Chaos Wars

“I… I feel like we should be getting involved,” Lady Sif said as she watched Thor swing his fist hard at Goku.

The Saiyan easily dodged the blow before moving in to deliver a hard kick right to his head, causing his chin to snap back and his feet to leave the ground. Thor though quickly adjusted and drove his other hand, palm open, into Goku’s sternum, forcing him to skid back several feet.

“I think we’d just get in the way,” Fendrall commented.

“Well… you are still really strong,” Goku stated. “I’m just sad this fight isn’t by choice. I can tell your heart isn’t really into it. You’re only doing it because your brother Loki is making you do it. And that isn’t a good way to fight at all.” He fired off several quick Ki blasts while Thor summoned some lightning, sending it at Goku who easily and nimbly dodged each bolt.

“Thou art strong, stranger,” Thor commented before he hefted his hand up high, lightning cracking down from the heavens and striking the street around him. “But thou can’t challenge the God of Thunder!”

Goku though merely narrowed his eyes and smirked. “See, that only has me all the more eager to face you. People have been telling me all my life what I can’t do. How something is impossible and I shouldn’t attempt it. But that just makes me want to give it my all and see if they are right or wrong.” And with that he began to weave his way around the lightning bolts, getting in close to Thor and throwing a punch right at his face.

Thor responded not by striking at Goku… but firing on a building, shattering the windows and causing the structure to begin to groan.

“What are you doing!?!?’ Goku demanded, looking away from Thor to stare at the building.

“That is your weakness, warrior: you care for others.”

“There are people in there!”

“And they will die in the name of my brother.”

Lady Sif narrowed her eyes as Thor moved to attack another building. “Now we get involved.”

But Hogun caught her by the shoulder. “No… our fight isn’t here.” He pointed at the building. “We must save all we can.”

“Thor-“

“Thor would want us to protect the innocent and save lives,” Volstagg stated, already moving towards the building. “When he is freed from Loki’s spell he will be horrified by what he has done. We can help ease his torment by minimizing the amount of blood on his hands.”

“And allowing him to rampage is the answer?” Sif demanded in frustration.

“We must trust Son Goku to be able to handle our friend and return him to us.”

As if hearing their comment Goku let out a roar, energy bursting from his body and sending Thor skidding back.

“I was willing to enjoy myself when this was just you and me. Even if you weren’t in your right mind I figured we could still have a good fight. But then you decided to try and harm the innocent?!?” The winds began to whip around Goku, forcing even Thor to shield himself. “I’ll apologize when you’re back to normal… and I think you’ll agree with me when you are… but right now if the only way to protect the people of this Earth is to take you down?”

The Warriors 3 and Sif saw Goku’s hair, for just a moment, flicker. The color changed… to what they couldn’t tell but it was clear that SOMETHING had been different about it. But whatever it was it was over… yet they also felt that his rage, his anger at the harming of the innocent, had caused Goku to unlock something within him. A hidden well or strength.

“Ka… me….”

“We… we should go,” Fendrall stated nervously and Lady Sif found herself agreeing as Thor began to gather lightning in his hands. They had rarely seen him draw forth the lightning and the thunder, especially without the aid of his hammer. Thor preferred to get up close and personal with his enemies; he had remarked several times with a boastful laugh that he liked feeling their noses crunch under his knuckles and their ribs crack with solid kicks. To wield the thunder and the lightning was to take the sport out of it.

Yet under Loki’s control Thor had no qualms about fighting in such a matter and thus he was gathering the rage of the storm around him as Goku charged up an orb of energy.

“Ha…me…”

The Warriors 3 and Sif hurried towards the building Thor had struck before, knowing that they needed to ensure that there were no survivors inside that needed their aid.

Thor let out a bellow and thrust out his hands.

“HA!”

The blasts of conflicting energy struck each other full on. Lady Sif could feel the heat on the back of her neck and taste the energy in the air but she dared not look back. If she had she would have seen Goku and Thor being driven into the street, boots sinking into the asphalt as each struggled to overcome the other with their blast.

“You… you are strong,” Goku said as he grit his teeth, bracing his legs, straining to push forward. He knew, in a battle of beams and energy, that when a fighter was able to move forward even an inch the KI they were unleashing responded not just in kind but amplified their actions. An inch was like increasing the power of a blast by a quarter. To give was to weaken yourself greatly. “One of the strongest fighters I’ve ever face!”

Goku ground his boots into the road and pushed.

“But… you can’t win… because you aren’t fighting for yourself… or your friends… or the world!” he slowly raised his right foot and was able to bring it forward.

Thor found himself shoved back.

“You… are fighting because someone is MAKING you fight… and you can’t ever win a battle that way!” Goku took another step and another. Thor was now trying to call forth bolts of lightning to strike him but Goku felt the energy coming and willed his Ki to respond to it. He had been expecting it to blast the lightning away… but instead he was startled to find that his Ki was drawing forth the lightning and using it as fuel, mingling the two so that his own Ki began to crackle and spark. He didn’t know exactly why it was happening… he would have to leave that to his friends who were, he would openly admit, far smarter than him. It didn’t matter in that moment though. What mattered was him being able to stop Thor!

The god of thunder screamed in outrage and his distracted attempts to force Goku to stop in his tracks instead had the opposite effect and the Saiyan was able to continue on.

And then… just as suddenly as the attack had started… it stopped.

Thor was nearly sent spinning as he found no resistance to his blast. He did stumble for several steps but quickly caught himself, looking in front of him.

There was nothing there.

For one brief wonderful moment he thought that perhaps he had vaporized Goku… only to suddenly see the fighter just to his right, hands thrust upward.

“In…a…zuma!” Goku shouted as he channeled the lightning he had stolen from Thor. The blast that fired out wasn’t the straight beam that Thor had been expecting. No… Goku’s Ki had been altered by the battle and as a result the blast he shot out now raced through the air, cutting in one direction before suddenly slicing down another, the jagged movements making it impossible for Thor to figure out where to go. As such the God of Thunder could only stand there and scream as he was hit, the blast lifting him right off his feet and sending him hurtling through the air before he finally came down hard.

Goku panted, looking at his hands as his Ki continued to crackle.

“Whoa… that’s new!” he said with a chuckle. “I’m gonna have to ask Master Roshi about this when he’s alive again what he thinks of this!” His smile fell though as he saw Thor slowly pulling himself from the crater his impact had caused. “Are you done? Or do I need to hit you again?”

“Nay, good warrior,” Thor said with a groan, slowly rising to his feet. He was wobbly and he nearly fell once but he managed to right himself. “There is… no need…”

That made Goku’s eyes widen. “Oh! You are back to your senses then?”

“I am,” Thor replied, touching his chest right where Loki had poked him with his staff. “The cloud that my brother Loki placed upon me has been blown away. I am… myself.” He looked at the building and his shoulders slumped. “And I regret everything I have done while under my brother’s sway.”

“Its okay,” Goku said with a shrug. “Now you can help us rescue everyone else!” he rose in the air and began to fly towards the damaged tower.

Thor followed… but at a more subdued pace.

~MC~MC~MC~

Edwin twisted his body to avoid a Chitauri blast. He’d taken several hits from their weapons and while his Ranger Suit protected him for the most part it still hurt like a bitch. It reminded him of once when he’d accidently driven a large plastic shelf into his jaw; thankfully nothing had been broken but the blinding pain such a strike caused left him briefly muddled.

‘And with the way these bastards are swarming…’ he thought darkly to himself as he worked on taking out another one, swinging the Power Staff at one, knocking it off its feet and allowing him to drive the blade into its chest. He forced himself not to consider how many lives he had taken… to wonder what it must have been like for the Chitauri. Were they mindless monsters, forced to serve Thanos? Was it similar to the Parademons that Darkseid sent into battle, conditioned to think of only his glory? Or were they brainwashed, no different than the Avengers? Did they have mothers that worried about them and friends that were wishing them well? Were there Chitauri villages where the aliens lived that didn’t involve violence? Or was it a case where they had their minds intact but had been taught from birth that their duty was to fight these grand battles and it never occurred to them they… didn’t need to?

‘Have they been fed lies about how this is some glorious war that will bring about victory and peace for their kind?’ he thought as he waved his hand in front of his Power Staff, causing it to glow with energy before he lashed out, sending a wave of crimson energy that struck a horde of Chitauri, sending them flying back. ‘Do they believe that this is their only choice? Or is there some fear that drives them towards vicious destruction of their enemies? Has Thanos made them do this because if they don’t then he will mutilate their families?’

He wanted to shut his eyes and scream.

Why was it always him? Why did it feel like no matter the world he was in he was the one that had to worry about everything? Not just the basic stuff, either. Plenty of people worried about Marik causing problems or how a Rare Hunter’s assault might affect his friends. But he also thought about the what ifs and could bes and never considereds. He was the one that worried about the Rare Hunter and wondered what their life must be like outside of the tropes of the anime. What had caused them to end up in the situation they found themselves in? What could have been done prevent them from going down the path that they had? And the future too! He worried about that as well for… all of them. His friends. His allies. His enemies. What happened to the Rare Hunter that failed Marik, for example? Or Dartz later on? Were they cast into the Shadow Realm and never returned? Were their souls wandering there even now?

‘Why is it always me?’ he thought in frustration. ‘Why is it no one else that has to deal with this bullshit? For fuck’s sake there is an entire Multiverse focused around different versions of me and we are always the ones taking on the heavy burdens!’

Him, Avo, and Chris had talked before the invasion. They had tried to rope NONE in but he was… well, NONE was broken, and that was being kind about it. But the others had talked and Edwin had been concerned with what he heard. Avo was the one making sure that the Z Fighters weren’t rush into fights and actually thought about what they should do. Dragging them kicking and screaming from the tropes of Goku and the rest always letting the villains get away with murder (sometimes LITERALLY) and actually focus on what the greater good was. He got Chichi and Bulma to join in and helped Krillin become a far better fighter and Goku to be more open with his family…

Then there was Chris. A superhero. Leader of the fucking Avengers. Ambassador of Earth and protector of time! And then he went home and dealt with a bunch of psychologically damaged kids. He literally had to worry about the his world and keep things together when it felt like all of time was out to get him thanks to time travel being such an important thing on his world.

‘Again and again and again. It’s the same story,’ Edwin thought. ‘Me or a version of me has to be the one looking out for others. And what’s the reward?’

He was reminded of a quote from ‘Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?’: your reward for being Batman is you get to be Batman.

‘Your reward for being Edwin Chaos…’ he thought. ‘I know I shouldn’t complain. I have gotten to do things people all over the globe only get to dream of in the dusty recesses of their mind, where the fantasies they know can never be get to play. A wonderful girlfriend, loyal friends, wealth that lets me do whatever I wish, a freaking magical key… for fuck’s sake, Edwin, you are a Power Ranger!’

He punched one of the alien invaders as they rushed him, sending him crashing to the ground before thrust out his hand, causing a manhole cover the Chitauri had landed on to glow before it turned into a portal that led to the very bottom of the ocean, the sunken Russian Sub he’d researched getting a lot of work in the battle considering he’d sent half a dozen invaders through it into the depths.

‘Your reward for being Edwin Chaos… is you get to fight against an alien horde and then, if you are lucky and save the day, get thrust back into the fucking Virtual World.’ Because he had little doubt that he was going to be forced back into Noah’s trap. That the loneliness of that sphere was waiting for him, ready to consume him whole. ‘Why the fuck am I doing any of this when my reward is to be the one not saved!?!?’

Edwin twisted his head… and he saw HER.

He didn’t know her name. Would never learn her name. He would only see her for a minute or two, at most, and then never again.

But in that minute he saw her. Crotched over her child, shielding them as one of the Chitauri warriors looming over her, a bladed staff ready to pierce her heart.

A mother… trying to save her child.

Gleipnir shot out, wrapping around the Chitauri’s throat and yanking it back where he waited with the Power Staff, which he drove into its belly before ripping it free and taking its head.

“Thank you,” he said to them as he removed my helmet, letting it return to the morphing grid.

“For… for what?” the mother got out, utterly confused. He knew she felt she should be thanking him for what he had done, not the other way around.

“For reminding me who I am… holding me to the mark.” He shut my eyes for a moment, the promise he had made in Pegasus’ castle thrumming through his veins. “I… am Edwin Chaos. And I save people. And if these bastards have a problem with that?”

He snapped his eyes open, the mother lurching back as they BLAZED gold and white.

“To hell with them.”

And with that he turned, sneering at the sight of more Chitauri warriors moving towards him. He felt the tattoo on his back, of the wings his mother had given him, heating up. Not uncomfortable but rather like a warm embrace after a cold day. Approval. That was what it was.

He took out his lightsabers.

“To hell with you.”

“You’re… you’re a Jedi!” the child exclaimed, her earlier fear gone.

He smirked as the Chitauri paused, unsure of this new development.

“That’s right baby girl.”

He ignited his weapons.

“I’m a Jedi.”

And with that he launched himself forward.

~MC~MC~MC~

“Jonah, stay down!” Robbie said, covering his head even as mortar and brick rained down on them thanks to one of the blasts that had struck the building the two of them had been helping to evacuate. Several office workers cried out and tried to leap back into the building but Robbie Robinson forced them to remain outside, knowing that with how the building was getting hit it could go down any moment. “Jonah!”

“Robbie!” J. Jonah Jameson cried out, hefting up the TV camera that had been lying at his feet a few moments earlier, fiddling with it before pressing his eye to the viewfinder. “Look!”

“Jonah, what-“

He froze.

It was one of the figures that had been reported to have appeared in the middle of downtown. It just had to be. He was wearing an ornate red and white outfit that clung to his body, a cape draped over his shoulders. He looked like some futuristic honor guard for some interstellar king. But his face was uncovered, revealing he was human (and how strange was it that after today Robbie would have to always wonder about that). Blonde hair. A short little beard circling his mouth. But his eyes were on fire, burning with gold and white flames like an Old Testament angel. And in his hands…

“Is… is that a lightsaber?” an officer worked asked dumbly.

Robbie found himself shrugging helplessly as the man bisected one of the invaders. “Does it matter?”

“Always figured Stark would figure out how to make one,” another worker said. “Kind of too big-holy shit!” The fighter swung out his lightsaber and a second yellow blade shot out of the other end, drilling right through the face of one of the aliens. “Nevermind.”

The fighter suddenly snapped his head just as one of the aliens, flying in on their battle platform, raced towards another building firing on a rooftop where some people had become trapped. The man’s mouth twitched before he, in one swift motion, deactivated his lightsaber and held out his hand, a cane of all things flying into his grasp before he thrust it upward. Robbie had been ready for it to shoot magic bolts or fire off missiles or something crazy like that. He hadn’t been expecting the cane to unravel into a whip that launched itself into the sky, jetting about one way and then another, forming a web that caught the platform and caused it to jerk to a stop. He yanked his hand and just as suddenly as it had appeared the web constricted, wrapping around the figure and dragging them down to the ground, slamming them into the road as their platform smashed into bits.

One of the office workers gasped and the man snapped his head in their direction.

“Is there anyone else in the building?” he shouted.

“I… I don’t think so!” Robbie got out.

“We tried to get as many as we could-“ Jonah said but the man was already moving towards them, a golden key literally emerging from his chest like someone stepping out of a pool.

“Troy, every speaker,” he declared and before Robbie could ask who ‘Troy’ was the man spoke, his voice booming out from seemingly everywhere. “If you are still in the building go to the nearest door NOW. Get ready to get the hell out.” His eyes flashed and the Key around his neck gleamed before a pulse of golden energy rippled out of him. “Balls to the walls, Edwin.”

Robbie’s eyes went wide when doors to other buildings suddenly opened up and roughly 50 people rushed out onto the street.

“Stay there!” the man snapped and he closed his eyes before he sent out a second golden pulse. Robbie turned and his jaw dropped as he stared through the door which now, instead of leading to a lobby-

“Is… is that Disney world?” one of the office workers asked dumbly.

“Safest place I could think of,” the man admitted. “Now go!”

The office workers began to stream through the door, not needing to be told twice.

“Who are you?” Robbie found himself asking as the man turned towards the sound of explosions, clearly ready to get back to fighting the invaders.

“…Edwin Chaos,” the man stated. “If you are leaving you need to go now. I can’t hold that portal forever.”

“We’re staying,” Jonah said and Robbie rolled his eyes; of course Jonah would refuse to leave while there was a story.

“Stay down, stay safe,” the man said before he began to run, far faster than a normal man should have been able to. The portal disappeared, leaving only the lobby again, and the last thing Robbie saw was him igniting his lightsaber once again as he turned a corner.

“Edwin Chaos,” Robbie said, shaking his head. “Now that’s a name.”

“Yeah, we’ll need something better for him. Something people can chant. Something you can put on a banner and wave!”

Robbie frowned, looking over at his boss. “Jonah?”

J. Jonah grinned. “Robbie… if the rest of that man’s group is as skilled as him then this invasion will be done in an hour. And when it is done people are going to want to know who saved them. And the Daily Bugle is going to be running the exclusive.” He thrust his hand into the air, as if he could see the headlines in front of him. “Edwin Chaos: Hero of New York!”

He paused.

“Or some other name because Edwin Chaos is NOT a good name.”

~MC~MC~MC~

“Ben!” May cried out, shielding herself as a car was sent flying overhead. Even though it hadn’t been close to her the fact that a CAR had been OVER HER HEAD had been enough to cause her to duck down and cover her body with her arms.

Peter knew that it was useless to try and shield one’s self. If that car had changed directions and suddenly been brought down it would have killed him and his Aunt and Uncle, no matter how much his Aunt tried to shield herself. Just like the blasts that were being fired would kill them; they’d already seen the rude judge at the science fair get his chest caved in by a blast from one of the alien long rifles and Peter had no doubt if it struck him he’d be turned to a paste. All they were doing each time they ran from one cover to another was rolling a die to see if they would survive… and Peter knew eventually that the dice was going to come up snake eyes.

He knew that and there was nothing he could do about it.

“We have to keep moving, May,” Ben told her. “We’re stuck in the middle of this and they are moving into buildings. We can’t-“

There was a roaring, tearing, gnashing groan… and Peter turned to see the Hulk shooting out of a building, the structure behind him beginning to come down even as a plain clothed man flew at the muscular creature and shot out beams of energy at him with one hand while trying to do… something with his other hand. Peter wasn’t sure what he actually was doing but it caused ribbons of energy to burst out and wrap around the building, holding it in place while War Machine and another armored figure (he couldn’t tell who it was, must have been new because they WEREN’T Iron Man… Peter knew Iron Man) moved into to help.

“I’m sorry!” Peter suddenly cried out.

“Pete?” his Uncle Ben said.

“We shouldn’t have come!” he pleaded, trying to catch his breath. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest and it was making him dizzy and there were explosions going off all around them and he saw some woman in a redish purple outfit suddenly run by while chasing after some archer…

“Peter… Peter its okay,” Aunt May said as they ducked into a doorway. “This isn’t your fault, sweetheart…”

“I asked to enter though!” he said. Or rather screamed. He knew he was screaming and he couldn’t stop himself. He felt just so… so…

One of the Chitauri leapt down from a building and aimed its gun at them, letting out a shrieking cry. Peter’s eyes widened just as his Uncle Ben moved in front of him, doing all he could to shield him with his body. Aunt May pulled him tight to her, as if a hug could save him, but Peter struggled against her to do… he didn’t know what but he had to-

Suddenly something grayish white smacked into the alien and it let out another cry as it was yanked into the air… before it was then slammed right back down. Peter stared as a man in a yellow and blue outfit landed right on top of the Chitauri, feet cracking its back before he whipped around and fired more threads from his wrists, snagging onto several more aliens and wrapped them to walls.

“Get out of here!” the man shouted. “I’ll buy you cover!” He leapt and then twisted into the air, dodging energy blasts before landing and once more firing the gray white sticky material at the alien warriors. “GO!”

Aunt May, showing strength Peter had never expected, hefted Peter up and began to run, Uncle Ben right beside her as they raced away from the hero and the aliens he was fighting. Peter glanced back, unable to stop himself from watching as the blue and yellow garbed man continued on, twisting and spinning about the battlefield.

Peter Parker would never forget that day and the mysterious hero that swung down from the sky and saved him and his family. Years later Peter’s life would change. A quirk of fate would give him powers that he could never have imagined. And he would understand that with these great powers… came great responsibility. But unlike so many other versions of him in the Multiverse, it would not be grief and guilt that would see Peter step forward to protect New York.

It would be out of remembrance.

And thanks.

And gratitude.

~MC~MC~MC~

“Bucky…” Captain America said in shock, his eyes briefly flickering between their normal shade and the glowing blue that had been their color ever since he had been taken over by Loki.

“Hey Steve,” Bucky said with a smile. “Looks like you’re in a bit of trouble. But don’t worry…” He suddenly with speed that shocked Cap, spun around him and slammed his fist into the back of his head, causing the super soldier to go down hard. “…we’re gonna get you fixed up.” he glanced over to the Pharaoh, who had just arrived; he had been looking for Black Widow, who had fled from him when she’d realized he was out of her league with his magic, and stumbled upon Cap and Bucky. “You sure that’s going to snap him out of it?”

“According to Edwin that will work perfectly. Strong sharp blow to the back of the head.”

That made the former Winter Soldier huff in bemusement. “Not the best brainwashing them, I suppose.”

The Pharaoh nodded. “Indeed. On my world there is a man that can control the minds of others but his control required Edwin and I to journey into the woman’s mind and battle him.” He shook his head sadly. “Unfortunately she was not… grateful… for our aid.”

“Then she was an idiot,” Bucky stated just as Steve let out a groan; his advanced healing allowing him to get back up quicker than a normal man would. “Hey Steve…”

“Bucky,” Cap said again, looking at his best friend, his brother, with shock written across his features.

“What is that outfit?” Bucky teased, looking at the costume Steve was wearing. “The Dancing Monkey outfit wasn’t as bad as that.”

“A fan made it,” Steve said before shaking his head. “How… how are you-?”

“Hydra got me,” he told him. “You know that Red Skull was already tampering with some of us soldiers, trying to make us like you but under his control.” Bucky gave a slight shrug. “We didn’t have much time to test it out but from what Edwin Chaos was able to rip out of the commanders’ heads it seems like I am basically… you. Or like you.”

“I…” Steve swallowed. “I can’t believe it.”

“Believe it,” Bucky said… just as an explosion ripped through the air. “Okay, we need to focus on that!”

“Right,” Steve said just as the Pharaoh walked up and held out the shield. “Thank you for wielding it when I couldn’t… or shouldn’t.”

“You are more than welcome,” the Pharaoh said and Steve nodded even as Bucky passed over a spare comm unit.

“Everyone, this is Steve Rogers. I’m back to myself. Where can I help?”

~MC~MC~MC~

Avo Kayos narrowed his eyes as the Hulk let out a savage roar.

“You know… I’ll be honest… I thought you would be the last person to become Loki’s puppet.” He thrust out his right hand and fired a blast of magical flames at the Hulk, the green warrior roaring as it burned his skin. It wasn’t anything special, just the standard summoned flames that all magical types learned early on. Flashy but rather basic, to the point that Avo had never bothered to give the attack a name. It was the magic equivalent of a Ki blast. But Avo had had a theory that while the Hulk was strong and could normally take a lot of punishment from guns and explosions and the like… magic might be what he was weak against.

He was half right.

The Hulk WAS getting damaged by the magic.

Just not as much as he would have hoped.

The flames he was pouring on at that moment were at the heat and intensity of a crematorium. He should have reduced the Hulk to ashes. But all Avo was doing was burning him… and not by much.

So he moved into his next option: talk the brute’s brains into jelly.

“You are the Strongest There Is and you can’t shake off Loki’s bullshit?” Avo taunted as he zipped away from the Hulk, slowly luring him away from the busy downtown and towards Yankee Stadium. He’d suggested that for two reasons: first it would be a wide open area with less people and thus ensure that the Hulk didn’t hurt anyone else.

Second… fuck the Yankees.

Even if he was living in the Dragon Ball Z universe “eat’em Tigers, eat’em up!”

“You are supposed to be utterly powerful!” Avo said as the Hulk roared and charged at him. Unlike the others he had taken the Hulk because he refused to get in close and fight him, preferring to keep his distance… and that was frustrating the green hero A LOT. Avo was a fly buzzing around his head and every time he tried to get close Avo would rocket away. The Hulk bellowed and grabbed a car, throwing it at Avo. Rather than do something showy like blast it or cut it into pieces, and also give the Hulk a chance to get in close, Avo merely rose a few feet and let it pass him by, smashing into the ground. “But you are obeying him? That’s something Puny Banner would allow happen-“

The Hulk roared and slammed his hands together, creating a shockwave that took Avo by surprise. He was sent slamming back into the wall of Yankee Stadium and it was only his magic naturally flaring up to protect him that kept his spine from being turned into jelly. But the Hulk hadn’t been idle and he came rampaging through the wall right after Avo, forcing the man to quickly leap out of the way.

“Okay… me and my big mouth,” he muttered before bringing his hands together, fingers spread wide as he began to twist them around each other. Magic crackled and began to appear in his hands, wrapping around itself over and over like a ball of yarn. “Black Chain!” he roared as he thrust his hands out just as the Hulk leapt at him.

At once mystical chains forged of evil magic launched out of Avo’s palms, wrapping around the Hulk’s wwists before darting about the arena. The Hulk bellowed and struggled as he suddenly found himself hovering in the air, trapped like a fly in a spider’s web. Avo had created the attack in honor of Edwin, after seeing what Gleipnir’s cord could do, and he was rather pleased with the results. It had the Hulk held in place real good.

The Green Brute snarled and thrust out his right arm to try and shatter the chain.

His left swung around and struck him in the face.

The Hulk blinked at that, utterly surprised, getting a dumbfounded look on his face.

Avo wasn’t about to explain to him that what the spell did was connect the chains together so that pulling on one line tightened all the others. It was a Chinese finger trap, turning the Hulk’s strength against him.

“You know he’s going to still be mad at you when you get him out of this,” a voice called out and the Hulk stopped fighting, eyebrows raising as the familiar voice spoke.

“Yeah, I plan to get far away from him once he’s back to normal, just in case,” Avo said as Betty Ross stepped out of the shadows.

The Hulk blinked.

“Hey big guy,” she said softly. “I hear someone has you twisted all up.”

The Hulk shook his head, eyes still glowing blue. “Betty…” he rumbled out.

And that’s when the Scroll of Knowledge slammed into the Hulk’s head, knocking him out before it landed in Avo’s hand.

“…I meant to do that,” Avo said quickly just as shocked that the damn thing had finally found its way back to him.

~MC~MC~MC~

“We have the Hulk back,” Avo said over the comm. “He’s gone back to being Dr. Banner… while his strength might be an asset I think we need to let him rest up.”

“Yeah,” Tony agreed as he flew at one of the giant… alien… whale… things… and fired upon it with missiles designed to take down tanks. On one hand he didn’t want to send the thing crashing down on New York but on the other the longer they were flying around the more problems they could cause as they really didn’t care about avoiding buildings. “Bruce deserves a va-ca, after this is all done with. Frankly all of us do.”

“Aw, but we can’t do that!” Goku proclaimed. “Avo and I have to get to Namek! We need to find their Dragon Balls so we can wish our friend Master Roshi back to life.”

That made Tony blink. “Okay that’s… new.”

“And Edwin and I must deal with Noah and Marik and Ishizu,” the Pharaoh stated.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you, Pharaoh,” Goku chirped, “how do you guys fight in your world? Edwin has that really neat cane…”

“Well, to be honest Goku much of our battles are done with Duel Monsters.”

“You duel MONSTERS!?!” Goku said excitedly.

“No, it’s a card game,” Avo responded.

“What sort of-“

“NO!” Edwin roared. “We are not teaching Goku Duel Monsters!” In a softer voice he whispered, “That is the path to madness.”

“Aw, come on Edwin! What’s the harm in me learning a new way to fight! I bet I could be great at that card game!”

“I’m kind of curious myself,” Tony admitted even as he fired some repulsor blasts at the Chitauri skiffs that were zipping past him. He targeted the front of them where the steering column was, or at least what he assumed they used to steer the things, and was rewarded with their shrieks of panic just before they went into nose dives. “So it’s a card game?”

“Yes,” the Pharaoh said.

“Don’t you fucking dare Yami!” Edwin snarled.

“Edwin, there is no… Yami?”

“Yeah, when I watched the anime the dub had you pick that name. I guess my influence got you to just stick with The Pharaoh.”

Goku chimed in again. “Wait. Kayos, you said-“ There was a pause and a grunt and then he continued. “-you said that you were from another Earth. And Edwin is from another Earth… and all of this was a movie on your earth…”

Everyone went silent.

“…so does that mean you don’t have the same TV shows on your Earth that I have on mine?”

“he was so close,” Tony commented, shaking his head.

“Can we focus?” Steve said, letting them know he was still on the comm unit.

“People that were brainwashed five minutes ago don’t get to tell us how to battle!” Spider-Chaos proclaimed.

“Besides, this feels natural for us,” Corrosion said happily.

“Anyone have eyes on the other Avengers?” Steve asked.

“Thor is free,” Goku proclaimed.

“Hawkeye is almost handled!” Corrosion stated. “I brought his wife and she is yelling at him right now. Apparently even Loki’s brainwashing isn’t as strong as having to sleep on the couch. Anyone see Black Widow?”

“She’s currently chasing me on a motorcycle,” Slash replied. “I am on my Charizard though so I think I can win. NONE wants to try and lure her into a wall, Looney Tunes style.” NONE was the only one not on the comms as his static tended to fuck them up real bad.

“…I kind of want him to use his powers just to make that work,” Tony commented.

“Meep Meep!” Slash said happily.

Tony chuckled at that. “Well, it looks like-“

“Fuck!” Spider-Chaos roared.

“What’s going on?” Edwin asked.

Rhodey suddenly chimed in. “Portal just opened up, Tony, right in 5th Avenue. Someone is stepping out… big. Bald. Purple.”

“It’s fucking Thanos!” Spider-Chaos roared.

“…so he took the bait,” Tony muttered. “Alright everyone… the game just changed so be ready… we need to take this bastard down hard.”

And with that he flew towards 5th Avenue.