SMST: The Avenging Moon! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST, DC/Marvel Comics and other properties belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special Note: This story deals with Sailor Moon's involvement with the Mighty Avengers, within the context of a "Secret Origins" format. C&C are welcomed.
Author's Note: This story takes place just before the events of "Blackest Reign and a Dark Night".
Part 1
Queen Thordis of New Asgard surveyed the land that was the expanse of the plains and forests of Northope, Minnesota. She wore her garment with the manner benefiting her like a warrior queen. Her stature towered even most of her fellow Asgardians. Certainly, her physique made her strength legendary, more so after receiving her father Odin's and brother Thor's might. In some ways, this made her even more distant from her loved ones and fellow warriors.
As a tear fell from her eyes, she quickly wipes them.
"Look at me," Thordis said with a sniff. "I'm a warrior maiden, yet I cry like a simple child."
"Beloved, what is wrong?" Prince Ran the Brave, Thordis' royal consort, as he goes onto the balcony to gaze at the view with his wife.
Thordis glances over to see her husband.
"I'm surprised that you are not with one of your trollops," Thordis said.
"That's been scheduled for tonight after the feast," Ran said jokingly.
"..."
"Okay, what did I do THIS time?" Ran said, as he leans on the balcony railing, as he faces his wife. "You usually laugh at my jokes."
"It's just that it has been a while since you and I share a bed as husband and wife…alone."
"What are you talking about?" Ran said. "We went out on a date in Paris."
"Yes, as 'Ranma' and 'Usagi'," Thordis said. "But when is the last time WE have been together? Is it…because I am not womanly enough for you? Is it because I am Queen?"
"No, it is not that," Ran said, as he holds Thordis' hands. "No, I am derelict in my husbandry duties, beloved. Sometimes I forget that a ruler can be 'human', too."
"Aww," Thordis said with a smile. "That's so sweet, even though I KNOW you're just full of it."
"Hey, I do what I can to get out of a jam," Ran grinned.
"Or into my 'frock'," Thordis replied likewise.
Silence.
"It's hard to believe that we are on the eve of a great battle," Thordis said, as she looked out onto the landscape.
"So, Norman Osborn and his HAMMER goons are going to attack New Asgard," Ran said.
"So say my spies and contacts," Thordis replied. "Even though New Asgard is a sovereign state, Norman can't afford to have an 'unknown element' mucking up his agenda. Once he was able to get the support the Cabal for his agenda, Norman began to make his move."
"Basically, put everything in place for his siege against New Asgard."
"Precisely."
Silence.
"Osborn STILL hasn't suspected the fact that most of the Cabal are allies of ours?" Ran said. "And I KNOW for a fact that Doom and Namor have their own agenda that are at cross-purpose with Osborn."
"As much as I can not stand Victor, for MANY reasons, he does give me a degree of respect as a head-of-state, which is strange since he has no problem trying to assassinate me as 'Usagi Tsukino'," Thordis said with a smirk.
"I still don't see why you seem calm about that," Ran said, as he shook his head.
"Well, I can handle myself, he was one of my students, and he has calmed down a bit from his desire for global conquest."
"And he STILL wants to kill you."
"Well, his reasoning is that if he could kill me, then I was not meant to be the Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo. It's like that mortal proverb: 'What cannot kill you, only makes one stronger'. Or something like that."
"That is quite the twisted logic, Thordis."
"Dear, I lived many lives, and I have a mild form of the 'multiple personality disorder'. What do you think?"
"I THINK that you are…normal, considering what you've been through."
"Humph."
Silence.
"Well, I have had to deal with being Thordis, sister of Thor, for a while now," Thordis said. "I KNOW that I am 'Usagi Tsukino'. But…I know that I am Thordis."
"Yeah, that is the weird thing about the cycle of Ragnorak, where the Norse gods are concerned," Ran said. "In one cycle, Odin mated with Selene, instead of Terra. Thus, Thordis, goddess of Thunder, was born."
"And Ran the Rider was born instead of Tyr the Brave," Thordis said. "In that cycle, Ran defeated Fenris handedly, by allowing himself to be eaten whole, before gutting him from the inside. Tyr, however, was essentially 'bait' for the gods, which is how he lost his hand."
"Hey, what can I say?" Ran said with a shrug. "I'm crazy like that."
"No kidding. As result of the changes, the love affair of Thordis and Ran would be told, until Loki, jealous of his sister's place in their father's heart, tricked Thordis into giving her beloved a raiment that was soaked with the venom of the midgard serpent. With this 'coat', Ran was mortal enough to be ambushed by Frost giants. And as great as his prowess was, dozens of frost giants were slain before the Rider himself fell in battle. And because of that, Thordis mourned for her beloved, and could not bring herself to blow her Ram's Horn to signal the call to arms, when Asgard was invaded. Only their daughter Tarene, the bearer of the lightning, took up the defense of Asgard, and slew her treacherous uncle, as he led the Jotunn into battle. Alas, it would not be enough to save Asgard, and thus the end of the Norse gods of THAT cycle came about."
Pause.
"At least, as I recall it."
"Yeah, but still, with the ending of the cycle of Ragnorak, all aspects of the Norse was able to be reborn," said Ran. "Unfortunately, that includes the return of Loki."
"Not really," Thordis said. "In this new cycle, Loki was reborn in the mortal guise of Nabiki Tendo. And when she woke up her true potential, she became 'Lokidis the Trickster'. But, rather than focusing on destroying me and her enemies, her time as Nabiki as made Lokisdis a force for good."
Ran gives Thordis the single "raised eyebrow look".
"Okay, you have to practically bribe Lokidis for her cooperation, but she is 'pro-family'."
"Lucky us."
Silence.
"You know, it's hard to believe how much our lives have changed because of our heritage," Ran said. "Lord Odin himself constituted the Avengers, when Loki sought to harm your brother Thor."
"Well, that wouldn't have happened, had we not gone to Norway with Donald years ago…"
FLASHBACK!
1962 CE: New York, New York.
"Vacation time!" cheered Usagi, as closes her notebook at the local "Free Clinic" that Columbia School of Medicine sponsors. Between volunteering her medical expertise as "Dr. Serena Mondkinder, MD" after hours, and SHIELD's "Operation: Peter's Blanket", Usagi was looking forward to some quality time. Since other SHIELD agents will be handling her primary assignment for the summer, and since the clinic will be shut down during that time as well, Usagi was indeed looking forward to some rest and relaxation. She would not know that in six months, a radioactive rabbit would bite Usagi, causing her to gain the proportionate abilities of that rabbit. But for now, she saw the up coming medical conference in Oslo, Norway as the perfect excuse to have some quality time with her favorite beau…
"Knock, knock," said a familiar voice.
Usagi looked up, and smiled at the person at her office door.
"Ranma, you made it," Usagi said with a smile.
"Of course I did," Ranma replied. "I even had time to back the only thing you will need on this trip…"
Ranma shows Usagi a tiny bag that had the words 'Tiffany's' printed on it.
"That's it?"
"Take a look inside."
Ranma hands Usagi the bag. She takes it, and looks inside.
"Really, Ranma," Usagi said, as she pulls out lingerie from the bag with her fingers. "I can buy my own garments."
"Hey, just think of me as being proactive, babe," Ranma said, as he moves into Usagi's personal space.
"I'll show YOU proactive," Usagi replied, as she pulls her husband of many years close.
"Show me," Ranma said with a mischievous smile.
And thus, the two kiss…for a while, until-
"Uh-hum," said a voice.
Usagi and Ranma immediately break their kiss, and straighten themselves.
"Really, you two," Dr. Donald Blake said with a smile. "This is NOT a bedroom."
"Ah, Donald," Usagi said with a hint of embarrassment.
"What's up, Doc?" Ranma replied.
"Thankfully, nothing," Blake replied. He already knew of Usagi's and Ranma's true identities as SHIELD agents, since he had been a physician in the organization before deciding to take up a teaching position at Columbia University, as well as head up the public clinic that the university sponsors…
"I just wanted to let you know that I have the tickets for the trip to the conference," Blake said, as he hands Usagi a large envelope. "Everything should be in order."
"Good," Usagi said. "As far as my identity goes, I am still a German immigrant, who came to America after the War to live in Minnesota, where I would go on to become a medical doctor under the watch of Dr. Donald Blake, physician and surgeon."
"Correct," Blake said. "Director Fury just wants to make sure that, er, your past didn't come back to bite you on the rear."
"No kidding," Usagi said with a sigh.
Ranma nods his head in understanding. The name 'Serena Mondkinder' was used when Usagi was under the thrall of Nazi Germany's infamous "Gegengheist Gruppe" (translated: "Counter-Ghost Group"), where she was forced to conduct horrific experiments. It was only the fact that her actions took place before World War II, along with having a number of connections that could not be ignored, that Usagi escaped the charges of war crimes, since there was not a war. In fact, it was because of her time as a part of the GGG that allowed the Allied Powers access to a number of secrets, including the one that had cost the life of America's first, official super-soldier: Captain America. Although, they wouldn't know it at the time, Captain America was far from being dead…
"So, Doc, will Jane be coming with us?" Ranma asked.
"Of course she is," Blake said. "Even though you will be coming to the conference with me, I KNOW that you'll be too busy with HIM."
"Hey, I can be a professional when I need to be," Usagi protested. "It's all about knowing when to work hard…and when to PLAY hard."
"If you did the former more than the latter, you probably would have more patients to see."
"Humph!"
Just then, Nurse Jane Foster, the resident nurse, steps out into view.
"Dr. Blake?" Jane said, as she hands some files to Blake. "The last of the patients have left."
"Thank you, Nurse Foster," Blake said, as he accepted the medical records. He then straightens the files, before noticing that Jane was still standing before him. Blake then notices that Jane was staring at him with love in her eye.
"Is there anything else, Nurse Foster?" Blake asked.
"Oh, sorry, Doctor," Jane said with embarrassment. "Something…caught my eye."
"I'm sure."
"Well, if there is nothing else…?"
"No there isn't- oh, be sure to let your doorman know that a taxicab will arrive to pick you up at 8:00 am sharp," Blake said. "That way, he can make sure to let you know of your cab's arrive."
"Of course, doctor," Jane said. "Thank you for letting me accompany you on this trip to Oslo."
"Nurse Foster, you are a valued member of my staff," Blake said. "Well, more so than others here."
"Hey, now," Usagi protested.
"I appreciate your vote of confidence, doctor," Jane said, as she tried not to giggle.
"Because it is warranted."
"Thank you, doctor. Now, if you excuse me, I'll finish locking up."
And with that, Jane leaves for the front desk.
"That woman is SO in love with you, Doc," Ranma said.
"Ronnie, I don't need you to tell me the obvious," Blake said.
Pause.
"Still, she is certainly an attractive woman."
"Duh," Usagi said jokingly.
"No commentary for YOU, doctor."
"Oh, poo."
Tbc.