NOTE: this stands somewhat separately from previous chapters (enough that I'd usually post it as a separate fic) and references the events of interlude seven. on a related note, I highly suggest following this story on AO3 instead if you have an account there – it's better formatted, both because I don't have to post everything to the same fic, and because FFN still persists in eating every HTML tag ever.

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A rose, by any other name
Eighteen hours with some of our mightiest heroes

THE FIRST MEMBER OF the Avengers I speak to is Toyama Kazuha, better known as the Black Widow.

"I don't know if we're still really the Avengers, officially, what with the Accords being up in the air and all," Toyama-san says thoughtfully as she helps me through the many non-disclosure agreements and liability waivers required for this interview. "This here's the last one, I swear – it's just in case, so much weird stuff happens when both Heiji and Shinichi-kun are around that our insurance stopped covering it."

If there's a way to respond to that statement, I don't know it.

"Like, alien weird, but also normal weird." She shakes her head as she files the papers away in their respective folders. "Trust me, you don't want ta know."

I do, actually – what could possibly constitute 'weird' around this group of people? – but she hurries me out of the room, and off to meet the rest of the maybe-not-officially-Avengers.


LIKE MOST CELEBRITIES, POLITICIANS, and other public figures, the basic facts of the various Avengers' lives are common knowledge, though some more by force than by choice.

Toyama-san, for example, has not been shy about acknowledging her roots, ever since her identity was fully confirmed in her massive online leak of SHIELD data. Fans and martial arts enthusiasts alike often frequent local dojos in hopes of seeing her drop by to give impromptu lessons on practical fighting for self-defence.

Her fellow Osakan – Hattori Heiji, aka the Falcon – has been much more vocal about promoting his hometown. It's often joked that he skywrites tourism advertisements on his days off, but meeting him in person actually lends plausibility to this notion.

The duo make up half of the current four-man team, at least on paper.

"Budget cuts, y'know, we're runnin' on a skeleton crew," Hattori-san says laconically when he meets us at the door of the conference room we're using. "Can't be helped."

"You either want us to play nice with the Accords committee or you don't, Hattori, stop complaining. And for the record, I am so blaming you if a skeleton horde actually appears later."

That's said by Kudo Shinichi, whose story – contradictory versions of it, even – has been chronicled in every historical account of the WWII period and the past decade. He has famously refused to comment on the details of his past, except to (just as famously) confirm that he has never held any form of American citizenship, nor does he have any plans to.

The last member of the quartet arrives two minutes later, trailed by a robot bearing a sizeable tray.

"Now that you've jinxed it, Kudo-kun, I'll make sure to update the emergency protocols accordingly." Miyano Shiho, formerly known as CEO of Miyano Industries but now as the Iron Lady, steps aside for the robot to roll up to us and place its tray on the table.

Toyama-san promptly ditches me to get a better look at what turns out to be an assortment of snacks. "Ooh, the good stuff! You're the best robot overlord, Shiho-chan."

"Yes, well." Miyano-san produces a holographic display out of nowhere and taps it deftly several times (raising the question of whether the Avengers Tower does, indeed, have contingencies for skeleton invasions) before dismissing it with a wave. "I do have Kudo-kun's metabolism thoroughly documented, though serum effects certainly don't account for Hattori-kun's appetite."

"Nothing accounts for his appetite," says Kudo-san in chorus with Toyama-san.

"It's the only 'enhanced' thing about Heiji, really," the latter adds. "Don't think that was what the Accords meant, though."

Hattori-san doesn't even try to deny either part, though he does look a little abashed when he turns to me. "Anyway – since we're all here, do you want ta start with your first question?"

Watching them interact like this – that is to say, without any active threat to our continued existence – is engaging enough in itself, but I gladly take the opportunity to broach the topic that's already been mentioned three times: the Sokovia Accords.

As often happens in cases where the evidence mostly amounts to opaquely-worded press releases and supposedly credible inside sources, speculation about the Accords has run rampant, drawing conspiracy theorists out of the global woodwork. In this case, though, the truth seems rather more mundane than fiction, if more convoluted at turns.

For starters, they're now known as the United Peace Accords, dropping all references to the Sokovia disaster and other past incidents.

"We wanted a name that reflected the actual goal of this agreement – or our goals, at least," Kudo-san explains with a slight frown. "Not something seemingly guaranteed to incite reaction with everyone involved."

Does the change reflect a similarly major shift in the Accords' content?

This gets several wry smiles around the table.

"There was a little... difference in opinion, let's just say," ventures Toyama-san, to a badly-concealed snort from Hattori-san.

"Suffice to say, some parts of the regulations were more controversial than others." It's Miyano-san who takes up the narrative – perhaps surprisingly, for those who have heard rumours of her staunch support for the Accords. "Which our two – gentlemen – here took upon themselves to bend and break entirely, until they uncovered a plot to attack the UN ratification summit in Vienna. Fortunately, this gave us enough leverage to push for major changes to the Accords, and a much longer grace period."

"Kudo and I are really good detectives, what can I say." Hattori-san grins fiercely. "Just as well, too, the nonsense they were proposing wasn't ever gonna work with us. They're actually letting us talk about this now?"

"Within reasonable bounds, yes." Miyano-san shrugs. "Nothing specific, and nothing that might interfere with the ongoing investigation. I believe they've realised the extent to which no press is, in fact, bad press."

"Took quite a lot of diplomacy to do it, though, which is why you weren't invited," Toyama-san quips. It's intriguing to watch her expression flip from the neutral one that's made her the public face of the Avengers to pulling a face at Hattori-san and back again.

It's also a much-needed reminder that superheroes don't stop being people, even when they're on the job.

Kudo-san rolls his eyes at their antics and looks over at me. "And they call this a team. Next question?"

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