The Best of the Best Chapter one: The message Natasha Romanoff was supposed to be in an Avenger's Meeting. Now she was in what had turned into an Avenger's argument.
It had started with, you guessed it, Tony Stark starting it up with Steve Rogers.
Now everyone was fighting with one another. These days, too many meetings started (and usually ended) like this.
"Do you want a battle? Because that's where this is going." Steve pointed out.
"you throw those threats around because you know you'll win." Tony shot back.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Pretty sure you know, Super Soldier."
Natasha was getting a headache and she couldn't take much more of this. She was the only one not participating and she was just one retort away from punching all of them out.
"You see, this is what's wrong with you, you think you're better than everyone else here and then, because you won't take advice from anyone, you make a huge mistake and blame it on somebody else!" she hated to admit it (okay, she didn't) but Steve did have a point.
No one had forgotten Ultron. Natasha couldn't help realizing that, if it weren't for the hard work and the last minute actions of the Avengers, Tony Stark would have destroyed the planet. That wasn't what this one was about.
This Avengers Meeting was supposed to be regarding aliens. Of course, since the Chitauri, the verdict on extraterrestrial beings had been no matter what the species, they were dangerous, threatening to citizens and they had different customs and laws therefore they might find it hard to live with Earth's and they would rebel, potentially harming thousands.
At that moment Natasha heard something. The familiar ringtone of a message coming through the S.H.I.E.L.D grade tech of Avenger's Tower.
"Guys." she tried to get their attention but they were still fighting.
"Guys." Natasha repeated.
"Guys!" everyone's heads snapped toward her.
She sighed. "A message just came through." she motioned toward the screen behind them.
She figured it was probably from S.H.I.E.L.D. It wasn't.
Warriors of the universe, Protectors of Life, Guardians of Galaxies, If you are who you claim to be then you will meet your kind in the center of the Red Forest on the planet Earth and the realm, America inside the land, Vermont where you will gather in an army like no other to fight an enemy like no other. As long as we have no true way of contact this enemy will remain nameless. Be warned, this will require you to forget your rivalries, ignore your skirmishes and fight alongside who ever has the strength and the will to join your cause. As the loud, graining, robotic voice finished speaking, it's words were formed as yellow text on the computer screen.
"My gosh." Steve breathed, somewhat cautious of his language.
"Think it's a threat?" it didn't sound like one but Natasha's mind worked like that. Anything could be a threat. Especially in the mind of an Avenger.
"No. We've gotten threats. Whoever sent this message is on our side." Steve insisted.
"How can you be so sure?"
"An enemy wouldn't tell us where they were."
"Could be a trap." The Scarlet Witch commented.
"Whatever it is I'm getting Fury and Coulson . . ." Natasha trailed off just as Fury and Coulson walked in the room.
"No explanation needed. You two," Fury motioned toward Tony and Steve, "Shut up and listen."
"We've had this message for quite a while. We were just waiting for you seven to receive it." Nick Fury continued.
"It is understood that this does not suggest just the Avengers. This suggests a lot of heroes working together. The second half of the message suggests working with supervillains. Warriors good and bad. We don't know who you'll be fighting any better than you do, however we are picking up readings just outside Earth's oxygenated atmosphere of unusual power and vibration. You will not be able to do this one alone. . . Which is a good thing, given the fact that there is a team that can help you who most likely received the same message and we intend to contact them immediately. They're newer than you, yes but they have what it takes."
Natasha knew who they were talking about. They all did. "Not them. Fury you can't possibly mean. . ." Steve didn't finish. The statement needed no continuance.
"Yes. Them." replied the director. "Coulson, you'll fill them in later , I assume?"
"Yes, Sir."
With that the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D and Agent Phillip Coulson walked out the door leaving stunned Avengers. But Natasha couldn't leave it like that. She followed them out in a hurry, her footsteps sounding on the steel floor. "Sir, SIR!" she caught up with them. He stopped, sighing.
"I beg you to reconsider. We don't know anything about them." protested Natasha.
"Read their files. I took the liberty of unclassifying them."
"I already have and that was enough for me. Trust me, Sir you don't want them! You really, really don't!"
"If that were true we wouldn't be having this argument now would we?"
"They're aliens! We were literally just talking about aliens and the dangers they pose."
"Agent, do you even know who Peter Quill is?"
"I know who he is."
"And?"
"He's a self-serving, arrogant, lawless, immoral, thieving cocotte!"
"Have you met them?"
"YES!"
"Regardless of his personality, Agent, Quill is our best chance. Besides, he's held an infinity stone in his bare hands for over five minutes. Most people don't even last five seconds."
"That is completely irrelavent."
"Have you ever held an infinity stone, Agent Romanoff?"
"Of course not, sir, but-"
"Then you can't possibly know whether it's relevant or not. The Guardians of the Galaxy are coming to Earth." he shut the door on her leaving Natasha and a sympathetic Coulson standing there.
"He has absolutely no idea what he's doing." she growled.
"You don't believe that." said Coulson.
"Yes I do."
"I can understand your concerns, but these people are good. They're as good as the Avengers. . . maybe better."
"Tell that to the people who accuse us of endangering the planet!"
"I thought you said you read their files. Endangering this planet would just be a waste of their time to them. Besides, my hands are tied. I can't do anything at this point. I think you and I both know, once Nick Fury's made his mind up about something, there's no changing it." then Coulson walked off too leaving a fuming Natasha Romanoff to stalk back to the Meeting Room.
Chapter Two: We're Going to Terra!
Peter Quill was doing. . .really not much of anything, listening to music and talking to the owl. It was just one of those days.
They had came back from a mission a couple hours ago, not too hard, in fact it was so easy it had been boring.
Al then had one of his weird seizures where he starts screeching out of nowhere, flapping his wings frantically then drops on the floor of his cage, unconscious with his talons in the air. I swear that bird needs medical attention. Peter thought. Then he heard a familiar, Ding-rring ding-rring indicating a call was coming in. he looked over at the small screen with the name of the caller. "Nick Fury? What does he want?" Peter asked himself.
All the same he pressed the button and the director of S.H.I.E.L.D's scarred face appeared on the holographic screen. "This can't be good" said Peter.
"Why does everyone say that when I call in?"
"Because it never is. What do you want, Fury?"
"S.H.I.E.L.D has a. . . preposition for you."
"Great. Let me go get my gun so I can shoot myself."
"I thought you might say something like that."
"Quit wasting my time. Believe it or not I actually have more important things to do right now so just hurry up and lemme have it."
"A message has been received by the Avengers which leads us to believe you might've gotten it too."
"I haven't gotten a message since the ex called. Continue."
"It stated clearly that they wanted the and I quote, 'warriors of the universe to gather in Vermont if they were who they claimed to be.' they might've mentioned something about Guardians of Galaxies."
"Yeah, so?"
"So we want you to do it. Others would be there, the Avengers of course, uncrewed heroes and villains like Spider-man, Magneto, and the X-men, countless others if our calculations are correct and I'll have you know, Mr. Quill, they usually are."
"So let me get this straight," Peter almost laughed as he said these words, "You want me to drag my team from up here where we're doin' our job just fine all the way to Terra therefore risking my entire team's lives, to team up with a buncha people who want to kill us, to fight some nameless powerful adversary."
"With all due respect, you're heroes. All of them are. Contrary to your belief, you're no different than Captain America. You risk your lives every time you walk out the door and I don't think you're gonna argue on that one because I think you know it's true."
"There is just no saying 'no' to you people, is there?" even though Peter did know it was true he still didn't want to do it. "In any case, my team is never going to go along with this." he continued.
"Convince them." responded Fury.
There was a pause where Peter was thinking of what to do. Indefinitely, Rocket would be the strongest protestor to the idea. Gamora would probably stand by him no matter what his decision. Drax. . . it was hard saying with him. If Peter made it an order he would probably do it. And Groot did what Rocket told him to do.
"You say you never got this connection?" Fury inquired.
"I already told you I haven't gotten any message!"
At that moment, Gamora rushed in. "Peter we got some sort of message, you should probably interpret it . . ." she trailed off when she saw who her leader was talking to.
"Gamora, now is really NOT the time!" Peter snapped.
Fury gave him a pointed look. "You gonna check that out?"
"I hate you, Fury." he muttered, sighing. "Tell you what, give me two weeks, if we're not there by then, you'll know our answer. Don't call us again. Ever."
Peter turned off the device and Fury dissipated. "Gamora. . ." he growled turning to her.
"Sorry." she replied, nervously staring at the floor.
"it's fine." he reassured her.
"What was he talking to you about?"
"He wants us to go to Terra. And help the Avengers. In Vermont. In a forest."
"Vermont?"
"It's a state."
"State?"
"It's like a tiny planet."
"You mean moons?"
"Sure, sure let's go with that."
"Terra has moons on the planet? Never seen that before."
"He wasn't calling to talk about Vermont, Gamora he was there for a very sensitive matter involving superheroes."
"Oh. But what about the message?"
"I know what the message says! Just tell the rest of the team to meet us in the planning room. I know what I'm doing." he pushed her toward said Planning Room.
Gamora did as she was told and about ten minutes later Peter had everyone gathered in the room, Rocket looking bored, and everyone else looking relatively intrigued. "Listen up Team, (and yes, Rocket that means you too) 'cause I'm only gonna say this once." stated Peter and Rocket bared his sharp, white teeth but listened anyway.
"A message came through, you guys probably knew about that and so did a transmission from Nick Fury."
At these words Rocket muttered to Groot, "this can't be good."
"Yeah, that's exactly what I said," Peter continued, amused. "He wants us to team up with the Avengers. They probably not gonna like that anymore than we are so before you start complaining and yelling and all that other $#!? you pull when you're trying to show resistance or something I want you to think of all the elements involved in this before we take our vote. For example, S.H.I.E.L.D will be indebted to us and that is a very, very good thing at this point because for every ally we make, we make two new enemies."
Rocket was against it immediately and the rest of them just looked unsure.
"So, all in favor of Terra, stand up. Everyone who wants to stay here, don't." this was how they did all there voting.
"I will stand by you no matter what your decision." Gamora said, standing up.
"I am Groot." rumbled the mutant tree as he rose.
Drax did the same and soon, Rocket (as usual) was the only one left protesting. He gave a sigh of resignation and stood up reluctantly. "It's not like I have much choice anyway."
Peter looked around at this team, the most important people in his life. All waiting for him to make the call. He hadn't just earned their friendship, he'd earned their respect. "WE'RE GOIN TO TERRA!" he declared.
"But I'm driving!" Rocket called after him.
Chapter Three: Where is Spider-Man in all this?
Peter Parker was training himself. Yes, he'd gotten the message and hadn't told anyone about it. He wasn't sure who it was from, but he didn't need to. All he knew was he was going to the Red Forest. He was currently using a metal bar he'd attached in his room to do chin-ups. Peter gasped as he pulled himself up and lowered himself again.
At twenty-three years old one might think he was an amateur, but he had been doing this for seven years.
Now, he couldn't imagine himself not being Spider-man and, he hoped, the world (or at least New York) couldn't imagine a world without Spider-man.
Peter had talked to the Avengers before, even fought with them, had once been involved with Cloak and Dagger, and had talked to Deadpool once or twice but the rest of them. . .
He couldn't help being a little nervous. He didn't know who would be there, he didn't know how to talk to them or how they would react to him. They probably thought of Spider-man differently.
Peter had already called his own associates, Black Cat, Spider-Woman, and Arachne. They would be there. He dropped to the floor of his apartment and started on sit-ups. Then, a call came in from his wife and beloved, Mary-Jane Watson. He stopped what he was doing, webbed himself up to the ceiling and slingbacked his cell phone with his superpower. "Hey, Tiger." she giggled.
The sound of her lovely voice put all Peter's worries to rest. "MJ, I have something to talk to you about." he said.
"Me too."
"I'm. . . leaving for a little while. To Vermont. It's uh, something important . . . S.H.I.E.L.D told me not to tell you but I'm going to anyway."
He paused for a moment, then continued. "Someone wants me, well, all of us, as in my entire race, to join up against some guy which also, I don't know."
"What exactly does 'your entire race' mean?" questioned Mary-Jane.
"Superheroes. And villains. Anyone who has a superpower or walks under a secret identity."
"Can I come with you?"
"Actually that's uh, what I wanted to talk about. You can't-i mean, I want you to, definitely but it's . . ." Peter trailed off.
"Superhero stuff." she finished for him.
"Yeah."
She hung up the phone without even telling him what she wanted to tell him or before he could apologize. He felt bad, that was for sure, but he told himself that it couldn't be too jeopardizing, he'd know. . . wouldn't he?
Mary-Jane's P.O.V
Mary-Jane Watson hung up the phone on her husband. She tried not to be mad at him. Tried to remind herself that this was what it was like to be married to Spider-Man. Now he was off to save the world again. In truth, she was just worried and scared for him.
Mary-Jane had seen him lose battles, true he won most but, anyone who knew a superhero, anyone who was one, knew that just one mistake could end it all. That's why she got so scared when he spent his spare time superheroing around the streets of Manhattan. She couldn't help imagining the headlines, the contraversy all relating to one fact. Spider-man: Dead.
To some people he was a friend, to others a way for them to sleep at night, to some an idol, but to Mary-Jane Watson he was all those things and a lot more. She was the one who needed him most. No matter what the enemy.
She stood on the Brooklyn Bridge staring down at the river below. It came up from behind, then, in a hurry it rushed past her and continued it's endless path to an unknown reality and world. One Mary-Jane would never know. Just like the Spider-Man.
Four days after the foreboding phone call, the two lovers stood at an airport. Mary-Jane knew this day would come, she always had. Peter Parker was one of Earth's soldiers, and he was going to war.
The wind blew through her cinnamon hair and she blinked away tears. "I know what this is like. And I know you're angry with me but I just need to say-" Peter started but she cut him off.
"Don't say good-bye. I have to know you'll be back."
"I'll be back, Baby. I promise I will."
He leaned forward to kiss her and Mary-Jane wasn't ready for when he pulled away. Just like she wasn't ready when he turned his back on her.
"I-I'm sorry. I have to go now."
"Wait! No, Peter! You don't have to go!" the wind tore the desperate cry from her mouth. She ran to catch up with him as he headed toward the plane.
He turned to her just before the door shut to say three words. Three words which meant the world to her. "I love you."
Then, the door closed, locking Mary-Jane Watson out.
Chapter Four: The Earth is Doomed . . . Again
Victor Von Doom paced the floor of his castle in Latveria. Thinking. He stared at the numerous ineffective creations of metal which cluttered a table. (also of metal.) It can be said that nothing could take his mind off of the transmission.
Victor wasn't what you would call a "warrior of the universe" but it may not have referred to those who considered themselves "superheroes." which is a very good thing in his case because he hunted superheroes. Or at least a certain four of them.
Of course, America was a long way away, not to mention he was wanted there. Then again, the message clearly stated "anyone who has the strength and the will to fight" and well, let's just say that Victor fit that criteria.
Of course though, those blood-sucking, plaguing, impertinent beings known as the "Fantastic Four" would be there. Was anything worth being on their side?
It may indeed improve his status with S.H.I.E.L.D which was a good thing, even though, the government organization normally was too busy with alien readings and terrorist organizations to worry about him. Victor never could figure out whether he should be glad about that or insulted.
He took off his metallic mask and placed that among the array. Victor did not know how long the questions had been churning in his mind; nothing could stabilize them.
He looked out at the land of Latveria. An empire he had built from the ground up. Flourishing forests, exotic creatures and thriving natives but even this was not enough for him. Perhaps because it was also replete with protestors, death and dejected criminals.
Was this his fault? After all it was his government. But it was S.H.I.E.L.D who caused the uttermost havoc on Victor's country. Then why should he help them? Why should he aid the same people who dragged innocent Latverian families out of their homes?
But he thought about this. To go to America would be to protect his race from genocide. After all, Victor did have a superpower whether he was good or bad it didn't matter. And it was his own species at stake possibly his country and, eventually, his planet.
Besides Victor Von Doom had allied with Reed Richards before, even if he'd tried to kill them afterward. He hated to admit that he felt the smallest bit of shame. As he'd learned those persecutors actually had a soul. Victor had seen the unification of Susan Storm and Richards. That had been what showed it. He couldn't help seeing the four of them fight together, matching one another blow for blow. Saw the way Susan looked at Richards and couldn't help feeling like that's something he could've had with her.
Regret was something he wanted to ignore. Didn't want to feel. He'd been doing a great job so far, no reason to ruin it now.
He felt someone in the shadows lurking in wait. "Are you going to come out or are you going to continue skulking around the corner?" Victor asked the intruder.
"Hardly an alien thing to you, Von Doom." the familiar voice said as he stepped out into the light and gestured out the window to the protestors that decked the building, shouting and holding up their signs that said things like, "FIGHT BACK AGAINST S.H.I.E.L.D!" and "SAVE THE SICK CHILDREN!"
"I think they're rather pathetic, don't you?" said the compelling, green-cloaked entity whose name was Loki, Asgardian god of Mischief and Trickery.
"What's your business here?" Victor inquired of him.
They were enemies and each man knew it. Though Victor also knew that Loki would negotiate with just about anyone if it got him what he wanted. Which means, Victor must have an objective the deistic prince wanted and something told him it had something to do with that wretched message.
"Oh, don't try to deny it. You've gotten it too." proclaimed Loki.
"Well, that depends on what you're talking about."
"The message, Doom. The MESSAGE. Everyone's talking about it, well, everyone who knows. Those S.H.I.E.L.D parasites are keeping a tight lid on all of this."
"I have received the communication. What of it?"
Loki's smirk widened at this; his black hair fell around his shoulders. It wasn't like him to come onto Earth wearing Asgardian attire and it certainly wasn't like him to leave his weapon at home. (a tall staff with a potent, blue crystal on the end of it.) "and, are you going?" he asked.
"I haven't decided yet." Victor responded.
"Why ever not?" Loki laughed.
"I don't think you need to know."
"If I were you I would've gone to this land, Vermont as fast as possible. Should be easy. After all, you are still the King of Latveria, right?"
"Well, yes."
"I had to provide my own army with a reason as to why I was heading to Midgard. What's your excuse?"
"If you do not tell me what you're doing here, Loki, I will knock you down."
He scoffed contemptously. "I'm here to convince you to do exactly what I said."
"Since when was it your place to speak?"
"I also want to offer you the option of an alliance, or are you really too busy chasing after four Midgardians with an inflated sense of self-worth?"
Victor couldn't help but appreciate the irony in all this. Of course there was more Loki wasn't telling him, there was more to all his deals. "You wish me to reconcile with you?"
"Temporarily. Just until this nameless nemesis is conquered. Believe it or not, I have those I chase after myself. Who are indefinitely going to be there."
Of course he was speaking of Thor, the Asgardian God of Thunder and what would have been king if he hadn't given it up for a woman. Victor had always assumed he must be extremely stupid to pass up something like that. What dame could possibly be worth that?