An Avenger of Steel Chapter 12: Up in the Sky, an avengers fanfic

12 - Up In The Sky

July 1st, 2009, Brooklyn, New York 9:17 AM

Brooklyn residents dived for cover. Mothers sheltered their children with their own bodies. Juggernaut charged through the burrough, never saying a word. The Colossus of Cyttorak ransacked the city streets, mercilessly tearing through the community. Desperately, the city's heroes fought back against him. The devil of hell's kitchen had been tossed through a store front. Luke Cage and Jessica Jones had both been battered aside. Moon Knight was currently dodging and weaving the unstoppable force as he led him across the Brooklyn bridge. Behind the Luna themed hero, Clint Barton and Natasha Romonoff huddled behind pillars, firing at the juggernaut.

Moon Knight was sent flying by a spear tackle, shooting past the two spies. Clint winced as he glanced at his friend. "Not like Budapest, huh?" He grimaced. The redhead grinned back. "Speak for yourself bird boy. I'm having a blast". Clint rolled his eyes before giving a playful Hollar and firing an explosive arrow at the advancing Juggernaut. Marko hoisted a car above his head, hurling it in the direction. Clint winced at the sight of the mother and little girl in the car, the girl wailing loudly. The air behind them picked up. A streak of black and red soared over their heads, and the car came to a halt, before descending safely to the road behind them. Sentinel hovered in the air between the two agents and the rampaging super villain.

"You should know by now, Cain. No one threatens the people of my city and gets away with it". Clint let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. He turned to his friend.

"With my trick arrows, I can do a bit more to irritate this stupid lug. How about I help the big gun, and you go help those two?" He gestured to the two in the car. She nodded, turning in their direction. Clint notched another arrow to the string, firing once Sentinel was out of the way. The putty arrow smacked into Marko's fist as he was slinging a punch at Sentinel. The other hero grabbed the soft putty, spinning Juggernaut in a circle, and tossing him into an empty truck tractor. Cain dragged himself out of the crumpled crater, charging forwards. Sentinel shot through the air. The two collided in the centre, the bridge shaking violently. Sentinel pin balled backwards. Thinking quickly, Clint fired a second putty arrow, creating a soft cushion for the other hero to land in.

Marko leaped forwards. Clint closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable blow. It never came. Instead, he found himself sat on the curb, next to Natasha and the mother and daughter.

Sentinel grinned at the four of them. "Be right back". With that, he shot off back in the direction of Marko. The little girl clapped wildly, hooting in delight. Clint and Natasha gazed at one another, both stunned.

–AoS–

It was supposed to be a simple job. Cause a bit of mayhem, force Charles and his freak squad to turn up. Beat down those circus rejects. Kill Charles. Instead, those street level minor leaguers had turned up. Apparently, Charles did not deem him important enough a problem for his precious X-Men. Things had been going well, all the same. And then he showed up. He'd only seen Sentinel once, and never fought him directly. He'd heard about him from other inmates in the raft of course. How could you not? He'd made George Stacy's NYPD the most successful police force in the state.

He glared up at the floating hero, who hovered above him with a grin. "Hey there, Marko. Boy, sure is a bad crowd around New York these days. Really giving us a bad name, don't you think?" Cain bellowed at the hero, hurling a nearby piece of rubble at him. The hero sighed, as though dealing with an errant child, and caught the rubble in both hands. He dropped it safely into the river, before flying straight at Cain. He grinned. He charged at the approaching hero. Sentinel should have known; once it starts, there's no halting an unstoppable force. Still not worried, Sentinel grinned.

"Tell me something, Marko," he asked, tone light, "have you ever pondered what it'd feel like to fall from an extreme height? Let's find out" before Cain could react, it was too late. The hero changed course, flying around him in a circle, pace increasing as he went. The air picked up around him, going from a slight breeze to a hurricane force gale. Desperately, he dug his feet into the cement, trying to root himself like the mighty oaks he remembered climbing as a child. Slowly but surely he felt himself being tugged upwards as gravity surrendered its hold on him. He flailed wildly. Diving down from above like an eagle, sentinel delivered a right hook to his chest, and he felt his stomach lurch as he plummeted back towards the bridge below. He struck the cement with a groan. "Ooh. Yeah, ouch. It looks to me like it hurts, huh?"

"Gotta - I gotta…get out of here". He muttered softly, trying to stagger to his feet. Sentinel touched down on the ground in front of him. He reached out, grabbing him by the throat, lifting him up and swinging him over his shoulder.

"There's only one place you're going, Marko. It's got three square meals a day, and lights out at eight".

–AoS–

He returned to where he'd left the SHIELD agents and the civilians. Hawkeye and the Widow were gone, but mother and daughter remained. They stood on the curb, with a patrolman interviewing the mother. The little girl spotted him, and barrelled past the officer to his side. The girl, who appeared to be no more than four, slammed into him. Her arms wrapped around his waist, grinning up at him. Nate knelt down to her level as she pulled back. "Thank you", she beamed, exposing her missing baby tooth. Nate smiled.

"Of course. It's what I do". The girl's mother hurried over.

"Dae? Dae Kwan! What have you been told about rushing off?!" The girl flushed and smiled bashfully at her mother. The woman glanced up at Nate as she pulled the girl back. "I'm so sorry about all this. She's not usually so in your face. It's just, she's a huge fan".

Nate chuckled. "It's alright. I just wanted to make sure you're both ok. Catch you around Dae". He ruffled the girl's hair. Stepping back into the street, he lifted off the ground, flying away as the girl and her mother both waved. Things were looking up, he thought.

–AoS–

September 6, 2010, New York 11:48 AM

Nate yawned slightly, shaking his head to clear it. He was leaning back on an uncomfortable hard backed chair. The brown leather shoes they'd provided them with slid on the hardwood floor. Gwen sat by his side, cheering Peter on. He was trying to pay attention, but he'd not got much sleep lately. The bowlarama, nearly empty, erupted with the sound of the ball

striking the pins and Gwen clapping. She slapped him on the shoulder, snapping him to attention. Awkwardly, he clapped along. "Nice going, Pete". Gwen rolled her eyes.

"Not that," she hissed. "You're up". Peter smiled, rubbing the back of his neck with an awkward laugh.

"Ahh. Right". He stood up, making his way over to the alley, grabbing his ball. He rolled his wrist, taking a breath. As he slung his arm back, preparing to release the ball, a high pitched shrieking noise sounded in his ear. Swearing, he dropped the ball, which rolled along side the gutter, taking out a single pin. Gwen clapped in commiseration.

"Better luck next time, Nate" she called reassuringly. Nate nodded absentmindedly. He recognised that sound; after Tokyo, he'd given Captain Stacy as well as detectives Phillips and Wattanabe all devices he'd designed that only he could hear to contact him for emergencies. He rushed over to his jacket hanging on the chair next to Gwen, picking it up and pulling out his watch. He slapped the device on his wrist, causing Gwen to sigh softly.

"Sorry guys. I just remembered, I need to do some running around for mom. Rain check? I promise I'll be more available next time." He rushed over to the front desk, dropping off the borrowed shoes and running out the front doors. Ducking down a side alley, he slapped his wrist on the face of the watch, the Harridanite bodysuit materialising in place of his civilian clothes. He leaped into the air, streaking across the sky in the direction of the signal.

He found himself in the outer suburbs of the city. Touching down in the front yard of a small, homely looking house, he made his way through the police and paramedics. A few gave him curious looks, but none made an effort to stop him. Kathryn Phillips stood in the kitchen, directing the officers as they went. She turned at the sound of his footfalls. "Good," she began, making her way to his side, "you're here. When the captain said we were gonna start working with you, I didn't love the idea. I still don't. But whatever's going on here has no explanation. Got a feeling it might be up your alley". Nate frowned, glancing around the house.

"Looks like a run of the mill burglary to me".

"Not, quite, Sentinel". A sharp voice came from upstairs. Philips groaned softly. Nate glanced up. Descending the stairs slowly was a severe looking African American older woman. Her brown hair had been cut short, almost to the point of a buzz cut. Dark brown pierced his own blue orbs. She wore a dark blue suit with a white shirt underneath. Stuck to her collar was an American flag pin.

"Sentinel. This is -" the officer began. The older woman cut her off as she stood across from him.

"Hillarie Watson, Sentinel. CIA. I'd say it's a pleasure, but even spies don't lie that much". She peered at him like he was a particularly interesting bug.

"What has the Agency so interested in this?"

"It's an abduction. One we can't explain. It doesn't appear to have been your run of the mill terrorists. A little girl. Our intelligence said you might be called in. I was sent with an offer. A job offer to be specific". Beside him, Phillips raised an eye brow.

"You want me to work for the CIA?" he asked, incredulous. She smiled sardonically, shrugging.

"I don't like it any more than you. Truth is, whether we like it or not, heroes like you are here to stay. You're a part of our daily lives now, just like the monsters you fight. Hell, maybe you cause some of them. Fact is, it's easier for everyone - you especially - if you join the fold. Sign up. give us a little authority. Prove you can take commands". Nate narrowed his eyes. Philips snorted.

"Don't like that, officer?" Watson asked with a smirk.

"I don't agree with working with the vigilantes, but the last thing we need is the government telling Sentinel who he can and can't save".

"Perhaps".

"So, what exactly happened?" Nate interjected, cutting the argument short. Philips turned to him. "We have one witness. He's not making much sense. Parents are both on their way home from work. Babysitter's - well let's just say it took a while to identify her. We were still interviewing the witness when she" the detective glared at Watson, who chuckled, "barged in. Unfortunately, in her infinite kindness and empathy, she hasn't been able to get him to talk". She glared at the agent. "That was a joke." Watson ignored the jab.

"Where's the witness?"

"Out there," she pointed. Nate followed her outstretched finger to a small boy sat on the porch. His heart fell.

"I'll see if I can talk to him," he stated softly. Philips nodded. He moved past the women, ignoring Watson's protests. Carefully, he gently pushed open the wooden door. Glass lay scattered across the deck. He floated over it, kneeling in front of the sniffling boy. He looked to be between three and four. Head bowed, the boy hadn't noticed him. Slowly, he extended a hand, placing it on the boy's shoulder. Brown eyes snapped up to meet his gaze. The boy stared at him in awe".

"Dae said!" He breathed, "She said you'd come!" Nate smiled at the boy.

"That's right. Do you know Dae? Dae Kwan?" The boy nodded.

"She's my Twin!"

"Okay. Can you tell me your Name?"

"Joon!" Nate grinned at the boy's excitement.

"Okay, Joon. Can you tell me what happened to Dae, where they went when they took her". The boy nodded, pointing up at the sky. Nate frowned.

"You mean they took a plane?"

The little boy shook his head adamantly. "Space". He stated simply.

–AoS–

He, Phillips and Watson stood in the front yard of the house. Watson was adamantly arguing against going after Joon's lead. "Even if - and that's a huge if - the boy is right you can't go. I forbid it! He's almost certainly mistaken! You seriously believe an alien abducted that little girl? He's four! Besides, you don't even know if aliens are a thing". Nate sighed.

"My suit was alien," he said calmly. That pulled her up short. She narrowed her eyes.

"Be that as it may, you cannot leave. If it were a simple kidnapping, that would be one thing. But it's not. Do you have any idea how vast the universe is? It could take years to find the girl. And that's if she's still alive! You can't afford to fly off into the unknown and leave the earth to its own devices. Maybe the point of this is to get you so called 'heroes' to leave us behind so they can attack us!"

"And if it was, all the other heroes will still be here". He snapped back. She glared.

"Be it on your head". She turned and stalked off. Nate sighed.

"I suppose you agree with her?"

Phillips winced. "Maybe. But I'm not sure that's the point. We've had other heroes before. Captain America saved the world. Iron man just stopped that Iron monger fool from blowing up Malibu. It's easy to save the world. It's a lot harder - impossible, even - to drop everything, risk losing it all, for one, single person". Nate nodded.

"You're right," he told her, kicking off the ground. He knew he could survive in space. He'd done it once before, when Graviton tossed him out of orbit. Fara Dein had told him the only way to grow was to continually keep pushing his own limits. What better way to push limits then to explore space? He had to find her somehow in a day, before his parents missed him.

He broke through the atmosphere, and shivered slightly. The sun hit the back of his cape, and he took a deep breath, thinking quickly. Extending out his senses, he listened desperately for any sound of Dae, or anything that might point in the right direction. He turned in circles, watching and listening. A faint sound met his ears. It sounded like a scream. He shot off in that direction. He breezed past the outer planets, stars shooting past.

The sound grew louder the further he flew. Eventually, he followed it to a large green and purple planet. Glancing down, he made his way through the atmosphere. He came to a halt on the moss covered surface of the planet. The planet appeared to be a massive swamp, with dark green moss, lichen and alien plants and purple and yellow water. He cautiously began making his way across the planet, following the sound of the screaming. He had no idea if Dae were here, but it was obvious someone was. There was no point in falling into a trap because he flew in without thinking.

Eventually, he found himself in a massive glade. In the Centre, bound in vines, and seemingly being absorbed into a massive tree, was Dae; the girl did not seem to see him. Nate rushed over to her side, looking for a way to safely remove her from the tree. She continued to scream, eyes clamped shut. Nate reached out slowly, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Shh. It's me, Dae. I'm here to get you home. You'll be alright". The girl's eyes snapped open.

Almost immediately, it was obvious something was wrong. Her eyes, once a chocolate brown, were an ethereal, glowing green. Nate frowned, calling her name. A blast of energy threw him backwards, and he slammed through a dozen trees. Her body floated out of the tree. A distorted voice spoke, though her mouth never moved. "Poor little Nathaniel Thomas. Dae isn't here. She never was". The thing wearing Dad's face landed on the soft forest floor, and in place of the little girl stood a massive green ape-like creature. Standing a little taller than a gorilla, though more lean, it's long arms and back were covered in a fur like substance

that seemed to be made of fine plant matter. The silent creature raised its gold bangle clad arms, and the plants around them came to life. Vines wrapped around Nate's arms, neck, and legs.

The creature flailed its arms wildly. The vines lashed around, slamming Nate into trees and against the ground. It dug its clawed pours into the ground. The branches of the tree holding him grew sharp needle-like points. Without warning, the branches slammed into his skin. He screamed. Glancing at his hands, he could see the veins where the branches had entered turning green. Still unable to move, he screamed as the branches pumped their acidic poison into his body. As he felt himself drifting into blissful unconsciousness, the branches were hastily retracted. The vines released him and he fell to the floor. Glancing up, he caught a glimpse of a blast of golden light and the creature vanished. A voice called his name. He felt firm hands pulling him to his feet.

He glanced up at his saviour. Blonde hair. A familiar blue, red, and gold suit. A waist length brown leather jacket over the suit. "Carol", he breathed weakly, "that you?" The blonde nodded as she helped him fly away from the surface of the planet. They broke through the atmosphere, and he felt the sunlight hit him. The blue star's energy pulsed through his body, purging the toxins and revitalising his tired muscles. Shaking his head, he grinned gratefully at his friend.

"Thanks for the save. Am I glad to see you". Carol beamed, slugging him on the shoulder.

"Nice to have you making sense instead of groaning. What are you doing out here baby brother?"

"A little girl from earth. Dae Kwan. She was taken from her house. Someone bought her out into space. I came to find her. I heard her screaming down on that planet, but it wasn't her. Not really. Just that thing". Carol winced sympathetically.

"Want some company? I'd like to help you find her". Nate nodded.

"I'd love some. This is your area of expertise, after all." The other blonde nodded.

"I think I know someone who could help us track her down". She shot off through the stars, Nate racing after her.

–AoS–

He glanced around at the high tech military base. Armoured soldiers marched all around them, paying Carol no mind. A few regarded him with suspicion, even fear. None approached them. He frowned slightly. "Where are we?" He asked his friend. She grinned.

"Welcome to the Spirit of Xandar. The home of the Nova Corps. If anyone can tell us where to find your missing little tyke, it's their commander. He's been almost everywhere. Seen more of the universe's horrors than anyone I've ever met. Plus, he's a good guy. You'd like him". Nate nodded. Based on the looks these people were increasingly shooting him, he wasn't sure about that. She led him to a desk, a young woman in armour sat behind it. Carol grinned at the woman. "Is he in?" She asked. The woman nodded.

"Go on in". She glared at Nate as they made there way into the room. The office was sparsely decorated. Stood in front of the window was a tall brown haired man looking down at the soldiers below. Carol cleared her throat. The other man turned around. Carol grinned in his direction. "Hey there Rich. This is my good friend, Sentinel. We could use your help."

'Rich' made his way over to them, offering Nate a hand. He took it, and they shook. The other man's grip was firm. He smiled. "Sorry about the weird looks you would have been getting. We don't get your kind around here much. For good reason, really. Your people are hated by a lot of races in the universe." Carol quickly interjected.

"Oh no, Rich. Sentinel's not a Harridanite. He's a humie, like us. From earth and everything. He got his powers from a Harridanite suit though". The brunette raised an eyebrow.

"Well. That's a new one. What do you need?"

This time, it was Nate who answered. "I'm looking for someone. A little girl from earth. She was taken by an alien from her house. Carol's helping me look".

"I found him on XA-278411", Carol cut in, "apparently he heard the girl screaming down there, but it wasn't her". Rich's eyes narrowed.

"There have been other similar reports across the galaxy. The guardians say they came across a few similar cases. It sounds like Pandemonium to me". Carol gasped. Nate raised an eyebrow. He glanced at the other blonde, who's eyes were wide and her face had gone as pale as bone. He turned back to the other man.

"Sorry," he began, "what's Pandemonium?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, if you know anything about your linguistics. He's a psionic shapechanger who claims to be a personification of chaos. If he took a girl from earth, she's taken a special interest. Either in the girl herself, or the planet. Neither is good. I'm sorry, but there's no chance of getting the girl back. You'll be better off going home".

Nate shook his head adamantly. "Thank you for the advice. But I'm sorry, I'm not going home. I've promised to bring her home, and I intend to". He turned to Carol. "Thanks for the help. If you don't want to come the rest of the way, I understand". Carol raised an eyebrow.

"Who said I was going anywhere? Besides," she stated with a slightly smug grin "you're gonna need my help on this one". Rich nodded dejectedly.

"If you are both determined, come with me". The pair glanced at one another before following the other hero out of the room.

–AoS–

Nate and Carol stood on the precipice of a massive pillar shaped rock, a massive landscape sprawling out beneath them. The wind was sharp and cool, biting into his cheeks. His cape billowed violently behind him, almost completely horizontal. Carol shivered next to him. "Yep. An evil god would definitely set up shop here. Can you see anything?" Nate shook his head.

"No".

"Oh, great".

"Well, we have to start somewhere, I guess". He lifted off the ground and began flying, with no idea where to go.

–AoS–

She could make out the faint sound of dripping water, like after mommy turned off the taps. The smell was like Min's fur after playing in the mud. She couldn't see anything in the room at all. The cold metal rubbed against her wrists. Her shoes scuffed against the floor. Her teeth chartered in the cold. No one was coming for her. She'd realised that a long time ago. Even if they were, they would never find her, the voice whispered.

"Are you afraid, Dae?" The high pitched voice giggled in her ear. She shook her head, tears springing in her eyes.

"No!"

"No? Are you sure? Let's take a look in that little head of yours, shall we? See what your heart desires, and your darkest fears".

She was in the playground with Joon and her friends, digging in the sandpit. Rob Daniels was stomping around the playground, whacking other children with his "sword". The sword was just a small stick, but it still hurt. He was kicking up sand as he went. Sand landed on her worn Sentinel teddy, the suit having been sewn personally by her mother. She snatched the toy off the ground, brushing it down. She glared at Rob Daniels, who reached out and began tugging on the bear's arm. She shouted at him to let go, though he ignored her. The

two tugged at the bear, shouting at one another as they went. Daniels smacked her repeatedly on the legs with his stick.

"We wonder if anyone will stop him" hissed the high pitched mocking voice. Briefly, she stopped tugging on the bear, and looked around for the source. Stood beside a tree in the distance, watching the spectacle was a nightmarish being. She could barely describe the thing; she had no words. It wasn't particularly tall, more an older child then a man. It's entire body was covered in black and grey clothing. Even it's head was pitch black, except for white blotches where it's eyes belonged and two rows of white chips in the shape of teeth. She screamed. The bear fell abandoned into the dirt.

Dae found herself once more in the dark room. Hot tears ran down her cheeks. She screamed. She screamed for her mother. For her father and brother. For help. For Sentinel. She clutched tightly at her tiny teddy bear, the only thing she'd been able to bring with her when it took her. She closed her eyes as she held the bear to her chest. She felt hope - cruel, faint, weak, but still there - bubbling up from her stomach.

"I'm-i'm not scared of you" she whispered to the darkness. A snarl sounded in the deep black darkness. The sound reminded her of mean old Mrs Greystone's dogs.

"You aren't, are you?" It sounded annoyed. Almost worried, like her daddy did whenever uncle Jun came for dinner. "Then we'll just have to fix that for you, won't we?" The high pitched voice. It was followed by several laughs, like one of her brother's old squeaky toys, but slightly deeper. As though it were struggling for breath. The creature lunged out. Sharp Claws slashed across the neck of her beloved teddy. The bear fell to the floor, head banging by a few threads. The button mommy had used to replace the lost eye was gone, rolling across the cold, oily black stones.

The creature giggled once more. The other girls were laughing again. Mrs Greystone's nieces always laughed at her when they came to visit. They laughed at her back back with the silver and red S shield on the back. They said only boys liked Sentinel. They laughed at her second hand shoes, and her traditional hair. So she asked mommy and daddy for nicer shoes for her birthday. She started wearing hair like the way they wore it. They still laughed. They laughed and jeered. Whispered as she rode her bike. "She talks funny. Her mommy and daddy speak another language in their house, auntie says. You look funny. You don't fit". She ignored them, like daddy said. He said they were illogical, whatever that meant. He said it meant silly. Because racism was silly. Illogical. It still hurt. And she still imagined sentinel flying in to stop it.

In her dreams, when he landed behind the laughing girls, he always grinned at her. He always looked her in the eye and said, "it's okay "

" You're safe now. Don't be scared. I'm here". She gasped, looking up. The wall had been smashed in. And there, illuminated in the darkness was the Red S and cape. The creature was behind her. Claws ran almost soothingly along her scalp. She shivered, although now the tears were tears of joy. Sentinel glared at the creature, eyes as cold as mommy's when the other mommy's looked at them funnyly

"Sorry I'm late," Sentinel was saying. "But I just heard my friend Dae was in trouble and came running. You best let her go, and we won't have trouble. The creature let loose another round of the childish giggles. It moved past her, white light illuminating the entire room. The light revealed the woman stood just behind sentinel, as well as the full horror of her tormentor.

–AoS–

The room was bathed in light. The creature - pandemonium - was revealed in its entirety. The sight made him feel sick to his stomach. Beside him, he heard Carol's heart beat loudly in her chest. He could almost smell her fear, mixed in with his own and Dae's. It's black head was shaped like a jester's hat. Three horn like appendages jutted out of the back of the top of its skull, like the hanging bells of a cap 'n bells. Each one was black, though segmented by thin rings of grey. Little black bell-like circles hung off the end. The only features on its 'face' were a pair of white smudges for eyes, and more smudges in two neat rows, curled in a mocking facsimile of a human smile.

Its chest was covered by a grey and black coat with a popped collar and sleeves ending in black gloves. Each finger was a sharp sickle like talon. The coat split off into four long thin tails, each ending in another black bell like appendage. Its black pants ended in black and grey pants ended at its feet. It was impossible to tell if it's pitch black feet were bare or not. Then, the worst thing he could have imagined. It spoke.

"Hello, mister Senti-wenti. Welcome to drowsy town. Don't be worried about Dae. She's my bestest buddy-wud, you know. And it's my birthday. I was just about to open all my presents. I think I'll start with you. I'm going to cut you open in front of our sweet little friend". The high pitched voice, which seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once, was followed by a childish giggle. Heh-heh-heh-heh, Heh-heh-heh-heh, Heh-heh-heh-heh, Heh-heh-heh-heh.

"Well," Carol began as she moved beside him. "You're certainly…memorable". The creature danced back and forth on the balls of its feet.

"You found the girl, Senti-wenti. But you're just two people. Two people's efforts mean nothing in the grand scheme of the universe". The stars seemed to be growing closer. Tiny pin pricks of light illuminated the black sky, shining through the massive hole in the wall he had torn out for himself and Carol. Dozens at first, then hundreds. Finally, thousands. Heedless, the beast lunged. It hurled a punch at him, unleashing it's full might. The clawed fist smacked into his face. Carol cried out a desperate warning. Dae shouted for him desperately. Still, he stood motionless. He could feel it's hate. A force of infinite hatred - unyielding evil - descended upon him in a fraction of a second.

--AoS–

Carol screamed in horror as the thing before her lunged at her young friend. Nate stood perfectly still. Paralyzed with fear. She prepared to move, to shove him aside, to do something. Anything. As she took a step forwards, he raised a hand slightly. She stopped, gazing at him slightly. Her eyes widened. He was smiling. Suddenly, unbidden, her mind drifted back to something her mother had told her as a child. She'd wanted to be a pilot since before she could walk. To fly had been her dream. Everyone had tried to dissuade her. Everyone but her mother. Mari-Ell had simply taken her young daughter aside, pointed at the stars, and told her a story. An old Kree maxim, she'd learned later. A tale of a young warrior who'd stood against the Skrulls in their earliest war, when the sides had been reversed, and the kree the ones on the run.

"Everywhere you look, you will see hate", her mother had finished. "Doubt. Anger and violence, and discrimination. The list goes on. It has since the dawn of sentient life. Wherever you go, my beautiful Carol, all forms of hate will seem to be wherever you look. They will fill the media, art, every facet of our lives. And the people who perpetuate that hate, the people who benefit from the decision and the oppression, from the squashing of ideas. Those people will spend your life trying to convince you that they're unstoppable. You must move aside for them, or else be crushed beneath their weight". Mari-Ell had simply shaken her head at that, and gently tapped her head and chest. The disease that had stripped her mother from her had been all but finished by then. The other woman had struggled to breath,

but she'd still fought to give Carol a simple vital message. One she'd strived to live by. One she'd forgotten through the years.

"My love, that is simply not the case. And I need you to know that. The power of hate, of oppression and cruelty is meaningless. Meaningless in the face of love, kindness, and hope. The love of your friends, my love for you, the love of your fellow man. The kindness to do what everyone else says is impossible. The hope that there can be a better future. The unstoppable force is powerless against an immovable object.

–AoS–

The lights in the sky silhouetting his back were brighter now. Golds and blues rather than simply colourless pin pricks. The creature withdrew its fist. Behind it, Dae gasped. He didn't need a mirror to see he was unchanged by the blow. He smiled at the monster.

"There's one thing you failed to grasp, Pandemonium". He told the creature. The Nova Corps officers - for that was what the lights truly were - drifted closer. They had heard the story. Heard what he and Carol were risking, and why. And they had come. Come to help. Not because they knew him. Not because they owed him anything. But because it was right.

"No matter what you throw at me, no matter how hard you hit me. Try to break me, torment me and my people. Try to destroy our minds. Our very way of life. You will always be nothing more than a bully". He glanced meaningfully at Dae. "And we will never move for the likes of you." Pandemonium stood in silence. The two stared one another down. Without a word, a portal behind Pandemonium opened.

"Get out of our sight. Take the girl. This isn't the end, but you've made your point."

Nate strode past it, wrapping his arms around Dae and making his way towards the portal. They stepped through, back into the afternoon glow of New York. Carol followed, handing the little girl back her soft toy. Later, when their charge had been safely returned to her family, and they sat on a rooftop devouring their pizza's, she'd met his eyes, a curious expression colouring her features.

"How did you know that would work?"

"I didn't".

"Did you mean all of that?"

He gazed back at her. "Every word".