different » marvel ¹

forty-two

   "I told you to be careful and stay close by!" Bucky scolded, firing at a few of the aliens.

   "Now isn't the time to yell at me! I just saved him and I'm still safe!" I gestured to one of the Border Tribe members. Bucky merely sighed at my words and continued fighting.

   I reached for another magazine to clip into my gun, but came up empty-handed. "Ah, jeez," I complained, already reaching into the compartment on my tactical belt and pulling out a few black and silver throwing knives. As I was doing so, one of the aliens ran at me, but I was able to dodge it with a swift turn before kicking it with the heel of my foot and stabbing one of the knives I'd grabbed into its head.

"Why couldn't the aliens be peaceful? Y'know, like Thor!" I said aloud, retrieving the knife from the dog's head and throwing it into another one that had been charging at me.

I quickly fell into a routine and the knives landed into their intended targets with ease.

"Duck!" I yelled at Bucky, causing the man to do as I said, allowing me to throw one over his head and into a dog before it surprise attacked him. "You're welcome." I brushed a piece of hair out of my face.

I took a second to breathe when I noticed the aliens weren't attacking me for a moment. "Shuri, how's it going?"

"It would've been better if they had just programmed the synapses to work collectively!" she protested, sighing softly afterwards. "It's getting there but I still need more time."

"We got you, don't worry."

   After those words left my mouth, a familiar beam of bright, rainbow-colored light shot down from the sky and singed the earth below it. I grinned, already knowing what it meant. An axe flew out of the beam of light and tore through dozens of the alien dogs, helping many of the fighters on our side. Seconds later, it flew back into its owner's hand as the beam disappeared, revealing Thor and . . . a raccoon and a tree?

   "It's about damn time," I remarked with a chuckle.

   Thor begins charging into battle from his position, leading his two companions as well. "Bring me Thanos!"

• • •

   "Fall back! Fall back now!" T'Challa panicks and orders.

   My eyes widen at the massive spiked wheels that had suddenly emerged from the ground. They easily cut through the barrier and barreled towards everyone and everything in its path. Everyone began to do as the king said, but I stayed in my spot. If they weren't stopped the wheels would run into the palace and ruin the plan of removing the stone from Vision's head.

   Bucky reached for my arm, but I was quick to pull it from his grasp and run to the machines, channeling my power and focusing on them.

   My eyes glowed vibrantly as a lavender aura surrounded the objects, but before I could throw them, I noticed Wanda landing beside me. The girl gave me a nod and we began to work together, combining our power and forcibly throwing the deadly machines at a mass of the alien dogs, smushing and killing them.

   I looked behind us, noticing Natasha and Okoye.

   Okoye flipped her spear against her side. "What the hell were you two doing this whole time?"

   The comment causes both of us to laugh and look to one another. I grab Wanda's hand, pulling her into a quick hug. "It's good to work together again, isn't it?"

   "It makes me wonder why we haven't more often," she joked as we all began to spread out and take on our own set of enemies as they came.

   "Somebody get to Vision!" Steve shouted through the comm line.

   "On my way," Wanda responded, but it was cut to static, causing me to look in her direction.

   I glance to Natasha. "I got it, cover us!" she requested, earning a nod from me.

   I did just that, making sure that none of the alien dogs got close to them so their soul focus could be on beating the alien lady.

   "Raven, where are you?" Bucky's voice filtered through the comms.

   "I'm good right now! Don't worry!" I assured.

• • •

   "Everyone, on my position. We have incoming," Steve ordered.

I look up as I make my way to him and the others, noticing how everything around us was becoming an eerier version of itself; like something in the atmosphere had shifted. The wind picked up, blowing my hair across my face and swaying the trees in the forest. It was an empty cold that my suit did nothing to protect me against.

I stop beside Nat, Steve, and the others. All of them looking towards a developing void in the space ahead of us that was swirling with dark blue and black clouds.

Romanoff scrunched her nose up in confusion. "What the hell?"

A large figure steps through the void, making my heart skip a beat as the breath left my lungs. I felt a hand on my forearm before turning to see Bucky looking down at me. "This is it," I say lowly, chills running through my body as I gripped his hand in mine for the last few moments I could.

"Cap. That's him," Bruce confirmed.

Thanos' hand was covered with the golden gauntlet that held the Infinity Stones he'd already collected. I could practically feel the cockiness and pride radiating off of the titan, making me frown at the sight of him. He wasn't even fazed by us, making my jaw clench.

   Bucky's hand gripped mine harder and I could feel his nervousness; not only for himself, but for me and the baby. I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze and brushed my thumb across his skin. I love you, the gesture conveyed, we'll be okay.

   I took a deep breath and let my palm fall from his and to my side. My gaze fell to the golden bracelet that adorned his wrist, making some of my uneasiness fade.

Looking forward, from the corner of my eye I could see Steve with disheveled hair and a few cuts across his face. "Eyes up," he said, raising the shield. "Stay sharp."