𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐑 | 𝗯𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘀

twenty six : space

twenty six : space

LOVE WAS A FUNNY THING, WASN'T IT? Sometimes, it's real, something you can touch and hold. And other times, it's just a mere illusion, fading away the second you try to grasp it.

      Bucky Barnes.

      Elaine didn't get to love him, but she wanted to. She helped him, spent time with him, developed.. something for him, and then she grasped reality. Their "love" was an illusion.

      Fading away the second she tried to grasp it.

      Anyone on the outside would never be able to tell Elaine had feelings for him. So was Bucky now just a fading memory, or was he real?

      Love. What a funny thing.

      The spacecraft was large enough to fit everyone inside, but it was definitely hard to breathe. The craft was rapidly exiting Earth's atmosphere and entering the infinite universe of stars.

      Elaine was sat between Natasha and Steve, the straps over her body confining her to the chair.

      "Okay." Rocket's voice came from the front as he turned around in his seat. "Who here hasn't been to space?"

      Natasha, Elaine, Steve, and Rhodes all raised their hands as Rhodes whispered a, "Why?" to Thor.

      Carol chuckled in amusement as Rocket spoke again. "You better not throw up on my ship."

      Nebula was seated next to an anxious Bruce as she said the warning. "Approaching jump in three, two," Natasha and Elaine both pressed themselves against the back of their seats and held each other's hands in pure anxiety. "one."

      The fast approaching colors blinded Elaine as she peered into them, her pupils dilating to adjust. When they exited the hexagonal barrier, everything went lighter. Elaine rapidly blinked to get rid of the after images, and took in the sight ahead.

      It was a planet exactly like Earth, only with rings like Saturn. Everyone stood from their seats, finally able to breath as Carol had somehow exited the spacecraft and had the glowing aura surround her.

      "I'll head down for recon." She informed through the coms, Natasha and Elaine glancing down at a iPad.

      Natasha was first to notice Steve, whose head looked full of thoughts when he looked at the picture of Peggy Carter before closing it.

      "This is gonna work, Steve." Natasha assured.

      He nodded. "I know it will." He sighed before turning to face the blonde. "'Cause I don't know what I'm gonna do if it doesn't."

      Elaine glanced at Natasha's jacket, smiling softly to herself. "Nice jacket."

      Natasha laughed. "Nice hairstyle."

      Elaine also laughed as she shook her head, the two ponytail hairstyle resting on her head. Carol came back to the ship, uninjured and relaxed. "No satellites. No ships. No armies. No ground defense of any kind." Bruce looked uneasy, and Thor also looked thoughtful. "It's just him."

      "And that's enough." Nebula said.

      Carol was first to attack. She used her beams of whatever power she had and blasted it at the small hut, hitting Thanos. She flew through the newly made hole and quickly put him in a chokehold that took all of her body strength

      Bruce came through the ground in the Veronica suit and extended the arm with the gauntlet, while Rhodes took the other arm. Thor came through as well, taking the axe and slicing off Thanos' arm.

      The screams of pain were enough to signal that the first step had worked, allowing Elaine to fly in and blast him with telekinesis, her powers wrapping themselves around Thanos to keep him where he was.

      Steve and Natasha walked in together as Rocket flipped the amputated arm around, noticing something nobody was prepared for.

      The stones were gone.

      "Oh, no." Rocket muttered as Steve and Natasha also looked down, noticing the empty gauntlet.

      Steve's voice was void of any emotion. "Where are they?"

      Carol tightened her grip and her voice was gravelly in his ear. "Answer the question."

      "The universe required correction." Thanos began. "After that, the stones served no purpose.. beyond temptation."

      Bruce's anger got the best of him. "You murdered trillions!" He shoved the Giant back, and Thanos only further provoked the scientist.

      "You should be grateful."

      Bruce punched Thanos across the face, which Elaine now noticed was severely burned.

      Natasha's eyes watered, her voice still stern. "Where are the stones?"

      And then, the answer that nobody wanted to hear.

      "Gone. Reduced to atoms."

      Bruce shouted again. "You used them two days ago!"

      "I used the stones to destroy the stones." Thanos informed, Elaine tightening her telekinesis out of rage. He choked out a pathetic sentence. "It nearly killed me."

      "It should have killed you." Elaine sneered.

      "But the work is done." Thanos continued. "It always will be. I am inevitable."

      Rhodes shook his head in denial. "We have to tear this place apart. H-he has to be lying!"

      Nebula answered him, grief in her voice. "My father is many things. A liar is not one of them."

      Thanos made a noise of some sick and twisted satisfaction. "Ah,  thank you, daughter." Nebula looked down, denying his attention to her. "Perhaps I treated you too harshly."

      That day was full of unexpected surprises, and Thor's axe beheading Thanos was one of them. Elaine took her gloved hand and wiped the blood from her face.

      "What did you do?" Rocket questioned in a whisper, everyone in shock.

      Thor's voice was so broken. "I went for the head."

      Elaine shuddered in disgust as she kicked her tainted boots. "I think his soul just got on my shoes."