Chapter 19: Midnight Rescue
It didn't take long for the Quinjet to get everyone back to their homes. Astrid returned to New Mexico with Thor and Jane, Katrina returned to her home with Natasha and Clint, and the others returned to Stark Tower, a tired Sage accompanying them. Out of respect, she was allowed to be alone in her guest quarters with nothing but a pen, a journal, and her own thoughts.
Astrid changed into her nightclothes-a soft, dress-like outfit that wasn't anything fancy. She crashed into the bed, exhausted. Odin rolled himself onto a pillow, and nested himself into a good position, opening himself up. Astrid let out a long sigh.
"So, just how do you know Bahamut, Odin? He's Darkus, you're Ventus, he's a hotshot, you're very calm… You're two completely different Bakugan!" Astrid finally asked.
"You are right in that we are different in many ways. Although most of my memories are gone, the bond I must have forged with Bahamut long ago persevered through the loss. I have the feeling I know Alexander, the Shiva sisters, and Brynhildr from some long time ago as well." Odin replied, letting out a bit of a sigh of his own. Astrid looked at him pitifully.
"You can't remember your own past? Why?"
"My belief is that when the greedy fool Naga went to the very core of our dimension, Vestroia, in a lust for power he could not hope to understand or contain, he let loose the Negative Energy of the Silent Core, which had severe consequences."
"Um… Who's Naga? And what's Vestroia? And this Silent Core you speak of… what is it?"
"I do not remember everything, but Vestroia is the world where Bakugan come from, myself included. There was a greedy fool of a Bakugan, who cared nothing for others around him, and only wanted power. So, one day, he managed to break through the barriers around the two cores that held our world together-the Infinity Core, which was the source of all Positive Energy, and the Silent Core, which is the source of all Negative Energy."
"So… Naga decides he wants power, and breaks through to the center of your world to these two cores. What would they do for him?"
"Even I am unsure of how he hoped to use them, but his attempt to absorb their energy destroyed the balance they made. He became imprisoned inside the Silent Core, the Infinity Core was lost to your world, and I have vague memories of a third event transpiring, but I cannot remember enough…"
Astrid bit her lip.
"My friends need to know about this!"
She shot up in an instant, and set herself in front of her computer. Odin watched quietly as Astrid typed the message to her friends. He returned to his ball form, deciding to rest after the events of today. He soon rolled to the bedside table when he saw Astrid coming to rest. She nestled herself in her sheets, falling into a deep slumber...
BOOM!
A massive explosion tore through the silent night, thousands of miles away from normal civilization. The Savage Nymph, who was busy watching videos of suffering Bakugan, turned sharply and summoned electrified kunai inbetween her fingers. She turned sharply, and glared angrily in the direction of the hole in the wall.
"Who's there?! Show yourself!" She demanded. She was greeted with an angry growl, and then her expression became her trademark devilish smirk.
"Oh, it's just you. The idiot creature-GUAAAH!" She began, before an angry off-green hand grabbed her by the throat and pinned her to the wall.
"I'm free of your tricks… I'm not your puppet anymore!" A voice hissed.
"But… How… It…." Savage gasped as her face began to turn blue.
"I'm taking my friend back… and we're going to crush you into the ground!" The voice snarled, throwing Savage to the side. The sadistic Brawler coughed and sputtered as the source of the voice walked towards a room. In it, a Bakugan was being held against his will, struggling in the glass cage. The figure who had so easily crushed Savage's throat easily smashed the cage open, freeing the Bakugan, who rolled to the floor.
"Thank God… I am finally free!" He said. The figure took in a deep breath, and after a few pained grunts and awkward moments, knelt down and picked up the green-brown Bakugan.
"Are you okay, Hecaton?" The figure asked.
"Now that you have freed me, I am." Hecatoncheir replied.
"Good, good." The figure said, standing up. The figure turned to face the hole that she had made.
"Is there any reason we need to stay?" Hecatoncheir asked.
"No, there isn't. Dad's probably getting nervous too." She replied. Hecatoncheir chuckled.
"And that is never a good thing. Let's go home, Amelia." He said. Amelia nodded as the moonlight revealed a small bit of her brown eyes and black hair.
"Mm-hmm. Let's go home, buddy." She affirmed, crawling out of the ruined building. She tore off through the desolate, bleak land, the silver moon and the gentle stars her only light in the dark of the night.
She soon arrived in her home, where her father was waiting, arms folded. He narrowed his gaze at her.
"Where have you been at this hour, Amelia?" He asked. She presented Hecatoncheir in her hands.
"Getting him back. He's my friend, after all." She replied. Her father sighed, and pulled her close.
"I guess you have the right to get your friend back. All I care about is that you're back." He said quietly. From behind the door, her mother was smiling. Amelia was led back inside by her father, and he put her to bed. Bruce sat next to his beloved on the old couch, in their simple home.
"Bruce, she needs friends."
"Betty-"
"I know, you're worried about the Other Side. But having friends will make her happy. Having friends will make the Other Side less of a problem."
Bruce sighed.
"If she's going to have friends, she's going to have to have friends who can fight the Other Side."
Betty smiled.
"I think we both know some people who can solve that problem, right?"
Bruce smiled a bit.
"I guess I've got a few phone calls to make, then." He said, getting up and going towards the kitchen. Betty smiled as he pulled the phone off the receiver.
The next morning came, and an excited Amelia was ready. Today, she was heading to Stark Tower to meet the other Avengers' children, which meant she could finally have friends! (Well, more than one-Hecaton was a friend, after all!) She could barely contain her excitement when they pulled up to the skyscraper, and even moreso when they actually got inside, where Katrina, Serah, Astrid, and Christina were all waiting. Amelia ignored the actual Avengers themselves, darting straight for the children.
"About damn time you brought Amelia here, Doc." Tony said.
"You'll have to forgive me if I wasn't so sure about bringing a child who has powers just like mine near other kids." Bruce snapped, making sure to not get really angry.
"I understand your concern, Doctor Banner, but you have to understand she'd just a kid. Having friends will help her out more than you think." Steve pointed out. Bruce let out an exasperated sigh.
"Yea, I guess. I just wasn't sure…" He admitted.
"Don't worry. If something happens, our kids will be able to handle it." Natasha assured.
"Speaking of which… wasn't that pop star Starlight Siren supposed to be here?" Bruce asked.
"She left this morning. Recording stuff for her newest album." Clint summarized.
"Hey, dad! Amelia and I are gonna go play in the park, later, bye!" Serah said in a rush, heading out in a suit of armor, carrying Amelia with her.
"Serah, wait-! Damnit…" Tony exclaimed, running towards his daughter, but unable to stop her. Thor laughed.
"She truly is your daughter, Man of Iron." He said, still laughing. Tony let out a string of curses under his breath.