Disclaimer: I couldn't possible own any of this…could I? Perhaps, within one of the infinite upon infinite realities of the universe, I've been granted ownership of at least one of these franchises. Wouldn't that be something.
Author's Note: Hey guys, your friendly neighborhood Mr. Pibb is back with the twenty-seventh chapter. You know, people seemed to be really upset by a certain death in the previous chapter. Who knew there were so many Quicksilver fans out there? For real though, all the deaths from last chapter are PERMANENT. Much like my grandpappy Thanos, I don't believe in resurrections. The only time a character should be brought back is if they've been dusted or refrigerated. Some of you wondered the reason behind my decision to kill off Clint Barton, and to be honest I was disappointed that you didn't immediately put aside those doubts and blindly trust me to drive you into the abyss.
-x-
Chapter Twenty-Eight: Wish You Were Here
-x-
"As we're reading these statistics, please know that these are not set in stone and are likely to change by the hour." Christine Everhart stated somberly from behind her anchor's desk, "Here in New York City: we have estimated 800 injuries, 81 deaths. London: 407 injuries, 32 deaths. Washington DC: 287 injuries, 23 deaths. Hong Kong: estimated 201 injuries, 55 deaths. Moscow: 98 injuries, 7 deaths. Beijing: 167 injuries, 74 deaths. Nairobi: 178 injures, 49 deaths. Sokovia: they've estimated over 1,000 injuries, with 454 deaths. And finally, in Seoul, South Korea they've estimated over 4,000 injuries, and 807 deaths."
As she listed off the death toll, Christine's voice grew hoarse, clearly fighting back her emotions as she powered through with the broadcast, "That puts the total estimated number of casualties at around 7,138, and the total number of fatalities at 1,582. Given that it has only been five days since the world-wide bombings, now dubbed 5/22, we can expect that number to rise in the coming weeks. Of the 1,582 fatalities, significant losses include Sergi Kravinoff, notable Russian aristocrat and big game hunter; Chinese General Ho Lee, who in 1997 evicted the Ten Rings terrorist cell from their hold on Chinese territories, pushing them into the Middle East; Sir Jim Jaspers of the United Kingdom's Parliament, who had famously campaigned for Super-Human Registration since 1955, something that is now a topic of much debate between members of government around the world."
Turning her head as the cameras swapped view-points, she continued, "And finally, we pay our respects to Clinton Francis Barton, who most know to be the Avenger codenamed Hawkeye. Barton, who was fighting against the terrorist drones dubbed Ultron, was killed in action during the mass explosion. His funeral will be taking place later today in Waverly, Iowa. Several thousand supporters have been reported to be attending-"
The screen cut to black, forcing Laura Barton to turn her head an inch to see who had turned it off. Seeing Naruto, she forced a smile, "I was watching that." She said softly.
Frowning, Naruto sat down across from her, setting down the bag and drinks in his hands, "I brought some sandwiches."
Laura eyed the bag, "Thank you but I'm not hungry."
His frown deepened, "You need to eat, Laura."
"I told you, I'm not-"
"Please." Naruto pleaded, "Just eat a few bites, for me."
Sighing, she slowly reached into the bag, "Alright."
Watching her take a bite, he asked, "How're you feeling? With the baby, I mean."
"He's fine." Laura answered after swallowing, "The doctor said everything checks out fine."
"How much longer?"
"Three weeks."
Reaching into the bag, Naruto pulled out a sandwich for himself. They sat in a strange kind of silence that was only interrupted by the sounds of their eating, the both stewing in the awkward air.
Apparently not able to take it for much longer, Laura asked, "How're the kids?"
Finishing his bite, Naruto sighed through his nose before swallowing, "They're fine, well as fine as they can be. Cooper hasn't said a word all day, and it took a bit to convince Lila to let me leave to take care of some things. Had to leave a clone she looked so upset. They're sitting in a room down the hall, watching some cartoon about bears or something." Naruto replied.
Naruto had volunteered to babysit the kids over the weekend while Laura prepared the funeral procession, the press, and all the other preparations. Tony had volunteered to pay for everything.
Laura had refused. Naruto picked up the tab.
"Thank you, for everything." Laura offered heartfully, "I don't know what I'd have done if you and Natasha weren't around."
After Laura had heard the news, she'd practically collapsed from the emotional toll. She'd been placed under medical care for a week so she and the baby could be monitored in case anything happened due to the stress of the loss. Natasha had looked after Cooper and Lila for the week, using it as an excuse to get away from the constant wave of bad news that their lives had become.
"You don't have to thank us." Naruto returned with a warm smile, "It's the least we could do, seriously."
Looking to the television, Laura nodded to it, "The news has been loving you the past week, the footage of you helping with the cleanup effort went viral and is a major talking point on CNN and Fox News. Everybody's calling you a hero. Not that you weren't one before."
"I wasn't much of a hero that day." Naruto muttered, "Because of me that monster was able to do all of that. If I'd put that thing with Odin aside none of this would've happened. If I'd have put the Mind Stone with the other stones on my planet then Ultron would've never existed. How can I be a hero if I can't prevent stuff like this from happening?"
"If Clint taught me anything," Laura began somberly, "It's that a hero isn't always the person who focuses on stopping bad things from happening. A hero is someone who saves lives when it happens. Because in the end you can't always prevent it, all you can do is stop it and hope that was enough."
Naruto shrugged, "I guess."
The conversation was cut short by a knock on the door. Looking to its direction, Laura called out, "Come in."
As the door creaked open, Secretary Ross peaked his head into the room, "Laura?"
"Thaddeus." Laura said with a smile, getting up from her chair. As Ross came fully into the room, he smiled down at the pregnant woman as he leaned in for a hug, "Thank you for coming."
Releasing her from the hug, Ross spoke, "I figured I'd come a little early, pay my respects before everyone files in." As the two walked further in the room, Naruto raised an eyebrow at the two's seemingly close relationship, "How're the kids?" Ross asked, "The baby?"
"They're as fine as they can be, all things considered." Answered Laura, "How's Betty?"
"Betty's doing fine, just took a job at General Techtronics Corporation earlier this year." He responded, "She's scheduled to demonstrate a particle accelerator in Queens, I'm sure she'd love it if you dropped by."
"Maybe another time." She offered, though Naruto could tell she wasn't interested, "If you'd like, I can walk you to the altar to pay your respects."
"Actually," Ross started, giving Naruto a quick glance, "If you wouldn't mind, I was wondering if Mr. Uzumaki could escort me? I was hoping to speak with him in private."
"Oh, okay." Laura said, surprised.
The Secretary of State looked to the blonde, "Well?"
"Sure." Naruto said with a shrug, "I'll lead the way."
Walking out of the room and through the church's hallway, Ross said, "I'd heard you paid for the services."
"Yeah, I had the money from my time in SHIELD." Naruto explained. Turning a corner, he asked, "How do you know Laura?"
"I was Barton's commanding officer during the Gulf War." Answered the former general, "It was my recommendation that got him into SHIELD."
Naruto blinked, "I didn't know that." Admitted the blonde.
Ross smiled, "I'd be surprised if you had, Barton wasn't one to spill that kind of thing."
Opening the doors heading into the church's nave, the two arrived at the altar where the coffin had been placed. The closed wooden casket gleamed in the low church lighting, the faces of the two men in front of it reflecting off the shining oak.
Resting a hand on top of the lid, Ross ran it along the smooth surface, "When I'd heard, I couldn't believe it. Barton was one of the best soldiers I'd ever seen, the idea of him dying like that made me sick. He deserved something better than that, all of those poor people did."
Naruto nodded, standing a little behind the man as he watched him make a sign of the cross and mutter a quick prayer.
Taking his hand off the coffin, Ross turned to Naruto, "You should know that I'm pushing legislation to regulate the activities of enhanced peoples, specifically the Avengers. Barton is gone, Banner has disappeared, the surviving Maximoff twin is hiding out in Sokovia, and no one's seen Thor for two days. 5/22 has everyone spooked. Democrats, Republicans, low class, upper class, country to country. The unsupervised exploits of Tony Stark and the fall out of that has led to one of the most catastrophic days in our history. The only thing keeping Stark out of prison is his reputation and the fact that most don't believe him to be completely at fault. But people are angry, they need someone to blame. And if they can't pinpoint it on a single man, they go for the whole group."
Pausing for a moment, Ross continued, "As of now, almost every country within the United Nations is working with me on a piece of legislation we're calling the Seoul Accords. If all of these countries agree upon, sign, and back these accords; then the Avengers will no longer be an independent group but will instead be placed under the supervision of a United Nations panel who will decide when, where, and how the Avengers or any other enhanced group should be deployed. If anyone refuses, they will be asked to retire their superhero identities."
Naruto shifted on his feet as he took in this new information, his eyes leveled with Ross's as he asked, "And where does that leave me?"
"Several countries, myself included, are aware of your involvement in Ultron's creation." Ross stated simply. After a moment, he sighed, "But, even more are aware that you were the one that killed him…myself included. Your intervention saved thousands of lives. And for that, you have my thanks."
"So, what does that mean?" Asked the blonde.
"It means that you will not be under the Seoul Accord's jurisdiction. You and anyone sponsored by your team will fall into a separate clause within the Accords that is essentially the deal we agreed upon a month ago." The Secretary of State explained.
Looking at the man warily, Naruto asked, "What's the catch?"
"You are not, under any circumstance, to allow anyone associated with the Avengers into your team. This includes the Maximoff girl. As far as the UN is concerned, she is to sign the accords or turn herself in for her role in 5/22." Ross answered, "Tony Stark is under the same assumption. He either folds into the accords, or we do more than hold a hearing over his creation of the terrorist entity known as Ultron."
"That's pretty cut throat." Kurama murmured, "Either the Avengers sign, retire, or become criminals in the eyes of the world governments. Cutting off you as an alternative cripples the likelihood of them telling the government to fuck off like they have."
Nodding mentally, Naruto sighed, "Alright, I agree."
Ross extended his hand, "Then we have a deal."
As Naruto gripped the older man's hand, Ross pulled him in, "This is the only freebee you're ever going to get, Uzuamki. 5/22 will live in the consciousness of humanity for a very, very long time. Eventually these people will see you for what you are, and they'll devour you whole. The enemies you've made today will come knocking on your door. Your bill will come due."
The man let go, brushing passed Naruto to walk along the church's aisle. Watching the man leave, Naruto scratched his cheek, "That's the thing. It wasn't free."
As he said this, his eyes lingered on the empty coffin.
-x-
It only took a couple more hours before the church had begun to fill up with people wishing to pay their respects before the services. Naruto was surprised by both the amount of people waiting and the notoriety of the people in general. He swore he saw the President of the United States giving Laura a hug before disappearing in a sea of secret service officers.
Naruto spent his time either greeting people who were attending, dodging any member of the media, and standing with Laura and the kids. Lila stuck with him for most of it, holding his hand as he went back and forth around the building. She refused to go to the coffin, staying with Naruto or Cooper the entire time with a tight grip on their hand. Cooper did his best to stay out of sight, only smiling when someone randomly walked up to give their condolences.
Laura had been given a chair near the entrance, staying off her feet as she greeted everyone with as forced a smile Naruto could imagine.
Eventually, members of the Avengers began to meander into the church. Natasha and Steve were the first to arrive, followed by Thor who was dressed in ceremonial Asgardian funeral wear of a dark brown cloak.
Steve, who was standing next to Naruto while Natasha held Laura in a gentle hug, whispered, "Have you heard?"
Naruto looked down at Lila to make sure she wasn't paying attention before answering, "Yeah, Ross told me."
Steve was silent for a moment before saying in a hushed voice, "I'm guessing joining Infinity Watch is out of the question?"
"It appears so." Naruto returned somberly, "I'm sorry."
"I understand." Steve reassured, "Tony figured that wouldn't be an option."
Nodding, the Uzumaki asked, "What's his take on it?"
"He was on board before they threatened him with possible jail time." Steve muttered somberly, "He's a mess."
"I wouldn't know, haven't seen him since…well, you know." Naruto said with a sigh, "I thought he'd be here."
"He doesn't want to cause a scene." The captain surmised, though he didn't seem pleased by it.
"So, who do you think's gonna sign?"
Steve rubbed his arm in thought, "Tony's a definite, which means Rhodey is too. Apparently the Maximoff girl is under the same scrutiny as Tony, but I doubt she'll sign either way."
Naruto nodded towards Natasha with a raised eyebrow. Steve shrugged with a defeated frown.
"What about you?"
"I'm thinking about it."
The blonde shinobi frowned, "Are you seriously thinking about quitting? You?"
Before Steve could answer, Naruto felt Lila pull at his hand. Looking down, he frowned as he saw the girl pointing towards the door. Wading through the throng of onlookers, supporters, and television crews, Tony Stark emerged from the crowd. With him, his trusty bodyguard Happy Hogan, with Pepper Pots trailing behind in an elegant black ensemble. Tony wore a simple black and white suit, a pair of his trademark shades perched over his eyes.
Laura must have spotted him before anyone else, as she'd lifted herself up off her chair with Natasha's help. Ignoring Naruto's calling of her name, the pregnant woman confronted the Iron Man.
Halfway up the steps, Tony stopped in front of Laura, a nervous crease in his brow. The air was awkward as Laura looked down at him as she cradled her engorged belly.
Pepper, trying to cut the tension, delicately said, "Mrs. Barton, my name is Pepper Potts…I am so sorry for your loss-"
"I didn't think you'd show up." Laura interrupted softly, the statement directed at Tony.
Tony's frown remained as he said, "I don't think I couldn't. Not after-"
"Not after what happened? What did happen…exactly?" Laura cut off sharply, "I didn't ask, I didn't want to ask. There was barely anything left for us to bury, why would I want to know why? But I'm sure you know. I'm sure you've been thinking about it, how you could've prevented it, how you could've saved him. So, tell me, what happened?"
"Laura...stop." Naruto said, looking at the gathering photographers and cameramen recording them. When she didn't answer, he took a step forward-
"It was my fault."
Laura faltered, not expecting Tony's answer, "What?"
Dipping his head, the man said, "I've gone over it in my head thousands of times, and every time I come to the same conclusion. He died because of me." Tony ignored Naruto and Pepper's shock, looking at Laura through his shades, "I murdered him."
"And here you are." Laura said, anger seeping into her voice, "Here you are, late and wearing those damned glasses, here of all places. What is wrong with you?" She demanded, her hands reaching for the shades as she finished, "What is wrong-"
Laura stopped as she pulled off the sunglasses, expression softening at Tony's reddened eyes. Tears were glazed along his eyes, barely held back as he looked away. With his shaking hand, he wiped them away.
With a sudden motion, Laura's hand came in towards Tony's face, the man flinching sharply.
He blinked as her hand wrapped around his neck, pulling him into a hug. Feeling Laura wrap her arms around him, the man known as Iron Man slowly returned it, holding her as his shoulders began to shake.
As a wave of flashes came from the photographers around them, Naruto silently escorted them into the church.
-x-
Naruto sat in the front right pew, sitting in the middle with Lila to his left and Steve to his right. To Lila's left sat Natasha, Cooper, and Laura. To Steve's right sat Thor, Tony, and Pepper. Happy stood outside, listening to the service but providing faux security.
Standing next to the coffin, the pastor finished his sermon from his podium, "For anyone who has something to say about the dearly departed, you may come to the podium."
Taking that as his sign, Naruto cleared his throat as he made to get up. Ignoring the clicking cameras and murmuring crowd, he slowly walked up to the podium as he gave a departing nod to the pastor.
The man, grizzled and weary, gave Naruto the podium antipathetically. Shifting behind the podium as he cleared his throat again, the blonde looked out over the crowd. Everyone was looking up to him, giving him various degrees of their attention.
Running his hands over the edge of the podium's top, Naruto took a deep breath as he collected his thoughts one last time, "Hey uh…everybody."
He was answered with a few coughs and the creaking of people shifting in their seats. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Naruto continued, "I, uh, I'm honestly not too good with talking about this kinda stuff. I'm here, up here today, because I was asked, and I felt I needed to at least say something."
Looking down at Laura, she gave him a nod. Nodding back with a lopsided smile, Naruto said, "For those of you who don't know who I am, my name is Naruto Uzumaki. I'd known Clint for seven years, he was assigned to me for most of my time working alongside SHIELD…though thanks to the internet I'm sure most of you knew that already. What most of you probably don't know is that I'm not from here. And by from here I mean Earth."
Naruto paused, allowing the surprised murmurs and groans to pass. Coughing into his hand, he resumed his thought, "Clint kinda knew what I was, that I wasn't some worthless rookie who needed to be shown the ropes of violence and war. I'd been fighting for nearly five years by the time we met. I'd gone through and seen just as much as him, if not more. But he what he did see was that I wasn't handling it well, not as well as him anyway. He could see and do and experience these horrible things, but he always had support. And he knew that. I was always jealous of him for that. Here I was, in this strange new place with new rules and new expectations, and every so often I'd get a taste of what it meant to be a human with his family. And it felt good…but it never lasted. Eventually I always had to leave, to find something new to take up my attention because if I focused too long on what I couldn't have I knew I'd go insane. And Clint was always there to give me that taste. He let me into his family because he knew I could never have one. Well…maybe. I don't actually know if I can have kids, due to me being an alien and stuff. I feel like I've heard I can't, but I've never really tried so who knows."
A cough split through the room, Naruto taking that moment to awkwardly pause, "I've been thinking about that a lot, lately. Thinking about family. I always wanted one, as a kid. I grew up my entire life as an orphan. My parents died saving my life on the day I was born. For a long time I was almost entirely alone. But every so often I'd find myself in a relationship that filled that void. I've had several friends I've thought of as brothers who are dead now. I had a teacher who I thought of as a father, but he was killed. There was this girl who was practically my sister, but she died because I couldn't protect her. By the time I met Clint, everyone I'd ever loved was dead and gone. And when you have so many people you've lost, all it does is add more and more what ifs. Maybe I'd be married by now, with kids and a job and all that stuff. That's the trick, really. You can't think about it. Otherwise you're just going to consume yourself with this horrible sadness. And what good'll that do? Who are you helping?"
An agreeing murmur broke out in the crowd.
Nodding along, Naruto said, "I think we're going to hear a lot of stories today, telling us how much of a hero Clint was, how he was their best friend and how much of a good person he was. And all of this is true. He was a hero. He was a great friend, and a loving father, and an adoring husband. And all of these people, I'm sure, either feel guilt or are condemning someone else. You're so sure that something could've been done. And maybe you're right. Maybe something could've been done. I bet you can imagine the guilt I feel right now over the things I should've done in hindsight. But for Clint, for his memory's sake…don't. He wouldn't want you spreading that kind of thing on his behalf."
Though Naruto caught several nods, he spotted a few who visibly didn't agree. But he moved forward, "I'm going to remember Clint, my brother. Not what could've or should've been. And he'd ask the same of all of you."
Looking over at the coffin, Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat, "In the words of my people, 'When a person dies he disappears. His past, present, and future. Many people die in missions and war. They can die easily and in surprisingly simple ways. Those who die had goals and dreams. They had things even more important than that. Parents, siblings, friends, lovers…people who were important to them. They trusted and helped each other. The bond between the people important to them since birth and the string that binds them becomes thicker and stronger as time goes by. It's beyond reason. Those bound by that string will sacrifice themselves for that. Because it's important.'"
"We were important to Clint. We should be happy for that."
-x-
The rest of the service was, naturally, a somber one. Natasha had gone up after him, telling the story of the first time they'd met. Steve was next, giving a heartfelt speech on what it means to sacrifice one's self for what they love. One by one, people came up to the podium to tell tale of Clint and how he'd affected their lives. It was a slow, meaningful cacophony of eulogies, each one showing a different side to Clint that some might not have been aware of.
But eventually, these petered out and the procession began. Naruto, Thor, Steve, and several of Clint's former marine brothers in arms all acted as pallbearers, silently carrying what remained of their brother to his final resting place.
Naruto silently watched as the coffin was lowered into its grave. He'd hesitated to place a comforting hand onto a grieving Cooper's shoulder but stopped short when he realized it might not be his place.
Lila didn't seem to care for his hesitance, her hand encompassed within his as she sobbed into his pant leg during the entire burial.
Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, leaving Steve, Natasha, and Thor, all of whom were talking to Naruto off to the side while Laura gave her thanks to those still lingering behind.
"Where does a god go to train, exactly?" Natasha asked, her arms filled with a tired Lila, "Is there a brochure? Can anyone go, or is an exclusive kind of thing?"
Thor stroked his beard, "Naruto recommended it, actually."
Said blonde shrugged off their attention, "You wanted somewhere secluded, Berhert is the definition. That and since I'd nearly blown up Berhert a couple times already, I figured it could handle some of Point Break's lightning. That, and its peaceful enough that Odin might be able to enjoy himself despite your best efforts."
"And why do you need to train…exactly?" Natasha couldn't help but wonder, "If it's because you're the third strongest Avenger or something-"
"Third?" Thor interrupted slightly exasperated, "I think we all know who the strongest Avenger is."
Natasha and Steve gave the Asgardian blank looks.
Thor deflated, jerking his thumb over at Naruto, "How does he count? He's not even an Avenger." He argued weakly.
"He's gotta point." Naruto added on.
"Right, whatever, second strongest then." Natasha continued, a sardonic smirk in play, "If this is just some kind of compensation thing, you should know that we love you for who you are big guy."
Thor grumbled halfheartedly, "That's a lot of lip coming from the weakest Avenger."
"I least I know where I stand." She shot back without a care.
Steve shook his head, eying Naruto as he said, "So, you've got the location of another Infinity Stone. I assume you'll be heading out soon."
"Pretty soon, yeah." Naruto said, "I've put it off long enough, I'm heading out in a few days." He looked around, "If any of you wanna come long, feel free."
Natasha shook her head, "I think I'm going to stay with Laura, she's due in a few weeks and I think someone should be around just in case."
Shifting on his feet with confliction, Steve muttered, "It's probably not a good idea for me to go off world."
Nodding, Naruto eyed Thor, "What about you, big guy?"
Thor smiled grandly, giving Naruto a mighty pat on the back, forcing the blonde forward slightly, "I think I can make time for a space adventure."
"Well, I think I'm gonna head out." Steve said, quickly shaking Naruto and Thor's hands, "Don't forget to keep in touch." With a final wave, he left to give Laura his goodbyes.
Thor followed soon after, shooting off into the sky with assistance from Mjolnir. Now alone together, Natasha eyed Naruto up and down, "When was the last time you slept?" She finally asked.
Surprised at first, Naruto laughed her off, "Oh, uh, I'm fine."
"Naruto." The redhead insisted softly.
His shoulder's slumping, he rubbed his neck, "Few days, I guess."
"Bad dreams?"
"No, just a little restless." He admitted with a humorless laugh.
She put a comforting hand on his arm, "Want to talk about it?"
"Honestly, you're not the one I need to talk to about it." Naruto answered, scratching at the back of his neck.
"Oh."
Realizing how that came off, Naruto quickly added, "Not that I don't want to…you know. It's just that…well-"
"I get it Naruto, really." Natasha reassured. Stepping up she wrapped him in a tight hug, "Talk to whoever you have to talk to."
Slowly returning the hug, Naruto leaned into it, "Okay."
Letting go, she discreetly wiped at her eye, "I think I'm gonna head back to the homestead with Laura and the kids. You gonna stick around?"
"Yeah."
"See you soon?"
"Yeah."
It took a while, but eventually the graveyard was empty save one. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Naruto looked down at Clint's pristine headstone. Inscribed into the white marble was, 'Clinton Francis Barton. Sergeant, US Marines. Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War. September 10, 1971 – May 22, 2015. "He Was Our Heart."'
Closing his eyes, Naruto took in a deep breath as he focused his mind. Feeling the pull of his subconscious, he fell into the necessary corner of his mindscape.
"Hello, beloved."
Opening his eyes, he was met with Freyja sitting at her campfire. She didn't bother looking at him, her eyes on the ever-present hearth. Without saying a word, he sat down next to her.
They sat in silence for a while, watching the flames lick up into the dark void as it ate away at the metaphorical air.
"Why haven't you been sleeping, Naruto?"
He eyed her from his peripheral, "You know why."
"The gift you were given?"
The blonde laughed, "Gift?"
"Is that not what it was?" Freyja wondered.
He paused in thought before answering, "That's not why I can't sleep. I'd come to terms with them being gone a while ago. It hurt to see them again, but it was kind of a relief too, I guess. It answered the only question I had about it. And now that I know what I could've had, I guess it opens the door for what I can still have."
"Then why?"
Naruto shifted, facing her, "I attacked you, Freyja. I took out what I felt on the first thing I saw. You didn't deserve that."
She turned to look at him. Their eyes met, and she smiled. Slowly, almost nervously, she drew in closer to him. Though his first instinct made him want to back away from her encroaching face, Naruto stayed true. And as their personal spaces collided, and their noses brushed, her hand delicately slid up his chest.
He shivered at the touch.
That shiver was followed by a thick gag for air as her hand shot up from his chest and wrapped around his neck. Feeling the blood rushing to his face, Naruto hacked as he was pushed onto his back. Sitting on his chest, Freyja's hair draped around his face as she choked the life out of him with one hand.
Naruto flinched as her other hand began to caress his face lovingly.
"There, now we're even."
He coughed and hacked as her fingers relaxed their grip, though she remained on his chest, smiling down gently.
Naruto blinked away the spots in his vision, "That doesn't change-"
"I could continue, if you'd like?" Freyja asked, her fingers running along his adam's apple, "You don't have to feel sorry for me, beloved. You don't have to apologize. I don't know if you know this, but I'm a little above morality. I understood your pain, just as I understood your remorse. You can't apologize to a being such as myself. It's like apologizing to the weather. Pointless."
"It isn't to me." Naruto grunted, her weight digging into his lungs.
She faltered, looking at him quizzically, "You don't understand-"
"I understand the meaning of an apology." Naruto insisted harshly, "Even if you don't, I do."
Freyja was at a loss for words, her head tilted in confusion as she observed his sincerity.
Grunting as he sat up, she shifted onto his legs. Grabbing her hand that was still along his neck, he gripped her wrist as he looked her in the eye, "I'm sorry." He said firmly, his voice steady.
Her breath had begun to pick up slightly, her eyes roaming over his face in thought. Eventually, she muttered, "That's not the only reason why you've been avoiding me."
Getting up off of him, she glided back to her spot. Kneeling back down, she looked at him expectantly.
From his spot on the ground, Naruto grunted as he began to get up, "No, it's not."
Looking into the fire, she sighed, "You wanted to know about Clint Barton."
Sitting down next to her, he nodded hesitantly, "I've been wanting to ask-"
"If you could speak to him, through me." Freyja finished, frowning, "That's not within my power, beloved. Once someone passes into that plain, they are beyond mortal communication."
Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat, "What did he say…when you took him?"
"I don't think you want to hear-"
"Please." Naruto insisted.
Seemingly debating with herself, she looked away from the fire and looked Naruto in the eye, "He struggled with it."
A heat began to build into Naruto's chest as he asked, "What do you mean?"
"He insisted I was wrong, that I was a trick. I had to prove my validity, and then he became silent. He asked for more time, for a final goodbye. I refused." Freyja explained solemnly, "Once he realized his situation, he faced it. He hesitated as he reached the other side, just once, so he could ask, 'Was it worth it?'"
"What'd you say?" Naruto demanded, curious.
"I lied."
They sat in silence, looking into the flames as it ate away at the phantasmal logs.
-x-
Location: Novi Grad, Sokovia
-x-
Night had fallen, snow cascading down onto the fluorescently lit patch of land. The wind that carried the snow blew passed the dead and blackened trees, singing loudly and drowning out the sounds of construction and busy streets.
Standing over a cold tomb stone, Wanda Maximoff read and reread the name carved into it. The sound of feet breaking through the blanket of snow caught her attention, though she didn't bother turning to the intruder.
"Wanda?"
Wanda kept her attention on the headstone, "What are you doing here, Naruto?"
Smiling, Naruto stepped up next to her, "Just here to give you something."
"Is that all?"
Naruto shook his head, folding his hands over his chest to protect himself from the cold, "I came here to pay my respects."
"Why?" Wanda wondered, looking at the man in confusion, "You didn't know him-"
Kneeling in front of the headstone, Naruto muttered, "Who paid for the service?"
Still confused, the girl answered, "They said it was anonymous. I assumed it might be Stark."
"Right." Naruto said, "Are you staying in town or-"
"Why are you here, Naruto?" Wanda demanded, "I appreciate you being here, but I don't think you came to talk about what motel I'm staying at."
"Right." The blonde said again. Straightening up, he reached into his coat pocket, "They confiscated this, after I dropped your brother off at the Helicarrior. I figured you'd want it back."
Looking down at his outstretched hand, Wanda frowned when she realized he was presenting her with a polaroid. Gently, the she grabbed it. Flipping it over in her fingers, she held back a grasp at the picture presented to her.
Smiling up at her, a younger Pietro was surrounded by their departed parents, the family sitting at their old dining room table. Stained over her younger face, dried blood was smeared across her cheerful smile.
Quickly dabbing her eyes, Wanda forced a smile, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Naruto returned. Pausing, he continued, "There was something else."
"Something else?" The girl wondered, distracted as she carefully put the picture in her back pocket.
"Has anyone talked to you, in the past couple days?" Wondered the Uzumaki, "Anybody from the Avengers or military?"
"I haven't talked to anyone since that day. I kinda sunk into the cracks after everything that happened." Admitted Wanda, "What's going on?"
Turning to her fully, he answered, "The United Nations is scrapping together a document they're calling the Seoul Accords. They're forcing the Avengers to sign and abide by them, under the threat of retirement. Wanda, you're under that jurisdiction. If you don't sign, they're going to classify you as a criminal."
"A criminal?" Wanda demanded, "How would I…why would I-"
"After what you and Pietro did, they'd rather have you under watch or in a cell. You and Tony Stark are gonna be given the same choice." Naruto explained.
Wanda scoffed, "I'd rather-"
"You don't know what they do to people like you." Naruto interrupted, "There's a place they've built called the Raft. They're gonna stick you in there and you're never going to see the light of day again. If you sign, if you swallow your pride, you can at least live your life."
"Maybe I don't want to live my life." Wanda refuted, "Because of me, Pietro is dead. Hundreds of people are dead. Why do I deserve-"
"Because I know you killed the last one."
That made Wanda freeze, "What?"
Nodding, he said, "You killed the last one, the last Ultron. Not me, not Tony, not anyone else. You. You don't deserve the Raft. Pietro didn't die so you could go to the Raft, did he?"
"No." Admitted the girl, "He didn't."
Resting his hand on her shoulder, Naruto muttered, "Don't waste that sacrifice, okay? Just sign and try to move on from there."
After a moment of thought, Wanda finally said, "I'll think about it."
They waded in an uncomfortable silence. Finally, Naruto asked, "Where were you staying?"
"Not far." Wanda replied, "A few blocks away."
"Let me walk you back." Naruto offered with as welcoming a smile as he could muster.
Raising a curious eyebrow, Wanda wondered aloud, "Why?"
The man shrugged, "Does anyone have to have a good reason to walk a girl home?"
Wanda sighed. Looking down at the headstone, she sighed, "Okay, let's go."
Turning, she trudged out of the cemetery. Looking at her in surprise, Naruto smiled softly before catching up so he was walking beside her. The echoing crunch of their feet crunching against the snow made up for their lack of conversation, Naruto sticking his hands in his pockets as they began to walk into the outskirts of the city.
His eyes wandering the dimly lit Novi Grad streets, he frowned at the various ribbons showing their mourning support over 5/22 loitered along the buildings and lampposts.
"It didn't make me feel better."
Blinking his eyes as his eyebrows furrowed, Naruto asked, "What?"
Looking ahead, Wanda explained, "When I killed him, Ultron, it didn't make me feel any better. You were right."
"A broken clock is right twice a day." Naruto offered with a weak smile, "Honestly, I'm not the best at handling that kinda stuff either, so I shouldn't have been dishing out advice."
Pausing for a beat, Wanda looked up at him, "I don't know if I can work with Stark… or any of the Avengers for that matter. And I doubt they'd want to work with me."
"I understand the feeling." Naruto nodded along.
Sighing, she continued, "But I'm tired of being a fugitive. I'm tired of being on the wrong side. At least if I sign, I know I'm working for something that's good. Maybe it'll rub off on me by proxy or something."
"Maybe you'll get that chance at Stark you've always wanted." Naruto offered with a playful smile, only to frown when he realized he might be hitting the nail on the head, "Actually, never mind."
As Wanda broke out into a chuckle, a smile of his own came out.
"What about you? What are you going to do now?" Wanda asked after a moment.
Running a hand through his hair, Naruto replied, "I'm gonna do what I was doing before this whole mess started. Make a team, get them ready, go from there. Secretary Ross is giving me a slap on the wrist over my part in Ultron and I'm being allowed to do what I want so long as I don't step on any toes, which is fine by me after everything. I need to do some scouting, and I've got a few people on my list." He looks at her from his peripheral, "You were on it, but now Ross and the United Nations have called a proverbial dibs on you for all intents and purposes."
"Those were some big words you just used there, trying to impress little miss sunshine?" Kurama wondered from within the seal.
"Shut up." Naruto grumbled in thought.
Wanda stopped, nodding to the building at their right as she said, "This is me."
"Right." Said the Uzumaki, fumbling with the inside pocket to his coat.
"What are you doing?" Wanda wondered, perturbed as Naruto began to pat himself down.
Running his hands over his sides, Naruto thought aloud, "What did I do with the damned thing?"
Kurama sighed, "You sealed it away on your wrist, dingus."
"Been expanding your insult repertoire, have you?" Naruto shot back in frustration as he channeled chakra to the seal on his wrist.
"Gotta do something to pass the time, troglodyte."
Though he was sure his partner had used that word knowing he didn't know what it meant, Naruto ignored it as he caught the object that puffed into existence from his conveniently placed storage seal. Flipping it in his hand so he was holding the blade, he presented the kunai to Wanda.
Looking at it wearily, Wanda asked, "What is that for?"
"This knife was specially made by me last time I was home. On the handle is a seal that lets me teleport to it any time. If you ever need me for anything, just throw it and I'll come around." Naruto explained with a smile.
Wanda blinked a couple times as she looked down at the kunai before looking back up at him, "Have you ever heard of a phone?"
Naruto deflated animatedly, "This is better than a phone!" He exclaimed, "This lets me come to you in a second! What kinda phone does that?"
"Couldn't you just stick a seal thing on a phone? That way I could call or text you instead of having to find something to stab this into." Wanda chided, though she still took the knife gently in her hands.
Scratching the back of his head, Naruto muttered, "I uh…I never thought of that."
Wanda turned the blade over in her hands, "It's very pretty. It's from your home?"
Watching her inspect the blade and the seal inscripted on the handle, he answered, "Yeah, it is."
Lowering the kunai, Wanda looked back up at him with a soft smile, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Naruto returned with a smile of his own.
Turning to walk into the building, Wanda paused as she reached the door. Looking at him one more time, she asked, "I can call you any time? For anything?"
Giving a confused frown, Naruto nodded reassuringly, "Of course."
She turned back to the door, "Goodnight, Naruto."
"Goodnight."
-x-
Three Days Later
-x-
Jessica Drew couldn't help but feel awkward as she stood in the middle of the Barton's living room, her arms folded sternly as she tapped her foot on the hard wood floor.
"Nervous?"
Jessica regarded Illyana, the woman leaning against the kitchen table lazily, "Aren't you?"
The blonde shrugged, "Not really."
"Going into space to a place called nowhere doesn't make you nervous?" Jessica asked skeptically.
Illyana quirked a brow, "I'm being trained by an immortal warlock who can send your astral form through all planes of existence. Space isn't that much weirder compared to that."
Shaking her head, Jessica rolled her eyes, "Sure, okay."
As Illyana made to prove her point, a loud 'thwoom' came from outside, a rainbow of colors shining brightly through the rattling front windows. Footsteps thundered down the steps, little Lila tumbled down to see what the commotion was. Cooper stood at the top step, observing apathetically.
"What was that?" Jessica asked.
Laura waddled out from the back of the dining room, annoyance etched into her face as she grumbled, "If that man left another one of those marks on my lawn, I'm gonna skin him I swear."
Lila threw the door open, revealing Thor on the other side as he reached the porch steps. The man had forgone his usual set of armor, instead wearing something a little lighter in the form of a thick sleeveless leather tunic. His beefy arms were bare save the leather wraps along his forearms, and his cape was a lighter red that was draped across his back to prevent it from dragging along the ground.
Grinning merrily, he waved at Lila and Laura, only to grimace as Laura began to swat at him with the rolled-up magazine in her hand.
"What did I tell you about burning my grass?" Laura demanded, each word punctuated with a swat from her makeshift weapon.
Jessica raised an eyebrow at the wall of a man as he ducked into Laura's tirade. Nudging Illyana, she muttered, "This is Thor?"
"Mm'hm." The sorcerer answered, watching in amusement as Laura calmed herself down, one hand resting on her stomach and the back of the other on her forehead.
As Thor helped her up the steps, she muttered, "You'd give aspirin a headache, you know that?"
The God of Thunder chuckled as he helped Laura into a whicker chair, "My mother used to say something similar."
"She's a smart woman then." Laura huffed as she relaxed in the chair. Eyeing Thor, she asked, "Aren't you going along? Even Naruto's getting dressed up for where you're going."
Thor chuckled, "An Asgardian can survive the perils of space." Looking around he asked, "Where is Naruto?"
"Natasha's helping him get ready upstairs." Laura answered.
The brute gave her a questioning look but shrugged none the less as he turned his attention to the two other women standing a few feet away. The two of them were wearing their Infinity Watch uniforms, the tight armor clearly meant to protect them from the dangers of the galaxy beyond.
Upstairs, Naruto looked at his reflection, satisfied that the suit fit him perfectly, "The girl can make an awesome set of armor, that's for sure." He muttered.
"Where did you find her anyway?" Natasha asked from behind him, strapping the sheathed Nakama to his back.
"Shuri?" Naruto asked, scratching his chin nervously, "Oh you know, those uh SHIELD files you put out."
Natasha gave his back a skeptical look, "I never read her file on any of those encryptions."
"Must've missed her then."
She shook her head, dropping the subject. With one final tug, she patted him on the back, "There, you're all set."
The Uzumaki grinned. The armor that Shuri had fashioned for him was a slick and slim design, fitting his body snuggly in a black color scheme with orange highlights. The orange trimmed along the black nicely, tapering down his arms and legs in a straight line. His orange belt buckle, like Illyana's and Jessica's, held the sigil of their team, the symbol for infinity. The texture of the armor reminded him of Dora Milaje armor, slim but powerful. It was clearly made to suit mobility.
"Alright, just one more test and we're golden." Naruto muttered, pressing his hand onto a patch on his shoulder. In a 'thwoop,' a helmet emerged from the base of his neck, wrapping around his head perfectly. The helmet's visor covered the entire front of his face, allowing Natasha to see his gleeful smile.
"Good?" She asked, tilting his head up to make sure everything was where it should be.
He nodded, "Not good, great."
Natasha walked passed him, picking up the man's scattered shirt and jacket that he'd discarded, "Agent Drew…do you trust her?"
Deactivating the helmet, Naruto gave her a side glance as he gave his arms a few testing stretches, "I've worked with her before, she's more than capable for what we're doing."
"That's not what I meant." The Black Widow insisted with a huff as she folded the clothes over each other.
Naruto nodded, "Yeah, I know." Flexing his hands, he muttered, "If she's bad news, I'll know soon enough."
"This is a test, then?" Natasha asked, tucking some stray strands of hair behind her ear.
"Pretty much." Finished expecting the new suit, Naruto grinned, "How do I look?"
"Like a Power Ranger."
The blonde scratched his cheek, "I don't know what that is, is that bad?"
The red-head giggled softly, "I'm kidding, it looks good."
A knock came from the door, followed by Cooper's muffled voice, "Thor's here."
"Alright, thanks." Naruto answered. Grin still in place, he said to Natasha, "Well, time to go."
Stepping out of the room, he smiled down at Cooper, the boy giving him a small wave as he went back to his room. Pondering on the room's door, Naruto sighed before turning to head downstairs. As he reached the final step, a bundle shot onto his leg, wrapping around the limb tightly preventing him from taking another step.
"You're coming back, right?"
Placing a hand on Lila's head, Naruto gave a large smile, "Sure am. Promise."
"Kay." The girl muttered into his leg, though she didn't let go.
Gently, Naruto pried her off him. Kneeling down, Naruto kept his smile in place as he lifted his hand up. Lila looked at the extended hand, his fingers locked in a fist save for his pinky, the short digit sticking up straight.
Making the same gesture with her hand, she wrapped her pinky around his. Their silent pinky swear now locked between the two of them, Lila let Naruto pass.
The little girl still followed close behind him as he walked outside, giving Thor a nod hello. Looking to the small group he'd formed, Naruto said, "Time to go."
From her chair, Laura called out, "Good luck."
"Make sure not to have that baby until I get back, alright?" Naruto said as he stepped down the porch steps.
She laughs as she rubs her stomach soothingly, "No promises."
Walking out onto the lawn, Naruto spotted the large Bifrost imprint branded into the fresh cut grass. Turning to Thor, he motioned to the intricate scorch mark, "Really?"
Thor walked passed, brushing off the question merrily, "So, where's this ship you've been talking about? I call shotgun." He looked behind him at Illyana and Jessica for confirmation, "That's what you call the front seat, correct?"
While Illyana answered with a helpful nod, Naruto said, "Sorry buddy, but I need my co-pilot sitting shotgun." He looked at Jessica from over his shoulder, "That's you, by the way."
"Me?" Jessica asked, confused, "Why?"
"Flying my ship is about the same as flying a Quinjet. And, last I'd heard, you were one of the top Quinjet pilots back in the day." Naruto answered, coming to a stop as he bit into his thumb. Wiping the blood across his palm, he began to flip through a set of hand signs, "Don't worry, I'll have the co-pilot controls locked. I just need someone next to me just in case."
"Just in case what?" Jessica asked.
Illyana rolled her eyes, "Use your imagination. Space stuff, obviously."
As Jessica gave the woman a glare, Naruto slammed his blood smeared hand onto the ground. In a large puff of smoke, the Kushina appeared in front of them.
Looking up at her proudly, Naruto said, "Yup, space stuff."
"Why aren't we just teleporting there with one of your seals?" Asked Illyana, knowing she was up for a long ride.
"The seal I put there isn't active for some reason." Naruto said as the bay doors opened, and the set of stairs descended, "The Collector probably had the entire place scoured from top to bottom looking for it after the last time I was there."
After giving an excited Lila a quick tour, Infinity Watch and their Asgardian companion strapped themselves into the cockpit, awaiting liftoff. In the two pilot seats, Naruto sat on the left with Jessica at the right. As the Uzumaki prepped the ship, flipping the random switch and pressing coordinates into the navigation display, the former CIA Agent observed his every move and decision, memorizing should she need to do the same.
Behind Naruto, Illyana looked at Thor, who was sitting in the seat behind Jessica. Her eyes on the hammer sitting in his lap, she asked, "Was that thing really made by the dwarves of Nidavellir?"
Surprised, Thor asked, "You know of it?"
"Sure." Illyana answered, "Master Minoru spoke highly of it. Is it true that Excalibur was forged there as a gift to the Olympians-"
"But no Olympian ever proved themselves worthy. And, insulted, Zeus hurled the blade from planet Olympus." Thor continued for her, impressed by her knowledge, "It's magic eventually drove it to Midgard, where it awaited a truly worthy master."
"Did you ever get to see it, before it was lost?" Illyana wondered.
Thor nodded, "Once. I saw it be tested by the Dwarf King, Eitri. It was truly fearsome."
Naruto glanced at Jessica, motioning to her throttle, "If you need to take control, jerk the throttle forward twice. Other than that, the controls are fairly similar to the Quinjet's…minus a few things."
"Minus a few things?" Jessica questioned, flabbergasted, "This is an alien space craft, the few similarities are far and in between compared to the complex system this ship uses. You don't actually expect me to be able to-"
"I expect you to watch and listen." Naruto cut off firmly, "Illyana might be my second in command, but I need a co-pilot. You've got the experience, and I know you can adapt. Give it time, you'll learn. Trust me."
Though his voice was firm, it also held a layer of reassurance that caused Jessica to sigh in defeat. Nodding she gripped the throttle and jerked it forward twice. The decals along her dashboard lit green, signaling that she had control.
"Good." Naruto praised, quickly getting the control back as he continued, "Now, we just need to set our coordinates to the nearest Jump Point, which shouldn't be too far."
"Jump Point?" Jessica asked.
"A Jump Point is a gateway, helps get from one place to another. It's pretty much like Ilyana's portals, only man made." Naruto explained, tapping into the screen as he locked in where he needed to go.
Jessica nodded, taking that in, "And who would make one of this Jump Points just outside our planet?"
"The Kree have an invested stake in your planet. They like to drop by every once in a while, to make sure you haven't blown yourselves up yet." The Uzumaki reasoned, though as he saw Jessica's perturbed look he continued, "There's nothing hostile about it…I think."
"You think?"
"Eighty-five percent sure."
Massaging her forehead, Jessica muttered, "Let's just get on with it."
"Right." Naruto said with a laugh, "Get comfortable gang, we've got fifty-four jumps to Knowhere."
"To Knowhere!" Thor cheered, lifting his hammer to punctuate his war call.
While Illyana and Naruto merrily followed suit, Jessica continued rubbing the headache away that just kept on persisting.
-x-
Any reservations Jessica may have had about their trip evaporated as soon as they left Earth's upper atmosphere. As Naruto went into full throttle towards the Jump Point in between Earth and its moon, the void of space became a glorious blur.
Gripping the arm of her seat tightly, Jessica had felt her stomach lift up into her lungs as they hit top speed. All the while; Thor cheered, Illyana giggled gleefully, and Naruto grinned like a madman as the ship rocketed towards its Jump Point.
Eventually, after several minutes, Jessica grew accustomed to the speed. And, though she fought it, a grin spread along her face as she realized just how special this day was. She was flying through the void of space, a passenger of an alien craft that was taking to a place literally called nowhere.
The boys back home would be jealous.
But, like all good things, it came to an end. One jump after another, the novelty of it began to fade away. And soon boredom filled its place.
Behind her, Illyana read from a worn tome, flipping through it slowly as she took in the mystic knowledge. Thor had taken to flipping his hammer in his hand, catching it effortlessly as he watched the stars blur by.
Naruto was the only one seemingly lacking any boredom, though that likely came from piloting a spacecraft going well over a thousand miles per hour.
Needing to break the monotony, Jessica turned to the Uzumaki, "So this…stone, what does it do exactly?"
"Ask Thor." Naruto offered, "He's the one that almost got killed by it."
Thor looked up at the attention, catching Mjolnir in his hand deftly, "Well, it's not really a stone so much as a sludgish, jelloy kind of thing. But either way, it is dangerous. I'd advise you not to touch it if you can."
"Then how are we grabbing it, exactly?" Illyana questioned.
"Rest assured, it is incased in an Asgardian lockbox." Thor answered coolly, once again flipping Mjolnir, "The Collector would be a fool to open it, so it should still be contained when we go to collect it for ourselves."
"What would it do, if he were foolish enough?" Asked Jessica, her full attention hanging off Thor's answer.
"It is difficult to define." Thor said, catching the handle of his hammer before tossing it back up again, "If one were to simply hold the stone with zero way of control, it could cut a hole into the fabric of reality itself, altering everything that is known and unknown to its very core."
"And with control?" Jessica hesitated to ask.
"With control, reality has no meaning or definition. It is to do with as you like."
"That's…scary." Illyana muttered, the large tome no longer on her mind.
"Which is why we're going after it, so that kind of thing doesn't happen." Naruto said distractedly, just before an alert popped up on his dashboard, "Heads up guys, this jump is the last one. We'll be at Knowhere in a couple minutes."
In those passing minutes, Jessica silently prepped her sidearm, puling back the hammer as she looked into the prepped bullet sitting within the chamber.
Illyana looked over her shoulder, amused, "You're bringing a gun?"
"Am I supposed to?" Jessica wondered.
The blonde chuckles, "No, just kinda weird that you'd bring that to an alien colony that sits inside the head of a Celestial."
"I still find it hard to believe we're going inside the head of a space god." Jessica muttered, sliding the gun into her holster.
"Believe it." Naruto said, flinching at the involuntary use of that phrase, "We're here."
The Kushina came to a stop as he exited the last Jump Point, the ship careening in open space. And there, perched before them, stood the floating mass of a decrepit skull.
As an orange hue filled the cockpit, Jessica voice broke out with a soft, "Is it supposed to look like that?"
"No." Naruto said, his mouth agape, "No it isn't."
Nowhere was by and large an anomaly. It had its own gravitational pull, oxygen, and other commodities necessary for sustainable life. The skull of the Celestial, a being once known as Eson the Searcher, was roughly twice the size of a Kree Battleship. Almost every facet of its cranium had been converted and harvested by the Tivan Group, the empty skull now acting as a hovel for lawlessness and debauchery. Gambling, murder, prostitution, slavery, human trafficking, and bounty hunting all ran through here, all by the guiding hand of the Tivans and their benefactor, The Collector.
All of that was now on fire.
Knowhere's once empty eye sockets were now filled with a rolling fire, its worn maw broken and melted away.
"Who could've done this?" Thor demanded, gripping Mjolnir tightly as they grew closer to the flaming Celestial skull.
"Knowhere is sandwiched right inbetween the Kree and Shi'ar borders. It could've been any one of them." Naruto said grimly.
Illyana stared at the back of Naruto's head, "But you don't think that's the case."
"No." He agreed, "We'd have spotted a Kree Battleship by now if it was them, hell we'd have gotten a dispatch by now. And this isn't the Shi'ar Empire's way of doing things. Their Majestor isn't one to throw around bruit force, and I can't see them going after Knowhere and the Collector. The underworld might not be acceptable inside their borders, but it's still something they'd know to value."
Thor rubbed at his beard, his eyes roaming the area in search for discernable ships of any nation, "I don't see any war ships nearby, it's possible we just missed the attack."
"Agreed." Jessica added, "More than likely the bulk of the attack is over. The question is if it's safe to investigate."
"We don't really have a choice." Illyana grunted, getting up from her seat as she said, "We don't know for sure if the Collector is there, and if he is if he's dead or alive, or if he still has the stone in his possession. I don't think it's smart to leave any of that up in the air."
"It's decided then." Naruto pulled the throttle forward, the Kushina shooting off into the burning eye, "This is a get in, get out. No dilly dallying. We get the stone if it's still there, if not we figure out who attacked and go from there."
The three nodded, preparing themselves as they drew into the fires of Knowhere.
-x-
Stepping down from his ship, Naruto reached up and swung out Nakama, the vibranium blade singing as it cut into the hot air.
"We stick together." Naruto ordered as they looked out over the destroyed layout of Knowhere's inner city, "Thor, you're up front. Illyana, in the back. Jess, you're with me."
All three nodded, though Jessica gave Naruto a side glance at being called 'Jess.'
In formation, the squad trekked forward. Thor, at the front of the diamond formation, held his trusty hammer at the ready. Illyana, having summoned a Tao Mandala in one hand, and an Eldritch Dao in another, followed at the back of the line. Next to Naruto, Jessica paced along carefully, her pistol raised at the ready.
Thor, who was in the lead, raised up his fist. Knowing to stop, the group waited apprehensively as foot steps rapped along the corner. Tumbling down onto the street in front of them, the Krylorian woman quickly tried to pick herself up, only to fall to her side in exhaustion. Her pink skin was covered in soot and purple burns, her face scrunched up in fear and pain as she tried to crawl away.
"Hey!" Naruto called out. As he took a step up, a figure fell down next to the Krylorian, their blade driving down into her abdomen.
As she screamed out in pain, Thor shot out to meet them.
Jessica, with only a moment of hesitation, swept her gun into the figure's direction and opened fire on his torso. She cursed as the bullets ricocheted of the figure's armor with a 'thwang.'
Thor, his hammer pulled back, roared as he released a mighty swing into the figure's torso. The sound of metal bending, bone breaking, and flesh tearing filled echoed as the figure was sent flying from the heavy blow.
Though Mjolnir was still at the ready, Thor didn't bother making sure it got up, knowing full well it was staying down. Giving her a glance, he sighed as he realized she was dead.
"What is that?" Illyana asked, half her attention on her surroundings the rest on the crumpled heap not ten yards away.
"A Centaurian." Naruto answered, flipping the armored alien onto its back, "They're like those old timey warriors I always forget the name of…kinda sounds like ramen or something."
"Romans." Jessica connected the dots, standing next to Naruto as she took in the first alien she'd ever seen.
It was heavily armored, its design looking to be a cross between a Roman foot soldier and a medieval knight. It's golden plating was painted purple thanks to the open chest cavity, the violet life juice seeping out of the gaping wound like a geyser. His skin tone was a very light blue, with a darker shade of war paint decorating the upper half of his face. His helmet had fallen off from the landing, the blue plum that sat upon the head soaking in the pool of blood.
The blade he'd used to kill the girl looked like a pata, the massive blade sticking out from the gauntlet's fist.
"The girl's a Krylorian." Thor called out from the girl's side, taking in her elegantly white servant's dress, "Sif told me the Collector had been keeping one or two as a slave."
Jessica took that in with a hum, "We're close then."
Walking up to the group, Thor narrowed his eyes in thought, "Centauri-Six is lightyears out of the way. What do they gain from sacking Knowhere?"
Naruto stood up, his face slowly losing color, "Did you say Centauri-Six? Not Four, not Five. Six?"
Thor nodded, puzzled, "Yes, six. The planet Centauri-Six-"
Before Thor could finish, Naruto roughly grabbed onto Jessica's arm, "Go back to the ship, now. I'll send a clone with you and Illyana, but you need to get off this colony right fucking now."
"What?" Illyana demanded. When Naruto didn't seem to notice, she began to say, "What the hell happened to sticking together-"
"Now isn't the time for that." He answered, deathly calm. Starring into her core, he said, "This became way too dangerous. You guys aren't ready, if you don't leave you will die. Get it? All plans have been thrown out the window, and I need you to listen to me right now. Get to the ship, get out of here. Thor and I will be with you in a second."
Illyana bit back the urge to argue. She knew that look on his face. Naruto was panicked. There wasn't any room in his head for argument.
Gripping Jessica's shoulder, the sorceress pulled her along, "Come on, we're going."
Jessica knew better than to argue against orders, but it didn't keep her from pulling away from the woman's grip. As Illyana summoned a portal, Jessica gave Naruto one last glance before being pulled in by the sorceress.
"So…this is it." Kurama grunted somberly.
"Seems like it." Naruto thought back.
Seeing a very confused Thor from his peripheral, Naruto said, "Over two decades ago, Centauri-Six was the victim of a planet wide genocide. Half the population was wiped out. It didn't get a lot of publicity, mainly because of who was responsible. Five years later, the planet rescinded its sovereignty, broke off all ties to its managing empire, and pledged its loyalty to the very man who slaughtered three billion of its peoples."
"Who?"
Naruto smiled warily, looking ahead undeterred, "The Mad Titan himself."
-x-
Jessica blinked as she and Illyana stepped through the portal, looking around the inside of the Kushina, "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."
"Sorry." Illyana grunted distractedly, looking at the pilot's seat, "You think you can lift us off?"
"I can lift us off, maybe." Jessica muttered in thought, flashing back to which switches were flipped and how, "Maybe." She persisted as she sat in the co-pilot's chair.
"Maybe." The sorceress repeated with a huff, pacing in place.
Ignoring her, Jessica did her best to follow what she'd seen Naruto do back at the homestead, "What was going on back there anyway?"
"Naruto's spooked, that's all I need to know it's serious." Illyana answered. As she said this, something caught her eye from outside the ship. Walking closer to the windshield, she squinted to look passed the billowing smoke surrounding the area around the ship.
She saw the shine of their armor first.
Emerging from the smoke, a platoon of Centurian soldiers converged around the ship, their rifles at the ready.
"Shit." Illyana muttered, immediately aware of the danger they were in.
Looking up from the panel, Jessica blinked as she realized they were surrounded. Turning to an awestruck Illyana, the brunette got up from her seat to stand beside her, "What do we do?"
Illyana blinked at the question, "What?"
"Naruto says you're the second in command." Jessica explained, her full attention on the sorceress, "What's the call?"
Her eyes widened in shock, Illyana nodded. As she looked over the crowd of Centurians, she gave a confident nod, "Let's see what you can do, spider woman."
Jessica deflated, "Please don't call me that."
-x-
Thor led Naruto through the decimated city streets of Knowhere, the endless fire and smoke building in intensity the closer they got to the Collector's museum. Naruto was surprised at the lack of Centurians, coming across none as they trekked along the nearly deserted battlefield. What they did find was countless bodies lying in the purge's wake, their rotting bodies being eaten away by the flames surrounding them.
Finally, the two came upon the Collector's museum. The building was massive, around the size of a multiplex movie theater.
As Naruto rested his hand on the doorway, a thud echoed from behind them.
Naruto sighed. Turning around, he was met with a massive Centurian soldier. The beast of a man stood at a hefty eight feet tall, his broad shoulders making him seem like two men combined into one. Decorated with heavy armor that protected him from head to toe, this added weight had caused the concrete to crack upon his entry. In his hands, two massive broadswords, blood both fresh and old stained along its edges and broadside.
"I got this." Thor assured.
With a heave, he chucked his trusty Mjolnir towards the beast's torso. To both men's surprise the Centurian deflected the hammer with a mighty clang, Mjolnir veering off course behind him.
Naruto eyed a mildly surprised Thor, "You got this?"
Thor didn't bother responding, extending his hand expectantly. An awkward pause later, Mjolnir flew into the Asgardian's hand, its heavy metal singing loudly as it flew through the air. Thunder roared in the background, forcing Naruto to momentarily question where it came from. But he didn't get to ask, as lightning shot out from Mjolnir with crack.
Opening the door, Naruto muttered, "He's got this."
-x-
The Centurian soldiers gathered around the Kushina continued their slow encroachment towards the ship. The apparent head officer threw his fist up, the platoon coming to a halt.
Gesturing to the soldier to his right, he opened his hand and waved in the direction of the Kushina. The soldier didn't hesitate to march towards the ship his rifle pointed at the ready. Just a few yards from the bow of the ship, the bay doors opened, the stairs descending to the ground.
And with a clank for each step it hit, a metallic sphere rolled down in front of the lone soldier. As it came to a stop at his foot, a flashing red light came into view.
The soldier looked over to his superior officer-
BOOM!
And then all hell broke loose.
As the crack of the explosion sent the poor soldier flying, a portal opened up over the heads of three soldiers. As they looked up in confusion, that confusion turned to a surprised scream as a wall of water poured out from the portal, sweeping the men away as several tons of water fell on them head first.
A second portal opened, Illyana jumping out with her Tao Mandala and Eldritch Dao in hand. The three Centurian's in her way were unprepared for her sudden entry, and even less prepared for when she opened a portal next to her, and a portal next to center Centurian's torso.
With a jab, she flung her dao into the portal in front of her, the blade emerging from the second portal into the Centurian's chest. She flinched as blood spurted from the wound, but she was forced to move passed it as she opened a massive portal under the Centurians' feet, swallowing them whole before closing up.
She jumped as gunshots rang out from the Kushina's open bay, Jessica opening fire on nearby Centurians from the bottom of the stairway. Scowling as the bullets ricocheted off their armor, she tossed the gun to the side before charging in. As the towering soldier in front of her reared back his pata to cleave her head from her shoulders, Jessica slid between his legs feet first. As she swept up underneath him, she grabbed onto his ankle, yellow electricity rolling across the palm of her hand.
Just as she jumped up to her feet, the soldier fell to his knee, the leg she'd touched seemingly losing all feeling. Gripping the back of his helmet with both hands, another pulse of electricity erupted from her hands. With a jerk, the man went limp. Ducking she weaved herself along the jabbing arm of the next Centurian attacking her. With a subtle but sharp jab into the crux of his neck, the man's neck snapped back from the force.
Illyana, impressed, called out, "I didn't know you had sparkly hands."
"It's bio-electricity." Jessica explained away before she jumped over a charging soldier, landing nimbly, "I didn't know you could summon water like Uzumaki can."
The blonde shrugged, "I just opened a portal up at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, so not really what Naruto can do."
"Still." Jessica grunted as she blocked a crushing hammer fist with her forearms. Channeling her bio-electricity to her arms, the Centurian stumbled back from the sharp shock, "It's impressive."
"Thanks." She returned distractedly as the last three Centurians opened fire on her. Expanding her Tao Mandala to act as a cover, she yelled, "Little help?"
"Get me over there!" The brunette called.
Grinning, Illyana opened a portal up at the other woman's feet and another right above the Centurians' heads.
Jessica felt her stomach sweep up into her throat as the ground beneath her disappeared, finding herself right on top of the soldiers firing on the sorceress. Falling onto the center man's back, she shot a thick burst of bio-electricity into his torso. As the two fell to the ground, the other two Centurians realized Jessica had taken down their comrade.
As they spun onto her to unload their weapons, they jerked as another portal the size of a beachball sprung into existence right next second man's head. They barely had time to realize it was there before water shot out from portal like a fire hose, the pressurized blast of ocean water knocking both men off their feet.
When they didn't get up, Jessica's shoulder relaxed as she let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.
Silence hung over the two, their heavy breathing and the crackling fires around them distracting them from the .
"Hey, the boss just realized he forgot to send one – Holy shit, what happened here?"
The women jumped as a Naruto Shadow Clone popped up out of nowhere, taking in the battle ground around him with wonder. Jessica gave the clone a light glare, blowing the hair out of her face with a huff.
Blinking, the Shadow Clone tilted his head, "What?"
-x-
Naruto couldn't help but take in the museum as he crept along the admittedly impressive building. The fire had yet to get into the building, leaving everything intact for the blonde to take in. The first section of the museum held all of the fauna the Collector had amassed for himself.
There were a few trees he recognized from Berhert, a crazy looking vine he knew was from Alfheim that seemed to have a mind of its own, even a giant redwood from Earth. The rest was entirely alien to him, the varying colors and shapes momentarily distracting him from the oppressive air circumventing along the building.
The next section ruined any awe he had for the Collector's trove. The menagerie of intergalactic species was sickeningly impressive, Naruto guessing that nearly a hundred different species sat within captivity. Each one was given their own glass cage, all of them splayed out lifelessly.
The glass that had once kept them in captivity were shattered, their bodies riddled with bullet holes.
A Dark Elf foot soldier, a Kosmosian bureaucrat, a Badoon Hunter, a Strontian Gladiator, a Kymellian slave, and a Kronan revolutionary were all easy recognizable, but Naruto was shameful to admit that he couldn't recognize most of the species held in captivity; the spectacle wearing blue skinned alien with a thick mustache and fairly receded hairline being the one that threw him for a loop the most.
"How much you wanna bet most of them were nearly extinct?" Kurama grunted with disgust.
"Think about that later." Naruto answered aloud as he entered section containing the Collector's prized relics.
Unlike the previous sections that held their exhibits in one row after another, this room was circular, with each relic displayed along the wall like an art gallery. In the center, a beam of magnetic energy was projected from the ceiling, likely acting as the holding place for the Collector's most prized possession.
A possession that had been pried from his cold dead fingers.
Lying prone next to the center display, the Collector's cooling corpse stared up at him, the man's frozen face filled with pain and horror.
Standing over the body, his murderer, his back facing the blonde shinobi.
"I'd hoped you'd come, Maelstrom."
Naruto slowly walked further into the gallery, his hands flexing tensely, "Why's that?"
The Titan let out a chuckle, the baritone throttle giving the merry chortle a sinister edge, "I wanted the pleasure of meeting the strongest man in the universe. It's an honor."
The blonde frowned at the man across from him. He seemed to be distracted by what was in his hands, his face barely visible from his angle, "I thought that kinda thing went to you." He stated coolly, coming to a stop at just a few yards away.
"I'm not the one holding three Infinity Stones." The man shot back, finally turning to face the blonde.
He was just as large as he remembered him, standing at just a few inches shorter than the Hulk. His body was covered in an elaborate golden armor, with black pieces highlighting the set beautifully. The beauty of the armor was ruined by the various shades of dried blood speckled along the worn suit. Sitting on his head was a form-fitting helmet, the protective shell only leaving his face open.
Resting in his right hand was a massive double-bladed sword that was as tall as Naruto was, monstrous weapon singing loudly with every movement, its razor-sharp edge cutting into the air.
Any other time, Naruto would've taken a second to take the impressive warrior in. But the red glare coming from his left hand took that attention away.
Covering his arm, a magnificent gauntlet. The golden plating shined an eerie orange from the bright red light that came from the gauntlet's knuckle. Sitting on the knuckle of the gauntlet's pointer finger, the Reality Stone hummed at attention.
"Where do you keep them, I wonder." Thanos said thoughtfully, "I don't think you'd keep them in your back pocket."
Naruto forced himself to look away from the Reality Stone, looking Thanos in the eye as he responded, "They're somewhere safe."
Thanos nodded along, "Oh I'm sure they are somewhere far away from here." He shook his head as he began to walk around the blonde. Naruto followed suit, the two circling each other as the Titan continued,"Wasteful. To have that kind of power at your disposal, and to squander it the way you do. Imagine what you could do with them, the things you never thought possible or imaginable at your fingertips."
Naruto motioned to the glass ceiling, the orange and black layers of fire and smoke visible, "Something like this?"
"We both know you could do so much worse that this without the stones." The Mad Titan chided, "I've been watching you, Naruto. I see so much of myself in you, it's a shame I didn't catch you sooner. The things we could've accomplished, the lives we could save."
"You do that often?" Naruto questioned heatedly, "Kidnap hapless kids and turn them into weapons?"
"Weapons?" Thanos questioned sincerely, "They are my children. I take them in and show them what true strength is."
"Killing billions of innocent lives makes you strong?" Naruto demanded, "No wonder Gamora's so fucked up, I can't imagine what you filled her head with."
"I filled it with knowledge." Thanos retorted, "Knowledge of what the universe needs to survive, and the kind of will that's necessary to save it from itself."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, doing his best to keep calm, "And the way to save it is to use the Infinity Stones as an executioner's blade on half the universe?"
"Salvation cannot come without tremendous sacrifice-"
"So long as you're the one not sacrificing a damned thing."
Thanos frowned at the accusation, "There won't be any exceptions to my purge, not even myself. You and everyone else will have the same chance of life as I will. Fifty-fifty. Fair."
"There's another way." Naruto insisted, "There's always another way-"
"If I snap my fingers," Thanos lifted up the Infinity Gauntlet, snapping his fingers to punctuate his point, "And make it so that all of the planets' resources are replenished, no lesson will have been learned. I would simply be enabling future generations to squander what was given to them, at an even more detrimental scale. To sterilize half the universe's population is impossibly specific, along with any other concept a think tank could squander up. Population control is the only possible way. The only permanent way."
With a flash of red, the gallery was swept away, replaced by an unfamiliar planet. Looking around proudly, Thanos gestured to the thriving civilization surrounding them, "This is Centuri-Six. Look how they thrive; how happy they are to know their future generations will know paradise. The entire universe could have this happiness. What's so wrong with that?"
Centuri-Six was beautiful. The bustling city washed over the two, passersby going about their daily lives as two titans watched on. They smiled, they laughed. Naruto could feel the love and peace in the air, the acceptance of their tragedy.
"But what did it cost? What price are you willing to make everyone pay for this kind of happiness?" Naruto asked quietly.
"Whatever it takes."
Naruto paused, transfixed as the illusion faded away, the gallery now looming over them. The blonde ran his hand through his hair, "There has to be another reason you'd be here, I can't imagine you'd stick around just to say hello."
Thanos had stopped as well, staring the younger man down with a welcoming smile, "I had honestly wanted to meet you, face to face. I'd hoped to convince you of where this was going."
"And where's that?"
Thanos flexed the Infinity Gauntlet, the Reality Stone humming dangerously, "One way or another, we're going to clash over the stones you've collected. There will be no mercy on my part. I will set this universe ablaze, I will tear every galaxy apart, and I will conquer any planet that I think has the most remote idea of where they are. You can prevent that. If you don't give me the stones now, you'll wish you had by the time I pry them from your broken fingers."
With a flex, Naruto exerted his chakra with enough force to crack the ground beneath him, "Maybe I should use those stones to kill you, here and now."
The Mad Titan smirked at the challenge, "We both know you're too afraid to use them. Too afraid of what you could do, what you would do. Why else would you not use them? I can't help but wonder what you'd use them for, should that temptation ever drive you over the edge. I could always give it to you, as a reward. But you're not that kind of man."
"How do you figure?" Naruto questioned, unable to retort to anything else.
"Because I'm not."
A tense silence followed. Naruto glared up at the Mad Titan, and Thanos glowered down at the Maelstrom. Raising up Nakama, Naruto twirled the blade lethargically at his side before sliding into his stance. Thanos responded in kind, pointing his hefty sword at his enemy.
And with simultaneous roars, they charged with a charged bloodlust.
TWANG!
-x-
Thor screamed as he threw Mjolnir into the Centurian giant's head, summoning it back to himself right before the hammer made contact. The Centurian, having not expected the feint, was left wide open for the blast of lightning sent by the God of Thunder.
Skidding back from the force of the attack, the brute spasmed harshly as the lightning trickled along his singed armor.
Raising his eyebrow, Thor cursed at the still mobile soldier.
They'd been going at this for nearly five minutes now. Thor would knock him down, he'd get back up. Thor would zap him with some lightning, he'd walk it off. His eyebrow twitched in annoyance as the brute pushed passed the lightning and continued his slow charge towards the Asgardian.
Hefting Mjolnir in the air, he summoned a blast of thick lightning into the hammer. His arm vibrated from the escalating power surging within the hammer head. As lightning began to crack and plunge into the ground, swirling around him, Thor smirked as Mjolnir's power boiled over.
With a jerk, Thor punched Mjolnir forward, shooting a thin stream of lightning into the Centurian's chest plate, zapping through the armor like wet paper. The lightning continued its arch, hitting the building behind the soldier, the impact forcing the front of the building to explode in a cloud of debris, burring the brute in rubble.
Laughing haughtily, Thor flipped Mjolnir in his hand victoriously.
That celebration came to an end as the Centurian stumbled from beneath the rubble, dust and scraps of metal sliding off his body.
Thor huffed, rotating Mjolnir into a blur.
-x-
Hovering outside Knowhere, Jessica paced back and forth in the Kushina's lower deck, "You're telling me that Uzumaki is fighting the guy we're trying keep these stones from, and we're not fighting with him? That doesn't make any sense."
"Remember what was said about the Reality Stone?" The Shadow Clone asked, "Thanos could probably kill Thor without it, but with it he could kill him with just a snap of his fingers."
"Then why bring us along at all? Why make this team in the first place?" Illyana asked, leaning against the steps to the cockpit.
"The boss can fight Thanos on his own and probably survive. But you've seen what Thanos has backing him up. He doesn't just have armies at his beck and call. He has planets." The clone reasoned gravely, "The boss needs help keeping the Infinity Stones safe."
"So, he gets us?" Jessica questioned rhetorically. Shaking her head, she folds her arms under her chest, "He doesn't need a team, he needs an army."
"The boss is an army." He shot back, smiling awkwardly, "What he needs are friends."
Jessica's mouth was agape, stunned.
Illyana didn't hesitate, getting up from the stairs, "He's got one."
While the Shadow Clone smiled back, Jessica frowned in thought, looking down at the still burning Celestial skull in thought.
-x-
Naruto grunted as he slid back from Thanos' heavy strike, shaking off the numbness in his arm. Even in Sage Mode, Thanos was proving to be difficult to step up to. Though he was big and weighed down by that bulky armor, the Mad Titan moved at Naruto's level of dexterity. Neither had landed a full blow on the other, both working out the other's fighting style as they danced around each other.
Thanos' was brutal and deliberate. No move was wasted, no strike unnecessary. His armor was strangely sturdy, able to take a hit from his Senjutsu enhanced strikes just fine. Naruto thought he'd have an advantage over the Titan due to the violet skinned man's choice of weapon. But the man twirled the thing around like was a broom stick. He swung it so hard down on Nakama, Naruto had to bleed chakra into the weapon to keep it from rolling.
Thanos chuckled as he pushed Naruto back, "I'm going to kill you if you don't stop tip toeing around, son." With a shove, he forced Naruto to stumble. Seeing an opening, Thanos swung his sword down, slashing deep into the blonde's shoulder-
BOOM!
Naruto exploded, swallowing Thanos in fire and smoke.
The cloud of smoke lingered as several Narutos dropped down around the plum, swirling their Nakamas before charging into the cloud with the blades covered in lightning.
As they submerged themselves in the cloud, a flash of red could be seen coming from the center followed by an ominous sound of pure energy vibrating against metal.
Hovering from above the cloud, Naruto narrowed his Six Paths Sage Mode enhanced eyes at the smoke as it was swallowed by a thin layer of red energy. That energy began to guide the smoke, breaking it apart into several hundred needle-like formations.
And with a flex of the Infinity Gauntlet, those smoke needles shot out in a 360-degree arc, skewering every Shadow Clone in the room.
Cursing, Naruto threw his hands up in the air, pushing out a wall of air that intercepted the smoke needles from turning him into a pin cushion.
As the needles broke apart into small spurts of smoke, Naruto shot forward like a bullet, zooming down at Thanos as he dropped a hammer kick down on the Mad Titan's head.
Stumbling back, Thanos swung his sword at Naruto out of instinct. Grunting Naruto ducked, the massive blade swiping over him. Lifting his hand up, the blonde activated his Magnet Release, focusing on the blade in its back swing.
Naruto's eyes widened as it didn't take effect, forcing him to roll out of the blade's path.
Twirling the sword as Naruto backed off, Thanos said, "The Reality Stone truly is awesome in its versatility. To be able to cancel out the magnetism of an object, it's truly useful against a man with control over metal don't you think?"
Narrowing his eyes, Naruto thought, "So Magnet Release is out, awesome."
From within the seal, Kurama nodded, "Melt the bastard then, brat."
"Agreed."
Flipping through several hand signs, Naruto charge forward. Using Magnet Release, Naruto unsheathed Nakama and sent the blade out to intercept Thanos while the blonde finished his sign work.
While Nakama met Thanos with some blade work, Naruto quickly finished his hand signs, taking a deep breath as he thought, "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Thanos, seeing a thick wall of air charging towards him, knocked Naruto's weapon out of the way before putting his double-edged sword a whirl wind twirl, the blade becoming a blurred shield just in time to intercept the wall of wind.
Clapping his hands together, Naruto smirked as the wall wrapped around Thanos, spinning and rotating into a dome. Taking another deep breath, the shinobi thought, "Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
And with a heave, Naruto created a storm of fire.
But, with a flash of red, that fire and wind was quickly enveloped in a thin lair of red energy before transmuting into a cluster of bubbles.
Naruto blinked in shock as another flash of red swept over the bubbles.
In the corner of his eye, Naruto spotted a bubble float to the edge of Nakama's blade. As it touched the edge, the sword's razor-sharp edge popped the bubble with a-
BOOM!
-x-
Flinching, the Naruto Shadow Clone flinched as a wave of memories came flooding in. Stumbling back, he gripped his forehead as he said, "The boss is fighting Thanos now."
Illyana swallowed the frog in her throat, "Is he winning?"
"It's pretty even, both are just testing the waters right now." The clone answered distractedly as he cataloged the memories.
"Meaning…?" The sorceress asked.
"If this keeps going, they're gonna destroy Knowhere."
-x-
With a flex of the Infinity Gauntlet, the barrier surrounding Thanos broke away. Another flex, the fire and smoke from the explosion was funneled upwards out of the collapsed ceiling, dispersing into the air outside.
Driving his sword into the ground, Thanos sat down on a boulder, "That didn't even leave a scratch, did it?"
Pushing the rubble away, Naruto grunted from his spot on the ground. Other than being coated in dust, the blonde was the picture of health. Not even his uniform was damaged, though that was thanks to the vibranium weave.
"You're pretty handy with that stone already." Naruto observed off handedly, "That gauntlet's responsible, I'm guessing."
The Mad Titan smirked as he examined the gauntlet, "The Infinity Gauntlet was specifically crafted to handle the power of all six Infinity Stones. This took nearly two decades to forge, the complicated enchantments allowing for complete access to any of the stones' powers taking up most of that time. With this, I could take over galaxy after galaxy with a single stone."
"But you don't want the universe." Naruto filled in. Dusting himself off, he asked, "So what then? Every journey comes to an end. If you don't kill yourself in your genocide, what's the end to your story? Maybe open up a quant little bakery? I'd buy some Thanos Truffles. Or maybe you could start a bed and breakfast?"
Chuckling, Thanos shook his head, "If you survive the purge, maybe I'll tell you."
With a flex, Naruto summoned his Six Paths Chakra Cloak, the orange flames flickering angrily. Keeping still, Naruto said, "Do you honestly think the survivors of this purge would let you live that ending you want?"
"It's not likely." Thanos admitted, "They're free to their anger. But my goal isn't about the consequences it has against me. It's about what it does for everyone-"
Thanos halted, feeling a sudden shift in the air. As the hairs on the back of his neck began to lift, the ground began to quake, the rubble around them vibrating violently. Eyes squinting as Naruto became as bright as a star, Thanos lifted his Infinity Gauntlet covered arm to block the beams of light.
As it relented, the Mad Titan could not help but admire the man before him.
His black uniform now seemed to be made of a purple ember, the orange highlights now blazing gold. Sprawled along his collar and stomach sat the usual sealing matrix, with a matching gold color. Naruto's hair, which was now a matching purple, danced lethargically as the shinobi took in the Cosmic Energy around him.
Opening his eyes, Naruto bent his knees at the ready.
"Magnifice-"
Thanos stumbled back as Naruto drove his fist into the Titan's sternum, bending the man into his fist.
Feeling the armor bend from the force, Thanos flexed the Infinity Gauntlet, red energy enveloping the ground beneath them. As he transmuted the ground to break them apart, the energy lair began to glitch, struggling to do as it was told.
The Titan's confusion quickly shifted from confusion to realization, "You canceled out the stone." He stated confidently, "This form…it's Cosmic Energy. That's the only way you could stop the Reality Stone."
Naruto didn't respond, driving his free hand into Thanos' throat. Gasping as his wind pipe nearly collapsed, the Titan stumbled back.
"Intercepting the bastard's transmutation with your own drained what little Cosmic Energy you'd gathered up, idiot." Kurama chastised, "Kill him, now."
"I know, I know!" Naruto thought back as he tried to drill a kick into the Titan's stomach.
Flexing the gauntlet, Thanos was swallowed in red energy. As Naruto's kick made contact, he phased through him like a ghost.
His face contorted into rage and understanding, Thanos gasped out, "No, you can't cancel out the stone. But you can counter my transmutation if you have the opening. Interesting." He points the Infinity Gauntlet towards the blonde, "Let's test that."
With a 'throom,' the Reality Stone lit up as energy surrounded the ground around them.
Jumping in the air, Naruto evaded the four hands made of stone as they burst from the ground. The hands chased after him, their arms being fed by the Reality Stone. From the ever growing arms, smaller hands emerged, creating a web of stone appendages as they swerved and danced after their target.
Grunting as he bounced off the galleries crumbling walls to dodge the persistent hands, Naruto threw his hands out as he released a giant burst of lightning. Skating along the stone hands, the lightning tore the appendages apart.
Seeing his attack wasn't working, Thanos released his control over the hands, the now towering monoliths freezing in place.
Landing on the most intact arm, Naruto shot down towards the ground, chakra laced feet keeping him from falling off the vertical platform.
Thanos didn't see the man coming, jumping in shock as Naruto suddenly appeared in his guard. Lifting his arms up to block the incoming kick, he was disappointed when Naruto again vanished in a blur. He couldn't even look around before the blonde appeared behind him, driving his foot into the Titan's knee cap.
Roaring as he heard and felt the bone snap, Thanos dropped to his good knee.
Appearing at Thanos' side in another blur, Naruto lifted his hand up as he summoned a Truth-Seeking Ball. Forming it into a sword, Naruto gripped the blade made of pure energy before swinging down on the Titan's left forearm.
And with one smooth stroke, the Infinity Gauntlet clattered to the ground with a heavy 'clang.'
Roaring in pain and rage, Thanos clutched at the amputated arm. As purple blood painted the ground beneath them in a violent splatter, Naruto calmly raised his Truth-Seeking Blade to Thanos' throat.
"Yield." Naruto demanded.
Huffing, his face contorting from agony, the Titan muttered, "Just do it, son. Get it over with."
"You don't get the easy way out." The blonde explained.
Thanos chuckled, "Is this supposed to show that you're better than me? Hm? Mercy isn't sending me to the corner to think about my mistakes. Mercy is taking away the threat I possess."
"From where I'm standing, you're not much of a threat-"
"I will always be a threat." Thanos retorted through clenched teeth,"Change will always challenge the status quo, and a change is coming. Me, you…we are change. If it's not me, they'll be after you soon enough. We are inevitable."
Naruto took several breaths; in and out, in and out. Shoulders relaxed, Naruto lowers his blade.
As Thanos looked up, pity in his eyes, Naruto looks away with pity in his own.
Shling!
Thanos grunts, the Truth-Seeking Blade plunged into his chest. Smiling passed the blood that was flowing down his lips, staining his teeth purple, the Titan gargled, "Perhaps I underestimated you, son."
As he goes limp, Naruto pulled the blade free, dispersing it into nothingness.
From the corner of his eye, he sees a red light still shining. Frowning in thought, Naruto picks up the Infinity Gauntlet, the Mad Titan's severed arm still sitting in place. The stone vibrated in its slot, the energy buzzing against the gauntlet's metal knuckle.
Another flash of light caught his eye, coming from Thanos.
Slowly, the Titan began to fade away, eaten away by the Reality Stone's red energy. As the last vestiges of Thanos evanesced, the Infinity Gauntlet in Naruto's hands followed suit.
Letting go out of reflex, the gauntlet dropped to the ground. And just as it was about to hit the floor, it was gone.
Looking down at where Thanos had once been, Naruto barely noticed Thor burst into the gallery. Seeing the blonde was alone, the frazzled Thor let his guard down, putting one hand on his hip as he caught his breath, "Apologies for the wait. That Centurian was a tough nut to crack." He paused, "Not that I couldn't crack that nut. If I'd wanted too, I could have. He just disappeared before I could really let loose-"
Naruto ignored the Asgardian's boasting, as Kurama spoke over him, "The bastard was an illusion all along."
"I noticed." The blonde thought with agitation. Walking up to Thor, he set his hand on the Asgardian's shoulder, "Come on, we're leaving."
Thor couldn't get a word out before they disappeared in a flash of yellow.
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Location: The Sanctuary II
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"What will you do now, my Lord?"
Kneeling within the Sanctuary's throne room, the Other cowered beneath the power exuding from his master. Shining over him like the tiniest of stars, the Reality Stone sat with the Infinity Stone, the gem vibrating dangerously.
From his throne, Thanos looked over his new weapon in thought, "Even with the Reality Stone, I am no match against the Maelstrom."
"But my Lord, you are the most powerful-"
"The Maelstrom has three Infinity Stones, you fool. No being has dared wield such power. He is the most powerful being in the universe."
The Other, not wanting to argue with his master, nodded deeply, "As you say, my Lord."
From behind the Other, Ebony Maw glided up to his master's side, "What would you have us do, Father?"
Smiling at his son's question, Thanos continued to stare into the Reality Stone's beautiful gem, "How do you break a man, my boy?"
"You break what he loves."
"You do me proud, son."
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Chapter Complete
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Author's Note: For anyone wanting to know, the Infinity Watch uniforms' designs are from the SpaceX space suits. This chapter was a lot of fun to write, and I'd love to know what you guys think. Next chapter will introduce Spider-Man and She-Hulk, and will be a fun heist film inspired chapter. Hopefully it'll be out before Spider-Man Far From Home. If anyone has any questions that want immediately answered, feel free to PM me. Please drop a review, and don't be afraid to favorite and follow this story.
