clearing his throat as he was about to the most influential moment of his life. The night that… That… No… That can’t be right… Peter shook his head, rubbing his see-through face. It was… Sad. Yeah, but… He was also angry too… What… What was taken from him?

“I… I don’t know. I should know, but…” Peter looked at his hands, widening as he saw his shadow upon the wall, seeing the Man-Spider’s visage, “Oh God!”

“It’s alright, Peter,” Doctor Strange said, “I can help, but only if you allow me. You must reenter your mind, clear your fears and doubts, and reveal the truth as we close your wound. Otherwise, your nightmare shall become reality .”

“I… I trust you, Doc. All this sounds insane and… Strange ,” Peter rolled his eyes as Doctor Strange smirked, “But… At the same time, I think I know this wound. It’s one that I keep thinking of, every day, but… I just can’t…”

“Don’t worry, we shall reclaim it. If we fail in our task, however,” Strange looked at Peter’s twisting and writhing body, seeing dark magics lingering in his mind, “You may never awaken as yourself again!”

“So, I’m asleep right now?” Peter said as he and Strange walked through Peter’s own mind, a vast space of neurons sending lightning back and forth over the top of a bustling city of ideas, “But, I’m awake too?”

“Think of sleep paralysis,” Strange said as he used his hands to weave an arcane bridge throughout Peter’s mind, “Your body is locked in place, put into sleep, but your mind is conscious. And while in that state, you start to see demons.”

“Demons? A Demon is what’s keeping me asleep?” Peter asked, “That doesn’t sound too intimidating--” Doctor Strange twirled around, wrapping his cloak around himself dramatically,

“This is no mere demon, for his influence on the dream realm has wrought horrific monstrosities that plague mankind throughout the ages. He is the one, the only, Nightmare,” Strange’s face grew pale as the world around them flickered into pure darkness, “He takes your fear, choking you into an eternal slumber as he claims your soul for his own. He serves only one below him, one, even more, evil that I dare not speak his name,” Strange raised his hand as he turned, his face showing great pain and anguish, “Only know that Nightmare wishes to drag this world to his master’s realm, one soul at a time.”

“But… Why me?” Peter asked, “I’m just some guy who just so happened to be bitten by a radioactive spider. I’m nothing special!”

“Don’t think so lowly of yourself, Peter, for the forces of fate guide us all along the wheel of Eternity itself!” Strange then raised an eyebrow, “In fact, I wouldn’t have known about you and your conundrum, if it weren’t for your mysterious benefactor,”

“Wait, who also knows I’m Spider-Man?” Peter asked, “Cause, I’m trying to keep that number of names to a minimum!”

“She wouldn’t say, only that she could sense your danger and sent me to come to your aid,”

“I bet you’d rather do anything else right now,” Peter said, “Rather than helping out some snotnosed, no good--”

“I’m helping Spider-Man . The amount of lives you are destined to save is so great that not even I could fathom it!” Strange said as Peter raised his eyebrows,

“Really? Are you sure you don’t want me to pay you for a fortune reading?” Strange chuckled as the two came across a door in the middle of the electrical mindfield,

“Finally, I was worried you had little to no imagination in this head!” Doctor Strange said,

“Hey, not my fault I’m a science nerd and not a theatre kid!” Peter said as he looked at the photo in Doctor Strange’s hands, seeing the photo as it unlocked the door before them. It looked like a newspaper clipping that Peter saved, smiling, “Hey, I know that picture, it’s when I-- Whoa!” Peter felt himself sucked into the door as his clothes morphed around him.

Peter felt himself crash onto the mat, his thick red sweater making him sweat through the cheap mask. His goggles were fogging up as he nimbly dodged the hulking wrestler known as Crusher Hogan!

Oh yeah! This is when I thought my powers could be used for money! Peter dodged the attack, feeling anxiety that was not his own… But it felt familiar. It’s how I felt when I fought Crusher! I thought I was in over my head! Peter then grinned under the mask as the wrestler charged at him, Too bad I know how this match already ends!

Peter hopped over Crusher Hogan, spanking his bald head as he hopped over the wrestler, “Sorry, slappy! I’m not a hugging type of guy!” Peter bounced back, launching himself off the ropes as he dashed around the wrestling ring. Swift blow after swift blow, Peter slowly chopped down the redwood tree that Hogan was, waiting for as he staggered in place, “And… Scene,” Peter said as he poked the wrestler, pushing him over as he planted his foot on his chest,

“And the winner of three hundred dollars, facing Crusher Hogan for three minutes is the one and the only…” The announcer shoved the mic in Peter’s face, causing him to stumble over himself,

“O-oh, u-uh… S-spider-man…” The mic was shoved closer to his face as he realized all the eyes looking at him from the crowd, waiting in anticipation to cheer, “I-I’m the Amazing Spider-Man!!!” The crowd cheered as Peter fell through the scene, his clothes changing once again as Strange floated next to him, lifting another photo. This time, a selfie,

“Not so heroic beginnings, eh?” Peter looked down in shame as Doctor Strange waved his hand, “I’m not one to judge. I was a selfish doctor myself, who sought magical knowledge to heal my hands. But, once I learned how important this role is, I knew my calling went higher,”

“Wait, you’re an actual doctor? I thought that was your superhero name!”

“Nope, Dr. Stephen Strange, former neurosurgeon, current sorcerer supreme,” The scene shifted as Peter stood in the basement, making a mask as he held a thread and needle,

“Oh, sweet! This was when I made my first costume!” Peter said to himself as he looked at the threading, “But… I know something else happened too,” Peter looked down at the desk, gasping, “My webshooters!” Peter looked at the prototypes, knowing how obsolete they were to his current pair. Peter chuckled, raising his arm as he sprayed his webbing, nearly shrieking once the cartridge combusted inside the web-shooter, destroying the prototype, “Damn, I knew that was going to happen too, why didn’t I do anything!?”

This is a memory , A voice rang out, Stephen’s voice, These are events you cannot change.

“Alright,” Peter said as he tore off the failure of the webshooter, picking up the other webshooter as he fixed the flaw, “I remembered now, I could only use one webshooter during the… Oh yeah! The Television spot, when I became a star! Or, become the star!” Peter shot out the web, hanging upside down as he dangled around, “Watch out, here comes the Spider-Man!”

“Petey?” Oh crap! Peter fell off the web, groaning as he shoved all his Spider-Man stuff into a box, shoving it into the corner as he hid any trace of his sewing tools. Peter chuckled, sitting on his desk as Uncle Ben came down the stairs,

“Oh, hey Uncle Ben!” Peter said as he smiled, feeling rested to see Ben’s warm smile, “Whatcha doing?”

“I… I wanna talk to you about something, something that’s got me and your aunt worried,” Uncle Ben took out the box Peter pushed aside, closed as Ben didn’t notice a glove poking out of the box. Peter could feel his past self growing anxious, worried about Ben finding out about the mask, but present Peter focused on Ben,

“You know we can talk about anything, Uncle Ben. What’s wrong?” Peter asked,

“Well, It’s about you and school, lately,” Ben shook his head, “I don’t know, it’s like something messed up your thinking lately!”

“What?” Peter said as he snapped towards Ben,

“Your grades are falling. Me and May got your report card,” Crap , “And we know about… The fight at school.” Peter furrowed his eyebrows but remembered it like yesterday. Peter, feeling confident in himself and his superpowers, went to basketball tryouts, and Flash wasn’t having it. Peter let Flash throw a fist, and all Peter did was catch it. He didn’t mean to break his hand, it just shattered when it hit Peter’s palm. Suddenly, his number one bully was groveling in pain at his feet,

“I didn’t start it,” Peter said as he looked away from Ben, “And it’s not like Flash deserved it.”

“I’m not saying you started it, Peter, I’m just… Look, right now, I’m worried about who you’ll grow up into Peter,” Ben rubbed the back of his neck, shaking his head, “You got so much potential, Pete, and I’d hate to see it wasted.”

“Wasted?” Peter said, “How am I wasting anything? I’ll use my brains to make you and May rich!”

“I’m glad you put us first, Peter, but what about everyone else? The people who need help?”

“I didn’t get help, why… Why should I help when everyone around me kicked me when I was down?” Ben smiled as he looked at Peter,

“Y’know, you remind me so much like your father,” Ben said as he leaned back, “Intelligent, and confident, Richard could’ve been soaking in the sands of California, with supermodels left and right to him. But, he turned every opportunity down and focused on helping others. That, with great power, there must come great responsibility. Do… Do you understand what I mean, Peter?”

Of course, Uncle Ben! Peter tried to say, but was disconnected as past Peter began to fume, “What, so I should be poor? That I gotta keep getting kicked down by anyone who walks over me? Forget it!”

“Pete--”

“No, Uncle Ben! I’m not gonna let anyone put me down anymore, I’m… I’m sick of it!” past Peter turned his back on Ben, leaving Peter to look at Ben’s disheartened face,

“I… I understand Peter, but I know what kind of man you’re gonna become, I just know it! I know these last few years have been rough, a-and I understand I’m not your father, but--”

“Then stop pretending to be!” Peter snapped back, anger getting the better of him as Ben hid the heart on his sleeve. Peter instantly regretted his words, trying to take them back, hoping time would just rewind itself,

“I… I…” Ben sighed, standing up, “Alright. Just, don’t be down here too long. Love you Pete,” Ben walked up the stairs as Peter chased after him, leaving his past self behind,

No, No, come back! I’m… I’m sorry Uncle Ben! I… I’m sorry, just please come back, Peter didn’t know why tears were welling up in his eyes, but sucked them back in as he looked at his selfish self, rummaging through the box as he put on the costume,

“He’ll see, they’ll both see. I’m doing this for them,” Peter said to himself in the mirror, taking a picture of his red and black costume, waving the photos in the air as he chuckled to himself, “I’m gonna make so much money!”

I hope it’s worth it, Peter said as he bitterly looked on as the scene faded, God, I can’t believe I hate myself this much…

I’m… I’m sure this can be mended, Stephen’s voice rang behind Peter, Keep going, we’re almost there . Peter opened his eyes as he stared into a black void, only to be blinded by flashing lights. Peter smiled as he walked out on stage, waving his hands in the air as he was on a late-night show. One of many shows over the last few weeks and Peter was enthralled. The lights, the cameras, and the action!

Spider-Man swung through the air, diving through fiery hoops and twisting through the air, slinging on threads of silk as he smiled at the audience. Jazzy music blared out, and the crowds laughed, roaring as they cried at Spider-Man’s quips and one-liners. They loved him. They loved Peter. They loved Spider-Man!

Peter walked off stage, the late-night host closing the show as Spider-Man marched through the crowd. Fans rushed for his autograph, shoving their photos and arms for Spider-Man to sign. One such fan had an arm cast, wearing his letterman jacket,

“Hey Spidey, an autograph for your biggest fan!?” Peter almost laughed in Flash’s face as he took his pen, writing out: “To Flash, From Spider-Man, what a pal!” Peter snickered to himself as Flash showed off his autograph, diving into the lockers.

Finally, Peter had privacy as he grabbed his things, and walked over to the office. Peter picked up his check, walking out of the building. He was almost to the elevator when a commotion interrupted his good mood. Peter looked behind him, moving out of the way as some guy rushed past, pressing the elevator button as security guards rushed towards the closing doors,

“Huh, what’s with that guy, huh?” Spider-Man was only met with a face marred with disappointment, “Uh, what are you looking at--”

“What the hell was that!?” The guard said, “You had all the time in the world to stop that guy, could’ve spun him in a web or grabbed onto him! But you just let him go!” Peter shook his head, shoving his finger into the guard’s face,

“Hey, it ain’t my job to do yours! Now leave me alone, the only guy I’ll be worried about from now on is numero uno!” Spider-Man said as he pointed to himself, storming off as he took the next elevator down. The scene shifted towards the street, Peter walking home as he held onto the check for three thousand dollars! Peter chuckled to himself but felt his stomach drop as red and blue lights painted the neighborhood.

Peter rushed to his house, police cars and an ambulance waiting outside as an officer tried to stop him,

“Whoa son, who are--”

“Let me go! Ben, May!!” Peter called out as four cops held onto Peter, who just pulled them along. What made Peter stop in place though, what made Peter stop dragging the cops behind him, was the body bag that was rolled into the ambulance truck. Peter’s eyes widened as he looked towards the doorway, seeing May’s heartbroken face. Peter couldn’t help the tears that streamed down his face, falling to his knees as he never felt so powerless before.

Peter didn’t know how he got to sit down on the couch and didn’t notice Captain Stacy asking May questions as they described the events that happened. A burglar broke in to steal some money, and Ben startled him. But all Peter could focus on was the chalk outline on the floor, dried blood forever staining the wood as Peter tried his best not to freak the hell out.

Peter and May stayed over at a neighbor's house, but Peter couldn’t sleep. He snuck out, hiding in the trees as the cops looked around the house for more evidence. They then stormed off, the radio letting them and Peter know that the burglar was held up in a warehouse.

Peter didn’t care he was stepping into the crime scene. Peter didn’t care about the tingling in his head as he put on his costume in a hurry, putting on his webshooter as he opened the window. Peter swung through the neighborhood, following the cop cars as they guided him to the warehouse.

The burglar was up close against the window, careful to not let the spotlights find him as he held the very heavy gun in his hands, “Just gotta wait till midnight, then I’ll just slip off, and they’ll never find me again!”

“They won’t, but I will,” said a voice in the shadows, causing the burglar to point his gun all around,

“W-who’s there!?” The burglar said, firing his gun, “WHO’S THERE!?!”

“It doesn’t matter where you hide,” The voice continued, “I’ll find you! There’s nowhere on Earth you can hide from me, you vermin!” A shadow lunged out of the rafters, striking the burglar across the warehouse, and crashing into some boxes. The burglar looked for his gun, trying to find it in the shattered remains of the boxes around. But before his fingers found the gun, he was lifted in the air and tossed aside into more crates, “Do you even realize what you did!?!”

“Wait, please, I--” Spider-Man lifted the man in the air, clenching his hands around his throat,

“You took away a man, a good man! A man who made everyone he knew happy, and put others in front of himself, and you took him away! And for what? Some cash!? Like they were rich!!!” Peter could feel the burglar struggle out, trying to gasp for air, “But before I… I… I need to know who you are, the face of the man who ruined my life!” Peter ripped off the burglar’s mask and gasped as he looked down at the man he dropped on the floor. It was… just some guy. The same guy… Peter let slip. Peter looked up, seeing the man rushed past him to the elevator, and looked down in horrified realization.

“Oh… Oh God… Uncle Ben, I-I… I’m so sorry,” Peter cried in his mask as the police sirens blared out. Peter looked down at the burglar with contempt, but he was no killer.

The police were puzzled as the burglar was tossed out of the window, tied in a thread as Spider-Man swung off, letting the cops wonder what kind of wackadoo would dress up like that.

Peter let everything weigh back onto him, sighing as he rested on top of the Chrysler Building. He clenched his fists in anger, wishing he could just beat the hell out of himself. Uncle Ben was dead, because of him. Everyone’s lives are now worse, because of Peter. Because of… Spider-Man. Peter looked at his reflection, seeing the Man-Spider staring back at him. Whether the spider made him into a hero or a monster, Peter still ruined lives. How could he help anyone, when he’s screwed up so much?

Don’t give up , Doctor Strange whispered into Peter’s mind, This is not the end, do not let doubt cloud your mind, Peter .

“Just let me wallow, Strange!” Peter said, tears streaming down his face, “I wished I never remembered, that I never knew that I… That Ben died because of… Oh my God!”

Please, Peter! This is not what your Uncle wanted for you, and you know it, don’t you? Peter looked up, remembering those words, “With Great Power comes with Great Responsibility.” Peter then looked up and sighed,

“I know,” Peter said, “I know where the wound is,”

Where? Peter put on his mask and jumped off, swinging towards Harlem. Peter swung through the churchyard in northern Manhattan, looking for a grave plot on a hill. Peter landed in front of the grave, his gaze somber as he looked at the words on the stone,

BEN PARKER, BELOVED HUSBAND AND UNCLE

“A good samaritan,” Peter said as dark magic seeped from the stone, “Now, I get you trying to use my mind, steal my soul, and sell it off, that’s demon stuff. But for you to use my Uncle’s gravestone as a place to put your evil crap in… I’m going to kick your ass!” Peter gritted his teeth, lifting his fists as the shadow took the form of a demonic Vulture, an old man flying by flapping his humongous bat wings in the air as his evil mug looked at the young hero,

I’ll make you eat those words!

All was still in the flickering image of New York, jagged pieces of different memories blurred together. A man was walking his dog across the street during the day, moving still in place as across the street, thieves broke into a jewelry shop at night. However, above the scrambled streets and frozen traffic, Peter Parker was wailing his fists into the demonic face of the Vulture.

It wasn’t long ago Peter fought the old buzzard. An old engineer fired by a corrupt businessman and betrayed by his best friend, Adrian Toomes sought vengeance and took flight through the skies as the Vulture. But the thing that Peter launched his fist into was not an old man, but a cruel mockery of one. Jagged features, carved wrinkles, dagger-sharp teeth that became the wickedest of all grins. It took Peter’s punches, fists that have gone through metal and concrete, and laughed ,

You thought you could wake up? I decide when you wake up!

“Doc! Need some help!” Peter said as the long fingers of this demonic Vulture wrapped itself around Peter’s neck, his nails scratching against his skin,

By the Eye of Agamotto… The world around them changed as Peter landed back into the science exhibit, breaking his fall with the demonic creature through the glass. He looked down at himself, wearing his sweater vest and glasses. He then looked up as the demonic creature revealed its true nature, long green hair drooped down, covering its face as yellow eyes pierced through the strands,

You’re just a kid! A runt that plays in his pajamas! Who do you think you are!?!

“Heh, don’t you know?” Peter felt his clothes morph as he put his mask over his face, standing tall in his red and black suit, “I’m Spider-Man!!!” Peter fought against the demon known as Nightmare, punching the horrific foe as it morphed mid-fight. Peter cried out as his thrown fist resulted in a hellhound biting into his arm. Peter then smacked it aside, only for his other arm to miss as a snake wrapped around his arm and neck, slowly choking him as he tried to pull it off,

“Y… Y-y’know… You… R-really… Suck!” Peter managed to gasp out, smacking his fist into the head of the snake. The demonic python ignored his spider strength, squeezing its grasp around Peter’s neck,

Once I give you to my brother, he shall give me a whole WORLD to toy with, HAHAHA!!!

“Charge!” Breaking into the exhibit, charging with his mighty shield, was Captain America, bashing the shield against the head of the snake, freeing Spider-Man,

“You’re… Not gonna fight me?” Spider-Man asked,

“Why would we, when you’re one of us!?” Captain America said as the Human Torch and the Submariner flew in, 

“A worthy foe for the rightful ruler of Atlantis!” Namor exclaimed at the furious demon, “Let us lay down this dastardly foe!”

“Such evil… It must burn,” The Human Torch agreed, his flame growing brighter as the heroes cornered the Nightmare,

This… Is IMPOSSIBLE!!! I know you’re there, STRANGE!!! I shall have his soul! The shadow morphed out into a cloud, its arms solidifying as it lifted itself from the floor. Peter gulped, as it took on the form of the Man-Spider, But for now, I shall feast on his flesh!!! Chittering up drool, the Nightmarish Man-Spider charged as it punched Captain America’s heater shield, denting it as he flew across the room. Spider-Man threw a fist at the Man-Spider, feeling his hand bones crush as the Man-Spider caught and squeezed against his fist. Spider-Man was thrown through the skylight window as fire engulfed the Man-Spider’s figure as the Human Torch flew in.

Peter groaned as he lay on the rooftop, picking himself back up as he looked at the monstrosity that fought his Uncle’s heroes. Namor was batted away as the Human Torch made a ring of fire around the Man-Spider,

“Running out of teammates to tag in, Doc!” Peter called out, dodging as the Man-Spider jumped to the roof, suffocating the Human Torch with two arms as the other four clenched up into fists,

Ready for perpetual torment, my plaything?

“Actually, it’s time for an operation,” Materializing next to Spider-Man as the sorcerer supreme, Doctor Strange. The guardian of the mystic arts raised his hand, raising his pointer and pinky finger as he lowered his middle and ring fingers to meet his thumb, “Begone, Nightmare!” Doctor Strange lifted his hand, an arcane light emanating from his fingers as the Man-Spider stumbled back, letting go of the Human Torch as it latched onto the ground,

NO!!! I won’t let you interfere with my realm! I am the lord of dreams! The stalker upon the land of Nod! 

“By the vapors of Valtorr and the images of Ikonn, I compel you, Nightmare! Begone!” The Man-Spider was pushed back, screaming out in pain as it grabbed ahold of its figure, becoming the tall, thin, green-haired boogeyman that dug its long nails and fingers into the floor,

The boy is MINE to claim, MY soul to steal, you charlatan of tricks! 

“By the ageless Visanti and the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth, I banish you, Nightmare!” The Demon screamed out as it was ripped asunder, limb by limb, molecule by molecule, atom by atom, quark by quark, all until not even strings were left behind.

Peter fell back, sighing as Doctor Strange waved his hands around, slinging stars into the sky in the shape of constellational runes. Peter looked as the city became a harmonious shade, no longer reliant on memories and fragments,

“Sorry for the wait, had to trick Nightmare into taking the shape of your nightmare, the Man-Spider,” Doctor Strange then set his hands down and looked at Peter, “Want to talk about it?”

“I think… After what happened with Ben,” Peter started, going through the motions of the life-changing moments from that radioactive spider, “I thought I was everything that Flash said I was: A freak. And with Jameson always blasting me in the papers, calling me a threat and menace… After a while… You see yourself as a monster.”

“Peter,” Doctor Strange said as he looked up into the stars, “The choices of power and responsibility are never easy to decide. Is it selfish to be responsible for yourself? Is it selfish to not use your power to help those you love? How can I judge you, when I made those same mistakes?”

“Is there any advice you can give me?” Peter asked, “I… I don’t want to go through that again, to let someone who I love down.”

“Any words of mine would fall short, instead,” Doctor Strange then started to fade into the starry background, disappearing into the night, “Look to the words your uncle gave you.”

Peter opened his eyes, feeling exhausted and sweaty as he wiped his brow. He then snapped his eyes open, and saw himself on the ceiling,

“Whoa!” Peter fell from the ceiling, plopping onto his bed. He pinched his cheeks, arms, and ears, and was relieved to know that he was indeed awake. He looked around the room, untouched from the evening. He looked at his alarm, seeing it was 4:38 AM, “Jeeze, I only got a couple hours before I gotta go to school. Do I even wanna go to sleep?”

Peter looked back, shivering at the fever dream. Wizards, demons, past mistakes, guilt, and turning into a monstrous Man-Spider? What was he thinking? How could any of that be real? And Doctor Strange? How corny can you get?

Peter slumped in bed, curling up to the blanket as he flipped over his pillow to the cooler side. He yawned and closed his lids, immediately slipping into sleep long overdue. Peter smiled but felt weird as he found himself standing. He opened his eyes, seeing he was outside his own house,

Great, another dream? Peter grumbled as he walked over to the house, What now? Aunt May is a troll? All the superheroes are zombies? Peter rang the doorbell, but on the floor found a note that had his name. He flipped the card over, stunned as he read the message,

A dream to let you know you never let anyone down. Spend it as you wish. Peter then looked up as the door opened, eyes widening as he gasped,

“Uncle Ben?”

“Peter!” Uncle Ben said, pulling in his nephew with a tight hug, laughing as Peter fought back tears. This was him, this was Uncle Ben! He was warm, he was happy, he was the most cheerful guy in the room. All Peter had to do was look at the man’s smile, “Come on in!”

The house was mostly the same as the house in the real world, though everything that was left untouched in the house was used here. Uncle Ben’s chair in the living room, Uncle Ben’s seat at the chair in the kitchen, and Uncle Ben’s tools were left on the counter as May wasn’t there to scold him for leaving the tools out again. Peter was happy when he sat on the couch and leaned on the side next to Uncle Ben’s chair. Ben grabbed the remote and looked at his nephew,

“Wanna see something cool?” Uncle Ben said, flicking the TV as it came to life. Suddenly, it showed Peter battling the Vulture in the air, wrestling with the flying old man as they zoomed across the city,

“You know I’m Spider-Man?” Peter asked,

“I’ve been watching over you Peter,” Ben said, smiling as he watched his nephew save innocent lives, doing miraculous things to help out the average joe on the street, standing up against corruption and crime. Ben beamed at Peter, watching him dive into a burning building to save a little girl, “And I can’t say I couldn’t be anymore prouder!”

“R-really?” Peter said, “Even with what I said to you? Even when… Even when I let… the guy…”

“Peter,” Ben said as he turned to his nephew, “I’ll never hate you and I’ll never be angry at you. You’re… I may not be my brother, and I know I’m not your father, but… You’re my son, Peter,” Both men were choked with tears as Ben pushed through, “And every day I look at you with such pride. All I wanted was for you to use your gifts for the right thing,”

“But… Why did you have to die for me to learn?” Peter said, looking down at the floor, “Will I repeat the same mistake? Or, will I make a mistake from something else? How can I live knowing I failed you, and I can fail again?”

“Because you’re human,” Ben said, patting his nephew on the shoulder, “You’re not Superman, and you’re not God. You’re just Peter Parker, an average guy who wants to do the best he can. You are Spider-Man, you are May and I’s nephew, and soon you’ll be the boyfriend to that cute blonde girl you like!” Peter immediately blushed as he looked at his Uncle,

“Uncle Ben! It’s… We’re just friends, that’s… I…”

“Calm down, Peter, I was only teasing,” Peter's smile soon turned into a frown,

“I miss you, Uncle Ben. And so does May… Sometimes, late at night, I can hear her cry… It breaks my heart.”

“Mine too,” Ben said, “But that’s why I’m waiting.”

“Waiting?” Peter asked,

“I could go, to the other side,” Ben said, “I don’t know what’s there, but I had the choice to wait for everyone in my life to go with me, and I took it. I’ll be here, waiting for May and you, so that we can cross together and say hi to your parents together.”

“Ben… I--” RING RING, RING RING, “Oh no, come on!”

“Looks like that’s all the time we have, but that’s alright,” Ben said as he smiled at his Nephew, “You’re as prepared as I would’ve imagined. Just remember, Peter, With Great Power --” 

RING RING, RING RING!!! Peter woke up, smacking his alarm clock as he opened his eyes, waking up as the sun peaked through his window blinds,

“I know…” Peter grumbled to himself as he sat up, facing yet another day, “ There Must come Great Responsibility. ”

Doctor Strange pulled away from his meditations, the smelling salts his assistant Wong put out helped him lull his Astral form back into his real body. Stephen muttered an incantation, one he chanted each time he tangled with the dream demon, Nightmare. One that will ensure the little parasite doesn’t try to invade Stephen’s dreams.

The sorcerer supreme stood up and wandered through his warped home. Hallways that twisted and turned as space and time were folded upon themselves within his Sanctum Sanctorum, withholding mystical artifacts that could threaten the fabrics of reality if misused. Strange walked into the bedroom, and yawned,

“Now it’s time for my own sleep,” Strange said, hovering over his bed as he rested his scarred hands over his shoulders. Hands that could hold a scalpel as still as air now shook and trembled if he even tried to clench his fingers. Severe nerve damage that was caused by his own hubris, one that the flow of magic temporarily melded back as he performed his spells.

He sighed as he nestled against the silk fabrics and soft as a cloud pillows, and drifted off to sleep. However, instead of his Astral form suspending from his Physical form, Stephen felt something touch his mind, knocking on it to come in. He sensed no malicious intent behind this psionic greeting and allowed himself to be taken into the Mindscape.

One of the many realities the sorcerer supreme oversees, the Mindscape is the abundance of the collection unconscious, allowing the minds of trillions across the universe and beyond to connect to Earth. It was through these connections that Strange was tasked to oversee and protect the denizens of his world from demons such as Nightmare. However, he would not find the dream demon here, for the Dream Dimension was severed from the Mindscape long before Stephen even touched these golden gloves.

He was pulled along, and taken to lands most distant within the Mindscape. These strands were older, much older, seemingly laid down since the beginning of creation! What were these strands and what their purpose were, Stephen had the faintest hint of. They were so distant that Strange never had to deal with them, and yet they seem to act as the foundation of the Mindscape. What was this?

Finally, Doctor Strange entered a hub, seeing a construction of mental strands infinitely reaching and connecting to each other, forever reaching high above the ceiling of the Mindscape into realms so far, they were not under the sorcerer supreme’s jurisdiction. In the center of this cosmic web, sitting in a chair with a deck of cards at her side, was an elderly woman. She wore a crimson dress that matched the red in her glasses, smiling as her silver hair shined,

“It’s rude not to introduce themselves to the host!” The elderly woman said,

“It’s rude not to introduce themselves to the guest,” Doctor Strange said, “Who are you? From your voice, I sense you are the one who told me of Spider-Man.”

“Ah, a sharp sorcerer supreme!” The woman raised her hands, clouds of smoke summoning around her as she cackled her glasses glowed, “I am the weaver of fate, the seer of the infinite cosmos! And to those whom I would call my allies, I am known as Madame Web!”

“Madame Web and I suppose me saving Spider-Man was important?”

“More than you could ever know,” Around her, on the cosmic web that connected itself to Madame Web’s chair, were images appearing. A Spider-Man wearing a black leather trenchcoat shot a gun as mobsters fired their tommy guns at the shadows. A Spider-Man wearing a black and red suit dove through a skyline of neon lights that reached towards the atmosphere, piercing past the clouds as a cloak of webs controlled his fall. A Spider… A Spider-Ham swung a mallet at an octopus, trying to save a red-headed bull moose that Strange could only assume was his girlfriend.

“These… Are from other realities,”

“Yes, and in each reality, there is a Spider-Man.” A Spider-Man smashed a guitar against a militarized police force, letting the crowds march, “For Spider-Man is the representative of the Web of Life and Destiny!”

“I mean no offense when I say this, Madame Web,” Stephen said as he watched a Spider-Man clad in a metallic silver and black suit, sipping champagne on top of a building that said Parker Industries , “How can a guy who can stick to walls be important for the multiverse ?”

“Across the multiverse, Spider-Man is there to protect the web of life from foes who would do it harm. We are both aware of the magical importance New York has,” Stephen nodded, the city he resided in was enchanted after a hundred years of immigrants bringing magic into the city. A city where, If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere , now means it literally, “And so, the strands that uphold the very realities that every living being in the multiverse resides on, have chosen Spider-Man as its champion.”

“And if universe that doesn’t have Spider-Man?” Doctor Strange, sees an image flash onto the screen. The Man-Spider is a hulking monster that cares only to sate its hunger for flesh. Strange then looked over to his left, seeing a world overrun by zombies. Strange then looked to his right, a mundane world lacking any magic, crying out for any hero, only for none to show.

“That universe will wilt and fall off the web, the cosmic threads shall repair itself, and it shall try the roll of fate again,” Before the two, an image of a young teen, the image flickering through Peter Parker, a blonde girl, a star quarterback of a school, a young kid from Brooklyn, an old man who barked at anyone nearby. Anyone could be Spider-Man or Spider-Woman, and they would all do the same thing: Accept the responsibility and use their power for good. A universal constant within the fabric of reality itself,

“So that’s why Dormammu got Nightmare to try and steal Peter’s soul, it would’ve allowed him a chance to pull Earth into the Dark Dimension!” Doctor Strange shook his head and sighed, “To think, tonight’s importance was one of cosmic proportions!”

“Don’t think it like that,” Madame Web as she took hold of her cards, “Think of Peter as the first pick of the cosmic web, but he is not its sole choice. There are others the web of fate shall extend a thread to if the time comes. But for now, it is my task to watch over the chosen totem of fate, so rest your wary head,”

“Alright, but if you ask for my assistance with any magical threat, I am not one to deny help,” Strange said, “At least, not anymore,”

“Oh, hush now! You’re just as bad as Peter himself! So let me grant you this,” The tarot cards in Madame Web’s hands shuffled by themselves, spinning and contorting into themselves until there were only three cards, which she sent over to Doctor Strange,

“What are these?” Strange said, examining his past, present, and future as misty smoke started to surround the area. Though, they were not the usual tarot cards that he expected, but rather the images of three figures. The past card had a familiar figure on it, Namor the Submariner, the same hero Strange had summoned to snag Peter out of Nightmare’s trap. The present card has a monster of a man, one of hulking stature and emerald skin, an image that reminded Strange of the rumors of the Hulk out West. The future card, however, showed a figure unlike anything Strange had ever seen before: A silver man, standing on top of some kind of surfboard, drifting through the cosmos.

“Friends, foes, those who shall one day come to you, and as fate decrees, shall help you defend this world,” Lightning struck from the smoke, which now encroached upon the sorcerer and mystic, “Farewell Strange, may the strands of fate guide you,”

“And farewell to you, Madame Web,” Strange said as he felt himself coming back into the Real world, “May the wisdom of the Vishanti guide you,” And like that, Madame Web was left alone to oversee the infinite cosmos of this Amazing Fantasy.

Chapter Text

It was pouring when Bruce stepped off the bus. He sighed, sitting in the chair as he looked around. This was a bad idea, why was he here? Bruce rummaged through his clothes, none of which was his own clothing, and pulled out a picture.

Betty. Her face looked back towards Bruce, placing a somber smile on the pained man as he knocked his head back. He rubbed the stress lines against his forehead, scratching the stubble as he shook his head. Bruce shouldn’t be here, he should crawl back onto a bus and go West, far West. Cross the border, go to Canada or Mexico! Bruce heard Brazil was a good place to go this time of year!

Bruce walked through the rain, knowing which address he had to go to. He hadn’t seen Betty in  so  long, ever since…  The test site . Bruce shuddered, feeling nausea as his mind flicked back to that day. It should’ve… It… It would’ve gone normally if it weren’t… If it weren’t for that kid. No… No… Bruce breathed slowly, sighing deeply as made sure his temper was contained. How could Rick, the teen he saved, have known that it was a secret test site for Dr. Bruce Banner’s Gamma Bomb? How could he have known that the blast from the bomb  should  rip him apart until he was only vaporized dust?

Should  is a big word. When Bruce drove out there, yelling madly at Rick, pushing him into cover, he  should  have died. But…  He  didn’t. Bruce was alive because of…  Him . Bruce wrapped his arms around himself, calmly assured that the  process  wasn’t happening. Bruce would  know  if were to happen, for he would have to get  mad .

Bruce stopped, looking forward at the apartment in front of him. It was a house owned by the Government itself, though Betty could afford the rent with the checks she got as a Celluar Biologist. She didn’t even  have  to rent it, her dad would say that she owned it and no one would bother questioning General “Thunderbolt” Ross.

Bruce walked up to the door, his clothes, a flannel jacket, t-shirt, and some jeans he stole from a clothesline in someone’s yard, were soaked as he raised his meek fist with such hesitation. Bruce closed his eyes, steeling himself as he knocked on the door,

“Coming!” Said a voice inside, a voice Bruce could’ve sworn came from the heavens. The door unlocked and opened as Betty looked out into the dark, rainy night. She gasped, seeing dark sockets carrying the eyes of the man she loved, “Bruce? Bruce!” Betty wrapped her arms around him, “Oh my God, I…”

Bruce and Betty were in love. If they tried to hide it, the only one who didn’t see it was her father. And they made sure it stayed that way, always acting civil and respectful towards each other around the General. But alone, together? Their hands wrapped around each other’s faces, Bruce’s toughened hands caressing Betty’s soft cheeks as their lips met. Soft, luscious, and with a hint of watermelon lipstick, Bruce drank in his girlfriend’s embrace like a man in a desert finding a water bottle.

They shut the door, Betty practically dragging Bruce inside as they fell onto the couch, Betty carefully examined Bruce,

“Where have you been? My father tried looking for you in that town next to where Ironman fought the… But, when they got there, no one even heard of you!”

“I’ve… I…” Bruce looked down, his thoughts scrambling as he looked down at his hands, “I wouldn’t even begin to know  how  to tell you the truth, Betty. I wish it were simple, but…”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter now,” Betty said, pulling Bruce in as hot kisses befell the both of them, “You’re here, safe in my arms. Bruce…” Suddenly, there was banging at the door, causing both scientists to freeze,

“Uh, who… Who is that?” Bruce asked as Betty stood up, fixing herself as she approached the door,

“I don’t know, but whoever it is better have a good reason to interrupt so rudely!” Betty marched over, barely getting her hand to the doorknob as the door was kicked open. Standing in front of Betty, exasperated, was Major Talbot,

“Glenn!? What are you--” Talbot moved Betty aside, striding towards Banner,

“So, you decide to pop your head out of the sand, eh?” Bruce slowly got up, raising a shaky hand as Talbot gritted his teeth,

“Talbot, what are you--” SMACK!!! Bruce was hit across the face as Betty shrieked,

“Get out! Get out now!” Betty said, her eyes like daggers as Talbot snapped towards her,

“He’s a traitor, Betty, for god’s sake, listen to reason!” Bruce calmly breathed, trying to keep himself together as he stood back up, knowing well by now how to take a punch, “Think about it: The day his experiment  fails , the Hulk shows up. The monster rampaging and wrecking everything in sight!”

“Talbot,” Bruce said as he rubbed his throbbing jaw, “Let’s try to calm down and have a rational--”

“But y’know what I think?” Talbot said as he pulled out a gun, pointing it at Bruce as Betty felt her hands turn to ice, “I think if the monster is rampaging, the doctor who made him couldn’t be that far, huh? And what do ya know? Every time there’s a  Hulk  sighting, you’re boy toy ain’t too far behind, huh!?!” Talbot gritted his teeth as Bruce kept his hands up while he slowly backed away,

“Talbot. Let’s put down the gun. Don’t do anything you might regret.”

“Regret? You think I’ll regret putting lead in your head, Banner?” Talbot cocked his gun,

“Glenn, stop!!!” Betty said as she tried to get closer, but Talbot kept his aim true, “Alright, let’s say your theory’s right! Do you think my dad would want him dead? He’ll want information, to know where the hell the Hulk is! So, please… Don’t shoot him.” Betty had tears in her eyes as Talbot trailed his eyes back toward Banner,

“Your lips… Tell me Banner,” Talbot said, a sinister smile forming on his face, “How did she taste? Better than this?”

BLAM!!! A bullet went straight into Bruce’s head, knocking him back onto the floor as Betty shrieked out in horror. She turned to Talbot, smacking her fists into his chest, crying out every curse word there was as tears streamed down her face. Talbot smacked Betty with the back of his hand,

“Get ahold of yourself, woman!” Talbot said, “You actually loved this… This…  worm  of a man!? You could’ve gotten a real man to settle with--”

“Go to Hell!” Betty said as she scratched Talbot against his face, causing him to curse in anger. He looked at Betty, ready to raise his hand against her yet again as they both heard something. Something…  groaning?

They looked over to see Bruce spasming and shaking on the floor, blood dripping from his head as the veins in his forehead bulged out. Bruce looked like he was in pain, but not from the bullet. Why would he be, when the bullet was on to floor, covered in blood. Bruce foamed at the mouth, looking back up at Talbot with… With…

“Those eyes,” Talbot said as he stumbled back, seeing Bruce contort in front of him. He gasped in horror as Bruce’s bones snapped, elongating as bulging muscles tore through the cheap clothes he wore. Talbot fired his gun, again and again and again. Only for the bullets to bounce back onto the floor. He gasped with disgust and fright as Bruce’s skull and chest expanded, his brow lowering as his face morphed and changed. Finally, standing with his back hunched against the ceiling, his massive muscles were a dull, lush green, matching his emerald eyes,

“B-Bruce?” Is all Betty could mutter out, eyes wide as the lumbering being stomped over to Talbot. The Major tried to make a run for it, but didn’t move an inch as large hands grabbed him by the head and pulled him in,

“Little man feels big with a gun in his hands, no?” The giant took Talbot’s gun, crushing it like a tinker toy in his hands. The voice that came from the brute was not a calm, caring tone that Betty’s Bruce carried, but was livid and violent as the green giant wrapped his hands around each of Talbot’s arms,

“B-Banner, let me go and-- AHHHHH!!!!!” Talbot screamed as he could feel the bones in his arms crushed, pulverized as the giant lightly squeezed his hands,

“But then you had to hit Betty… And HULK SMASHES ANYONE WHO HURTS HIS BETTY!!!” Hulk then tossed Talbot through the window, not caring whether or not he was alive. Hulk breathed in the air, no longer contained by puny Banner. In fact, Hulk couldn’t hear the little guy, the bullet must’ve knocked him out for a while. Hulk heaved in and out, his skin was burning underneath as everything around him ticked him off. But then, his eyes settled on Betty.

She was scared. Hulk could  smell  the fear coming from her tears, crying as she couldn’t utter any words. She flinched when the Hulk stepped forward, shuddering as he raised a finger the size of her forearm. But Hulk just sighed, gently putting his finger on the bruise against her cheek,

“Hulk scares Betty?” Betty opened her eyes, looking widely at the large being in front of her. She rubbed against his hand, running the memories back through her head. When the Hulk first took her away, when the Abomination and Ironman fought against him, all the Hulk wanted… All Bruce wanted…

“Oh, Bruce,” Betty said, forcing a smile as the Hulk tilted his head,

“Hulk… Is not Banner…” Hulk tried to explain, but trying to get thoughts out with all this noise, all this light, all this itching skin, it was like trying to carry a bowl of water while running across a plain of burning hot coals! Hulk shook his head, and felt Betty’s soft hand reach to the side of his face, seeing her step on her tippytoes as she tried to soothe his pain,

“Hulk,” Betty said, wondering just how much of her boyfriend was in the behemoth in front of her, “Do you know… How you got here?”

“Banner… Got  mad , Talbot hit Betty… Hulk here now,” Hulk explained, as best as he could,

“Anger…” Betty pieced together why Bruce was so adamant that Talbot calm down. Bruce couldn’t get angry  ever?  To avoid that would be impossible! To imagine what kind of hell Bruce has been living this past year and a half, made Betty want Bruce back in her arms even more.

Hulk then noticed something move on his arm. He followed the red dot as it zigged and zagged up his body, Betty’s face morphing into terror. BRACKA BRACKA BRACKA!!! Machine Gunfire roared alive as Hulk stepped back covering his face as he pushed Betty away. Hulk shook the bullets off as army men charged into the apartment, dragging Betty away as she tried to tell them to stop.

Hulk just about blew steam from his nostrils and busted through the side of the house. All around were puny men, holding fragile guns as the Hulk stared down the man who had been hounding him down,

“ Ross… ” Hulk growled as the men reloaded their guns, cocking their aim as Betty tried to scream out,

“Stop! You’ll only make it worse, let me go! Bruce!!!” Hulk looked up as the army took Betty into a chopper, flying her away. Hulk went to jump after her but was pummeled back as a rocket exploded in his chest. Hulk gritted his teeth, looking up at the helicopter as General Ross tossed a bazooka off the side, talking into the radio,

“You get Talbot to a goddamn surgeon, and get my daughter as far away as possible, understand!?” Ross barked as he didn’t lose eye contact with the Hulk, “And bring me more goddamn men!”

“HULK!” A tank rolled in, shining a light at the green goliath as it aimed its barrel. The soldiers saw the towering monster, wearing only the tattered and stretched jeans that Bruce made sure were at least three times his size before he stole it. The tank blared out its microphone so all soldiers could hear, “DEADLY FORCE IS AUTHORIZED, STAND DOWN OR WE WILL SHOOT!!!”

“You think Hulk weak?” Soldiers cocked their guns, aiming it as the Hulk shook his fists in rage. Hulk then took a deep breath, his voice popping the eardrums of anyone standing within ten feet of him, and roared,  “HULK IS THE STRONGEST THERE IS!!!”

Betty heard looked out the window, her vision distant as her father's face stayed vacant in the helicopter. The whirring of the helicopter blades was muffled as she wore the headphones, ignoring the radio chatter that came through,

“Motherbird, this is Charlie team, calling backup!”  Betty’s father, General Thaddeus Ross, took the radio and held it to his mouth, taking out the cigar between his teeth,

“This is Motherbird, where is Alpha and Bravo team?”  Ross said, gritting his teeth as he knew the answer,

“The Green Giant wiped them out, sir. No lethal casualties, but there’s not gonna be anyone to help us out!”

“Just keep driving out and shooting at him, use the Adamantium rounds! Get him away from the chopper and from the city!”  Ross rubbed his wrinkled brow, wiping the sweat off as he looked at his daughter. His precious daughter is the only family he has left in this world. He looked at her cheek, gritting his teeth as he looked at the bruise,

“Did that monster hurt you, Betty? I’ll rain hell on him if he--”

“No!” Betty snapped, eyes widened as she gulped, “He… Hulk didn’t hurt me. It was… Glenn…” Ross sat back, stunned as he felt his blood boil in his veins,

“Talbot!? If it weren’t for that damn fool… I’ll have his medals for this!” Ross shook his fists, shaking his head as he looked out the window over to the next chopper. Betty raised an eyebrow, and looked over at her father,

“What do you mean?” Ross looked at his daughter and sighed,

“Banner showed up to your door, didn’t he?” Betty furrowed her eyebrows, “I… I  know , Betty… Banner is the monster.”

“You…” Betty felt her pupils shrink, her own blood boiling as she almost leaped from her seat, “All this time, you knew Bruce was out there!? That he needed help!?!”

“I knew that all this time, you’re little crush was a ten-foot-tall monster!” Ross said as he slammed his fist into the helicopter, “God, I… I was just trying to protect you!”

“By shooting him, dad!? By trying to  kill  him!?!” Betty's fists shook as tears streamed down her cheeks, how could he do this to her? To her Bruce?

“That monster isn’t your schoolyard date, Betty! Not anymore!”

“God, he isn’t a monster, Dad! He’s a sweet soul no matter who or what he looks like… I love him!”

“S-sir… This is… This is Charlie team…”  The voice shook and trembled, gasping in pain as the transmission cut in and out. Ross looked grave as he took ahold of the radio,

“Status report?”

“I… The target caught us, tore apart our truck… I’m alive, but… AGH! My leg! I… I don’t think we can keep the target off from you, he’s beelining straight towards you…”

“You done good, son, rest. Medical evac will be sent to aid, but sit tight…”  Ross grinned as he took out a tablet from his coat,  “You’re about to see some fireworks.”

“Dad, what are you doing?” Ross tapped the tablet, logging into the finest weapon Uncle Sam has besides the Bomb. It hung  high  above them, in the realm of the stars. The new playing field of war, new dimensions that’ll redefine the rules of combat for the 21st century. He targeted the satellite to the large, moving source of radiation. With the systems locked in, Ross set the tablet down and poured himself a glass of scotch, “Dad, what did you--”

BWOOOOOOMMMMMM!!! The light blinded the windows, causing Betty to look away from the glass. The light died down, allowing Betty to try and look back,

“Betty, don’t--” Betty gasped, as a beam of solid light pierced down from the heavens, the clouds torn apart as the storm raged on. The humongous laser shook the earth below them as the beam started to thin. Betty looked at her father with horror, but Ross knew it was not from fear. It was contempt, rage, disgust, disappointment, a mess of emotions stitched together that made one word:  Hate . But Ross knew the cost, and if keeping Betty safe meant that she’d hate him till he was in a grave plot, so be it.

The helicopter flew above the Bronx borough, heading towards the sight of dazzling, unsleeping lights. Manhattan, the isle which held the firm attention of the world. But the helicopter was heading for a small island beside Manhattan, in its harbor as it stood against whatever may come towards the Big Apple. It looked like the military, but it was much sleeker and modern architecture than the old school, full metal jacket army buildings that Betty grew up around. The helicopter landed as Ross pulled open the door, chomping on his cigar as he marched out,

“Alright, I want a direct line to Delta and Echo team, tell them to do a reconnaissance of the laser impact, and--”

“General Ross! How wonderful to see you!” Said a man who wore an eyepatch, smiling as Ross frowned at him,

“Colonel Fury, what an--”

“Ah,” Fury raised a finger, shaking his head as he tried to contain his glee, “That’s the funny thing, because of  you  and my team’s efforts, I’m  General  Fury.”

“What!?!” Ross said, his face red as a beet as he stepped forward,

“See, a year and a half ago, you got the president to give his boys in green as much funding as possible to stop the Hulk. What’s happened since then?” Fury said as he rubbed his chin, “Oh that’s right! You wasted millions failing to catch a ten-foot green monster across the western half of the U.S, crossed international lines into Canada and South America without the  Oval Office’s  approval, dumped  billions  on those rounds of  adamantium  bullets, and just revealed to America’s allies and rivals that  we  have a laser-guided satellite in the orbit.”

“So what, the president fired me?” Ross said, “He fired General Thaddeus  Thunderbolt  Ross!?! Fire me!?!”

“Nope,” Fury said as he lit his own cigar, “You’re officially retired! You served our country well, and you can spend the rest of your golden years--”

“Bullshit!” Ross spat out, ranting and raving as Betty sat down in one of the many tents being set up, wringing her fingers together. Her father, the legendary war general who led the country through countless wars, had just forcibly retired. And yet, all Betty could think of was that laser. Was Bruce dead? A bullet to the head was one thing, but this was a laser made to level small countries! Could the Hulk… Survive that? 

Betty felt awfully alone, wishing Bruce was here to tell her it was going to be okay, he would know of all people. Sure, she was a cellular biologist, but her mind  paled  in comparison to Bruce’s knowledge, especially with the seven Ph.D.s he had. It’s how they met, Bruce wanted to research more about the effects of Gamma radiation on cellular life, and Betty was the expert in the field. But now, standing alone as the rain kept pouring, she had no idea what happened with Bruce.

“Betty?” Betty looked up, gasping as she saw a familiar face,

“Rick? Oh my God!” Betty ran up, hugging the young man. The last time Betty saw Rick, he was sent back home in Nevada, “What are you doing here?”

“I got tangled with Shield mess, met an alien, and got adopted by a team of superheroes!” Rick said, grinning widely as he recounted his adventures, 

“An alien?”

“Yeah, and he saved this Shield agent and they went through this portal! I don’t really know what happened next because I was trying not to die, but when they came out of the portal, she got his powers! But she doesn’t really know how they work,” Rick then looked out into the storm, feeling the cool air rush into their tent, “Anyways, I heard the Doc got mad?”

“He… Wait, you knew this whole time?” Betty’s eyes were wide as Rick let out a nervous toothy smile, “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I… If it weren’t for the Doc,  I  would’ve probably been the Hulk!” Rick said, “But what about you? How are you roped into this?”

“Bruce came to my house, and… Glenn, he… Shot him,” Rick’s eyes widened, he knew that the Doc turned into the Hulk when he got mad, but if he died? “Then… Glenn did  this ,” Betty said as he motioned towards her bruise, 

“Wait, did the Doc…  see  you get hit?” Rick asked, “Cause, I think that might’ve been the thing that  finally  ticked him off,” Betty was shocked at the theory. A bullet didn’t bring the Hulk out, but seeing Betty hurt did, “Rick, how do you know so much about the Hulk? And why cover for him when we were looking for Bruce?” Rick rubbed the back of his neck, feeling his mouth drying up, 

“He saved me,” Rick said, “I was the dumb kid, and he risked his neck to save mine. Even when he was a giant gray monster, he saved me then too! It’s weird but… He’s my best friend!”

“The Hulk?” Betty said, “How are you friends with him?”

“He’s like… A huge kid! First, I thought maybe giving him a pet to calm him down would’ve done it, so I found a rabbit,” Rick looked grim as he remembered that bitter moment, “The Hulk didn’t understand, but… Betty, the Hulk is  learning .”

“Wait, slow down, what--”

“When I got the bunny, the Hulk, it… Pat it too hard. I taught him what death was, and he looked so mad. But not at me, or the bunny, but at  himself . After that, I don’t think the Hulk’s ever killed anyone, animal or man!” Rick looked over as Fury calmly ordered his men, organizing evacuation squads, “Then his broken syllables became simple sentences. Then, he started to talk better! Does he still call himself by the third person?”

“Yes, and he’s so gentle when he approached me,” Betty said, looking depressed, “The Hulk doesn’t want to hurt, it just…”

“Wants to be left alone,” Rick said, “Look, I know Dr. Banner as a guy who doesn’t give up, and I know the Hulk, 'cause I’m his only friend, but… I have this feeling--” Rick and Betty then looked towards the sky, hearing a defiant roar that deafened the thunder and lightning, a roar so  unearthly  that one could not consider it a creation of God Himself, 

“W-was… Was that…” Betty said, looking up as everyone on the base dropped everything, looking on as the glass buildings of Manhattan shook from the roar, 

“I knew it,” Rick said, looking up at the gray heavens as took out a piece of gum, “I think all that laser did was just  piss  the Hulk off…”

New York held its breath as the roaring kept getting closer. Like a hurricane come alive, the earth shook as the city felt its every stomp, its every punch, its every move of destruction. The gunfire was unlike the average thug robbing a store down the street, it was louder and constant as the city could see fire coming from the northern horizon.

Then, breaking through the clouds, descending as carefully as possible, was the Helicarrier. From this colossal, manmade sky island, beams of light shot down to spotlight the city, gaining as much attention as possible. Flying off the Helicarrier, dozens of helicopters flew off, landing on top of buildings as jets flew northward.

“ATTENTION!!! THE HULK HAS BEEN SIGHTED NEAR THE CITY!!!” A radio broadcast was transmitted to every channel on a car radio, on the billboards of Times Square, every TV channel, and even on every smartphone, “The city must be evacuated, take your loved ones and pets only, any items destroyed will be insured by Damage Control!” Everyone rushed to the helicopters and boats, yelling and screaming as there wasn’t enough to take everyone at once.

Over in Queens, in a little Italian restaurant were two teenagers, turning their heads towards the rushing sirens of police officers, trying their best to escort people out of the main hub of the sleepless city. Peter Parker looked down at his phone, seeing the chaos outside as Gwen looked concerned, 

“What’s happening?” Gwen asked, “Is this normal…  Spider-Man  stuff?” Gwen was cautious as she lowered her voice, but Peter was pretty sure everyone scrambling outside and towards the rooftops was enough to keep their conversation private. Of course, of all times the  freaking  Hulk stomps in is when Peter had enough courage to ask Gwen out… After telling her he was Spider-Man,

“Definitely not,” Peter said, “You get to safety, I’ll text May and let her know I’m with you,”

“You’ll be careful, right?” Gwen said as she looked nervous, “If even half of those rumors are true--”

“I’ll be fine, Gwen,” Peter said as he held her cheek, “But, just in case I do come back all bruised up, a kiss on the cheek for good luck?”

“I’ll do you one better,” Gwen said, kissing Peter on the lips. Peter hummed as he held her close, and sighed as her warm lips left. He turned, dashing through the streets as Gwen headed to an evacuation spot. The last thing she sees while she waits for the helicopter that’ll take her to Brooklyn is Spider-Man swinging through the streets, heading straight for the island of Manhattan.

Crowds screamed as they ran towards the bridges, people not fortunate enough to be near a helicopter and for the streets to be choked by abandoned cars. The people on board the Helicarrier were given each a tent per family, food, and water as they watched Shield agents jump off the man-made sky island, wearing jetpacks as they readied themselves on the rooftops. The people on the fortress of the Triskelion were deep in a bunker, made of large rooms the size of a cafeteria for everyone to rest as they held their breath.

The gunfire stopped, letting only rain fill the noise within the city. Cars lay motionless, some left opened as neon signs remained quiet, their constant buzzing silenced as something fell from the sky. Crashing into the pavement, the lightning illuminating his jaded skin, was the Hulk.

“BETTY!!! BETTY!!!” Hulk yelled out, tossing over cars into buildings, not caring for the screaming people running away from him, “Leave Hulk alone! Where’s Betty!?!” Hulk smashed into the street, tearing apart light posts and street lights as he spear-tossed them into cars,

“Hulk!” Hulk looked up, snarling as a Shield Agent hovered in the air with their jetpacks, wearing a sort of battle armor as they aimed a large gun at Hulk, “We have you surrounded, stand down or we will shoot!”

The Hulk roared as Shield Agents opened fire, firing laser rifles at the green goliath. Flesh sang as it quickly grew back, the Hulk screamed with the fury of a hundred bombs, launching into the buildings of New York. The bricks were nothing but hard pillows to the Hulk. The hundreds of cars in the street could’ve been made of cardboard, it wouldn’t made any difference as the Hulk threw them across the street. The Hulk slammed his fists into the ground, splitting the street in two as he hurled pieces of rock at the Shield Agents flying around.

Hulk then snarled as he felt his hand stuck to a wall. With a quick tug, Hulk was free but felt stuck to more things as he looked down. White, silvery snot balls covered the Hulk, sticking him together in a silk mesh as more and more pellets were fired. Hulk looked up, seeing an annoying man spray at him with webbing,

“Hey, Green Giant,” Spider-Man said, landing on a light pole as the Hulk tore at the webbing with ease, making Peter uneasy, “Let’s be a jolly green monster, and just go to sleep, okay--”

“Bug-Man annoys Hulk! Leave Hulk alone!” Hulk said as he grabbed a car and launched it at Spider-Man. Hulk was stunned as Spider-Man dodged and spun through the air with such grace, landing on his feet as the angry giant looked down with verdant fury. Hulk slammed his fists down, Spider-Man nimbly dodging aside as he swung a fist against the Hulk’s fist, resulting in a loud crunch. However, it was not the Hulk’s rib that broke,

Son of a--  Spider-Man held in his pain as he jumped back, The Hulk backswing his fist into a wall of a building, the bricks becoming only a red mist,  Alright, this guy is WAY stronger than me, I gotta think of something!  Spider-Man looked to his right, picking up a car and hurling it at the Hulk. The Hulk caught it but was too late to notice the strands of webs that landed at the sides next to him.

Spider-Man pulled with all his strength, launching himself in the car and crushing the Hulk under it, the pavement cracking as Peter let go of the threads. He looked down, stumbling back as the Hulk tore through the car like mesh paper, reeling his fist back as Spider-Man spun a shield of webs in front of him on sheer instinct driven by his sixth sense. Hulk punted the web ball, Spider-Man screaming as he blasted through the building behind him, and the green giant leaped into the hole.

Inside, past the cloud of rubble, the Hulk growled as Spider-Man grasped at his arm with his broken hand, looking up at the Hulk with his cracked lenses. Spider-Man gritted his teeth, spinning webs around his knuckles as he got back up from the floor. Hulk smashed at the floor, crashing it through the floors as Spider-Man leaped in the air, landing behind the Hulk. Within seconds, Spider-Man kicked the back of the Hulk’s head, side kicked the side of his head, punched his jaw, dodged a large green fist, and launched to power slam his fists up the Hulk’s jaw.

Hulk stumbled back, the mighty giant actually  feeling  that last hit. Hulk then looked down, growling as he swiped his fists. The young hero dodged each blow, his spider-sense screaming as the Hulk got closer and closer. Finally, with no room left to go, the Hulk connected a blow with the wallcrawler.

Spider-Man flew through the concrete wall, crashing into a bus as it slid across the street, turning over as Peter coughed. Sharp pain screamed out from his ribs, the taste of blood was on his tongue as his lenses were cracked. Hulk leaped through the hole, landing on top of the bus, the metal denting underneath his steps. The Green Goliath lifted his fist, about to strike down when he looked at Spider-Man’s lenses. One of them was cracked open, allowing Hulk to see his real eyes. Young eyes. Hulk felt his fist shake, looking concerned as Spider-Man lifted his hand, flinching from whatever blow may come.

Suddenly, Hulk could feel his face engulfed in flame, screaming as he fell back, slapping his face and hair as the Human Torch flew in,

“Whoa, Pete! You okay?” Johnny asked, landing beside Spider-Man as he turned off his flame, “Uh, Pete?”

“Johnny?” Peter said, his voice slurred as he struggled to get back up, “Listen to me pal,  Shrek’s pissed! ” Johnny turned towards the Fantasticar, which hovered close by as the other members of the Fantastic Four came out,

“Hey, I think he’s got a concussion!” Johnny said as he slung Peter over his shoulder. His sister, Susan, floated over as she hovered her hand over Peter’s chest. Light bent around his chest, revealing his insides. She gasped, seeing cracked ribs and broken bones throughout his body,

“I’ll get him in the Fantasticar,” Susan said as she put a bubble around her and Spider-Man, “You stay away, let Reed and Ben deal with the Hulk, got it?”

“What!?” Johnny said as he looked as Ben rocked the Hulk with a right hook, keeping him down as Reed wrapped himself around the Hulk, “But--”

“Johnny!” Sue said, staring her brother down as she floated off, carefully putting Spider-Man in the back. Johnny looked as his sister flew off, and looked back at the fight. Hulk pulled Mr. Fantastic off as he batted Thing away, roaring as he squeezed at Reed’s face and neck. Johnny looked over where Sue was, seeing she was out of sight, and sneered when he flamed on,

“Hey ugly, let’s go!” Johnny said as he flew through the sky, blasting flames down at the Hulk’s face. Hulk roared, throwing Mr. Fantastic at a light pole, as the green giant leaped into the air,

“Johnny, no!” Reed said, entangled on the light pole as Johnny maneuvered in the air, blasting the Hulk with both hands,

“What’s wrong, big, green, and ugly? Too jealous I’m hotter than you?” Johnny was almost laughing, if the Hulk didn’t clap while he jumped. A loud boom shocked the air around, the air blasting out as the area seized momentarily to rain. Johnny clutched at his ears, yelling as he was tossed out of the air, landing on the ground as his flames died down. Johnny regained his senses, looking up in horror as the Hulk looked down at him. Johnny bursted into flames, trying to fly away as the Hulk grabbed onto his arm.

Johnny tried to fly off but cried out in pain as the Hulk kept squeezing. Johnny could feel his bones snap, crying out in pain as he could feel his flame die,

“You wanna play with fire, pal?” Johnny asked, the Hulk, “THEN BURN!!!” Suddenly, Johnny unleashed as much heat as possible, seeing the Hulk’s flesh bubble and singe as he cried out, shielding his eyes as his green fist became a blackened skeleton hand. The Hulk tossed the Human Torch through a window, crying out in pain as his hand quickly regained its flesh and sinew. 

Johnny looked through the melted store glass, his arm broken in multiple places as his flames went dead. He looked up, seeing the monstrous, emerald eyes of the monster in front of him. He felt pale as the Hulk started to sprint towards him, his yellow teeth squeezing against his red gums as he raised a fist. The Hulk slammed it down, feeling an invisible dome stop his way as the Hulk kept slamming his fist down. Johnny looked over to see his sister, back so soon as her nose bled. She tried to maintain the shape, but the Hulk seemed to bend the dome as his fist got closer and closer to Johnny. Hulk lifted both his fists, roaring as he went to bring them down,

“Not on my watch!” Charging in was the Thing, who grabbed the Hulk and slammed him into the ground, “It’s time you picked on someone your own size, ya ugly mug!” Johnny sprinted over to Sue, who grabbed hold of him as Thing turned towards them, “Get fire brain out of here and help stretcho out! I’ll hold ‘im off!” Things looked as the Hulk got up, towering over him by a few feet,

“Rock man think he’s stronger than Hulk!?” The Hulk spoke, his voice just as mangled and messed up as the Thing’s. But unlike the Thing, who you could tell was of this world from his gravely, Yancy street accent, the Hulk’s sounded like if a nuke could talk, “HULK, IS THE STRONGEST, THERE IS!!!!”

“Let me be the judge of that,” The Thing launched his stone fist into the Hulk, only for the Hulk to catch it. The Hulk swung its fist, cracking Ben’s palm as he caught it. Ben then groaned as the Hulk swung his fist into his chest, crashing him into a truck. Ben shook his head, gritting his teeth of stone as he stood back up, “Alright, you can pack a punch, but let’s see if you can take what you dish out!”

Ben put every bit of strength he had into each swing of his fists, cracking his large fists across the Hulk’s face, getting him to step back from the sheer strength Ben was putting out. Hulk then caught a fist from the Thing, reeling back his own punch only for Thing to catch it. The two stepped onto the ground, grinding their feet into the street as they pushed against each other. 

Ben gritted his teeth as he battled the Hulk in this contest of strength, summoning enough force to push Asteroids and Meteors, that can break mountains! But the Hulk… Ben could feel him holding back the strength to push mountains, to split lands, enough strength to…  Break the World.  Ben grunted as the Hulk picked him up, tossed him in the air, and launched his ferocious fist into the Thing’s gut of stone.

Sue and Johnny got Reed off the light pole in time to see Ben hurtling through the air, his craggy skin now cracked and split as pieces of his orange rocks flew off. Ben crashed into a truck, squashing the metal as he tried to get back up, the Hulk meeting him as he closed in the distance,

“Puny Rock man should’ve listened!” Hulk slammed his fists down at the Thing, “Hulk Strongest There is!” BOOM!!! “Hulk smashed army,” BOOM!!! “Hulk will smash  Ross ,” BOOM!!!” “Now Hulk will smash  YOU!!! ” Hulk lifted his fists as Sue stepped in, an invisible box containing the Hulk as he was flung through the air. Sue collapsed, gasping as she looked up in the air,

“Reed… I can’t contain him… He’s too heavy, and those punches…” Reed held his wife as the city lights went dark around them. Only Sue’s powers illuminated her strained face, her husband’s bruised and battered face trying to decompress the swellings on his face,

“I know,” Reed said, looking up as he contorted his face, “Ben, are you alright?”

“Whaddya mean, R-Reed?” Thing said as he tried to pick himself up, feeling whatever insides he had turned to gravel, “I-I could go all day long!” Reed shook his head as the Hulk crashed back into the ground, tumbling down into the large train tunnels that ran throughout New York. Reed stretched towards the rooftops, meeting with one of the Shield agents,

“You are one of General Fury’s men?” Reed asked, to which the agent shakily nodded, “Has the evacuation gone smoothly?”

“W-we mainly focused on Manhattan and the Bronx, but we haven’t gotten most of Queens evacuated. Most people are either on Staten Island, in the Triskelion, or are on the Helicarrier.” Reed looked down, seeing his family steel themselves as they heard snarls and growls coming from the crater,

“Tell your General… That we need help, the Fantastic Four may not be properly equipped to handle the Hulk,” The Shield agent heard his earpiece chattering, shakily taking it off,

“It’s… For you…” Reed took the earpiece and put it on,

“Now those are some magical words there, Reed,” Fury said, standing on the bridge of the Helicarrier as he monitored the situation, “How’s that other superhero doing? Spider… What, Spider-Boy?”

“Spider- Man , and he is recovering from the battle. Any more reinforcements?”

“Well, I would like to send more of my men to be crumbled up by Banner down there, I would rather leave it to the other guys in tights,” Reed looked down in confusion, looking on as the green monster was attacking his family, leaving only one question on his mind:  The Hulk is Dr. Banner?

Reed jumped down, spreading his hands down at the street below and launching himself at the Hulk, becoming a speeding ball that dove in his back before it could slam down at his wife’s force field. Even as Reed felt the Hulk grab ahold of him, mashing and mushing his body like play dough that  this  was Dr. Bruce David Banner, an expert in Nuclear physics, mathematics, biology, and many fields in the medical field. He was a fellow polymath that Reed was fortunate enough to bunk with after Victor’s accident. He was so calm, so emotionally distant that Reed seemed like the more passionate nerd of the two!

How cruel irony is as the green brute of a man, if he could be called a man, slammed his fists down at Reed, mushing his face as his body rippled from his impacts. Reed groaned and screamed as the Hulk twisted his torso, no longer the man that Reed knew. The Hulk then wrapped him into a ball and hurled it at the Thing, who caught Reed as he unraveled in his friend’s arms.

Even though Reed’s body was made into a flexible, organic material akinned with rubber or plastic, Reed was still organic. If anything, he described to Sue once that he was like a water balloon, his balloon made unbreakable, but the water  inside  can still hit against itself and splash against itself. Reed held himself in pain, feeling his internal organs bruised and twisted, rearranging themselves in the proper place. If Reed wasn’t hit by cosmic rays on that fateful day, he would be a dead man made into putty by the Hulk.

Sue held her husband close as the Thing stepped in for round two, keeping his fists close as the Hulk closed in. Thing bowed as the Hulk cleared the air above his head with a swipe, allowing Thing to put in two jabs and a hook along the Hulk’s ribs. The Hulk roared in anguish, snarling as it raised his fists in the air, ready to slam the Thing into the pavement. The Thing rolled out of the way, the ground shaking as he did so, grabbing the Hulk’s leg and tripping him against the floor, getting on top of the monster,

“Never taught you wrestling in monster school, huh?” Thing said as he began to pummel the Hulk’s face, his orange, rocky hands becoming stained with green blood, “That’s what you get for touching my family! And this is for breaking Yancy street, you--” Thing gulped as a green hand grabbed a hold of his face, feeling all the wind blow out of his lungs as the Hulk punched him away.

“Rock Man  hurts  Hulk… HULK HURT ROCK MAN!!!” Hulk roared out as he launched himself at the Thing, still recovering on the ground, as a yellow zap knocked him out of the sky. Hulk crashed into the ground, looking around as he felt his eyes getting zapped again. The Hulk looked, seeing a tiny woman raise her hands, zapping him in the eyes again as he growled, “Tiny bug annoys Hulk, leave Hulk alone!”

“If she annoys ya, then buddy,” Coming from behind the Hulk, his size becoming bigger and bigger, was Ant-Man. However, his size didn’t stop at the height of the average man and kept getting bigger. Taller and taller Ant-Man went until he was no longer Ant-Man. Standing at fifty-nine feet and eleven inches tall, was Giant-Man! “I pack a wallop!”

BOOOM!!! A giant fist punched the Hulk into the Earth, allowing Giant-Man to salute the Fantastic Four, “Dr. Ricards,”

“Dr. Pym,” Reed smiled, looking down at his fists, “I see you’ve met Dr. Banner,”

“So I’ve heard,” Dr. Pym said, lifting his fist as he stood tall in the middle of the city, “Dr. Banner? Are you there?” Growls could be heard from the subways, “Please, listen to reason! We can help you, Bruce!”

“Hulk is NOT Puny Banner!” Hulk lashed out as he jumped from the hole, raising his fist as Giant-Man smacked him in the air,

“Hank, honey, I don’t think the doctor is gonna listen,” Janet said on the comms, flying near the shoulder of her Giant-Man. Hank was excited to test out the extent of the Pym Particle and showed off to shield the usage of its relativistic shrinking and growing effects. Hank took a while to get to giant size, showing caution to not strain his body past his natural limits. Past sixty feet tall, and the human body can’t support its own weight!

“Big Man not stronger than Hulk! Hulk SMASH Big Man!” Hulk said as he leaped in the air,

“Oh no you don’t!” Wasp said, flying forward with her protonic jetpack as she zipped through the air at such small sizes, readying her blasters. To her and Hank’s horror, the Hulk raised his hands to give a big, welcoming clap,

“Watch out!” Johnny cried out with his good arm, before a deafening BOOM echoed through the city yet again, deafening the Wasp as she fell out of the air, and discombobulating Giant-Man as Hulk landed on his throat.

Hulk punched Hank in the throat, taking his voice as he fell to his knees. Hank grabbed Hulk in slammed him into the ground, holding him with all his weight. However, as Hank cleared and messaged his throat, he felt the Hulk lifting his hand. Hank moved quick to his feet, stomping his foot on the ground as the Hulk was pinned underneath. Hank sighed looking around for his wife,

“Janet!? JANET!?!” Hank cried out, looking down to see his wife being helped by the Invisible Woman,

“I’m fine Hank,” Janet said as she limped forward, smiling at Susan, “So, you’re husband’s a super-scientist?”

“Yup, and I can see yours is too!” Susan said as Hank leaned forward, putting all of his weight on the Hulk as he felt his boot rising,

“I-Impossible!” Hank said as the Hulk tossed him off, yelling as he crashed into a building. Hank rubbed his head and gasped as the Hulk leaped into the air. He cried out in pain as the Hulk stomped on his chest, crushing him through an extra floor of the building. The Hulk kept hopping in the air, jumping on Hank’s chest as Hank could feel the Hulk bounce off his lungs.

Flying in fast, knocking the Hulk through the air, and carrying him through building after building was a man who filled Hulk with anger. He spun around on his back, ready to hit the red and gold armor of the man who tore his Betty away from him.  Took  his friend, Rick, away from him,

“ Metal Man! ” Hulk snarled as he landed on top of a skyscraper, looking up as Iron Man hovered in the air,

“Hey big guy,” Iron Man said as he warmed up his repulsor blasts, “Miss me?” BOOM!!! A single blast sent Hulk flying, hurtling through the air as Iron Man gave chase, “I underestimated you last time, Hulk! But this time, I didn’t take any chances!” Iron Man looked up as a large shuttle crashed into the street, landing soon after the Hulk crashed into a garbage truck. Iron Man stepped on top of the contraption, dropping in as the metal morphed around him. Servos locked into place, gears wheeled into place, as Iron Man put on his newest armor, “Say hello to Mark One of the  Hulkbuster!!! ”

“Puny Metal Man!” Hulk said as the Hulkbuster armor slammed its fist into his face, grunting and charging ahead as though there  wasn’t  a mini-Gundam punching his face! “Hulk stronger than metal! Hulk stronger than Rock Man! Hulk  CRUSH  you!!!” Hulk launched his fist forward, hurtling the Hulkbuster Mark One across the street.

Iron Man groaned, surprised at the amount of force the Hulk was putting out. When he first fought the gray goliath, he was throwing punches that could stop trains and tanks. But  now!?!  Tony coughed up blood as he felt two thousand pounds of force as he picked himself up, seeing the Hulk charging after him,

“I could use some backup!” Suddenly, digging at the black road underneath them, was a giant fist that knocked the Hulk through a building. Standing back up tall was Giant-Man, who looked down at the shellhead,

“Really? A bigger armor? That’s what you’ve been working on instead of joining our meetings?”

“Okay, as if  I’m  not compensating for anything,  Giant -Man!” Tony said as he sneered, both men stopping as a jet flew over the city. They looked up, seeing a red, white, and blue comet shooting down onto the rooftops. Landing on his shield next to the men, shining a smile brightly through the dark, stormy night, was Captain America,

“Gentlemen, let’s not argue! We’re on the clock,” Captain America said as he looked over to the building across from them, seeing the Hulk step out with seething anger. The captain held up a microphone that he brought with him, turning it on, “ Dr. Banner! This is Captain America!”

“Wait,” Iron Man said as Captain America talked to the Hulk, “ That’s  Banner? Bruce Banner?”

“Yup,” Giant Man whispered next to Iron Man, “I was shocked too!”

“Bruce,”  Captain America started, holding his shield with caution as he stepped forward,  “It’s time to stop fighting, son! You have people in your life that don’t wanna see you get hurt! Or even killed! Think of Rick, Betty--”

“Betty?” Hulk said, grimacing, “ YOU  have Betty!? Where is she!?!”

“She’s safe and fine, Dr. Banner--”

“NO BANNER!!! ONLY HUUULLLKKK!!!” The green goliath roared out, echoing through the city as he clenched his fists, “Starman confuse Hulk!” Captain America shook his head, looking at his fellow heroes,

“I don’t know how to calm him down, can he be calmed down?”

“If he’s unconscious,” Iron Man said as he charged up the Hulkbuster armor, “If I hit him with a fully charged uni-beam--”

“No, he’s a man inside that mountain of green muscle,” Captain America said, lifting the microphone back to his mouth,  “Hulk! Please lay down your arms and calm down, think of Betty, Bruce!”

Hulk looked down at himself and towards the broken glass around him. He snarled, seeing Banner look at him with such terror, such fright. If Puny Banner didn’t want to look at Hulk, why make Hulk? Why create Hulk? Why torture Hulk with living day by day, being hounded down and shot at and blown up! Hulk growled, smashing the glass around, shutting out the voice in the back of his head to calm down, and looked at the three heroes,

“YOU WON’T MAKE HULK GO AWAY!!! HULK SMASH YOU ALL!!!” Hulk leaped forward, slamming his fist into the unbreakable shield. Captain America knelt down, his super soldier strength allowing him to stand against whatever ferocious might was in this strength. He looked at Giant-Man and nodded, allowing Hank to swipe up the Hulk and throw him up in the air,

“Now, Iron Man!” Captain America shouted as the Hulkbuster’s unibeam fired.  Whirrrrrrrrrr, BWOOOMMM!!!!!!  The Hulk’s massive body was sent crashing halfway through Manhattan, crashing from building to building until he landed in Central Park.

Hulk pulled himself out of the massive lake, striding through the lake as he felt his chest muscles reknit themselves, breathing deeply as he looked up to the stormy sky. He looked down at the water, seeing Banner staring back at him. Hulk snarled, smashing his hand into the water, trying to smash Banner out of his sight. And yet, he remained, looking back at the monster,

Hulk, you need to calm down,

“Hulk needs to find Betty,” Hulk said to his meek reflection, “Hulk loves Betty, doesn’t Puny Banner too?”

I do, but we can only get back to her if we calm down and--

“No! Hulk will  SMASH  anyone who gets in his way! Hulk  WILL  find Betty!”

But look at what you’ve done! You broke northern New York, you hurt so many good people, Hulk! All of New York will be scared of you!

“Everyone already hates Hulk, why fight that?”

If the Hulk can smash gamma monsters and superheroes, who’s to say he can’t smash hatred?  Hulk looked up, seeing the heroes approach the park as he snarled back down, seeing the large, hulking green reflection staring back at him

“Hulk is hate, for Hulk hates Hulk,” Hulk stood back up, shaking with rage as he stomped towards the heroes.

“You see him, Iron Man?” Giant-Man said as he tried to stare through the rain, “Wish the other guy was here to turn off this storm!”

“Keep your connections in check, Pym! I’ll just scan the area and--” BOOM! Hulk leaped in Iron Man as he slammed and smashed his fist into his chest,

“METAL MAN TOOK BETTY AND RICK AWAY FROM HULK!!! HULK  SMASH  METAL MAN!!!”

“HOLY SHIT, HELP!!!” Iron Man screamed out as he was slammed into the ground, the Hulk right on top of him as the Hulk continued to slam his fists down at the Hulkbuster armor. Hulk tore through the chest armor, trying to reach for the beam that fired out. Iron Man fired a unibeam, but the Hulk took it, blocking it with his large hands and face.

“Banner, you have to--” Giant-Man didn’t get much in as the Hulk leaped to his throat, bearhugging his neck with his abnormal strength. Hank choked and gagged, smashing his hand against the Hulk’s back as the Hulk kept strengthening his grip. Hulk then punched Giant-Man right in the Adam’s apple, causing him to stumble back and wheeze out his cries,

“Wasp, you there?” Captain America said as he hurled his shield through the air, knocking the Hulk right in the head, “I need backup!”

“Coming, and I’m bringing the Fantastic Four!” Wasp then looked over, “And I guess Spider-Man is here, but he’s passed out in the back.”

“It’s eighteen and over from here on out, and that includes the Human Torch,”

“OH COME ON!!!” Could be heard in the background, followed by groans of pain from Johnny’s broken arm. Captain America smiled as he looked back, seeing the Hulk land in front of him,

“Starman punier than Big Man and Metal Man, Hulk will SMASH Starman!”

“Alright Hulk, let’s show how it’s done,” Captain America charged low as the Hulk tried to grab the star-spangled man, knocking through the Hulk’s legs as he tripped him over. The Hulk spun around and snarled as the Shield was tossed into his nose, bouncing back into Steve’s hands as he raised it overhead, stopping the Hulk’s fist from flattening him,

“Starman annoys Hulk! WHY DON’T YOU LEAVE HULK ALONE!?!” Captain America groaned as the Hulk smacked him into a tree, cracking the wood in half as he got down to one knee. Steve groaned, feeling sharp pain in his broken ribs, breathing calmly as the Hulk slammed a fist into the ground, “GIVE UP, STARMAN!!! YOU CAN’T BEAT HULK!!!”

“Buddy… I can do this all day,” Captain America said, rolling out of the way as he threw his shield again at the Hulk, kicking his boot into Hulk’s jaw as he caught the shield midair, smashing it into his face as he launched himself away from the Hulk, “Barton, got shot?”

“Yup,” From a distance, Hulk could feel an arrow embed itself into his shoulder. Hulk went to rip it out, but groaned as it exploded in his shoulder blade, “Just so you know, I ain’t getting any closer than this,” Captain America smashed his shield into the Hulk’s face, kicking his face as he leaped off into the air,

“Understood, Hawkeye, how’s my backup?” Hawkeye narrowed his eyes, seeing the Fantasticar hover above the forest of Central Park, chuckling as the Thing leaped out of the car,

“It’s dropping in,” Captain America looked as the Thing smashed down onto the Hulk. He looked to his right, seeing Wasp flying next to him,

“Oh my God, Hank, Iron Man!” Wasp flew over to Iron Man’s crushed Hulkbuster armor, hearing groaning and cursing, “He’s still breathing!” Janet then looked over to her husband, his large eyes closed underneath his helmet, “Hank!”

“Take care of Hank, we got the Hulk!” Captain America charged in as the Invisible Woman and Mr. Fantastic descended from the sky. Hulk went to throw his fist down onto the Thing, stopped by the Invisible Woman’s force field. Hulk snarled, repeatedly smashing into the force field. Susan cried out in pain, collapsing with blood drenching down her face as her force field shattered,

“You did it now, big guy!” Thing said, ramming his fist into the Hulk. The Hulk ripped a tree from the ground with no effort, and swung it onto the Thing, batting him away. Mr. Fantastic held his wife as he looked at Captain America standing alone, barely using his athleticism and shield to avoid the Hulk’s attacks.

No one could stop the Hulk. It was the only logical conclusion Reed could come to. No man, with no weapon made by him, could kill the Hulk, let alone stop him. Ben kept charging back at the Hulk, only to be broken down more and more. Johnny was up in the Fantasticar, staring out as Peter came in and out of consciousness. Susan was out cold, in his arms. Reed looked over to see Janet trying to wake her husband, turning on his shrinking tech to bring him back to normal size. He then looked over to see Iron Man curse as he ripped himself out of the Hulkbuster, saying something along the lines of needing a drink.

Then, a crackle echoed throughout the sky, and the rain poured heavier. Only the fires of the city and the park illuminated their surroundings, stopping the Hulk as he looked up in the sky. All the heroes looked up as well, seeing what seemed like a lightning bolt heading  straight  for them. With sudden, thundering force, with Gail winds that made all the trees shake and tremble, the Hulk was struck and launched away from the park, his bones breaking from the sudden impact.

Standing before the heroes, wearing a billowing red cape and a sparking hammer to his side, his iron helmet adorned with wings along the side of his face was the Mighty Thor! Thor looked upon his fellow heroes, and with lightning in his eyes, started to whirl his mighty hammer,

“Foul monster, hideous troll! I am Thor Odinson, and this city, this  world  is under my protection! You’re existence is opposed to that, and for that, I shall  SMITE  you!!!”

“Thor thinks he’s… Stronger than Hulk!?!” Hulk said, stepping back up as his bones snapped back into place, his eyes glowing lime green, “HULK WILL SMASH THOR!!! HULK STRONGEST THERE IS!!!”

“You may be the strongest mortal, but I am a god!” Thor said as he floated in the air, lightning sparking and letting the trees and grass on fire around him, “And like all mortals who tamper with divine forces, your hubris shall befall you, Hulk!”

People of New York, everyone from Brooklyn to the Bronx, from the Triskelion to the Helicarrier watched on as the wrath of the gods was brought down to their city. The earth shook. The sky roared down rain. The divine fire shot throughout the city, bringing life to any lights nearby the God of Thunder.

Hulk heaved in the air, holding himself up as he felt most of the bones in his body broken. He growled as he got back up on one knee, his bones realigning as Thor flew in. His hammer swung, tossing the Hulk through the city as cars honked their sirens and the building lights followed the thunder god,

“Give up, troll!” Thor said, his golden boots stepping closer to the monster, “I have felled monsters larger than your tiny mind could conceive of! Monsters the size of mountains and worlds, felled by my hammer!” Thor swung his hammer, hurling it at Hulk. Hulk went to catch it, but it carried on, dragging Hulk into a building. Hulk shook off the rubble, looking down at Thor with such destructive rage. He went to pick up the hammer, to smash it over the thunder god, but grunted as it did not budge.

“Hulk stronger than Thor! Hulk lift hammer!” Hulk screamed at the weapon, his muscles bulging and rage climbing as the hammer refused to budge. The earth around the Hulk broke apart, his veins popping out as the hammer refused to budge. Thor boomed out with laughter, raising his hand as Mjolnir flew to his hand, slipping from the grip of the Hulk,

“You may be strong, troll,” Thor said, lightning shooting from his glowing blue eyes, “However, you are not worthy!” Thor raised his hammer, intending to break the shoulder, when Thor caught his arm. Hulk grunted as he stepped forward against the thunderer, pushing with mountain-breaking strength,

“HULK NOT TROLL!!! HULK MAD!!!” CRACK!!! Thor raised his arm to block the punch, grunting as he felt the street crack behind him, the glass cracking around them from the sheer impact. Thor’s eyes widened as the Hulk reached for his head, faster than Thor thought a bulky, large creature could move. Thor felt the monster grab his head, and ready himself as the Hulk reeled back his fist.

Thor couldn’t help but think of Jane as he was blasted through the tallest of the skyscrapers in New York, regaining his nerve as he found himself on the 50th or 52nd floor of an office building. Thor rubbed his jaw, remembering her words to  be careful . Thor wondered, marveling how that punch  hurt , was she talking about him being careful with the city or being careful with himself?

Thor looked as the Hulk crashed onto the same floor, anger fuming from his nostrils as Thor held his hand out. Thor started running towards the oncoming behemoth, his hammer flying to his hand as he reeled back, and struck it down the Hulk as his fist connected with him. The blow thundered out, shattering the glass of the skyscraper downwards, as the floor gave out underneath them.

47th floor, Thor swings his hammer down at the Hulk’s jaw. 39th floor, Hulk bashes his head down on Thor’s, grappling his large hands around the thunder god’s neck. By the 24th floor, the entire building was shaking as rubble began to fall around the two battered titans. On the 13th floor, Thor spat out blood as the golden beard around his mouth began to become red, looking up with mad excitement as electricity bursted from his body, holding Mjolnir tighter as the Hulk roared at him. The Hulk was glowing with atomic might, his green skin bright as his inhuman eyes stared into Thor’s divine soul, letting the thunder god know he was not dealing with a monster or a man… But a demon made by mortal hands.

After a thundering clash, the building collapsed, ash and rubbled looming out as the streets were choked with smoke. The sound of metal rebar tearing apart and a thousand glass shards shattering into millions as the buildings around were torn apart by the collapsed building. The Fantasticar flew high above as the Helicarrier monitored the situation, and the Triskelion lay silent as New York held its breath.

Stomping out, his teeth gritted as the verdant blood dripped down on the wet, torn-up street, was the Hulk. Hulk grunted, heaving in the air as he felt his body reknit itself. He shifted his eyes over, seeing Thor limp out, dragging Mjolnir out as he used the rubble to keep himself standing. His helmet was nowhere in sight, his red cape torn as he was riddled with cuts and bruises. His once golden hair was now stained in divine, red blood, and his hands were stained green from the Hulk’s own blood. Thor chuckled weakly, setting Mjolnir down on the floor,

“A worthy foe you are, Hulk,” Thor said, sitting down on to floor, “I offer you mead, but all Midgard has now is beer, and I have neither.”

“Thor… Not want to fight Hulk?” Hulk looked around, wondering what the hell the last few hours were about, “Why stop Hulk from finding Betty!?!”

“Betty? Who is Betty?” Thor asked, looking at the mishappened man in front of him. Thor looked towards Mjolnir, laying his fingers on the head of the hammer, his fingers moving over the Old Norse inscription still carved in. The rain calmed, drizzling as the cool wind rushed through the Hulk’s hair, “Odin, guide me,” Thor breathed in, sighing as he opened his blue eyes, “I sense the presence… Of a good man,” Hulk grunted, shaking his head out of frustration,

“HULK NOT BANNER!!! HULK IS HULK!!!” Thor calmly raised his hand, asking only for a moment,

“Nay, I do sense Banner, but I also sense you Hulk… And I believe we have made a poor call of judgment,” Thor groaned as he stood back up, pointing towards a rooftop, “Hulk, would you please wait up there for a moment?”

“Thor trick Hulk?” Hulk raised his eyebrow, grinding his teeth,

“Tricks are not one of my skills,” Thor said, “But you have my word I speak with no ill intent. I have not lied to you yet, have I?”

“Hulk… Smells no lies…” Hulk then growled as he leaped over to the rooftop, seeing Thor fly away. Hulk shook his head. Why was he listening to Blondie? He had to get back trying to find Betty, then Hulk would smash  anyone  who would get in his way! He then looked back up, seeing Thor fly back with the Fantasticar, “Thor brought Rockman to fight Hulk? Hulk will--”

“No, just some people who wish to see you!” Thor called out as the Fantasticar landed. Who in their right mind would want to see the Hulk? Hulk didn’t want to see Hulk, much less Banner! But when those doors opened, he saw Mr. Fantastic helping…  her  out.

“Betty,” Hulk said, his skin calming in her presence, becoming a dull green again. He then looked over and squinted his large eyes, widening at the young man next to her, “Rick?”

“Hey, Hulkster!” Rick said, looking around in awe, “Holy moly! I guess you broke New York, huh?” Hulk looked back to Betty, seeing her silently approach the Hulk. Hulk looked up in the air, growling at the sound of helicopters,

“ Ross… ” Before Hulk could clench his fists, Iron Man flew to the skies towards the helicopters, Hulk was relieved to know Metal Man was on it,

“Don’t worry, Hulk,” Betty said calmly, putting her hands up as she and Rick approached, “It’s alright, we’re all friends here, right?” Hulk looked up, seeing everyone he’d smashed trying to find her. Thor stood next to a beat-up Captain America as Ant-Man helped his wife, the Wasp, out of the Fantasticar. Spider-Man, still looking concussed with webbing wrapped around his torso, wobbled next to the Invisible Woman and the Human Torch. Thing stood next to Mr. Fantastic, both looking at the integrity of the Fantasticar,

“Hulk’s…  Friends?  But…”

“They’ve been trying to get you to calm down, to not hurt people,” Rick tried to explain, “And Hulk doesn’t hurt people, Hulk’s a hero!”

“Hulk… Hero?” Hulk shook his head, “Hulk is Hulk… Hulk is…  Monster …” Betty stepped forward, gently picking up Hulk’s finger. The heroes flinched as she raised it to her face, nuzzling it against her face,

“Would I fall in love with a monster?” Hulk gasped, feeling his eyes stinging as he began to shake his head. Hulk stepped back, feeling his body becoming… weaker. Hulk dropped to his knees, his green skin becoming grayer as he looked at Betty,

“Hulk…  Bad  friend to friends… Hulk… Sorry…”

“It’s okay, just promise you’ll help them next time,” Hulk looked at his new friends, and said before his eyes were no longer their emerald green,

“Hulk… Promise…” Hulk then dropped down, moaning and groaning as his organs shrunk and shifted themselves in his torso. His bones snapped and realigned, sweat pouring as his body mass rapidly dwindled. Betty smiled, seeing her Bruce gasp in fresh air as he opened his eyes, brown and darting around.

Bruce wondered how he got here. He knew the Hulk got out again, but everything was fuzzy after…  Oh … After Talbot shot him… Bruce stood up, shakily in Betty’s arms as Rick patted the Doc on the shoulder,

“Rick? Betty? I…” Bruce looked up, seeing a bunch of blurry shapes around a scene of destruction, “Oh God… Did… Did I…?”

“None on my watch,” Walking amongst the heroes, coming out of his invisibility tech, was General Fury, followed closely by Iron Man, “Relax Banner, I ain’t the barking hound dog about to dissect you,”

“Um, where, what… What’s happening?” Bruce asked Betty, drenched in sweat as he struggled to stay standing,

“How do I put this…” Betty said as she looked around the torn-apart city, “You’re gonna need a good lawyer?” Mr. Fantastic raised his hand,

“Actually, we know a good agency! Nelson and Murdock, they helped us keep our home in the Baxter Building!” Sue nodded as she held her husband’s arm,

“Just relax,” Betty said as they stepped into the Fantasticar with Rick and Bruce next to him, “Rick, why don’t you tell Bruce what you told me as we get out of here?”

“Right, so, I met an alien!” Rick said to Bruce as they flew off in the Fantasticar with Reed and Sue, distracting the gamma scientist from the destruction he wrought upon the city as the rest of the superheroes cleaned up the Hulk’s mess.

The city could breathe again, and people collected what was left of their homes as the heroes and Damage Control tried to repair the best they could. Thor parted the clouds with his hammer, letting the sun rise another day as he returned to Jane Foster. Spider-Man got home, his girlfriend covering for his concussion and a broken arm to his aunt, one of the many lies they would be entangled together with. Captain America helped the police and fire control over finding missing people, taking the day to work with the vigilante from Hell’s Kitchen to find survivors. 

The Fantastic Four worked tirelessly to help rebuild the city, their powers helping Damage Control immeasurably. Iron Man drank his glass of scotch, coordinating with Pepper over reconstruction plans as he drew up plans for a Hulkbuster Mark Two. Ant-Man worked tirelessly on his new invention, making Wasp anxious as he remade the Ultima-Tron 9000 into a new artificial intelligent machine to help Shield: Ultron 1.

But Bruce Banner? He spent the day in a containment cell, done with his daily visit with his appointed psychiatrist, Dr. Leonard Samson, “So, where do you think your anger comes from?”

“Heh, I guess from helping my friends,” Bruce said, laying down on a couch as he stared up into the ceiling, “But that’s normal for everyone.”

“Not like you,” The blond doctor said, writing down notes in the underground office, “Your mind, Bruce, it…  Dissociates  into being the Hulk, becoming a whole new personality. Childlike with handling the anger that your powers are fueled by. Do you have any recollection of your childhood?”

“It wasn’t cheery,” Bruce said, “My mom died, and my dad… I…” Bruce rubbed his head, head pounding as he looked at his psychiatrist, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Hmm,” Was all Leonard said in response, scribbling down notes on his pad. Bruce groaned, breathing in and out to keep himself calm, “Well, I think that’ll do for now. Why don’t we pick it up next week? I think you’ll be glad to know that Ms. Ross wants to visit you, but--”

“Let me guess,” Bruce said, sitting up in his chair to look at Leonard, “Fury moved the scheduled date?”

“Yes,” Leonard then coughed, grabbing a videotape from a table next to the doctor of the mind, “I have the recording of the session. Do you want to see  his  session?”

“I don’t want to even look at him,” Bruce said, turning away from the tape, “I’m good for today.”

“Bruce, he  is  you, and you  are  the Hulk--”

“I am  not  the Hulk!” Bruce yelled out, gritting his teeth as he felt his eyes flash neon green. He groaned, reeling back the destructive monster that wanted to get out, controlling his breathing, sighing as Leonard wrote down on his pad, “Do you have to write that down?”

“Bruce, you spent a year and a half running across the North and South American continents. In that time, have you even come  close  to finding a cure for the Hulk?” Bruce remained silent, letting Leonard reveal his point, “The cure for the Hulk, Bruce, is not a physical one, but a  mental  one. To reconcile with yourself, you must accept yourself as a whole.”

“I guess,” Bruce said as Leonard put in the tap, the footage shaky as Leonard stepped away from the camera. In the room with Dr. Samson was a massive man of green muscle, wearing purple shorts as he lay on a bench made of titanium, the legs warped and bent as the green giant sat in his chair,

“So Hulk, what can you talk about from your first field mission?”  Dr. Samson said as Bruce watched on, Leonard taking notes at the reactions Bruce had of the Hulk,

“Hulk smashed robot,”  Bruce rolled his eyes, unimpressed with the Hulk’s only thought: Destroying,  “Big robot, Hulk smashed head in!”

“I see, a… Sentinel? Those are pretty big,”  Dr. Samson talked to the Hulk like it was a child, making sure his voice was soft as the Hulk smiled. The Hulk then smacked himself on the head, groaning as he growled in rage,  “Hulk, are you alright?”

“Hulk not want to leave friend,”  Hulk said, shaking his brutish head in disapproval,  “Banner comes out when Hulk is not mad, and Banner puny friend!”

“Really?” Bruce said as he motioned towards the TV, “You want me to watch this?”

“Just keep watching, Bruce,” Leonard said, looking at the TV as Dr. Samson pulled up his notepad on the recording,

“Why is Banner puny?”  Dr. Samson asked,  “Why are you mad at Bruce?”  Hulk looked down, almost looking… Sad,

“Mommy died… Banner too puny… To smash father…”  The video stopped, Leonard, looking at Bruce as the gamma scientist was astounded,

“Bruce, it knows your father killed your mother,” Bruce shook his head down, his head pounding, “It’s the part of you that blames yourself, for you were the only witness,”

“I… I never realized…” Bruce looked into the reflection of the TV, and swore that the Hulk looked straight into his eyes, into his soul, “I am just like my father, aren’t I?”

“You’re better because you know your flaws,” Leonard said as he pulled the tape out, “I heard that those freelancers were getting together tomorrow, something about a Magnet Man?” Bruce sighed,

“Yeah, it’s a whole deal, including that giant robot from the tape,” Bruce recalled from his vivid dreams, standing up as a Shield Agent waiting for him outside, “I don’t fully know, but whatever. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’m here anytime, Bruce,” Leonard said as he finished his notes, “Feel free to come in whenever you want to talk to a friend.”

“Friend,” Bruce muttered to himself, chuckling as he was escorted back to his room. He didn’t want to talk to a psychiatrist or a Shield Agent, he wanted to talk to Betty and hold her. He wanted to talk to Rick and laugh as he told him more stories. Ross and Talbot may not be hounding Bruce down anymore, but he was trapped in Fury’s gaze. And he must let it be so until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him.

Chapter Text

The night air was dry as Lieutenant Carol Danvers drove down the road. The red sands and blue night sky made Carol think she was in an alien world, especially with being in charge of this next assignment. Reports of a “Bright object crashing from the sky,” barged down phone lines of the local police and news stations, but Shield swooped in to answer the calls.

Carol took on this assignment, not thinking it was some crank call or a couple of kids pulling a prank, or that it would look good on her record. Fury sent her down,  personally . She  had  to do this herself. But Carol learned as she drove through the desert, that this was not a normal assignment.

Ahead of her was a gigantic mound that contorted the Earth around it. All around the red sands of Arizona, glinting in the midnight hour, were pieces of jagged metal. Intense heat rushed from the top of the mound, which revealed itself to be a large crater that smeared across the flat land.

Smoke plumed in the sky as Carol pulled in, agents walking up to her car as she entered the perimeter. All Carol did was show her badge to the Shield agents, shutting them up as she drove towards the crash site. The earth was torn and ripped apart, too bumpy for Carol to continue forward with her car. She stepped out, walking over as she was thankful that this humongous crater was in the middle of nowhere. Carol looked around, turning to Agent Colan as she looked at the strange craft at the bottom of the crater,

“Was there any casualties?” Carol asked as she stepped toward the ship. Agent Colan followed, looking cautious as they approached the wide ship. It was shaped like a bird, with its wings bent and torn from the crash,

“None, but from the looks of it, someone set up a campsite out here. We found the remains of a tent and some scorched papers. Probably to see the comet that would’ve shot by.”

“And you’re sure they’re not here?” Carol said as the ship loomed above her, “I want this area contained and under wraps before the sun comes up, don’t want any dumb teenagers trying to catch this with their phones.”

“Don’t worry, we haven’t found anyone else out here. Either they’re in that town, Scarsdale, or underneath the craft,” Carol furrowed her brow as she stepped forward, and was shocked as the ship began to open itself. The metal floated down, becoming steps as Carol entered the craft.

Danvers and Colan looked around the craft, seeing that the inside of the ship seemed to be designed to manipulate its rotation to simulate gravity. At least, that’s what Carol thought from watching that space movie with Matthew McConaughey. She looked over to see the controls of the ship on the bridge, seeing large, circular panels that were cracked and broken apart. Strangely, the panels lacked any buttons or a way to interact with them, so there was no way to turn the ship on with any human function. And there, next to the terminals and left deathly still, Carol saw the bodies.

A man and a woman, were dead in their seats as their suits were torn apart. Seems like whoever came down didn’t make it. Carol looked at them, separated by the driver’s seat in the middle, seeing that their hair was a stark white, with eyes that looked human. Bright blue and bright green eyes respectively. Their suits were a dull gray and green, with a symbol of what looked like a planet on their chests. The design of the suits looked almost centurion-like, as though they were Roman legionnaires from space.

But their skin is what set them off, the female’s was oddly pale and albino-like, while the male’s skin looked skinburned and red. But other than their hair and skin, they looked remarkably human.

“You think they would come down here like squids or little gray men,” Carol said, looking closer at the female’s nose, “But at least they have green blood.” Carol then flashed a light over, seeing another body amongst the wreckage. She walked over, seeing another woman on her back. Her blue eyelids were closed her stark white hair was tucked behind her ear,

“Huh, you think discovering aliens would be ground-shaking,” Agent Colan said, “Unless… We’ve done that before?”

“The U.S Government’s been in contact with aliens since Roswell, Colan,” Danvers said as she took pictures of the scene, puzzled by the dead woman separated from the other bodies, “But never with a ship this intact, with bodies this well preserved. The boys in the lab will wanna get a look at everything,” Danvers stepped towards chairs, seeing the chair where the woman on the floor lay. She then looked over the broken terminals and panels, eyes widening as she saw a seat belt ripped out of the driver’s seat, “Lock down the area.”

“W-what--” Carol stormed past Agent Colan, screaming out of the ship,

“Lockdown, I repeat, lock down the area!” Agents stormed around the tarped-up scene, Carol looking out of the ship as she walked up towards the perimeter. She took out her flashlight and looked into the red vista, groaning as she saw footprints in the sand. Carol flashed her light at them, seeing they trailed further and further away towards… Scarsdale, 

“I want that town monitored, you tell me who gets in and who gets out, understood?” Carol ordered as the agents nodded, getting into their black cars and driving toward the small town. Carol narrowed her eyes back at the town, smirking as she mulled over the quiet town of Scarsdale.

The files on Scarsdale, Arizona were few and in-between. The only notable thing about this town was that a kid who lived there was near the Hulk when he was first sighted. Rick Jones, a kid that Carol didn’t pay any mind to. Instead, she parked in front of the sheriff’s office and looked around as she tried to question the locals.

The Sheriff was cooperative, it seemed whatever was out here in the southwest had people spooked. The Deputy was standoffish, keeping to himself as Carol looked around the police office, the smell of stale coffee hanging in the air as she had herself a cup of joe. The Sheriff told her that most of the people awake were at the bar, and tipped his hat as she left.

The town bar,  The Stinging Scorpion , smelled of cheap cigarettes and stale beer, everyone hugging along the bar rail as the bartender cleaned up for the night, with only the regulars staying. Most of the locals in the bar only talked about a gray rage monster and a flaming skeleton on a motorcycle that drove nearby. Carol stepped outside, refraining from punching a drunk across the jaw for catcalling her, and looked over at the opened mechanic sign.

The mechanics over by the auto shop weren’t much help, earning Carol’s middle finger as they whistled and hollered at her. She went into the 7/11 of the town, getting a soda and bag of tatter tots. 

“Oh wow, you a cop?” The clerk said, his voice crackling with his pubescence,

“Please kid, I don’t have time for any crap,” Carol said, already done with this town, “Unless you can point me to anyone shady, I’ll be on my way.”

“Huh, you know, it’s funny,” The clerk said, “There’s this old dude who comes in about twice a day,” Carol groaned as she grabbed his bag, “He usually buys some snacks before driving into the desert.” Freeze. Carol looked back at the kid, leaning on the counter,

“And who is this guy exactly?”

“Dr. Lawson! I just think it’s strange, he didn’t come in tonight!” Carol grinned as she stepped out, and got into her car as she devoured her tatter tots.

Carol parked her car in front of the address of one Walter Lawson. She looked down at her tablet, scrolling through and seeing his credentials and degrees in Astronomy and Astrophysics from Phoenix University. Smart man. Carol knew that smart guys liked to be important, why else would anyone seek knowledge? Carol hoped using that might help as she knocked on the door.

Carol found it strange that the locks were removed  before  she heard someone approach the door but stepped back as the door was cracked open. Wearing glasses thicker than the bottom of a Coke bottle, Dr. Lawson poked his head out,

“Er, hello?” Dr. Lawson said as he looked at Carol, oddly clean-shaven for an older man, “How can I help you, er, ma’am?”

“Don’t worry, Dr. Lawson, my name is Lieutenant Carol Danvers, and I won’t take much of your time. I heard you have recently been driving out to the desert, what have you been researching sir?” Lawson gulped, nervously fixing his glasses as he looked at Carol,

“I believe the Holmes Comet. It recently a few years back let out a burst of light, and I was taking notes as to whether it was bursting again,” Danvers hummed, her hands scratching notes onto her pad as she wrote down everything Lawson said,

“Huh, sounds important,” Danvers said as she leaned forward, noting how young Dr. Lawson was for being in his sixties, “Then why did you leave your equipment out in the desert?” Lawson looked at her for a while, his glasses hiding his eyes from Carol as he cleared his throat,

“Well, I-I had to return to my home to collect more supplies. I recorded nothing of any worth to note, so I took a chance!”

“Then why didn’t you come back to your sight?” Carol asked, “It seems you left your telescope and tent out in the middle of the open.”

“You seen the area around here?” Lawson said, motioning his oddly smooth hands out into the land around them, “Nothing would disturb my equipment, Mrs. Danvers,”

“It’s Ms, and for a native to Arizona, you don’t seem bothered by coyotes, snakes, or scorpions?” Lawson shifted in place,

“I… I’m not from around here,” Lawson said,

“Really?” Carol said, “Even with a doctorate from Phoenix, Arizona?” Lawson’s surprisingly chiseled jaw clenched, his eyebrows furrowing,

“Look, I don’t want any trouble,” Lawson said as he began to close the door, “And I won’t be bothered by anyone without a warrant!” SLAM!!! Carol groaned, shaking her head as she got into her car. She peered through the window, thinking how weird Dr. Lawson was being. She got a call from Agent Colan,

“Danvers, we found something over by the site,”

“Let me guess, a green little man?” Carol smirked as she went to start her engine,

“No, a dead body,” Carol froze, taking her fingers off the key, “It’s beyond recognition, crushed under the ship itself! Poor bastard,” Carol looked back at the house, breathing slowly through her nose,

“Yeah… Poor bastard…”

Rick cracked the ball with his bat, hitting the fence as he drank his bottle of soda. It’s been a blast these past few weeks for Rick. He was the coolest guy in school, his foster parents were out of town, and he had pizza coming on its way. What more could a guy want?

CRACK!

Maybe no more nightmares. Rick picked up the ball, his hand shaking as he remembered those…  Roars . The Hulk was nowhere near here, and yet… Rick can’t keep it together. He made that thing. He ruined Banner’s life and…  Made  the Hulk. If he didn’t drive out to that testing range, taken that dare… But, then again, the Hulk’s cool!

CRACK!

Sure, he smashes stuff. A lot of stuff. And then takes those smashed-up bits and smashes them again, sure. But he wants to help people, to be a hero! And Rick helped him out! He was a sidekick to a superhero! He was freaking Robin!

CRACK!

Rick cursed under his breath as the ball flew over the fence and into his neighbor’s yard. Rick would just walk to the front of the house next door and ask to get his ball back, but it just  had  to land in the backyard of Dr. Lawson.

Lawson was the local hermit, stowed away and only coming out at night. And if you disturbed Dr. Lawson, he would throw water balloons at you and tell you to get lost. A lot of the kids bothered him during the summer, but maybe that’s what the lonely scientist wanted. Rick didn’t want to bother the poor guy, and he was probably out at his lookout spot anyway.

Rick hopped the fence, sneaking over to his ball as he eyed over at the window. It looked like Lawson’s TV was on, but as Rick picked up the ball, he noticed something wasn’t right. The light wasn’t like the white, blinding light of the TV, but a soft, humming green. Rick worked up the nerve and snuck over towards the window.

Rick peeked his eyes into the house, seeing everything tossed aside as he saw a man resting on a chair. The man looked… Sad. But the weird thing was that the man was  not  Lawson. Walter Lawson was an old man who had wrinkles deeper than the Mariana Trench. This guy looked as if Flash Gordon bleached his hair, fumbling with a machine in his hands. The light emitted glowed the same green, causing the man to shake his head.

Rick gasped as the man lifted his hand, pulling in a metal screwdriver. Rick fell down, his back against the wall as his mind reeled. Was that Magneto? He was a mutant who could move metal, what was he doing in Arizona of all places?

Wait, Magneto has that weird helmet. And ain’t he in space or something? That guy ain’t Magneto! Rick stood up, furrowing his brow as he tried to look for the guy, but was shocked to see wasn’t there. Rick pressed against the window but was shocked to see its locks turn, the window shooting upwards. Rick then saw a hand charge out, grabbing him through the window.

Rick screamed as he was taken inside, but his scream was cut short as the man put his hand over Rick’s mouth. The man raised a finger to his mouth, his glowing eyes looking into Rick’s as he eyed over the black car across the street. The man let go of Rick’s mouth, allowing the young teen to breathe as the man raised his hands,

“W-Who are you?” Rick asked as the white-haired man sighed, “And what are you doing in Dr. Lawson’s house?”

“All will be explained, but first,” The man took off the lab coat, showing off a space suit that looked unfamiliar to Rick, “My name is Captain Mar-Vell, and I need your help.”

“Whoa, you’re an alien?” Rick grinned as he fist-pumped the air, “Sweet! I get an E.T.!”

“E.T?” Mar-Vell said, “You seem oddly… Ecstatic seeing a visitor of the stars.”

“Duh! I have only been watching movies since, oh I don’t know, all my life!” Rick said as he looked at the screwdriver, “Is that how you can move metal?”

“There’s more to it than that, but first…” Mar-Vell looked down at his stomach, “I’m starving… Literally, I haven’t eaten any real food since I piloted our reconnaissance ship,”

“Don’t worry, man!” Rick said as he opened the back door, “You can crash at my house, come on!” Rick and Mar snuck through the backyards, making sure that no one in that pitch-black car was looking at them, “Dude, I think the men in black are after you!”

“Damn, the Kree had no idea how advanced Earth has gotten since we last visited,” Mar-Vell said, “I can  feel  the light bulbs and televisions in this neighborhood, the cars  hum  with technology.”

“Kree?” Rick said as he opened the back door to his house, “Is that…  What  you are? And when was the last time you guys came to Earth?”

“Yes, I am of the Kree empire, and…” Mar-Vell looked around the living room of Rick’s home, waving his hand as it turned on the TV by itself, “When did humans last have lower brows?” Rick’s eyes widened,

“You mean caveman times? Damn, a  LOT  has happened, for starters: We’ve been to space!”

“WHAT!?!” Mar screamed out, but looked out the window as he closed the blinds, “Humans have been to space? How far?”

“Only the moon,” Rick said, “But we sent satellites that reached past Pluto by now--”

“Destroy them, get your leaders, and destroy them!” The panicked Kree said, looking nervously as sat down on the couch, “Before your world is burned asunder!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Time out!” Rick said as he made a T with his hands, “First, let’s back things up. Are you a spy?” Mar-Vell looked up at Rick and looked down, his mind looking back at the last few hours,

“More of a scout. I, along with my fellow comrades were sent to investigate how advanced Earth was. It was me, my pod-brother Genis, Phylla the scientist… And Una…” Mar looked sad saying that name,

“Who’s Una?” Rick asked,

“My… My wife,” Mar-Vell said, “Together, we were sent down by our commander, Colonel Yon-Rogg, by order of the Supreme Intelligence. I had to go along, otherwise, I would’ve been court-martialed.”

“Why? You seem like a cool guy,” Mar-Vell chuckled, shaking his head,

“We Kree are a very militaristic people. We reached the peak of evolution a billion years ago before the first fish even stepped foot out of your oceans. We have remained unchanged, unmarred, perfect, and sought to make the Universe ours.

“But then we encountered another species, one who could adapt to any environment by changing the shape of their bodies: The Skrulls. And ever since, the Kree-Skrull war has torn the stars apart, devastated worlds, and destroyed countless civilizations caught in the crossfire.”

“And… Earth?” Rick asked,

“Merely a blip to either empire, but with experimentations done to your species, we Kree realized the vast potential within your genetics. We were sent here to not only monitor the advancement of Earth but to locate any sources of Skrulls on Earth as well.”

“And that’s why you want us to destroy our satellites,” Rick said, “So that we remain under the radar.”

“Yes,”

“But, don’t you want to conquer us? Enslave us?” Rick said, seeing the disgust painted on Mar-Vell’s face,

“I abhor violence and senseless bloodshed. But my people, as long as it’s an enemy of the empire, revel in destroying their enemies, laying waste to entire worlds just so that the Skrulls can’t claim it as their own. But I did the one thing that was the greatest taboo known to my people: I spared the life of a Skrull.”

“Whoa…” Rick said, nodding his head slowly, “Why?”

“Why did I spare her? Perhaps it was because she was a mother, holding onto her baby? Maybe--”

“No, not  Why did you spare her , Cause that’s the right thing to do, but  Why did that get you in trouble ?”

“You humans… Do you  not  show no mercy towards your enemies?”

“Actually, we helped them rebuild!” Mar-Vell’s eyes widened, “Yeah! We offer aid and supplies so that we don’t end up on bad terms after the war!”

“Strange,” Mar-Vell said as he looked towards the knocking at the door,

“Don’t worry, it’s just pizza,” Rick said as he took out his wallet, taking out fifty bucks. With a quick chat and exchange of goods, Rick carried back three boxes of pizza and a container of wings, “Can… Can you eat Earth food?”

“I can convert certain matter into chemical energy. I’m just glad that I can breathe the same air as you,” Mar-Vell said, “And in times of desperation, I ate Skrull delicacies, and survived that,” Mar-Vell eyed up his first slice of pizza, the cheese oozing as the sizzling pepperoni slices covered the pizza. He mimicked Rick by folding the pizza and biting into the pizza.

After three boxes and sharing the wings as they watched a movie, Mar-Vell was stuffed as Rick reached for the remote,

“Don’t worry, Rick, I got it,” Mar-Vell waved his hands, changing the tv channel,

“How do you do that? Do you have telekinesis?” Mar-Vell pointed towards the ceiling, turning the room light on and off,

“As one of the Kree, I have a bio-electric aura that surrounds my body. With this, I can manipulate anything with metal and electronics,” Mar-Vell said as he summoned his alien device, “Though, nothing bigger than, say, an apple. Though, I do admit your planet’s gravity is incredibly weak compared to our homeworld, Hala. Makes everything feel like it’s made of feathers!”

“Huh, and that’s how you guys conquered half the universe?” Rick asked as Mar-Vell smiled,

“No, we can absorb energy too. From the sun in the sky, the electricity in these walls, the plasma in the neon signs on the streets, we can convert that energy and…  Manipulate  it,” Mar-Vell stood up, taking a swig of a root beer soda, looking down at Rick, “Wanna see?” Rick nodded his head up and down as Mar-Vell closed his eyes.

Throughout the neighborhood, the lights started to flicker on and off, dimming as Mar-Vell started to float. His hands started to glow as he opened his golden eyes, his stark white hair becoming a shimmering blond set of locks,

“WHOA!!! THAT’S AWESOME!!!” Rick said, smiling as Mar-Vell looked at him. Mar floated back down, sighing as the energy left him, and fled back to the neighborhood, “Dude, you’re a freaking superhero!”

“A… Superhero?” Mar-Vell asked,

“Yeah! Someone who uses their powers to help the weak!” Mar-Vell shook his head,

“Rick, I’m… I’m no hero, just a coward…”

“Look, you being merciful doesn’t mean you’re a chicken!” Rick looked up, standing up as Mar-Vell looked at himself in disappointment, “You standing up for the little guy, in the face of everyone around you saying that you’re wrong for doing the right thing? I can’t think of anything more braver!”

“Look at what you humans expect,” Mar-Vell said as the TV changed, seeing a gigantic, slick Xenomorph bite into someone’s head. It then changed again to show Marvin the Martian trying and blow up the Earth. Finally, it changed to the White House blowing up as humanity faced their  Independence Day , “You will all see me as a monster. I belong elsewhere, away from this planet,”

“Or, we’ll see you as I see you!” Rick changed the channel one more time, showing off a man in blue spandex and red cape, flying up, up, and away, “Someone who’ll do the right thing, when we don’t know what that is,”

“I… How can I be a hero, when I couldn’t… save…” Mar-Vell collapsed on the couch, his eyes tired of making tears, but found enough to let some roll down his cheeks, “I was the sole survivor, Rick. Of my squad, I alone survived. This… Trans-Communicator that I’ve been trying to fix,” Mar-Vell said as he held it up, “Is supposed to contact our commander, Yon-Rogg, but… For some reason, he isn’t responding!”

“Could he have been shot down?” Rick then gasped, “We should look for him!”

“No!” Mar-Vell said, “We can’t risk that, and even then, how would we know he crashed near this town?”

“We’ll never know till we try! I say we should hit up the bar, and ask around. And hey,” Rick said as he grabbed his leather jacket, “Wouldn’t hurt to drink a few beers,”

“I don’t have to be an alien to know  you’re  too young to drink, Jones,” Rick groaned as Mar-Vell looked through the blinds, “I have a better idea: My ship!”

“You can still get it working, even after it crashed?” Mar-Vell shrugged,

“I wouldn’t know the full extent of the damage, and we would have to get past Ms. Danvers and whoever worked for here,” Mar-Vell groaned as he looked at himself in the mirror, “And besides, everyone’s gonna look at the guy with snow-white hair,”

“Not if we give it the  Rick Jones  makeover!” Rick said as he dashed into the bathroom. Mar-Vell followed, seeing Rick hold a bottle of black hair dye and a business suit. After half an hour of drying and washing, Mar-Vell put on his suit as Rick walked into the room,

“Who’s suit is this?” Mar-Vell asked, “Yours?”

“Nah, and it ain’t my foster dad’s…” Rick said, shoving his hands in his pockets, “It’s my dad’s, my  real  dad. My parents died, and I bounced from foster home to foster home,” Rick chuckled as he rubbed his arm, “I figured it wouldn’t look suspicious if people thought you were my… Dad. Or, brother at least.” Mar-Vell looked at himself in the mirror, waving at himself,

“Hello! My name is… Mar…vin Jones, Marvin Jones!” Mar-Vell looked over at Rick, “How’s that?”

“Perfect!” Rick said as the two approached the door, “Hey, where’s your space suit?” Mar-Vell smiled, pointing towards the dull gray and green watch on his wrist,

“Don’t worry, I have it close on hand.” The two walked out of the house, heading down towards the bar as a black car crept closely behind.

Marvin Jones was a new face around town, the people smiling and shaking his hand as Rick showed him around town. The two quickly came up with a story that Marvin was Rick’s brother, trying to bring a dead dad back to life seemed harder than a brother coming to visit his younger brother seemed more realistic.

Trying to get a car was easier than Rick would’ve thought. Turns out, being an alien that can unlock any lock and start any engine made things  way  easier. The only thing that stood in the way of driving off with a new hot rod was… Mar-Vell.

“We can’t, Rick,” Mar-Vell said, “It isn’t ours. We’ll be better if we walk.”

“Or  flew ?” Mar-Vell raised an eyebrow as he looked down at Rick, shaking his head,

“Too many eyes, and it’s kinda weird to fly with another person,”

“Really?” Rick said,

“Yeah, try running while holding another person,” Mar-Vell looked down the street, glancing at the black car down the street, “We’ve been marked,” Mar-Vell whispered, stopping Rick from turning around, “Don’t look, keep moving.”

The two dove into a bar, the smell of cigarettes and cheap beer hung in the air as Mar-Vell helped guide Rick through the crowd. They sat down, Rick shaking his head as he looked out the window,

“Jeeze, the Hulk didn’t have an issue dealing with this!” Mar-Vell looked around, weighing his options as he eyed up the crowd,

“Don’t worry, Rick, it’ll all be--” Mar-Vell stopped, glancing back at a face in the crowd. It was an instant, a singular moment, a passing glance that wouldn’t mean anything if it weren’t for those eyes. Those tell-tale wrinkles. Mar-Vell locked eyes with a mechanic who looked straight at Mar-Vell. Mar then looked over, seeing the sheriff’s deputy looking at him with such strong intent, “Stay here, and keep quiet,” Rick looked up as Mar-Vell stood up, ordering a plate of fries for Rick as he stepped towards the back door.

Mar-Vell stepped out in the back alley, waiting as the Deputy and the Mechanic stepped outside. Mar-Vell looked at the two, his frown heavy as they stepped down in front of him, their forms shifting,

“You’re not supposed to be here,” Mar-Vell said as his hands and eyes began to glow, the lights around the two shifting forms flickering as they morphed,

“We could say the same,” said the Skrull who was the Deputy, “This planet belongs to the Skrulls, Kree scum!”

“This planet belongs to itself,” With a flash, the hair dye burnt away as golden hair glowed, Mar-Vell clicked his watch as he stepped forward. With an instant, Mar-Vell felt his battle armor morph out, coming out of the watch like a Russian doll. Captain Mar-Vell floated in the air, beckoning the two Skrulls, “Let’s get this over with.”

The mechanic skrull buffed out his form, becoming a hulking mass of muscle as the deputy skrull morphed out more limbs, becoming a four-armed maniac wielding a human pistol, two laser blasters, and a morphing the last arm into a prehensile shiv. Mar-Vell stepped forward, focusing his energy on the aura.

The hulking skrull slammed his fist into Mar-Vell, barely shrugging the blow as he raised his hand at the armed skrull taking aim, letting out a stream of raw photonic energy, knocking the armed skrull into the wall, blinding him as well. The hulking skrull growled, morphing his head into that of a canine-like snout.

Mar-Vell held the jaws of the hulking Skrull open, changing the focus of his energy into flight. Mar-Vell carried the Skrull in the air, slamming it into the street in front of the bar. Mar-Vell fired both photonic bolts, blasting the Skrull down on the floor. Mar-Vell looked out the window, seeing stunned faces as they saw two aliens fighting in the street.

Over the rooftop, the armed Skrull has morphed into a sort of spider creature, its multiple limbs climbing down as its pincers went to stab at Mar-Vell. Mar dodged the attacks, using his photonic flight to fly around, firing photonic bolts at the two creatures as the hulking Skrull stood back up. It grunted, forming wings off its back as it flapped and followed the flying Kree warrior.

Mar-Vell twisted around, trying to aim his hand to focus the bolt of pure photon energy. But he couldn’t risk it, if he missed he could hit someone on the ground. Mar flew around, allowing the Skrull with wings to follow as the Skrull at the bottom molded and reshaped his back. From his back, coming from pores that expanded out, large quills as hard as diamonds fired out at Mar-Vell. 

Mar pressed his hand against his wrist, grabbing a plate off his metallic armor as it morphed out, unfolding into a flat, diamond shield as he blocked the swarm of quills coming after him. Mar-Vell then flew towards the flying skrull, bashing the shield covered in sharp quills into the Skrull, causing him to groan and cry out in pain, his wings drooping as Mar-Vell pushed him off. The flying Skrull crashed into the ground as Mar-Vell hovered above the spiked spider skrull,

“Enough! Your ally is injured, go now so you may live another day!”

“You show us… Mercy?” The Skrull looked confused, shaking his head, “We must battle to the death, only one race must reign supreme! Death to the Kree!”

“Woe to the Skrulls,” Mar-Vell said with such dissatisfaction, flying towards the Skrull as quills fired out once more, allowing it time to morph one last time. The arms thickened out as its skin became scaled and armored, resembling a multi-armed armadillo. They roared as Mar-Vell raised his hand, glowing blue as the momentum of the quills halted, robbing them of their kinetic energy. Mar-Vell then angled himself, boosting himself with the robbed kinetic energy as he turned on his Photonic flight, dodging around the swipes of the armored Skrull. Mar-Vell landed on the back of the skrull, lifting his hands and slamming them down, shifting the energy from photonic light to sparking electricity, frying the hell out of the skrull.

Mar-Vell looked around, the skrull who flew crashed into a rooftop, and the skrull below Mar-Vell convulsed and collapsed. Both were alive, but what fate would they have after? If they returned to their empire as failures, they’d be executed. If Mar-Vell took them to any Kree world, they would be executed. If Mar-Vell left them here in this world… Execution? Dissection? Eternal imprisonment? Mar-Vell wondered how humanity would judge the galaxy beyond, as a crowd of people began to form from outside their buildings.

“Whoa, it’s a spaceman!” Said a local, as Rick budged out of their way. Mar-Vell looked at the people around, seeing their wonderstruck,

“It’s a superhero!” Rick shouted out, “Three cheers for Captain Marvel!” The crowd erupted in cheer as Mar looked around. They chanted his name, even though they were saying it wrong, it was catchy. Mar-Vell smiled, but it quickly faded as black cars swarmed the area, men and women in black suits stormed through the crowd as they raised their weapons at Mar-Vell,

“Freeze!” Carol shouted, pointing her gun at the Kree warrior, “You are under arrest under the orders of Shield, stand down!”

“Hey!” Rick said as he stood in her way, blocking the gun with himself, “He just saved us and kicked the crap out of some aliens!”

“He  is  an alien, and his friends are being detained too,” Carol said as she narrowed her eyes, “And I knew from the moment you walked out with him that you were in on it. You’re lucky you're not a legal adult yet, but you better have a good lawyer if you’re trying to get out of juvie.”

“Stop,” Mar-Vell said as he walked forward, his hands in the air as he approached, “I will go, leave Rick alone. He only wanted to help, and is that such a crime for your world?” Carol frowned, looking back at the young kid,

“Get out of here, kid,” Carol told Rick, placing genetic locks on Mar-Vell. Mar realized these locks were not designed for his race, still feeling the buzzing of electricity and light around the town and inside the truck. But he chose to remain detained and chose to enter the back of their armored truck, smiling at a mortified Rick as the doors slammed.

Carol looked at the alien warrior across from her, furrowing her frown as he continued to smile at her. She folded her arms, shaking her head as the truck kept driving along. Mar-Vell looked out through the window, seeing the other trucks that carried the Skrulls,

“What do you plan to do with them?” Mar-Vell asked, shocking Carol. She thought he would be in silence the whole time, but steeled herself as she talked to the extraterrestrial,

“Why you ask, afraid what will happen to you?” Mar-Vell just smiled, looking down,

“I have no regrets about what happened to me,” Mar-Vell said, “Just wanted to talk with someone, as I can’t talk to Rick.”

“So, no telepathy, just flight and laser beams. Let me guess, a green rock’s your kryptonite?” Mar-Vell raised an eyebrow as he looked up toward the stars,

“No, the Kree have no such weaknesses. And besides,” the Kree warrior simply broke his genetic locks, rubbing his wrists, “You humans have no weapons that  could  kill us.”

“You seem so sure,” Carol said calmly, knowing this alien wanted to talk to her and not blast his way out, “Why is that?”

“We can take any energy and convert it into other forms of energy,” Mar-Vell laid his hand out, shifting it from heat, electricity, and light, “It’s how I can eat and breathe your food and air, I can just convert it into energy.”

“Wait, what are--”

“And those Skrulls? They can shapeshift, change their form, and take on the face and voice of those you love. The two I faced in town were just greenhorned warriors who thought they could take on a Kree soldier by themselves. The more experienced ones blend in with your society, reach positions of power, and destroy your culture from the inside out. Beware both races.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Carol asked, “What purpose would it serve for you to give up your people’s secrets?”

“Because this world is scarily behind. Your best weapon is merely a toy compared to the ones the Kree and the Skrulls have, atomic weaponry is best compared to stone tools to us. We can open portals to another realm made entirely of anti-matter, a horrible, dreaded universe that tries to enter ours. Your atomic bombs have nothing compared to the Negative Zone,” Captain Marvel looked out again in the window, noticing off to the distance a motorcycle following close behind them, “I care deeply for this world, and I would hate to see it torn asunder between two galactic empires.”

“You’re… You’re  warning  us?” Carol said, “God, you are the weirdest prisoner I’ve ever caught,”

“And you’re the most beautiful lieutenant that I’ve ever seen,” Carol was taken aback as Mar-Vell let out a solemn frown, “You… Remind me so much of my wife, Una.”

“Una…” Carol remembered back to the Kree bodies in the ship, remembering the blue woman on the ground, “Oh God, she… You… Mourned her?”

“Yes…” Mar-Vell said, “We… We were about to enter the atmosphere when we were shot down. I tried my best to pilot the ship, but when I regained consciousness and saw… She was my love, my eternal star,”

“My God, I’m… So sorry,” Carol said, “She was beautiful,”

“Yes,” Mar-Vell said,

“Strange how you have so many different colors,” Carol said, “Are you all Kree?”

“The Kree have a vaster selection of pigmentation, though the blue-skinned Kree are the oldest, and have the most power.”

“Why? Your powers become different?”

“Our ‘Powers’ are just as natural to us as shapeshifting is to the Skrulls, but no. Only the minds of the blue-skinned Kree can meld into the Supreme Intelligence, and--”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Supreme Intelligence?” Carol said, “Is that your leader?”

“More like our God. A genetic combination of the brightest minds of the Blue Kree, able to contort energies even we regular Kree have any hope of harnessing. Psionic, radiation, gravitational, it is both supreme leader and religious icon,” Mar-Vell looked down in confusion, “As to why they chose me as the scout to investigate humanity and their progression of technology, I do not know.”

“You were personally picked?” Carol frowned as she looked out the same window, “I know how that kind of pressure feels.”

“Be glad you didn’t end up in my position, to  fail  to meet that pressure.”

“Hey, you may have crashed, but you're not at fault?”

“Then how come my commander hasn’t responded?” Mar-Vell asked, “My end is working, but Colonel Yon-Rogg has yet to respond…”

“Maybe he was attacked, which was how you guys got shot down,” Carol looked out the window again at the trucks, “I bet anything those Skrulls are behind it.”

“And why is that?” Mar-Vell asked, “Because they’re more grotesque than I?”

“What, no! They… Attacked you in a public area--”

“Because they found an intergalactic enemy in the same world as them. Odds like that are in the billions, trillions even, and yet here we are.”

“Are there other aliens?” Carol asked, “Besides the Kree and Skrulls?”

“Of course. Worlds that deny both empires are welcomed into the Shi’ar empire, a much more democratic part of space than either. The Brood are parasites, hopping from planet to planet, devouring anything in sight. Korbinites are nomads, fleeing a devastation that burns worlds in their trail.”

“Sounds like a busy cosmos,” Carol said, “Any aliens in our backyard?”

“Well, besides the humans we tampered with over a million years ago, none that we have scanned,” Mar-Vell then rubbed his chin, “Though, we found ruins and structures on the moons of your gas giants, though no life was found.”

“Amazing,” Carol said, “Colan, you getting this?” Carol said to the front of the truck, but was puzzled as no one responded, “Colan?”

“Carol--” Mar-Vell tried to warn Carol, but both were shocked as a container of tear gas was thrown inside, the latched shut as Carol and Mar-Vell held their breath. Mar tried to summon enough energy to melt the metal to the door but felt his strength fail as he and Carol succumbed to unconsciousness.

“You know too much,” Colan said as his form shifted, driving towards the crash site as the other trucks followed, the agents inside dead as the Skrulls shifted to their form. The trucks arrived, getting inside the base with little difficulty. When they stepped out, however, they went to work.

Rick drove through the sands on his motorcycle, making sure to keep his distance so that he didn’t get spotted. He drove past the checkout point and wondered as he was halfway towards the site why there weren’t any guards. When he saw trails of blood on the floor of the tarped-up lab, Rick held his breath as he stepped off his motorcycle.

He snuck through the site, seeing puddles of blood, but no bodies. Rick peeked around the corner, seeing the pit of the crater. He looked over and gasped. At the bottom of the pit, next to the damaged ship, was a pile of bodies. Tossed aside like trash, as three skrulls worked to fix the ship. Rick gulped, creeping up towards the edge of the crater,

“Is the earth woman and Kree scum secured?” Said one of the Skrulls as another stepped out of the ship,

“Yes, no thanks to both of your incompetence!” The Skrull leader said as he looked at the two other Skrulls, “To attack a Kree warrior head-on is not the way of our empire! Look how I dismantled this base, by merely  pretending  to be one of them!”

“But not all of them have abilities we can create!” Said the Skrull on the wing of the ship, “Richards and his family proven that quite well, and we were almost left off as cattle!”

“ You  were almost as cattle,  I  was the one who broke out of their trance,” The Skrull looked horrified as he recounted their failed mission, “We cannot go back to our emperor, but we  can  flee! Take this ship and blend in with the Shi’ar empire!”

“Treason? To go A.W.O.L? If we were found out, we would be slaughtered?”

“Well, it’s either here or up in the stars, and I refuse to die in this backwatered world!” Rick weighed his options, and sprung for it!

Rick slid down the side of the crater, running right past the Skrull commander as he dashed into the ship,

“What!?!”

“A human! He will ruin everything!”

“Kill him!” Rick dashed over to the chairs of the ship, seeing bodies of Kree soldiers tossed aside as Carol and Mar were wrapped in metal in the seats.

“Mar? Captain Marvel!” Rick called out as the Skrulls entered the ship, closing the door behind them. Rick looked up in horror as they morphed their hands into sharp edges. However, he felt relieved as he felt intense heat melting through the metal,

“I gave you Skrulls a chance,” Captain Marvel said as he stood up, his eyes glowing as he started to float in the air, “Now you shall feel the wrath of Hala!” Marvel blasted down bolts of photonic energy as the Skrulls rapidly morphed out of the way. Mar pressed against his arm, the metal morphing to become two swords which Mar focused electricity down into. He battled the Skrulls, deflecting their sharp hands as he stabbed and prodded them, burning their nerves as they rapidly changed shape and size.

Rick pulled at the metal as Carol regained consciousness, seeing Mar-Vell shove his hand into the chest of a Skrull, letting the heat melt through their torso as they writhed in pain, his red hot swords digging into the stomach of another Skrull as the last one fell to their knees,

“Mercy! Mercy!” The Skrull cried out as the others let out pleading eyes,

“Mercy? Why should I give mercy to those who do not? So that you may run towards your masters and enslave this world?” Mar then lifted his blade high in the air, staring down the Skrull warriors,

“No!” Rick said, stopping Mar-Vell from releasing the deadly blow, “They just want to run away, and be free from this Kree-Skrull war!” Rick stepped forward, looking at Mar-Vell in the eyes, “You don’t want to kill, don’t make them do that, don’t give that to them.” Mar looked at the Skrulls, narrowing his eyes,

“We have an interdimensional magnetron on the Kree scout ship, small enough to send an asteroid into the Negative Zone. I can recalibrate it to send you somewhere else, far from this dimension,”

“Thank you!” The Skrulls said as they got to their knees, “Thank you!”

“But first, bury the dead outside, and fix my ship,” Mar-Vell said as he leaned in, “Better that you who were the ones that shot me down--”

“We did not shoot you down!” The Skrull commander said, “We’ve been marooned on this planet for years, this was our only chance to get off this horrible world!”

“Wait,” Carol said as she was still weighed down in her chair, “If you didn’t shoot Mar-Vell down, who did?”

“I don’t know,” Mar-Vell said as the Skrulls began to work on the ship, “But once we get this ship flying, I’ll try to see if Rogg’s ship is still in orbit,” Mar approached the console of the ship, placing his hands on the smooth metal. His hands glowed, alighting the terminal with his touch. The ship hummed as it recognized it’s master user,

Recognized Captain Mahr-Vehl

“Mahr-Vehl?” Rick asked,

“It’s in Kree,” Mar-Vell said, “Vowels are much more harsher than your language, well… This language.”

“Why America?” Carol asked, “You could’ve gone to India, China, Russia, or any other power player, why America?”

“It was the first to establish contact with another celestial object,” Mar-Vell explained as power lit up the ship, illuminating it all with a clean, fluorescent light, revealing the torn, damaged innards of the ship… And the one Kree body that was left untouched. Mar gasped, slowly approaching his wife, “Una… Suggested America, wishing to study… How this  culture  works. S-she,” Mar said as he slowly lifted his wife, “She wished to examine how this culture was able to incorporate  so many  diverse cultures and assimilate them through non-violent means. We recognize it has flaws, sure, but no other culture in this universe has this ability. She recognized your beauty, which is why I chose America as our landing site.”

“She is beautiful,” Carol said as Mar-Vell carried Una-Vell outside, seeing the Skrulls honoring the dead with symbols of their respective religions and gods,

“Though we may have taken their lives, we thought it was necessary,” The Skrull commander tried to explain, “Best they die now with honor than be ignored and mocked till their inevitable death amongst our war.”

“Who knows how many have been lost,” Mar-Vell said as he lifted his hand, making the dirt in his path float by turning off their gravitational link, gently lowering his wife into the grave, “Billions…  Trillions ? Una wished for it to end in our lifetime…” Mar-Vell then looked up to the stars, taking upon his silent vow, whispering only to himself and Una, “ For you, my love, I shall make it so… ”

The ship, repaired, took off as Rick, Carol, and the three Skrulls were led by Mar-Vell into the stars. Three races, united for this one moment, were only witnessed by the marked graves. Crosses, moons, and stars were marked on them all, with two graves being marked with the symbol of a planet with an asteroid belt. The final grave, marked with the symbol of the house of Vell, was that of a supernova, glistening with beauty even in the face of death.

The Earth was silent and still as Captain Mar-Vell piloted his ship. On board, Rick pointed at the oceans and continents below, in awe of the sheer size of his own world. A view that would be given once in a lifetime to anyone in the world of humanity, mundane to Mar-Vell. However, just seeing Rick’s infatuation was infectious, smiling as he looked over at Carol,

“Ever seen your planet like this?” Mar-Vell asked,

“Once,” Carol said, “Before I was a Shield agent, I was a test pilot. My guts of steel and instincts got Colonel Fury’s attention, and I was transferred,” Carol looked out, seeing the vast, inky darkness beyond her homeworld, “To see the world like this, behind just a few inches of glass, made me feel small. How can I do my part to help the world  test airplanes? ”

“You aspire to do more?” Mar-Vell said, “It seems you have pulled more than your fair share, what more can you do?”

“Honestly,” Carol said, smiling at her own silliness, “I wish I was a superhero.”

“Awesome!” Rick said, “Well don’t worry, I know  plenty  of superheroes and--”

“Name one besides an armored drunk and a rage monster,” Carol said, getting Rick to stop talking, “I mean like Captain America, someone who knows what is right and what the right thing to do is. That  has  to be a power, right? The ability to know what the right thing to do is, right?”

“Hrmm…” Mar-Vell thought to himself, thinking of the alien races he has come in contact with, “Have  you  seen anyone in the cosmos with this ability?” Behind Mar-Vell and the two humans, three Skrulls shifted uncomfortably in the chairs as they took on their real Skrull forms. Rick thought they looked like some sort of frog goblins. Carol thought they looked like fishermen. But Mar couldn’t help but see the faces of those he has slaughtered, those who have slaughtered those he knew. And Mar thought of the Skrull that he let go, and the faint sense of hope he had for the two of their races and themselves.

“None that we have encountered,” The Skrull commander said, “Though, we believe humanity perhaps has the potential.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Carol said, “ Potential ?”

“It is…  Something  we have encountered with the humans of this planet. A small percentage carry a gene that can activate extraordinary powers, one’s only found within the Shi’ar Empire… But then, we found…  Them. ”

“ Richards ,” The Skrull to the left of the commander grumbled, “We thought best to hinder the Fantastic Four, and so we took the disguise of leaders of your city,  New York , and dragged their name through the mud. Of course,  Richards  and his accursed family revealed our ruse, and threatened to expose us to the world if we didn’t follow his hypnotic command…”

“For years,” said the Skrull of the right of the commander, “We were forced to take on the shape of… Of…  Cattle!!  We ate grass and mooed, our minds and higher thoughts ceased as he roamed the pastured land of this world. I thank our commander, otherwise, we may’ve ended up in the slaughterhouse!!!”

“But the Fantastic Four are just the start!” The Skrull commander warned, “Soon, within this lifetime or the next, this planet will be crawling with superhuman beings, either caused through genetic anomalies or radioactive tampering.”

“You sound  afraid ,” Rick said, “What, we might have an evolutionary peak, like the Kree?”

“No… We’re afraid that humans  don’t  have a limit, that they can keep…  Evolving ,” The Skrull Commander looked towards Mar-Vell, “If either of our commanders discovers just how valuable this planet is, it shall be torn between whoever shall claim ownership.”

“And knowing both our sides,” Mar-Vell said as he eyed the radar, seeing a ship nearby past the cloud of junk that orbited the Earth, “There won’t be any peace treaties over Earth. It’ll either be in control of one side or be blasted into annihilation!”

Mar-Vell boarded the ship, which could be more accurately described as a station, one big enough to house Mar-Vell’s ship. The hull seemed to be intact, with no sign of power failure or oxygen loss, so Mar-Vell was left puzzled,

“Here,” Mar-Vell said as he handed Carol and Rick oxygen masks, “Although we have some oxygen in our ship’s atmosphere, it’ll be like that on top of a mountain for you. Keep those masks on, unless you want to lose consciousness.”

“This is so cool!” Rick said, “It’s just like  Star Wars! ”

“How am I gonna explain this to Fury?” Carol said to herself, “First aliens, now interdimensional war technology? What next, an evil space emperor?”

“Oh, you mean Annhilus!” The Skrulls chimed in, which caused Carol to pause,

“No time to explain,” Mar-Vell said as he approached the three Skrulls, “While it may disgust me to do this, I request you disguise yourselves as my crewmembers. Phylla, Genis, and… Una. Otherwise, Rogg will kill you three on sight.”

“Understood,” The Skrull commander said as his men morphed, becoming the dead Kree scientists, “Whatever life the Kree have after this one, may they prosper in honor!”

“We… Don’t have an afterlife,” Mar-Vell said, “We are but energy, inhabiting bodies evolved to handle this superior gift, once we die… We dissipate, and fade away.”

“What about the psionic energy?” Carol said, “Remember, what the Supreme Intelligence has?”

“That’s cause they are the combined minds of the brightest Kree over eons of historic warfare. But it is unknown if other lifeforms have this energy.” Mar-Vell then smiled, “Instead, cheer on as our atoms shall break down, becoming dirt and nutrients, until the world dies and becomes one with its star, which shall die and become more stars,” Mar-Vell tapped onto his watch, taking off his helmet.

The metal armor on his suit became gold, while his gray and green uniform became a red and blue uniform. Instead of the planet of Hala as his chest symbol, it is the supernova sign of the house of Vell. Without his helmet, Mar-Vell only had a mask that covered his face, but cut off at the top to show his stark white hair,

“Let us board this ship with honor, but let it be tempered with sorrow.” Mar led them aboard, taking his eyes off the mockery of his wife that the Skrull had to wear, and focused on Carol. She was scared, how could she not be, but the way she kept herself together and put on a wall of stone made Mar-Vell keep himself together.

The ship’s interior told a different tale than the outside. The paneling on the walls was either scorched or pulled apart. Mar immediately took the lead as Carol unclipped her gun. Rick stayed close behind, as the six intrepid adventurers slowly marched towards the bridge of the station,

“The Interdimensional Magnitron is on the bridge,” Mar-Vell said, “We use it to have contact with the homeworld, but if I can distract Rogg, we could divert it to any location in our known dimensions.”

“I say the Microverse,” Said the Skrull pretending to be Phylla, “What, it’s nice and humid down there!”

“Yeah, and there’s lizardmen!” Said the Skrull pretending to be Genis, “I say we should go to Elysium!”

“Ooo, hot goddesses and angels!”

“Enough of your prattling,” Mar-Vell said, his mercy wearing thin, “We’re here, act like Kree, damn it!” Mar shook with rage, still angry that some force in the universe decided that  he  would be left alive to face this macabre charade. He swallowed his disgust and opened the doors to the bridge.

The bridge to the station was torn apart, and Mar-Vell’s fellow Kree officers were slain and left dead on the floor. Mar gasped as he tried to shield Rick’s eyes, futile as he stared at the sole person alive. The man in question snapped his head towards the group, gasping as his blue armored Kree battle suit shined with its cobalt blue and emerald blood,

“Vell! You live!?” Mar-Vell stepped forward, aghast at the situation,

“Yon-Rogg? What have you done?”

“What was  necessary !” Yon-Rogg said as his eyes and hands glowed a neon green, floating as electric sparks flew off his shining armor, “How you all live, I do not know,”

“Wait, you knew…” Mar’s eyes widened, his fists clenching as his nerves shook, “You…  YOU  shot us down!”

“By order of Ronan, Vell,” Rogg said, “I was dealing with a traitor to our empire!”

“Traitor? I won my case! The Supreme Intelligence--”

“The Supreme Intelligence has been disbarred and imprisoned by the Kree Council,” Rogg said as he tightened his fists as Mar-Vell began to glow with photonic light, “And  they  determined you guilty.”

“And like that, you followed their commands?”

“Yes,” Rogg then looked at Una, “It is not too late, Una. I was worried you might’ve perished, but I knew you would persevere. Leave Mar-Vell, become my Una-Rogg, and we--”

“HOW DARE YOU!!!” Mar-Vell said as he flew into Rogg, slamming him into the panels of the ship. Mar’s fists flew at speeds only lightning and light could outmatch, punching and beating down Rogg as the Colonel formed a shield with his high-tech armor, “You monster! Do you have any idea the amount of lives  lost  from your actions!?”

“And that’s why I could never stand you Mar-Vell!” Rogg said as he stood forward, towering over Mar-Vell as he shifted his energy. Heat blasted out of the room, causing Carol and Rick to sweat as Rogg’s eyes beamed a crimson red, “You could never take a life for your people! And could I tolerate a coward, sure… But to let one of the enemy go? To spare a Skrull when you had every opportunity to kill them… You  betrayed  your people, and we shall never forgive you!”

“To  hell  with you all!” Mar-Vell said, knocking Rogg back as the commander stopped his kinetic energy, hovering in the air as he slammed back down on Mar-Vell. Mar felt the metal underneath him crunch as the kinetic energy was knocked back into him, “We could make this galaxy, this  universe  a brighter place, but you all would rather watch it burn!”

“Better it burn than be in the gross mitts of those Skrulls!” Suddenly, Rogg screamed as the Skrulls leaped forward, stabbing him as their faces morphed away, “U-Una?”

“She’s dead, Rogg!” Mar-Vell said as he stood, “She died by your hand, the woman you  loved … The woman  I  loved… Is this damned empire worth that?” Rogg stood up as the Skrulls readied themselves, Carol and Rick taking cover as Rogg backed up towards the terminal,

“Damn you… Damn you Vell, to  oblivion  to you all!” Rogg slammed his hand on the terminal, turning on the Interdimensional Magnitron. But it was not to Hala… No, far worse… Mar felt his rage dissipate as horror filled him completely as he and everyone on the Kree station stared into the vast, unknowable realm of the Negative Zone.

The station warped and shook, the Magnitron pulsating as reality distorted around them. Mar-Vell held onto the station by magnetically sticking to the floor, seeing the three Skrulls fly out into the dreaded realm of anti-matter. Rogg stood above Mar-Vell, stepping one boot at a time as he used the magnetic energy to get closer to Mar-Vell,

“May your atoms be shredded into infinity, Vell! May your eternal grave be endless entropy and void!”

“To hell with you!” Carol yelled out, firing her gun at Rogg. Rogg instinctively reached out, stopping the kinetic energy of the bullets, only to feel the magnetic pull of his boots fades. Rogg yelled out as he was sucked into the gateway, holding onto the sides as he reached out his hand. Carol yelped, falling forward as she was pulled by her metal gun, “AHHH!!!”

“CAROL!!!” Mar-Vell shouted, jumping after her as he shoved Rogg out of the way, their molecules rearranging as they fell into the Negative Zone. Mar-Vell looked on as the gateway from the Interdimensional Magnitron drifted off, looking around for Carol, “Carol, Carol!”

In the distance, Mar-Vell spotted Carol. He flew towards her, only to be knocked out of his trajectory. Rogg snarled, charging through the expansive, surreal dimension, flying straight for a floating piece of rubble,

“Prepare for annihilation, Mar-Vell!” The Kree captain grunted, shifting the Kree colonel around as his eyes glowed a deep purple,

“It’s Captain Marvel!” With everything he had, Mar-Vell summoned enough anti-gravitational energy to propel Rogg away from him, dashing through the negative space to get to Carol,

“VELLLLLL!!!!!” Rogg screamed, crashing into the floating rubble. With a blinding light and a deafening scream, Mar-Vell looked back to see for an instant the disintegration of Colonel Yon-Rogg, his particles torn apart till there was nothing left on the quantum level. As though he never existed,

“Good riddance,” Mar-Vell said, catching Carol as he summoned whatever photonic energy was left in him to correct his course. He flew toward the Interdimensional Magnetron, holding Carol tight as they once again transmitted their molecules together. In the swirling vortex, he could hear a voice as he began to return to the material dimension,

MAHR-VEHL… I KNOW YOU… YOU ARE WORTHY…

Mar-Vell grunted, feeling his mind submitting as he had no choice but to hear this psionic voice, his own thoughts pushed aside,

FREE ME, MAHR-VEHL… AND I SHALL… REWARD YOU…

Captain Marvel gasped as he stepped out of the Magnitron, Carol in his arms as he slammed his hand on the terminal. With a touch of his hand, the Interdimensional Magnitron was turned off as Marvel set Carol down,

“Are… Are you okay?” Rick asked as Marvel stood back up,

“Yes… Rogg has been dealt with… But it appears there has been a change in plans.”

“What do you mean?” Rick asked as he followed Marvel, who went down into the shuttle bay, “Hey, is she going to be okay?”

“She’s going to be fine,” Marvel said, “Though, I never seen two separate races enter through the Interdimensional Magnitron at once, usually just Kree enter.”

“Well, it seems like it did an effect on you,” Rick said pointing at Marvel’s hair. He looked, seeing golden blond hair, hair that matched Carol’s hair, “Are you part human then?”

“If that’s the case…” Marvel looked down at Carol, who groaned as she slowly woke up,

“W-wha… What the fuck?” She looked around, confused, “I thought, where… What?”

“It’s alright, I’ll take you all home,” Marvel said, “Though, I must go.” Rick gasped, getting out of his chair as Marvel flew toward the planet,

“What, why?” Rick asked as the ship descended through the clouds, entering the airspace of Scarsdale, Arizona, “You just got here! Weren’t you going to stay?”

“I’ll be back,” Marvel said, “But I have to do something, hopefully something that’ll help out the cosmos at large.”

“ Will  you be back?” Carol said as they stepped out of the spaceship, “You said there was an interdimensional war out there, what do you need to go back for?”

“It seems the Supreme Intelligence has been captured,” Captain Marvel said, “If I can rescue them, perhaps it can be convinced to write up a peace treaty with the Skrulls.”

“But, this planet needs you!” Carol said, clenching her fists as her hands began to glow. She gasped, her eyes lighting up too as they quickly faded away. She looked at her hands in disbelief, Captain Marvel smirking as he approached her, handing her a Kree watch,

“It seems this world has you,” Captain Marvel said, seeing Carol lighting her hands back up again in wonderment, “I wish I could stay and help you learn, but--”

“Psh, I got this!” Carol said, leaping in the air. She zoomed off, laughing manaically in the air as she zoomed around. Marvel looked at Rick, who stared slackjawed as Carol crashed back into the ground,

“You got her back?”

“I got yours, don’t I?” Rick said, “Wish I got powers, though…”

“You do have a power,” Marvel said as he saluted Rick before going back into his ship, “Being a friend when someone needs one.”

“I’ll… I’ll miss you, Mar-Vell,” Rick said as Marvel patted him on the shoulder, “Just don’t be gone for too long, okay?”

“Don’t worry, Rick. I promise,” Marvel looked over at the ship, flying into it as he entered the ship, raising a thumbs up as the ship’s door closed. Rick smiled as he waved at Marvel’s ship, seeing the newest warrior of the cosmos head off to defend the stars above. 

Carol picked herself up, chuckling as she finally had something up her sleeve that would blow the socks off of Fury,

“So, uh, you don’t think these powers come with an instruction manual, huh?” Carol asked the teenager,

“Maybe that watch has something?” Rick asked as Carol put the watch on her wrist, pressing the button. Suddenly, Carol gasped as her watch opened up, metal morphing out as Carol’s being was made into pure light. She then stood in place, wearing a black and gold battle suit on, wearing a red scarf around her neck as the same symbol that Mar-Vell wore was emblazoned on her chest, “Cool, super-suit!”

“Alright, hop on,” Carol said as her eyes glowed through her domino mask, Rick jumping on her back, “Surprisingly light for a biker boy, huh?”

“Ha ha,” Rick said, “Just take it slow, and--” They zoomed off into the sky as Rick held on for dear life,

“Whooo hooo!” Carol shouted, zooming off back to the Shield Headquarters as Rick wondered how he got himself in this mess, “Look out world, here comes Ms. Marvel!!!”

“AHHH, CAROL!!!” Rick screamed out as Carol laughed, flying through the air as they both flew under the stars, knowing that somewhere up there, a starman waited in the sky.

Chapter Text

Sue paced back and forth as the red sign,  DEEP IN THOUGHT, IN THOUGH KEEP OUT  hummed, holding herself as she eyed at the large steel door. Reed has been in there for just thirty-seven hours, and that wasn’t even his record! She looked at the camera, stepping forward,

“Reed? Please, honey, we need to… Talk,” Sue said shaking her head as she looked down at her uniform. She shook her head, looking up at the door. Susan Storm may be someone who would let Reed work himself until he unraveled, but Susan Richards doesn’t have the time. She waved her hands at the door, making part of the wall more and more translucent. Inside, Sue could start to make out Reed’s lab.

Reed was stretched all over his lab, his hand stretched so that each finger was in charge of a separate experiment. His other hand was busy writing equations on the chalkboard, while he leaned forward to his computer. Reed then looked at Herbie, their helper robot he made as a way so that Sue wasn’t the only one cleaning their home, and looked at the now see-through wall. He nodded, carefully putting away the experiments and approaching the door as Sue made it opaque again. The door ground open, allowing Reed to poke his head out,

“Sue! Glad you could come, darling, I have something to show you!”

“Reed--”

“It’ll only be a moment,” Reed said as he stretched his hand over to two sheets of data. He held them close, revealing that they were the same bit of data, “Do you recognize this?”

“No, Reed, is it a measurement of my patience?” Sue asked, frustrated that she had to ride out whatever Reed’s mind had taken him,

“No, this one on the right,” Reed said, “Was from our rocket when we crashed six years ago, and this,” Reed said as he lifted his left hand to Sue, “Is a signal I picked up just yesterday!”

“Huh,” Sue said, “And what does it say?”

“I don’t know, it seems to be alien in origin,” Reed said as he scratched his head, “Though it seems as though it’s a message. From whom or the meaning, I do not know, however,” Reed said as he looked at his computer, “I rerouted where the data signal was coming from, and strangely it seems to be originating from the Moon.”

“The Moon?” Sue said, “Why would aliens be trying to contact you on the Moon?”

“I know, intriguing right?” Reed said, “I mapped out the location of the signal on the lunar surface, and to make matters even more complicated, it’s on the  other  side of the Moon. Whatever is causing this signal is a profusely powerful source, one that would be able to send it out through the celestial object.”