Avengers
Zaliza flutters over to Tony's shoulder, looking down at the new suit he is building. The falconet tilts her head slightly at the tiny pieces of scrap Tony is assembly next to the suit.
'What's that meant to be?'
Tony smirks, holding up the small, bird shaped armour. 'It's for you, Liza. Just an idea Pepper had.'
Zaliza chirps, floating down to Tony's wrist to get a better look. The 'armour' isn't painted yet but she is sure it will be the same bright colours as his armour. 'I prefer hiding beneath your armour Tony. It's much simpler.'
Tony smirks, putting down the metal. 'Suit yourself.'
Zaliza flies of his hand, gliding towards the door. Tony sighs slightly turning to follow her. They glance once at the discarded champagne before sitting down at the hologram. First night in a new building and they're doing homework. She lands on his shoulder, biting slightly on his ear.
'Know anything about thermonuclear astrophysics?'
'Nothing.' He sighs slightly, looking at the notes Coulson gave them.
'Better get to work then.' She laughs, flying away. He scowls slightly as she settles in front of the TV, before turning to the table again.
He hates homework.
Kasuka shuffles closer to Bruce as the plane takes off. They had to pack everything in a few minutes, a SHIELD agent behind them the whole time. He is tempted to ask for some sedatives, just for the flight, but that would give them the wrong impression. It's not that they are out of control, they just find flying quite boring.
Bruce accepts the computer from Natasha, picking up his puppy dæmon so she can get a better look. They watch Iron Man, Captain America and the two spies in action, smiling slightly at the spangly outfits the others wear. At least they stay in their clothes, sort of. The video shifts to them, Bruce, huge and green, Kasuka, a snarling wolf. He strokes the back of her head absentmindedly, trying to calm her down.
'Not fair.' She whispers, in Hindi so no one will listen in.
'What?'
'We get no armour. Not really. Everyone else does but we're exposed.'
Bruce laughs slightly. The agents grab their guns, as if he has began to change. 'I think we're fine, Suka. Don't really need armour.'
She barks, bearing her teeth mockingly at the agents. Both of them laugh at the reaction.
Kapitani trots along next to Steve as they head back to the apartment. Of course they are taking Fury up on his offer, how could they not. Even if they didn't know about the Tesseract, Steve is still 'Captain America', after all.
Steve runs a hand across Tani's back as they enter the small apartment, moving to pack the few things they have. The labrador shakes herself out, looking at the place they have called home for a few short weeks. They almost didn't get the room and Tani suspects SHIELD had something to do with it.
She picks up a picture, one of their original squadron and takes it in to Steve. The other, bigger soldiers have lions and eagles for dæmons, much more likely candidates for super soldier serum. Tani is small, a pup in Steve's arms. Why would any one choose her?
Steve pats her side again, nudging her towards the door. They give their keys to the landlord and then they're gone, heading towards the airport. SHIELD'll sent an agent to collect them from there.
'What do think it's all about?' Steve mutters as they wait.
'Dunno. But it can't be weirder than a red skull.'
Vronti shakes out her wings, causing a great crack of lightening as she and her Aesir land in Midgard. The Storm Bird waits as Thor lands on the metal bird, pulling Loki out with him. She waits for a few moments, expecting Tophana to tumble after her man. When the Frost Wolf doesn't appear, she gives a cry, bolting down after Thor and his brother.
She finds them arguing slightly, Loki laughing at Thor. Vronti spirals them, looking for her sister-dæmon but seeing Tophana no where in sight.
'She's not here. She's gone.'
Vronti lands on Thor's shoulder, looking at Loki. The trickster's face in contorted into a smirk but it seems forced. 'Gone where? Where have you sent her?'
Loki chuckles. 'I did not send her. She left by herself, without my input. I know not where.'
He is lying, Thor knows, as does his dæmon. Vronti flies to Loki, trying to give him some comfort but the younger Aesir shies away, shoving the Storm Bird away when she brushes his face with her wing.
Thor raises his hammer as Vronti returns to him. 'Listen now, brother, and listen well.'
Then something slams into the side of them.
Kokkinos crawls down Natasha's arm, heading towards Clint's hand where Tira is resting. Before he can reach her, the archer stands, his dæmon wrapping around his arm as he moves away. Natasha twists her arm so Kokkinos can crawl onto her palm, then lifts him up to her shoulder.
'What do we do?' She whispers, so low he barely hears it.
'We comfort them. Or, at least, we try.'
She turns he head, resting her chin just next to his front legs. They aren't used to getting comfort from the other so they keep it to a minimum.
'We have a job to do.' She says, standing. After New York, there will piles of paper work, both hers, Clint's and Coulson's. Both men are on sick leave for either physical or psychology recovery. So Natasha has to take it all on.
The spider dæmon crawls up slightly, onto his human's neck. 'Let's go. I don't think we can help Clint or Tira at the moment.'
Natasha nods, standing and shouting to Clint that she's leaving. She gets a shout back but its just a noise. No goodbye, no joke or insult.
Natasha and Kokkinos leave, worried out of their skin.
Tira wraps herself around Clint's neck as her human draws another arrow, taking down two of the aliens in one shot. The snake hisses and Clint turns, shooting the Chitauri that is coming straight at them.
'We're going to run out.' He mutters to her, turning on the spot to check for Chitauri.
'It'll be fine. The others will handle it.' She tightens her grip on his neck briefly before slivering down his arm, curling around his wrist. Clint sends a message over the comms quickly, shooting down another Chitauri on Tony's tail.
'We helped them get through, Tira. We have to get rid of them.'
Tira whips off Clint's arm, sinking her fangs into the alien nearing her man's back. 'That wasn't our fault. Loki-'
'Could have chosen anyone.' Clint shoots down three aliens flying after the Hulk.
'We were just there.' Tira dodges the Chitauri blast coming for their head.
'We should have stayed down. He would have ignored us.' Clint hits a nearing Chitauri over the head with his bow.
'You don't know that.' Tira freezes when she realises Clint is out of arrows, and there's a nearing explosion.
'No, I don't.' Clint jumps off the building.
Loki stays still in ground, in pain from the attack from Hulk. He hears the portal close, hears the Chitauri fall and he has to smile. They're gone. He doesn't have to worry anymore.
'Loki?' He turns his head, eyes widening when he see Tophana, standing in the doorway. He smiles, trying to move to reach his dæmon. The Frost Wolf is scarred all over, in clear pain but her tail is wagging. They are together again.
'Don't move.'
Loki freezes, turning his head to face the arrow pointed at his face. The redhead is holding his sceptre and he wants to tell her to drop it, to destroy it, but she will never listen to him.
Tophana growls, leaping over her Aesir in an attempt to protect him but her legs don't support her and she collapses against his side. Loki wraps his arms around her neck, determined to keep her with him.
'I'll have that drink now.'
No one moves, just staring at him. Vronti shakes from her place on Thor's shoulder. The beast's wolf dæmon snarls slightly but they just watch him, eyes narrowed. He sighs, collapsing against Tophana. He really missed his dæmon.
He'll explain later.
Jasusa scowls as she watches Loki and his dæmon being checked over by Doctor Banner and Kasuka. The lynx turns to face Nick, face questioning.
'Why are we helping him? He tried to destroy our world.'
Fury shrugs. 'Thor insisted. And it's not like he can do anything.'
Doctor Banner stitches up a gash on Loki's forehead, apologising slightly. Loki shrugs, eyes trailed on Tophana, like she'll just disappear. Kasuka is cleaning a wound on the Frost Wolf's leg, the two talking about the difference between Tophana's form and Kasuka's wolf body.
'He can still try. Especially once he's better.'
Fury rolls his eyes, picking Jasusa up and taking her out of the room. Barton is watching, an arrow ready to place through Loki's eyes if he tries anything. They wonder through the medical bay, nodding at Coulson as they pass him and Ejanta.
'When he's better, he's going back to Asgard.'
They pass Thor, his dæmon circling his head, thunder cackling outside. Tony, Steve and Natasha are sat further along, a game of poker set out in front of them. Zaliza and Kapitani look up, nodding at Jasusa.
They stand at the front of Helicarrier, ready to take charge.
Ejanta used to think the best moment of her life was Settling in the same from as Captain America's dæmon, closely followed by the time they graduated from the SHEILD academy. They she met Kapitani.
The other Labrador, gold instead of Ejanta's brown, had been so gracious and nice, the darker dog dæmon's tail hadn't stopped wagging the whole day. Of course, Phil had messed up slightly when talking to Steve and seemed far too awkward but Ejanta thought she had done alright. When Natasha told them to leave, Ejanta and Kokkinos had exchanged looks before leaving. The spider knew how excited the labrador was about this. Phil had patted her flank, getting her to move away.
'Captain America, Jan.' He had whispered as they moved through the halls.
'I know. This has to be the best day ever.'
Phil had laughed, moving to help with rising the Helicarrier. Natasha joins them, with Doctor Banner and Phil gets to talk to Captain America again, Kapitani batting her tail against Ejante's. The two have to hide how much they are enjoying this day.
The worst day of Ejante's life is when Phil gets stabbed and she feels herself begin to fade.
Mennaj sits on Pepper's lap, watching the screen with fear. Tony and Zaliza have just disappeared through the portal, carrying a missile. Pepper's hand is fisted in the rabbit's fur, knuckles going white.
'They're coming back, right?' Mennaj mutters.
Pepper says nothing, watching as the portal begins to close. Mennaj begins to shake, eyes widening when Tony finally falls through, Zaliza's small form following him. It takes him a few minutes to realise something is wrong.
'They're not slowing. Why aren't they slowing?'
Time seems to stop completely as they watch their loved ones fall, knowing there is nothing they could do, even if they were there. They only know Tony isn't dead already because of the small Falconet falling beside him.
There is a roar and a howl and something green slams into Tony's side, pulling him sideways towards a building. Another grey, furred thing catches Zaliza, the two of them falling at a much faster rate. Mennaj freezes, watching the screen, Pepper gripping him back so tight it hurts.
The green and the grey land on their back, cushioning the other two. Tony's eyes open and Pepper and Mennaj relax.
It looks like they have a new hero.