Calm Before the Storm
{Year: 2008. Location: Undisclosed Orphanage. Time: Midnight.}
The narrow street lay hushed as the rain gently drizzled down from the cloudy sky, covering the quaint town in a fine mist. The rain was expected to last all night, but it had gradually ceased around midnight, allowing the twinkling stars to peek through the darkness. Thirteen-year-old Cosmia observed this from her spot on the roof, where she had set up a cozy blanket and umbrella to shield her from any further rainfall. This secret perch was her tranquil haven for solitude and reflection, despite being off-limits according to the caretaker's rules. They had scolded her numerous times but eventually gave up when she persisted in her defiance, perhaps feeling guilty for the time they bluntly told her she would never be adopted.
Cosmia couldn't deny feeling hurt by their words, but unfortunately, they rang true. No one seemed interested in adopting her; they deemed her too peculiar or claimed she wouldn't amount to much. Cosmia would boldly challenge them to choose which of those statements held – an attitude that certainly didn't endear her to any potential adoptive parents. But really, she didn't care too much.
It wasn't as if it mattered anymore. Cosmia had been surreptitiously gathering her belongings for some time now, determined to leave this stifling environment behind and find a fresh start elsewhere—perhaps even in a different universe entirely since this one seemed so against her. Faint murmurs emanated from inside the house below, possibly indicating a surprise adoption in progress — rare but not entirely unheard of, still, midnight was a strange time for adoption.
The window beneath her creaked open and she detected someone perching on its ledge. Judging by the sound alone, they were likely a few years older but their voice carried the weight of greater age as they spoke: “I’ve heard you don’t like this universe, but you don’t actually mean that, do you? I only know because a caretaker overheard you mentioning that once.”
“Would be nice if they didn’t eavesdrop on me, but here we are…” Cosmia sighed, caught off-guard by the unexpected conversation. She assumed it must be some kind of counselor. Nonetheless, compelled by the peaceful view of the stars overhead, she answered the question: “...I…”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cosmia's eyes fluttered open, momentarily disoriented as she realized her thoughts had wandered off to a distant memory. She could feel the ridges and grooves of her Omnitrix under her fingertips as she twisted the dial back and forth; she was hellbent on figuring out how to access its various modes. It was still a mystery to her—its full capabilities were unknown except for the elusive Master Control, which tantalized her with the possibility of seamless transformation. She suspected that Azmuth had mentioned it just to pique her curiosity, and it had only spurred her determination.
“You managed to outshine some of the most elite operatives in the world, reducing them to the level of unspecialized security guards working for pocket change. That stings quite a bit.”
Next door, in the adjacent interrogation space, Coulson was steadily questioning Thor—the man had been mute and shattered since the incident with his hammer. His passivity was remarkable, opting for capture rather than flight, and enduring medical attention for his jaw post that brutal kick from Cosmia in her XLR8 guise. Outside, Barton kept vigil, his attention sharper than Cosmia’s; he’d stowed his bow and had been tending to fellow agents’ wounds, gratefully noting they were minor.
Cosmia was now convinced she faced the true Thor but puzzled over the enigma of his diminished powers. His reticence meant answers were unlikely, prompting her to turn her thoughts to the Omnitrix as Coulson’s questioning persisted.
Coulson’s tone held a mix of curiosity and challenge as he probed the silent god. “Typically, it requires one with comparable specialized training to pull off what you did to my team. Mind sharing where you honed these skills?”
Barton couldn’t help but crack a grin and shake his head at Coulson’s efforts, arms folded as he remarked sotto voce, “I’d bet he won't spill anything,” allowing his gaze to wander away from Thor's silence and toward Cosmia. “You holding up alright? That scrap was your real-world debut outside of standard training exercises with agents.”
“Stacking up against them?” Cosmia mused internally as she replayed scenes of Thor effortlessly dispatching agents in those confined corridors, not even deploying his fullest potential. His power may have been lessened, yet against her—who wasn’t exactly operating a combat-focused alien—he didn’t pull punches. “I guess I stood my ground... but yeah, it hurt. Still feeling that ache in my gut even after morphing back…”
Barton gave a nod, fully engaged in listening to her recount. He'd already seen the video himself but was curious to hear her take on the battle—they always provided unique insights. If she could dig a little deeper into her analysis, he'd be genuinely impressed. Considering it was her inaugural fight, however, he wasn't overly critical. Tapping his temple in a knowing gesture, he remarked, "Caught what happened to XLR8's helmet—never would've guessed he had enough force behind his hits to fracture it."
Cosmia blinked, the memory jarring, "Yeah, that was... kinda alarming. Hoping it all just goes back to normal when I morph next..." There was an underlying concern in her voice about accumulating damage and whether it might eventually impede her ability to transform back. The thought of losing access to her first-ever shift unnerved her. Despite this worry, the skirmish did offer some valuable intel: "Oh, by the way, pretty sure if someone snatches that tail... major weak spot."
Barton tilted his head pensively. "Now we're clued into XLR8's tail problem—big tip-off for future foes if they catch on or manage to snag it," he mused with characteristic observation skills. He noticed Cosmia wince slightly as she absently brushed her abdomen—a ghostly ache resonating there. A discreet tilt of his head directed her gaze to where Thor sat, bandages snug around his jaw—a souvenir from their tussle—and Barton added with a hint of pride, "You definitely stamped your brand on him, too."
Cosmia scarcely glanced at the scene before her gaze snapped back to the Omnitrix, her fingers dancing over it with nervous energy. Guilt nudged at her even as she obeyed her orders, twisting the dial this way and that. In a hushed tone tinged with worry, she confided to Barton, “He's holding back...I mean, if Thor were going all out, he'd have knocked me aside in a heartbeat with Mjolnir…”
“...Thor?” Barton quirked an eyebrow, processing her remark as he studied the man in question. He was reminded of those myths vividly depicted in children's tales, “You mean like the Norse deity, Thor?” While initially skeptical, observing how Thor tore through their defenses and remained stoic under Coulson's questioning lent some credibility. Barton mused aloud, more receptive to such fantastical ideas since learning of the Omnitrix’s existence himself, “Used to be a stretch for me to buy into it, but now? I'm seeing some sense there. Gonna fill Coulson in?”
"...once he’s finished grilling Thor," Cosmia confirmed with a slight nod, her wish to partake in the questioning put to a halt by Coulson's firm directive, especially after Thor pinpointed her as a morpher. Memories from Norse lore regarding shapeshifters—and Thor's trickster sibling Loki—skimmed through her thoughts, at least Thor understood she wasn't Loki.
Elsewhere within the command center, agents were doubling down on security for the night—every monitor manned and scrutinizing for any additional threats. Through the curtain of darkness outside, headlights emerged, announcing arrivals to the base. Gestures from within the vehicle sought attention from those inside. An agent peeled away from his surveillance duties and approached Barton and Cosmia with an update: "Agents Ten and Barton, we've got company at the front gate."
"Got it," Barton confirmed with a decisive nod. He advanced to the interrogation room's one-way mirror and rapped sharply on the glass to signal Coulson. In the corner, Cosmia toyed nervously with the Omnitrix, her fingers coaxing new secrets from the device. It sparked to life, emitting a series of beeps as its light shifted from green to an urgent yellow. She bit her lip, murmuring, "This better not be some kinda self-destruct function..."
"Let's keep our fingers crossed," Coulson quipped with his trademark congeniality, exiting the security of the room and ensuring it was locked tight against any of Thor's potential breakout attempts. He addressed the other agents with a casual but commanding wave: "Eyes open on him. I'll be back after we say hello to our guests."
"You got it," replied Cosmia with newfound gusto, her gaze lingering on Coulson and Barton as they proceeded to confront the newcomers. She tapped the now-yellow Omnitrix with a mix of apprehension and curiosity.
[DNA Capture Mode Activated and standing by for any unfamiliar DNA]
The voice that emerged from the Omnitrix was a carbon copy of Cosmia's own—a clever touch—announcing its readiness to assimilate new genetic blueprints. This revelation started to click in her head; if Azmuth had scoured his universe for alien DNA, there was always more out there—unfathomable amounts from worlds or realities uncharted. Could interdimensional or extraterrestrial DNA even be integrated?
[Be advised; a fresh catalog will be established for any novel DNA from your dimension detected. Attention; Preliminary sweeps have located two unidentified entities in close proximity to the Omnitrix, scanning is advised]
Alright, it might be plausible for her to consider Thor an extraterrestrial if he hailed from a highly advanced civilization that paid Earth a visit ages ago, possibly sparking the legends that surround him. That could imply those beings are incredibly long-lived. But then again, this theory doesn't shed light on why there would be two extraterrestrial life forms parked in one spot; specifically, the interrogation room. Glancing up, she caught sight of Thor in deep conversation with someone invisible to people outside the room, unaware of her prying eyes thanks to the one-way mirror. The urge took over and she reached for the knob, tweaking it towards him. Suddenly, the device whirred into action, emitting a beam of yellow light filling the space as it initiated its scan and eventually flickered green upon completion.
[First DNA successfully captured and integrated into the database. Designation: Asgardian]
That title clicked for Cosmia – Asgardians hail from Asgard...duh, now that she thinks about it, that's gotta mean that Asgard's an actual location out there in outer space.
[Second DNA successfully captured and integrated into the database. Designation: Frost Giant]
Now hold up – that was slightly more perplexing because a literal frost-covered giant is kind of hard to overlook, right? And squeezing one into this room seemed like a stretch. But then it hit her – maybe they're dealing with some sort of cloaking magic or futuristic tech camouflaging the second person. And maybe these so-called frost giants aren't as humongous as fairy tales make them out to be. Wrapped up in her theories, she zoned out completely and the sound of oncoming footsteps went unnoticed.
"Cosmia," Coulson murmured, making Cosmia jump and quickly turn to face him. Seeing his amused grin at her reaction, he gestured towards Thor, asking, "Any signs of movement or activity?" before glancing at the Omnitrix. "What was happening earlier?"
"I accidentally unlocked a DNA capture mode by fiddling with the dial while I was bored," Cosmia confessed, drawing a chuckle from Coulson. "But it seems to work – the Omnitrix says that Thor is an Asgardian," she explained, catching Coulson's undivided attention as she gestured towards Thor. Her worried frown deepened as she added, "And...apparently someone was in there talking to him—a frost giant."
"So he's an alien... That might explain the counterfeit records in our database," Coulson mused. "I'm more concerned about the second part, though. Maybe you'll find out more soon." He informed Cosmia about Erik Selvig's arrival to collect Thor under the name Donald Blake, allowing her to join them for a hang-out with her friend who had come as well.
Cosmia pondered for a moment and eventually nodded agreement. "I'll try to get some info—" Coulson shot her a stern glance that made her halt mid-sentence. She realized everyone wanted her to unwind like a regular teenager—even if that wasn't quite accurate for her—and sighed with a smile. "It's probably better than hanging around being bored..."
Soon enough, Erik Selvig entered the command building and approached them while Cosmia waved nervously. As Coulson unlocked the door to the interrogation room, Erik nodded acknowledgment at Cosmia before entering. "Ah, Donny! There you are," he exclaimed.
Thor glanced up in confusion at being called 'Donny.'
"You’re going to be fine," Erik reassured Thor and coaxed him to his feet, wincing slightly at the sight of his bandaged jaw. "I'm here to take you home."
Erik escorted Thor out of the building, with Cosmia following the pair. Coulson remained behind at the main entrance, while outside, Gwen waited impatiently. Noticing them emerge from the building, her relief was palpable—although she did eye Thor's bandage inquisitively. As Cosmia approached, Gwen inquired in a whisper, "What happened to him?"
"I, uh... followed orders and had to fight him," Cosmia sheepishly admitted. Gwen nodded in understanding as they trailed behind Erik and Thor. "Please tell me you don't want to fight me now too?" Cosmia whispered hesitantly.
"Nothing serious—I'd just like to train with you," Gwen replied, grinning playfully. She gestured towards Thor, saying with a smirk, "Especially against the form that did that to him."
Catching a glimpse from the corner of her vision, she observed Thor covertly pocket a volume from the collection of items seized from Jane Foster's belongings, slipping it into his clothes with practiced ease. Despite Fury's express commands to report such behavior, she remained silent; she wasn't about to betray her inward disagreement with his orders.
"Dr. Selvig," Coulson's voice pierced the air crisply, halting their stride as they all turned towards him, curiosity piqued about what more he could possibly request. "Ensure he steers clear of any bars."
"Understood," Erik affirmed with a nod, resuming their walk, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial tone as he addressed the group. "Alright, time for a detour – we're off to grab a round of drinks. Gwen, you've got the honors of escorting Cosmia back once we hit that spot."
"Totally get it. It's not like we can toss a few back anyways," Gwen responded nonchalantly with an understanding smirk.
~~~~~~~~~
Cosmia and Gwen signalled to Thor and Erik as soon as they spotted them outside the pub, striding along the shadowy lane towards the place that the S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives had turned upside down; they had come to a consensus that Thor would be the one to return the mysterious tome following his catch-up with Erik, but Gwen and Cosmia would shoot Jane a message to update her on their plans.
The street lamps emitted a faint glow, having gone unfixed for quite some time, but it didn’t bother anyone; the moon’s brilliance was sufficient on this side of town, far enough from other cities where artificial lights wouldn’t outshine it. A handful of night owls navigated the chilly air which Cosmia was cursing herself for having to endure; thrust into action at a moment’s notice, she hadn’t snagged her sweater, and defiantly wasn’t about to morph into some extraterrestrial form just to stave off the cold.
Which is why it caught her entirely off guard when suddenly a white sweater smacked into her face, while she caught Gwen's chuckles in the background. "Oops, you seemed kinda zoned out," Gwen said with a smirk, "saw you shivering so I thought you could use this."
"Wouldn't that make you shiver, though?" Cosmia quirked an eyebrow. Gwen merely shook her head, dismissing the concern with a carefree shrug. With a resigned sigh, Cosmia draped the jacket over her shoulders and unexpectedly felt a hint of comfort. She sensed the impending silence of their journey if she stayed quiet—a silence she wasn't opposed to—but today she craved conversation. "Hey, wanna hear something rad I figured out?"
"Oh?" Gwen mused with a playful smirk. "Thought you SHIELD types were all about keeping secrets close to the vest. But you? You're spilling the beans like nobody's business." She observed as Cosmia missed a step, almost thrown off by Gwen's jab, but Gwen was confident in Cosmia's knack for bouncing back—it was all part of her repertoire after all. Taking a moment to gaze at the stars, she added, "Gotta say, if SHIELD were as forthcoming as you are, maybe I’d buy what they’re selling. We both know that's not their style—they're all about the mysteries."
Cosmia itched to contest that point but clamped down on the urge; Gwen was hitting nothing but net with truths she herself had grappled with. And sure, SHIELD might have its share of secret-keepers, but they were the ones who had offered her a place—well, some of them believed in her anyway. "Can I just... sit on the fence with this? It’s like my feelings are doing some extreme sports," she ventured.
“Sure thing, I’ll leave it be,” Gwen casually agreed, then steered the conversation back on track, “You mentioned learning something new? Spill the beans!”
“Well,” Cosmia glanced at the Omnitrix strapped to her wrist, memories of a chat with Azmuth, its creator, about the wisdom of sharing its secret flooding back. She'd assumed Azmuth would echo Shield’s advice—to keep it under wraps. Yet, to her amazement, he'd given her the green light to spill the beans, although the fallout from such a reveal would be hers to handle alone. Chewing on her lip nervously, she peered at Gwen, “Okay, before I dive in... you've gotta know the real deal with this gadget.”
As they ambled along, Cosmia spilled everything about the Omnitrix; how it had fallen into her hands, Azmuth's mysterious meeting with Shield, and the wild assortment of alien forms at her fingertips. All the while she braced for Gwen’s disbelief or a snappy challenge to her tale. But Gwen simply listened intently, nodding in understanding.
And then after opening up about such heavy stuff, Gwen’s first reaction caught Cosmia off guard: "The Omnitrix—that’s a wicked name!" Cosmia nearly stumbled over in shock; of all the reactions she had anticipated, that certainly wasn’t one.
“Really? No big deal to you after all I’ve spilled, and all you’ve got is compliments on the name?” Cosmia voiced her astonishment, receiving nothing but a nonchalant shrug and an amused grin from Gwen.
“You’ve been pretty transparent about stuff, so yeah, I tend to take your word for it. But meeting this Azmuth guy in the flesh? That’d be cool,” Gwen said, glancing left and right as they neared the street that led to their destination. Sparse traffic offered little hindrance, yet caution prevailed. Together, they made their way across. “So, spill it, why drop that bomb on me first?”
“I’ve actually got Asgardian and Frost Giant DNA logged in the Omnitrix, thanks to a Thor scan,” Cosmia couldn’t hold back a small smirk when she noted Gwen's moment of astonishment—payback for all of Gwen’s ribbing felt good. With a click, she flipped the face plate of the device to reveal two silhouettes, “Check these out.”
Gwen raised an eyebrow, “Sort of guessed that might be the case, but it's cool to confirm Thor isn’t just some dude with grand delusions,” she said and pushed open the door. Gwen had claimed the spare room inside while Jane often crashed in the caravan outside. After entering and securing the lock behind them, she veered towards her own room, “So how did you score Frost Giant DNA?”
Cosmia’s response came with a reflective tilt, “Best guess? Loki, Thor’s bro, must've dropped by invisibly. Plus, legends hint he's got frost giant roots—it adds up, right?” Even as she spoke, Cosmia recognized how wild her theory sounded. A yawn overtook her; she massaged tired eyes, “Let’s shelf this chat for tomorrow? I’m kinda wrecked from that scrap I had…"
"Totally get it—and psst, heads up: I'm rocking a single mattress here,” Gwen remarked with a playful wink before a thought seemed to strike her. Her grin spread wider as she asked a pivotal question: “You’ve missed out on some classic teen stuff for sure. But... you’re up to speed on fanfics, aren't you?”
“Seriously? We're going there – the one-bed cliché?" Cosmia shot back with an amused huff.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Outside the town's limits, a sudden and dazzling burst of light pierced the night. Unseen by anyone else, the Rustbucket materialized with Ben, Gwen, Kevin, Rook Blonko, and Rook's sister Shi onboard. The group had been in a hurry to prevent Shi from being caught in the teleportation, alas, they were too late; the teleporter had already whisked them away.
Gwen was reeling from the event, while Kevin was visibly upset with Professor Paradox’s actions. Rook, sharing in the shock yet wasting no time, went straight to Shi and embraced her tightly. Ben looked on stoically into the desert night, where moonlight and the Rustbucket were their only illumination.
Ben also harbored anger towards Professor Paradox’s abrupt decision but conversely appreciated that as a time traveler, Paradox saw things unfold beyond their understanding. Perhaps Shi needed to be here—though an explanation from Paradox would have been appreciated—if only to offer Shi a chance for farewells with her family, aside from Rook.
“What was he thinking?" Kevin grumbled in frustration. He absorbed the texture of a nearby rock before channeling his borrowed strength to shatter it. "I can make sense of everything else—but this?”
“I am aware he has insight into timelines... but this seems excessive," Gwen agreed, probing for any ambient mana. Relieved yet unfulfilled by its different texture—insufficient for casting a spell to return Shi—she turned towards Ben with furrowed brows. "Your thoughts?"
Ben mulled over his response as he glanced at Rook consoling his sister with soft whispers; she acknowledged him with tears and nods before retreating into the Rustbucket's confines. "How is Shi coping?"
"Shi is understandably distraught due to her lack of choice in these events; however, her sorrow is not as profound as I expected," Rook assessed after stealing another look inside the vehicle. Ensuring all was well, he shut the door and faced the group once more. "She wishes for time alone to mourn our inevitable absence from our family."
Kevin pondered confidently that anyone in this universe dealing with Azmuth must possess a means to reach out to him. "We can utilize that communication tool for you to have a word with Azmuth in his lab and ensure your folks have a chat with you," Kevin reflected, while his skin reverted to its usual texture. He threw a sidelong glance at Ben. "You've got your Omnitrix and Plumber badge, right? Can't you track down the person you're supposed to meet to train?"
“Her name is Cosmia. In fact, I was on the verge of doing precisely that,” Ben responded, producing his Plumber's badge, emblazoned with the symbol of the Omnitrix. He activated its scanning feature, intent on finding the tell-tale signature of another Omnitrix user nearby. Although Plumbers might be nonexistent in this dimension, their technology could still potentially detect the device. True enough, an indicator flashed on the screen, signifying a presence in a nearby town. Before stowing away his badge, Ben tapped it, noticing it turn into an intriguing shade of blue. That curiosity was for another time, he decided. “She appears to be situated in that town.”
"Why delay then? Shouldn't we just pile into the Rustbucket and make tracks?" Kevin strode towards their trusty vehicle but was halted by Rook's firm hand.
"Initiating contact at this juncture does not seem wise," Rook articulated, motioning to their surroundings.
"Rook is right; given the late hour, she is quite possibly asleep,” Gwen chimed in while Rook nodded solemnly in agreement and Kevin exhaled a resigned breath. Ben couldn't help but offer a grin at their exchange. Gwen then brushed past Kevin and Rook toward the Rustbucket with practicality on her mind: "This also gives us the chance to sort out where everyone will be sleeping tonight."
Ben watched them head inside while he took one more glance at their surrounding, while many thoughts passed through his mind, one of them was, “What did you see that needed us Paradox?”
As the early light of dawn filtered into the room, Cosmia stretched awake with a languid yawn, her mind foggy as she glanced around, realizing she wasn't nestled in her own bed. The telltale sounds of someone bustling about in the living area hinted that Gwen had risen earlier, presumably to whip up some breakfast as daylight had already begun its ascent.
With a slight grimace, Cosmia discovered she had crashed in her uniform—still on from yesterday—and felt an urgent need to stretch out the discomfort and shake off the stale scent clinging to it. Luckily for her, Gwen had thoughtfully left out a canister of deodorant. Reaching for it, she paused, catching sight of an unusual sight.
Her Omnitrix was emitting a peculiar blue glow contrary to its habitual green luminescence. Cosmia pondered if it had gained new abilities overnight, but after a quick check, it appeared to function as usual. Despite any bewilderment over the color shift, she couldn’t help but appreciate how it complemented her eye color. Heaving a resigned groan, she hefted herself up and made her way out of the room.
In the main space, Erik and Darcy had settled into breakfast at the table, plates laden before them. Erik nursed a beverage that screamed hangover remedy. Over at the counter, Thor assisted Jane with dishing out morning sustenance, displaying none of Erik's post-celebration weariness. Meanwhile, Gwen lounged comfortably in an armchair engrossed in her laptop until Cosmia's appearance prompted her to snap it shut.
Gwen jabbed a playful finger in Cosmia’s direction with feigned exasperation. "Well if it isn't sleeping beauty," she chided mockingly while slightly inclining her head toward Cosmia's dumbfounded expression as their companions looked on amusedly. "Would've been nice getting a heads-up about your cuddling habit—it took me forever to wriggle free from your grip."
It took a moment for Cosmia to process Gwen’s words, her cheeks tinting with a light blush. Although mortified by her unconscious habit, she wasn’t about to delve into the reasons behind it. Shifting focus, she greeted the others cheerily, “Morning, folks. Dr Selvig, didn't peg you for someone who'd dive so deep into the bottle.”
Erik massaged his temples and replied with a rueful smile, taking another gulp of the foul-tasting remedy. “Yeah, got a bit overzealous competing with him,” he muttered.
Jane tsked, her disappointment evident. “And that's precisely why we're putting you on a temporary drinking ban.”
Cosmia turned to Thor next, her face painted with remorse as she observed his bandaged jaw and inhaled deeply before apologizing, “Sorry about your jaw…”
“Hang on…you’re responsible for that?” Darcy interjected with raised brows—shock etched on both hers and Jane's faces while Gwen remained expressionless—evaluating Cosmia from head to toe. “Wow, wouldn’t have guessed a kid your age could deliver such a wallop…”
“It wasn’t her fist but rather her foot that met my jaw,” Thor clarified with an amused grunt. As he laid a reassuring hand on Cosmia’s shoulder and beamed at the group, Cosmia worried about him revealing too much but Thor continued without betraying any secrets. “She’s quite the formidable fighter. No need for apologies though; you were merely following orders.”
"I didn't exactly enjoy it," Cosmia admitted. She might have liked it if they'd been genuinely training together, and although she'd still say sorry for his jaw, at least it would have been in good spirits.
Gwen's observation seemed accurate, Jane agreed. She looked at Cosmia with a puzzled expression. "You're not like any other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents I've encountered before."
"True, she's honest...and a bit forgetful," Darcy chimed in. "She didn't even recall wearing her uniform with us yesterday."
"At first, I thought you were keeping an eye on us so we wouldn't interfere with the others swiping Jane's research and gear," Erik admitted, watching Cosmia's reaction as he mentioned it. He sighed and set down his drink. "But I suppose you were just trying to be a normal kid, like Gwen said."
"Finally figured it out, huh? I know you have issues with S.H.I.E.L.D., but give Cosmia a chance," Gwen said with a hint of annoyance and relief that Erik might let it go. She turned to Cosmia with a smile. "Anyway, I've got something to show you–"
"Hold up," Jane interrupted before Gwen could continue. "I just have one more question for now." She looked at Cosmia, then gestured towards the food spread on the bench. "Would you like any of this?"
"Uh, could I just get some bacon and a couple slices of bread?" Cosmia requested nervously, but Jane happily obliged and handed her a plate. "Thanks."
As Cosmia settled in her seat and made herself a bacon sandwich, Gwen resumed showing her something on her laptop – various scans and data similar to what she had seen at their makeshift base were displayed on the screen.
Gwen pointed at the monitor. "I detected an unusual energy signature last night, different from the ones we've been observing recently. I'm not sure if S.H.I.E.L.D. knows about it, but maybe you'd want to investigate?"
"Yeah, definitely. And we can probably get there before them since they're more focused on the hammer and keeping tabs on Thor," Cosmia agreed as Gwen laughed softly. Both had easily spotted agents in black suits across the street on a rooftop, who didn't blend in very well. She decided to report them to Coulson later, but for now, her attention was drawn to an alert on Gwen's screen. "What's that?"
"Huh? Oh, seems like another Thor-like energy reading just popped up," Gwen said as she clicked on the notification, the data on the screen shifting to reflect the new information. "That's odd..."
Based on the data, the disturbance had transpired just thirty minutes prior. Cosmia could've easily excused herself for not noticing due to being wrapped in slumber at that time. In contrast, Gwen experienced a flicker of confusion; ordinarily, she'd have detected it instinctively—however, her perceptions had been somewhat erratic of late. Nonetheless, it dawned on her that Cosmia’s behavior upon their initial encounter at the site of the commotion was likely why she didn't perceive her as a threat.
The riddle they pondered was abruptly addressed when a series of knocks echoed from the entrance, drawing everyone's attention. Gazing through the door were four figures garbed as warriors. A cascade of broken glass punctuated the quietude as Erik's mouth hung open, taken aback by their appearance. A hint of amusement in her voice, Cosmia quipped, “Well, guess we can tick that one off the list.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Just outside the Rustbucket, with the first light of morning, Ben had roused himself, and Gwen too, while the others were still deep in slumber; Kevin and Shi out cold, whereas Rook had already been up for hours attempting to hook the Rustbucket up to this dimension's local network. Gwen had prepared a mat for their training session, as Ben was honing his combat skills without resorting to transformation—he recognized he would need to shift shapes for more formidable adversaries though.
For the moment, however, he found himself repeatedly toppling onto his backside courtesy of Gwen's superior technique. Yes, he'd managed to bring her down several times as well, but his skills were significantly better while transformed. Complicating matters was the clutter in his mind—reeling from yesterday's revelations and dramas—forcing him to concentrate on pressing ahead, which included an imminent encounter with Cosmia.
After hitting the mat with another thud and exhaling deeply, Ben allowed a smile to creep across his face. "Alright, let's take a breather," he suggested, and Gwen consented instantly, settling herself down beside him to begin a tranquil meditation. "So,” Ben probed cautiously, “what's your take on how this might unfold?"
"Ben," Gwen responded thoughtfully with her eyes closed, "there are numerous variables in play here and vast swathes of information that elude our understanding. However, if I were to extrapolate based on past experiences—think back to when we encountered Albedo for the first time. I mean when we witnessed him equipped with that inferior Omnitrix." She prompted him with gentle insistence to cast his mind back to that incident, invoking some of Azmuth’s words concerning Albedo’s replica. Despite his reluctance, flashbacks of that encounter flowed through his thoughts after he gave a somber nod. She added confidently as he acknowledged her point, “My intuition suggests she'll initially view you as a potential adversary...unless she happens to be exceptionally open-minded."
“Taking that risk could be quite the toss-up,” Rook interjected, stepping out of the Rustbucket and softly closing the door behind him with an apologetic mien, “My apologies for the intrusion. However, I believe I've come across some intelligence that might prove advantageous to our cause.”
“Oh, it’s cool Rook,” Ben replied with a nonchalant wave as he hoisted himself up, pivoting on the mat to face him, “Spill it, what's the scoop?”
“Considering the sophistication of the technology within the Rustbucket relative to its previous discoveries, it has identified two signals. It was able to infiltrate and conceal within one of them — tied to an organization known as SHIELD. This entity bears an emblem akin to that seen on Cosmia’s transformation,” elaborated Rook, displaying his Plumber’s badge that projected a holographic cache of data — clearly copious and implying significance, “Based on my initial assessment, they appear to be an exceedingly clandestine collective.”
"Could they function similar to the Plumbers?" Gwen mused aloud, absorbing and evaluating the information for potential implications. "Nonetheless, our understanding of their activities is quite limited, and uncovering more will certainly take a substantial amount of time. What makes Cosmia such a difficult gamble?"
"She does not appear to be one who conceals herself," Rook elucidated while displaying footage of Cosmia as Astrodactyl attempting to lift a hammer of some sort, and failing. Some people laughed at her efforts, but no one seemed truly alarmed by her presence. In a different screen from an arcade's security camera, she transformed into Grey Matter in front of a witness, fixed an arcade machine, and then tried playing it while still in her alien form. "I must concede that Cosmia appeared to enjoy both instances, even though she was nervous when in human form."
"Hmm, I wonder if she reacted the same way when she acquired the Omnitrix too. Maybe people are accustomed to bizarre things happening around here," Ben suggested with a slight chuckle watching both footages; Gwen shared a similar reaction as she paused her meditation to view the clips. However, he winced as he inquired, "Since you accessed their network, I am assuming you managed to acquire files about her as well?"
"I have...but," Rook hesitated to answer, surprising both Ben and Gwen before releasing a sigh and showing the first file from when Cosmia joined Shield. "She is an orphan who fled from an orphanage without being adopted. She was eventually discovered by Shield and raised within the organization...and this is the only information they possess about her."
Ben and Gwen absorbed the information while Rook refrained from sharing any more details due to several reasons—primarily because delving further would be disrespectful and might hinder gaining Cosmia's trust upon meeting her. Gwen stood up deep in thought, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. "That could explain her nervous behavior in the footage...Perhaps that girl was helping Cosmia break out of her shell? After all, she did not mind transforming in front of her."
"Perhaps when we locate Cosmia, she might also be present, and that would be our chance to inquire," pondered Ben as a brief period of contemplation passed, accompanied by an exhalation of breath; silence ensued as a clap of thunder interrupted the calm. Glancing upwards, befuddlement was clear on his visage upon sighting a cloudless sky. "Surely I wasn't the only one to perceive that auditory anomaly?"
"Indeed not. Moreover, my proto-tool is registering something unusual," announced Rook with an air of perplexity as he extracted his device. It whirred and beeped, its scanning function active but seemingly baffled. "Curious, there appears to be a colossal energy surge akin to a mechanical source, yet its precise origin eludes detection."
Gwen's eyelids drew shut momentarily, and upon their opening, her eyes shimmered with an ethereal violet hue for an ephemeral spell, her arm extending to point toward a spot in the distance. "Look over there!"
Manifesting suddenly was a maelstrom of foreboding clouds against the serenity of the azure sky. Within this tumultuous spiral was an incandescent core that seemed to pulse with power. At initial glance, one might assume the formation of a cyclone as the cascade of clouds plunged earthward. However, the resultant blast wave from the point of contact purged any thoughts of nature's fury – this was different. A sinister silhouette hurtled downwards through the radiance.
"That's definitely not a positive sign."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It was quite the scene when Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, and Sif materialized at the doorstep. The first trio were notorious as the ‘Warriors Three,’ while Sif was an ally to both them and Thor, having joined the search. Erik, Darcy, and Jane could barely hide their astonishment, but Cosmia and Gwen took the revelation in stride, exchanging cordial introductions with the group.
Confusion laced the air as Thor divulged that he couldn’t return home due to his father's supposed demise, which mandated his exile. The news left Cosmia puzzled about his conclusion, until a memory from last night’s conversations surfaced, "Thor...did someone actually inform you of this?"
Loyally, Thor answered, "But of course, my brother Loki." At Loki’s mention, a shadow fell upon Sif's features and the Warriors Three exchanged troubled glances, leaving Thor bewildered. "Why do you look so troubled?"
"Does he really think that...?" Gwen voiced out incredulously with a nod towards Thor.
Volstagg exhaled deeply before interjecting gently, "You must understand it wasn't easy for anyone to grasp. But despite my initial doubts, I saw proof. Still, they are kin. It’s complicated for Thor."
In her typical candid manner yet with an insightful undertone well beyond her years, Cosmia mused half to herself, "I guess I can't quite relate... But Thor? You're taking Loki at his word? Seriously? He's well known for his deceptions.”
Sif stepped forward gravely and confirmed with certainty, “Your father is very much alive, Thor."
Thor’s expression morphed from confusion into silent fury — not directed at anyone present but at his own naivety for trusting Loki to be forthright. His heart sank with betrayal as he whispered aghastly to himself, "Brother...what have you conspired..."
"I think you were tailed..." Gwen inquired, a shiver crawling over her skin as chills danced up her arms. She pivoted towards the window, where a brewing maelstrom of clouds gathered in the distance, a stunning yet ominous display from their vantage point on the main thoroughfare. Her query seized their collective focus, prompting them to swivel in unison towards the harrowing sight, a silent understanding passing between them as they filed out of the building.
"The size of that thing... it's colossal compared to the storm that brought Thor," Jane murmured, her voice tinged with a mix of dread and awe at the unfolding spectacle.
"Do you figure that Loki's unleashing the Destroyer on us?" Fandral ventured, eyeing the swirling vortex with caution as it spiraled menacingly towards terra firma.
Hogun grunted dismissively, "And by all indications, he's dispatching those arcane automata along with it—judging from its sheer magnitude." His fingers tightened around his weapon, bracing for an inevitable clash.
Cosmia's eyes widened. "The Destroyer?" That word alone had her reaching for the Omnitrix, intuition signaling that she may soon have to morph into an extraterrestrial form to face what loomed ahead.
Thor’s brow furrowed in confusion. "I'm acquainted with the Destroyer, but what are these 'mechanical beasts' you speak of?” The fact that even Thor was puzzled sent an unsettling ripple through the group.
Gwen made a prompt decision. "...and that’s my cue to ditch one of my own rules... Just keep this under wraps," she implored with a stern gaze before darting back inside for something crucial.
As Cosmia witnessed the swirling nebula of clouds smash into the earth, a reverberating tremor captured the attention of the town's folk who, up till then, had been oblivious to the celestial anomaly. From this chaotic display, a formidable shadow projected onto the ground; its source—a monumental red automaton of a sinister appearance—emerged from the gloom. Behind it lumbered a second mechanical behemoth, hobbling due to a missing limb—the very leg Cosmia had obtained. A third silhouette loomed in the distance, though its form remained indistinct.
Cosmia's heart raced, her skin dewy with perspiration as an inexplicable dread seized her; she could feel tremors racking her body, as if some primal instinct had been tripped. Despite her efforts to steady her breaths, they shuddered uncontrollably. She cast a fleeting glance sideways and realized she was alone in her panic; others around her remained calm—even Thor was wearing an expression of concern rather than fear.
With gritted determination, Cosmia turned inward to pinpoint the source of her terror. Her right arm vibrated with intensity—significantly more than her left—the arm adorned with the Omnitrix. Was there a connection between these machines and herself? The thought chilled her to the core—a suspicion she would've preferred to remain unconfirmed— particularly as the titans commenced firing energy beams at innocuous targets near their feet. A wave of foreboding washed over Cosmia that something menacing was afoot.
Unconsciously, her hand moved towards the Omnitrix, poised to activate it, when a sudden strike of familiar webbing slapped against her wrist, halting the transformation. Blinking away the surprise of her own actions, she swung around with a sheepish grin. “Thanks—”
In the interim, Gwen had reappeared, adorned now in the iconic gear of her alter-ego, Spider-Woman. A rush of warmth crept across Cosmia’s cheeks – a reaction she couldn’t quite conceal. She'd never confessed her admiration for Gwen's suit – such things are always harder to express face-to-face. Pondering a beat longer than intended, a realization dawned upon her. “Is that the secret you're trusting them to keep?”
“Thor and his fellow Asgardians don’t worry me as much,” she expressed, her gaze settling on Erik, Jane, and Darcy who stood there dumbfounded, at a loss for words at the revelation. Exhaling softly with a hint of amusement: “Shocked? Just refer to me as Spider-Woman in this get-up.”
Darcy piped up first, jabbing an accusatory finger in Gwen’s direction. “Hang on, all those times I showed you clips of 'Spider-Woman' and you were so disinterested... it was because you were looking at yourself?” Initial irritation gave way to understanding as she shrugged it off: “I get the embarrassment – reminds me of this one instance when–”
Before Darcy could delve into anecdotes, Erik interjected: “We’re taken aback, sure, but it does piece things together.”
Jane seemed slightly perturbed when she inquired, “Did you come here just because—”
Gwen interjected with haste, a hint of eagerness in her voice, “The anomalous readings sparked my curiosity, true, but I was more drawn to the idea of collaborating with you.” Her words coaxed a smile from Jane. Gwen’s gaze then shifted towards Cosmia, who resembled a startled fawn under scrutiny, “But my attention has been on her since yesterday. Oh, and Cosmia, no utilizing your abilities just yet; you've got a strict ten-minute cap in place, recall? It's fine though, go ahead and spill the beans to them.”
“Rest assured that your identity as this 'Spider-Woman' remains safe with me. Likewise for your secrets, Cosmia—I vow to keep them protected,” Thor affirmed with solemnity and a grand wave of his hand towards his comrades. Mild bewilderment shadowed their features initially; however Thor’s expression brightened as recollection dawned upon him. He faced his friends, declaring with awe, “She’s the one who branded me with this scar.”
Cosmia braced herself for their judgment. Her fears were quelled as the Warriors Three erupted not in skepticism but in wholehearted mirth. Meanwhile Sif wore a mask of skepticism that had yet to crack. Seizing the momentary diversion, Cosmia raised her arm confidently to exhibit the Omnitrix. “So yeah, I've got this gadget—the power to transform into a handful of alien species for like a solid ten minutes at a stretch,” she articulated with nonchalant pride and a glint in her eyes. “Though I guess Thor dubbed me a 'Shapeshifter,' if that term rings any clearer.”
Gwen seemed to shake her head a little, “I think we can save everything else for later, right now we got problems to deal with, i give it between five and ten minutes before they reach town. Me, Cosmia, Thor, Jane, Erik, and Darcy will help evacuate the civilians before they reach here so they don’t get caught in the crossfire. Sif, Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral shoul be prepared to fight, me and Cosmia will join up with you after we help evacuate the civilians.”
“You sound like a sound commander,” Thor commended with a smile as he looked at his friends, “Who heard her, we got all these people to protect.”
Cosmia felt two words enter her head, and it felt right to say it as she smiled:
“It’s hero time!”