Hello my fellow MARVEL lovers! It's been a while hasn't it? Yeah, that happens when you get addicted to a new TV show...that show for me is SHERLOCK! Fantastic show, I watched it in less than a week, and for weeks I didn't want to watch anything else! Until I saw CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER last week and earlier today, which put me back into a MARVEL mode. The movie was AMAZING by the way! But if you haven't seen it...WHY HAVEN'T YOU?!
Okay, so the action is coming up! Please enjoy this chapter! Reviews wanted and NEEDED!
Chapter 8: The Battle Before the War
Fearful, Ayela quickened her steps down the hall back to the lab with Thor and Natasha by her sides. As she entered, she heard Steve say, "I was wrong Director; this world hasn't changed a bit."
The princess could feel the tension in the room slowly thickening as she scanned the room, noting a large gray weapon on the table.
"What is going on?" Ayela asked curiously. Ignoring her question, Bruce looked to Natasha, "Did you know about this?"
Know about what? She asked herself curiously.
"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" Natasha asked, ice threaded in her tone.
The doctor laughed shortly. "I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed."
"Doctor please; Loki's manipulating you." Ayela spoke up.
"And what has she been doing exactly?"
"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you." Natasha said stepping towards him.
"Yes and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I want to know why S.H.I.E.L.D. is using the Tesseract to create weapons of mass destruction." Bruce demanded. Ayela's eyes grew large; apparently she'd missed more than she thought. How could S.H.I.E.L.D. be so foolish? How could Nick?
"Because of them." The director answered, pointing to the lost princess and thunder god. Thor and Ayela glanced at each other before answering at the same time, "Me?"
"Care to explain Nick?" Ayela said with a glare. How dare she and her friend be blamed for their desire to make weapons?
"Last year, Earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously outgunned. Another visitor comes to Earth months later, showing how we can easily be visited by anyone or anything that is out there."
"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor said.
"But you're not the only ones out there are you?" Nick eyes glanced to Ayela. "You proved that when you arrived. You two are not the only threats; the world's filling with people who can't be matched, can't be controlled." Ayela struggled to see the good in Nick's explanation, but couldn't as she realized how coincidental her situation was. After she came, S.H.I.E.L.D. had abducted her; Nick had seen what she could do and asked her to work with him. But why? To keep her contained, a mere collection in their weaponry against any other outside threats. S.H.I.E.L.D. may have taught her many things, but failed to show how much of a threat they could be.
"Like how you controlled the cube?" Steve added.
"How you tried to control me?" Ayela said in anger. Everyone in the room turned to the princess as she clenched her fists to her sides, the fire inside her begging to erupt. "I was no threat to Earth, you saw that. You've kept me at bay, making sure I was close in case something like this happened. You may have educated me about Earth and helped me and Micah with adjusting but for what reasons? Tony is right, I'm Earth's advantage."
Before Nick could speak, Thor jumped in and said, "You're work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is a signal to all the realms that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war." Ayela knew Thor was right. The Tesseract was not used for much, but seen as the ultimate weapon for whoever wielded it.
"A higher form?" Steve asked warily.
"You forced our hand; we had to think of something-
"A nuclear deterrent, cause that always calms everything right down." Tony said sarcastically.
"Remind me again how you made your fortune Stark?" Nick turned to the billionaire.
"I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep-
"Wait wait wait-hold on- how is this now about me?" Tony asked the captain.
"I'm sorry, isn't everything?"
"I thought humans were more evolved than this." Thor remarked.
Ayela laughed shortly. "We were wrong about that, my friend. These humans are just as bad as Loki."
"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?" Nick retorted.
The entire room went into an uproar as everyone began arguing at one another over various subjects. As Ayela joined in on Thor against Nick, she heard a soft chuckle and froze. She scanned around the room and saw that it came from nobody in the room. Again, the chuckle was heard.
Loki.
Ayela grew angry at herself. This was what he wanted all along; them to go against each other. And she completely fell into his trap.
"Wait, everyone we need to-
"You speak of control, yet you court chaos." Thor said.
"It's his M.O. isn't it? I mean what are we? A team? No, no, no, we're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're- we're a time bomb." The doctor stated. Ayela's head was spinning; everyone was too busy fighting to listen to her. She had to think of something, and quick.
I won't let you destroy my friends Loki.
"You need to step away." Nick threatened.
"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?" Tony questioned.
"You know damn well why! Back off!" Steve yelled.
"I'm starting to want you to make me."
Ayela approached them. "Steve, Tony please. We need to stop-
"Yeah, big man in a suit of armor." Steve interrupted, approaching Tony closer. "Take that off and what are you?"
"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist." Tony replied quickly.
"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you." Steve said coldly, "I've seen the footage; the only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy walk over you."
"I think I would just cut the wire." Tony said bluntly.
Steve frowned, "Always a way out. You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."
"A hero? Like you?" Tony retorted. "You're a laboratory experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."
"That is quite enough! You boys need to-
"Stay out of this Ayela." Steve warned, leaving the princess shocked at his cold tone. Steve was too busy arguing with Tony to notice he'd used that tone on Ayela. "Put on the suit. Let's go a few rounds."
Thor interrupted with a roar-like laugh. "You people are so petty…and tiny."
Ayela scoffed. Why is it now that everyone wanted to act like children? Now was definitely not the time to argue about petty matters. And unfortunately, Thor wasn't making the situation any better.
Bruce laughed shortly. "Yeah, this is a team."
"Agent Romanoff, would you escort Dr. Banner to his-
"Where? You're renting my room…" The doctor spoke sarcastically.
Director Fury sighed. "The cell was just in-
"In case you needed to kill me, but you can't. I know, I've tried." Everyone in the room froze, Ayela especially. In her view, the doctor would never try to take his own life. But then again, she had no idea how it felt to hide a monster that lived deep within. "I got low…I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet in my mouth and the other guy spit it out. So I moved on, I focused on helping other people, I was good. Until you dragged me back into this freakshow and put everyone here at risk. You wanna know my secret Agent Romanoff? You wanna know how I stay calm?"
As Ayela stared at Bruce, who now held Loki's scepter in his hand, her teeth grounded. She knew it wasn't his intention, but Loki's plan was slowly working. Her senses were on high alert as she heard Nick reach for his gun, Natasha as well.
"Dr. Banner," Ayela said calmly, "please put down the scepter."
Bruce looked down at his hand, confused to see the glowing scepter in his tight grip. Before anyone could speak, one of the many screens beeped repeatedly.
"Got it." Nick said as Bruce put the scepter back on the table.
"Sorry kids, you don't get to see my party trick after all."
"Located the Tesseract?" Thor asked.
"I believe so my friend." Ayela answered.
"I can get there faster." Tony added.
"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard; no human is a match for it." Thor warned.
"You're not going alone!" Steve yelled to Tony, grabbing his arm.
"You gonna stop me?" Tony taunted, slapping Steve's hand away.
"Put on the suit, let's find out."
"I'm not afraid to hit an old man."
"Put on the suit."
"Shut up, both of you!" The two turned their chocked faces to the angry princess. "I've had enough of your childish fighting! It's not-
The princess's rant was interrupted by a large explosion, blowing the entire room. Ayela flew on top of Steve and close enough to Tony. As quick as she could, she got off of Steve and helped him help Tony up.
"Put on the damn suit." Ayela growled.
"Yep."
*FMLIMA*
"Engine 3, I'll meet you two there." Tony said to Steve and Ayela. She quickly nodded and followed Steve out. By the time they reached the hall, Ayela turned another way.
"Where are you going?" Steve asked.
"My room. I'm faster when I'm on my surfer."
"The ship is under attack-
"I know that." She interrupted; as Ayela turned, she was turned back to Steve who'd grabbed her arm.
"I won't let you go alone." Ayela's quick anger softened. She touched the hand that held her arm, softening his grip.
"You need to help Tony. I'll be there shortly." Steve was still hesitant, his grip still on her arm. "I'll be fine Steve."
Steve reluctantly let her go and watched as she power walked down the hall. "Ayela!"
She turned. "About earlier…I-
"You can make it up to me later." She smirked. "Go."
Steve gave her a slight nod before running the other way. As Ayela returned to walking quickly down the hall, she heard a large roar and froze. The Hulk. Bruce.
A soft chuckle was heard next. I told you my love; your friends are no match for me.
"We'll see about that." She hissed out loud as she began to run to her room door. But before she could get to her room, Ayela was suddenly shot at by Loki's soldiers, quickly dodging any more bullets.
"Stop! Do not shoot her!" she heard a familiar voice yell to them. Ayela was shocked to see Clint storm through the group of soldiers.
"Clint?" She noticed his once soft green eyes were now a harsh blue; she knew it was a sign of Loki's influence. He ignored her and continued to speak to the rest of the army.
"Loki wants her alive. Restrain her and take her back to the 'copter." He ordered. But Ayela refused. As one soldier ran to her, she easily knocked him out with one punch. Another soldier tried to hold her down and restrain her but she kicked him in the face and threw him to the other soldiers approaching her, knocking few of them out. The last two jumped at her at the same time and Ayela grabbed their collars, and smashed them together, knocking the two unconscious. As the two bodies fell to the ground, Ayela noticed that Clint had disappeared. But she couldn't focus on that now.
Once in her room, she grabbed her surfer from atop her bed and wrapped her holsters (containing daggers) around her waist and thigh. Extra daggers were hidden in her gloves and boots in case she needed it and quickly ran out her room to the nearest Helicarrier opening, jumping out and into the air, surfer in hand. Falling through the air, her surfer's engines fired up and instead of falling, began flying as she flew towards Engine 3 to help Tony and Steve.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! A tiny bit of Steve/Ayela, and please forgive the no Loki/Ayela...that's not till next chapter! I might've spoke on this earlier and if I did, I will say it again...I'm planning for this series to grow into sequels, following the movies. Ayela will be in Thor: the Dark World and Captain America: the Winter Soldier! I would still like to hear from more reviewers on the small one-shots book on fluffiness of Steve/Ayela moments you may want to see that occurs between Avengers and Thor: the Dark World.
Question:
What do you hope to see between Steve/Ayela or Loki/Ayela in this series? Which ship do you favor?
I already have my decision in mind but it may switch depending on who the readers want...
Next chapter out soon!
REVIEW PLEASE!
-Nymartian