SMSTSS 25: Avengers Next Unification! – By DS Wynne


Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, Marvel Comics other properties belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is a multi-genre, two-part story, extended to a third part.


Part 3


After formulating a plan of action, Commander America and the rest of the Avengers arrive at the island where the Hood was waiting for them on his makeshift throne.

"Stay easy, everyone," Commander America said, as he notices that the male Avengers were dressed as mafia-suited henchmen (save for War Machine, who was suited in his power armor opposite of the other Avengers). He also noticed that the female Avengers were dressed in nothing more than togas that were thin in fabric consistency.

"Humph," Ronin said, as he observes everything. He then turns towards Iron Man.

"I hope you're not filming my wife like this."

"What do you take me for?" Iron Man said, as he folds his arms. "I would never film Usagi dressed like that."

"Wow," Ms. Marvel said. "I'm very impressed of your gallantry, Tony."

"It's just that I would have preferred that Usagi was dressed like a modern hooker than a Grecian slave girl, for my fantasies."

"And then reality hits back…"

"So, what gives?" Luke said. "We have to go through our own people to get to this punk?"

"It looks like that's the case," Mister Fantastic said. He then turns towards Professor X.

"Charles, can you sense how much of the Infinity Gem of the Mind is Parker Robbins using?"

"Hey!" the Hood yelled. "You don't use my real name when referring to ME."

"Pipe down, small fry," Ronin said. "We'll get to you in a bit."

"…"

Meanwhile, in the mind collective minds of the affected Avengers…

"I'll kill him," Brunhilde said, as she clenched her fist. "How dare this…this Hood do this to me?"

"Let it all out," Sailor Cosmos said, as she comforted her co-wife.

"How can you…be so calm after what that creep did to us?" Yellow Jacket said with distraught. "He…he…"

"The Hood assaulted us in order to get back at the Avengers as a whole," Captain America said. "He took us, and remade us into that which will serve him."

"And most likely, we'll end up fighting our teammates," the Red Hulk said in a huff. "So, while you ladies have been used one way, the rest of us are being used in another way. I served my country for years, only to become a minion to a thug."

"Well, we got to do SOMETHING," War Machine said, feeling utterly useless.

"Look, Akane, I know that you are feeling raw right now, and that you have been dishonored."

"That's right!" Brunhilde yelled. "But I bet for you, this is nothing, since you are nothing more than a pervert anyway."

"I'm going to ignore that, since I know that you are being emotional-"

"I'll show you emotional!" Brunhilde yelled, as she took a swing at Sailor Cosmos.

"Fairest Brunhidle, please, don't!" Clor replied.

"It's okay," Sailor Cosmos said, as Brunhilde successfully decked Sailor Cosmos in the jaw. "Ow…"

Brunhilde breathes hard before crying.

"Why can't I stop crying?" Brunhilde said.

"It'll be okay," Sailor Cosmos said, as she holds her co-wife. "It'll be okay…"

"You seem to know about how to handle this, Usagi," Captain America said.

"That's because I know what she is going through," Sailor Cosmos said with a sigh.

"You do?" Brunhilde asked. "But…how?"

"Well, you must understand that as an extensive traveler across Space and Time, I've experienced a lot of things," Sailor Cosmos said. "And, I have had many professions."

"Kind of like the Barbie doll," War Machine said.

"Something like that, except Ranma was my Ken."

"Just get on with it," Brunhilde said with annoyance. "What happened to you?"

"Well, I was living in Scotland for a long time, mostly from 500 Common Era to 1500 Common Era, although I did travel the world from time to time. But Scotland was my home since the fall of Brittania."

"Why Scotland?" Captain America said.

"At the time, I was charged by the magical community to seal a portal that led to darkest recess of the world of the Spirit. People like Hank would call this place a 'Dark Dimension', a place that have existed in the shadow of the Big Bang, and whose denizens seek to collapse the Universe into nothing. But to us magically inclined folks, we call it the 'Dark Umbral Realms'…and a tear had been created that connected this world and that other world…"

Pause.

"There were a dozen of us that went to seal this tear, for it was spewing all manner of horrific beings. We were accompanied by a pack of noble werewolves known as the White Howlers."

"Werewolves?" Hank said in near-disbelief.

"Yes, werewolves. Contrary to popular belief, they were as human as anyone else, when it comes to morality and ethics. Unfortunately, it is the bad sorts who revel in their disdain for humanity, who give the rest of them their bad reputation. But anyway, they were fierce, loyal warriors, and they had the task of protecting us magic user while we sealed that hole. And, in the end, we succeeded."

For a moment, Sailor Cosmos looked away…

"What happened?" Captain America asked.

"We succeeded, but most of us lost our lives in the blow-back. Those that survived were tortured, or were forced to undergo the 'Rite of the Black Spiral Dance'."

"What is that, sister?" Clor asked.

"The dance is a ritual in which the person's life force is literally inverted within an organic womb called a 'caul'. You are physically torn apart, and reassembled as some creature that looks like you, but you're not you anymore. In fact, a good forensic specialist will be able to tell that the subject has been in a caul, by the way the physiology of the victim is now mirrored, even on a cellular basis. Nevertheless, those magic users who survived became dark mages known as 'Nephandi'; those knights who survived became dark knights known as 'Femori'; those of the Fae who survived became the 'Unseelie'; and those werewolves who survived became the 'Black Spiral Dancers'. Even to this day these servitors of the Wyrm exist to plunge the world into darkness, by merging the Dark Dimension to this Universe, before plunging it into Oblivion."

Pause.

"And people like me, Ranma, Dr. Strange and other magic-oriented folks are ever vigilant to prevent the likes of the Dormammu, Screaming Mimi and Wotan from bringing the end of everything we know."

"Not to speak out of turn, but what does all this have to do with anything?" Yellow Jacket asked.

"I was the only to survive long enough for Ronin to rescue me, Ms. DeMarra," Sailor Cosmos said. "And I did so while being tortured and 'assaulted'."

"Oh."

"So what happened?" Brunhilde asked quietly.

"I learn to live with those memories, Akane. And the thing is that it wasn't the first time I was in such a predicament, and it wasn't the last, excluding what the Hood did to us."

"It wasn't?"

"No. An alien overlord got a hold of me a few years back. You wouldn't know him because he didn't live long enough to make a name for himself."

"Oh."

"My point in all this is that you'll get through this, as long as you remember what is worth fighting for," Sailor Cosmos said. "If you're going to be a hero, as woman, you're going to have to expect that not all the villains are going to be honorable. Unfortunately, we have the Hood."

"But can we do?" War Machine asked. "We're trapped in this mindscape of his."

"As far as the Hood knows, you're right," Sailor Cosmos said, as she touches left temple. Her Crescent Moon Mark glowed.

"Never try to out telepath a telepath who is experienced as 'mental nesting'," Sailor Cosmos said with a smirk.

"So, all this time…you were biding your time?" Hank asked.

"More or less. Got the idea from my time in active duty military, when one of my superiors faced off against a self-proclaimed superior 'madman', while being stuck someplace…"

Pause.

"Although, it was to buy some time to repair our ship, you know?"

"You know, that sounds strangely like a movie I once saw…

"Hey, it worked, okay? Ranma, did you get all that?"

"I got it," said a familiar voice.

"Ranma, is that you?" Brunhilde asked.

"Yes, it is. Hang on tight, we're coming."

"So, you got the final gem?" Captain America asked.

"Yep, and we're already here."

"Ranma, the Hood assaulted me!" Brunhilde cried out.

"So?"

"SO?"

"Yeah. It's your fault that you got caught, you know…"

Brunhilde fumed, and got angry…REALLY angry…

"Why would Saotome say that to his wife?" Red Hulk asked. "Doesn't he care?"

"Oh, Ranma cares, sir," Sailor Cosmos said. "He is simply forcing the issue, so to speak…"

Pause.

"Now, watch…"

"I've never seen anyone get angry," Yellow Jacket said.

"Akane, please calm down," the Beast said.

"RANMA-!"

Meanwhile, back in the real world…

"I'm surprised how confident you are, considering I have both of your women, Saotome," the Hood said, referring to Brunhilde and Sailor Cosmos, who were holding each other sensually.

"I had sex with them…against their will!"

Ronin said nothing.

"Come on, say something."

"I don't have to," Ronin said. "But you just messed up badly."

"What do you mean-?"

"RANMA, YOU JERK!" Brunhilde yelled suddenly, as she delivered a blind punch into that creates a sonic boom in its wake. The Hood flew high into the air, even as the mind-controlled Avengers turned to face their allies, while Brunhilde slumped over.

"What the hell just happened?" Ms. Marvel asked.

"Brunhilde has a condition that makes her stronger, but only when she is in the state of consciousness," Ronin said. He was referring to Akane's innate ability to hurt other people while sleeping…

"With the Hood paying attention to us, he wouldn't think that she would be able to break his grip of control even for a fraction," Ronin said.

"Team, you know what to do," Commander America said. "Ronin, since you are the strongest, go point until we're able to break the Hood's control over the others."

"Right," Ronin said, as he took to the air…

"Alright, team," Commander America said, as he takes out his pistol. It was modified to stun his opponents no matter how tough. "Avengers…ASSEMBLE!"

With that, the Avengers—new and old—begin to fight amongst themselves…

Meanwhile, the Hood lands in the heart of Australia's "Outback" region in a heap.

"Ooof!" the Hood said. He then gets up.

"How did…did that happen?" the Hood stammered.

"Your opponent is a 'Chaos Lord', and the Sorcerer Supreme for this planet," Dormammu said in the Hood's mind. "No doubt he sacrificed his pawns in order place you in a valuable position."

"So, what? He's just one man, and I have all the power in the Universe!"

"You're talking to yourself, buddy?" Ronin said, as he whispered into the Hood's left ear.

"Gah!" the Hood said, as he nearly jumped. He immediately blasted Ronin. In reality, he blasted Ronin's after-image.

"No!"

Suddenly, Ronin appears in front of the Hood, and delivers a flying upper-cut that sent the3 Hood flying upward.

Ronin immediately appears above him, and deliver double-axed fist onto the Hood's head, sending him back into the ground.

"Arrgh!" the Hood yelled, as he picked himself up. He then looked up.

"What are you-?"

"You like power?" Ronin said, as he raises his palm towards the heavens. "I'll give you power!"

In his palm, he forms a ball of spinning energy that grew bigger, until it was the size of a house.

"Here, catch!"

When Ronin lowers his hands, the giant energy sphere comes crashing down on top of the Hood.

"Arrrgggghhhh-!"

When the smoke clears, there was one giant crater on the ground.

"Man, I hope I didn't overdo it," Ronin said, as he scans the area around for signs of his body.

Suddenly the ground explodes, with the Hood rising up from the dust and the dirt. His cape was in tatters.

"This…this isn't possible!" the Hood yelled. "I had my Masters boon! I have these gems! No one should be able to humiliate me like this!"

"You're problem, Hood, is that you're nothing more than a street punk who got caught up in events he barely comprehend," Ronin said. "Don't get me wrong; I can appreciate the desire to get stronger after you being humiliated the way you did, but you did that to yourself by humiliating or harming others, just so that you can be some big man…"

Pause.

"But you harmed too many people that I know, especially my wives Brunhilde and Sailor Cosmos. And as their husband, it's my duty to be THEIR Avenger. But, in the spirit of honorable combat, a consideration that is more than you deserve, you can come at me. I say this without ego, because, when the dust settles, only one of us will walk away from this intact."

With that, Ronin gets into a fighting stance, and beckons the Hood to come after him.

"I'll show you!" the Hood yelled, as his muscles begin to distort while being surrounded by potent energy. "I'll show you all-"

"Fool!" Dormmmu said mentally. "He's trying to goad you!"

"Shut up!" the Hood yelled. "I have to take this guy down! I'll smash him into a million pieces, and then humiliate his women on his corpse! RRRARRGH-!"

The hulked-out Hood leaps on Ronin. Ronin quickly applies a special jutsu that he learned recently from the Tsuchikage, the leader of the shinobi village known only as the Village Hidden in the Rocks, located in Hokkaido, Japan…

"Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu ," Ronin said, as he completes his jutsu. The jutsu had a longer name, but Ronin preferred to shorten it to an equivalent…

"What?" The Hood said, as he found himself floating in a clear cube. He presses his hand against the walls of the cube from within the cube. He then sees a white sphere floating in the middle cube.

"What-?"

"This special technique is designed to kill you on the particle level," Ronin said evenly. "Once activated, you will simply cease to exist, as your body is broken down into nothing."

"You can't do this to me!" the Hood said. "You're the hero! And…I have a wife and son-"

"And I wonder what your wife would say to what you've done recently?"

"Okay, okay!" the Hood yelled, as he raised his hands. "I give!"

"Remove your gauntlet. Slowly."

The Hood immediately does as he is told. The Infinity Gauntlet falls harmless through the clear cube and unto the ground.

"Okay, I've done as you are told," the Hood said, as he reverts back to normal. "Let me out of here."

"I've changed my mind," Ronin said, as his Sharingan activates.

"But the other Avengers-!"

"I can live with that," Ronin said, as his fist was about to close, thus activating the trap.

"Ranma, no!" Sailor Comos said, as she intercedes between Ronin and the Hood.

"The Infinity Gauntlet is secures," the Beast said, as he placed the glove into a special case.

"Stand down," Commander America said.

Ronin said nothing.

"Please, Ranma," Brunhilde said, as she hugs Ranma from behind. "Don't do this on my part."

"But this bastard-"

"I know, but that's for me to decide, not you."

"Ranma, don't let your bloodline dictate your decision," Sailor Cosmos said. "Please…"

Ronin looks into Sailor Cosmos' eyes, and relented.

"Fine," Ronin said, as he releases the Hood from his trap.

"Oof!" the Hood said, as he falls into a heap.

"You did good," Commander America said, as the other Avengers secure the Hood as their newest prisoner.

"Yeah, yeah…"

In the ensuing days, the Hood would be incarcerated, after being found guilty of multiple crimes, and place in a maximum security facility. Meanwhile, the Elders of the Universe would be summoned to Earth to reclaim their respective Infinity Gems, even though the Avengers know that the gems will make them even more obnoxious. At the same time, while Commander America and Iron Man hashed out their differences, Brunhilde and Sailor Cosmos were able to hash out an arrangement that allows the newly-reconstituted Illuminati to become planning managers for dealing with future crisis, while the Secret Avengers would execute those plans. Ronin thought that the new arrangement was Steve and Tony's way of keeping an eye on each other.

All, in all, the good guys won…

"Well, all's well that ends well," Usagi said, as she combed her hair, as she gets ready for bed.

"Usagi, I want to thank you for keeping me in line," Ranma said, as he turns the bathroom light off, before getting ready for bed.

"Dear, I'm simply returning the favor," Usagi smiled, as she sets her brush down. "You're always getting me out of a jam, and all…"

"It's nothing."

"Humph. Oh, just wanted to let you know that Akane and I are going to see a group counselor on victims of the kind of assaults that was done to us."

"You guys are…okay?" Ranma said with concern. He was just glad that he used one of his 'Shadow Clones' to be with Akane that evening…

"We'll get there in time. In all my years of being a hero, I never really stopped to deal with that sort of thing. In a strange way, what happened to Akane will help me deal with some very old demons…"

Usagi then gets into bed, and then kisses Ranma.

"I'm kissing the real Ranma Saotome, and not one of his Shadow Clones, am I?"

"Um, well…."

"Nevermind."

Fin.