"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Sound effects!
"Phone call"
Avengers compound Medical center next day (Wanda POV)
I was third shift on Toni watch.
Jennifer just left so I would be on watch for the next six hours.
"You know I wanted to kill you." I says to Toni as she sleeps.
"I blamed you for the deaths of my parents, I was convinced you were evil incarnate." I continued to voice my thoughts.
I go gets fresh ice pack and replace the old one on her head. I look to see if there is any difference but she just slept there unmoving.
"When Nat asks me to come to your poker night I said no at first. But she convinced me to go and I don't regret it. You showed me kindness and friendship when you could have ignored me. You defeated my brother and I from your own government, even when the world blamed us for a disaster." I say sitting back down in the chair.
"Wake up soon Toni, god knows what will happen if your gone to long." I whisper hoping she wakes.
Avengers compound medical center 2 days later (Natasha POV)
Jennifer decided to double up on Toni watch so we don't go crazy just sitting here worrying.
"Not sure if I told you, but the first time I met Toni she hired me and fired a gun into the ceiling." Jen says pulling up a chair to sit next to me.
"The first time I met her she hit on me." I reply with a chuckle.
There was silence as we reminisce about our experiences with the strange woman who we both call friend.
"She has a terrible taste in fashion, Pepper picks most of her public appearance clothes. But if it was her decision... she would run around in sweat pants, T-shirt, toe socks, and combat boots." I say remembering all the times I caught her in that combo.
"Toe socks?" Jen says amused.
"She says there humanity's greatest gift." I say rolling my eyes.
"I love her like a sister but she is weird." Jennifer says looking at Toni.
"I don't think weird covers it, she says some random stuff and does even more random things." I say with a smirk.
"Like when she was singing a duet with Friday while shooting antique vases, she was so nonchalant when we walked in." Jen says smiling.
"Or when she and Rhodey were racing in there suits and crashed into a Wendy's then proceeded to buy twenty frostys." I say laughing.
We fell into silence once again with a laugh now and again.
"You know Friday and Jarvis will have honorary degrees in medicine after all the work they've done to try and help." I say solemnly.
"How are they?" Jen asks.
"There going through everything that could relate to why this is happening, they even brought out Vivian to help." I say remembering getting ignored by the AI's earlier today.
"Toni always treated them like her children, I'm not surprised there doing everything to help." Jen says.
"Well let's hope she comes out of this soon." I say going back to watching Toni.
Wakanda Citadel Princess suite 2 days later (Shuri POV)
It was time to visit Toni again which has become my favorite activity. She understands me, she lets me explore science with almost no boundaries. My brother is jealous of Toni, that is very obvious, I try to spend time with him but any time Toni comes up he get a bitchy look. Father says he will grow out of it and I hope he does.
Rolling one of my Kimoyo Beads I call Toni for a heads up on my visit.
"Hello Princess I'm sorry but Miss Stark cannot come to the phone right now." The voice of Jarvis greets me which is strange because normally he just forwarded my call to Toni.
"Uh can you tell me when she will be available I'm heading over in a little." I says starting to worry.
"Miss Stark will be unavailable until the foreseeable future." Jarvis says.
"What does that mean?!" I ask really worried now.
"Oh big brother just tell her! She has a right to know." Friday's voice cuts in.
"As you wish, Miss Stark has had a medical emergency and has been in a coma for five days." Jarvis says a slight trembling in his usual monotone.
"What kind of medical emergency? Maybe Wakanda can help. I'll talk to my father and open the Citadels hospitals for her." I says ready to rush off and talk to my father.
"It is unwise to move Miss Stark at this time." Jarvis replies.
"But if you want to visit Boss Lady that's fine." Friday adds.
"I'll fly out immediately, where is she?" I ask already out the door.
"The Avengers compound medical center you will be given access." Jarvis informs me.
"Thanks I'll be there soon!" I say hanging up.
Running down to the throne room I push the large doors open and see my father talking with my mother.
"Father there is an emergency! Miss Stark is in a coma and I need to see her." I say panting from the run.
"I'll have a jet ready soon and guards to escort you, I will pray to Bast for Stark to make a full recovery." My father says starting to shouting orders.
Avengers compound entrance 4 hours later (Peter POV)
Getting to know Shuri for a few months was great, she was smart, kind, and loved to bounce ideas late into the night. So when she called saying Miss Stark was in a coma I said I'll meet her there. Miss Stark had accidentally become a mother figure to me even if she may not see it that way. So getting Miss Potts to send a car and take me to the compound was an easy decision. Now I was just waiting for Shuri to arrive so I could see Miss Stark with her.
"Spiderling the princess has arrived so look sharp." Friday says.
"What does she mean by that?" I think watching the entrance.
It was moments like this that drove home the point that Shuri was a princess through and through. She came storming in flanked by four scary looking bald lady's. When she sees me I get rushed into a hug and a glare from her bodyguards.
"Yup that glare says one wrong move and you die!" I think returning the hug.
Walking down the hallway towards the medical center she clings to me the whole way. Once we enter I see Dr Cho taking readings while talking to Captain American and the Winter soldier.
"Hello I am Shuri princess of Wakanda. I have come here to see Miss Stark and her condition." She says with an air of royalty getting there attention.
"Oh hello your majesty I am Dr Helen Cho, and I'm in charge of Miss Stark's health." The doctor says bowing.
"Can you tell me what is wrong?" Shuri asks with a serious demeanor.
"At this time I have no idea. We took some blood for testing when that was possible but we found nothing. She is changing at a rapid pace and we don't know when it will stop." Dr Cho explained.
"What do you mean when it was possible to take blood?" I ask confused.
"About fifteen hours ago Miss Stark's skin became to dense to penetrate with needles. All of our tests are being done with X-ray and ultrasound machines. If I had to compare her current physiology, the closest person would be Thor." Dr Cho says with an defeated tone.
"Could it have been radiation exposure like Banner or Walters?" Cap asks.
"No all of her radiation levels are normal." Dr Cho says.
"Could it be magical?" I ask getting weird looks.
"If it is we don't have any way to test for that. But that is a valid theory considering all the people you guys fight. I'll ask Wanda if she can sense anything, she is the closest person to an expert we have." Dr Cho says leaving the room.
"We will give you guys some room." The Winter soldier says grabbing Caps arm and dragging him out.
Once the room was just Shuri, her guards, and I we both moved to the sides of the hospital bed. Shuri runs her hand down Miss Stark's arm saying something I can't understand. I just looked at the woman who was larger than life continue to sleep. I keep looking until Shuri tugs my arm and hands me a tissue, I reach up to my cheek and feel tears rolling down my face.
"Thanks..." I mumbled.
"Would you like to talk?" Shuri says with a watery smile.
We spent the next few hour talking about everything that Miss Stark had done for us. Nurturing Shuri's love of science when many said she was to young. Helping me become a better hero and helping me whenever she could. It wasn't until Vision came to relieve us that we noticed it was hours later.
Avengers compound medical center 2 days later (Toni POV)
It felt like I was drifting in empty space for days just looking at the stars.
When the dream ends I sit up and noticed it was dark outside, checking the clock on the wall I see it's 5 am.
"Maybe I am working to hard if I just pass out randomly." I thought stretching my stiff joints.
Looking around I see I'm in a hospital bed in the compound hooked up to a lot of health monitoring machines. I'm only wearing a hospital gown and nothing else and it was cold.
"Friday bring me home outfit 23, I'm in a comfort mood." I say rubbing my eyes.
"Boss! Your awake! Thank goodness, I was about to start praying!" Friday says sounding way to exited.
"What's with all the cheer, I just passed out. I've done this before?" I ask confused.
"Mam you have been in a coma for seven days. Dr Cho has been attending you the whole time." Jarvis says shocking me.
"Seven days! What the hell happened!?" I yell in disbelief.
Before they could answer the door to the room opens and Nat runs in. She scans the room before her eyes fall on me. She just looks at me like I'm a ghost as she rubs her own eyes.
"Toni is that you?" She says with a tremble.
"I don't see any other beautiful geniuses around so you tell me." I say with a smirk.
"Jarvis call everyone to the medical center! Friday notify anyone not in the compound!" She says rushing over to me.
I couldn't get a word in as she wrapped me in a hug and spewed incoherent words of affection. Everyone and I mean literally everyone came spilling into the room. They all talked over each other until it was a mess of words I didn't comprehend.
"Everyone calm down!" I shout getting them to shut up.
I disentangle my self from Nat's hug of death and move her in front of me with surprising ease.
"Is Nat lighter for some reason." I thought.
"Now listen I'm going to need you to talk one at a time so I ca- what's with the looks of horror?" I say because in the middle of my sentence there faces turn to terror.
Wanda raised her hand and pointed behind me so I turn. There was a portal with black energy writhing around to a place I know all to well.
"Oh that's Helheim..." I think seeing the realm of the dead.
I was being pulled in!
"Oh fuck me sideways!" I yell as I fly through the air into the portal.
"TONI!" I hear before the portal closes.
Avengers compound medical center same time (Natasha POV)
Silence.
Deafening silence.
Events in order. Toni wakes up, we gather to see if she's alright, she tells us to calm down, portal opens, Toni gets sucked into said portal.
"What the fuck just happened?" Steve says way to calmly.
That broke us out of our frozen state.
"Toni was just kidnapped by wizards!" Pietro yells.
"I'm starting a full scale manhunt!" Rhodey yells pulling his phone out.
"Repent for the rapture is here!" Friday yelled turning full blow religious.
Everyone was in a state of panic.
"Everyone please be quiet!" I yell punching the wall causing it to crumble silencing them again.
"Now here's what we're gonna do. Call every enhanced Toni has contacted and start a search. Princess Shuri will be here soon, tell her what happened so we get Wakand to help. We don't involve anyone else or the news that Toni Stark was taken will spread like wild fire. Now move!" I say sending everyone off to do there tasks.
It was just Steve and I left.
"No seriously what the fuck just happened." He repeated still stuck in that spot.
Smash!
The only sensible thing I could do was slam my head into the wall making another hole.
Helheim same time (Toni POV)
Walking through the waste land that was the realm of the dead I remember why I took that deal to leave. The sky was a burnt orange and the sand was gray for as far as the eye could see. I take a familiar path that leads to the only structure here, my castle I built out of sand and stone. I don't know how long it took to construct but it was massive. Now I know what the coma was, my body was adapting to be Asgardian again.
"Odin must be at deaths door for this to happen." I say to the waste land I pass.
Coming up to the massive stone doors I push them open with my old strength back it was a simple task. The throne room I made was grand and depressing at the same time, dark and empty like every second I was here. In the middle of the room I see a vortex of power as black as night pulsing with green lights.
"Did you miss me?" I say to my power.
It doesn't answer as I walk closer until I'm a few inches from it. Stepping into the maelstrom I feel energy enter every part of me. A light shows that probably can be seen for miles as it gets smaller and smaller condensing into my body. When it's over I stand there feeling whole, like a part of me that was missing just came back.
"Let's see if I remember how to summon clothes." I say remembering I'm only in a hospital gown.
With a wave of my hand I'm covered in a black and green bodysuit that was my old armor making me say only one thing.
"What the fuck was I thinking! This is so uncomfortable!" I yell tugging the skin tight bodysuit for any give.
"Well this will have to do. I don't know how to summon anything else." I grumble walking out of the castle.
"You don't need to know any other spells Hela, don't waste your time in the library Hela, go genocide that planet Hela." I say in a bad Odin impression.
Another portal opens showing a green cliff side overlooking the ocean. There are people on the other side waiting for me.
"This must be where Odin died." I think stepping through leaving my former prison forever.
Norway cliff side ten minutes earlier (Thor POV)
The wizard placed us on a cliff side and in the distance I spy a lone figure. Running up I see my father's face more content than ever before.
"Father." I say approaching him.
"Look at this place it's beautiful." Father says looking out to the horizon.
"Father it's us." I say to father as Loki walk up to his other side.
"My sons I've been waiting for you." Father says in an almost whimsical tone.
"I know we've come to take you home." I say expecting him to rejoice.
"Home yes... your mother she calls me... do you hear it." He says with a sad voice which confused me.
"Loki lift your magic." I grit out expecting to see Loki's infamous smirk but he is as befuddled as I.
"Haha it took me quite a while to break free from your spell, Frigga would have been proud. Come sit with me I don't have much time." Father says to Loki them moves over to a some rocks to have a seat.
"Father I know we failed you, but we can make this right." I say with remorse.
"I failed you, Tis upon us... Ragnarok." He says looking tired.
"No I stopped Ragnarok, I put an end to Surtur." Confidence in that answer.
"No it's already begun, she's coming. My life was all that held her back, but my time has come. I cannot keep her away any longer." He says like he is reveling a great sin.
Loki and I share a look but father continues.
"Father who are you talking about?" I ask wondering who father would use his own life to stop.
"The Goddess of death Hela... my first born, your sister." He says dropping a heavy truth.
"What?" I say in disbelief.
"Her violent appetite grew beyond my control. I couldn't stop her so I imprisoned her, locked her away. She draws her strength from Asgard, once she gets there her power will be limitless." Father says like he doomed us all.
"What ever she is we can stop her together, we can face her together." I say hoping that was true.
"No we won't... I'm on a different path now, this you must face alone." He says dashing my hope quickly.
"I love you my son's... look at that, remember this place. Home." Father says his last words before moving on to Valhalla.
We stand there watching the gold energy that was our father drift off into the sky. The sadness I feel burrows deep in my heart, but there is no time for that. I let my emotions run a little cause lightning to dance on my fingers.
"Brother." Loki say trying to calm me down.
"This was your doing." I say about to attack but stop.
A black dot appears off in the distance with a green light shining through. I shared a look with Loki and we began to walk towards it dawning our battle gear.
Norway cliff side current time (Toni POV)
Walking out of the portal I'm greeted with Thor and Loki ready to fight. I probably should not say this but it spilled out anyway.
"No corpse how disappointing." I say paying no mind to the atmosphere.
"Stark... no she is mortal. I know not how you dawned this visage but it will not fool me!" Thor says raising my hammer.
Loki seemed to actually be thinking about the situation but Thor was just ready to fight.
"If you listen to me instead of running you mouth-" I start to say but get interpreted.
"You didn't even get the hair right! My shield sister has brown hair not black so cease with the tricks." He continues like an idiot.
"Hela perhaps we can make an arrangement." Loki says proving there both stupid.
"You sound just like Odin and that just pisses me off." I say annoyed now.
Thor did not wait for the conversation to continue as he throw Mjølnir right at my face. I stop it point blank with my palm and grab it by the handle putting it at my side.
"You will get this back when I say so." I say not impressed by his actions.
"Bring us back!" Loki shouts to the heavens like a coward.
"No!" Thor says making a mad dash for me.
The Bifrost shoots a beam down catching both of them and me not one to miss an opportunity jump in after them. Thor shouts something when he sees me coming up and Loki throws a dagger at me. Grabbing it I toss it back with a little to much force and kick him into space.
"Oops I hope he's alright." I mumbled.
Coming up on Thor he sucker punches me in the face so I punch him back. He goes for another blow but I'm faster and kick him in the chest sending him after Loki.
"Ok really going to need to get familiar with my old strength." I say disappointed that I accidentally threw them into the void.
Asgard Bifrost entryway same time (Toni POV)
Walking out I see some bearded dude startle at me popping out of the Bifrost. One more moves with caution while the third has a mop, raising my hands in the universal sign of peace I try and talk to them.
"Hay I'm not here to make trouble, I'm Thor's shield sister." I say hoping they don't ask to many questions.
"What is your name?!" The beard demanded.
"Toni Stark of earth." I say keeping my hands up.
"The blacksmith, I imagined you to be bigger." He says now scratching his chin.
"Hey! five nine is a perfectly average hight!" I say insulted.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend, where is Thor and Loki?" He asks looking behind me like they would just appear.
"They got into a fight on the way, Thor said he would arrive later." I lie trying to speed this up.
"Ah that sounds like them. What is your business here?" He says with a chuckle.
"Thor just said wait in the palace until his business with Loki is finished." I lie again then remember what I took from Thor.
Pulling up Mjølnir they gasp.
"If you are worthy of Thor's hammer you are a truly his companion." The green armor dude says.
"I'll have Fandral lead you, please enjoy your stay as Thor's shield sister." The beard says with a smile.
"Follow me to the palace, as Thor's shield sister you will stay in a royal guest room." He says gesturing to the shining city.
Asgard Palace 30 minutes later (Toni POV)
Walking up to the tacky gold palace I only could think one thing.
"Uh what an eyesore."
My guide walks in front of he pointing out interesting spots.
"And now the crown jewel of Asgard the royal palace." He says making a wide arc with his arms.
"I'll find my way from here." I say walking into the large throne room.
"I really should accompany you." He says starting to follow.
"Don't worry I'll just be waiting here until Thor arrives, what's the worst that can happen." I say with more charm.
"Alright... but if you need anything just shout." He says leaving me alone.
Walking to the throne I feel an old part of me demand to sit but a much more powerful part of me said fuck that shit, I leave Mjølnir on the throne. Looking up I see all of Odin's lies in the form of a mural depicting peace and harmony and not the blood stained truth. Ignoring the art I walk the path I know leads to the vault. Once I enter I look around to see most of this stuff was fake except for a few things.
"Casket of eternal winters, should probably leave that." I say moving on.
"So that where the Tesseract ended up, I should just chuck that thing into a black hole." I say ignoring the death cube.
Walking further I see the eternal flame burning and a Surtur skull close to it.
"Nope that like keeping a self-destruct button ready to go." I say grabbing the skull and tossing it at the door.
Walking to the flame I pick some up for what I'm about to do. Remembering were the undead army was, I summon a hammer and smash a hole into the vaults floor opening the secret tomb. Jumping down I see rows and rows of dead but I was not here for them.
"What has become of you my faithful companion." I whisper sadly at Fenris's emaciated body.
Walking over to my fluffy boi I pour the eternal flame into his body reanimating him. He jump up ready to battle I quickly start to scratch his neck.
"Be calm my friend there is no battle here, you shall have peace." I say calming tone.
He looks at me deeply as if seeing me for the first time then calms down giving a soft whine. reaching for his neck I give him a hug with all the affection I have.
"Let's leave this place, it's far to cramped for you my friend." I say giving him one last scratch.
Hopping out of the tomb with my fluffy boi we returned to the throne room. Thinking of my best course of action I absentmindedly rub Fenris's side causing his tail to wag.
"Let's him get you some food then we can look around." I say getting an even faster tail wag from my fluffy boi.
Asgard palace library 2 hours later (Toni POV)
Sitting down in the library with Fenris sitting next to me eating a pile of fine steak I got from the empty kitchen devoid of people. I grab some important books from the many shelves and take a seat at a table. The strange thing was there is no staff in the palace, not a soul. Deciding to forget that I open the first book.
"Duplication magic, a complete guide to copying any object." I read the title aloud. I had great magical potential but Odin said I only needed combat magic.
Magic was mostly science given form with energy from the user so if you know how physics works you can be a damn good magic user. Luckily I still retained my genies level brain so this would be a piece of cake.
"So most duplication spells require raw materials to complete." I say scratch my cheek.
Two hours later I finished the book and was ready to test.
"Ok so focus on what you want to copy and will the other material to take that shape." I say picking up the book.
Focusing on the book I finished I hold out my palm to the table. It glows for a second and a chunk of wood floats up, seems to melt, the chunk turns into the book I'm holding. Opening the newly made book I see all the text has been copied.
"Ok part one down, now part two." I say grabbing the second book I got.
"Storage magic, carry anything you want in a pocket dimension." I read the title aloud.
Spending an hour on this book I see that you just need to tear a small hole in reality and form a bubble for the objects to reside in. Holding my hand up it glows when I chopped the air and a tear opens which I slip my copied book into. Waving my hand again the air seals up, one more wave and the tear open so I reach in and pull out the book.
"Success!" I yell to the empty palace.
"Owoooooooooooooowhoo!" Fenris howls at my excitement happy for me.
"Now I just need copy and store every book in the library so we can take it to our new home." I say
Looking at the massive and numerous shelves filled with thousands of books my mood quickly drops.
"I'm going to be here a while." I mumbled getting a whimper from Fenris.