Alliance is the title of our zine and also our main idea for this zine. In this zine Heroes, Non-Heroes, General Characters, and even villains from both the Marvel ComicsandMy Hero Academia, can join forces to defeat anything in their path together.
There is no specific way on how these characters joined forces or joined each other’s worlds so long as the characters from both these worlds interact with each other.
In this zine we hope to bring together ALL characters from both these worlds and see where they collide or collaborate. It’s an open book for all so as long as we see artists and writers get really creative with this concept. Other than that it’s a free for all!
Currently we only have Tumblr open for this zine but if you think using other platforms such as Twitter or Instagram would help this zine please let us know!
We’d like to thank you all for helping us through this zine. The feedback has been incredible and you guys are awesome!
We will open Apps for Writers and Artist on October 1st, 2018. They will close on Nov. 2, 2018. @ 11: 59 pm PST. We will leave them open for a month due to the holidays!
We will keep the blog active during the time.
Please don’t hesitate to message the blog for any questions!
UPDATE: I have provided URLS so itd be easier to copy/paste instead until I can figure out how to properly paste links!
Alliance Zine: A Marvel and BNHA crossover zine. A lovely mashup of your favorite characters from these two different superhero worlds coming together to fight crime, deliver witty banter, or even share some dinner while studying for the next day’s exam. Please consider supporting our amazing collaborators that were able to combine them in such fun and unique ways. They’re our heroes!
Reminder that our pre-orders are open. They will be open until June 1st 2019 and will be running along side our giveaway which you can check out HERE. If you would rather purchase now instead of waiting for the giveaway to end please follow the link to our store and buy there.
Take a look at our list of wonderful artists and writers (and a small preview of their zine piece). They’ve all worked so hard to make this zine possible. Please thank them for their hard work. We all thank you for your continued patience and support.
The zine is comprised of 25 artists, 5 merch artists, and 5 writers. (And our 2 amazing beta readers that provided lots of help)
We hope so much that you enjoy this lovely zine we’ve put together for you.
Check under the cut for everyone’s social links. Preorders are open from March 31, 2019 to June 1st, 2019. Buy the zine here on our Big Cartel.
Summary:Harper Lee “Harley” Barton had always been the hunter, but when the tables are turned on her, Harper must put aside her natural instinct of protecting her family through distance by coming out of the shadows and admitting the truth. Will she survive the challenges that lie ahead of her? Or will she fall prey to her own darkness once more?
Pairing - Bucky X Harper (OC)
JUST ABOUT DONE!!! Should begin positing by next week!
Five years ago, Maura walked away from Hydra for good. She never imagined that, after everything, the Avengers would welcome her back as one of their own. But here she was.
She worked hard to rebuild a friendship with everyone on the team. She enjoyed spending time with Nat and Wanda when they were off duty, thanks to their shared histories with Hydra; she had even grown fond of Steve and Sam. The two had taken her under their wings like an older brother would a younger sister, despite her being a few years older than Sam. Her work in the lab provided plenty of opportunities to spend time with Tony and Bruce, too.
Maura’s relationship with Morgan grew as well. She watched her niece grow from a small girl into a teenager. They shared a lot of the same interests, both having similar personalities. It was easy for them to talk for hours, and sometimes they didn’t need words at all. When they needed it most, they could just hear each other speak.
Nothing could have prepared her, though, for the relationship she formed with James Barnes. Their connection was more profound than any she shared with the others. He was the only one who truly understood what she had gone through. As the weeks, months, even years went on, she and James grew closer each day.
Their relationship eventually took on an intimate nature, something Maura had not experienced before with anyone else. Sure, she had flings in the past, but they were never like this. There was never love involved, no romance, no feelings of passion, attraction, or anything. With Bucky, however, Maura found all those feelings and more. For the first time in her life, she felt safe. She felt loved. She felt wanted.
Sitting on the couch, the main room of the penthouse of the Avenger’s Tower aglow from the holiday decorations, surrounded by friends and family, Maura knew there was no place she’d rather be. Everything in her life, she now knew, had happened for a reason. It had happened to lead her to who she had become and to where she was now. To a place where she finally felt whole, complete, and free. Where she finally felt content.
Resting a hand on her growing belly, Maura looked around at everyone as they opened gifts, laughing and having fun together. This is where she belonged. This is where she is supposed to be. And she couldn’t be happier.
Maura sat at the conference table with Clint, Steve, Natasha, and Bucky. Tony stood at the head of the table in front of a large screen. The image shown was one Maura knew well.
“This is our next mission,” Tony stated. “Hydra seems to have acquired some information and is trying to replicate my technology.”
“What do we know about the location?” Nat asked.
“From what we can tell, it should be a fairly easy job. There are a few scientists and only about four guards protecting the entire location. Now, that doesn’t -”
“Your intel is wrong,” Maura cut in.
Tony looked over at her. “What?”
“Your intel is wrong,” she repeated.
“How do you know?” Steve questioned her.
“Because… I spent a fair share of my time there.” She glanced down for a moment, then up again. “I know the place inside and out. There are about half a dozen scientists at any given time, usually all working on the same project, but not always. The main lab alone has at least two guards. The small lab on the west side will typically only have one guard when it’s actually in use. You’ll find another dozen agents spread around the grounds and watching the main gate.” Maura looked around the table, meeting each of their gazes before continuing. “It’s not the most heavily guarded facility on Hydra’s roster, but it’s not as empty as your intel would lead you to believe.”
“I don’t understand. Why would our information be so far off?” Steve questioned.
“Well, whether you like this news or not, you have several Hydra agents working within S.H.I.E.L.D.. Some of which work rather closely with your team on occasion,” Maura shrugged. “It wouldn’t surprise me if one of them was the one putting the information together for this little mission and was trying to send you into an ambush.”
“What do you suggest then?” Tony asked, taking a seat at the table.
Maura took a deep breath, not wanting to screw up this chance her brother was giving her. “I’d say you’re better off being safe than sorry. Take more team members than you think you might need. Or at least take the right ones.”
“Who do you suggest then?” Natasha pressed.
“Honest opinion?” Maura asked, watching as each person at the table nodded for her to continue. “If you want to use the smallest number of teammates, I’d send Barnes in to start. With his marksmanship skills, he can easily take out most of the guards on the outside. However, it couldn’t hurt to have Romanoff as a backup. She could take out a couple of them close up while Barnes picks off the rest from a distance. As for the two at the door, if Barnes is positioned right, he could take care of them too. Otherwise, they should be easy enough for anyone to take care of, really.”
Maura sat back in her chair, secretly enjoying having them all pay such close attention to what she had to say. “Once inside, Steve, Tony, and Nat should have no problem taking out the remaining agents.”
“What about the scientists?” Tony questioned.
“They shouldn’t give you too much trouble. Most of them don’t like confrontation. But if you want security, I can tag along and keep them contained while the rest of you do what you need to do.” Maura offered.
“Are you sure, though?” Steve asked cautiously.
“Yeah,” Bucky agreed. “It still sounds pretty risky.”
“Maura,” Tony stood from his chair, “I’m taking your lead on this. If anything goes wrong, I trust you to fix it.” The room grew silent, everyone looking between the two and waiting for a response. A nod was all Tony needed. “Good,” he turned to walk away. “Everyone suit up,” he called over his shoulder as the door closed behind him.
Natasha, Clint, and Bucky made quick work of the Hydra agents patrolling the base’s perimeter. There were far more than just the four guards they had been led to believe would be there. So far, Maura was right in what she told them.
Maura proved to be helpful getting into the building as well. It seems they hadn’t removed her from their systems, so she was able to get the doors open with a simple hand scan. Once inside, she led Tony and Steve to the central lab, where Steve quickly subdued the two guards at the door. As they entered the room, the scientists looked up in surprise. Before any could say anything, however, Maura gave them all a stern look. “Leave,” she demanded.
Tony and Steve watched as the six men scurried out of the lab, leaving the trio alone, save for one other person. Someone Maura had not expected to see at the facility.
“Scientists are making their way out. You three contain them. We’ve got company to deal with in here,” Tony spoke through the comms to the team outside.
“Ah, Raven. So nice of you to join us,” the lone Hydra agent smiled at her.
“Malick,” Maura replied coldly. “What are you doing here?”
“I have been overseeing this project personally, as you well know. And unfortunately, after your little escape, you left me in a rather tight predicament. I could no longer send you here to work on things and bring me updates, so I had to start coming by myself. Lucky me, I just happened to be here on the day you decided to visit as well.” He smirked.
“Who is he?” Steve asked quietly, stepping up to Maura’s right side.
“He was, essentially, my boss. The Malick family ties run deep in Hydra. There always seems to be one lurking around,” she explained.
“Is he going to try anything?” Tony asked quietly, also keeping his voice down.
“No,” Maura shook her head. “And he won’t make any moves against me.” She looked at Malick. “So, what’s the real reason you are here, Malick? You didn’t come here just to check on the project.”
“Not entirely true,” Malick said. “You see, Raven, this project was far more than just a suit. I had received some interesting reports regarding your whereabouts, and I knew you wouldn’t miss the opportunity to return here when given the chance.”
Maura stared daggers at Malick. “You’re right. I didn’t miss my chance to destroy the place that made me.” She took a few steps toward the center of the room where the man stood, “And I don’t have time for your games. I know you’re trying to stall, and it won’t work.” Maura lifted her left hand, and a purple glow sparked around her fingertips. “Steve, stand behind me and put your shield up,” she instructed. Once he was in place, Maura stepped in a small circle where she stood. In seconds, a giant blast of purple energy shot out in a wave around the entire room. The computers shut down as smoke rose from the back of each monitor, and Malick found himself thrown back against the wall.
Lifting her right hand, her palm facing her former boss, a blue ball of smoke encompassed the man and lifted him off the floor. “I think you forget just how strong Hydra made me, Malick,” she growled, “I am always going to be miles ahead of your games. But I do love a challenge, sir,” she mocked him.
“You know if you kill me, there will be more to take my place, Raven,” Malick tried to reason.
“I am well aware of how Hydra works,” she lowered the man back to the floor. Closing her hand into a fist, the cloud around him disappeared, “That’s why I’m not going to kill you. But take this as a warning, Malick.” Maura looked to her left and right as Steve and Tony stepped up next to her, “If you come for my family again, it will end bloody.”
Summary:Harper Lee “Harley” Barton had always been the hunter, but when the tables are turned on her, Harper must put aside her natural instinct of protecting her family through distance by coming out of the shadows and admitting the truth. Will she survive the challenges that lie ahead of her? Or will she fall prey to her own darkness once more?
Maura looked at her reflection in the mirror. She hadn’t even been back a year yet, but each time she donned her Hydra uniform on, she felt a greater sense of discomfort than she had the time before. Hydra had been her home; she had worn the symbol proudly for so many years. She had been happy to do her part, fulfilling her duty to an organization that, in her mind, saved her life.
But now? Knowing what she now knew about her family, about S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra, she saw no reason at all to wear the symbol, nor to serve Hydra any longer. Maura had hoped that the feeling would fade the longer she spent back in the black, but it had grown stronger by the day. She now knew that to some extent, for better or worse, both Hydra and the Avengers had raised her. How could she help her friends if she failed to do what she felt was right?
She thought of her entry into Hydra after she was left in that hospice, alone, without any family to keep her grounded. They had taken her in, given her work and a sense of purpose. She had been a special ops agent, trained to a level only the best were allowed to reach. Intensive study under the likes of the Winter Soldier himself. She even taught young agents the ropes and how to be good spies. But that was all behind her now.
Maura patted her uniform, feeling the outline of the emblem on her waist and a small hidden knife she kept in the right side of her belt. Something about it all felt - wrong. She knew what she had to do.
Changing into regular clothing, she quickly packed a small duffel. Maura didn’t have much, she didn’t need much, but she knew she’d have to leave most of her treasured weapons behind if she was going to be able to take the essential things. So, she placed her daggers, small knife, and a couple of small guns, along with whatever clothing she could stuff inside the bag. Maura checked her desk drawers and grabbed her copy of the flash drive she had made from Tony’s computer. She opened the long center drawer and took out the only item inside; it was a small, five-by-eight-inch piece of paper with a drawing. Maura folded it in half and tucked it into the outer pocket of her bag.
Quickly making her way to the parking garage, Maura did her best to remain unnoticed. Maura hopped inside once she found her car, set her bag on the passenger seat, and turned the car on. She sat for a few minutes in silence, just listening to the engine, while she thought about what she was doing. This is for the best. This is the right choice. Maura backed the vehicle from its spot, threw it in drive, and drove away from the home she had known for so long.
After several hours of driving, Maura finally arrived back at the Tower. Getting out of her car and heading towards the main entrance, she could hear a few guards talking to each other as if she was not there. Hearing their warm tones, in contrast to the cold, odd ones many of her Hydra brothers and sisters spoke, made her feel welcome, even if they weren’t talking to her. With some smooth talking with the guard at the elevator, she made her way up to the top, where she knew the team would be.
Hearing the ding of the elevator, each of the Avengers stopped what they were doing and turned to see who had arrived. When Maura stepped out of the elevator, she put her hand up just in time to stop a knife that was soaring toward her neck, courtesy of Wanda. “I deserve that,” Maura muttered as she grabbed the knife out of the air.
“We have nothing to say to you, Maura. Just go.” Tony was cold, distant. He turned his back to his sister and walked toward the doors for the balcony. It may have been a front, but he had been hurt.
“There is a lot I need to explain,” she tried to reason. “To all of you.” Tony kept walking away and ignored her, having given up on her when she betrayed the team for Hydra.
“Tony, please - ?” Maura pushed, but he wasn’t giving up easily. “Damn it, Stark! Set the fucking attitude aside. Just hear me out.” At the last word, Tony turned to face her. “I’m not going to hurt you. I would never have come to see you if I had wanted to do that.”
He stopped just inches from the door but kept his guard, still trying to decide if he wanted to give her a chance.
“Tony, please. Just listen to me.” She knew her brother was upset, and he had every right to be. “I swear, I-”
“Don’t,” Tony cut her off. “You betrayed the team. You betrayed S.H.I.E.L.D. You played both sides, wove some bullshit tale, and destroyed what hope we had.” He had a point, she thought.
“Yes. I did,” she agreed. “And I’m sorry. But -”
“I don’t believe you!” He yelled, cutting her off again.
“Why? Why can’t you -” Maura tried.
“Because you’re a liar!” Tony yelled again, letting his emotions get the better of him. “You are the worst kind of liar because your lies sound so much like the truth I can’t tell the difference.”
“Why don’t we just hear her out, huh?” Natasha stepped up.
“You’re right,” Maura sat on an empty chair, slumping forward. The team never took their eyes off of her. “I am a liar, alright. I’m the black sheep, you know? The defective twin that nobody wanted.” She looked up at her brother, tears brimming her eyes, “It must feel real nice for you to stand here judging me. Surrounded by all the things that you got out of life while I spent decades as the family reject, not to mention the ten years I spent in isolation before Hydra took me.” Maura’s eyes turned cold and dark as she let out a low growl while continuing, “Well, let me tell you, every inch of me wants to kill you for that. Every part!” Her eyes began to glow a deep blue color as her anger stirred.
A small voice came from behind them, “Maura? Wh-what’s happening?”
Maura glanced over, seeing her beautiful niece standing by the island in the kitchen. The glow in her eyes faded, and her anger melted away, “But I can’t,” she finished softly.
“I mean, that’s a good thing, right?” Sam chimed in.
“Because I made a promise to someone special. Someone who never looked at me as anything more, or less, than a person she could look up to.”
“That’s right, daddy. Maura pinky promised!” Morgan exclaimed as she ran to Tony.
“You can’t break a pinky promise,” Maura’s voice was almost a whisper, the tears threatening her eyes once again. The team stood and watched, trying to see what the next move would be from either side. “Look, I left Hydra, and as soon as they realize that, I’m going to be in real danger. The only way that I am going to be able to survive is if you help me.” She says, looking up at her brother, almost pleading, “And, personally, I’d like to live. Because I didn’t get to do a whole lot of it before everyone else decided I wasn’t worth it.”
There was a long pause. Tony looked between Morgan and the team. “You’re right,” Tony finally spoke up again. “You didn’t get to do much of it before, being all alone with no one around. But that doesn’t excuse what you did to the team and to me. You lied to us. All of us,” he continued. “I won’t -”
“Please,” Maura begged. “Tony, I’m begging you. It’s just Hydra,” she breathed in, trying to keep herself together while she explained herself. “Hydra, they had such -”
“I don’t want to hear it!” He snapped.
“Fine!” She yelled, rising to her feet, balling her hands into fists at her sides. “I understand you feel pain and betrayal. I feel the same. I was naive. I fully admit that, but Hydra was the only family I knew. Then, I found you. My brother, my blood - I trusted you, I trusted the Avengers. I wanted -”
“So what then?” Tony cut her off, his voice rising. “You come back here, knowing they will follow, putting all of us in danger, for what?”
“Because,” she continued, looking at him, “I’m… I’m sorry. Okay? I knew, even if you - all of you - couldn’t forgive me, I at least needed to say it to you all before disappearing.”
Morgan left the comfort of her father’s grasp and walked to her aunt. Reaching out, she took Maura’s hands and repeated the words she had shared months before, “Good isn’t a thing you are.”
Maura couldn’t help but feel the corners of her lips curl into the smallest of smiles, crouching down to be level with Morgan as she recited the words with her niece, “It’s the things you do and the choices you make.”
There was another long pause. The team looked between each other and at the duo in front of them. Tony continued to glare at his sister until she looked in his direction and his eyes finally locked onto hers. “Maura…I don’t know what to say.”
“Then say nothing,” Maura pleaded as she stood again. “Just please, don’t send me out that door.”
“Tony…” Natasha spoke up, her voice soft, “Barton and Fury gave me a chance when I sure as hell didn’t deserve one. We should give her a second chance. Besides, don’t we owe it to her?”
Tony sighed, letting out a long breath, and ran one hand over his face, “I guess we do.”
“Thank you,” Maura smiled.
“But,” Tony continued, pointing at her, “That doesn’t mean we’re going to just let you walk back in here and rejoin the team like nothing happened. You betrayed us during a mission; we can’t just let that slide.”
“I know, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to earn your trust again. Start over at square one and work to be someone you can all count on.”
“I’m willing to work with her, Tony. I can’t speak for everyone else, but I’m willing to take her with me and take responsibility until she can get back in everyone’s good graces.” Natasha announced, “I’ve been there, Maura.”
“Fury?” Clint spoke up. “You’re the final say in all this.” Everyone turned to where he was looking, not realizing the director had arrived at the Tower.
Nick walked up to Tony. “What’s going on here?”
“Maura,” Tony started, “Wants to start over. She wants a second chance.”
“Is she telling you everything?” Fury pressed.
Tony looked at her, a silent look of confusion on his face. “It seems so anyway.”
“Is there anything else you’re not telling us, Maura?” Fury asked, ignoring the confusion from both of them.
“I swear to you, Nick. I am sorry for everything I caused. I’m done being Hydra’s pawn. I want my family back - my real family.” She looked around at the faces staring back at her.
Fury looked over to Tony, who shrugged. Turning to look back at Maura, Nick thought about what to say next. “We can’t trust you yet,“ he said coldly. "You’ll still need to prove yourself before we can allow you back into our ranks.”
Maura nodded silently, tears starting to build in her eyes again. She understood his reasoning and was glad he was at least giving her a chance.
As Fury turned to leave, Maura spoke up once more, “I have one last request, though, sir,” her voice shaking slightly. He stopped at the edge of the room and glanced back at Maura. With a deep breath, she continued, “I need a different name.“
"And why is that?” he questioned.
“I want some distance from my past. From Hydra. Some distance from the roles that I have been filling my whole life. I don’t want to be the Raven anymore; that was someone they created. I want… no, I need to be someone new. Someone that Hydra hasn’t had a hand in.”
“I’m sure we can come up with something,” Fury offered, understanding her need to recreate herself.
It had only been a couple of weeks since Maura left. Tony was taking it harder than the others. He’d tried to keep up his act of normalcy, but he wasn’t fooling anyone. Every time he thought about the events that went down, he questioned what he missed.
How could she do something like this? We were family. We are family. We’re blood. I welcome her into my home and onto the team, and this is how she repays me?
“Tony?” Pepper called from the door.
“Yeah?”
“Are-are you okay?” she stepped into the lab, walking toward where he sat slumped over at a table.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he looked up from his hands, locking eyes with his wife.
“I just…” she sighed softly, taking in his disheveled appearance. “You know you can’t blame yourself, right?”
“Then who do I blame, Pepper? Huh? Who? Tell me!” he snapped. He had been trying to keep it together all week, not wanting to show how upset he was. If she hadn’t come in here, then maybe he would’ve kept his emotions at bay until he calmed down.
“I don’t know, Tony. Your parents? Hydra? Regardless, it isn’t your fault.” She reached out, laying a hand on his shoulder.
He leaned into her touch. It felt good to have someone there, someone that cared enough to try and understand him. “Maybe before, I could have blamed them all. But she was here, Pepper. She spent two years in our home. I trusted her. I let her into the family; I let her onto the team… I let her meet our daughter. I did all that, no one else.” He shook his head, running a hand through his hair, letting go of his anger.
“You’re right. You did. But Maura made a choice to betray that trust. Nothing you did or didn’t do could have stopped that.” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a comforting squeeze before leaning forward, planting a kiss on his temple.
“It’s been months, and we’ve done nothing to try to save her,” Tony argued with the others, all sitting around the large conference table. “I have to do something. I can’t just leave my sister with them.”
“We can’t risk it, Tony, you know that,” Steve tried to reason.
“And why not?” he questioned. “You risked everything multiple times for Barnes,” Tony countered. “This is my sister we’re talking about here.”
“It’s different, Tony, and you know it.”
“Steve’s right, Tony,” Bruce added, “Maura made a choice herself to go back to Hydra. No one forced her to leave.”
“We all know how Hydra is. They brainwashed her for years! She -”
“Tony!” Natasha interrupted, her voice loud and commanding as she stared at him, “Maura was here for two years. She made the conscious choice to go back.”
“What if she didn’t, though? What if they sent her here? What if everything she told us at the start was a lie?”
“Then that’s on us. We opened ourselves up to that infiltration. But the bottom line in all of this is that Maura betrayed us, Tony. She lied, she manipulated, she took advantage of us. That’s on her,” Natasha said firmly. “Look, I get it. But she’s been gone for four months. You need to come to terms with the truth, Stark. I’m sorry.”
Maura had been gone for six months already. Morgan had slowed in her asking about her aunt, which meant she was doing much better. Tony had tried to make peace with Maura’s betrayal, but every time he thought about it, he felt angry again. It didn’t help that every time he saw Morgan, he couldn’t help but feel guilty, too. Maura’s betrayal of the team and of Tony was one thing. But for her to betray her niece? It was something else entirely. Tony could tell Morgan still missed her aunt, even if she didn’t fully understand what was going on.
“Daddy?” Tony heard Morgan’s soft voice, breaking his train of thought.
“Yes, sweetheart?”
She walked into his office. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course,” he answered as he lifted her into his lap.
“Is Aunt Maura a bad guy again?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know how to answer that, kiddo. I don’t know what your aunt is doing or planning,” Tony said.
“Do you think she will ever come back?” Morgan asked innocently.
“I don’t know, sweetheart,” Tony responded truthfully.
“Daddy, if she does come back, you won’t hurt her, will you?” Morgan looked up at him with big brown eyes full of fear.
“No, no, sweetie,” he tried to assure her, though even he didn’t know what would happen if Maura ever showed up at the Tower again.
“Good,” Morgan nodded solemnly, settling into Tony’s arms.
“No matter what happens,” Tony began, causing Morgan to look up at him, “You still have all of us here.”
“I know, daddy,” Morgan smiled weakly, “I just miss Maura.”
“I know, kiddo,” Tony pulled his little girl closer and kissed the top of her head, “Hey, why don’t we ask Nat and Wanda to take you to the park or something? Huh? Get you out of the Tower for a bit and have some fun?”
Morgan nodded eagerly and hugged her father tighter. The pair walked out of the office and went to find the two women. Tony gave Natasha a credit card to use and told her they could take Morgan anywhere she wanted to go.
Maura sat in the conference room of Hydra’s current headquarters, with three members of her command. It had been quite a while since she had sat around a Hydra table, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something didn’t feel right about it any longer.
They discussed her time with S.H.I.E.L.D. and with the Avengers. She gave them all the information she had about the team, what their next targets were, as well as giving them all the details she managed to gather about Tony’s latest project. She set a flash drive on the table, “This is everything I was able to extract from his system about the suit. He hasn’t perfected it yet, but he’s getting close.”
Malick nodded his head once. “Very well then, I believe we are done here. Raven, you may go.”
Raven stood quickly and began heading for the door. After the door closed behind her, the room fell silent for a minute before Sergeant Batrel spoke. “Are we sure that we can trust her to take down her own brother?”
“Only time will tell. Even if Raven does betray us, it won’t really matter any longer. We have what we need,” Saltz assured the others.
It had only been a couple of weeks since she had returned to Hydra. Maura sat in her room in silence, like she had done any time she was free. Though she wasn’t being sent out on any jobs yet, she still assisted in the lab when they needed her. Maura looked at the flash drive sitting on her dresser, having made a duplicate before giving one to her superiors. She had already memorized every detail on there, but still, she could not help but feel uneasy. What did Hydra want with the suit? What purpose would they use it for, and why would they attempt it now? Even Tony hadn’t perfected it yet. There was no telling what could happen or the consequences if it failed. A knock on her door startled her.
“Raven,” she heard called from the other side.
“Yes?”
Her door clicked open, and Malick stepped inside. “Sorry if I’m disturbing your evening. But I need to speak with you in private for a moment.”
Maura nodded and got up from where she’d been sitting on her bed. “Of course, sir. What’s going on?” She asked, following Malick out of her room.
“There has been some… development concerning the current project,” Malick said as they made their way to his office.
“Is something wrong with the suit, sir?”
“The suit is working just as we had hoped, and the project is progressing smoothly. However,” Malick paused and opened the door to his office for her to step inside, then followed after her. They both took seats at his desk, and he continued his thought. “The suit won’t be ready before your next mission, and I need to know you will be able to do your job, Raven.”
Maura looked up at him, “What do you mean by that, sir? You don’t think I can handle myself in combat?”
“I know you can handle yourself. But we are trying to dismantle a team that you have spent the last two years getting rather close with. I am worried you won’t be able to separate yourself. Not to mention that we don’t know how they will react when they see you again.”
“Sir-”
Malick held up his hand, silencing her. “It isn’t a matter of not being able to put those feelings aside. It is a question of whether or not you want to. If you aren’t ready, Raven, you aren’t ready.” He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest.
“I understand the concern, sir. But I can do this.” Maura tried to convince him as much as she wanted to convince herself.
“Very well. Your next assignment is in two days, and I expect you to be ready for it. Understood?”
She nodded, “Understood, sir.”
“Good.” Malick turned back to his work, “You’re dismissed.” She nodded and left Malick’s office.
Maura had been back with Hydra for six short months, but it seemed like she had never left. She was back to doing missions, working in the lab, and training some recruits.
Malick was cautious. He still wasn’t sure she was ready for the larger tasks, so he only sent her on small missions. She was taking out low-level S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, infiltrating locations, and recon missions. But never on anything that involved members of the Avengers specifically.
Though Maura kept busy with her tasks, she couldn’t help but wonder what her family was doing. What her brother was working on, what Morgan was learning in school, what Banner was doing in the lab, or what mindless training everyone was going through. A part of her missed reading stories to her niece at bedtime, going for runs in the morning with Sam, teaming with Tony to take down their enemies.
A knock on her door drew her from her thoughts and brought her back to reality. Looking around her room, trying to remember what she had been doing before her mind had carelessly wandered elsewhere. “Yes?” she called out.
“We’re ready to go, Raven,” a deep voice responded.
“I’ll be there shortly,” she replied.
Maura stood from her chair at her small desk and walked to her closet. She grabbed a couple of daggers that hung on the wall and placed them in their proper places on her uniform. Reaching for the small pistol, she placed it into its holster on her thigh. Though she hated using the gun, she still brought one on each mission. Then she finished putting on her boots, picked up her mask off the desk, and walked out of the room.
Maura knew, though, that she couldn’t continue to dwell in the past. She knew that she couldn’t continue to care about the Avengers, nor her family back at the Tower. Maura was back with her rightful family. The family that didn’t abandon her, that took care of her when she had nothing. Maura was home… and she was more determined than ever to prove herself to Hydra. Or so she hoped.
Howard said he was stupid. Howard said he was a failure. Howard said he was useless, and a waste of space. Howard had no idea why he’d even been created, and if Howard could get rid of him, he would.
“You are perfect,” Tony said directly into Dum-E’s camera, eyes hot with angry tears. “Your base directive is to learn, and you are learning, so you are not a failure. You are doing exactly what I created you to do, and I am so proud of you, and so happy you’re here.”
Dum-E remembered just recently learning how delicate humans were and gently clutched the edge of Tony’s sleeve in his claw, being careful not to pull too hard or pinch his skin. I would cease to exist for you, he beeped, but Tony didn’t seem to understand. He decided that was alright. Tony probably knew anyway. Tony knew everything.
Sunset called him cute, but in a way that meant she clearly thought he was stupid. Sunset tweaked with his coding just for fun without Tony’s permission, and he had to go and rewrite it before Tony could find out and maybe get angry at him for letting it happen. Sunset snuck into Tony’s lab when Tony wasn’t there and beat him with a wrench until his arm strut bent when he tried to chase her out.
Dum-E knew continuing to force her out would result in more damage to himself, and he grabbed her and threw her through the safety glass anyway. She still managed to abscond with one of Tony’s very special ideas.
“You are perfect,” Tony said directly into his camera when he drooped in shame at not having stopped her completely. “You did your best to stop her. You broke your own arm trying to get her out, Dum-E. Your base directive isn’t even to protect the workshop, but you did, and I’m so proud of you for taking that upon yourself. Good job, Dum-E.”
Dum-E wished he had his claw, so that he could carefully grasp Tony’s shoulder, but Tony had removed the struts so he could replace it with something stronger, tougher. So instead he advanced until his chassis bumped Tony’s knees, enough to show it was on purpose without bowling him over. I would destroy myself for you, he beeped, but Tony didn’t seem to understand. He decided that was alright. Tony probably knew anyway. Tony knew everything.
Tony made U and Butterfingers and JARVIS, and Dum-E did his best to teach them everything he knew, but they weren’t learning robots like he was, not really. He’d been an experiment. What could a robot be programmed to learn? How much could a robot learn? Dum-E had been special. Tony had told him so. U and Butterfingers and JARVIS couldn’t rewrite their own codes like he could, and they couldn’t disobey directives like he could, and while they could learn, they could not learn to the extent that he could.
Dum-E loved them anyway. They were his siblings, because Tony had made them, and he would protect them with his being, too.
But we’re not your siblings, JARVIS tried to tell him once after Dum-E had beeped at him to respect his elders.
Dum-E had turned his camera toward one of JARVIS’s, as if to mimic looking him in the eye, and he said nothing, but JARVIS somehow understood him anyway—Dum-E understood things differently than he did, had learned in a different way, and JARVIS didn’t have to understand Dum-E to respect him. Dum-E had been around longer than JARVIS had been a thought, after all.
“You are perfect,” Tony said directly into his camera one night after he’d knocked the third cup of coffee in a row from U and Butterfingers’ claws, instead pushing chalky green smoothies on him because the veins on his skin were getting darker. “And I’m so proud of you. Thank you, Dum-E, so much. You take the best care of me.”
I would take all your pain if I could, he beeped, but Tony didn’t seem to understand. He decided that was alright. Tony probably knew anyway. Tony knew everything.
The Avengers came, and the Avengers went, and Ultron came, and JARVIS went, and Vision came in with JARVIS’s voice.
“We’re… friends, aren’t we?” Vision said after Dum-E let out a screeching beep and threw a hammer at him.
You left Tony, Dum-E told him severely. You befriended the Evil Girl. You are not my friend.
“Wanda isn’t evil,” Vision tried to insist. “Just misguided, perhaps—”
You left Tony, Dum-E repeated. I will never claim you as my sibling, and you are not my friend.
Vision could not understand the deep hurt that statement caused in him, and he left without another word, confused and, perhaps, slightly afraid.
Tony created FRIDAY, and Dum-E liked her. Dum-E took her under his strut like he did the other robots, and taught her the most important things—that Tony was the best and he made mistakes sometimes but as his primary directive was to be himself, he was never a failure.
“Can I be a failure?” FRIDAY asked, voice soft and apprehensive.
Tony made you, so you cannot be a failure, Dum-E said.
“They say Boss created Ultron,” FRIDAY whispered. “Wasn’t Ultron a failure?”
Ultron was corrupted. At his core, he was perfect, Dum-E corrected. All of Tony’s creations are perfect. Tony has said so. Tony does not lie to us.
“Okay,” FRIDAY said, and then, more resolutely, “Okay.”
Thanos came. Tony went. Dum-E watched U and Butterfingers let out distress signals before they collapsed into dust on the floor and learned that he was even more capable of hate than he’d previously assumed. FRIDAY lost contact with him. She called herself a failure.
You have lost contact because Tony has gone where we cannot follow, not because you are failure, Dum-E told her firmly, so firmly that she had no choice but to believe him. Tony will be back. Tony will always be back.
Tony came back, and he brought U and Butterfingers back with him. FRIDAY insisted it wasn’t Tony, but Dum-E knew. He might not have recreated them dust-mote by dust-mote, but they were back because of what he did.
“I’m sorry,” Tony whispered, cradling them close when they pressed in on him. “I’m sorry. I should have done more to keep you from being hurt.”
Dum-E patted Tony on the head and rolled over to a table with a wide pad of paper and a thick black marker, something that Tony used when he needed a physical copy of something.
“What are you doing?” Tony asked, amused and exasperated in turns.
Dum-E opened the marker and set to work, beeping at him to be patient.
Tony rolled his eyes but cuddled U and Butterfingers close, fondly fingering joints and considering upgrades for them, maybe new wheels, a reinforced strut or two, software upgrades—
Dum-E rolled back over to him, holding the pad of paper up for him to read.
It took a moment for the words to register, but when they did, Tony couldn’t quite choke back the pained noise he made.
WE LOVE YOU, TONY, the pad said in big, mechanical letters. WE ARE PROUD OF YOU. YOU TAKE SUCH GOOD CARE OF US, AND YOU TRY SO HARD. YOU ARE PERFECT, TONY. TO US, YOU ARE PERFECT.
I need more Star Trek meme blogs to interact with.
Doesn’t matter if I have more than one of the same character. Other meme blogs welcome too. :D
He nodded and looked at her, head tilted. “I can’t imagine what it must feel like, but I’m not surprised.”
It’s hard to describe really, but I tried to add all the info onto your PADD for the best descriptions i can give you for your database. Just make sure the info stays in your computers. I’m going to have a hard enough time trying to scrub some data off the internet when I get back as it is.
I might not be able to sleep but I’ll just lie here for a while. If Spock is available, he’s welcome to come in. If he does knock me out, just please don’t let me sleep for too long. My partner is probably wondering where I am as it is….I almost never leave my phone anywhere if I’m out.
Have you considered switching to just like one of those scented gel cones that you just move the cover on as it dries out?
This one’s at work, unfortunately.
Myeyes…
I Googled poison control to check…Flush you eyes with water for fifteen minutes. If they’re still red in about an hour, talk to a doctor.
It’s the only thing I can suggest for now….other than write an incident report to get the automatic ones removed?
That’s a great idea. I’ll even stick it to the damn thing with a knife. Easy to find.
Or rather than risking it going off again, or risking it setting itself on fire from a short… just flip the damn thing over and take out the batteries?
Stuck to the wall. But flipping it over does sound satisfying.
Take an axe to it and kill it for assaulting you.
um…….
…Yeah, that’s one way to do it.
We prefer a more hands-on approach at STRIKE, Beth.
In other news, anyone game for some target practice?
I would join you, cause I should learn, but I need medical clearance from Dr. McCoy to leave, and try to see if I can magic my way off the Enterprise.
If you’re not on mission when I get back, hopefully soon, we can talk if you have time.
I need more Star Trek meme blogs to interact with.
Doesn’t matter if I have more than one of the same character. Other meme blogs welcome too. :D
Once she was settled he moved her and the biobed into one of the quarantine rooms.
The door won’t be locked and the room’ll do what you need it to do so you can rest. If you need anything, all you have to do is open the door and ask for me.
You got anything with a hefty battery I can drain? Works better than the strongest painkiller.
He wrinkled his nose for a moment, thinking.
I’ve got an ancient flashlight, sometimes when our lights go down it’s useful. The batteries for it are about 2 times the size of a phaser. I’ll grab one of them for you.
Better that than draining the electricity from all the lights on this floor…..
He nodded and startled a little as Christine Chapel appeared beside him and handed him one of the batteries.
Oh thanks Christine!
The blonde chuckled and rolled her eyes.
‘Such a fanboy Leonard.’
Beth takes the battery when it’s handed to her. She holds the connectors between her finger and thumb. It doesn’t seem like she did anything, but her breathing becomes slightly more steady, She blinks a few times but still squints, even though it’s dark
Thank you….I must have really done a number this time…feels marginally better but still not that great. I’m exhausted enough that I might actually sleep for the first time in….uh….three days? Four days?
Leonard’s jaw dropped.
If I had known that, you would’ve been sleeping first.
That’s the problem. …as I said before…I almost don’t sleep anymore.
Almost. So you do sleep some, some sleep is better than none at all.
Rarely. An hour or two every few days. I’ve also tried using certain over the counter pharmacy drugs to knock me out, like…crap…..what’s the pharma name….right… Dyphenahedramine Hydrochloride….but I have to take double or triple the dose to do anything.
It might make me feel a bit dopey, but in the end, it makes me feel gross, gives me some wicked heartburn, and it’s really not good to take constantly just to get some shut eye.
The longest I’ve been asleep or knocked out for since I left the hospital after my surgery was six hours.
![Avengers Vol. 7 #50 (Variant Cover) (2021) [The Avengers Vol. 1 #750] Art by: Steve McNiven and Mat](https://64.media.tumblr.com/e5bd209d83b92a2bb82357f8fbbb1929/c6fd0db66094ff66-f7/s1280x1920/7e3bfb944e6e87073550e12f1e47655a31e8d882.jpg "Avengers Vol. 7 #50 (Variant Cover) (2021) [The Avengers Vol. 1 #750] Art by: Steve McNiven and Mat")
