And now to meet the final New Avenger.
I know it's finals week for some of you, including me, and it will be finals week in the next few weeks for the rest of you. I'll keep posting regularly, because this brings me as much joy as I hope it does you. Besides, it's a way to take our collective minds off finals.
Remember, 50 reviews to get Author's Cut of this!
Enjoy.
Stephanie and Lori strode into the lab, just a beat behind Steve. Wanda and Pietro were behind her, as well. Stephanie held up one hand and gestured for them to cling to the shadows for a moment.
Tasha caught her eye as Steve went straight into needling Stark. Steph raised an eyebrow. Tasha nodded curtly. Brenda, glancing between them, bit her lip.
Stephanie took her own advice and hugged the shadows as she sidled over to Brenda and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "The Maximoffs are here," she murmured. A subtle elbow in her side made her glare at Lori as she added, "And Lori too- obviously."
"What's the plan?" Tasha muttered as she drew closer. The three adults were uncaring of their conversation. The Maximoffs had taken note.
"Pietro yanks the cord, then gets the floor shot out from under him," Stephanie said slowly, brow creased in concentration. "That sets off the others. Steve throws his shield and Tony summons his blaster. Bruce grabs Wanda and keeps an arm around her throat. Then Thor shows up and-"
At that moment, Quicksilver took off around the lab. He yanked the cord to the Cradle and held it in the air as he stopped. "There. All done," he said with a casual smirk and shrug.
"What do we do?!" Tasha hissed. Stephanie glanced around- not seeing Wanda's gaze on the four young women- and pulled Brenda out of the light.
"Bren, I'll try to get between Bruce and Wanda. You help if I can't hold him off. Tash, you try and keep collateral down. Lori, keep them from exploding absolutely everything. We stay away from the Cradle. Oh- and expect Lena to show soon."
There were curt nods from the other three to show they understood, and Stephanie separated back to her father's side-
As the glass shattered beneath Pietro, and he fell.
"PIETRO!" Wanda screamed with fear, and rushed forwards to get to her brother. Steve threw his shield, at the same time that Bruce went for Wanda. Stephanie smoothly stepped into his path.
"Get out of the way," he said, voice low and dangerous. Stephanie met his dangerous green eyes with her own calm blue ones.
"Sorry," she said calmly. "I'm afraid I can't do that."
He moved to go around her, but she smoothly swept to the side and blocked him. Wanda tried to slip around her and run to her brother- one arm snaked out and caught her.
"Stay behind me, Wanda," Stephanie said quietly. "For a while longer. Stand down."
She wisely obeyed, stepping closer to Stephanie's back. Steph herself grasped her shield, pulled it off her back, and held it loosely in her hands.
"I won't hurt you," she told Bruce evenly, "but I won't let you past either."
Meanwhile, Tasha and Brenda were both keeping one eye on the situation and the other eye on the quickly devolving fight between Steve and Tony. Tony'd summoned his gauntlet and was firing back, as Steve raced for him and threw a punch. They glanced at each other; Tasha summoned her own gauntlets and waited, circling like a wolf as Brenda observed the goings-on warily. Lori had a shield up, invisible to all but her, encasing the Cradle as she waited for the arrival of who she knew would be coming.
This was all before thunder cracked above them, and the Tower trembled.
Recognizing what was coming, Stephanie's eyes widened. "DOWN!" she roared, pivoted, threw an arm around Wanda's shoulders, and dropped to the ground, pulling the other woman with her.
Glass and metal shattered, as Thor blasted through a window or two. To none of the Young Avengers' surprise, Lena stepped away as soon as he landed and strode towards the Cradle. Satisfied that it was more or less safe, Stephanie slowly rose, though she gently wrapped an arm around Wanda's shoulders, just in case something went off-script.
Thor, though, was a one-track mind. Lori dropped her shield swiftly as he leapt onto the Cradle and raised Mjolnir into the air, gathering lightning at a phenomenal rate. Lena nodded to those assembled and followed, circling to stand at the head of the Cradle. She raised both hands in fists; lightning crackled around her as well, leaping from fist to fist.
Lena was taller now, standing at 6' herself. She wore clothing similar to Thor's, with a red flowing skirt that reached her knees, black tights underneath, and a navy blue shirt with the same 6 metal circles connected to each other. She, too, had a cape, and it brushed the heels of her boots.
When Thor had fully charged Mjolnir, he brought the hammer down, pointing at the Cradle. Lena opened her hands flat and thrust them at the Cradle. All the static electricity she'd gathered shot off her fingers in continuous bolts, cracking as it hit the Cradle time and time again. It was a brilliant light show. Stephanie shielded her eyes with the shield.
Then, as abruptly as the light show started, it cut off. Thor stepped backwards and landed heavily on the lab floor. Steve looked at him and opened his mouth to say something-
The doors to the Cradle exploded outwards, with a great force. Wanda flinched back- they all did. Thor reflexively swung Mjolnir as the being in the Cradle rocketed out, and fired him through one of the only intact panes of glass towards the front of the Tower.
Stephanie watched, a tiny, tiny smile dancing at the corners of her mouth. She slowly put her shield away and guided Wanda Maximoff to the stairs that lead to the main living area. She wasn't alone- Thor and Steve both beat her there and stopped, staring at the red man as he stared at the outside world.
Stephanie stepped away as Quicksilver raced up, stopping at his sister's side. She didn't look at them or notice the looks they exchanged. Her attention was solely on the Vision, hovering at the window, staring out at the night sky.
Brenda crept over and nudged her. Lori glided to her side, taking a quiet place beside her. Tasha was less quiet about it, socking her in the arm and mouthing violently at her. "IT'S HIM!" she mouthed. "IT'S HIM!"
Stephanie nudged her back and allowed a tiny smile to creep over her lips. Her arms folded in front of her chest, and for the first time, she let her shoulders relax.
Lena joined them after a minute and gave them all hugs. She, too, was silent, saying nothing.
Once that was done, and Lena had given the Maximoff twins an encouraging smile, they returned their attention to the Vision, still silent at the window. One hand had risen up to press a palm flat towards the glass.
Then, slowly, he turned, and floated down to the ground. He landed, gently, and cast his eyes over everyone. Lena nodded just a bit, watching him with calm, clear eyes. Her cape tickled the back of her calves; she gently kicked it back, not taking her eyes off him.
Vision caught her movement in the otherwise silent and still room, as green flickered over his skin and created a jumpsuit of sorts.
Her eyes drifted up to the golden gem, glittering on his forehead. The Mind Stone, she thought.
And wasn't Lori pissed that she'd handled an Infinity Stone and had no clue...
"I'm sorry," the Vision said. He sounded very, very much like Jarvis. "That was... odd." He turned to see Thor and nodded briefly. "Thank you."
He turned his head to look at her again, and frowned just a bit, looking between her and Thor; then a golden cape draped itself over his shoulders and fell towards the floor. Lena had to hide a delighted smile.
"Thor, you helped create this thing?" Steve prompted warily, still holding his shield tight.
"I've had a vision." Thor looked over at Wanda Maximoff for a moment. Stephanie shifted behind Lena, just slightly; she turned her head just a bit to see the other young woman was now more in front of the twins. "A whirlpool, that sucks in all hope of life, and at its center..." He pointed steadily at the glowing yellow gem on the Vision's forehead. "That."
"The gem?" Bruce asked.
Thor glanced at Lena. She nodded to him and spoke herself. "It is the Mind Stone. It has five siblings; together, the six are known widely as the Infinity Stones. They are... more destructive than anything in any universe, when united. We-" and she gestured to the Young Avengers scattered throughout the room- "know this, but I suppose we may as well inform you. In the past years, there's been a stirring. The Infinity Stones are reappearing- one by one. That is not even the first."
There was a heavy, thick silence.
"Then why would you bring it to-" Steve started to ask. Thor cut him off.
"Stark is right."
"Oh, it's definitely the end times," Bruce muttered. Brenda nudged him softly, linking her arm through his.
"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron," Thor continued, as if he hadn't been interrupted.
"Not alone," the Vision added.
"And why does... he sound like Jarvis?" Steve asked.
"Full of questions today, aren't we," Tasha muttered. Stephanie gently cuffed the side of her head. She grumbled, but shut up.
"We reconfigured Jarvis' matrix to create something new," Tony said. He was still silent, staring at the Vision.
"Think I've had my fill of new," Steve muttered.
The Vision looked around. A look akin to understanding dawned on his face, quickly followed by... disappointment? "You think I am a child of Ultron?" he asked.
"You're not?" Steve asked.
"I'm not Ultron... I am not Jarvis. I am..." The newly-created robot paused, for a few long seconds. "I am."
Almost forgotten, behind her, Wanda spoke. Her voice filled the air; her accent was thicker than it had been in Seoul. "I looked into your head and saw annihilation," she said clearly.
"Look again," he said. Lena raised one eyebrow; he was eager, it seemed, to prove himself to them.
"Yeah, her seal of approval means jack to me right now," Clint grumbled.
Thor glanced at him. "Their powers, the horrors in our head, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone, and they're nothing, compared to what it can unleash. But, with it on our side..."
Steve looked at the Vision again. "Is it? Are you? On our side?"
"I don't think it's that simple," he murmured.
"Well, it better get simple real soon," Clint mumbled.
The girls of the Young Avengers all exchanged looks; raised eyebrows, worried frowns, flicks of the eye. Slowly, carefully, they separated, each drifting back towards her own parent. Stephanie and Lori stayed where they were, partially guarding the Maximoffs from view. Lena glanced over- Mjolnir was resting on the table near the Vision.
"I am on the side of life," the Vision said finally. "Ultron isn't. He will end it all."
"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked, speaking up for possibly the first time.
"You," the Vision said.
"Where?" Steve asked.
"Sokovia. He's got Nat there too," Clint said. Nathan's shoulders relaxed; one hand rose and pressed against his eyes, the only visible sign of relief on his person. Claire slowly wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.
"If we're wrong about you," Bruce said, "if you are the monster that Ultron made you to be..."
"What will you do?" Vision asked curiously.
There was silence. Stephanie straightened, iron in her eyes; Brenda was silent, watching everyone carefully. Lena tightened her hands into fists. Claire buried her head deeper into Nathan's shoulder, as he tightened his grip on her. Lori's face was emotionless.
The Vision was silent. His eyes flicked over everyone, noting their positioning, their movement. Evidently, he had come to a conclusion.
Then, slowly, he spoke.
"I don't want to kill Ultron," he said evenly. "He's unique, and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the earth, so he must be destroyed. Every form he's built, every trace of his presence on the net. We have to act now. And not one of us can do it without the others. Maybe I am a monster. I don't think I'd know if I were one. I'm not what you are, and not what you intended. So there may be no way to make you trust me." He looked around for a moment, and his gaze fell on Mjolnir, lying innocently on the table. "But we need to go."
And with that, he seized the handle, lifted it easily, and offered it to Thor.
Lena felt a broad grin break out across her face. She glanced around. The Avengers wore different variations of the same expression- poleaxed shock. The Young Avengers? Well.
The silence dragged for a few long moments. The Vision obviously wasn't sure what was going on, but he continued to offer the hammer to Thor, who eventually accepted it.
"Alright," he said.
Stephanie could no longer hold her silence and crowed with laughter. "Oh my gosh," she said, coughing. "Hoooooo boy, I can't breathe..." She bent double and rested her hands on her knees, shaking her head as she grinned.
Lena grinned and strode forwards. "Lena Thorsdoitter," she said, as she extended her hand. "Welcome."
Claire shot an amused glance at the recovering Stephanie and walked forwards as well. "Claire Barton, codename Bullseye. Nice to meet you. Welcome to the crew."
Nathan stepped forwards next. "Nathan… Romanoff. Codename Brown Recluse. Welcome."
Lori swept to the front of the group, hand extended elegantly for the Vision to take. "Lori Lokisdoitter. Pleasure."
"Tasha Stark, codename Iron Maiden," Tasha called. "Great to finally have you around." She earned warning glances from all the Young Avengers- something the other Avengers noted with interest.
"I'm Brenda Banner," Brenda said, and gave him a small smile and a tiny wave. "Also known as Mini-Hulk."
"And I believe I'm last. Stephanie Rogers, at your service. Codename Patriot." Stephanie gave him her trademark sunshine smile and stepped forward to shake his hand. When she retreated, however, she didn't return to her father's side; she went to the Maximoffs and smiled at them.
"Now I can properly welcome you," she said, and extended both hands to them. "Welcome to Avengers' Tower- our home."
"It is lovely," Wanda said, with only the slightest hesitation. She eyed Stephanie's hands as if they were taller girl didn't seem bothered by the twins' unwillingness to accept the gesture; she spread her hands wide and smiled broader.
"I will admit, it's been a while since we've been here," she commented. "You've redecorated!"
Her blue eyes flicked to Lori, who grinned wickedly. "I don't like it," she said, using a posh British accent, and wrinkled her nose.
Tony looked afronted. Claire cackled.
"Do you want a tour?" Tasha asked after a moment. She seemed the next most willing to accept Stephanie's openness towards the twins and the Vision.
"I will not require one," the Vision said. "But perhaps the Maximoffs might appreciate one, and…"
"We're the Young Avengers," Tasha said, puffing her chest out and crossing her arms. Considering she was one of the shorter Avengers present, it didn't make her look much taller than normal.
"And I don't think we have time for chit-chat," Clint said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Barton's right. The tour will have to wait," Steve said. "Three minutes. Get what you need."
