Epilogue

Hoshi rubbed her brow, she had been at this base for far too many hours. She shooed the doctor away complaining he didn't know what he was talking about and then slipped into the wheelchair. She had protested coming back but Tony was strangely into protecting her. Guilt perhaps? She didn't know and she didn't like it. Either way, she hated being in military compounds. Seiza said, 'you felt it though?'

'Kayura bears the black inferno.'

'Irony isn't it,' Seiza replied sadly. 'She also left for the nether realm.'

Hoshi quietly pondered as her head throbbed, she was hungry but she would deal with that later. She heard the ring of bell and she looked back at the child spirit in the corner of the lonely room, "you're meddling again, Suzunagi?"

"It is not I this time, my Lady," she replied. "Remember the tale of the two armors."

"Destruction will fall Earth, should they exist together," she recited from memory. She rubbed her head, "let me be honest, I can't deal with you right now."

The little girl giggled, "did I ever tell you my favorite tales are of the heroic kind?"

Hoshi thought about stories like Momotaro, Susanoo, and Raijin, "what are you trying to tell me? I also don't have time for your riddles."

Suzunagi just smiled as the door opened and her eyes grew wide as she a man stand in the door way. She felt tears stung her eyes, "Big Faun!"

He smiled at her as the two kids pushed past him and yelled, "MOM!"

Junko and Seito hugged the silver haired woman, they looked haggard but she assumed she didn't look much better. Hoshi rubbed a hand through their hair and kissed their foreheads, "what did I tell you about traipsing about like that?"

Junko and Seito began their tales at the same time but Hoshi couldn't understand any of it with them talking over each other, all she knew was she felt the armor of Strata with Seito. Which was strange to her but he seemed more likely than Junko because of his mannerisms, "hold up..."

Kento said, "guys, your mom is not well...go hang out with the colonel for a while. I'll let her know."

The two scowled and left quietly as he knelt down in front of her, and touched the chair, "what's this?"

She scowled at him, "the owari..."

He kissed her cheek softly, "the armors have their consequences, right?"

She looked away, "why is Seito the bearer of Strata?"

"Darned if I know," he said with a shake of the head. "I mean other than he's a lot wiser than his sister, who is technically Ro's, I don't know. Speaking of which..."

"Why were they in Africa?"

"Apparently, Elimu and her met at that Gala..."

Hoshi rubbed her forehead, "didn't I tell her not to get involved with him?"

He nodded, "he's having a long talk with his parents...Cye and Raleigh are going to your father's place to set up."

"We're staying then," she asked.

"Obviously, we're meant to be here," he said, "this won't be resolved by you taking the armors again."

"Yeah," she paused, "the warlords?"

"Gone, like normal."

"Hm," she replied thinking that Dais knew something she needed to know. The last few years, he had been less forth coming with her and she wondered why but she paid it no mind until. "I'm guessing Maria is well?"

"Oh, yeah, and we found White Blaze."

"Oh," she paused in shock as Seiza snickered.

Kento was about to continue talking as the door opened again and Hoshi smiled as she saw Clint walk in. Her husband looked at him strangely and then looked at her questionably as the man said, "Fury seems to be avoiding you like the plague."

"He would," she laughed.

Kento raised an eyebrow as the man continued, "he wants you to talk to Cap though."

"Me?"

He nodded, "says you owe him a favor."

Hoshi rubbed her brow again, "about?"

"Says you'll know," he said.

Hoshi nodded and then said Kento trying to discern his face, "your that spy...right? The one that's part of the avengers..."

She snorted, "is that really where you recognize him from."

Clint smiled at Kento. Hoshi could swear that mischievous smile was the work of Kento back from the early days. He held out a hand to the big man, "Clint Barton."

Kento shook it, "wait...uh...minute..."

Clint smiled.

"You and that red head caused that incident Kyoto," he complained as the man laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

Kento paused again.

"No..."

Clint nodded, "hey, there Kento."

"Little Buddy," he said in shock and grabbing him into a bear hug. "You...you're an avenger! I think that might be cooler than us...wait why'd you pick a bow? Out of all of our weapons..."

Hoshi snickered lightly, "I'm going to let you boys catch up while I go talk to the Cap then."

"He's hanging out with Blaze in the hanger, Fury didn't like the idea of big cat in the base," Clint said. "Seems like they're friends now though."

Hoshi smiled to herself as she wheeled out of the room. She was able to find the hanger fairly easily by following the looks of uneasy soldiers. Guns, bombs, and possibility of super natural shenanigans didn't seem to bother them but a gigantic wild feline. She understood their fear.

It seemed like the Captain was the only one not afraid of the beast. Feeding him some of his rations as she rolled into view. She hadn't had a whole lot of talk with him but he seemed like a decent man. Especially if Tony was trying to set him up with her Kay. His blonde hair and blue eyes would kill any girl, and she wondered how her warlord felt. It was hard not to fall for a man like that.

White Blaze bounded to her the instant he saw her and she scratched his head, "hello, old friend. You got mad at Ryo too? Don't worry, you'll see him soon."

The beast chuffed as he scratched himself against her chair and she caught the Captain's eyes. He reminded her so much of someone from her past, "we haven't really had a chance to meet have we? I apologize that I can't stand at attention, sir."

He looked at her, "doctor Hoshi Nakano. You were at the one party that where Tony made a complete fool of himself in Brooklyn."

"Isn't that every time he throws a party," she laughed, "where is the fool anyways?"

"Said something about checking on Pepper, Ma'am."

"Always on something that one is and they say that I'm manic," she mumbled and then paused, "You don't have to call me that Captain, I was in the army just like you were. I think we can be frank with one another as experiments of S.H.I.E.L.D as well."

White Blaze trotted back to the man sitting on cargo boxes and nuzzled him, "your one of the originals they talk about then."

"Yes, and I met Peggy once."

He nodded, "and?"

"Stubborn lady but fairly certain of my surgical skills long before I realized it was too late to use them," she paused. "She had a thing for seeing talent in people I suppose. She worked Rowen's dad as a liaison, suggesting Rowen go to MIT where he met Tony. Hell of a woman."

He folded his hands, "I fail to see why you bring her up."

"Tony was certain you had a thing for my Kay."

"Yours?"

He saw something dark flash in her eyes, "she is mine. Don't get me wrong, I want her to be happy but not the expense of our continuity."

He stood up, she wondered if he was trying to intimidate her. Had it been the old days, maybe it would have but she was hardly scarred of anything, "Did Fury send you here?"

"He did," she answered. "I brought up Peggy because I agree with her, I see great things from you but...falling in love with Kayura would be falling in love with a sword. No matter how gentle you are with her, she'll slice you open. I don't want you to be tied to our fate of destruction when your destined for a whole lot more."

He asked, "then you are against my proposal?"

"Proposal," she asked in shock. She shook her head and then said, "I'm guessing you asked Dais. Damn spider... No, you are more than welcome to tie your destiny to hers. I just wanted to give you fair warning that there will not be an easy future ahead."

He knelt down so he could at her in the eye, "Ma'am. I went through a war that saw no future and lived through something that should have killed me. I have had my share of mistakes and rough spots, so don't think I'm just some hero."

"Hm, you're stubborn like she is," she said with a smile and pinched his cheek. "Don't worry, she'll be back soon...ish..."

He nodded, "thanks doc."

She wheeled away from him easily, "I promise you, Captain, she'll be back...don't mope about too much!"

He sighed and looked down at the tiger who seemed to be shaking his head in disbelief. He scratched the cat's head, "she tellin' the truth, boy?"

White Blaze seemed to pause to think and licked his cheek like an over grown mastiff. Steve really hoped he could believe the small woman, but there was something about the way she acted that bothered him. She was right though, he wasn't going to mope for her just yet. He had a ghost to track down.

Abrupt ending is abrupt. I apologize for that, I feel like that the second part would have dragged on to long. Anyways, but the end is not the end! I wanted more cute moments with Kay and Steve, so I decided to continue the story when she comes back from the nether. I mean uber cute moments...like eating Sushi (Ookamiprincess) and awkward kisses. Anyways, give me a few days and there will cuteness overload. (I also wanted to thank Ookamiprincess for all the help.)

To BE Continued in 'O Matsu'.