Beyond

Claws

"Who are you?" Pidge asked, shifting her bayard in her gasp.

The cat like figure didn't reply.

"He's been following me." Bucky admitted his eyes narrowing. "I don't know who he is."

Lance stepped forward to stand between Bucky and the figure. "Hey, you good?"

The figure shifted and jumped the gap between the buildings to stand opposite them.

"No," the man answered with a deep African accent, "I am not good."

"Right." Lance nodded. "Um, I'm Lance, this is Pidge and Bucky. I'd rather not fight tonight."

"I do not wish to fight you either." The man answered as he began pacing like a cat.

He looked as Blue did when she was agitated.

"Then why are you stalking him like a lion?" Lance asked gesturing to Bucky.

"Not a lion, a panther."

"Sorry, why are you stalking Bucky like a panther?" Lance corrected.

"Because he killed my father."

"You're T'chaka's son." Lance realised. "But he didn't-"

A flash of claws came toward Bucky, a small gap that Lance had left purposely to see what he might do, but he blocked the claws with his shield.

"Move." The panther growled as his suit glimmered purple.

"No." Lance stated firmly.

"Lance-"

"Stay out of this Bucky." Lance said shaking his head, he didn't break eye contact with the panther. "You don't need to do this."

"You'll find I do."

With strength that Lance wasn't anticipating he was pushed back, his feet sliding on the gravely rooftop.

"Pidge get Bucky out of here." Lance instructed as the red Bayard formed in his hand as a sword.

He slashed upward making the panther jump back.

He heard the other two move away but he didn't take his eyes off the panther. "I have to ask, are you enhanced somehow? Cause you're really strong."

The panther didn't reply.

"Not one for small talk huh." Lance chuckled nervously. "Well I am."

"I do not care."

"Shame." Lance shrugged. "I thought we could come to an understanding, you see I'm not really allowed to fight cause I'm not very well and all."

The panther tried to move around him, Lance let his shield and Bayard vanish and he latched onto the panthers arm and twisted his body around him knocking him off balance and sending them both tumbling to the ground.

Lance knew that move wasn't one he had practiced in a while but he counted it as a win. "Yes! Now that's a Black Widow move." He grinned. "They're really hard to do."

The panthers eyes narrowed at him. "If you will not let me pass peacefully I shall cut through you."

The claws came toward him this time but the reverberating sound of vibranium bounced and kicked the claws away.

"Leave him alone." Steve ordered as he caught his shield.

"Nice timing." Lance said without glancing his way. "Where's Nat?"

"With the others." Steve assured patting Lance's shoulder. "Who are you?"

"He's the Black Panther and he's T'chaka's son." Lance answered crossing his arms.

"You do not know me."

"Because you won't tell me anything." Lance objected. "But my helmets telling me his suits made of vibranium."

"What?" Steve blinked.

"Yeah, and I think I need to lay down." Lance admitted taking a deeper breath.

Lance knew that the panther would use his moment of weakness to slip away but he found he wasn't all that worried. When he lifted his gaze again the panther was gone. He had vanished into the darkness.

"Pidge, heads up he's coming to you." Lance informed as Steve gripped his arm. "Where'd you leave the jet?"

~~~

Pidge adjusted her barard slightly in her grip.

Natasha had joined them and was speaking to Bucky, probably trying to figure out as much about this guy as she could.

And that was when he attacked.

Claws caught her arm, but only slightly tearing part of her suit she slashed at him and noted how it did nothing.

Lance was right, the suit was made of something very tough.

Pidge's eyes narrowed.

Natasha charged at the panther and the two seemed very evenly matched.

"You should get out of here." Bucky said shaking his head. "You're just a kid, I don't want you getting-"

Natasha slid across the floor toward them and flipped elegantly up onto her feet.

Pidge rolled her eyes. "I'm a paladin of Voltron thanks." She snarked before she fired her bayard.

The spade end hit just behind the panther, she smirked as everyone seemed confused but she had caught what she was aiming for.

She pulled the line sharply and the pipe behind the panther snapped flooding the alleyway in a thick cloud of white steam.

The glow of her bayard cut through it and she sliced cleanly through the armour leaving a red line in her wake.

Pidge dodged the responding swipe and pressed the electrified spade tip to the panthers back, the suit corodded and revealed a black jumper beneath.

She hit him again, the electricity at the right level to break down the bonds of the suit. Then again she hit him and again until he was just a man. No suit, not claws.

"I am not just some kid." She snapped toward Bucky as the cord of her bayard wrapped around the man holding him tight.

"How?" The man asked looking startled. "How did you do that?"

"Your suit is tech." Pidge shrugged. "I've never seen the composition before but Lance sent me the scans he got of your suit. I've been working with Coran for a while and this was an easy warm up."

"Alright, you got him. Well done." Natasha said patting Pidge's shoulder. "Now we can talk."

"I have nothing to say."

"You might not but we do." Steve's voice cut in as the jet hovered above them.

"Yeah, can you at least hear us out?" Lance asked.

The panthers eyes narrowed but eventually he nodded. "Very well, I shall hear your plea."