Thanos' Mistake Chapter 1

"What did it cost?"

Thanos looked down at the young girl he was stupid enough to think could love him back one day.

He bent down to her, "Everything."

Gamora smiled at him and shook her head.

Thanos woke up in a small tent. He walked out to a gorgeous grassy field, staring up at the utopian universe he created. No child will go hungry. Peace will run through the galaxy under his control. He could do anything. He looked down at the gauntlet he spent a lifetime perfecting. The stones glistened in the sunlight. They were exquisite. Everything he could ever want or need was right there. Something moved on his forearm that caught his eye. A small black bug?

There was another. And another. Those weren't bugs. His arm was turning to ash!

Thanos panicked. He shouldn't have been chosen! This wasn't how it was supposed to go! He had to use the gauntlet and stop this!

He lifted his arm, but with the swift movement the gauntlet dropped to the ground and his arm was ash floating in front of him.

"NO!" He screamed as he reached for it with his right hand. It was too late, his right arm vanished. Thanos fell to his knees. "No this can't be! No. No!"-

Thanos fell to his back, struggling to breathe. He looked over at the gauntlet. It didn't look as helpful or beautiful as it had a few seconds ago. His vision started to blur he could no longer see the stones.

He thought of Gamora.

Smiling.

Shaking her head.

Okoye wiped the tear from her face. "Let's go." She started walking to Wakanda's buildings.

Bruce jumped down from his suit, "Go where?"

"To see who is still alive and help the Wakanda people any way we can. If Shuri…isn't there, then someone has to lead. We can't leave our people with no direction."

"If there are people," Rocket stood up to follow her. Natasha thumped him on his head, "Ow! I'm not wrong! Who even are you?"

"Natasha," she extended her hand, with hesitation he accepted.

They all started walking back to the city. Steve stood over Bucky's ashes, not moving.

"Let's go Cap!" Bruce called to him. Steve didn't move.

Thor walked back to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "We must keep moving." Steve didn't look at him but slowly started walking with the group.

He walked between Thor and Rocket. He turned towards Rocket without looking directly at him. "I'm sorry about Groot," he said in almost a whisper.

Rocket took a deep breath in, "I'm sorry about Bucky."

"Okoye!" A voice called from down the field. M'Baku approached her with 30 or so warriors following him. "Okoye, most of my army vanished. Turned to ash."

"I know," Okoye turned to keep walking. Everyone followed.

M'Baku walked next to her, "Where is T'Challa?"

She kept a straight face, "Gone."

"Okoye!" Shuri ran from the steps and jumped in her arms. Okoye held her tight. Shuri looked around behind her. "Where is my brother?"

Okoye stared at Shuri, unable to say it. She just shook her head.

"No," Shuri whispered.

No one spoke. It was silent. The surviving Wakandans stood at the palace steps and bowed their heads.

Shuri took a few short breaths. She looked up at her people, "This is no time to mourn. My brother was an amazing king and one of the best rulers this country has ever seen. We will mourn when the time is appropriate. Now we must go from here."

"We must fight!" Okoye took a step forward. M'Baku and his warriors chanted with support.

"We must rebuild!" Shuri's voice boomed over the crowd, "We must support our people. Now, our people extends to the rest of the world. They are all our brothers and sisters. We have all gone through the same trauma this day. We must help them."

"And how do you suppose we do that, my queen?" Okoye bowed.

Shuri smiled at her, "By finding a way to destroy the only one who poses a threat to us."

Okoye smiled back at her and let out a loud warrior cry. "Wakanda Forever!" She was unanimously supported.

"So the gauntlet he was wearing can really turn back time?" Shuri asked as they walked into her lab.

"Sure thing!" Rocket jumped on a table, "He brought Vision back to life, only to…you know…kill him again. But I bet one of the stones can control life. The zombie stone."

"It's the time stone," Natasha leaned against the table. "It can go back in time. So he used it to bring Vision back."

"And then he killed him," Rocket sat down.

Shuri turned towards Natasha, "But only Vision's death went back in time? You all didn't?"

"No," Bruce rubbed his forehead, "It must have something to do with the other stones."

"Like the one in Vision's head!" Shuri exclaimed.

"Exactly!" Natasha continued, "So we might be able to bring everyone back without completely destroying and forgetting everyone and everything up to this point. If we can just get ahold of that gauntlet."

Bruce laughed, "Easier said than done."

Rocket leaned forward on the table, "So you're saying that we need to steal the crazy big weapon from the crazy big guy after he did crazy big damage that was probably only a fraction of what he can do with all his crazy big power?"

Bruce looked at everyone else and answered hesitantly, "Yes…"

"Okay cool. I'm all for this plan! I just wanted to make sure I had the details down. Anyone taking minutes?" He nudged M'Baku and laughed. M'Baku took a very obvious step away from Rocket.

"What?" Rocket acted offended, "I was just jokin-ah it must be a cultural difference. You, people wouldn't get it."

Everyone jumped to their feet. M'Baku raised his sword at Rocket, "How dare-"

Rocket panicked and threw his arms up, "Woah woah woah! No I'm the alien! I'm the weird one! I was literally made in a science lab! I'm not people! I'm an animal! I meant you people like just people! Humans! I don't even have culture!"

Natasha stood in the middle of the tension, "How can we find it? Thanos could be anywhere in the galaxy. Or even time."

Everyone stood in silence.

Shuri pipped up, "Thanos has the gauntlet which has the infinity stones!"

Bruce looked at her, "Yes."

Shuri continued, "Like the one that was in Vision!"

Rocket made crazy eyes at Shuri, "Yes, we've been over this."

Shuri made crazy eyes back at Rocket, "Don't you see? I was operating on him. I have his codes and, for lack of a better term, his DNA. Not that he really had any, but almost. Basically." Shuri ran to her computer.

Bruce stepped closer to Shuri, "Where are you going with this?"

"You see, Vision wasn't equal parts AI, stone and whatever but he was all of it melded together. Even though we saw the stone and its energy, the stone went through his entire body. That's why taking the stone away killed him. It was like his soul!"

Thor chuckled and waved his hand, "No the soul stone is something entirely different."

Shuri ignored him, "Because I have so much data and even small bits of him we might be able to find the similar reactions in the near galaxy. We just have to send out the signals and extend our receptors to different parts of space."

Shuri became extremely excited, "It's like in Harry Potter! His wand and Voldemort's wand! Or his scar and the horcruxes!"

No one responded.

Shuri looked around the room, "Harry Potter? Voldemort? Hogwarts?"

Thor whispered to Bruce, "Those sound like insults."

Shuri sighed, "Come on people! I was in a secluded nation my whole life and even I know what the Deathly Hallows are!" Shuri rubbed her head and mumbled, "It's a tracker. We have a tracker."

Everyone lit up, "Ohhhhhh!"

"What about Tony? Or the kid?" Rhodey asked.

"Or the Guardians?" Rocket literally jumped in, accidentally stepping on M'Baku's foot. M'Baku didn't seem to feel it.

Everyone looked at him confused.

He snapped, "We're a thing! While you're all taking care of this little planet we're taking care of everything else!"

"Anyway," Shuri tried to break the awkwardness, "Does anyone have a way to contact them?"

"I lost contact with Tony a while back," Rhodey answered.

"And no one is answering on the ship," Rocket held up his walkie talkie.

Shuri took Rocket's walkie talkie and actually ripped out Rhodey's communication device. She worked on her computer for exactly 53 seconds.

Shuri pointed to her screen, "How convenient, they are in the same place. Or at least the ship is in the same place as his suit."

"And seeing as the gauntlet took everyone's clothes with them when they turned to ash, he must be alive!" Bruce clapped his hands together.

Okoye shrugged, "Or he died before Thanos used the gauntlet."

Thor added, "Or he was naked when Thanos used the gauntlet."

No one spoke.

Shuri, once again, ended the awkward moment, "So I'll work here to find the gauntlet."

Bruce stepped up, "I'll help."

Rocket agreed, "Me too. I'm the one with extensive knowledge of the universe."

Bruce snapped back, "I've been to space!"

Thor asked Shuri, "Do you have a ship that can go to space?"

"Not one that has been tested..."

Thor put his hand on her shoulder, "Perfect! I'll take it and find Stark and the guards!"

"Guardians," Rocket corrected.

Shuri looked at him worried, "Did you hear? I said it wasn't tested."

Thor gave her a reassuring look, "I've seen how good you are at the computers and science. I trust anything you make."

Shuri smiled wide, "Okoye will you show him where I keep my unfinished projects?"

Thor took his hand off her shoulder, "Un-unfinished?"

"Of course," Okoye walked to Thor. "And I shall accompany you."

"Okoye," Shuri grabbed her arm.

Okoye smiled at her, "I'll be of more use with him. I think he needs the help. The threat is in space. I can do more out there. If you so will it."

Shuri squeezed her arm, "I will you to do what you think best. I do not control your actions. And I do not want to."

Okoye smiled, "Such a righteous and fair leader as your brother."

"We'll need back up when the time comes," Rhodey turned to Natasha, "I say we find out who from SHIELD is still operating."

"I shall come too!" A booming voice claimed. M'Baku walked to Natasha and Rhodey, "I will help with recruiting. I will help all my brothers and sisters in any way. Shuri, will you watch over my people in my absence?"

"Of course," she turned to Bruce and Rocket, "We must get started now."

The three of them rushed to the heart of her lab and began working.

Rhodey, Natasha, and M'Baku walked out trying to call anyone on SHEILD.

Okoye lead Thor to the doors in the back of the lab. Thor stopped and looked back in the room. Steve was standing in the corner of the room just looking at the wall. Thor looked back at Okoye.

"We should invite him to come."

Okoye squinted at him, "The white man banging his head against the wall?"

"He's not-" Thor looked back at Steve who put his head against the wall, "Well that's a coincidence. He's actually very good. Resourceful and strong. You saw him before."

"I don't think we should."

"He's my friend I have to invite him."

"But he doesn't seem-"

"He's my friend!"

"Alright." Okoye turned Steve, "America man! Come and don't be useless!"

Thor panicked, "No not like that! Uh, Cap?"

Steve looked up confused, "You want me to come?"

Thor put his hand behind his neck and looked at the ceiling, "I mean, only if you want to."

"Is this a pity invite?"

Okoye answered, "Yes."

Thor tried, "No no! Did I say if you want to? I meant we need you. Please. We need your…uhh…shield in...space."

Steve looked around, everyone had already left. He slumped his shoulders and slowly walked to the spaceship. "Okay, I guess."

Okoye's eyes widened and she whispered to Thor, "I will not take responsibility for this man's life."

Thor patted her on the shoulder and chuckled, "No need. He'll be able to take care of himself."

Steve stopped walking. Thor yelled to him, "Is everything okay?"

Steve took a long sigh, "Yeah, I mean. I have to go to the bathroom. But, whatever." Steve kept walking out the door.