The Defenders Of Midgard, An MCU Fan Fiction:
Chapter 12: The Black Bishop Of Niflheim
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Chapter 12
The Black Bishop Of Niflheim
Meets Mack The Executioner Of Midgard
Deep in the deep dark of the Monterey Trench, Stark, his interns, and a royal Wakandan delegation, close in on something buried in a sensory void, hidden within the dark, noticeable only by the void left in the sensor data. As they approach, they can see nothing, even when light is shined on the sensor void, nothing reflects back. The pattern of the sensor void implies a much larger structure buried beneath the floor of the trench, with only the sensor void covering something else not otherwise buried, as if some sensor anomaly were covering the exposed hand of a corpse, otherwise buried in an obvious mound of dirt.
Ned:
Are you getting what I’m getting boss?… As in nothing?… Attached to something… Something really big… And really buried… for like a really long time… It’s almost like some kind of stealth… But only partially effective… Maybe some sort of automated system… Because judging by the mound that it’s attached to… It’s been down here millions of years probably… I’m no expert… But it’s definitely been a really long time… It doesn’t seem to have to had anything to do with the current war… But that begs other questions… Am I rambling too much?…
Iron Man:
Yes… But you’re not wrong… What does the king have to say?… This isn’t the enemy… clearly… But whatever automated surprises this city may have in store for us… may not be so friendly…
King T’Challa:
I agree… And I estimate the burial of this city be not quite a million years old… By some sort of volcanic activity from the look of it… This points to a deeper history and a deeper mystery than we had bargained for… But I can’t but help think this will be extremely important for the war… Either way this is now an extremely delicate and dangerous archaeological dig… Sponsored by Wakanda of course… With the assistance of Stark Industries… That should satisfy the alliance for now… I suggest we keep this under wraps until we have answers… But I will have to consult my mother the queen about this mystery… Given the size of the mound alone… how do you suggest we proceed?…
Iron Man:
Very carefully… And very slowly unfortunately… Ned… dock with the king’s shuttle and transfer over to it and take it back to LA… You and Shuri can remote control the process from there…
Ned:
Process sir?…
Iron Man:
You’re going to leave your Mega Golem behind and start building a dome over the city… I’m assuming it’s city… It could be some alien mother ship for all we know… Cover the entire mound and build a floating platform on the surface directly above us here… and run pipes down to pump in air at pressure… And make sure it flies the Wakandan flag… We’ll need more technical reinforcements… Both from Wakanda and Stark Industries… Not just your mother… with all do respect…
King T’Challa:
Agreed… Shuri can stay in LA and send her golem back down to help with the project… She can build a station to dock with for mother when she visits… build it just outside the sensor void… that’s our best bet for entry…
Iron Man:
Agreed… and connect it with the dome… Alright… Party on me back in LA!… I bet Queen Karnilla likes to party!… By the time we get back… the Wakandan Consulate will be temporarily nestled in the Johnson Building… They’ll probably be bored silly with what little we can tell them… Unless the Valkyrie finally show up… I can’t wait to see… if winged horses… really know… how to fly…
King T’Challa:
I wish I could join you… But I have to inform and retrieve the queen… I know that you may be disappointed that we did not find the war you wanted to see… I can take you back to Wakanda if you want M’Baku…
Chief M’Baku:
Nonsense!… I don’t want to go back!… I want to see America with the Spider Man and the Golem Master!… I want to see if this Queen Karnilla knows how to party too!… Not to mention this so-called Avenger!… Besides!… I’m still field testing!…
King T’Challa:
Very well then M’Baku… I’ll be sure to drop you off with the others… But remember M’Baku… You’re representing Wakanda…
Chief M’Baku:
Good!… I can show all these stiffs how to party!…
Iron Man:
Of course… We’ll have to tell the others something… Dir. Mace will probably need to know some of it at a minimum…
King T’Challa:
We’ll inform those concerned with the leadership of the war effort… We’ll owe them a mission report at a minimum… The diplomatic team may need to be informed as well… as I suspect it may be important to their effort…
The Monterey Trench party begins to make preparations to return to LA, and regroup, with archaeology preparations under way, as Robbie sits in his Hell Charger with engine off in the alley behind the Dunbar Hotel. Daisy rides shotgun staring at Yo Yo in the back seat, while she stares at the her grown up son, and his dead war criminal girlfriend on their bike.
Daisy:
Come on Yo Yo… They’re waiting for us… In a minute… we’re going in without you…
Yo Yo:
Okay Daisy… Okay… Lets go… I need a drink anyway…
Daisy:
We should go straight for the bar then… Let Mack see us there… And decide how he wants to play it first… Just in case we find him in the middle of something we can’t just kill… We can always just approach him from the bar if it looks clear…
Robbie, Daisy, and Yo Yo lead the odd couple in to meet daddy and friends. They make their way into the jazz club, as live music is in full swing within a crowded club, providing plenty of cover. Many of the patrons are wearing hulk masks, and otherwise wearing green colored clothing, as if it were St. Patrick’s day, Hulk style! Yo Yo and company saddle up to the bar, to the puzzlement of an observant Mack, who catches eye contact with Yo Yo at the bar.
Oblivious to all this, absorbed in weightier personal matters in the midst of the ongoing war, Ava stares down at her still and stable hands, as she smiles in ecstatic relief, under the careful watch of Dr. Pym, Dr. Wilkes, and the others presents for her relief.
Dr. Wilkes:
How does it feel?… Do you feel more stable at least?…
Ava:
It’s gone… The pain… It’s all… gone… Like a forgotten memory… I don’t know what stable is… But if this isn’t it… then I don’t want it!…
Dr. Pym:
We can take that as a yes…
Dr. Wilkes:
My condition was slightly different than yours in terms of the cause… But I found that after my treatment… I wasn’t completely stable… But the FSBs allowed me to control my instability… You might experience something similar…
Dr. Pym:
That’s some treatment… And that’s only half of the full Black Box Extremis treatment?… A new experimental super soldier serum?… right on time for a new war?… It’s almost predictable…
Dotty:
It seems to agree with me so far… But I’m complicated… But I’m sure you know what that’s like… Don’t you?… Seems like the family business for you…
Dr. Pym:
You might say that… Just who is it that’s in charge of giving out this weapon?…
Dotty:
A bunch of different people… I could give it to you… It’s almost like a high tech social disease… It seems to be going around… It’s kind of like advanced collateral damage… of a war that hasn’t really hit yet…
Dr. Wilkes:
The full treatment would probably increase my own instability… Which is why I didn’t take it… And why I didn’t recommend it… Otherwise it increases one’s physical power and resilience to the point of making someone effectively immortal… Against any normal means of death… But also hypothetically explosive!… But that problem’s supposedly been solved… But it’s still experimental… So you never can tell…
Dr. Pym:
That would be one way to get back in the fight…
Dr. Van Dyne:
Hank?… What are you thinking?…
Dr. Pym:
Look babe… I can’t wear the suit any more… But I can still get back in the game for this war… I might even be able to use Pym particles to enlarge to some extent… I have to suit up for this somehow… You know me babe… I won’t be able to just sit on the sidelines…
Dr. Van Dyne:
Well then you’re not doing this without me then… We’re partners… And if that means partner guinea pigs for the war effort… Then so be it…
Dr. Foster:
Then sign me up too… This may be my only chance to sign on in any way… If that was good enough a rationalization for Captain Rogers… Then it’s good enough for me… I’m in too… If you’re still offering?…
Dotty:
No skin off my nose… I don’t work for anyone who cares about national security crap… not anymore… I’m sure it’s technically all kinds of restricted and classified… I just don’t give a crap…
Dr. Wilkes:
Me neither… We didn’t exactly get it from legit sources either… It just kind of fell off the back of a Star Wars truck… If you catch my drift…
Dr. Pym:
Got it… Bootleg experimental super soldier spontaneous combustion kit… Check… Let’s do this!… We’d better get on with it before we have time to actually think rationally about this…
Dr. Pym, Dr. Van Dyne, and Dr. Foster get dosed with the white sparkle kiss of Black Box Extremis, while Yo Yo walks alone over to Mack to talk to him at his booth with Morse and Hunter.
Yo Yo:
Are you in the middle of something touchy?… Cause I would ask you to sit down for this but you’ve already got that covered… That tall handsome black man at the bar… with the long wavy black hair… and the clingy chika… That’s our son… Bishop… He’s back from Niflheim… They brought him with them along with that big floating Emerald City… The others weren’t with them… That clingy chika is Amora’s dead sister Lorelei!… But for what it’s worth… she seems nice… Can we come over?… Or are you in the middle of it with the mafia?…
Morse:
Were not in the middle of anything but trying to pace ourselves… and failing… This op’s a bust as it is… I think were being ignored… We’re too good to be true probably… Or they’re too busy being up to no good elsewhere to bother with us… I feel slighted…
Hunter:
It’s down right rude!… We should straighten them out at some point… after we get to meet Mack Jr. of course… Wild mafia horses couldn’t drag me away now…
Mack:
Yeah… Screw the mafia!… We should start hunting them down if they won’t bite on us… Let’s meet junior…
Yo Yo motions over to the crew at the bar, and Daisy, Robbie, Bishop, and Lorelei make their way over to their booth. Yo Yo, Daisy, and Robbie grab chairs, as Bishop and Lorelei slide into the booth together.
Daisy:
I want Tequila!… How about you?…
Mack:
Tequila sounds good…
Bishop:
Sure… Whatever that is…
Daisy:
Shots all around!… Waiter!… A bottle of Tequila!… And a round of shot glasses!… Wow… Place is packed tonight… And me without any green…
Bishop:
So you’re him?… The one called Mack?… I don’t think I ever heard you’re real name but I remember Mom saying that Mack was a nickname… What is your name?… And for that matter… what mine?… Or more to the point… what is it supposed to be?…
Mack:
My name… is Alphonse Mackenzie… But you can call me Mack Daddy if you like… But other people might find that confusing… You remind me of my grandfather Lucas… I don’t know if that’s what I would have called you… But that’s what I’m calling you now… I’m not using that other name… the one the evil bitch gave you… It does kind of suit you… But I’m still not using it… As far as I’m concerned you’re Lucas… Lucas Bishop if you insist… for your sake… But that is as far as I’ll budge…
Yo Yo:
Sounds good to me… I only would have considered Francisco in the mix… my cousin’s name…
Mack:
Sounds good for a middle name… Lucas Francisco Mackenzie… You can keep Bishop as a nickname… or a call sign… MC Bishop!…
Daisy:
Or a biker gang member handle… He rides you know… He races even… with the kids in Emerald City… We should should start our own biker gang!… Screw the mafia!… But our gang will need a name too…
Lorelei:
The Defenders of Midgard!…
Daisy:
I like it!… I’m not even drunk yet and I like it!… The Avengers are taken and defunct… Shield is taken and it’s under new management… We should have our own biker gang… and start our own gang war with the mafia… Shake loose what we need from them the hard way… No badges… I can only give Gabriel so much consideration when the mafia is in league with my evil mother… We can show the Bishop of Niflheim around Midgard while we’re at it?…
Robbie:
I’m no biker… But I’m ready to go to war too… If the kids and everyone else cleared out… where did they go?… I think that evil bitch has got something else planned… We can wait around for it… Or we can chase it down… And I’m done waiting… And Gabriel and I have already talked about this… So you can consider him already a part of our gang… Even though he doesn’t know it yet…
Bishop:
I swore to end her evil once and for all if given the chance father… With or without help… But a gang sounds good to me… If it sounds good to you…
Mack:
I was in before you were born son… Just try and stop me…
Daisy:
First order of business for our new gang… is who’s going to be leader… Not to be a diva about it already… But it would be be very bad for anyone to get in between me and my evil bitch mother… I’ve got dibs dammit!… But I am willing to share… But only with Mack the Executioner… Mack the Axe!…
Mack:
Okay Tremors… I’ll take your deal… You can be queen of the army… As long as I get to be lead bike!…
Robbie:
The Priestess of Penance…
Mack:
The what now?…
Robbie:
The Priestess of Penance… That’s what the Rider called her… after giving her the Penance Stare… and watching her smile about it… like it was comforting for her…
Mack:
She can be the Princess of Pain if she wants… As long as I’m lead bike!…
Daisy:
Deal!… But you may have to race junior here for that distinction… He’s been racing bikes with Ward’s kids!… That’s a whole other revelation by the way… Ward’s kids are teenagers!… And they know your son as their Uncle Bishop!… Lorelei here is their Aunt!… Where’s my tequila?…
Something startles Bishop without sign or warning.
Bishop:
Emma!… Mara!… Robin!… They’re here!… In Los Angeles!… But I don’t know where!… Emma has called out to me!… But I can’t tell where they are!… Emma has powers of the mind… She sent me an SOS and an image!… But I don’t know where it is!…
Yo Yo:
Calm down and describe it…
Bishop:
It’s… By a bunch of buildings… Downtown I think… But it’s all the same to me… They’re hiding in among some sparkly looking skate ramps… like the kind we have in Emerald City… I think they’re made with FSBs… Selene is looking for them… But Emma is shielding them… They’re with a pair of Ward’s kids… Loki and junior…
Daisy:
That’s the Johnson Building downtown!… They came home!… Dammit they came home!… We have to go!… Now!…
As the booth at the Dunbar hurriedly empties, a dark hooded figure of a woman wanders about behind the FSB skate park in the alley by the Johnson Building. Three more dark hooded figures shimmer into view stalking the first. Helga and Ilsa flank either side of a third taller hooded figure of a man in green and black leather, but covered in a matte black hooded cloak, holding a translucent green twenty sided polyhedron, about the size of a baseball. Ilsa has her matte black bow drawn at the ready with a matte black arrow, aimed at the hooded Mistress Gallio’s head. Helga has one her swords drawn in her right hand, but has a matte black Vajra Thunderbolt in her left hand, with cool blue arcs and discharges dancing all over it in her hand.
Loki:
If you wanted to sneak up on my grand kids Mistress Gallio… I’m afraid you’re out of luck… They’re far too well trained for that as it turns out… And they’ve been warned about you… Selene… So have I…
Selene:
Loki!?!… And here I thought you were finally dead…
Loki:
Right back at you… Mistress Gallio… I thought I did the job on you my self a long time ago… But I didn’t know your real name back then Selene… I would have done a much more comprehensive job of it had I known… I assure you…
Selene:
I love you too Loki… I tried to sneak up on your grand kids… But apparently… your grand kids snuck up on mine… What did you do with them?… Even you wouldn’t take revenge on them for my sake… You only like to pretend to be the bad boy… often just in bed…
Loki:
Hah… Hah… Are you sure you didn’t eat them?… As I recall you have a tendency to do that…
Selene:
I’d rather eat yours…
Loki:
You’ll have to go through me witch!…
Selene:
I can’t go through you my dear Loki… Our son would never forgive me…
Loki:
Bite your tongue witch!… You lie!… We!… We never had a child!… let alone a son!…
Selene:
I can introduce you… He’s here now… He went through Terra Genesis centuries ago… I lured you to my bed for that reason… But I must admit… I wasn’t expecting a frost giant… It made for an interesting combination… Doesn’t it Frosty?… Trust me… He’s a jolly happy soul… as live as he can be…
A sudden inexplicable blizzard blows through the alley on the otherwise hot evening festivities. The blizzard whirls around and forms a gigantic snow sculpture of an abominable snowman with glowing blue eyes, thirty feet high, thrashing about in the alley as the blizzard blows all around him, burying everyone in snow and blinding them. Emma cries out seemingly from nowhere, certainly nowhere seen.
Emma:
Uncle Frosty!… Stop it!… Stop it now!… Don’t let her use you against your own father!…
Selene:
Poison fruit of a treacherous spawn!…
The figure of a young woman made of moltan magma, glowing red and orange, with flaming hair and eyes, breathing flames, walks into the blizzard and begins to steam and melt, counteracting Uncle Frosty’s blizzard. The abominable Frosty begins to cradle it’s head as if in agony, then collapses and seems to melt away, until there is nothing but a blue skinned but otherwise normal looking naked man with long black hair, passed out in a puddle in the alley. Selene appears to have disappeared under the cover of the artificial weather and confusion, after her grand children betrayed her. Emma Frost shimmers into view along with Spartan and Loco, then she runs over to pull off her white sweat shirt, and cover her Uncle Frosty’s blue butt with it.
Emma:
Please don’t blame Uncle Frosty… You have to consider who his mom is… His head’s kind of been messed around a bit… It’s hard to sort and keep sorted…
Loki:
And you are?…
Emma:
I’m Emma Frost… daughter of Daisy Johnson… and grand daughter of the Black Queen Selene… I hereby defect or whatever… Just don’t take anything out on Uncle Frosty… My sister Amara defects too!… Isn’t that how it works?… Robin!?!… We have to find Robin before that Bitch makes off with her!…
Loki:
Relax kid… A pair of grand kids I didn’t know I had till five seconds ago are already watching her… She dropped the name Gallio with those two earlier… and that sends up all kinds of red flags in this family… She’s much better off than you will be if your lying to me right now little girl… Is this blue man really my son?…
Emma:
As far as I know… I’ve never been told different… But I’ve been told a lot of things… Is our mother here?… Daisy Johnson?… She was supposed to be here…
Loki:
She does live here… This is her Building… Your grandfather’s inside right now devouring pizza’s… Would you like to join him?… And tell us all about it?… If I’m not mistaken or being lied to… I owe you for rescuing a son that I didn’t even know that I had till a second ago… I would love to hear all about him… while we get this poor man looked after… whoever he may be… Uhm… Does she turn off?…
Amara:
She… Doesn’t have any cloths anymore… They burn away when I do this… I can’t change back without being naked…
Helga:
Here… Come over here and I can hook you up…
Amara walks over to Helga, who removes her own matte black hooded cloak and holds it up to shield her as she changes back to normal, then drapes it over her to cover her up, as Ilsa stands in front of her for extra privacy, then removes her own hooded cloak in order to drape it over poor naked Frosty, so that she can give Emma back her sweatshirt with a disapproving look. Loki senior scoops up Frosty in Ilsa’s cloak and they all walk inside to wait for Daisy, with Daisy’s father, along with Robin and her two escorts.
A matte black Kree war shuttle, splashed with a union jack here and there against the matte black background, flies towards the Johnson Building and lands on the roof. The hatch opens and Gen. Fitz and Capt. Braddock walk out, continuing an existing conversation.
Gen. Fitz:
Nobody cares captain… Nobody cares… Quit beating yourself up about it… As lies go… yours is the least in all of the history of the Black Air unit!… We all have more pressing matters to deal with now… A more pressing concern for you and me both laddie… is that we can no longer ever say… that this is a personal matter… Between my lineage and your marriage… Our personal family affairs are now unavoidably official business… And we’re at war!… And so are our families!… Now quit your bitching!… We have catching up to do… And I have to update my family tree now… We both do now… Welcome to the family captain…
Capt. Braddock:
Likewise General… Likewise… I had better check on Meghan!…
Gen. Fitz:
According to my son she’s in Emerald City with my grandmother and her niece… and a bunch of new cousins… But I need to check in with the queen and she’s here dealing with some other new relations… Let’s split up… You check in with your wife and the others in Emerald City… And be advised… the original Hulk is back… and he lives there now… I’m going to check things out with my son and the queen here…
Robbie’s Charger parks in front of the Johnson Building, along with everyone’s bikes, and they all stream in with a teary eyed Daisy rattling the building slightly.
Daisy:
Emma?… Mara?… Robin?…
Emma:
Mother!… We’re here!…
Amara:
Mom!…
Robin:
Daisy!… I knew Daisy would be back… Daddy’s already here…
Daisy:
Where’s my mother?!?… What did she do to you?!?… Are you Okay?!?…
Emma:
Calm down mom!… You’re freaking Robin out!… She’s sensitive…
Amara:
Yeah mom… We’re fine but… is my dad here?… Robbie Reyes?…
Robbie:
Yeah… That’s me… Are you Amara?…
Amara:
Yeah… That’s me… All of a sudden I don’t know what to say…
Robbie:
Yeah… Me neither…
Bishop:
You look almost exactly the same… But you don’t recognize me at all do you?…
Emma/Amara:
Bishop!…
Emma:
You did make it!… I thought that I imagined sensing you…
Amara:
You look well brother… But you look like you’ve been through it…
Mack:
Brother?…
Amara:
We all grew up together as siblings… Under the Black Queen… Bishop got away first… But he got away the hard way… Because Selene wanted to punish him… to get at mom and Yo Yo… We only just finally made a break for it… And we almost didn’t make it… And might not have… if it weren’t for Loki… and Emma freeing Uncle Frosty’s mind…
Daisy:
Loki?… Uncle Frosty?… Since when are you openly being yourself?… Loki?…
Loki:
Since Thor is on his way here now!… And I suddenly have whole new set of familial responsibilities to deal with… Not the least of which is their Uncle Frosty… Apparently… a son a I had centuries ago without knowing it… with a woman that went by the name Lady Gallio… She turns out to be your mother… Selene… That’s why your kids call him Uncle Frosty… Not the man’s real name I suspect… or so I hope… He’s the blue one over there unconscious…
Daisy:
Wait!… You made it… with my mother?… the queen evil bitch?…
Loki:
She didn’t go by that name at the time… She used me and Amora… But went by the name Lady Gallio… But she was careless… and she failed to get a new alias… My new grand kids knew to call Amora for help… who then called me… I only just arrived myself… If it weren’t for Helga and Ilsa being concerned for their brothers… I might not have… You might want to know that when I came upon them… your daughters had already made off with a pair of boys… Ward’s sons… one of them my grandson… my name sake apparently… And rather forwardly too… according Helga and Ilsa…
Daisy:
Forwardly huh?… Duly noted… Which two?… Those two over there?… The ones nice and cozy with my daughters?… Gotcha… The two hovering around Robin?…
Loki:
Those two are both my grandsons… They’re the ones who first sent up the red flag here…
Daisy:
Gotcha… Well Emma… Amara… Are you going to introduce your mother to you new boy toys?…
Grant Jr.:
We can speak for ourselves… And I’m Grant Ward Jr…. But I prefer Spartan… If you insist… That… is my brother Loki Ward… We call him Loco… Your daughters told us that their grandmother put them up to approaching us… We were going to try and run away… But none of us were from around here… So we hid… We were prepared to throw down with them… But Loki’s granddad showed up just in time with Helga and Ilsa… Your brother Frosty over there showed up under Selene’s thrall or something… But Emma here broke him out of it somehow… Then Selene made a break for it and got away… Stupid story over…
Daisy:
Wow… You look just like him…
Emma:
Mom… Be careful with Robin… She’s as good as our psycho grandmother could make her… Which is as good as anyone could really… She’s too powerful really… too powerful for her own good… Grandmother’s training just barely allows her to manage… She’s over there even now… oblivious to anything but those two knuckleheads… You’re going to have to get her attention and talk to her for yourself to understand what I mean…
Robbie:
So… Which one of you… was cozy with my daughter Amara?…
Loki W:
It was for protection!…
Robbie:
Ah… So you’re the one… Duly noted… Name again?…
Loki W:
Loki… Loki Ward… But they just call me Loco… It’s easier… usually…
Robbie:
Is it now?… Loki?… Like that one over there?…
Loki W:
That’s my grandfather…
Robbie:
Duly noted…
Daisy:
Robin?… Do you remember me?… It’s Daisy… Daisy Johnson…
Romulus:
Wow… You’re really… the… Daisy Johnson…
Remus:
Dude… It’s… the… Daisy Johnson…
Daisy:
Dudes… Who are you two again?…
Robin:
They’re my friends Daisy!… Romulus and Remus!… Don’t hurt them!… I feel safe with them!… Mother said I should get to know them better… the old fashioned way…
Loki:
Those two are also my grandsons apparently… Although I may have to consult a diagram to be sure… I’m told they have one… somewhere…
Remus:
Yeah… He’s our granddad too… Spartan and Helga… are the only ones involved who aren’t… They’re from the Lady Sif Lord Balder side of the family… Maybe we should do a head count and make sure Lady Gallio didn’t make off with anyone… We should go check… We can probably leave Robin with you right?… You remember Daisy… right Robin?… We’ll be right back…
Robin:
I’m fine here silly… Mother said that she would be back for me anyway…
Daisy:
Uh huh… And who is mother exactly?…
Robin:
Mistress Gallio of course… Do you not remember our mother?… Mistress Gallio?…
Daisy:
That’s not her name!…
Emma:
I’m afraid there’s no dissuading her… That’s not a feature of some sort of mental enchantment by the Black Queen… Neither the Queen with her power… nor me with mine… can ever control that brain of hers… But neither can she… She believes who and what she wants… and she trusts who and what she wants… For her reasons that are her reasons alone… And she doesn’t know… Grandmother called her disjoint in consciousness with respect to time… Her gift makes her a seer… But it’s all jumbled together a lot… Past present and future… all mixed up together… Her tarot cards just help her organize it in her head a little better… They also act like a psychological security blanket for when she feels confused… That… and her little wooden Robin… You’ll never get her to set both of those down for any length of time without some sort of art supplies to take their place… She’s actually really good…
Daisy:
I’m surprised she still has that Robin… I’m surprised Mistress Gallio let her keep it… But given her mental state… she probably couldn’t take it away…
Just then the rollerblading twin boys from the half pipe, walk in with the blonde quintuplet girls, followed by Romulus and Remus, who then blow past them to get back to Robin. Gen. Fitz arrives downstairs, stunned into silence, with a shock to see his supposedly dead great grandfather, consulting with his son Leopold, and his great grandmother Queen Karnilla. Werner Von Strucker stands wearing a white lab coat next to a smiling Dr. Simmons, just taking in all the memorable crazy developments. Leopold Fitz spots his stunned dad.
Dr. Spectrum:
Dad!?!… You’re back!?!… I can explain!… Mostly… Come here!… Let me introduce you properly… to our Asgardian war criminal ancestor…
Loki:
Does everybody have to keep harping on that?… I’m here to help dammit!…
Dr. Spectrum:
Yes… Deal with it… You deserve worse… Hate to say it… But you do… So suck it up great great granddad… I’m sorry dad… We couldn’t tell you this last bit till now…
Gen. Fitz:
Why now?… Great granddad?…
Loki:
War!… Sir knight… War… And Thor… As in… He is coming here now… collected and brought by my love… the queen of Alfheim… My ruse was coming to an end eventually… I just didn’t expect to saddled with so many new familial responsibilities right when I was planning on making a run for it… I’m not going back into any dungeon!… No matter what!… But I have no interest in standing in the way either… But now I have a whole bunch of new grandchildren all of a sudden… Beware the time compression of Niflheim sir knight… Travel that maze at your mortal peril…
Gen. Fitz:
So you didn’t know about me?… Is that the excuse for the secret?…
Loki:
Now lets not get all carried away here kid… I knew about you since you were born… I’ve even checked in on you… from time to time… helping out… but it was king Odin who forbade that you know I was your ancestor… I was not allowed to be involved by imperial decree… I was only really allowed to know Ursula properly… But you couldn’t know me as I really was before… Even before I was a dead war criminal masquerading as the king of Asgard…
Gen. Fitz:
Masquerading as the king of Asgard?… What happened to the king of Asgard?… Did you kill him?…
Loki:
No!… I didn’t do anything to him!… Save for break his heart… But that’s personal matter… He’s fine!… Or as fine as someone in his condition can be…
Gen. Fitz:
And what condition is that?…
Queen K:
King Odin… has succumbed to prophecy…
Gen. Fitz:
Succumbed to what?…
Dr. Spectrum:
It’s like Asgardian dementia… but less demented… and more prophetic…
Loki:
But often far more debilitating… I was vain and stupid… And I decided to pay one last stupid prank on my father and deliver him news of my death fighting the Dark Elves… I was just going to disappear after that… But I got my fondest wish… And he was mournful… to the point of being shocked early into his Odinsleep… So I covered for him… Because it was my fault… But when he woke… he was babbling and ranting about how Thor and I would lead Asgard together… So I kept it quiet… And took him to Queen Karnilla… She confirmed that the king had indeed succumbed to prophecy… And we made arrangements for him… with the help of the queen of Alfheim… Who is on her way her now with my brother Thor in tow… The jig is up as they say… As I knew it would be… My apologies sir knight… But it was not my wish to keep you in the dark… Only my duty and necessity… Something I know that you understand…
Gen. Fitz:
And how would you know me that well?… Given that we’ve never met before today?…
Loki:
Oh we have met before… Just not openly…
Loki transforms into a balding man, with long white hair and a long white goatee, dressed like a stereotypical tenured Oxford professor.
Gen. Fitz:
Pretending to be Dr. Druid won’t fool me… I know what a glamour is… Although… Yours is better than grandmother’s… I always saw throug hers…
Dr. Druid:
You never did see through mine… I was always masquerading as Dr. Druid kid… There is no real one… Never was… Just me… It was both the least I could do… and the most that I was allowed by King Odin’s explicit decree… I wanted to get to know you and teach you a few things… So sue me… Are you really that disgruntled?…
Gen. Fitz:
No… Not as long as King Odin is as at least as okay as you say… With all due respect to my ancestors… I have enough to live down… You get me?… great grand larceny?… And take off that face!… No more masquerades with me!… If you really give a damn!…
Loki changes back to his proper appearance.
Loki:
Sorry kid… I get you… And it just so happens I need you… And King Odin needs you… And you just volunteered whether you realized it or not… Family business I’m afraid… But before we get carried away with that… You should also know… That that blue one over there… is my son!… The son that I had centuries ago with the Black Queen Selene… That I only just learned existed when the Black Queen attacked with him… and Daisy’s daughter freed his mind with Inhuman mental powers or whatever… Beyond that there’s a lot of teen angst hormones and melodrama that we don’t have time for… And I can’t keep track of it myself… With Thor on the way… and the Black Queen on the loose… We have to secure the king and his entourage… You get me?… Leopold here tells me you have one of these yourself…
Loki holds his own sparkly translucent Power Prism up for Gen. Fitz to see clearly.
Gen. Fitz:
I do…
Loki:
Good!… You’re drafted!… My grand daughter Ursula gave me the FSB… after Leopold gave it to her… My daughter Amora only just gave me the specs for the Power Prism… With the Black Queen Selene… we may all need them…
Gen. Fitz:
The Black Queen?… Your old girlfriend you mean?…
Loki:
Now don’t even start with that… We don’t have time for that story just now… We can save that for later… after a lot more alcohol… For now we have to secure the king!… We may need an escort… But we may not have much time with the Black Queen roaming freely about in Los Angeles…
Gen. Fitz:
The king is here in Los Angeles?… We should bring him here!…
Loki:
Agreed… Him and his entourage… In his condition he needs tending too… He’s lucid most of the time in his condition… But he has his moments… And familiar faces help with that… Just as new faces… and lots of human traffic… help with the lucidity… according to what the Norn sisterhood acolytes quietly looking after him say… As long as we can bring them all here… this place would be ideal… if it can be done discretely…
Queen K:
If it needs to be discrete… Emerald City is a secure keep… As secure as the Shield of Midgard can make it… We should relocate all our kin to Emerald City temporarily… Even though Grant Ward forbade it… That was before the Black Queen attacked… And Daisy should join us with her kin as well… At least until we can be sure this Angel of Death has no further immediate designs upon us…
Helga:
Aaww!… Back to Emerald City already?…
Queen K:
Hush child… This is adult family business… Now grow up and make your self useful… rather than becoming another problem…
Ilsa chuckles at her sisters rebuke.
Helga:
Ouch… grandma… So then where is this king?… I’m up for a road trip anyway… Any excuse will do… if it’s okay with dad…
Queen K:
As it is… by now Lord Balder has been apprised of the situation by my daughter Sif… And is being given a tour of Emerald City’s defenses right now along with Dir. Mace and Gen. Talbot to placate them… We can take the king no where else unless you want war to break out here and now… My own grandchildren can provide escort… By my order and authority…
Gen. Fitz:
Yes your majesty…
Dr. Spectrum:
Robbie!… Can we pry you and Daisy away a moment?… Mack?… Yo Yo?…
Mack and Yo Yo join Robbie and Daisy, for a hush hush conference with Leopold, the queen, and company. Werner Von Strucker stands observing everything next to a smiling Dr. Simmons, as he wears a white lab coat, straining not to smile at the spectacle developing before him, before he suddenly recognizes someone familiar at the door.
Werner VS:
Logan!?!… Dr. Simmons!… That’s Logan!… One of the two from Ojai!… He’s still wearing that weird dog tag!… Come in!… Come here!…
Dr. Simmons:
Mr. Logan… You’re looking so much better with your cloths on…
Logan:
Gee… Thanks…
Werner VS:
How did you find this place?… What happened to the other one?… Did you catch him?… Did you kill Him?…
Logan:
No… I was called here… Some kind of song… How did you get here?… Do you know about the song in my head?… Do you know why it flew off to that emerald ghost town?…
Werner VS:
Uh… I don’t know about that… But it sounds interesting… This building here is where Grant Ward lives… or where he used to live… That’s why I came looking for him here… I guess he lives in that Emerald City you mentioned… Do you think there might be a connection Dr. Simmons?…
Dr. Simmons:
Possibly… Are you hearing this siren call even now?… just coming from Emerald City?… instead of here?…
Logan:
Yeah… Like a lullaby… But it’s still echoing here… Just not as loud anymore…
Dr. Simmons:
I may have a hypothesis about that… But I’ll have to send off a quick message to a friend to test it out…
Daisy:
You’re right about that Fitz… This place is unavoidably compromised… The king can’t come here… And we can’t stay… We all have to vacate to Emerald City… But we should let the festival continue… Let everyone think were still here… Turn the place over to Shield… My dad can keep Uncle Brucy company… We can recruit the kids into our biker gang…
Gen. Fitz:
Biker gang?…
Daisy:
Yeah… The Defenders of Midgard… And we’re already at war… It’s time we start acting like it… Starting with a war time escort of the king… and the strategic relocation of precious assets…
Gen. Fitz:
I have my own war shuttle on the roof still… I can take a lot of them with me to Emerald City… if someone else can wrangle the kids… The blue naked one will need med evac anyway…
Loki:
I not leaving my son… But I have to go pick up dad… I’ll go with you and junior here in the shuttle… But the king’s location will need extra security immediately… But I don’t know that he’ll willingly go with just anyone…
Queen K:
I will go with the Defenders of Midgard… And I will assess whether or not my grandchildren will join this biker gang of yours… As soon as I learn how to ride myself… I will ride with the king in the back of Master Reyes’s car to ensure no difficulties… But we will need Shield to bolster the defenses of Emerald City with personnel of their own… Dir. Mace is already there with Lord Balder now… But we cannot wait… We must move…
Daisy:
Yeah… But where to now?… Where is the king?…
Loki:
Santa Monica Pier…
Daisy:
Where now?… Santa Monica pier?…
Loki:
He likes people watching… And it’s therapeutic… supposedly… Amora helped me set it up for him and his Norn Sisterhood entourage… It’s one of those cyber cafe smoothie and coffee bar type places… The Lands End Cafe…
Daisy:
Holy crap!?!… The old guy with the eye patch behind the bar really is Odin?… Damn… I just thought he was senile… I guess both were true in a way… I have to go with my kids… I don’t rust them out of my sight… Now that I have them back… Robbie will just have to send my regards to the king… Hey!… You two!… Robin’s with me now… So you can relax and come over here… Yeah over here… Yeah come on… Come on… Over here now… You two are needed for a secret mission… Don’t worry about Robin… I’ve got Robin covered… Round up all the other biker hooligans and follow Mack and Robbie… Do a good job… Do as your told… And don’t ask questions… And we just might let you join our biker gang… I might even put in a good word with Robin…
Romulus:
Woh!… Really?… We’re so on it!…
Remus:
Yeah… We won’t let you down Daisy…
Daisy:
And tell those other hooligans that I said the same about Emma and Amara… No promises…
Romulus:
Cool… We’re on it…
Robbie:
You pimping our kids Daisy?…
Daisy:
Not pimping… Just not trying too hard to get in the way things I can’t control while I have bigger monsters to slay… Hormones are a wild beast!… All we can do is harness it and restrain it until it gives out or grows up… and starts popping out kids of it’s own… Just not too quickly… ideally… Mack… I was half joking about the biker gang… But only half joking… You’re lead bike remember?… I wasn’t joking about that part… You have to take the lead of these biker hooligans… Bring them to heal… They probably need their skulls cracked by someone who isn’t their daddy anyway…
Loki:
I second that emotion…
Queen K:
Here here…
Daisy:
That dude needs back up!… And my teen girls are already trouble… They were before they even showed up… I’m half thinking that may be deliberate…
Robbie:
You think our kids might be spies?… We have to consider that at least… given how you and Yo Yo were back you first returned to us from Nova Roma…
Daisy:
I don’t think they’re playing us… I think they’re being used to play us… I just don’t know how yet…
Romulus and Remus bring Spartan and Loco over to the discussion, and the two young rollerblading twins come over to join uninvited.
Spartan:
No BT… Not this time… This isn’t a race… This is some sort of adult business… War business… You have to be at least this tall… to ride this mission…
B/T:
Bull…
B:
That joke only works for dad…
T:
And you aint dad…
B/T:
Junior…
Spartan:
Daisy here needs you two to ride with her and the Cuckoos… Not to mention Daisy’s daughters… and their grandpa… You know… Those daughters over there… You have to represent the Hellions here…
B/T:
Okay…
B:
You got it Spartan…
T:
Yeah… But he may not want it if one of us steals his girlfriend…
Spartan:
Give it your best shot dudes… Give it your best shot…
Loki:
BT?…
Spartan:
Balder… Thor… collectively BT… for short… emphasis on short…
B/T:
Hey…
Daisy:
Zip it short stops!… This is a mission of war!… Not a game for kids!… If you want to taken seriously as adults… then you had better act like ones… and follow orders…
Spartan:
It’s like Buster Brigade business… Just like dealing with Uncle Brucy… Except it’s not Uncle Brucy… Life or death stuff… It’s the family business… Remember?…
B/T:
Yeah… Okay…
Daisy:
The Buster Brigade?…
Spartan:
The Buster Brigade of Emerald City… The Buster Brigade was dad’s fan club… for the Hulk Busters… of the Hulk Buster Task Force… It’s what he called us when we would help him out with Uncle Brucy… or with any intruders who would occasionally make it into the city… Niflheim was a rough neighborhood… For the honor of the Hulk Busters!…
B/T:
For the honor of the Hulk Busters!…
Daisy:
For the honor of the Hulk Busters… Now who are the Cuckoos?…
The blonde quintuplets walk up behind Daisy slowly before piping up in unison.
Cuckoos:
We are the Cuckoos… The Stepford Cuckoos… That is what daddy calls us… For the honor of the Hulk Busters!… FYI… Our cousin Frosty is waking up…
Emma:
Uncle Frosty… Are you okay?…
Frosty:
Uh… No… Where are we?… Are we back in Nova Roma again?…
Emma:
No… This is Los Angeles… We haven’t been in Nova Roma for quite some time… And never again by the looks of things… That’s never happening again!… This is my mother’s building!… This is the Johnson Building!… Even Nova Roma is no more… It’s called Emerald City now… And I’m sure it’s completely different… Right mother?…
Daisy:
Right… It’s green… and sparkly… and… everything… Nova Roma has been conquered!… That’s done!… Never happening again!…
Loki:
What do you remember?… Is your name really Frosty?…
Frosty:
Jack… Jack Frost… That is my name… It is no joke… I am… the… Jack Frost… Whatever stories you may have heard… or stupid songs… that is all just noise in my wake… I am the original… the one and only… Jack Frost… My head is so much clearer now… I couldn’t remember before… Maybe I’m finally free of mother in my head… Did you free me again Emma?… Do you think it will take this time?… It feels different this time… like I can trust it…
Loki:
You can’t trust your own mind?…
Jack Frost:
No… Never… Not as long as the Black Queen lives and is still my mother… So forever… Is it really green now?… and sparkly?…
Daisy:
Yes… Very… And right now it’s the most secure place we know against the Black Queen… My mother will never get a hold of you again… Not as long as I have anything to say about it… brother… I’m Daisy Johnson by the way… your half sister… Emma and Amara’s mother… Nice to meet you… I would say welcome to the family… But you were there first… And it’s not that kind of family… not when it comes to our mother…
Jack Frost:
No… But mother does like to pretend though…
Daisy:
That she does brother… That she does… Let me show you Emerald City… And you can get to know your daddy while we’re at it… Emma… Amara… Help your uncle out will you… Jemma… Can you come along to examine my new brother for me?…
Dr. Simmons:
Sure thing… We should bring along Logan and Werner here too… I have a feeling that there is something in Emerald City that may help out Logan… And Dr. Laufey would certainly be helpful to consult in both cases…
Daisy:
Alright Gen. Fitz… Lets round up the troops and ship out… You’re driving…
Dr. Spectrum:
I’ll run along with the kids on their special errand… And when it comes to your biker gang… the Defenders of Midgard… Me and Jemma are in too…
Dr. Simmons:
Are we now?… Are we qualified?…
Dr. Spectrum:
We will be… Just as soon as we learn to ride bikes…
Daisy:
Oh… We don’t discriminate that way… You’re both in already anyway…
Various children, grandchildren, and patients of Dr. Simmons, are gathered together along with Dr. Simmons, Werner, Daisy and Mr. Hide, and shuffled up to the shuttle on the roof, to be shuttled to Emerald City. The various biker hooligans that form the Gang of Three and a pair of Hellions all line up on their bikes out front, with Ilsa joining them for their audition mission for the Defenders of Midgard, as Robbie pulls the Hell Charger around front for the queen. Mack and Yo Yo head for Santa Monica Pier on their bikes, with Morse, Hunter, and Bishop with Lorelei, and the rest of the biker hooligans following suit. Robbie takes up the rear of the procession, following behind in the Hell Charger, with Dr. Spectrum riding shotgun, and the queen in the back.
As the parties get under way, King T’Challa’s shuttle lands in the Hulk Orchard Park of Emerald City to investigate, with Stark and Shuri landing separately in their own deep sea Hulk Buster armors. Dir. Mace and Gen. Talbot rush out to greet them, followed by Lord Balder and Yelena. The Hulk unleashes another incoherent moan that echoes throughout Emerald City and Los Angeles beyond, just as Stark and Shuri step out of their armors.
Stark:
Bruce?… Is that you Brucy?…
Yelena:
It’s Uncle Brucy here… apparently… I’m Yelena… Natasha’s sister… They’re together right now… apparently… So I’m mourning my sister… In a while I’m going to have to go in and collect the body parts…
Stark:
Together?… Wait!… They’re together!?!… together!?!…
Yelena:
Yes… Together… They’ve been at it for while now… I’m surprised she’s lasted this long… But she asked for it… apparently…
Dir. Mace:
And that is just one of many revelations that have arrived with Emerald City here… Apparently… not only is Thor on his way here to Los Angeles… But apparently… King Odin is already here!… And soon to be on his way here to Emerald City… Along with Loki!… The expedition to Niflheim has been canceled… Because this is what’s left of Nova Roma!… Grant Ward and his wives brought it here from Niflheim!… With your old friend Dr. Banner along for the ride… And we’re still playing catch up here… So how’s your day been?… Anything urgent to report from the Monterey Trench?…
King T’Challa:
We thought so… But now… oddly… it can wait… I for one would like to hear how so much Asgardian royalty is suddenly coming to dinner… Including supposedly dead one’s…
Gen. Talbot:
We’re all waiting to hear that story!… You picked a great time to show up for that!… That’s for sure!…
Lord Balder:
I most of all… must demands answers here… I assure you… King T’Challa is it?… As a King… I’m sure that you understand the political implications of the subterfuge that has gone on here… If I do not hear a satisfactory explanation from Loki… I will personally make sure that this time… he stays dead!… Loki has been impersonating the King!… For years now apparently!… And with Queen Karnilla’s blessing!… And apparently with the queen of Alfheim’s as well… I can barely contain myself as it is… And of course we are also in mourning for Yelena’s sister Natasha…
Stark:
Well… She was joking about that body parts talk right?… I mean… Natasha would never… You know… With him as the… you know…
Yelena:
Big green?… Apparently she would… Apparently… she was desperate to do something for him… Because he doesn’t change back now… apparently… So I’m mourning my sister…
Natasha Romanov walks out to join them in a matte black bath robe and bare feet.
Natasha:
Well you can stop mourning… and stop gossiping… I’m fine… And it’s none of your business how… But if you want Yelena… I can always draw you a few diagrams later…
Stark:
Can I see that?…
Natasha:
No… Now… What’s this I just heard about Thor coming here?… With Odin and Loki?… Does Coulson know about Loki yet?… Or do you know about Coulson yet?… He’s alive you know…
Stark:
Yeah… We met… But can we back up a few clicks to how you’re still alive?… I’m sure Yelena would like to know… Given that she was just mourning you here…
Natasha:
If you must know… Dirty minds… I took something recently… Something called Black Box Extremis…
Stark:
Extremis!?!… You voluntarily took that stuff?!?… After all that I went through with Pepper?…
Natasha:
This stuff is different!… And your not my daddy!… And you’re not my boyfriend!…
Yelena:
Doesn’t that stuff make people explode?!?…
Stark:
Yes… But the new black box variety is supposedly more stable… But it’s still experimental!… Emphasis on mental in this case…
Natasha:
It’s fine!… It’s my risk!… My call!… My flesh!… Not either of yours!…
Yelena:
No… Just Uncle Brucy’s… apparently…
Natasha:
It’s a thing now!… Deal with it!… Both of you!… Now… about Thor?… and Loki?…
Dir. Mace:
We’re still waiting on details… But apparently… everyone’s coming to us here… Presumably… details are to follow in person…
Yelena:
If not diagrams…
Natasha:
Oh hush Yelena…
Gen. Fitz arrives in his war shuttle from the Johnson Building, and lands next to T’Challa’s shuttle. The hatch opens and Mr. Hide leads Daisy and numerous young kids and teens, streaming out of the back, along with Loki and his son Jack, and a somewhat perplexed Gen. Fitz. Dr. Simmons leads her new assistant Werner and her patient Logan out of the hatch as well.
Lord Balder:
Succumbed to prophecy!?!… You had better be able to prove that Loki!…
Loki:
You can ask him all about it yourself momentarily… Is Banner really here?…
Natasha:
You can ask him yourself about that momentarily…
Loki:
Ah… Agent Romanov… Always a pleasure… Although not as much as for Dr. Banner I hear…
Natasha:
Watch it Loki!… Don’t push your luck…
Clint:
Yeah!… You don’t want to mess with her boyfriend!… But she’ll probably kill you first… I would… Just saying…
Clint walks out of some bushes holding a matte black flask of some kind, with ‘1000yr batch#15’ written in black marker on a piece of tape as a label, having apparently found the secret stash.
Loki:
Well… Before all the killing starts… May I at least introduce my son Jack?… Jack Frost?… The son that I just found out that I had with enemy?… Or does that not interest any of you?… There’s no point in any explanation coming from me until father gets here…
Clint:
Well shut up then… I found the secret stash of the Wolf King of Emerald City… Hulk’s bartender… the one he calls the Thunder Wolf… You guys should really try this stuff… It’s like the stuff Thor let us sample… from the year he was born… If he really is coming here… he is in for multiple shocks…
Jack Frost:
May I try some of that?…
Yelena:
Yeah… No kidding…
Daisy:
It’s just hooch… I can’t be that good… right?… Is it magic hooch?…
Clint:
Oh yeah… This stuff is magic alright… Magically medicinal…
Logan:
Well I could definitely use something magically medicinal…
Mr. Hide:
Me too…
The various weary adults sample the secret stash, and little Karny runs over and hugs her grandfather Loki. Loki’s daughter Meghan and her husband Capt. Braddock follow up behind, chasing after Little Karny, with a bunch more small siblings chasing after them, followed by the Ladies Sif and Amora.
Little Karny:
Grandpa!… Did you bring another storybook for Aunty Amora?…
Loki:
Not this time Karny Girl… Let me introduce you to my son… Jack… Jack Frost…
Yelena:
Seriously…
Loki:
Yes… Seriously… The Jack Frost… Jack… This here is your older sister Meghan… And her husband… Capt. Brian Braddock…
Jack Frost:
Nice to meet you… Is your mother evil too?…
Meghan:
Only to me…
Loki:
Your mother is not evil Meghan… Not even to you… She’s the queen of Alfheim!… She has responsibilities… Like bringing Thor here… For war Meghan!… For war!…
Meghan:
Wait!?!… Mother’s coming here!?!…
Meghan shimmers away on instinct, but doesn’t come back.
Logan:
She’s still here… I can still smell her…
Loki:
Thanks for that… But I already knew that without smelling her… And how is it that your sense of smell is so strong?…
Logan:
I don’t know… It just is… I’m just here to find out… among other things… to figure things out…
Dr. Simmons:
Logan here is a recovering hell hound… A former hard case… suddenly recovered… We have no idea what’s supposed to be typical… We’ve only just started dealing with them… Proper course of treatment for rehabilitation is unknown… I don’t know if that answers enough of your questions to provide some piece of mind… More thorough answers will require further examination and time… But There is one question that I think little Karny may be able to answer…
Little Karny:
Me?…
Dr. Simmons:
Yes you silly… Do have your mother’s dagger with you?… The one your grandmother made for her?…
Little Karny:
Yes… But I hide it… So no one knows that I have it…
Dr. Simmons:
Well… Can you show it to us?… I think it might help Mr. Logan…
Little Karney:
Well… Okay…
Little Karny waves her hand over her chest, and her mother’s dagger appears hanging down by her side, from a chain hanging diagonally over one shoulder. She pulls it out of it’s scabbard, and it starts to audibly hum.
Logan:
There!… That’s the sound!… Can you make it stop now?… You’ve made your point!…
Little Karny:
Oh… Shhh…
The audible hum stops, but Logan still seems perturbed.
Logan:
I can still hear it… Can’t any of you hear that?…
Little Karny:
Oh!… Sorry!… I forget to use my big ears some times…
Logan:
What big ears?…
Little Karny:
The ones that are better to hear you with silly… Don’t you know the story?…
Little Karney transforms into her wolf’s head form, and then shushes her dagger again.
Little Karny: Shushh!…
Logan:
That’s better… It’s finally stopped… That’s some trick kid… Can anyone learn that?… Or do I need a magic dagger too?…
Dr. Laufey:
To which trick are you referring Mr. Logan?… Or do you prefer Wolverine?…
Logan:
Wolverine?…
Dr. Laufey:
It was the name on the dog tag that you’re still wearing… along with the name Logan… It couldn’t easily be removed without damage… And given it’s value… We couldn’t be sure it wasn’t a matter of some personal choice… of some sentimental value… Do you remember anything about it?…
Logan:
No… Can we take it off?… Why is it supposedly of any value?…
Dr. Laufey:
Because it’s made of pure vibranium… One of the most valuable substances on earth… That bit around your neck could buy a small bank… or a small country…
Logan:
Why would someone do that?…
Dr. Laufey:
I was hoping you could answer that question… But we came across you while you were still enthralled to The Hand… You were one of their hell hounds… You and one other one with a fancy necklace were used to attack us a while back… Do you recall any of that?… We haven’t come across any other hell hounds with expensive collars like yours and the other one’s…
Logan:
Hell hound?… What’s a hell hound?… What unit are they with?…
Dr. Simmons:
What’s the last thing that you do remember?…
Logan:
I… remember?… I… I don’t…
Werner:
After I gave them the Black Box Extremis treatment… it took a while… but those two guys did remember something… or someone… I’m not sure exactly… But all of a sudden they remembered each other and started trying to kill each other… With this one screaming ‘Silver Fox!’…
Logan:
Silver?… Silver Fox?… Silver Fox!?!… Silver Fox!!!…
Little Karny:
That’s enough!… Sleep!…
Logan:
Silv!!!…
Logan is cut off in mid howl, as he collapses asleep on the ground.
Little Karny:
Ooops… Sorry… I think I hit him a little too hard…
Throngs crowd into the Land’s End Cafe for a late night green themed reggae festival being held on Santa Monica Pier. King Odin presides behind the bar wearing a bright green and yellow baggy Hawaiian shirt, surrounded by numerous athletic woman wearing similar baggy Hawaiian shirts, staffing the cafe. Grant Ward walks up to the bar as casual as can be.
Ward:
Place is jumping… Isn’t it?… Your majesty?…
Odin:
Nobody around here calls me that… Not unless they believe me… Now why do you believe me when you haven’t even heard me speak yet…
Ward:
Because my wife Lady Amora sent me… and my mother in law Queen Karnilla… who is on her way here to get you herself… I’m just the reinforcement for your security detail till they get here… just in case…
Odin:
Just in case of what paladin?…
Ward:
Just in case the Black Queen Selene decides to pay a visit… She made a play of some kind at the Johnson Building earlier tonight…
One of the baggy Hawaiian shirt wearing staff of women, sneaks slowly up behind Ward, then sticks a concealed dagger up against the back of his rib cage.
Ward:
I appreciate the enthusiasm for duty… But I’m not here to pick a fight… And I’m not going anywhere… So kill me now in front of all these people… Or put it away… It’s getting on my nerves… In the mean time… I think I’ll have a Hulk Lime Smash smoothie… I can pay in quatloos…
Odin:
One Hulk Lime Smash smoothie coming up… You know I could just poison you… If you’re going to let me serve you…
Ward:
With all due respect sir… That’s not your style your majesty… Now my father in law Loki might do something like that… if I had been stupid enough to upset him… I’m assuming… Kind of stuck with him now though… Same way you’re stuck with me for at least the next several minutes…
Odin:
How intimate sounding…
Ward:
Just remember your majesty… We’ll always have Santa Monica…
Odin laughs out loud at Ward’s silly movie reference.
Ward:
Look… You have no reason to believe me… But you should also know that Loki is waiting for us in Emerald City… that big green thing that showed up in the sky earlier… And the queen of Alfheim… whoever that is… is bringing Thor here… supposedly…
Odin:
You’re right… I don’t believe you… And you don’t sound so convinced yourself…
Ward:
I know right?… It’s all crazy!… But that’s the night I’m having… I can’t believe any of this stuff either till it actually happens… I’m just trying to manage to keep up… Technically speaking… by earth time… Midgard reckoning… Over the course of the past twenty four hours… I’ve gone to Niflheim… raised a family there… rescued the Hulk… and brought a recaptured city of the enemy’s back with us from Niflheim… That had to be at least sixteen years worth… And My oldest daughter didn’t even notice we were gone… And my other kids… literally born yesterday… are on their way here now… as an escort… I wouldn’t believe that either… I still don’t entirely… But that’s the kind of night I’m having… So how’s your night?…
Odin:
Lovely… And getting more interesting it seems… So how did you get to Niflheim to begin with?… And through the maze of Niflheim on top of that?…
Ward:
Well that’s a bit complicated… Basically Amora had the training for it so she went solo… foolishly… desperately… or so Sif and I thought… So we chased after her… Sif was going to go in hot berzerker style… But I held her back to think it through… I knew from the briefing that men couldn’t go… And berzerkers of either sex couldn’t go… Sif had the training… even though she washed out… She knew what it took… and what the vulnerabilities were… through the senses… primarily sight and hearing… So I suggested that we blind ourselves and muffle our hearing… And rely upon what we pilots like to call instrument flying…
Odin:
Instrument flying?…
Ward:
Yes… In bad whether the pilot can’t see… But the instruments can… But it’s not so easy to just trust the instruments and fly blind… So pilots have to train to do this… It’s mandatory training for all pilots… And that was what we used to navigate Niflheim… Using an instrument called an FSB…
Odin:
Oh… Like one of these things?…
Odin pulls a gold plated twenty sided polyhedron out of his pocket, and shows it to Ward.
Ward:
Ahh… I see you have one… Well that makes that part of the story easier to tell… Say… You’re familiar with Thor’s brewing and distilling manual right?… He gave you an advisory credit I think… If I remember correctly… I was wondering if you could answer a few questions about some of those recipe’s… Some of the archaic terms for some of the older recipe’s would be great… The FSBs can’t translate everything… Especially the more archaic medicinal terms… even Amora could only make inferences… We used some of those medicinal recipe’s for the Hulk… Thor’s friend… But we had to improvise some of it… I could let you try some… if you trust me not poison you…
Odin:
I believe I will chance it… Hit me with you best shot… brew master of Niflheim…
Ward reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small matte black flask, and hands it to king Odin. King Odin removes the cap and takes a whiff of it’s contents.
Odin:
Interesting aroma… minty… but spicy…
Odin takes a drink.
Odin:
Oh… By my father King Bor’s beard!… That is heady stuff… I don’t recognize the recipe… But I like it… You made this?… From Thor’s recipe’s?…
Ward:
Yes… But it’s a mixture of different recipe’s… with some substitution by necessity… and others by Amora’s suggestion for medicinal value…
Odin:
Excellent stuff… But however did you age it?…
Ward:
Time Compression…
Odin:
I beg your pardon?… Time what now?…
Ward:
Time compression… It’s what Niflheim itself does naturally… When lots of time is experienced in a very short window of actual time… We can do this artificially with the FSBs and a little magic… Time literally flies by inside of a tiny little time bubble… while only seconds pass on the outside… one thousand years worth of aging happens in just one year…
Odin:
One year!… That truly is magical!…
Ward:
That stuff right there… is part of a thousand year batch…
Odin:
No wonder… Truly remarkable… My son Thor will be beside himself…
Ward:
Well that’s flattering and all… But there is something you should also know about me and my family before they get here… I don’t know how you feel about wolfkin your majesty… But supposedly I’m supposed to be some kind of wolfkin royalty… But I’m not so sure that I buy that royalty part… But I know that many Asgardians have a prejudice against wolfkin… I don’t presume to judge anyone on anything your majesty… Either way I just thought that you had the right to know… I can handle it… But my kids may not… And they’re on their way here now… I probably should have mentioned that first…
Odin:
No you were quite right… And as much as I wouldn’t want to admit it… If you had said that first… My guard would have run you through… And I probably would have applauded her for doing it… This is Midgard after all… home of The Hand with their hell hounds… I may want to think better of it… But the reality is what it is… It is one of the great lingering regrets of my kingship… left over unfinished business… with inevitably tragic consequences…
Ward:
I don’t have many regrets like that… I have regrets about all of the things that I actually did… I’m worried that people might be expecting me to be some kind of wolfkin savior king… The Kree seem to be using that… But I can’t stop it… I’m no king… I can never be a king… The kids jokingly elected me the Wolf King of Emerald City… It was just a stupid joke… But it always bothered me… Because it reminded me of the truth…
Odin:
You may not be king… But even if only half of what you said about Niflheim is true… You have already earned the right to be one… And who is the king of Emerald City if not you?…
Ward:
Well… I guess I never thought about it like that… I’m just trying to protect my family… And trying to make myself useful… And trying to keep up while I’m at it…
Odin:
Sounds like being king to me… Believe it or not… that’s all there is to it… at best… Everything else is vain presumption on the one hand… Or just tall tales to inspire those who might be able to do more… That’s all you can hope for really… It gets much worse from there… Grant Ward… I can assure you of that…
Ward:
Wait… I didn’t tell you my name did I?…
Odin:
Both Queen Karnilla and my son Loki told me all about you… I didn’t know at first… But it became fairly obvious who you were… Although… as one king to another… You might want to get into the habit of introducing yourself properly… if not discretely… You’ll find it avoids a lot of unnecessary trouble…
A convoy of motorcycles pulls in to the parking lot by the pier, and Robbie’s Hell Charger pulls around ahead of them, and pulls up to the curb closest to the Lands End Cafe. Robbie and Fitz let the queen out and accompany her inside the cafe, where they make their way to the bar, greeted by an introspective Ward and a smiling Odin.
Queen K:
I’m sorry King Odin… But we must disrupt your retirement… as a result of developments in the war…
Odin:
It’s no problem at all your majesty… I was just getting to know the Wolf King of Emerald City a little better… I suppose you know this already… But he just got back from Niflheim of all places… And he makes some excellent mead…
Queen K:
I can understand your fascination King Odin… But we really must be going…
Odin:
I can’t leave now… I have responsibilities here… This festival is a fundraiser… I can’t leave without my entourage… And we can’t leave in the middle of an important fundraiser for the community…
Ward:
Fundraiser huh?… Sorry your majesties… I know you wanted discretion… But we can’t wait…
Ward transforms into his Star God form with a thunderous flashes and arcs of lightening, as he howls at the top of his lungs. The Hulk in Emerald City Howls back in sympathy. Then he screams in his full wolfkin voice.
Star God:
Parties over!… Now scram!…
The party goers all run, and the musicians all join them. Ward transforms back into his normal human form, then pulls out bag of gold coins and places the full bag on the counter of the bar.
Ward:
Sorry your majesty… But we can’t wait… But this should cover the charity… If not… I’ve got more… Hey kids… Empty out your pockets… every quatloo… I told you before that I could pay with quatloos… I just didn’t say what they were… or how many I had on me…
Odin:
Your point is very forcefully made Wolf King… But be sure to leave your coin on the counter before we go…
Ward:
Alright… You heard the king… Dump all your quatloos on the counter… And we’ll hit the road back to Emerald City… A number of your entourage will have to ride on the backs of bikes… But we can get the rest later…
Various biker hooligans dutifully deposit their precious quatloo coins on the counter, then the convoy hits the road back to Emerald City, as a dark hooded figure of a woman watches from the beach, and a convoy of trucks pulls up to the front gate of Stark Industries. The lead truck pulls up to the gate then plows through it with out slowing down, followed by the others, streaming into the compound and surrounding it. The driver of the lead vehicle gets out, and runs off on his own, carrying a plasma rifle in his hands, and wearing a beekeeper style hazmat suit just like the others, all of whom then systematically swarm every building on the compound, except for the one headed to by the driver of the lead truck.
The swarming beekeepers seem to attack everything in sight, while the lone drone disappears into a small storage building at the back of the compound. Col. Rhodes flies in with a matte black version of his War Machine armor, and lands in the middle of the drones, then begins to lay waste to them without any restraint. The beekeeper raiders find no one, as they attack deserted building after deserted building, as the War Machine continues mow them down.
Col. Rhodes:
Welcome to the party bitches… Sorry there’s just me waiting for you here… But Mr. Stark is really tired of you assholes killing his people… So we decided on throwing a little surprise party for you beekeeper punks… Where’s MODOC?… Where’s Mister Potato head?… All my smack talk is wasted on you guys… Or is it Misses Potato Head?… Did I misgender you?… I’m so sorry… But I don’t want to dead name you either… Can misses MODOC come out to play?…
A smokey gray skinned MODOC comes out of the back of one the trucks, surrounded by a pulsating purple glow, and flies right at the War Machine.
Col. Rhodes:
Misses MODOC I presume…
Col. Rhodes opens up a full auto fire barrage on MODOC. Bullets bounce harmlessly off of a force field bubble of some kind surrounding MODOC.
Black Smith:
Yo!… MODOC McFly!… Heads up bitch!…
The War Machine cuts off his fire barrage just as the Black Smith drops down from the sky above MODOC, and lands on top of MODOC’s head, slamming him down onto the ground in a similar manner to when they first met.
War Machine:
Wow!… Nice dunk!… Black Smith smash!… I’ll even give you top marks for the dismount!…
Black Smith:
It’s my special move… I call it… the MODOC!… Unfortunately I can’t use it with anyone else… Because no one else’s head is big enough!…
MODOC:
You dare challenge science!?!…
Black Smith:
You aint science bitch!… And yeah!… We more than dare!… One way or the other… this ends tonight!… Past a certain point in any biology experiment… it’s time for dissection on the tray!…
MODOC:
You first Black Smith!… You first!…
Black Smith:
Come and get it bitch!… You bring your scalpel… and I’ll bring mine… and we’ll see who gets cut!…
War Machine:
Hey is this a private fight or can anyone join in?… I’m starting to feel left out here… What am I?… Yesterday’s model?…
Black Smith:
Don’t take it personally Col. Rhodes… We have history…
War Machine:
Well then… We’ll just have to make some memories of our own won’t we?…
The War Machine flies over to MODOC as he begins to hover back up off the ground, and blasts him point blank with both repulsors from his armor’s gauntlets. MODOC screams in as much annoyance as agony, as his pulsating purple glow begins to grow brighter and more intense. Blue arcs and discharges of lightening begin to emanate from MODOC, as his intensity increases under bombardment.
Black Smith:
Wait!… Stop!… I’ve seen this before… with the Red Hulk… It’s Gamma Extremis!… He’s absorbing the energy!…
War Machine:
Well… How are we supposed to take him down?…
Black Smith:
I don’t know!… But we have to stay kinetic!… And beat his ass the old fashioned way if we have to!… But getting close enough will be the real trick!… Time for the heavy artillery!…
War Machine:
Practically my middle name…
The War Machine unleashes a barrage of rocket propelled grenades from a grenade launcher attached to one of the shoulders of his armor, and buries MODOC in explosions and flames. Back in Emerald City, Tony Stark and his interns receive notice of MODOC and the beekeepers attack on Stark Industries.
Ned:
Holy crap!… Every alarm in existence just went off at Stark Industries!… It’s MODOC and the beekeepers again!…
Yelena:
MODOC and the beekeepers?…
Tony Stark:
Yeah… The worst traveling band ever!… Fortunately… I laid a trap for them in case they attacked again while I was gone… The matter is in good hands already… But I have to get over there… I’ve got more than a few bones to pick with MODOC and AIM… You lot stay here and help secure the city for the king’s arrival… I’ve got to go!…
Stark slips back into his FSB Hulk Buster armor, and takes off for Stark Industries. Dr. Spectrum, still riding shotgun in Robbie’s Hell Charger, receives a similar notice from Stark Industries, having been looped in on the preparations for MODOC’s surprise party to begin with. Ward rides a matte black motorcycle, in his more discrete human form, taking up the rear guard position behind Robbie’s Hell Charger.
Dr. Spectrum:
MODOC just made his move… He’s attacked Stark Industries again… I’m sorry your majesties… But I have to go help out with MODOC… We’ve been waiting for this… Lying in wait really… I’m supposed to a part of that… So I have to go…
Queen K:
That’s quite alright Leopold… In fact… You should take Grant with you…
Robbie:
You’d better take Ward!… I was supposed to be in on that too!… Now I can’t go… Even though the Rider’s chomping at the bit to flame off… It’s taking everything I have in me to stay the course right now…
King Odin:
The Rider?…
Queen K:
Your old friend Zarathos…
King Odin:
Mr. Reyes here is the host for Zarathos?… I thought I sensed his presence!… I’ve had visions of him… I knew this car seemed familiar to me somehow… We’ve had many campaigns of righteous vengeance together… If I thought I was still up to it… and I wouldn’t just hold you back… I might have ridden with you after this MODOC… My apologies to our mutual friend for being such an inconvenient impediment… to righteous vengeance…
Robbie:
Maybe next time your majesty… Maybe next time…
Dr. Spectrum lifts his body out through the open window of the passenger side door, and looks back at Ward following behind.
Dr. Spectrum:
Ward!… It’s MODOC!… He’s attacked Stark Industries again… We have to go back them up!… We set a trap!… But Robbie and I are both supposed to be a part of that!… Robbie can’t go!… So you and me are it!… We can’t spare anyone else!…
Ward:
Got it!… Lead the way!…
Dr. Spectrum slides his way completely out of the passenger side window of the Hell Charger, and shimmers away as he steps off with his roller blades, without the car even slowing down. Ward transforms into his Star God form, with just his sheild and armor, but with no mace or sword, as his matte black motorcycle changes into a hover quad, then flies off in the direction of Stark Industries.
Helga:
Did he say MODOC?… Romulus!… Remus!… Dad’s going after MODOC!… The MODOC!… We have to go too!… He’s at Stark Industries!… Let’s go!…
Spartan:
Helga!… We have a job to do here!…
Helga:
And you’re doing a fine job Spartan!… I have every confidence in you!… See ya!… Wouldn’t wanna be ya!…
Helga and the rest of the Gang of Three veer off from the convoy, and start to head for Stark Industries, before their rides morph into their unlimited racing configurations, as they take off into the sky.
Spartan:
Dammit Helga!…
Ilsa follows suit without word, only glancing back at her twin brother Loki with a look of concern, before she take off after her sister at best speed.
Loki W:
Ilsa!… We have to go dude!… We have no choice now!… The Buster Brigade of Emerald City is a team too!… They can’t fight without us!… We have to go now!…
Spartan:
Alright dammit!… Let’s Go!…
Spartan and Loco follow suit after Ilsa and the Gang of Three, leaving Morse, Hunter, Mack, and Bishop with no choice but to carry on with the convoy, with members of the king’s entourage riding on the backs of their bikes, and with no replacements for them should they leave them behind anyway.
Queen K:
There go my grandchildren…
King Odin:
They could have been worse… They could have been cowards!… Cowards who don’t support each other… I think you have much to be proud of…
Queen K:
I am king Odin… I am proud of them… But courage may not be enough against MODOC… And it definitely won’t be enough against the Black Queen Selene…
As the fight with MODOC rages on, and more combatants rush to the fight, the lone beekeeper who ran off on his own at Stark Industries, makes his way down to a basement vault beneath the complex. With the elevators out of commission due to some security lock down protocol, the lone beekeeper makes his way down the stairwell, plasma rifle still in hand. Upon reaching the bottom of the stairwell, he enters the vault room, only to discover a number of people waiting for him, or someone like him, among other things.
Standing there are a number of identically armored people, wearing stripped down and more basic versions of the Iron Man armor, all blue and green, instead of red and gold, with black opaque vizors covering the face of the helmets in place of usual face plate. Over the heart of each of the suits of armor, printed in bright green letters, is the word ‘GUARDSMAN,’ with an identifying number underneath it, also in bright green. Standing next to guardsmen number one, is a tall and bald black man with facial burn scarring, and numerous matte black cybernetic parts and armor, with a small matte black power prism embedded in his chest armor.
Guardsman 1:
Well look what we got here Mike… Looks like were not completely out of luck after all… And here I thought we were being sidelined… Or maybe he’s just lost… a lone defective drone…
Mike:
Aren’t they all defective boss?…
Guardsmen 1:
Call me Happy Mike… They’re a defective idea… from a defunct cult that doesn’t know when to die… But it’s just not that satisfying killing drones… I really wanted MODOC… But I guess we’ll just have to settle for this loser…
Lone Drone:
Well… I’d hate for you to be disappointed Happy… May I call you Happy?… Mr. Hogan?… Perhaps I can make things a bit more interesting for you… Since I am no drone at all… I am a proper killing machine in my own right after all… But if you do want drones… I have plenty of those for you too… Isn’t that right?… Dr. Golem?…
The proper killing machine reaches into a fanny pack behind him and pulls out a small figure of Dr. Golem, and tosses it to his side, as it enlarges to the normal full hulking size of Dr. Golem. Springing out of Dr. Golem’s body are numerous beekeeper drones in miniature, that enlarge to normal proportions as they land on the floor around Dr. Golem and the proper killing machine.
Mike:
That’s more interesting at least…
Happy:
I don’t like interesting enemies… I prefer dead ones…
Mike:
Well… We’re just gong to have to work on that…
Politics Are Poison!
Poison That Never Ends!
Battles Of Shadows And Mist!
That Forever Never End!
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