Chapter 4: The Bakery Throwdown
She couldn't believe it. Captain America, the Captain America was here! Of course she knew that he was alive (Leo had been sure to get her caught up on all recent news) but there was something that allowed it to actually sink in to see him in person. Despite being seventy years out of time (she knew how that felt) here he was! Fighting a robot… losing poorly to said robot. Styx, that looked like it hurt. Hazel squared her shoulders and stepped over a twisted piece of pipe and rubble that stood between her and the battle. There was no way she was letting her hero die.
Steve was sincerely beginning to hate robots. I mean seriously! What was it with nearly every villain they went up against using robots? This guy, it seemed, was no exception. Some crackpot scientist with quite an impressive number of screws loose decided to terrorise upper Manhattan with, no joke, about two hundred heavy duty, military grade robots that each had the strength to level a small building and enough firepower to eliminate a small army. Why the man was doing this, well truth be told they had no idea. Stark had blasted the robot sent to deliver whatever demands Mr. Crazy had sent to the Avengers tower within thirty seconds of it opening its mouth.
Frankly all that mattered was destroying these robots before they destroyed half of the city. Easier said than done, but the Avengers had been up to the task and had up to this point blasted, tasered, shot, and smashed most of the robots. Emphasis on most. Steve had been chasing a rogue bot down past the South side of Central Park when the blasted robot teamed up with five others. At this point Steve was too far from any of the other Avengers to call for backup so he made do. Cue one exhausting battle, one destroyed comlink, four destroyed robots, several broken ribs and a possible concussion later, and Captain America was absolutely done with this fight. If only the last robot thought the same way.
Pausing for a brief moment to catch his breath and been his mistake. He had thought that the last robot would wait a little longer before it would attack again seeing how it had a dozen dents in its hull from his shield. Apparently it wasn't even remotely bothered. The thing picked him up and rammed Steve through the back of what appeared to be a bakery if the crushed pastries were anything to go off of. Steve pushed himself up and blocked a punch from the robot just in time to avoid a more serious concussion. Debris and dust rained down him as he started throwing his own punches. He would've used his shield, but it was a good ten feet behind the robot, stuck in a half demolished wall. He couldn't get it without opening himself up to an attack.
Steve was lagging. He started to slow down noticeably so as the robot started to get in some glancing blows that made his broken ribs scream in agony. As Steve dodged a left hook, he wasn't fast enough to avoid the coming right. It got him right in the should and sent him hard into what used to be a display stand. Covered in cupcakes and brownies and laying completely defenseless on the floor of a crumbling bakery, steve wondered if this was how it was going to end. The robot moved in, raising a menacing metal fist above its head in preparation to smash in his skull like a pop can. Steve closed his eyes waiting for the hit to make its mark. It never did come.
A scream that could only be described as a battle cry reached his ears that caused him to jerk in surprise. He opened his eyes to see a familiar set of golden eyes scrunched in determination. The girl they belonged to charged the robot as its fist came down, knocking it aside with… was that a sword? Now it shimmered to look like a baseball bat. Steve shook his head. Forget the sword/baseball bat thing, it didn't matter. What mattered is that a familiar little girl was now battling a robot to save his life. He was not going to let her get hurt to save him.
He glanced around searching for… there! His shield was still poking out of the wall, but the robot had knocked him several feet closer. He dodged around the flailing robot and the, admittedly talented, young girl. Hazel, his brain helpfully supplies, despite the concussion. He decided to ignore the fact that the last time he had seen her was over 70 years ago. That could wait until after he took down this (insert expletive) robot.
Steve reached his shield, yanking it out of the wall, and turned on a dime, readying himself to throw it. Turns out he needn't have worried. Just as he turned he watched Hazel plunge her, now most definitely a sword, blade into the robot's head. Circuitry sparked and for a brief moment everything paused. Then, slowly, the robot started to tip as it powered down. Young Hazel pulled her weapon free and rolled off the bot before it finish its descent. It landed with a resounding thud right on a cake that probably resembled a dinosaur at one point. Now green frosting covered the downed robot. An appropriate demise after what it had put Steve through.
Nothing was said as they both leaned over, catching their breathes, then made eye contact. Hazel straightened as she seemed to realize what she had just done. She had just saved Captain America's life. She had just fought and defeated a robot right in front of him. She had just used her imperial gold sword in front of him! What had he seen? Would he think she was a threat? So busy were her thoughts that she did not notice the focus of her tumultuous thoughts straighten up and move towards her until he was directly in front of her. She had to crane her head back in order to resume eye contact. Was it too late to run and pretend this never happened?
Steve noticed that she looked about ready to bolt and quickly spoke in order to convince her to stay and chat. "Hazel, right?" Judging how her eyes bugged out and she nearly choked, he could only assume that he was correct. "Thank you for intervening when you did. It was getting a bit too heated there at the end."
His thanks seemed to calm her down enough to speak, if a bit hesitantly. "No-no problem, sir. It just seemed liked you could-could've used the help is all." She looked down, her cheeks blushing. She was embarrassed for implying that he couldn't have handled it on his own, despite that being the case. And how had he known her name? He couldn't have remembered her? It had been ages since she had met him, and he had signed a million other people's posters. There was no way he had remembered her. "How-how did you know my name, if you don't mind me asking, sir."
He chuckled, "That was certainly true. I appreciate the help. As for your name," Steve gazed intently at the girl in front of him, "I remember when you asked for my autograph. I must say I'm surprised to see you again. Almost the same age as you were when we met." She seemed to be staring at her feet as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world, and the weapon she had used in the battle was strangely absent. Where had it gone? I guess the more pressing question would be how the heck is she still so young and not an elderly lady by now?!
Hazel was processing. Okay, so Captain America managed to see her sword which she was now hiding with the mist. The fact that he couldn't see through it now meant that he wasn't a mortal who could normally see through it. Interesting. He had also remember her after all these years, out of millions of people. She didn't know if she should be worried or flattered. And lastly, he definitely knew she wasn't normal by now. Normal thirteen year olds don't show up not having aged in decades and taking down a robot with a glowing gold sword. How was she going to get out of this one? She considered using the mist to change his memories, but she was hesitant to do so. He was a link to her past. One of the few she didn't mind. It also felt wrong to mess with someone's mind. That was a person's sanctuary and she didn't want to taint it. There was also the previously mentioned fact that Captain America was somewhat unaffected by the mist. If she changed his memories, it might not be permanent. What she really needed was a distraction. For once, the Fates seemed to help her out.
"Cap!" Steve's head looked away from her and focused on a man just outside of the doorway. Well, what used to be the doorway. It was now a gaping hole that the hulk could have an easy time getting through. "We've been looking everywhere for you! We got worried when you stopped responding. What happened!?" He seemed to be referring to Steve's less than put together appearance and the destroyed bakery.
"Sorry Clint, I was chasing a stray but it led me to a trap. My comm was destroyed while I was fighting five of those things. I was almost a goner when this girl stepped in." He motioned next to him where said girl had been standing.
"Uh, what girl?" Steve jerked around to see that the space previously occupied was now noticeably empty. He gazed all around, trying to desperately find her, but it was no use. It seemed like she had just disappeared. Meanwhile Clint was watching in faint amusement. "Right, let's get you checked out for a concussion bud."
Steve didn't argue, he was too busy thinking of the mystery that was one Hazel. Questions swam through his pounding and concussed brain, but he put them all aside for now. He needed to make sure his team and, by extension, the city was alright. Then he could search for his mysterious little saviour. And her knew just where to start.
Meanwhile Hazel watched them leave. She had never left, just wrapped herself in the Mist to appear as if she had. Now that he was gone, she dropped the disguise and carefully exited the bakery. As she stepped over squished eclairs and cookies, she sent a silent prayer that this would be her only encounter with Captain America. She couldn't afford to risk the questions he would ask. She knew it was all for naught though. The Fates didn't operate that way. This wasn't over. And gosh darn could she use a coffee!
Wow I've gotten so many comments to update this that it surprised me. Sorry for the wait! I lost all motivation and I just didn't have the time. Well now I have nothing but time! So I've decided to make an entire series about the Avengers meeting the Seven and more. Each gets its own story. Which one should I do next? Leo and Tony, Thalia and Natasha, or some other sort of combination? I'll finish this one before that of course. I just want to start thinking ahead so I can set it up. Write your thoughts down in the comments!
Also Steve could see the sword because nothing can surprise him anymore. The Mist, unless manipulated, only covers things up when it doesn't make sense to a mortal's mind. Steve has seen things that have absolutely don't make sense in the world, and has accepted that things are not always as they seem. A thirteen year old girl swinging a golden sword is not the most impossible thing he has seen.
Thanks for reading and I do not own anything!