Of Space"ships" and Scarlet Vision
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Tony Stark sneaks his way around the ship, trying to find where Strange and Ebony Maw are.
"Boss, there is an incoming call from Miss. Potts." FRIDAY comes in through his suit.
"Put her through." Tony mutters, heart in his throat.
There's a click as Pepper's worried voice comes through his suit, "Tony? Oh my god! Are you all right? Where are you?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just think that we need to cancel our reservations for tonight." Tony says, ignoring her second question.
"What, why?"
"I don't think I'm going to make it back for awhile." Tony says as he continues to look around.
"Tell me you are not on that ship." Pepper says firmly.
Tony pauses and that seems to be the only answer that she needs. "Oh my god."
Tony sighs to himself, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know how to say this Pep-"
"Come back here! I swear to god-" The call begins to lose service as the ship goes closer into space. "Come back here right now!"
"Boss, we're losing her!" FRIDAY cuts in.
"I'm going too... Oh my god!" Is the last thing Tony hears from Pepper.
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(with the guardians)
Rubberband Man by The Spinners blares through the Guardians' ship as they make their way through space.
"Sing it, Drax!" Peter Quill calls out while dancing along.
Peter gets a snore in response.
"Why are we doing this again?" Rocket the trash panda Raccoon asks as he yawns
"It's a distress signal, Rocket. Someone could be dying." Gamora responds, annoyance clear in her voice.
"I get that but why are we doing it?"
" 'Cause we're nice! And whoever it is will give us some cheddar cheese for our help." Quill says with a small smile towards the raccoon.
Gamora whips her head around and raises an eyebrow at Quill, "Which isn't the point."
Quill immediately nods in agreement, "Which isn't the point. But if he doesn't pony up-"
"We take his ship!" Rocket finishes enthusiastically.
"BINGO!"
"We are arriving." Mantis says as she adjusts a few things.
Quill straightens up, "All right, Guardians. Don't forget, this might be dangerous, so let's put on our mean faces." He turns towards Groot, who is a teenager and playing on a handheld gaming device. "Okay, Groot, time to put that thing away. Now, I don't want to tell you again! Groot."
"I am Groot." Groot says in a mocking voice.
"Whoa!" Peter snaps.
"Language." steve rogers ,I mean Rocket, snaps.
"Wow." Drax, who woke up when Mantis said they were arriving, mutters to himself.
"You got some acorns on you, kid. Ever since you got your little sap, you're a total d-hole. Keep it up, and I'm gonna smash that thing to pieces!" Rocket snaps at Groot.
Groot just rolls his eyes and continues his game.
Rocket begins to go through with his threat, he is distracted by Mantis saying, "What happened?"
All of the Guardians stare up at the Asgardians' ruined ship and their bodies float around space.
"I guess we aren't getting paid." Rocket mutters as he stares in shock.
They all jump as an unconcious body slams against their wind shield.
"Wipers! Wipers! Get it off!" Rockets yelps as the man opens his eye.
(they bring the body in and lay it on a table)
"How the hell is this dude even alive?" Quill mutters as he looks at the unconscious body.
"He is not a dude. You're a dude. This is a man. A very handsome, muscular man." Drax says as he admires the man.
"I'm muscular," Quill snaps. obviously offended.
"Who are you kidding, Quill? You're one sandwich away from being fat." Rocket says.
Quill scoffs, "Yeah, right!" He thinks for a moment and looks at his stomach. "What."
”It’s true, you have gained a little weight.” Drax agrees with Rocket.
Quill turns to Gamora, “Do you think-?”
Mantis interrupts him, “He is anxious. Angry. He feels tremendous loss and guilt.”
Drax looks the man up and down, “It’s like a pirate had a baby with an angel.”
“Wow, this is a real wake up call! I’m gonna get boflex! I’m gonna commit! I’m gonna get some dumbbells!”
“You can’t eat dumbbells!” Rocket quips
Gamora examines the man, grabbing onto his arm. “It’s like his muscles are made out of Cotati metal fiber.”
“Stop massaging his muscles!” Quill snaps and Gamora glares at him as she drops the arm. “Wake him up!” He says to Mantis
“Wake.” Mantis whispers and they all jump back as the man leaps up from the table.
Thor blinks an eyes at them, “Who the hell are you guys?!”
———————
(back to thor and the guardians, a little later.)
“The entire time I knew Thanos, he only ever had one goal. To bring balance to the Universe by wiping out half of all life. He used kill people, planet by planet, massacare by massacare-“ Gamora explains.
“Including my own.” Drax interrupts, slightly regretting it as Gamora flinches.
“If he gets all six Infinity Stones, he could do it what just a snap of his fingers. Like this:” She says and snaps her fingers.
“You seem to know a great deal about Thanos.” Thor remarks.
“Gamora is the daughter of Thanos.” Drax says as Gamora looks down in shame.
Thor stands from he is and looks eyes with the green woman, “You’re father killed my brother.”
“Oh boy. Stepfather, technically. She hates as much as you do.” Rocket interferes.
Thor immediately softens in understanding and lays a large, gentle hand on Gamora’s shoulder, “Families can be difficult. Before my father passed, he told me I had a half sister that he had imprissoned in Hell. The she returned home and took my eye. I had to kill her. That’s life, there was nothing else. I understand your pain.”
Quill moves Thor’s hand off of Gamora, “I feel your pain too. I mean it’s not a competition but I’ve been through a lot as well. My father killed my mother. Then I had to kill him. Probably harder to kill than a sister plus I escaped with both of my eyes.”
Thor ignores him as he whips around the ship, “I need a hammer, not a spoon!” He attempts to type on a keypad. “How do I open this thing? A four digit code? A birthday perhaps?”
“What are you doing?” Peter snaps at Thor.
“I’m taking your pod!” Thor answers.
“No, you’re not!” Peter clears his throat and deepens his voice, “You will not be taking our pod today, sir!”
“Quill, are you making your voice deeper?” Rocket asks with a laugh.
“No!”
“You just did it again! You’re imitating the god man!”
“No, I’m not!”
“He just did it again!” Mantis says.
“This is my voice!” Quill snaps, voice still deep.
“Are you mocking me?” Thor asks, stepping closer to Quill.
"Are you mocking me?" Quill imitates back.
"Stop it! You did it again!" Thor exclaims.
Quill scoffs and looks over towards his team, "He's trying to copy me."
"Would you stop that?" Thor snaps.
"Enough! We need to stop Thanos. Which means we need to find out where he's going next." Gamora snaps at the two "men"
"Oh, easy, Knowhere!" Thor says.
"He must be going somewhere." Mantis says, obviously confused.
"No. Knowhere? It's a place. We've been there. It sucks." Quill looks towards Thor, who is rummaging through their food storage. "Excuse me, that's our food."
Thor smirks over towards Quill, "Not anymore."
"Thor, why would he be going to Knowhere?" Gamora asks the god.
"Because for years, the Reality Stone has been safely stored, there with a man we call the Collector."
Quill whips his head up at the name, "If it's with the Collector, then it's not safe. Only an idiot would give that man a stone."
Thor shrugs at the man, "Or a genius."
"How do you know he's not going after one of the other stones?" Gamora asks.
"There's six stones out there. Thanos already has the Power Stone because he stole it last week, when he decimated Xandar. He stole the Space Stone from me when he destroyed my ship and slaughtered half my people. The Time and Mind Stones are safe on Earth. They're with the Avengers." Thor explains.
"The Avengers?" Quill asks, eyebrow raised in question.
"Earth's mightiest Heroes?"
"Like Kevin Bacon?" Mantis asks. (yes you tiny adorable person.)
Thor looks at her confusedly, "He may be on the team. I don't know. Haven't been there in a while. As for the Soul Stone, well, no one's ever seen that. No one even knows where it is. Therefore, Thanos can't get it. Therefore, he's going to Knowhere. Hence, he'll be getting the Reality Stone. You're welcome."
"Great, we have to go to Knowhere now!" Gamora says.
"Wrong. Where we have to go, is Nivadellir." Thor says, matter of factly.
"That's a made up word." Drax laughs.
"All words are made up."
"Nivadellir is real?" Rocket asks with excitement ad leaps onto a table. "Seriously? I mean, that place is a legend. They make the most powerful, horrific weapons to ever torment the Universe. I would very much like to go there, please."
Thor smiles at the animal, "The rabbit is correct! And clearly the smartest among you."
"Rabbit?" Rocket says in confusion.
"Only Eitri the dwarf king can make me the weapon I need." Thor turns to speak to Rocket. "I assume you are the captain?"
Rocket proudly smiles at Thor as the rest of the Guardians roll their eyes.
"You're very perceptive." Rocket says.
"You seem like a noble leader. Will you join me on my quest to Nivadellir?" Thor asks.
"Lemme just ask the captain. OH WAIT! That's me! Yeah, I'll go!"
"Wonderful." Thor says with a smile.
"Except that I'm the captain." Quill snaps.
"Quiet." Rocket snaps back.
Thor smirks and goes to grab a backpack. "Hey! Wait a second, that's my backpack."
"Quill, sit down." Rocket says.
Quill rolls his eyes and turns to Thor, "Look, this is my ship. And I'm not going to… Wait, what kind of weapon are we talking about here?"
"The Thanos killing kind." Thor says, giving Gamora a look of sympathy as she obviously tries not to finch.
"Don't you think we should all have a weapon like that?" Quill asks.
"No. You simply lack the strength to wield them. Your bodies will crumble as your minds collapse into the madness."
"Is it weird that I kinda want to do it more now?" Rocket says giddily.
"A little bit." Thor says
"If we don't go to Knowhere and Thanos retrieves another stone, he'll be too powerful to stop." Gamora says, stepping closer to the god.
Thor stiffens, "He already is."
"I got it figured out. We got two ships, and a large assortment of morons. So me and Groot will go with the pirate-angel here, and the morons will go to Knowhere to try and stop Thanos. Cool? Cool." Rocket suggests.
"So cool." Thor agrees.
Quill stops Rocket before he steps into the pod, "For the record… I know that you're only going with him because it's where Thanos isn't."
"You know, Quill, you shouldn't talk that way to your captain." Rocket responds as he steps into the pod. "Come on, Groot. Put that game down. You'll rot your brain."
"I am Groot." Groot says in a sarcastic tone.
"I bid you farewell and good luck, morons!"
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((wakanda))
Hecate steps off the ship that transported her the country of Wakanda. The king T'Challa and Okoye approach her with a smile.
Hecate returns the smile as she stops in front of them, "Hello, Your Majesty. Okoye."
"Hecate, it's just T'Challa. But, it's good to see you." T'Challa smiles.
"It's good to be back." Hecate smiles at the king and then turns to the warrior, "Hello, Okoye. How's the french going?"
"Je peux enfin mieux, merci a voux." Okoye responds.
"Tres bonne!" Hecate says with pride.
T'Challa looks between the two women, laughing slightly. "Shuri, doesn't know your here. Go surprise her." He says with a knowing look.
Hecate blushes slightly and nods, "Okay, yeah, I can do that. Au revoir, mes amies." She says before walking away.
"She could kill everyone here all at once and yet-" Okoye begins.
"She will blush and stutter over a girl." T'Challa finishes.
(in the lab)
Shuri was concentrating on making an improved suit for her brother when she heard the door to her private area in the lab open and then close. Shuri whipped around to see no one standing there. She quickly snatched her weapon up and glances around the room. "Who's there?"
Shuri jumps and shrieks as someone pokes her side. She whips around, saying, "Ah! You almost made me-"
"Drop your croissant?" Hecate finishes with a smirk.
"I was actually going to say have a heart attack, but I wish I was going to say that." Shuri replies, staring at Hecate in surprise.
The two women stare at each other for a moment before Hecate says, "Now, where's my-"
Before the goddess could finish her sentence, Shuri launches onto her, sending them onto the floor. They both are giggling messes as they lay on the floor.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?” Shuri asks.
“I wanted to surprise you.” Hecate responds with a shy shrug.
”Well, you did.” Shuri says with a laugh.
Hecate looks up at her with a smile. “Good.”
Shuri gives her girlfriend a soft smile, “Hi.”
Hecate softens as well and looks up at her, “Hi.”
Shuri smiles wider and leans in.
(a soft lesbian couple)
——————————-
(yeet to my least favourite people in the mcU atm)
A humanoid Vision looks out the window into a rainy night in Scotland as Wanda reads on the bed they share.
Vision cringes as a loud high pitched noise that only he seems to hear fills the room.
Wanda looks up from the bed at the sound of his pain and rushes over to him, “Vis? Is it the stone again?”
“It’s as if it’s saying something to me.” Vision manages through the pain.
“What’s it saying?” Wanda asks.
“I don’t know but it’s saying something.” Vision cringes.
The stone trills again and Vision flinches. Wanda takes his face in her hands. Vision turns his head so he can kiss her left palm, then presses Wanda's hand to the Mind Stone.
“Tell me what you feel?” Vision ask as he feels her magic in his mind.
“I just feel you.”
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(cut to them just walking around)
“So there’s a 10 am to Glasgow to give us more time together." Wanda says as they stroll through.
"What if I miss that train?" Vision asks, almost hesitantly.
Wanda looks at him with confusion, "There is an 11."
Vision abruptly stops them, "What if I missed all the trains? What if this time, I didn't go back?"
"You gave Stark your word." Her face scrunches up at the mention of Tony Stark.
"I'd rather give it to you."
"There are people who are expecting me too, you know. We both made promises." She remarks thinking of the rogue Avengers.
"Not to each other. [he puts his hands on her shoulders] Wanda… For two years, we've stolen these moments, trying to see if this could work. And... I don't know. You know what, I'm just gonna speak for myself. - I, I... I think..."
"It works."
Vision nods, "It works." He continues as Wanda nods in agreement, "Then stay. Stay with me."
Wanda looks down, almost in consideration, but then her eyes and attention drift to her left.
"Or not. If I'm overstepping…"
Wanda shakes her head and steps over to a better view of the TV in the kebab shop at which they had stopped, drawing Vision with her. It shows coverage of the invasion of New York, the alien antagonists, and the disappearance of Tony Stark.
"What are they?" Wanda fearfully says.
"What the stone was warning me about." He stops and kisses Wanda's hand, "I have to go."
"No, Vision. Vision, if that's true… Then maybe going isn't the best idea."
"Wanda, I…"
Corvus Glaive appears suddenly behind Vision, stabbing him through the back. Vision screams, loses his glamour to return to his green, red and gold appearance, and is thrown down into the street.
"Vision!" Wanda cries out in worry, she circles her hands, gathering up energy for a counterattack when Proxima Midnight blasts her from behind, knocking Wanda across the street and through a bistro's window.
Corvus Glaive pins Vision down and digs the point of his high-tech glaive into Vision's forehead in an attempt to extract the Mind Stone. Wanda commits her own surprise attack, blasts both of the aliens away, then lifts Vision and herself into a nearby courtyard, from where Wanda drags him to rest in a concealed alleyway.
"The blade. It stopped me from phasing." He weakly manages
"Is that even possible?"
"It isn't supposed to be." His voice begins to distort electronically, "My systems are failing." Wanda gestures over his gaping wound, using her magic to knit him back together. Vision continues in a gasping, wry tone, "I'm beginning to think... we should have stayed in bed."
Wanda manages a weak before Corvus Glaive suddenly arrives, knocking Wanda aside and grabbing Vision into the air.
"Vis!" She shouts.
Corvus flies away with Vision, slamming him against several walls. Meanwhile, Proxima engages Wanda with her staff weapon and they too begin to fight.
"Give up the Stone, and she lives." Corvus Gaive promises.
Vision flies with Corvus to the roof of what appears to be a church, ricocheting off the stone church tower and onto the metal-clad roof
Simultaneously, Proxima and Wanda fight below, staff weapon versus magic energy hands until Proxima uses the blaster effect of her weapon to knock Wanda meters away, stunning her as Proxima leaps down, brandishing her weapon within bare inches of Wanda's face, only held back by Wanda's powers.
Furiously, Vision pummels Corvus, then throws him across the roof, firing a beam from the Mind Stone. Corvus uses his glaive to deflect the beam, splitting it into several beams, cutting up Edinburgh's ancient stone like butter, until one branch finally reflects back at Vision, slamming him into the wall behind him.
Down below, Wanda has blocked Proxima's staff once again when she hears an agonized cry from Vision. Desperation strengthens her to throw Proxima through the burning lorry sliced in half by the split Stone beam, stunning the alien. Wanda then flies up to the roof where Glaive has pinned Vision and is again attempting to remove the Mind Stone.
"Hands off." Wanda barks, threateningly.
Wanda casts a bolt of magic which throws Corvus back through the wall and down a shaft, then flies the two of them away again. Proxima, who has recovered, shoots a bolt from her weapon, causing them to fall from the air and down through the roof of Edinburgh Waverley Train Station. Wanda crawls over to Vision, who cannot muster the strength to stand.
"Come on. Come on. Come on, you gotta get up. You gotta get up. Come on. Hey. Hey. We have to go." Wanda quietly pleads.
"Please. Please leave." he begs.
"You asked me to stay... I'm staying." She insists.
"Please."
"Get up."
Behind them, Proxima and Corvus crash through the roof and advance on them, brandishing their weapons. Wanda moves protectively in front of Vision, building power in her hands.
An express train passes behind Wanda, and Proxima cocks her head as if aware of another's presence. Confused, Wanda also turns and looks over her left shoulder. As the last train car passes, we see a silhouette on the far side of the platform. Proxima throws her weapon at the shadowy figure, but it is deftly caught just before the figure steps from the shadows.
We now recognize a bearded and furious Steve Rogers as he steps into the light. Vision and Wanda look hopeful and relieved. While all parties are distracted, Sam Wilson swoops in and kicks Proxima across the platform and through the closed café's security gate and furniture. Swooping around, he fires on Corvus.
At the same time, Captain America throws Proxima's weapon to Natasha Romanoff who engages Corvus, ducking under his swing, stabbing him in the gut and executing a flying kick to knock him backwards.
Proxima, who has rushed back to the fight, summons her weapon back to her hand and attacks Black Widow. Captain America leaps forward, rolls, scoops up Corvus's dropped glaive and holds her off. Black Widow joins in with her own escrima sticks. While the three are fighting, Falcon returns and again kicks Proxima backwards; she scuttles over to the prone Corvus. Falcon draws both of his Steyr SPP submachine pistols on the couple.
"Get up." Proxima Midnight commands to her fallen fellow soldier.
"I can't." He painfully responds.
"We don't wanna kill you. But we will." Natasha says coldly.
Midnight smirks at the threat, "You'll never get the chance again."
Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive depart as they are beamed up. The glaive is snatched from Cap's hand as well.
Sam rushes to Vision's side, "Can you stand?"
"Thank you, Captain." Vision says as electricity shimmers over his surface, and his voice distorts.
Let's get you on the jet."
"I thought we had a deal. Stay close, check in. Don't take any chances." Natasha addresses Wanda immediately as they enter the jet.
I'm sorry. We just wanted time." Wanda apologies, though it's obvious she's not really sorry. She goes o sit with Vision.
"Where to, Cap?" Sam asks from the Captain's seat.
Steve hesitates for a moment and thinks of the possible places they can go. While they could go to Wakanda, it would be too risky to go to one place too often. He thinks for a moment and sees a building with a giant A on the front of it. and a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist standing in the lawn.
"Home."