Chapter 38: Panther's Quest Part 1
Avengers Mansion
Wasp had just finished showering, scrubbing off the last of the dough from the previous fight. Feeling refreshed and glad to be rid of the sticky mess, she wandered down the hall toward the science lab to meet with Hank.
When she stepped in, she found him hunched over one of his latest gadgets. Ben leaned against a counter nearby, chatting with Hank but keeping an eye on the floor.
Looking down, she saw the little dough creature waddled around in clumsy circles, chasing its own tail-like appendage, thankfully not leaving any sticky trails behind. "What's going on here?" she asked, amused.
The dough blob stopped in its tracks and blinked up at her with wide yellow eyes, letting out a soft chirp.
Ben grinned. "I was just asking Hank if he could build a terrarium or something for this little guy."
Hank gave a small nod, glancing at the creature. "For a remnant of Zemo's creations, it's surprisingly docile.
"So, not evil, right?"
"From what I can tell, it's been cut off from the proverbial hive mind of the overall dough creatures. It seems stable… for now."
Janet knelt down to its level, watching as it shuffled closer, sniffing the air. "It's basically… a bread puppy?" She reached out and brushed her fingers lightly over its golden-brown crust.
The little blob let out a delighted squeak, leaning into her touch like a dog begging for scratches.
Janet's smile softened. "It's… kinda cute, actually. Smells like fresh bread, too."
Ben laughed. "Yeah, it baked itself a little during the battle. Those burnt bits fell off. Now it's the world's first bread pet. Watch this." Ben peeled off a small bit from golden brown crust which quickly regenerated itself. He tossed it in his mouth with satisfaction. "Makes nice snacks."
"Cool." Janet scratched behind what might pass for its ears. It chirped happily, tail-like appendage wagging. "So… what did you name this little guy?".
Ben scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I'm torn between Biscuit, Bunbun, and Rye."
Janet let out a soft laugh. "Biscuit's cute. And it kind of looks like a biscuit with that golden crust."
Hank raised an eyebrow, still tinkering with his gadget. "Bunbun? A bit simple for my taste," he teased.
Ben grinned sheepishly. "Hey, it's got that round, bouncy energy! Bunbun just fits!"
Janet tilted her head. "Rye's not bad either. Not too on the nose with the bread reference like the others"
Ben laughed again, shaking his head. "Yeah… Rye's got a nice ring to it."
At that, the little dough blob squeaked and nudged Ben's foot, almost like it was chiming in.
Hank smiled faintly. "Go with the name that feels right, Ben. You're the one taking care of it."
Ben knelt down, his expression softening as he patted the blob's crusty back. After a moment, he looked up and nodded decisively. "Alright. Rye it is."
Rye let out a happy squeak, clearly thrilled with its new name.
Janet clapped her hands together, beaming. "Welcome to the team, Rye," she cooed.
Hank gave an approving nod, already turning back to his tools. "Let's get Rye set up with a proper home."
Ben grinned, glancing between his friends and the happily waddling bread blob. "Thanks, guys. Rye's gonna love it here."
As they all shared a smile, Rye wobbled in a little circle, perfectly content.
The Next Day
Once more, Ben, Hulk, and Thor lingered at the breakfast table. Hank and Tony were doing work before their next team meeting, and Steve was doing his morning routine in the training gym.
Ben slouched, flipping through the Daily Bugle, his frown growing deeper with every turn of the page. Hulk sat in his specially reinforced chair, casually munching through a stack of sausage links. Across from him, Thor downed a steaming mug of coffee, watching Ben's frustration build.
Thor raised an eyebrow, curious. "What troubles you, young Ben? You seem most vexed."
Ben looked up and held out the paper with a sigh. "It's this article. Remember that hero I mentioned. He's Spider-Man, and he's all over the front page." He flipped it around to show them. "Photo by Peter Parker," he muttered.
Thor leaned in, intrigued. "I have heard tales of this Man of Spiders. They say he scales walls and swings on threads. Impressive feats for a mortal."
Hulk grunted, raising a thick brow. "Saw him on TV once. Didn't seem like a bad guy."
Ben snorted and turned the paper back around. "Not according to the Bugle." He read the headline aloud. "'Dangerous Vigilante Spider-Man Assaults Citizen.'" He lowered the paper. "They're claiming he 'assaulted' a purse snatcher instead of stopping him."
Thor gave a disbelieving huff. "This was the man who stole from an elder, no? Spider-Man intervened. That is justice, not villainy."
Ben nodded, but his eyes stayed hard. "Right? But the article just keeps going. Says it's 'another case of masked vigilantes interfering with police work.'" He flipped further down the page. "'They argue heroes shouldn't hide their faces. That there needs to be transparency, and accountability.'" He sighed, brow furrowing. "And… I mean, they're not entirely wrong."
Hulk rumbled, his frown deepening. "People fear what they don't understand."
Ben flipped to the back page and held it up. "They're praising the Fantastic Four, calling them 'model heroes' because everyone knows who they are. Tony gets a mention too, how Stark Industries keeps cleaning up after every villain mess."
Thor leaned back, swirling the last sip of coffee. "In Asgard, we know a warrior's deeds speak louder than any name. If Spider-Man fights for the innocent, then he is a hero, no matter what these scribes say."
Ben's frown eased a bit. He tapped the paper thoughtfully. "I just hate how they twist it. I saw Spider-Man stop that guy. No one else was going to."
Hulk looked at him, his expression turning serious, and repeated something Steve had once said to him. "Real heroes help, even when people call them monsters."
Thor lifted his mug in a small salute. "To Spider-Man, then. May his courage endure, no matter what the world says."
Ben cracked a smile and raised his glass in return. "To the ones who do what's right… even when everyone else calls it wrong."
Hulk gave a low, approving rumble and raised his own massive mug.
Just then, a soft chime echoed through the dining room. Thor lowered his mug and reached into his belt, pulling out… a pager.
Ben raised an eyebrow. "A pager? Thor, I thought you didn't like our 'Midgardian technology'?"
Thor flipped the device around, studying it. "Aye, I do not. But Jane insisted I carry this. She knows I dislike your devices, but she said this was simple enough for me." He tapped a bright red button. "She said pressing this red rune would show me her messages."
Ben laughed softly. "Glad she kept it easy."
Thor nodded solemnly. "Indeed. She asked if I knew of a 'Nokia.' I said no, and she declared it was as mighty as Mjolnir itself." He tilted his head, puzzled. "Tell me, Ben… where can I find this 'Nokia' to test my mettle against it?"
Ben tried not to laugh outright, glancing at Hulk, who was already smirking. They shared a quick, silent exchange to play along.
Ben kept a straight face. "It's an ancient relic of the modern age, Thor. They say it's one of the toughest things man ever made."
Hulk nodded solemnly. "Very rare."
Ben grinned now. "I doubt you'll find one these days."
Thor gave a thoughtful hum. "I see… truly a worthy adversary, then." He glanced back at the pager. "In any case, Jane has just sent word. She wishes to meet me by the waterfront to share the morning. I must not keep her waiting."
Hulk pushed back his chair with a low rumble. "I'll join. Will relax under the pier. Calming."
Ben grinned and gave them a little wave. "Enjoy it, guys. You deserve a break. I'll keep you posted about the cat-man situation."
Thor smiled warmly as he tucked the pager away and stood. "May the rest of your day be as peaceful as the sea, my friends."
Hulk grunted his agreement and rose slowly, his bulk moving with deliberate calm. The two Avengers left the dining room together.
Later
The meeting room was dark, the only light coming from the massive projection at the center of the table. It cast an eerie glow over the gathered Avengers. On the screen, a freeze-frame showed a blurred figure in black, feline in silhouette.
Captain America spoke first, calm but resolute. "That's him."
Wasp tilted her head, squinting. "Wait… what exactly am I looking at? A giant cat?"
Ben smirked slightly. "Huh. Not as flashy as I thought he'd be, honestly."
Cap's eyes never left the screen. "It was a man. Can we make this larger, clearer?"
Tony leaned forward, fingers drumming against the table. "JARVIS, run a full spectrum analysis. Brighten the image."
JARVIS's replied. "At once, sir."
The projection sharpened. The black-clad figure stood out more clearly now, the feline-like mask distinct against the dim background. High-tech details in the suit's design caught everyone's eye.
Ben frowned thoughtfully. "I've heard rumors in the papers about a Black Cat pulling off burglaries. You think this is the same guy?"
Wasp smirked. "A cat thief? How… appropriate."
Tony scowled at the footage. "Were we robbed? JARVIS, " He trailed off with a frustrated sigh.
Ben shrugged, trying to lighten the mood. "Honestly, that mask looks more like a panther. Or… a puma?"
Wasp hummed, thoughtful. "Do black tigers even exist?"
Hank leaned in, studying the footage. "Assuming it's a large black feline, it's probably a variant of leopard or jaguar." He tapped a few keys. "But let's not jump to conclusions. Look at that suit, it's absorbing every energy spectrum JARVIS can throw at it. That's not some common thief's gear." His eyes narrowed. "And the way he bypassed JARVIS… there's no record he was ever here."
On the footage, the cat-like intruder could be seen connecting a USB device to one of the mansion's computers, typing rapidly and moving with surgical precision.
Tony watched with a grudging flicker of respect. "Okay, fine. I'll admit it. He got past JARVIS and my firewalls with a flash drive. That's… impressive. Annoying, but impressive." He exhaled. "Whoever he is, he's got some serious tech."
Ant-Man continued pulling up logs on the console. "System only shows Captain America and Baron Zemo. No sign of this mystery cat-man at all," he said, frowning.
Captain America stepped forward, his expression resolute. "All I know is… that man saved my life." He looked around at his teammates, unwavering. "He's an ally. Not an enemy."
JARVIS crackled over the speakers. "Intruder alert!"
Alarms blared through the mansion, red lights strobing. Ben slammed his hand on the Omnitrix, his expression hardening. "Time to get some extra muscle." A burst of green light flashed outward, and in an instant, Rath stood there, flexing.
"Ooh. A new one." Wasp inspected the new alien up and down. Meanwhile Hank was disappointed that it wasn't insectoid. "What's he do?"
"Rath gets angry and hits stuff into oblivion."
"Huh. Fitting name since Hulk's out."
The Avengers sprinted out through the mansion's front doors.
There, perched atop the wrought-iron gate like a waiting jungle cat, was the same mysterious figure from the footage. He watched them, perfectly still.
Rath pointed immediately. "Ha! Rath knew it. Rath said it was a jaguar!"
The figure dropped lightly to the ground, claws extending from his fingers. "Panther, actually," he corrected, his tone even.
Rath grinned. "Rath said that too!"
Captain America's gaze narrowed, wary. "So… he's not on our side?"
Iron Man's went flat. "Definitely not."
Before anyone could react further, the Panther lunged, fast as a shadow.
"I got, " Tony began, jets flaring to life.
But the Panther was already there, claws flashing as he swiped Iron Man out of the air. Tony crashed down onto the mansion's roof with a metallic clang, his HUD flickering as he steadied himself.
The Panther needed to keep the group separated long enough for each encounter.
The Panther rolled low, evading Tony's repulsor shot, and slashed at his side. Sparks flew as his claws scored a shallow groove in the plating.
Tony swung back, backhanding him hard enough to send the Panther skidding across the courtyard. But he flipped up to his feet instantly, eyes locked on Tony as he charged again.
Tony fired rapid repulsor blasts, spraying dirt and stone into the air. The Panther darted between them, impossibly fast, claws flashing.
He closed in, claws biting into Tony's shoulder plate with a screech of metal. Then he vaulted over Tony's head, slashing a thin groove into the backplate as he passed.
Tony twisted, shoving his repulsor into the Panther's chest at point-blank, , only for the Panther to drop a smoke bomb, vanishing into swirling gray.
The repulsor blast cut through empty air.
Tony jetted upward, hovering a few feet above the ground, shoulder pods opening. "Alright. Let's see how you handle this," he growled.
He unleashed a volley of micro-missiles that streaked through the air, exploding across the courtyard and tearing up the marble and grass. The Panther flipped behind a column as debris rained down.
Before Tony could track him again, a chunk of marble hurtled out from the smoke, THUNK! , slamming into his forearm plate, rattling him but not breaking through.
The Panther burst from the smoke, charging head-on. A repulsor shot slammed into his chest, but his suit flared purple, absorbing the energy.
With a roar, he punched forward , and released a crackling shockwave that sent Iron Man flying.
Tony smashed into a column, the world spinning around him as his HUD flickered red warnings. Sparks danced across his armor in the midday sun.
JARVIS's urgent voice filled his helmet. "Armor hardware damaged. Shield generators offline."
Tony slumped in the rubble, coughing as he forced himself up, armor still sparking. "Dammit. JARVIS, contact Hulk and Thor. Get them here… now."
JARVIS responded crisply. "Affirmative… Warning: Transmission failed. Wireless signal to their comms is being jammed."
Tony's eyes narrowed, alarm flashing in his gaze. "What?"
The Panther paused, pulling out two sleek purple push daggers, their edges glowing with a bright, pulsing energy that hummed low and menacing.
With a flick of his wrists, arcs of crackling energy sliced through the air, buzzing with power as they cut across the courtyard.
Wasp darted in, tiny and fierce, her wings a blur. "Think you're fast? Dodge these." she called, firing a volley of bio-stingers at him.
The Panther didn't even flinch. The stingers vanished into his suit.
"What?!" she gasped, her alarm clear.
Ant-Man flew in beside her, perched on a darting ant, his eyes wide. "He didn't dodge them," he said, ducking as another arc of purple energy zipped past. "I told you, his suit absorbs energy. Heads up!"
The Panther flicked his daggers again, sending another crackling wave of energy through the air, missing them by inches.
He lunged forward, claws slashing, closing in like a shadow. Wasp shrank instantly, zipping under his arm in a blur of light. She grew to full size behind him, firing two quick bio-stings at his back.
The Panther twisted, the first blast glancing off his shoulder, the second clipping his side. He let out a sharp grunt of pain but didn't slow down.
He spun with a sweeping kick, slicing through the air where Wasp's legs had been, but she'd already shrunk again, buzzing around his head like an angry hornet.
"Too slow, kitty cat!" she taunted.
The Panther didn't answer, eyes locked on her as she darted and weaved. In a sudden blur, he slashed out, claws narrowly missing her small form.
Wasp grew back to full size midair, driving a spinning kick at his jaw. But the Panther's hand shot up, catching her ankle with perfect precision. He yanked her forward and flipped her neatly over his shoulder.
She shrank mid-tumble, slipping from his grasp like water and popping back to full size a few feet away. Breathing hard, she raised her stingers again, eyes locked on him.
The Panther lunged low, one hand shooting out to catch her wrist. His grip was firm but not cruel as he twisted it gently, holding her in place.
"Your stings cannot pierce this armor."
Wasp's eyes narrowed. With a flash of light, she shrank in his grasp, slipping free and buzzing backward.
Steve charged forward, shield up and resolve hardening. He slammed into the Panther with a shoulder tackle, knocking him off balance and forcing his focus squarely on the star-spangled hero.
Wasting no time, Steve hurled his shield with a powerful throw. It sliced through the air, whistling as it flew. The Panther backbent fluidly, the shield passing just overhead. It ricocheted off the mansion walls, spinning back toward Steve faster than before. He caught it with a grunt, his boots skidding a few inches on the gravel.
The Panther lunged the instant the shield touched Steve's arm, claws slashing. Steve raised the shield in time, the impact ringing out as claws scraped against the vibranium with a sharp clang that echoed across the courtyard. Panther rolled to the side, slamming a spinning kick into Steve's knee. Steve braced against it with a grunt, then swung his shield in a fierce bash that forced the Panther back.
Panther recovered instantly, slipping low with a clawed uppercut aimed at Steve's chest. Steve twisted, deflecting the strike along the shield's edge. He countered with a straight punch, but the Panther ducked, slamming a palm strike into Steve's ribs that staggered him.
Steve dropped low, sweeping his shield to knock the Panther's legs out, but the Panther leapt high, flipping over the attack and landing lightly behind him. Steve spun around, shield raised just as the Panther came in with a flurry of rapid, precise slashes. Sparks flew as vibranium met claws again and again, each strike sharper than the last.
Steve pushed forward with raw strength, driving the Panther back a step. But the Panther pivoted, slipping to the side and slashing out to land a shallow cut along Steve's forearm. Steve didn't flinch, he used the momentum to grab the Panther's arm, hooking it and throwing him over his shoulder in a clean, controlled arc.
The Panther rolled as he landed, springing back to his feet in one smooth motion. He drove a roundhouse kick into Steve's shield that rattled even the super soldier, forcing him to shift his stance. Panther feinted low with a claw swipe, then snapped a high kick. Steve blocked the low strike with his shield, but the high kick clipped his shoulder hard enough to make him grunt in pain.
Steve answered with a quick jab to the Panther's jaw, then followed with an elbow to his chest. The Panther rolled with the blows, barely staggered, and answered with a backhand that cracked across Steve's cheek. He twisted, using Steve's own momentum to flip him clean over his hip. Steve hit the grass hard, the breath knocked out of him for a second.
Seeing the Panther holding his own, besting Steve, even, made it clear to the rest of the Avengers that whoever this intruder was, he wasn't just some thief. He was enhanced, on par with the super soldier serum itself.
Rath snarled and charged forward, claws flexing and ready to tear in. "Let me tell ya somethin', kitty cat… Rath's gonna claw you to pieces!" he bellowed.
The Panther didn't waste a single word. Calm and focused, he ducked low, slipping smoothly under Rath's wild haymaker. He countered with a sharp uppercut to Rath's gut, following with a knee to his chin. The hits rocked Rath back, but only seemed to fuel his fury.
Rath swung again, a savage backhand that cracked the air. The Panther weaved aside, narrowly avoiding it, and pivoted into a low sweep that took Rath's legs out from under him. But Rath planted his foot hard, muscles bulging as he forced himself upright. "Nice try!" he snarled.
He lunged again, one massive hand grabbing for the Panther's shoulder. Panther spun out of the way, redirecting the momentum and slashing across Rath's forearm. No blood, but enough to make Rath roar with rage.
Rath charged like a bull, using his sheer size to slam Panther back. The Panther braced, pivoting at the last second to flip Rath over his shoulder, sending him crashing to the dirt. But Rath sprang up instantly, eyes blazing.
Rath threw a punch that cracked the air like thunder. The Panther leaned back just enough for the blow to whistle past his mask, then struck back with three pinpoint hits, throat, ribs, temple, each one landing cleanly.
Rath planted his feet and grinned wide, then unleashed a double-clawed slash. Sparks flew as his claws met the Panther's vibranium daggers, metal screeching against metal. The Panther twisted Rath's wrist, slipping in a quick jab to a pressure point on his shoulder that made Rath grunt and stagger.
With a savage grin, Rath lunged and cracked Panther's mask lens with a brutal headbutt. The Panther exhaled sharply in pain. Rath seized the opening, wrapping his massive arms around the Panther and hoisting him overhead. He spun once, then slammed him down like a ragdoll.
Panther recovered in an instant, sweeping Rath's legs out as he hit the ground. Rath dropped to a knee, growling, "Rath's not done yet!"
He lunged again, tackling Panther and rolling them both through the dirt. The Panther slashed at Rath's bicep, but Rath only roared louder, answering with a bone-rattling slam that forced Panther into the ground. The vibranium suit absorbed the worst of the impact, glowing faintly purple.
Panther flipped free and landed lightly, breathing controlled, eyes cold and locked on Rath. He darted in and out, jabbing at Rath's joints with precise strikes. Rath's huge swings were fast, but Panther was faster, slipping just beyond each clawed swipe.
With every strike, the vibranium suit absorbed more of Rath's power, the glow at the seams growing brighter. Panther ducked under Rath's latest grab and planted a double-palm strike to Rath's solar plexus. The energy discharged in a bright flash, forcing the breath from Rath's lungs in a sharp gasp.
Rath staggered back, orange fur bristling, but his grin only widened. He bared his teeth, breathing heavily.
With a roar, he barreled forward, overwhelming Panther with a savage flurry of clawed swipes. Panther blocked and redirected, each impact rattling him harder as the alien's raw power pressed in.
Suddenly, the black-clad stranger paused mid-strike, feeling something crawling over his legs. He glanced down and saw fire ants swarming his lower body, biting and stinging in coordinated fury.
Ant-Man called out from atop a flying ant. "Now… are you ready to talk about this?"
The stranger's eyes narrowed, calm and calculating. He raised his arms slightly and tapped a finger on a small wrist device. A deep, pulsing vibrational wave erupted, washing over the ants and sending them scattering like leaves in a hurricane.
Hank dropped from his flying ant, returning to normal size with a startled gasp. "Whoa!" he breathed, realization dawning as he watched the ants flee. "That sound… that's vibranium!"
Wasp gritted her teeth, raising her stingers with a determined scowl. "You know what? I've had just about enough of you, super-tech-cat-ninja-guy!" she snapped.
She unleashed twin streams of crackling bio-energy, slamming them into the Panther. The stranger raised his arms defensively, his suit flaring with purple light as it absorbed the hits. Then, with a single, fluid motion, he leapt backward, scaling the mansion walls like a living shadow. Wasp zipped after him, darting and weaving.
"Come on! What's the matter, cat got your tongue, " she started to taunt, buzzing around him.
The Panther swatted at her with a clawed hand, forcing her to veer back with a flicker of surprise.
Meanwhile, Ant-Man slammed a hand to his belt, his expression hardening. "I agree.".
He activated the Pym Particles, expanding instantly until he towered over the courtyard as Giant-Man. The ground shuddered beneath his feet as he reached for the Panther. "You're done here," he rumbled.
But the Panther moved like a phantom. He dodged the giant hand, sprinting up Giant-Man's massive arm with precise, measured steps. Reaching Hank's shoulder, he drove a pinpoint strike into a pressure point, forcing Hank to grunt and drop to one knee.
Wasp zipped down. "Hank!"
Iron Man landed beside them in a burst of repulsor energy, his glare sharp and repulsor raised. "Don't even think about it," he warned.
The Panther paused, standing tall on Giant-Man's shoulder. His breathing was calm, his gaze steady behind the mask. "Enough."
The Avengers froze, watching him warily.
Captain America stepped forward. "What's your game? You save my life, then attack us, and now you expect us to believe you're just going to… stop?"
The Panther's gaze shifted slowly. "I am not surrendering, Captain," he said quietly. "I have simply seen enough."
Tony narrowed his eyes, stepping closer with a half-smirk, half-scowl. "What kind of BS was that all about, then?" he demanded, frustration in his tone.
The Panther reached up and pulled back the sleek black mask, revealing a handsome African man with short-cut hair and keen, thoughtful eyes. "I wanted to see your abilities for myself," he said calmly.
A beat of silence followed as the weight of his words sank in.
Hank's eyes widened in shock. "The Prince of Wakanda? But… what are you doing here?"
T'Challa's gaze shifted. "I need your help."