The Avengers: Earth's mightiest heroes
As she walked out of Wal-Mart Eclipse Blaze noted all the men in the parking lot were staring at her. She wiggled the fingers on her left hand just perfectly that the moonlight glinted of the diamond of the wedding ring. She could hear the depressed sigh coming from them. Why do they even bother? She wondered. She looked at her reflection it the back window of her Ford Edge. She wasn't very tall, only five and a half feet. And weighing a mere 120 pounds. Her straight hair a lovely shade Golden blonde that fell down neatly to her shoulders and shone sliver in the moon light. Her eyes were a perfect storm gray. They could be kind and understanding, maternal even but, they could turn cold and unforgiving in an instant. She popped the trunk and loaded the only items she bought; three gallons of ice cream and a 64 case of bottled water for her husband. If he wasn't lying to her again she would be back tomorrow buying more water for him. Eclipse closed the trunk of her car and pulled out of the Wal-Mart parking lot.
As she drove the 20 miles from Wal-Mart back to home, a glint of light flickered for an instant in her rearview mirror. Wearily she looked out of her window. The face that greeted her was not what she was expecting to see. In fact, she was happy that Johnny was not the flaming skeleton also known as the Ghost Rider, but furious at the same time because he couldn't spend time with her that night. His excuse this time was that he was "Going to go monster". Eclipse rolled the window down and felt the warm Texan breeze on her face, even at 10:00pm it was still warm.
"Howdy."
"Hi Johnny"
"Pull over; I need to talk to you." He said, chocolate brown eyes pleading. Good he knows he's in trouble. She thought
"I can't, I have ice cream, and we are half a mile from home. You can talk to me then."
She rolled the window up and drove off. Five minutes later Eclipse pulled up to her house. Grabbed her ice cream and water then went inside. After every thing was put away Johnny came in and locked his arms around her.
"Hey, I love you." He whispered in her ear. He was about six inches taller than her and he weighed 150 pounds. His dark brown hair was cropped short. She shrugged off his arms and stalked outside. Eclipse went over to the horse pasture. She whistled and her horse Nightshade came trotting up to the gate. He whinnied and nuzzled her neck. Eclipse stroked his jet-black mane. Nightshade was a black thoroughbred stallion with white knee high sock markings.
"He lied to me Nightshade, for the fifth time this week." Nightshade pricked his ears to the South, then to the forest behind Eclipse. He gave a low angry snort.
"Nightshade, what's wrong?"
"More lies, less time with you? Now tell me what that guy's problem is. Why does he refuse to spend any time with his lovely bride?"
She jumped and whipped around.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"That is unimportant; I can make you a deal. I can make Johnny want to spend more time with his gorgeous wife."
"What is your price?" she asked wearily, not liking the way he said gorgeous.
"Oh, well, let me see…" He looked Eclipse up and down then stared her in the eye and said "I'll take your soul. All you have to do is sign. "He showed her a scroll that was rolled up and tied shut neatly with a small gold rope. Eclipse had heard of this man from Johnny. She didn't want to a make deal with the Devil. He traveled around making deals, but Eclipse was tempted by the thought of spending time with Johnny.
"May I read the thing, before I sign?"
"Of course you may." He handed the scroll to her. As she read she realized it was written in French.
"No I-I'm sorry but I can't accept." She looked at him and handed the scroll back his hand brushed hers and she felt a prickle of fear run down her spine. Then Eclipse felt something warm and sticky trickling from her palm to her finger tips on her left hand. She looked to see she was bleeding, when she realized the blood was pooling and going to drip she saw that it was going to land where she was to sign, Eclipse jerked her hand away. But it was too late, when she jerked a line of blood fell on the signature line. Roarke grabbed the scroll and re-rolled it and tied it.
"Hmmm I always get my way." He said with an evil grin "When I need you I will come, until then don't do anything… stupid." And with that he was gone in a cloud of red black smoke.
Her first thought was what the hell did I just do? Then it occurred to her it had started to rain. She could contact Nicolas Fury; head Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D a secret agency of super heroes. But first she had to face Johnny.
Back in her house Johnny apologized for lying to her, and she decided to spring it on to him that she made the deal with the devil. She turned it into an apology.
"WHAT!?"
"I'm sorry, I-I-I couldn't help it, and it was an accident." She stammered
"He was in my yard. And he was talking to you, and you, you made the DEAL?!"
"I told you it was an accident! I planned on calling my boss, and I'm gonna see what he can do."
"You really think Fury can do something about this."
"Well yea, he has been trying to hire you since I got a job at the agency. Now he can have a Ghost Rider Agent. Just what he wanted."
"The Rider is nothing to be joking about Eclipse."
"I'm not joking, I'm just saying, and maybe he can help. Or one of the Avengers can. I'm going so if you are coming with me then get your butt on the motorcycle. I'm going to tack up Nightshade"
"Well okay, I guess" Johnny sighed. I was trying to protect her from Roarke, but instead I only got her turned into a Ghost Rider too. Johnny thought bitterly. He was worried when she ran outside to her horse and started to fasten the final clasp on his bridal, so he quickly drove his motor cycle over to her and they began to head towards the landing of the Helicarier. With the rain whipping her in the race she was glad that they would be at the S.H.I.E.L.D base soon. She pushed Nightshade on through the night it was raining so hard and with only Johnny's motorcycle headlight cutting through it the weather made it very hard to navigate the roads. Nightshade slipped several times, but always caught his balance. Ten minutes later Eclipse halted her horse on the runway of the S.H.I.E.L.D base. Fury came out to greet her.
"Eclipse! What are you doing here? Your shift is over."
"Director Fury, I had to come back. Once we are in my office on the Helicarier I will enlighten you on the events that brought me here." Eclipse grabbed Nightshade's reins and brought him to the stables in the Helicarier that she and Johnny built over the summer. Then she led the way to her office. They felt the lurch that meant they were lifting off the Gulf of Mexico and flying in an aircraft hanger 30,000 feet over the country. As they arrived at her lab Eclipse told Fury every thing from Johnny lying to the deal with the Devil. Fury stood there silently taking it all in.
"So you believe you will become a Ghost Rider."
"Yes"
"Okay, so what do you want me to do?"
"Anything you can do."
Just then Thor ran in drenched from the pouring rain. Eclipse looked at him; he was seriously muscular with deep blue eyes. His long blonde hair clumped together from the rain. In his hand there was a piece of paper.
"Excuse me, Thor this is a private office, what do you need?" Eclipse asked
"It's Loki."
"AGAIN?!" exclaimed Fury
"But with the Tesseract gone and the Bifrost destroyed what could he be after now." Asked Eclipse
"He's after you, Eclipse. He is the one who sent the Devil to you."
"WHAT?!" Eclipse and Johnny exclaimed together
"He found a prophecy that goes like- well here you read it."
Eclipse took the piece of paper from Thor's hand and read:
A mortal woman, at the age of 25 living with the Devil's Bounty Hunter will sign on with the Devil and become a Bounty Hunter herself. If a Frost Giant marries this woman and they conceive a child together the baby will have all the power of the Tesseract and the Bifrost. If the baby uses its power the parents will be able to control the Universe.
She passed the paper to Johnny and while he read it, Fury announced to the whole crew to perform lockdown 5, it is a code 9. Translated to English that means Loki is back and he is going to attempt to steal another important part of S.H.I.E.L.D equipment, in this case Eclipse.
"So who is this Loco person and why is he after my wife?"
"Loki and he has every intention on having his baby with her." Said Thor
"I'm gonna walk out side for a second" Said Eclipse
"Not with out me, you aren't" Came a familiar voice from her door way. Standing there was a red suit of armor. It was billionaire Tony Stark. He was only five foot seven, one inch taller than Eclipse. He had black hair and dark brown eyes. One of his signature marks was his mustache and of course the arc reactor, the thing that was keeping him alive and the Shrapnel out of his heart.
"Tony!" Eclipse ran up to him and hugged him as tight as she could; he lifted the mask on his suit of armor, and kissed her cheek. She smirked and walked back to Johnny.
"Have you been playing nice with the other kids here? Like I asked you to last time" Eclipse asked teasingly
"Well of course," he said sarcastically, while taking off his helmet "Why wouldn't I listen to my best friend on this flying boat?"
"That's what I thought." They were laughing when a six foot blonde with blue eyes known as Steve Rogers walked in to her laboratory. Eclipse saw the red, white and blue of his costume. She walked up to him and asked,
"Permission to hug sir?"
"Permission granted." He replied and he opened his arms and she hugged him. Then she stepped to his right side and stood between Tony and Steve
"Wow, it's so good to see all of you. Who knew it would take the threat of being kidnapped by a physco person from Asgard, no offense Thor, to see all my friends again. But, where are Dr. Banner, and Agents Romanoff and Barton?"
"Agents Mr. and Mrs. Barton are on their honey moon in Russia, and Dr. Banner has moved back to Calcutta trying to help cure the plague." Said Fury. Eclipse didn't hear him because her head started to hurt and then she started to sway. Out of nowhere she jerked and stood ridged then said
"Excuse me gentle men I have to use the restroom." As she walked out the door and turned to the bathrooms. She looked at her self in the reflection of the mirror, closed her eyes and opened them to see Loki standing behind her. She made an attempt to run, but he grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth so she wouldn't scream. Then he replaced his hand with a S.H.I.E.L.D muzzle and hand cuffed her to a bathroom stall. She glared at him. He looked at her, smiled and he transformed in to her.
"What do you think?" He asked in her voice. She just glared at him. He removed her ear piece and put it on his own ear, and left her in the bathroom with one last sentence;
"I'll come back for you, so don't do anything, stupid." And he left. When Loki walked into the room as Eclipse Johnny had just started talking he asked
"So, what is our plan of attack?"
"Well as of right now we just keep Eclipse here, and safe. Then maybe if Loki continues as we are sure he will, we give him what he wants." Said Steve Rogers
"Wait a minute you want to offer up my wife as live bait? What the hell is wrong with you?"
"Well if all else fails, yes we will give her to him, and as far as I know nothing is wrong with me."
"Well, if it will help to keep my friends and family safe I'll play along, I mean how bad can Loki be?." Eclipse chimed in.
"Eclipse it's not for you to decide! I don't want to loose you!" Johnny growled
"Who the HELL do you think you are telling me what I do with myself!?" she shouted back.
"I don't know!"
"Johnny! Eclipse! Nock it off!" Fury Shouted
"Will every one just step out side for a moment; I need to have a word with Johnny." Eclipse said with a menacing look in her eye. When everyone left she closed the door and locked it. Johnny turned to Eclipse only to see Loki standing there.
"Loki! Fury, code nine, code nine!" Johnny shouted just as Loki shoved his spear through Johnny's chest. "Gah!" Loki smiled at Johnny's pain.
"Sorry," Loki hissed "I don't need you getting in my way." Johnny was gasping for breath, and groaning in pain. One final ragged breath then, nothing. Only when Loki was sure Johnny was dead did he remove his spear, and changed back to Eclipse. He ran out of the laboratory screaming
"Fury, Fury, FURY! CODE NINE, CODE NINE! LOKI IS HERE IN THE HELICARRIER! He killed Johnny." That should keep them busy for a while. Thought Loki as he ran back to the bathroom where he left Eclipse. He was stunned to see Tony Stark standing there in his Iron Man uniform and Captain America freeing Eclipse. With the muzzle removed Eclipse shouted at Loki
"Where is Johnny?"
"He is dead."
"No. No he can't be" She said holding back tears.
"Oh but he is." He reached out to grab Eclipse's hand but Tony interfered, he grabbed Loki's arm and prevented him from taking Eclipse.
"Make your move Reindeer Games." Loki gave up with out a fight. After a minute Loki was muzzled and handcuffed. Eclipse stood there dumbfounded at what she just heard. As she stared at Loki she realized that she liked Loki's eyes they were a beautiful shade of blue-green. His hair was black it had a slight curl at the end. His skin was a light tan. He was about feet tall. No, I can't fall in love with the man that killed my husband she thought. Tony drug Loki back to where he had first been contained; the steel and glass trap meant for Bruce Banner. But since the doctor retired for a while it has been used as a prison cell. Eclipse went to the main deck of the Helicarrier and sat at the meeting table next to Steve Rogers. She sat there hugging him and crying silent tears while Tony paced in front of Fury.
"Well now probably isn't the best time to ask but, Eclipse would you like to be an Avenger?" asked Fury.
"No! I mean yes, wait, I don't know! Well, yes but I don't see how I can."
"What do you mean?"
"Well I don't have Captain's skill or shield, I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with a gun if I tried, I can't wield a lightning-summoning hammer, I don't have an 'other guy', and I don't have a suit of awesome armor. What use would I be?"
"You can shoot bow and arrow, and you are a Ghost Rider."
"We don't know for sure." She said defensively. But the thought of her turning into a flaming skeleton made her scared and she snuggled closer to Steve. As if he could sense her fear he put his arm protectively over her shoulders and hugged her closer to him.
"We can test that, if you want to."
"Might as well." She sighed. Steve walked her to the cell built for Johnny if he ever decided to join S.H.I.E.L.D and they needed a place to put him. Rogers put her into the cell and once the door was locked he walked away. Eclipse sat crossed legged on the floor and was thinking of how many arrows she would need to destroy all the problems in her life when it happened. Her hand started to feel warm. When she looked at her hands she saw the flesh and muscle was burning and leaving her white bones on fire with Hellfire. She attempted to brush off the fire, after failing she let herself be consumed by the flames. She roared when her transformation was complete she stretched out her arm and put her hand on the glass and attempted to burn the glass. It worked. Slowly it burned and the glass melted to the floor in a molten puddle. She walked out of the cell. When she was free she let out a demonic laugh and walked towards Loki's cell. He was also sitting cross legged on the floor when she arrived. She growled at Loki.
"Finally. I wondered when you would arrive."
"You are going to Hell!" She roared at him.
"Is that a fact?" he retorted
Just then a voice rang out over the intercom;
"Don't let her kill anything!"
"Fury" she growled. Then out of nowhere a shield flew and hit her in the face sending her jaw bone flying through the air. Infuriated she picked it up and relocated it. Once it was safely in her skull she roared at Captain.
Then a blast from the repulsor ray hit her in the chest. She whipped off Johnny's leather jacket and looked at her rib cage and watched as her bones re-grew and she roared at Tony too.
"Oh, shit!" he said as Eclipse started running towards him.
"Uh, Jarvis?!" As he flew through the Helicarier
"Sir she runs on pure evil. There is no way to kill or wound her. Eclipse is virtually indestructible."
"Yea got that. What else?"
"Well her bones re-grow un-humanly fast."
"I mean about speed, smarts, what do you got?"
"If she finds her horse she will be able to travel over 400 miles per hour, she is insanely smart and she learns as she goes. As for strength, she would probably win against The Hulk in an arm wrestling match."
"Damn. So, not much hope of restraining her then?"
"No." Just then a horse's whinny rang through the air in the Helicarier.
"Sir, you may want to move." Tony looked at the back of his mask it showed Eclipse riding towards him on Nightshade but she was cutting out and bouncing all over the screen. Before he knew what was happening she leapt off her horse, knocked him flat on his back, his mask was ripped off and thrown across the floor, a massive heat wave blasted his face, and he was staring into the eyes of the Ghost Rider. She lifted him off the ground and roared;
"Look into my eyes!"
"Tony don't do it!" Cried Captain America
"I'm trying not to!"
Eclipse whipped her head towards Captain America and threw Tony at him. Tony screamed as he landed on Rogers. She remounted her horse and galloped off. Fury's voice rang out over the intercom again;
"Don't let her leave this ship!"