Next Avengers: Secret of the Spider

Part 12

Azari slipped through the dark of night, the thought of his friends back at home driving him forwards. Tony had told him to go investigate the spot where Penny had last been for any evidence of Spider-Man's death. He never expected Ultron to be there.

Cheek stinging from the lethal blow he just barely dodged, he worked his way up a building. He had to get back home. Wherever home was. This city was where all the mutants hid, sons and daughters of heroes that once were or science gone wrong. He could fit right in, but he didn't want to. His place was with Tony and the others. Something scrabbled up the building behind him, making him jump. His hands crackled with electricity, ready to face the intruder. A boy with scruffy, short hair and a girl with slicked back, short hair climbed up, prehensile tails swinging behind them. They were furry and their back legs were bent the wrong way for humans.

Mutants.

Azari relaxed and smiled. They were just kids. The two looked curiously at him, tails swinging.

"Hey there," Azari said. "What's your name?"

"Taki," the boy said in a slightly uneven voice.

"Saki," the girl said in a higher pitched but still uneven voice.

"Who are you?" Taki asked choppily.

"I'm Azari," he replied.

"Azari," the kids repeated, feeling the word on their tongue.

"Yeah," he said. "Azari."

"We come home with Zari?" Saki asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Sure," Azari replied without a moment's hesitation. Taki and Saki whooped and climbed up to his shoulders, each monkey kid siting on a side.

"You bleed," Taki said, gently running his fingers along Azari's cheek.

"Who did to you?" Saki said fiercely.

"Ultron," Azari replied, watching a jet land in front of them. "But it doesn't matter. We're going home now."

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James and Torin sat on the edge of a cliff overlooking a waterfall. The constant pounding of the water helped to calm them down and clear their minds.

"What do you think became of Azari?" Torin asked.

"He's fine," James replied. "Azari's tough."

"But how can you be sure?" Torin asked. "He was going up against Ultron."

"I have faith in him," James said blatantly. "And sometimes faith is all you have to stand on." Torin felt for James at this moment. She knew how hard Kier had hurt him. She leaned over and quickly kissed him on the cheek.

"Faith is a good thing to stand on," she replied with a smile. James blushed bright red and smiled back. A lightning bolt crackled far off, illuminating the biodome. Torin got up and watched it.

"That's him," she said, taking off and flying towards Tony's lab. James smiled. He knew that Azari would be fine.

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Hawkeye sat bolt upright, shirt off, listening to the sound of a crackling lightning bolt, and instantly recognizing it.

"Azari," he mumbled. Penny grunted and rubbed her eyes, hanging from the roof, her shirt lying on the floor as well.

"Hawk, what're you doing? " she said tiredly, stretching her arms to the floor. "It's, like, late."

"No it's not," he said, swinging his legs out of bed and getting up, looking out the window. "It's only 10 A. M."

"Okay," she said, dropping down from the roof, flipping in midair and landing on her feet. "If you say so."

"And I do," he mumbled, throwing on a t-shirt and dashing outside barefoot.

"Hey!" Penny yelled, pulling on her shirt. "Wait up!" The two ran barefoot across the jungle, ending up at the still destroyed lab as a jet landed. James, Pym and Torin were already there, waiting anxiously.

"Where were you?" Pym asked, running up.

"Sleeping," Hawkeye said, watching the jet. "Separately."

"Morning, fly," Penny said, rubbing Pym's head.

"Morning," he laughed back. The five kids watched as the back of the jet opened and Azari walked out, the two monkey kids trailing shyly behind him.

"Azari!!!" all the kids yelled happily, running up.

"Hey guys," he replied. "Man, is it good to see you."

"Who are they?" Torin asked, kneeling down to get a better look at the monkey twins.

"Taki and Saki," Azari said, gesturing to each in turn. "I couldn't leave them in the city. They're just too cute."

"Aww," Pym cooed, walking up to Saki. "Hey there."

"Hello," Saki said, cocking her head. "Who are you?"

"I'm Pym," he said, shrinking down and growing wings out of his back. "Hi!" Saki shrieked with delight.

"You can turn!" she said, clapping. "We go play?"

"Yeah!" he said, taking off with Saki at his heels. Azari watched with a smile on his face.

"It's good to see that they'll find home here," he said. "Somewhere where Ultron can't get to them."

"Yeah," James agreed. "I just wish that we could bring everyone like them here."

"We stay?" Taki said, jumping on Azari's shoulder.

"Yeah," he replied, smiling at the little kid. "You'll stay."