A/N: If you don't like the character's, plot or pairings, then don't read.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Captain America, only my character/s
WORD COUNT: 2, 566
Chapter 13:
Anger is also a Powerful Emotion
Seph jumped out of the way of Bobby's ice beam, groaning as she rubbed the flakes off her shoulders, trying to generate heat back into her joint as she shivered. She was always so sensitive to the cold, ever since she was sixteen, which probably was due to her hidden mutation and she moved back, standing straight as she panted.
The Avengers and Joey were standing back, away from the line of fire as Bobby sighed, "you need to fight back, Seph." He said, his hands starting to ice over slowly.
"I can't get close enough!" Seph yelled in frustration, "you try to turn me into an ice sculpture every time I get close!"
"How did you access your powers last time?" Natasha asked from behind the safe-zone.
"I was in a lot of pain and remembering forgotten memories, I can't exactly recall what sparked my mutation." Seph answered sarcastically, dodging another ice beam.
"Try using a powerful memory." Tony suggested.
"What do you think that's going to accomplish for me?" Seph asked, standing still and she closed her eyes, concentrating.
"The stronger the memory, the stronger your feelings are toward it. Think of a happy memory. Happiness is a powerful emotion, or so I've heard." Bruce answered, shrugging.
Seph sighed, concentrating on her happiest memories.
"Daddy!" A three-year-old Persephone called, her little backpack bouncing on her back as she sprinted as fast as her little legs could carry her toward her beloved father and away from her kindergarten. Michael held his arms out for his baby-girl as he lifted her into his arms and embraced her in his strong, fatherly arms, making the little Brandt feel safe and secure as Barbara ran toward her mother, getting the same treatment.
Bobby threw another ice-beam toward Seph and without opening her eyes, her hands lifted protectively in front of herself and the flames that sprung from her elbows out to the tips of her fingers, created a half-dome around her body, protectively shielding her, but it wasn't strong enough and the ice broke through and slammed straight into Seph's chest. She was flung off her feet and she landed on her back, shivering violently as her skin started to turn into a pale blue from the sub-zero temperatures Bobby emitted, before her body temperature rose to battle the cold conditions almost instantly.
"You almost got it, Aunt Seph!" Joey called on from behind Steve, his body half out as he fist-pumped the air enthusiastically.
"Maybe the memory wasn't strong enough, Persephone. What was it about?"
"I thought about my first day at kindergarten; my parents had come to pick Babs and I up and I just remember running to my Dad and seeing him made me so happy and when he hugged me. . . it felt like it was the safest I could ever be." Seph shakily got to her feet, rubbing her stomach, wiping the flecks of frost from her tank top.
"It was strong, but not strong enough. Think of something that had more of a significant impact in your life."
Seph took a deep breath and her eye caught a nervous Joseph.
Her nephew. Her only nephew that she loved with all her heart and wanted to protect more than anything in the world, from the day he was born.
Seph closed her eyes once more.
"Here, honey. You'll need to put these on, okay?" The nurse was kind and handed Seph a pair of scrubs and the sixteen-year-old quickly changed before walking to her sister's side, shaking as they prepped her for birth.
"H-hey, Babs." Seph's voice shook as she took Barbara's hand and her twin squeezed hard as another contraction felt like it was ripping through her. "Breathe, Babs. Look at me and breathe, just like all those classes taught you." Barbara turned to her sister and saw wide hazel eyes connect with hers as they breathed through the pain together.
The pain subsided as Seph wiped the sweat from Barbara's forehead, "good job, Barbie."
"I'm glad I asked. . you. . to come." Barbara panted hard, holding her sister's hand tighter. Seph's fingers were going blue but she didn't take any heed. Her forefront most thought was of Barbara and her soon-to-be-born baby.
Seph smiled gently, "have you ever gone wrong with me?"
"Okay, Barbara, you're fully dilated. In a few moments, I'm going to ask you to push, okay?" The head doctor spoke quickly, sitting in front of Barbara's spread legs as both Brandt twins nodded, readying themselves emotionally and mentally. Barbara gripped Seph's hand tighter and Seph squeezed back, keeping a firm hold on her sister as she slid her free arm underneath her sister's shoulder, propping her head up so she was a little more comfortable and the nurses that stood by smiled at the sibling love. "Alright now, Barbara, push!"
Seph had never heard such an unholy roar come out of Barbara's throat as she pushed as hard as her body would allow.
With the doctor's prompts to push and the baby feeling like it wasn't budging at all, Barbara was livid, sweaty and growling like a wild animal, "get this damn baby out of me!" She roared, "are you even doing your job right?!" Barbara screamed as she pushed as hard as she could, panting hard as she set her burning gaze on Seph, who gulped. "And what about you?! Shouldn't you be cheering me on?!"
"Hey!" Seph yelled back, not taking her sister's crap, momentarily forgetting she was only acting this way due to her hormones and pain, "zip it! If you want a cheerleader, go call Amy and she'll start spelling letters with her body. I'm the only one here, sister. Don't forget that, I'm the one watching you push my nephew out from your lady parts, so don't start on me just because I feel like fainting and I can't afford to lose anymore oxygen before my brain completely shorts out!" Seph's face was red as she slowly sucked air into her starving lungs.
It took a moment before everyone in the delivery room was laughing, including Seph and Barbara.
After that, it wasn't long.
"One more push, Barbara! Push as hard as you can, you're doing great!" The doctor encouraged from his place in between Babs' legs, aiding the baby to come out.
Barbara screamed in exertion as she pushed as hard as her body would allow, crushing Seph's hand in the process, before she slumped against the bed, panting as both twins heard the beautiful sound of the newest member of the Brandt family crying.
"It's a boy!" The doctor called, holding the crying newborn for both sisters to see. Barbara sobbed in happiness as she looked upon her son with wide, wonderful eyes.
"Miss. Brandt, would you like to cut the umbilical cord?" One of the nurses looked to Seph, holding a pair of medical scissors.
Seph nodded shakily, pressing a gentle kiss to Barbara's sweaty forehead before pulling away and she walked toward her newborn nephew, tears in her eyes and she took the scissors from the nurse. "Thank you." She thanked the nurse before turning to the baby and she cut the umbilical cord, just as they baby jerked and whined. Seph jumped back, horrified, "d-did I hurt him?!"
"No, not at all. He's just a little uncomfortable. I'll clean him up." The midwife assured Seph before she took the newborn and proceeded to clean him as Seph returned to Barbara's side.
Minutes passed as the midwife returned with a wriggling bundle of blue in her arms and she passed the baby to Seph.
Persephone quickly took hold of her nephew, marveling at how tiny he was and she cradled him to her bosom like a precious jewel as the tears finally overflowed, splashing onto the blue cloth beside his tiny head as she walked over to Barbara. "He's so beautiful, Babs," Seph's voice trembled, sniffling as she kissed his little forehead, revelling in his unique baby scent and she slowly and gently set him down and Barbara held her son for the first time, erupting into sobs.
"Hi, baby." Barbara whispered, running her fingertip gently down his cheek, "I'm your mummy and this is your Auntie Seph." The newborn slowly opened his eyes and indigo blue eyes stared into their genetic twin.
He had his mother's eyes.
"Welcome to the family, my sweet little nephew." Seph whispered, running her fingers through the short tufts of brown hair.
"Hi there, Joseph. My Joseph Michael Brandt." Barbara whispered, before she pressed a gentle kiss to his lips, welcoming her child into the world.
Seph raised her arms, her hair bright red as her expression was peaceful, serene even as the flames burned brighter and her lower arms were engulfed in flames once again and from her palms, it spread and created a half-dome around her again.
Bobby grunted in exertion as he rained an ice storm around her, but the flame dome was holding and as Seph opened her eyes, they were a piercing orange and she laughed in joy. "I did it!" The cryokinetic quickly halted his attack and Seph, now that there was no threat to her, the flames dissipated and she hugged Bobby tight as the Avengers congratulated Seph.
Steve and Joseph ran to Seph and she hugged them both tight, happy for the first time in days.
"I'm so happy for you, Persephone. Maybe the reason your power never sparked was because your emotional levels were never high enough for it to actually become a problem for you." Steve theorized, kissing the top of her head gently, smiling.
"Maybe." Seph agreed, holding both of her boys close.
"What did you think about?" Tony asked, cutting the family feel to the three's group hug.
"Um," Seph started, looking down at Joey, who too was excited to know, "I thought about the day Joey was born. I was in the delivery room with Barbara, I was the first person to hold him from the family." Seph stated proudly as Joseph blushed bright red, hiding his face in his hands.
"Aunt Seph!" He whined, his voice muffled by his palms, making them all laugh.
"Looks like you have a memory to hold on to." Bruce murmured, smiling gently.
"Sir, there has been a breach in security." Everyone looked to Tony as the billionaire whipped out his phone, looking for the problem.
"What's happening, buddy?"
"Someone is attacking my systems, I am unable to stop them. They are using some sort of firewall, it's codes are changing rapidly. I cannot decode fast enough to shut it down. I am unable to access the necessary security protocols." JARVIS' voice was as calm as ever, but Tony wasn't. He was rapidly clicking on his phone, sifting through the camera's.
Seph pulled Joseph close to her and he wrapped his arms around her waist as Steve stood in front of them protectively. Tony's eyes widened and his fingers ceased their movements as he looked up the group, "the prisoners are dead. When they hacked into JARVIS which should be impossible, but they've goddamn done it." Tony's eyes went wide before he threw his phone across the room, making Joey flinch as the phone clattered to the ground. "We're blind, they've cut all the cameras."
The Avengers huddled together as Steve stood in front of Seph, intending on protecting her as well as Bobby
Persephone looked down at her horrified nephew and rage sparked within her.
Hellfire would kill to get Persephone and they almost succeeded last time by trying to take Joseph.
Her nephew.
She wouldn't let that happen again.
Never.
Joseph sobbed into her chest, but the sound was drowned out by the explosion of the wall in front of them.
Fight fire with fire.
Time slowed to a stop as Seph pulled away from Joseph, running her fingers through his hair one more time before she took the center, in front of them all as the explosion rocked toward them, fire and debris hurtling toward Joseph.
Seph didn't care if she was hurt.
The only thing on her mind was to protect her friends and family.
The anger overtook her and all of the memories flooded her mind:
The day her powers awakened.
The day of the invasion where everything changed.
The anger and desperation that she was blamed for her family's demises.
The anger at her weakness.
The day she was attacked on her first date with Steve.
The anger at the fact that Joey had been targeted because of her.
The day she found the video.
The day she rediscovered her powers.
The day her parents died.
The day her twin died.
The debris never hit them, like they braced for. Bobby had put up a shield to protect them, but even he wasn't strong enough, the ice melted rapidly and what they saw shocked everyone to their core.
Persephone Brandt was in front of them, her entire body covered in flames as her ruby-red hair whipped around her. She had created a dome around them, a second layer of protection from the blast that was impenetrable. She was growling under her labored breathing as her orange eyes turned to the Hellfire operatives who came through the hole they made only to be met with the incensed pyrokinetic.
"Aunt Seph." Joey whispered from behind Steve, not scared of her, but in awe of her.
"Persephone." Steve's lips barely moved as he breathed her name, the same awed expression on his face as Joseph as he looked at the ethereal woman before him.
Persephone wasn't listening though, the dome around the team dissipated and retracted back to its conjurer, her clothes were hanging off her in burnt tatters, the floor was starting to blacken and burn through as she took a deep breath, her hands curling into claws as the assassins took out their weapons.
Emotionless. Fearless.
A big mistake.
Persephone's mouth opened and a piercing, animalistic roar erupted from her, her head tilting back as her eyes blazed and her body burned brighter.
She was ethereal.
Beautiful.
Worthy of a Greek Goddess.
She was dangerous.
A predator.
Worthy of a demon from Hell.
Persephone is the Hell Hound.
Hi guys!
I hope you enjoy this chapter, full of drama I know!
Just so you know and have an easier time imagining her roar, I envision it to be somewhere in between a tiger and a gorilla as they both have terrifying roars.
Thank you so much for your continued support and your love for this story! I appreciate it so much! Thank you again! Look out for the next chapter!