A/N: Again, sorry for the delay. Time isn't something I take for granted anymore. Neither is naps. I miss naptime. T_T I've also been have headaches almost constantly. Can't figure out why but they won't stop.
That aside, there a couple things I think need to be mentioned:
1) I figured I should give a little background into this Marvel universe so it's not too confusing. This fic takes place post-MCU Avengers and near the beginning of the Avengers Assemble animated TV show. Yes, Falcon is in it but I'm using his MCU version. He just kicks more butt in MCU in my opinion.
The Agents of SHIELD series started almost immediately after Avengers. No, I won't be working with the Inhumans or Obelisk arcs. Too complicated just for this. TAHITI is a thing but if it comes up as important, it'll be explained for everyone to understand. Otherwise, don't worry about it.
The X-Men characters in this are perhaps in an AU ending to the first X-Men made years ago. Thor 2 happened earlier than in the MCU, try almost immediately after Avengers. So that's already happened. But there are differences: Loki isn't impersonating Odin, he really escaped cuz he's awesome oike that; Frigga didn't die because NOOOO!; Odin is still the Allfather; and Thor is still working with the Avengers.
Lastly, the man introduced in this chapter is a canon Marvel character whom I adore. I hinted at his identity but never said sraight out. I will be using the version of him from his 2007 animated film which can be streamed on Netflix. If you can guess who he is, kudos to you. Otherwise, I'll reveal his identity next chapter.
2) Next chapter, I'll probably be moving this fic to the Marvel/Avengers crossover category due to the majority of Marvel in this. The Justice League will still play a huge roll in this, but most of the action will take place in the Marvel universe. What do y'all think? Should I move this to the YGOxMarvel/Avengers category or leave it as is?
Chapter 10 summary: In which Traveling dimensions is filled with roadblocks, landings aren't nice, and women are deadly.
Strange Men, Crash Landings, and the Woman
Kaiba stood in the not-space that served as the location for their Court and gazed down at the planet Earth far below. Ishizu, Shaadi, Arrow, and Mai stood nearby. He could feel the nudging nuisance that was the Martian hovering nearby. They were all waiting for Yami and Yugi to call them to the deAsert oasis where the gods would meet them. When the summons came, Kaiba grabbed the Shadows of everyone under his control, hoping J'onn would have the ability to follow with his mind, and felt the landscape warp, morphing into the palace plaza as it had been 5,000 years ago.
The Regent cast his eyes around the area and was pleased to see the members of his Triad as well as Arrow standing comfortably nearby. He reached out with his Shadows and felt J'onn's mind straining to reach them. He made a mental note to keep a close watch on the telepath. The last thing they needed was to lose someone in between realities.
A strong, steady feeling behind him broke the Regent out of his thoughts and he turned to see Obelisk kneeling and gazing down at him. His lips quirked upwards at the corners as he nodded a welcome. Obelisk grumbled a greeting that was echoed by Osiris slithering into the plaza near Yami and his Triad and Ra landing behind Yugi and his Triad.
"Are you sure about this, Kaiba?" Yugi asked softly. "You know we'll come with you if you want."
He did know, which was why Kaiba needed his fellow monarchs to stay here. They could not afford to have more than one missing at a time; especially since they were not entirely sure what the side effects would be with just one monarch gone. They were not even sure if the Shadows would allow such an act of separation to occur in the first place. The monarchs ruled the Shadows only because the Shadows allowed it. They were still bound by the Shadows and their rules.
"You need to stay here," Kaiba said firmly. "As long as your Light and your Dark are present, the Balance should not be too affected."
"Yes," Yami agreed. "Hopefully, you will still be able to govern the Balance from this other realm. We may even be able to communicate with each other and possibly even hold Court."
"Let's hope," Marik muttered.
"Any news on Set's tomb?" Mai asked.
"Yeah," Honda said, stepped up next to Yugi. "About that, have you tried sabotaging it? Causing accidents or that kind of stuff?"
"Honda?!" Anzu gasped.
The brunette flinched and waved his hands in defense. "Nothing deadly! Just, you know, pranks. Stuff that'll scare people off."
"I and my people are doing that as we speak," Marik said seriously.
"Of course," Bakura said with a toothy grin, "it helps that he has a professional tomb robber aiding him."
"Indeed," Shaadi said.
Mai snickered and Ishizu sighed. The Priestess glanced at her brother and asked, "Do we know the name of the person or persons behind the excavation?"
The Prist sobered and nodded seriously. "Yes, and you won't believe who it is," he said glancing at Arrow significantly. "It's Carter Hall."
"Shadow Thief!?" Jounouchi barked. "The hell? Why's 'e doin' that?"
"My thoughts exactly," Kaiba said, blue eyes narrowed dangerously. "Did you get that, telepath?" he called to the Martian, feeling for the faint mind belonging to the interloper.
Arrow looked over to a nearby column where he felt the feather of J'onn Jonzz's mind hovering and could have sworn he felt a faint nod. "He heard," the vigilante said. "I get the feeling he'll tell the others as soon as he can."
"Good," Kaiba grunted. "Then let's get going."
He turned to Obelisk, met the great god's eyes with his own, and began chanting a prayer is soft hieratic. "Lord of the Balance, Tormentor of Souls, God of Obelisk, guide me, your Regent to a place unknown." His voice began to echo, repeated by another voice identical to his own but still unique and separate. Seth. "Keep us safe, do not let us fall, send me to the Keeper, send us to my brother. This I ask in my name, Kaiba Seto, Regent of the Shadow Realm and Earthbound Shadow Kingdom, formerly Set, High Priest of the Shadow Court."
Osiris hissed and lowered his head, crouching down on his forearms and opening both mouths. Ra spread his golden wings over them like a canopy and Obelisk extended his enormous hand to his Regent. Kaiba's never wavered as he stepped onto the hand. He felt Shaadi and Mai follow his lead. Arrow hesitated only a moment before doing the same.
Slowly, Obelisk curled his fingers up forming a kind of protected cage, preventing the occupants on his hand from falling as he raised his arm. When he could gaze into his Court at eye level, he stopped and growling something to which Kaiba nodded. His began glowing a cool, icy cobalt as he allowed Obelisk to pour his divine power into him. The Shadows around them began darkening, thickening, growing more sentient and powerful.
"Kohai," Kaiba said aloud, his words pulsing with power. "Pull the telepath close. We'll take it from there."
Arrow nodded and used his Shadows to reach out to J'onn's mind. The Martian telepath gripped his Shadows as best he could and pulled himself closer so his mental signature hovered directly beside the vigilante. They all grabbed each other's hands. Arrow held Kaiba's left hand and Shaadi's right, shaadi held Mai's hand, and Mai held Kaiba's other hand.
"Telepath," the Regent said, reaching out to grasp the interloper with his Shadows, "hold on tight and whatever you do, do not let go or get distracted."
Arrow felt confirmation ebb from the mental presence and a moment later, Obelisk closed his other hand over the small group, enclosing them in darkness. Arrow felt J'onn's concentration waver accompanied by the faint sensation of pain. The vigilante lashed out with his Shadows, grabbing the presence and yanking it firmly back into place. But there was something wrong. The presence...it was not J'onn's.
It glowed green.
The vigilante had a split second of confusion before it became euphoria. He grabbed the presence that should be J'onn's but was not and Kaiba's arm as the sensation of falling enveloped his senses. It should be terrifying but it was not. It felt amazing. The Shadows were everywhere: above him, below him, all around him. They were helping and protecting him.
It felt like Shadow Travel but on a completely different scale. It felt like he was swimming in a sea of Shadows. The sentient presence brushed his mind and soul in intimate ways and Arrow never wanted it to-
They stopped.
Confused and a little miffed, the vigilante opened his eyes and saw they had stopped moving because something blocked their way, or, more accurately, someone. It was a man about thirty-five years old or so. It was hard to tell because he looked ageless in a way. His hair was midnight black with thick streaks of white framing his face. The strange man wore a long black robe with a red cape draped over his shoulders. His piercing green eyes gazed directly at Kaiba who met the gaze evenly with his own glacial blue.
"I'm afraid I cannot let you enter this world," the man said calmly. He was calm and nonthreatening, for the moment.
"I don't remember asking your permission," Kaiba said.
"It is my job to protect this world from inter-dimensional travelers such as yourself," the man continued. "Not all of them are friendly."
"I could care less about your world," Kaiba said firmly, blue eyes narrowing. "I want what was taken from me."
A sharp black eyebrow lifted. "And what would that be?"
"I do not answer to you," Kaiba sneered. "He is mine and he was taken from me. I will get him back if I have to obliterate your world to do so."
The man sighed. "I'm afraid I cannot let you pass."
"It's his brother," Arrow said drawing the attention of the strange man and Kaiba. "He was attacked and his brother fell into this world. We just want him back. We'll leave as soon as we have him."
Kaiba's eyes glowed with fury but the man's had grown clouded. "You brother," the man asked gently, "what does he look like?"
Kaiba said nothing, and Arrow could feel his Regent's suspicion and distrust practically radiating off of him. It was Shaadi who answered, "He is young, only a boy. He if fifteen years old. It is possible he may have had a companion with him. They both fell and vanished at the same time. We believe...they may be together."
"And this companion?" the strange man pressed.
"White," Shaadi answered. "He is white with golden eyes."
"He's like an uncle or close cousin to the boy," Mai said. "They will protect each other."
The man nodded to himself. "I know of whom you speak," he said. Kaiba visibly stiffened, eyes narrowing in fury. The man ignored the Regent and continued, "He fell here a day ago, I'm afraid I'm exactly sure where."
"They passed your blockade?" Kaiba sneered.
The man shook his head. "I could not stop them because I was protecting the city. It was attacked. Also," his green eyes softened sympathetically and Arrow felt the first stirrings of fear, "they fell hard and fast. If what you say is true and we speak of the same people, then you should know it is likely they did not survive the landing."
"You're lying," Kaiba hissed. "They're mine! I won't lose them!"
The man sighed and Arrow could practically feel the sorrow flowing from him. "For your sake and their's I hope you're right. I cannot track them for some reason." He gazed at Kaiba curiously but the Regent remained silent.
Then a faint hum filled the not-space and everyone froze. Kaiba looked up and his eyes widened as a stream of rainbow light blasted down towards them. The strange man's eyes widened in horror. He yelled something a tried to reach out and grab Kaiba but the Regent reacted first. Shadows enveloped the travelers, cementing them together, just before the blast of light struck them.
The man vanished with a cry and Kaiba screamed under the attack. Arrow heard his own scream as well as Shaadi's and Mai's drown in the loud, forceful noise of the light. The solid light pounded against Kaiba's shell causing cracks to start spidering their way across the shell.
Then they were slammed to the ground, the Shadows dissipating as intense heat suddenly beat down on them from above. Arrow opened his eyes and blinked against the brightness. He tried again and this time saw the shadowed forms of Kaiba, Shaadi, Mai, and John sprawled on the dirt ground. He struggled to push himself up to his hands and knees when he blinked.
John?
Forest green eyes darted back to where the Shadow covered body was struggling to stand and felt his heart drop. John Stewart. Why was he here? How was he here? What happened to J'onn?
Arrow managed to get to his feet, staggering slightly, and only then noticed the other person nearby. A woman with long brown hair tied up in a severe ponytail and wearing armor reminiscent of Xena, Warrior Princess. She even had a sword.
Arrow blinked. Well, this was surprising. The woman also seemed surprised. She whirled, taking in Arrow and his bewildered companions before adopting a defensive crouch. Arrow immediately raised his hands and made no sudden moves.
Luckily for him, he did not have to. Kaiba attacked first.
The woman suddenly crashed to the ground and was held there by an unseen force. Arrow winced sympathetically as he recognized the Gravity Bind Spell. He did his research. If it held her down, that meant she was strong. He did not ask questions but quickly took stock of his companions, made sure they were all on their feet and mostly alright.
He glanced to the left and noticed a cloud of dust kicking up in the distance. "Regent," he called.
Kaiba followed Arrow's gaze and quickly grabbed Mai's wrist and ran. Arrow followed with Shaadi. The vigilante caught John's sleeve as he ran dragging him along as the ran towards a rocky outcropping.
"The hell?" he heard John mutter. Obviously the man was just as confused about all this as Arrow was. Fantastic.
"Don't talk, just run," Arrow said.
He chanced a careful look over his shoulder and saw the woman getting to her feet, the Spell must have worn off. And from the looks of it, she was not happy. She drew her sword, twirled it, and ran after them.
"Regent, company!" Arrow called.
Kaiba stopped and turned back, waiting for the others to join him. He reached out and grabbed Arrow's outstretched hand must as Shaadi grabbed his shoulder. The vigilante noticed Kaiba had paused in the narrow shadow of a saguaro cactus. It was not the larger, darker shadow of the rocks further away, but it would do.
Arrow turned back just in time to see the woman give a war cry and swing her sword, then the Shadows embraced them again. He felt Kaiba's Shadows reach out, searching for a safe place to appear. He also felt John's discomfort and disorientation as they Traveled to a somewhat safe location nearby which turned out to be a small, shaded alcove in the rocks.
The moment Kaiba materialized, he stalked up to John and glared. "What by Osiris's hell are you doing here, Lantern?" he demanded.
"I'd like to know the same thing," John fired back.
"Perhaps something happened," Shaadi offered peaceably. He placed a gentle hand on his Regent's arm, nudging him back. His unsettling eyes focused on Green Lantern curiously and he asked softly, "What was the last thing you remember?"
"J'onn was in pain," he said. "I tried to help him then..." He waved a hand absently and said, "this happened."
"The telepathic connection must have switched," Shaadi murmured.
"But that doesn't explain how he came along for the ride," Mai said. "Even if their minds switched, Lantern shouldn't have been able to come."
Arrow sighed in realization. "Except I grabbed him," he said. Kaiba turned to the vigilante expectantly and Arrow elaborated. "I felt J'onn's mind become...distracted. It happened just as we were about to start Traveling. I reached out and grabbed what I thought was J'onn but..." he looked back at Lantern remorsefully, "I guess I was wrong."
"Well," Mai said thoughtfully. "We've all made mistakes." She stared at Kaiba significantly. "Mistakes can be forgiven."
Kaiba stared at Mai silently for several moments before nodding slowly and backing away. He rubbed his temples wearily. "I need to sit down," he said groaning. "I do not need this."
"I'll go find civilization," Lantern offered, feeling slightly out of place. "There's gotta be something out there," he said, looking out over the dry, hot terrain.
"No," Arrow said. "I'll go. Stay here."
"Arrow is right," Shaadi said to Lantern. "You are not a Shadow user or a telepath. It would be best if we monitored you to be sure there are no ill effects from such Shadow heavy endeavors as you have just experienced."
"In other words," Mai translated with a smirk, "we need to be sure you don't start throwing up or anything."
Green Lantern nodded with an eyebrow raised ironically. "Good point," he said.
"I'll make sure the two of them," Mai pointed to Kaiba and John with a cheeky grin, "don't start fighting. Why don't the two of you head out and see what's going on and if there's a place to eat. I could use a Ladie's Room right about now."
Kaiba leaned against the stone of the rocky mountainside and slid wearily to the ground so his head hung between his knees. John felt sympathetic for the guy. He may not use the kind of magic Kaiba did, but he knew what it was like to feel overdrawn. He leaned again a stone outcropping close by and watched Mai plop down next to her Regent and massage the back of his neck soothingly.
Shaadi cast a worried glance after his Regent before following Arrow to the opening of the alcove. John met the vigilante's eyes and sighed, shaking his head. Arrow just grinned and vanished with Shaadi in a whirl of Shadows leaving John to buckle down for a long day. He would be thrilled if he could change into some civilian clothes. Maybe there was a laundromat nearby where they could...borrow some clothes. He winced at the thought but it was the only viable option at the moment. There was no way he was going to go prancing through another world in his uniform.
Arrow and Shaadi reappeared behind a ramshackle building just as a tumultuous crash rang out from inside. "Well," Arrow said snidely, "I guess we found a bar."
Shaadi was too polite to roll his eyes but it was painfully evident he wanted to. Arrow snickered and looked at their outlandish clothing. "Think we'll stand out?" he asked rhetorically.
This time he had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at Shaadi's aloof glare and lifted eyebrow. He shook his head and strode over to the back was not exactly sure what they would find when they went inside the bar, but what they found certainly was not high on his list. A beautiful woman with long red hair and an oddly styled dress was leaning on the counter gazing at a group of dirty men wearing biker vests. A furious young woman was screaming at the man closest to the red haired woman. The red head had obviously just asked a question.
"Duane," he said. "It's my name. It's what she calls me. She's my wife."
"Yeah," the screaming woman hissed. "You bet your ass I'm your wife."
"Oh," the red headed woman said, sounding intrigued. "And do you prefer her to me?"
"Something is wrong," Shaadi whispered, his eyes flickering between the group of men and the red haired woman.
The woman must have heard them because she turned around and saw the two strange men. She stood and Arrow admitted she was beautiful, but she was not Felicity Smoak. He grimaced at the memory of the young woman who had become his girlfriend. The woman he sincerely hoped he could return to in one piece.
"Oh," she purred. "More guests. How nice." She noticed the bow and quiver of arrows on the vigilante's back and smirked. "Are you an archer?" she asked.
Arrow moved to answer when Shaadi placed a restraining hand on his arm. "Do not listen to her," the Adviser said urgently. "Her words are poisonous."
The woman seemed affronted. "Poisonous?" She turned to the man behind her, Duane, who was still being screamed at by his wife. "She is loud, Rooster," she said to him. "Make it stop?"
"Sorry love," Duane said, taking his wife head in his arms. "You're bothering Lorelei."
Arrow recognized the move before it was ever executed. He had used it often on perpetrators in his city. Before Duane could do more than grab his wife, the vigilante had whispered a Spell he had grown fond of and fired a the arrow that appeared knocked in his bow. Duane cried out in surprise and pain, clutching his bleeding shoulder where a gleaming, golden bolt blossomed, melting into his body.
A moment later, he stiffened, blinking in shock. "Rosie?" he asked. "Oh my god, Rosie! Rosie? Honey, are you alright?"
Shaadi rushed passed the startled red haired woman -Lorelei was it?- and clasped the man's head between his hands, whispering in hurried Arabic. Lorelei turned her gaze back to Arrow and glared, clearly displeased.
"What did you do?" she demanded.
Arrow again said nothing. He watched her carefully with another bolt already knocked and drawn, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Lorelei's glare became a sensual grin.
"Fast draw, I like that." She began walking towards him.
"One more step and I'll shoot," Arrow growled.
Instead of being intimidated, Lorelei shivered as if in pleasure. "Ooh, I love strong men."
"Do not listen to her," Shaadi called to his friend, helping the distraught Duane and confused Rosie back to their feet and out of the bar "She will bespell you."
"I grow tired of you," Lorelei said, casually batting a hand into the Adviser's chest sending him flying back out a window.
"Shaadi!" Arrow cried, racing after his fallen friend only to be stopped by a feminine hand on his shoulder.
"Wouldn't you prefer me?" Lorelei breathed softly in his ear.
And suddenly, yes, he did.