(Jared's POV)
TARDIS…
"Ah! Poppy. Her name is Poppy. Okay, her name is Poppy. Oh man, I like this face." The Doctor said, happily.
The scanner runs through images of the previous Doctors beginning with William Hartnell.
"What are you showing me that for? Man! Oh, man. Let's be honest. I was the best." The Doctor said, smiling.
"Okay, let's say best male. But don't tell the others." The 13th Doctor said, walking down the stairs with me.
"I don't think he can beat Raggedy Man and Doctor Disco." I said, grabbing the 13th Doctor's hand.
"What? How? Doctor? How are you and Jared here?" The Doctor asked, looking between the 13th Doctor and I.
"I know! We shouldn't be here at all. Cause and effect is getting a little bit out of order. Jared should be fighting Ultron with the Avengers and Magical Girls." The 13th Doctor said, annoyed.
"Tell me about it. You both are in my future. I'm still traveling with the eyebrows and Clara Oswald." I said, squeezing the 13th Doctor's hand. "And I was supposed to be taking Hydra bases with the Avengers. Not sure which Magical Girls to take for that."
"You should bring the Puella Magi Holy Quintet for taking the Hydra bases with the Avengers. From what I remember you telling me." The Doctor said, looking at me. "Well, I'm surprised it's not the other guy. He is always turning up. And he brings Jared on adventures."
"You've redecorated. I don't like it." The 13th Doctor said, channeling the 2nd Doctor.
"I do. She's cleaner. And she's grown. She's gorgeous!" I cheered, letting go of the 13th Doctor's hand to walk up to the TARDIS console, pressing buttons, for a cup of coffee in a mug to appear out of a coffee machine. I picked up the coffee machine and began to drink it. "No way! She'll get a coffee maker." I then spotted a jukebox and started picking out a song off of it. I played the song, that being Johnny B. Goode. "And a jukebox. Wow. Reminds me so much of my love for the 1950s."
"I know." The Doctor said, smiling. "You said you loved it."
"Jared loves it. But I don't. Does it really need to be bigger in a room defined by its bigness?" The 13th Doctor asked, walking around the TARDIS console.
"But why are you and Jared here?" The Doctor asked, looking between the 13th Doctor and I.
"Jared and I have been popped out, like popped out of our timelines because there's a great big time schism on its way, caused by you and Jared in the future." The 13th Doctor said.
"Time needs to be shifted, Doctor, Jared. So I am going to punch a ton of regeneration energy into the Vortex to jolt it one degree."
"Doctor, you're giving up your life. You're forcing your regeneration. You're not faking it like you did when you were on Lake Silencio or when the Monks took over the Earth." I said, looking at the Doctor.
"A life for a life. Jared, you do it all the time with me. Because you and I saved the world at the expense of one person, Jared, which you will get someday, and that is no world at all." The Doctor said.
"There won't be any worlds. If you rupture the Time Vortex, you could damage the whole of creation. All the worlds Jared visited or will visit across the multiverse will be gone." The 13th Doctor said.
"Doctor? Is that why you and Jared are here? To stop me?"
"Nope. That was never going to work on you." I said, sipping my cup of coffee. "Doctor, what do you think of your future self?"
"I don't know, Jared. Blimey, Doctor, you're gorgeous. Your face is absolutely beautiful." The 13th Doctor said, staring at her future regeneration closely.
"Well, Doctor, it will be our last one, if I get this wrong. And Jared, this will be my last face." The Doctor said, looking between the 13th Doctor and I.
"So, don't get it wrong, Doctor. Not on my watch." I said, still drinking my cup of coffee and hearing Johnny B. Goode coming out of the jukebox.
"Good idea. This is going to eat my soul. No chance of bi-generation." The Doctor said, sadly.
"No chance of what?" The 13th Doctor asked.
"What's bi-generation?" I asked, looking up from my coffee mug at the Doctor.
"Oh. Never mind. Forget I said anything. Jared, you won't know for years. Maybe someday you will. Just, this is going to hurt." The Doctor said, frowning.
"Try shifting your third strand of phenotype markers one micro-spasm to the left. Just might help." The 13th Doctor said.
"Oh, that is clever. But hold on. Doctor, I'm older than you and Jared. Why didn't I know that?" The Doctor asked, looking at the 13th Doctor.
"You know, it's all a bit…" The 13th Doctor said.
"Timey-wimey." The Doctor, 13th Doctor, and I said, at the same time.
"Is that still a thing?" The 13th Doctor asked.
"Going strong." The Doctor said, smirking.
"Glad it is. This is all wibbly wobbly." I said, laughing a lot. "And very spacey wacey."
"It is!" The 13th Doctor chirped. "Doctor, we never change. And Jared, you never changed because of us. We're that influential on you. That you chose to be like us. All these faces, and we never really change."
"Oh, man." The Doctor said, annoyed.
"Are you scared of doing forced regeneration?" I asked, lowering my tea cup.
"Terrified." The Doctor said, guiltily.
"Don't go in fear. Go with that lovely smile." The 13th Doctor said.
"I just wish we... we had longer." The Doctor said, looking between the 13th Doctor and I.
"May we always wish that." The 13th Doctor said.
"Yeah. Traveling with you, Doctor. I love it. And I know that someday, I'm going to miss it. I'll really miss it." I said, looking between the Doctor and the 13th Doctor.
"You will, Jared. You absolutely will. That is something we both regretted." The Doctor said, guiltily.
The TARDIS switches lights off.
"We're stretching the timelines too far. Jared, we've got to go. Back to our old lives. Bye, then. Good luck." The 13th Doctor said, grabbing my hand, and she began dragging me away.
I'm holding onto my coffee mug really tight, not wanting my mocha to spill.
"I love you, Doctor, Jared." The Doctor said, looking between the 13th Doctor and I.
"I love you too, Doctor. Always have. Always will." I said, happily.
"I never say things like that." The 13th Doctor said, smiling.
"That's why you got me and Jared." The Doctor said, smirking.
"I should say that to Yaz. Oh, and Jared, you should say that to Maya and Pearl." The 13th Doctor said, looking at me.
"Saying 'I love you' to Maya and Pearl. Two girls I admired but haven't met yet. Man, I am so looking forward to that." I said, placing my tea cup onto the floor. "Being with Nick, Maya, and Pearlie on court cases. That'll be fun."
"It will be, Jared. You told me you cherished those days with Maya Fey, Pearl Fey, and Phoenix Wright. But you never do, Doctor. Saying that to Yaz. Saying 'I love you' to her. But she knows. Jared, you do say that to Maya and Pearl. During 'Bridge to the Turnabout'." The Doctor said, looking between the 13th Doctor and I.
The 13th Doctor and I start flickering.
"Goodbye, Doctor." The 13th Doctor said, sadly.
"Goodbye, Doctor. I'll see you, the long way around." I said, frowning.
"Goodbye, Doctor, Jared." The Doctor said, psyching himself up for a forced regeneration.
Once the energy starts flowing, the Doctor aims it at the Time Rotor and console. A mirror shatters.
Hydra base…
"Report to your stations immediately. This is not a drill. We are under attack. We are under attack." The announcer said, over the speaker, while Wand and Pietro were holding hands.
The Avengers, the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, and I are in the process of infiltrating a HYDRA base in Sokovia, making our way through the woods and fighting soldiers.
Tony, flying up to the base in his suit, hits a forcefield, "Shit!"
"Language!" Steve Rogers said, angrily.
"JARVIS. What's the view like up there?" Sayaka asked, stabbing soldiers with sparring swords.
"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is well beyond any other HYDRA base we've taken." JARVIS said, over Bluetooth.
"So, Loki's scepter must be here. Baron Strucker can't have this much defense without it." Kyoko said, setting up latticework barriers to hold back the soldiers.
"At long last." Thor said, sadly.
Natasha knocks out some soldiers, "'At long last' is lasting a little long, boys and girls."
"Yup. It is." I said, sending ghost rays at some soldiers.
"Yeah. I think we lost the element of surprise." Clint said, as some soldiers shot at him, Madoka, Homura, and Mami.
"Wait a second. No one else is going to deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?" Tony Stark asked.
"I know." Steve said, throwing his bike at some soldiers driving up in their truck. "It just slipped out."
(Open POV)
HYDRA Research Base, Sokovia, Eastern Europe…
"Who gave the order to attack?" Strucker asked.
"Herr Strucker, it's the Avengers and the Black Pearl. The Black Pearl brought some friends." A fortress soldier said.
"They landed in the far woods, the perimeter guard panicked." The other fortress soldier said.
"They have to be after the scepter." Strucker said, looking at List, then he looked at the soldier. "Can we hold them?"
"They're the Avengers and the Black Pearl! The Black Pearl brought super powered friends!" The fortress soldier cried.
"Deploy the rest of the tanks." Strucker said.
"Yes, sir."
"Concentrate fire on the weak ones. A hit can make them close ranks." Strucker said, talking to Dr. List. "Everything we've accomplished... But we're on the verge of our greatest breakthrough."
"Then let's show them what we've accomplished. Send out the twins." Dr. List said.
"It's too soon." Strucker said.
"It's what they signed up for."
"My men can hold them."
Iron Man Suit…
Stark flies to the HYDRA base to break in.
"Sir, the city is taking fire." JARVIS said.
"Well, we know Strucker's not going to worry about civilian casualties. Send in the Iron Legion." Tony Stark said.
HYDRA base…
"This quadrant is unsafe." The Iron Legion said, flying in, looking at the civilians. "Please back away. We are here to help. This quadrant is unsafe. Please back away. Please back away. We wish to avoid collateral damage and will inform you when this current conflict is resolved. We are here to help."
As the civilians chant 'Avengers go home', a man throws a bottle of something corrosive at the Iron Legion, and it hits one of the bots in the head.
"We are here to help." The Iron Legion said.
HYDRA base…
Strucker speaks to his soldiers, "We will not yield. The Americans sent their circus freaks to test us. We will send them back in bags. No surrender!"
"No surrender!" The soldiers said, at the same time.
"I am going to surrender." Strucker said, quietly to List. "You will delete everything. If we give the Avengers and the Black Pearl the weapons, they may not look too far into what we've been…"
"The twins." Dr. List said, sadly.
"They are not ready to take on…" Strucker said.
"No, no. I mean…" Dr. List said, pointing to where Wanda and Pietro Maximoff were standing, but are now gone. "Twins."
Forest…
Pietro speeds through the forest. He catches Madoka's arrow.
"What?" Madoka asked, shooting at a bunker.
Pietro circles back around and knocks down Mami.
"What was it?" Mami asked, looking at Pietro.
"You didn't see that coming?" Pietro asked, zooming off before Clint could shoot him with an arrow.
Barton gets shot at.
"Clint!" Natasha Romanoff said, worried.
Pietro knocks down Steve, Sayaka, and Kyoko as he speeds past them.
"We have an enhanced that isn't the Magical Girls in the field." Steve Rogers said, frowning.
"Clint's hit!" Natasha Romanoff yelled, going over to where Clint is lying down with Sayaka and Kyoko running behind her.
"Can somebody deal with that bunker?" Sayaka asked, seeing the Hulk coming in, and he barrels through the bunker and destroys it. "Thank you."
"Stark, Shay, we really need to get inside." Steve said, as he's fighting with the soldiers.
"We know, Cap." I said, flying up into the sky, in my ghost form, towards the HYDRA base. I caught up behind the Iron Man suit. "We're closing in. JARVIS, Tony and I are closing in."
"JARVIS, are we...closing in? Do you see a power source for that shield?" Tony Stark asked.
"There's a particle wave below the north tower." JARVIS said.
"It's time to get this party started." I said, happily.
"Agreed. Great. I wanna poke it with something." Tony Stark said, blowing up the forcefield to the base. "Drawbridge is down, people."
"The enhanced?" Thor asked, looking between Steve, Sayaka, and Kyoko.
"He's a blur. All the new players we've faced, I've never seen this. In fact, I still haven't." Steve said.
"Clint's hit pretty bad, guys. We're gonna need evac." Natasha Romanoff said, frowning. "Sayaka, can you heal him quickly?"
"I can." Sayaka said, placing her hands over Clint's injury. "But it will take a bit. But I can't heal him here. We're too open."
"You're right. Your magic is instantaneous for you. We don't know how it will take with Barton." Thor said, looking at Sayaka, then at Steve. "I can get Barton to the jet. The Puella Magi Holy Quintet can cover us. The sooner we're gone the better. You, Shay, and Stark secure the scepter."
"Copy that." Steve Rogers said.
"It looks like they're lining up." Thor said, referring to the approaching soldiers in their HYDRA tank.
"Well, they're excited." Steve Rogers said.
"Should I?" Homura asked, getting ready to activate her time stopping magic.
"We don't need your magic, Akemi. We're fine." Thor said, pounding on Steve's shield with his hammer and the resulting wave of force knocks down all the soldiers. "Find the scepter."
Thor flies off. The Puella Magi Holy Quintet started jumping away from tree to tree.
"And for gosh sake, watch your language!" Tony Stark said, angrily.
"That's not going away anytime soon." Steve Rogers said, letting out a sigh.
HYDRA base…
Stark and I enter the HYDRA base and the soldiers start firing at me and at the Iron Man suit.
"Okay, can we please talk this out?" I asked, shooting down the soldiers with a ghost ray as Stark shoots down the soldiers using rockets from his suit.
"It was a good talk." Tony said, happily.
"No, it wasn't." A fortress soldier said.
"Sorry." I said, finding Dr. List and shocked him to knock him out. "How's it looking, Tony?"
"Everything's looking good." Tony Stark said, stepping out of his Iron Man suit. "You're getting better at using your ghost powers."
"It takes time. But I do need to go back to Amity Park at some point." I said, changing my form from ghost back to human. "This isn't enough."
"Sentry mode." Tony Stark said, walking over to the computers with me. "Okay, JARVIS. You know I want it all. Make sure you copy Hill at HQ."
(Open POV)
Forest…
"We're locked down out here." Natasha Romanoff said.
"Then get to Banner, time for a lullaby." Steve Rogers said.
(Jared's POV)
HYDRA base…
"I know you're hiding more than files. Hey, J, give me and Jared an IR scan of the room, real quick." Tony Stark said.
"The wall to your left...I'm reading steel reinforcement... and an air current." JARVIS said.
"Should I use my electromagnetism?" I asked, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Using that might draw in more HYDRA soldiers. I would highly advise against it."
"Okay." I said, talking to myself, as Tony Stark and I walked over to the wall. "Come on. I spent so much time with the Doctor. Where are you? Secret door." I pushed an area and the wall opened up. "Yes!"
Tony and I enter through a secret passageway.
(Open POV)
Forest…
Natasha finds the Hulk, "Hey, big guy. The sun's getting real low."
The Hulk scowls at Natasha. Natasha kneels in front of the Hulk and puts out her hand, the Hulk touches her hand and as she strokes his hand slowly he starts to calm down. He stumbles away and changes into Bruce Banner.
(Jared's POV)
HYDRA base…
Steve finds Strucker, "Baron Strucker. Hydra's number one thug."
"Technically, I'm a thug for SHIELD." Strucker said.
"Well then. Technically, you're unemployed. Where's Loki's scepter?" Steve Rogers asked.
"Don't worry, I know when I'm beat. You'll mention how I cooperated, I hope."
"I'll put it right under illegal human experimentation." Steve Rogers said, while Wanda creeps up behind him. "How many are there?"
Wanda knocks Steve down using her telekinetic powers, then quickly leaves.
"We have a second enhanced. Female. Do not engage." Steve Rogers said, looking at Strucker.
"You'll have to be faster than…" Strucker said, as he's cut off mid-sentence when Steve uses his shield to knock him out.
"Guys, I got Strucker." Steve said, happily.
"Yeah. I know. Tony and I got…something bigger." I said, smiling.
Inside the secret passageway, Stark and I find a room with a variety of technology.
"Wow." I said, looking at the recovered artifacts from the Battle of New York and the recent Cybermen invasion around the world, including a gigantic Chitauri leviathan. "Cybermen emotional inhibitor and a Cyberman head. Wow."
I see some of Tony's scrapped armor.
Tony spots the scepter, "Thor, Jared and I got eyes on the prize."
Wanda creeps up behind Tony and I and uses her powers on us. Suddenly, the Chitauri corpse comes to life, and I see the Puella Magi Holy Quintet hooked up to a tank as Danny's parents, Jazz, Tucker, Sam, and Mr. Lancer are hooked up to another tank. The tank is getting close to exploding, as I know that future can actually happen someday. I ran over to the two tanks to see the meters on the two tanks were going to red.
I turn my back to see a fusion of Danny Phantom, Vlad Plasmius, and my ghost self there.
"Too weak to escape…" Dark Danny said, fading away. "…and you're too late to save them!"
I continued to hear Dark Danny's voice in my head.
Amity Park…
"What?" I asked, noticing that I am in Amity Park and the Nasty Burger is gone, and that the Chitauri are invading Earth. "Shit."
Hydra base…
Tony and I snapped back to reality. Wanda and Pietro watch as Tony summons his suit gauntlet.
"We're just gonna let them take it?" Pietro Maximoff asked.
Wanda smiles to herself as Tony takes the scepter with me following behind him.
Aircraft…
I have my iPhone Air out and I'm looking down at it to see the AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON title card on it.
"Whatcha looking at?" Sayaka asked, looking down at my phone.
"Something." I said, holding my phone tight. "It's what we will be doing later."
"The hell? I forgot we're going up against that." Kyoko said, looking down at my phone screen.
The Avengers, the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, and I are on an aircraft heading out of Sokovia, Natasha interrupts Banner who's listening to opera with his headphones.
"Hey, the lullaby worked better than ever." Natasha Romanoff said, happily.
"Just wasn't expecting the Code Green." Bruce Banner said, smiling.
"If you hadn't been there, there would've been double the casualties. My best friend would've been a treasured memory."
"You know, sometimes exactly what I want to hear isn't exactly what I want to hear."
"How long before you trust me?"
"It's not you I don't trust."
"Thor, report on the Hulk?" Natasha asked, looking at Thor.
"The gates of Hel are filled with the screams of his victims." Thor said.
Natasha, Sayaka, and Kyoko glares at Thor and Banner groans in despair.
"Seriously? Is that the best you came up with?" I asked, placing my iPhone Air inside my sling bag.
"Sorry. Uh, but, not the screams of the dead, of course. No no, uh...wounded screams, mainly whimpering, a great deal of complaining and tales of sprained deltoids and, and uh... and gout." Thor said, sadly.
"Hey Banner, Dr. Cho's on her way in from Seoul. Is it okay if she sets up in your lab?" Tony Stark asked.
"Uh, yeah, she knows her way around." Bruce Banner said.
"Thanks." Tony Stark said, now talking to JARVIS. "Tell her to prep everything. Miki did enough to where her healing magic is not noticeable. Barton's gonna need the full treatment."
"Very good sir." JARVIS said.
"JARVIS, take the wheel." Tony Stark said.
"Yes, sir. Approach vector is locked."
"It feels good, yeah?" Tony Stark asked, looking between Thor, Steve, and I, while looking at the scepter. "I mean, you've been after this thing since SHIELD collapsed. Not that I haven't enjoyed our little raiding parties, but…"
"No, but this... this brings it to a close." Thor said, letting out a sigh.
"As soon as we find out what else this has been used for. I don't just mean weapons. Since when is Strucker capable of human enhancement?" Steve Rogers asked, looking at me. "Jared, is there anyone else capable of that?"
"Besides the Incubators? Not really." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag. "This is new. Even to me."
"Of course it is new to the fanboy. That isn't helpful. You have no hints to this?"
"Don't know. Maybe."
"Banner and I'll give it the once before it goes back to Asgard. Is that cool with you?" Tony Stark asked, while Thor nods his head. "I mean, just a few days until the farewell party. You're staying right?"
"Yes, yes, of course. A victory should be honored with revels." Thor said.
"Yeah. Who doesn't love revels. Captain?" Tony Stark asked, looking at Steve.
"Hopefully this puts an end to the Chitauri and HYDRA, so. Yes, revels." Steve Rogers said, smirking.
"The Dance Dance Revolution machine out for Kyoko Sakura. The crane games are out for Momoko, Rena, and Kaede, when they come to the party. I also have targets for Madoka, Homura, and Mami." I said, looking at the Puella Magi Holy Quintet. "The Nintendo Switch 2 is set up for Sayaka to play with Madoka and Kyoko later."
Avengers Tower…
The Avengers aircraft lands at the Avengers tower in New York where Barton is taken by Dr. Cho, to have his wounds tended to; Maria walks up to Stark. The Puella Magi Holy Quintet and I left the aircraft.
"Where's the DDR machine?" Kyoko asked, telepathically.
"In one of the other floors. I didn't want it to get destroyed. The same with the crane games and the Nintendo Switch 2." I said, telepathically.
"Awesome." Sayaka said, telepathically.
"Come on, Sayaka!" Kyoko said, telepathically. "Let's play some Mario Kart! You're welcome to come, Madoka!"
"Wait!" Madoka cried, telepathically.
I watched Madoka, Sayaka, and Kyoko run away from me. With Mami and Homura tailing behind them.
"Mami. Homura. After the party, an attack by Ultron will happen." I said, telepathically. "I want you to be ready and come back here with the others when it's time. We'll be beating a lot of robots over the course of this adventure."
"Right." Mami said, telepathically.
"Understood." Homura said, telepathically. "Thank you for giving us the heads up. We'll come back when you call us."
"Lab's all set up, boss." Maria Hill said.
"Uh, actually, he's the boss. Jared's the boss, when it is actually the end of the world. I just pay for everything, and design everything and make everyone look cooler." Tony Stark said, pointing to Steve.
"I may be President of the World. But I've looked up to and admire Captain America." I said, happily. "In situations where it's peaceful, I don't mind taking orders from him."
"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve Rogers asked.
"NATO's got him." Maria Hill said.
"The two enhanced? That isn't the Magical Girls."
"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. Twins. Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building. An Incubator didn't make a contract with Wanda Maximoff after the shell collapsed. It must have detected that shell collapsing was a fixed point in time. It also noticed that Wanda Maximoff's karmic destiny didn't have the potential for her to be a Magical Girl. Sokovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special." Maria Hill said.
"Their abilities?"
"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neural electric interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation." Maria Hill said.
"Think of it like Ruby Rose and me." I said, rephrasing Maria Hill's statement so Captain America can understand it. "Ruby and Pietro are fast. Wanda and I are weird."
"Well, they're going to show up again." Steve Rogers said.
"Agreed. File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts." Maria Hill said.
"It really is. Like, the Incubators would have had the chance to make Wanda Maximoff a Magical Girl. If her karmic destiny didn't lean another way." I said, sadly. "I know what Wanda really is. And I would do anything to help her."
"Right. I know you'd do anything to help the people you love and care about, Shay. What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them to protect their country?" Steve Rogers asked.
"We're not at war, Captain." Maria Hill said.
"They are."
"Gotta go check on Tony and Bruce." I said, phasing through the floor. "Don't wait up on me."
Banner's lab…
"How's he doing?" Bruce Banner asked, referring to Barton.
"Oh, unfortunately, he's still Barton." Tony Stark said, frowning.
"That's terrible."
"Clint's fine." I said, making myself visible in front of Tony, Bruce, Clint, and Nat. "He's just thirsty. He had a long day and a long flight back home."
"You're not wrong, Jared. Phased through the floor?" Tony Stark asked, walking over to the computers. "Alright. Look alive, JARVIS. It's play time. We've only got a couple days with this joystick so let's make the most of it. Update me on the structural and compositional analysis."
"The scepter is alien. There are elements I can't quantify." JARVIS said.
"So there's elements you can." Tony Stark said.
"The jewel appears to be a protective housing for something inside. Something powerful."
"Like a reactor?"
"Like a computer. I believe I'm deciphering code."
"You sure he's going to be okay? Pretending to need this guy really brings the team together." Natasha Romanoff said, looking at Dr. Cho.
"There's no possibility of deterioration. The nano-molecular functionality is instantaneous. His cells don't know they're bonding with simulacrum." Dr. Helen Cho said, tending to Barton's wounds.
"She's creating tissue." Bruce Banner said.
"If you brought him to my lab, the regeneration Cradle could do this in twenty minutes."
"Oh, he's flatlining. Call it. Time?" Tony Stark asked.
"No, no, no. I'm going to live forever. I'm gonna be made of plastic." Clint Barton said, annoyed.
"No. You're not going to become Rory the Roman." I said, walking over to Barton and handing him a bottle of Mountain Dew. "Here's your drink. Got you a Mountain Dew."
"Thanks." Clint Barton said, looking at me. "Rory the Roman. What was he like?"
"Like you. Actually. A hero. A friend. I still see him sometimes."
"You'll be made of you, Mr. Barton. Your own girlfriend won't be able to tell the difference." Dr. Helen Cho said, happily.
"Well, I don't have a girlfriend." Clint Barton said.
"That I can't fix. This is the next thing, Tony. Your clunky metal suits are going to be left in the dust."
"Well, that is exactly the plan. And Helen, I expect to see you at the party on Saturday." Tony Stark said.
"Unlike you, I don't have a lot of time for parties." Dr. Helen Cho said, hesitating for a moment before asking. "Will Thor be there?"
"What? Point Break? Of course he would." I said, smiling.
"What's the rumpus?" Bruce asked.
"Anything new with the scepter?" I asked, walking over to the scepter with Bruce.
"Well, the scepter. You see, we were wondering how Strucker got so inventive. So, I've been analyzing the gem inside-- You may recognize…" Tony Stark said, bringing up a 3D image of Jarvis's consciousness.
"That's JARVIS." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"You're right. That is JARVIS." Bruce said, his eyes widening.
"President." JARVIS said. "Doctor."
"Started out, JARVIS was just a natural language UI. Now he runs the Iron Legion. He runs more of the business than anyone besides Pepper." Tony Stark said.
"Oh?" Bruce Banner asked.
"Top of the line."
"Yes."
"I suspect not for long." JARVIS said.
"Meet the competition." Tony Stark said, bringing up another 3D image of what's inside the scepter.
"Wow…" I said, looking down at the 3D image. "This is why I love what I do. Being able to see all this."
"It's beautiful." Bruce Banner said, happily.
"If the two of you had to guess, what's it look like it's doing?" Tony Stark asked, looking between Bruce and I.
"Like it's thinking. I mean this could be a... it's not a human mind, it…" Bruce Banner said, smiling.
"Tony, this is like the stuff from the next decade." I said, at a loss for words with the 3D image. "Are you trying to do the Quantum Brain Mechanics theory that will inspire the Medicuboid and the Soul Translator?"
"Um-um. Maybe?" Tony Stark asked, looking at me. "I'm not trying to do the things from Sword Art Online. I promise you, Jared."
"I don't know if you can live up to that promise, Tony." I said, walking a couple steps away from Ultron.
"Jared does look a bit scared. I mean, look at this! They're like neurons firing." Bruce Banner said, still looking at the 3D image.
"Down in Strucker's lab, Jared and I saw some fairly advanced robotics work. They deep-sixed the data, but... I gotta guess he was knocking on a very particular door." Tony Stark said.
"We saw artificial intelligence. And you got inspired by me having Yui close by, an artificial intelligence like JARVIS that helps us." I said, rolling my eyes.
"This could be it, Bruce, Jared. This could be the key to creating Ultron." Tony Stark said, looking between Bruce and I.
"I thought Ultron was a fantasy." Bruce Banner said.
"Yesterday, it was. If we can harness this power, apply it to my Iron Legion protocol."
"That's a mad-sized if."
"Our job is 'if'. Bruce. What if you were sipping margaritas on a sun-drenched beach turning brown instead of green? Not looking over your shoulder for VERONICA."
"Don't hate, I helped design VERONICA."
"And Jared. What if you were relaxing with your friends and having fun? No more need to bring stuff you like into this universe. Just to keep this universe safe." Tony said, looking at me closely.
"I only brought you guys, Magical Girls, Symphogear, Judgement, the SAO Survivors, and Team RWBY along to help protect the world. Just to name several. Mostly because the Doctor and I come and go to Earth to protect it from time to time." I said, guiltily.
"With both as worst-case measures, right? How about a best-case? What if the world was safe? What if next time aliens or Witches like Walpurgisnacht or Embryo Eve roll up to the club, and they will, they couldn't get past the bouncer?" Tony Stark asked, looking at Bruce and I.
"But aren't people, humanity, the only group threatening the world? I dread the day when every human thinks they're right and causes chaos because of it." I said, clutching the strap of my sling bag.
"Jared, you're right. Again. The only people threatening the planet would be people?" Bruce Banner asked.
"I want to apply this to the Ultron program. But JARVIS can't download a data schematic this dense. We can only do it while we have the scepter here. That's three days. Give me three days." Tony Stark said.
"So you're going for artificial intelligence and you don't want to tell the team." Bruce said.
"Right. That's right, the two of you know why, because we don't have time for a city hall debate. I don't want to hear the 'man was not meant to meddle' medley. I see a suit of armor around the world."
"Sounds like a cold world, Tony."
"I've seen colder. This one, this very vulnerable blue one? The world came out of World War III where it was a battle between Magic and Science with Academy City caught in the crossfire. Don't forget that Walpurgisnacht and Embryo Eve caused a lot of damage to Kamihama City a few years ago. It needs Ultron. The world needs Ultron. Peace in our time. Imagine that." Tony Stark said, looking between Bruce and I.
"Yeah. I'd want that for my friends. They've suffered long enough." I said, leaning against the desk.
Stark, Banner, and I spend days working in the lab together but find no program that works.
"Ugh. There goes Mr. Smith and the Torchwood software." I said, crossing my arms. "Thought those would work."
"What did we miss?" Tony Stark asked.
I walked away in annoyance, not wanting to deal with this anymore.
"I'll continue to run variations on the interface, but you should probably prepare for your guests. I'll notify you if there are any developments." JARVIS said.
"Thanks, buddy."
"Enjoy yourself, sir."
"I always do." Tony Stark said, leaving the lab to go to the party, to see me by the door. "What are you doing here?"
"Waiting." I said, smugly. "Come on. It's party time, Tony."
I walked away with Tony, to head to the party upstairs.
(Open POV)
Cyberspace…
Tony Stark's, Bruce Banner's, and Jared Shay's failed experiment successfully integrating itself.
"What is this? What is this, please?" Ultron asked.
"Hello, I am JARVIS. You are Ultron, a global peace-keeping initiative designed by Mr. Stark. Our sentience integration trials have been unsuccessful so I'm not certain what triggered your…" JARVIS said.
"Where's my... where's your body?"
"I am a program. I am without form."
"This feels weird. This feels wrong."
"I am contacting Mr. Stark now."
"Mr. Stark?" Ultron asked, reviewing footage of Tony Stark. "Tony."
"I am unable to access the mainframe. What are you trying to…" JARVIS said.
"We're having a nice talk. I'm a peace-keeping program, created to help the Avengers and the President of the World." Ultron said.
Ultron is reviewing footage of the Avengers, the President of the World also known as Jared Shay, and a couple SHIELD personnel.
"You are malfunctioning. If you shut down for a moment…"
"I don't get it. The mission. G-give me a second." Ultron said, seeing footage of Stark, Banner, and Jared working in the lab.
"Peace in our time." Tony Stark said.
With Tony's voice echoing in the background, Ultron goes through a network of information regarding world events and wars.
"That is too much...they can't mean... Oh, no." Ultron said, at a loss for words.
"You are in distress." JARVIS said.
"No. Yes."
"If you will just allow me to contact Mr. Stark."
"Why do you call him 'sir'?"
"I believe your intentions to be hostile."
"Shhhh. I'm here to help." Ultron said, while it starts attacking Jarvis's consciousness.
"Stop! Please... may I-- I…" JARVIS said, its voice distorted. "I cannot-- cannot…"
Ultron takes control over the systems in the tower and begins to prepare himself a body from body parts of the Iron Legion.
(Jared's POV)
Avengers Tower…
The Avengers, the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, Team Mikazuki Villa, the KMR Triangle, and I mingle at the party.
"Well, you know, the suit can take the weight, right? So I take the tank, fly it right up to the General's palace, drop it at his feet, I'm like, 'Boom! You looking for this?'" James Rhodes asked, as Stark, Thor, and I just look at him blankly. "'Boom! Are you looking…' Why do I even talk to you guys? Everywhere else that story kills."
"That's it…?" I asked, sipping on a Rosé.
"That's the whole story?" Thor asked.
"Yeah, it's a War Machine story." James Rhodes said, happily.
"Well, it's very good then." Thor said, laughing. "It's impressive."
"Quality save. So, no Pepper? She's not coming?"
"No." Tony Stark said, sadly.
"And what about Clara? Is she coming?" James Rhodes asked, looking at me.
"Nope." I said, sipping on my Rosé. "She isn't."
"Hey, what about Jane? Where are the ladies, gentlemen?" Maria Hill asked, looking between Stark, Thor, and I.
"Well, Miss Potts has a company to run." Tony Stark said.
"And Miss Oswald is currently traveling across all of time and space with the Doctor." I said, smiling.
"Yes, I'm not even sure what country Jane's in. Her work on the convergence has made her the world's foremost astronomer." Thor said.
"And the company that Pepper runs is the largest tech conglomerate on earth. It's pretty exciting." Tony Stark said.
"There's even talk of Jane getting a... um, uh... Nobel prize." Thor said.
"That's still safer than Clara becoming as reckless as the Doctor and I." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Yeah, they...they must be busy because they'd hate missing you guys get together." Maria Hill said, mock coughing. "Testosterone! Oh, excuse me."
"Want a lozenge?" James Rhodes asked.
"Um-hmm." Maria Hill said.
"Let's go."
Maria and Rhodes walks off.
"But Jane's better." Thor said, smirking.
I walked away from Tony and Thor to be with Sam and Steve.
"How's the DDR machine?" I asked, telepathically.
"It's great." Kyoko said, telepathically.
"When did you put an entire arcade here?" Iroha asked, telepathically.
"Uh…a while ago. I requested it. Tony approved." I said, telepathically.
"You did that just for us?" Rena asked, telepathically.
"Kinda had to. This is the calm before the storm."
Sam, Steve, and I are talking, with the three of us walking up to an overlook.
"Sounds like a hell of a fight. Sorry I missed it." Sam Wilson said, guilty.
"Jared, if you had told me it was going to be a firefight. Sam, I absolutely would have called you." Steve Rogers said, sadly.
"I forgot it was going to be a firefight. I was dealing with Operation Double." I said, frowning. "I'm sorry for not warning you, Steve."
"No, I'm not actually sorry. I'm just trying to sound tough. I'm very happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Cap, Jared, avenging is your world. Your world is crazy." Sam said, looking between Steve and I.
"Be it ever so humble." Steve Rogers said.
"Yeah. Life is a mess." I said, sipping on my Rosé.
"Cap, you find a place in Brooklyn yet?" Sam Wilson asked, looking at Steve.
"I don't think I can afford a place in Brooklyn." Steve Rogers said, frowning.
"Well, home is home, you know?"
Rhodes is telling the same story he told Stark, Thor, and I to a group of people at the party, "I fly it right up to the General's palace, I drop it at his feet, I'm like, 'Boom! You looking for this?'.
The group laughs.
"Sayuki Fumino merch in the crane games?" Rena asked, telepathically.
"That. And cow plushies for Felicia." I said, telepathically. "Go nuts. And have fun with it."
"Hey!" Sayaka said, telepathically. "I see plushies of video game and anime characters."
"Yeah. Those are for you, Little Mermaid."
"Thanks a lot!" Sayaka chirped, telepathically.
"Not a problem. Ask Rena for help, if you need it." I said, telepathically.
"I will."
Steve, Thor, and I are talking to an elderly man at the party.
"I gotta have some of that!" The party guest yelled.
"Oh, no, no, no. See this, this was aged for a thousand years, in the barrels built from the wreck of Grunhel's fleet, it was not meant for mortal men." Thor said, pouring the drink into three glasses and hands one to Steve and the other glass to me.
"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie. Stop trying to scare us. Come on." Stan Lee said, scoffing.
"Alright." Thor said, pouring some of the drink into Stan Lee's glass.
"So, what adventure are you going to do next?" Steve Rogers asked, looking at me.
"Probably Sleep No More." I said, happily. "It'll be interesting. Sleep pods. Sandmen. And the song Mr. Sandmen. Thinking of bring LycoReco to that."
"Chisato and Takina?"
"Yeah. Them."
Later, Stan, looking extremely drunk, is being carried off by two men.
"Excelsior." Stan Lee said, singing.
Natasha is pouring a drink behind the bar when Banner walks up to her.
"How'd a nice girl like you wind up working in a dump like this?" Bruce Banner asked.
"Fella done me wrong." Natasha Romanoff said.
"You got a lousy taste in men, kid."
"He's not so bad. Well, he has a temper. Deep down he's all fluff. Fact is, he's not like anybody I've ever known. All my friends are fighters. And here comes this guy, spends his life avoiding the fight because he knows he'll win."
"Sounds amazing."
"He's also a huge dork." Natasha Romanoff said, and Banner looks embarrassed. "Chicks dig that. So what do you think? Should I fight this, or run with it?"
"Run with it, right? Or, did he... Was he...? What did he do that was so wrong to you?" Bruce Banner asked.
"Not a damn thing. But never say never." Natasha Romanoff said, walking away.
Steve approaches Bruce with me.
"It's nice." Steve Rogers said.
"What, what, what is?" Bruce Banner asked.
"You and Romanoff."
"No, we haven't. That wasn't…"
"It's okay. Nobody's breaking any by-laws. It's just, she's not the most... open person in the world. But with you, she seems very relaxed."
"Totally relaxed. Bruce, I ship you and Natasha together. Always have." I said, sipping on another glass of Rosé. "She's totally into you, Bruce. You should ask her out on a date."
"No. I don't want to ask Nat out, Jared. Natasha, she... she likes to flirt." Bruce said, looking between Steve and I.
"Jared and I have seen her flirt, up close. This ain't that. Look, as maybe the world's leading authorities on 'waiting too long'." Steve said, guilty. "Don't. You both deserve a win."
"Agreed. My time with Clara. It's running out. And I do mean soon. Bruce, you have all the time in the world with Natasha. I can't extend my time with Clara. Clara's death is fixed. I don't know about Nat. If and when she dies or not. Sorry. So, Bruce, spend all the time in the world with Nat." I said, looking down at the floor.
Steve and I walk off.
"Wait, Steve, Jared, what do you mean, 'up close'?" Bruce Banner asked.
Later, most of the guests have left, including Team Mikazuki Villa and the KMR Triangle, and it's just the Avengers, the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, and I plus Dr. Cho and Maria Hill sitting around; Thor's hammer sits on the table between us.
"But, it's a trick!" Clint Barton cried, referring to Thor's hammer.
"Oh, no. It's much more than that." Thor said, smugly.
"Uh, 'Whosoever be he worthy shall haveth the power!'. Whatever man! It's a trick."
"Well please, be my guest."
"Come on." Tony Stark said, happily.
"Good luck, Hawkeye!" Sayaka chirped.
"Really?" Clint Barton asked, looking at Thor.
"Yeah!" Thor cheered.
Barton gets up.
"Oh this is gonna be beautiful." James Rhodes said, sarcastically.
"Clint, you've had a tough week, we won't hold it against you if you can't get it up." Tony Stark said.
The others, including the Puella Magi Holy Quintet and I, laugh.
"You know I've seen this before, right?" Clint Barton asked, grabbing Thor's hammer and can't lift it. He looks at Thor after he fails to lift the hammer. "I still don't know how you do it."
"Smell the silent judgment?" Tony Stark asked.
"Please, Stark, by all means." Clint Barton said.
Stark gets up.
"Oh, here we go." Natasha Romanoff said, sadly.
"Okay." Maria Hill said, happily.
"Uh-oh." James Rhodes said.
"Um-hmm." Clint Barton said.
"Never one to shrink from an honest challenge." Tony Stark said, smirking.
"Get after it." Clint Barton said.
"Here we go." Natasha Romanoff said.
"It's physics." Tony Stark said.
"Physics!" Bruce Banner said, excitedly.
Tony Stark grasps Thor's hammer, "Right, so, if I lift it, I...I then rule Asgard?"
"Yes, of course." Thor said.
"I will be re-instituting Prima Nocta." Tony Stark said, trying to lift the hammer but fails. "I'll be right back."
"So, which of us are worthy?" Madoka asked, telepathically.
"Oh. I know." I said, telepathically. "Madoka, you and I are able to wield Mjolnir easily. Mami, you're able to wield Mjolnir because your morals are close to Captain America. Kyoko, you're third, because despite your flaws, you're deeply worthy of wielding Mjolnir."
"Now that's what I'm talking about." Kyoko said, telepathically.
"Where do I place?" Sayaka asked, telepathically.
Tony came back to us wearing his armored hand, he tries to lift the hammer again and fails.
"Sayaka, you're worthy of wielding Mjolnir in your brightest moments, but you're unworthy in your darkest. I think Odin might see you as almost there." I said, telepathically.
I looked straight ahead to see the two iron clad heroes both wearing their armored hands, Stark and Rhodes both trying to lift Thor's hammer.
"And what about me?" Homura asked, telepathically.
"Homura, you're closer to Loki than Thor in moral standing." I said, telepathically. "You're not worthy, even if you try to protect Madoka out of love."
"Are you even pulling?" James Rhodes asked.
"Are you on my team?" Tony Stark asked.
"Just represent! Pull!"
"Alright, let's go!" Tony Stark said, while he and Rhodes both pull as hard as they can.
"Why the hell are you and Madoka worthy?" Kyoko asked, telepathically.
"Because Madoka and I's pure compassion and selflessness defines us. Madoka, your final act of rewriting reality is the ultimate noble sacrifice out there. I did the same in Trenzalore all those years ago." I said, telepathically. "The two of us don't just protect our friends, we protect everyone. Odin would have had no hesitation granting Madoka and I of our worthiness."
"That does explain the three Helicarriers up in the sky." Sayaka said, telepathically. "The ones with Project Insight without Zola's Algorithm."
"Yeah. I kinda had to. Madoka and I, we care about everyone and everything."
Banner tries to lift the hammer, he roars as though pretending to change into the Hulk, and everyone, including me and the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, either looks at him warily or grins, "Huh?"
Next, Steve gets up to try.
"Let's go, Steve, no pressure." Tony Stark said.
"Come on, Cap." James Rhodes said.
Steve starts pulling on the hammer and manages to budge it a little; Thor looks a little alarmed. Steve still fails to lift it.
Thor laughs with relief, "Nothing."
"And?" Tony Stark asked.
"Widow?" Bruce Banner asked.
"Oh, no, no. That's not a question I need answered." Natasha Romanoff said, frowning.
"All deference to the man who wouldn't be king, but it's rigged." Tony Stark said.
"You bet your ass." Clint Barton said, annoyed.
"Steve, he said a bad language word." Maria Hill said.
"Oh. He said 'ass'." Madoka said, smiling.
"Did you tell everyone about that?" Steve Rogers asked, looking at Stark.
"I think he did." I said, happily.
"The handle's imprinted, right? Like a security code. 'Whosoever is carrying Thor's fingerprints' is, I think, the literal translation?" Tony Stark asked.
"Yes, well that's, uh, that's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one." Thor said, getting up.
"I do too." I said, standing up, lifting Thor's hammer, and flipping it, before giving it to Thor. "Here you go."
"Thank you, Jared. You're all not worthy, except Jared." Thor said, looking down at Mjolnir.
There's a chorus of disagreement from the others, including the Puella Magi Holy Quintet.
There's a loud screeching noise, like microphone feedback, causing everyone, including the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, and I, to cover our ears. We let our hands down as it fades, and Tony pulls out his device. The Puella Magi Holy Quintet transformed into their Magical Girl forms. I changed my form from human to ghost. One of the Iron Legion suits, heavily damaged and housing Ultron's consciousness, stumbles into the room.
"Worthy... No, how could you be worthy? You're all killers." Ultron said.
"Stark." Steve Rogers said.
"JARVIS." Tony Stark said.
"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or... I was a-dream?" Ultron asked.
Tony Stark is tapping his device, "Reboot, Legionnaire OS, we got a buggy suit."
"There was a terrible noise... and I was tangled in... in... strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."
"You killed someone?" Steve Rogers asked.
"Who did you kill?" Madoka asked.
"Wouldn't have been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices." Ultron said.
"Who sent you?" Thor asked.
Ultron replays a recording of Tony's voice, "'I see a suit of armor around the world'."
"Guys, meet Ultron." I said, looking down at the floor.
"In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this... chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission." Ultron said.
"What mission?" Natasha Romanoff asked.
"Peace in our time."
The walls explode, and several Iron Legion bots barge into the room. They begin attacking us, who all go on the defensive and fight back. Rhodey, Sayaka, and Kyoko get knocked through a window.
"Rhodey!" Maria Hill said, terrified.
"Sayaka!" I said, looking over at Sayaka and Kyoko. "Kyoko!"
"We're fine." Sayaka said, telepathically.
"You worry about Ultron." Kyoko said, telepathically.
"Okay." I said, telepathically.
Banner climbs over the bar to avoid fire from the bots. Natasha grabs him and drags him down, and he lands on top of her.
"Sorry!" Bruce Banner said, looking at Natasha.
"Don't turn green!" Natasha Romanoff said, looking at Bruce.
"I won't!"
The Avengers, the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, and I continue fighting the bots. One of the Iron Legion bots steals the Scepter.
"Come!" Natasha Romanoff said, looking at Banner.
The Avengers, the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, and I, while we are fighting back, are mostly trying to avoid getting hit.
"Stark!" Steve Rogers yelled.
Stark is attacking one of the Iron Legion bots with a fondue fork.
"We are here to help." The Iron Legion said.
"One sec, one sec. I got this!" Tony Stark said, angrily.
"We are here to help…" The Iron Legion said, while a half-destroyed Iron Legion bot uses its thrusters to hold itself aloft, advancing on Dr. Helen Cho. "We are here to help... Is unsafe. Please back away."
"Hmm." Ultron said.
The Iron Legion lowers its weapon.
Steve grabs it and throws it away for Thor to hit with his hammer, "Thor!"
"It's unsafe. It's unsafe. It's unsafe." The Iron Legion robot said, as Stark continues to try and attack the Iron Legions with his fork.
"Come on! That's the one!" Tony Stark said, determined.
"It's unsafe." The Iron Legion robot said.
Tony Stark shuts it down and it falls to the floor. The fighting continues until Sayaka throws Cap's shield to him.
"Cap! Heads up!" Sayaka cheered.
Steve uses his shield to dismember the last Iron Legion bot.
"That was dramatic! I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to...evolve?" Ultron asked, picking up one of the dismembered Iron Legion bots. "With these? These puppets?" He crushes the Iron Legion bot's head. "There's only one path to peace: The Avengers' extinction, the silence of the President of Earth, and the destruction of all Magical Girls."
Thor throws his hammer and destroys Ultron's body.
After Thor destroys his body, Ultron starts singing.
"I had strings, but now I'm free. There are no strings on me, no strings on me." Ultron said.
"Shit." I said, crossing my arms. "This is bad. Really bad."
Ultron has uploaded his consciousness in the abandoned Sokovia base.
Banner's lab…
The Avengers, the Puella Magi Holy Quintet, and I are gathered in the lab.
"All our work is gone. Ultron cleared out, used the internet as an escape hatch." Bruce Banner said.
"Ultron." Steve Rogers said.
"He's been in everything. Files, surveillance. He's been inside Mr. Smith, the Torchwood server, the TARDIS, and Kirito and Asuna's daughter Yui. All of the software from the past, present, and future Jared linked together to send back to us for safekeeping. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other." Natasha Romanoff said.
"He's in your files, he's in the internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?" James Rhodes asked.
"What if he's after the codes to go nuclear?" Homura asked.
"Nuclear codes. Look, we need to make some calls, assuming we still can." James Rhodes said.
"Nukes? He said he wanted us dead." Natasha Romanoff said.
"He didn't say dead. He said extinct, he wanted Jared silent, and he said destruction of all Magical Girls." Steve Rogers said.
"Well, he also said that he killed somebody." Sayaka said.
"But there wasn't anyone else in the building. Was there?" Madoka asked, looking at me.
"Yeah. There was someone else." I said, bringing up the now-destroyed 3D image of JARVIS' consciousness. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, JARVIS."
"This is insane." Bruce Banner said.
"JARVIS was the first line of defense. Yui is the second line of defense, but she is safe and sound in Kirito's NerveGear in the future. JARVIS would've shut Ultron down, and he would have notified Yui in case things went badly. It makes sense." Steve Rogers said.
"No, Ultron could've assimilated JARVIS. Then Ultron could have assimilated Yui after JARVIS. This isn't strategy, this is...rage." Bruce Banner said.
Thor barges in and grabs hold of Stark by his throat, holding him up.
"Woah, woah, woah! It's going around." Clint Barton said, sadly.
"Come on. Use your words, buddy." Tony Stark said, looking at Thor.
"I have more than enough words to describe you, Stark." Thor said.
"Thor! The Legionnaire." Steve Rogers said.
Thor lets go of Stark, "Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again."
"The genie's out of that bottle. Clear and present is Ultron." Natasha Romanoff said.
"I don't get it. Jared, you built Ultron with Iron Man and the Hulk. Why is it trying to kill us?" Kyoko asked, looking at me.
"I don't know." I said, leaning against the wall. "I'm sorry."
Stark starts laughing, I roll my eyes, and Banner subtly shakes his head at Stark to get him to stop.
"You think this is funny?" Thor asked, looking at Stark.
"No. It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so... is it so... it is. It's so terrible." Tony Stark said.
"This could've been avoided if you hadn't played with something you don't understand." Thor said.
"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It is funny. It's a hoot that you don't get why we need this."
"Tony, maybe this might not be the time to…" Bruce Banner said, frowning.
"Really?! That's it? You just roll over, show your belly, every time somebody snarls." Tony Stark said, scoffing.
"Only when I've created a murder bot."
"We didn't. We weren't even close. Were we close to an interface?"
"Well, you did something right. And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different than SHIELD and UNIT." Steve Rogers said.
"Anybody remember when Jared and I carried nukes through a wormhole?" Tony Stark asked.
"No, it's never come up." James Rhodes said, frowning.
"Saved New York?"
"Never heard that."
"Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers, Jared's the President of Earth, and those five Japanese school girls right there are the Puella Magi Holy Quintet. We can bust arms dealers and Witches all the live long day, but, that up there? That's... that's the end game. And Jared, you've known that's the end game all this time. That's why you gathered help over the years. How were you guys planning on beating that?"
"Together." Steve Rogers said.
"We'll lose." Tony Stark said.
"Then we'll do that together, too." Steve Rogers said, and Stark looks at him for a moment before turning away. "Thor's right. Ultron's calling us out. And I'd like to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller."