The Soulmate Initiative: Book 1

21. A glimer of hope

LOCATION: SOKOVIA

High above, the Hulk is flying further and further away, Nian connects to the quinjet via video chat "Hey, we did it. The job's finished. Now I need you to turn this bird around, okay? We can't track you in stealth mode. So help me out." The Hulk reaches out a hand towards the controls, conflicted, wanting to go home to their soulmates, but so scared to have lost one and not wanting to lose more. When they had heard that Johanna Barnes had died a long time ago it didn't have much of an effect, because they had never met and even after finding out she is the Winter Soldier, they still don't know each other. But with Prisha it's different. Nian continues "I need you-" But the Hulk cuts the feed. Vision flies down and pulls both Iron Woman and Tasia out of the ocean, he flies them up to the helicarrier, which has lowered itself considerably. Inside, the Avengers all gather in the infirmary, around Prisha's body.

When Vision enters with the pair he went to find, he is carrying an unconscious Ashley, but Tasia is walking, having woken up as they were flying up. She stumbles over to her Lavina, who quietly says to her "There must be something we can do." Tasia looks between the body of one of their shared soulmates and her little sister "Lavina, leave it, there's nothing we can do." Lavina glares at Tasia, her armour fading away "We can take her back to Asgard-" "Vina!" Everyone looks at her "Maybe we can-" "Stop it." Lavina starts turning blue as she glares up at her sister "I CANNOT JUST ALLOW ONE OF MY SOULMATES TO DIE! I AM GOING TO FIND A WAY TO SAVE HER! WITH OR WITHOUT YOU!" Warren lays a hand on Lavina's arm, Lavina turns her head, her eyes blood red. The Avengers haven't seen her Frost Giant form before, it's shocking, but Warren doesn't look scared, he looks determined "If you think there is even a chance." Lavina nods, but Tasia speaks up "Father will not want to help her." Lavina snaps her head in her sister's direction "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR FATHER WANTS! HE WILL HELP US OR I WILL HELP HER MYSELF!"

Stacey asks "Tasia?" Tasia sighs "We can try, but he is stubborn and disagrees with the thought of us having Midgardian soulmates." Lavina starts fading back to her usual appearance, a thought flashing through her mind, but she doesn't voice it. Tasia continues "But we can try." "Then take her." Lavina looks to Warren again turning fully to face him, her appearance now fully Asgardian again "I will do everything in my power to save her. I WILL save her! I have come too far to lose any of you now." Warren kisses Lavina, taking her by surprise, then whispers "I trust you." Lavina stares into Warren's eyes a moment "It may take some time, but we will return." Warren nods and steps away, Lavina carefully lifts Prisha's body. Everyone walks outside, they're close to land now, but still flying at the moment.

Tasia pulls Stacey and Ashley, who has regained consciousness, aside and speaks quietly to them as the others say goodbye to Lavina "After dropping those two off on Asgard, I will go find out what I can about the stones. The Mind stone is the fourth of the infinity stones to show up in the last few years, it's not a coincidence. Someone has been playing an intricate game and has made pawns of us and once all these pieces are in position..." Stacey states "Lavina must know." "She isn't one to get scared easily, but he terrifies her. He did terrible things to her to get her to submit to him, her mind is strong, taking control over her would not have been easy. When we took the sceptre-" Ashley nods "She stayed as far away as possible." Tasia nods "She will not speak of him and she probably won't know anything about the other stones." They head over to the others and Tasia says her goodbyes, she then summons the bifrost. While Warren and Nian officially meet, Vision gets told by Ashley to head to their new home after scouting the area for any surviving robots.

Vision tracks down the last surviving robot down on land "You are afraid." "Of you?" "Of death. You are the last one." "You were supposed to be the last. Stark asked for a savior and settled for a slave." "I suppose we are both disappointments." Ultron laughs "I suppose we are." "Humans are odd, they think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what will not be. But there is grace in their failings, I think you missed that." "They're doomed." "Yes. But a thing is not beautiful because it lasts. It is a privilege to be among them." "You're unbearably naive." "Well... I was born yesterday." Ultron goes to attack Vision, but Vision destroys him.

After each of the Avengers being checked over by a medic, some needing more attention than others, they get dropped off somewhat nearby to their mansion, but Ashley didn't want Fury or Hill knowing where it is.