➢𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗪𝗔𝗥➢

『 Do you think of me, of what we used to be?
Is it better now that I'm not around?
My friends are actin' strange, they don't bring up your name
Are you happy now? Are you happy now? 』
―𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘯 5 𝘧𝘵. 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘳, 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘸

⟶𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 8: 𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑶𝒇 𝑾𝒂𝒌𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂⟵

❝𝐖𝐚𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫!❞

-𝙼𝙰𝚈 𝟹𝟷𝚂𝚃, 𝟸𝟶𝟷𝟾-

𝚆 𝙰 𝙺 𝙰 𝙽 𝙳 𝙰

"Woah..." Doctor Bruce Banner breathes out, upon witnessing the incredible technological advancements that come from Wakanda.

T'Challa's younger sister, Ania's aunt, Princess Shuri, examines the Vision's body while he lays atop a table in her lab—Mind Stone being scanned by a holographic identifier that stems from a kimoyo bead.

She flips her hand over, palm displaying the makeup of the synthetic being, and expresses her own astoundment, "The structure is polymorphic."

"Right," Bruce chimes in, scientifically talking, "we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially."

Shuri tilts her space-bunned head, her orange-smock of an outfit twisting along with her, "Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?"

Her question is filled with so much intelligence and curiosity for someone of a young age that it takes the non-hulked-out Banner, off guard. 

Vision from where he is lying down even turns to look at the glasses-wearing man, in question.

Bruce stammers over his answer, "Because... we didn't... think of it."

Shuri gives him a nice smile, lifting her brows, "I'm sure you did your best."

Wanda Maximoff breaks into their conversation, asking anxiously, "Can you do it?"

"Yes," The Princess replies confidently, though her face then falls, "but there are more than two trillion neurons here. One misalignment could result in a cascade of circuit failures."

 Shuri meets the gaze of her older sibling, "It will take time, brother."

King T'Challa has a hand over his chin. 

Steve's are both on the belt of his waist. 

He asks, unwaveringly, "How long?"

Shuri's response is the same, "As long as you can give me."

Alarms beep, signals trilling, and tending to her own kimoyo bead that projects a layout of Wakanda, General of Dora Milaje, Okoye, announces, "Something's entered the atmosphere."

From outside the building, Sam Wilson speaks directly into the comm, "Hey, Cap, we got a situation here."

Dani Rockland and Ania Udaku step towards the edge of the administrative building, where they had been keeping watch—and also arguing. The Princess does not show much trepidation when an alien vessel seems to be heading straight down and into the defense shield that circles over Wakanda, though for the Agent Rockland... Dani had been warned of this coming. Of them coming.

She has worry building in her gut.

They all watch as above the Golden City, a missile is destroyed by the vibranium forcefield, doing no damage—and Bucky Barnes exhales, "God, I love this place."

"Yeah, don't start celebrating yet, guys." Rhodey also outside, now as War Machine, insists knowingly, "We got more incoming outside the dome."

Waves and debris from the spaceship land, destroy acres of the Wakanda forest, and boils up against the dome.

Captain America and Black Panther look at one other over the scope of what they will be facing, thoughts of a similar variety traveling through their heads.

Shuri helps Vision sit up as everyone's gazes are locked on the view of what is happening from the lab. The landing sites. Of the ones here to take the Stone.

The synthetic being starts to shake his head, "It's too late. We need to destroy the stone now."

Natasha Romanoff flips her short blonde hair, "Vision, get your ass back on that table."

"We will hold them off," T'Challa claims, then nonverbally instructs Okoye and his Kingsguard to the door.

Everyone prepares.

Steve turns to face the young woman, "Wanda, as soon as that stone's out of his head... you blow it to hell."

She nods. "I will."

"Evacuate the city," The young King is incredibly firm in his directions, authoritative—he quickens his pace, "Engage all defenses."

T'Challa points at Steve, "And get this man a shield."

Cap looks back, giving a stiff nod.

All go on insinuating a big fight. A large assault from beings from another world. 

One far above, and with one FORCE currently up there now, the other two remain holding down the fort back on Earth.

Anticipating a battle in Wakanda.

"So, what took you so long in getting yourself back here? In visiting us?"

"We're all currently in danger of dying..."

"At least I'd get to die alongside you—"

"Tarik!" A brown and wide-eyed Ania snaps lightly with a tipped brow, her lip pursing as dare she says, a little jealousy courses within her at this very moment—barely noticeable due to how nice and sweet she was, but still... Not cool, Bast!

The girl chides her childhood best friend who despite not receiving any signals in return, continues to flirt with the enhanced teenager that is Dani Mairead Rockland—and while admitting that they did have some sort of chemistry when she came to visit a year ago, there wasn't any time for it right now. 

And also, she wasn't interested. Is not in a good head space right now, for a relationship.

At all, for she nearly had no faith in people.

Tarik being the dense teenage boy he is uses his witty charm to try and lighten the mood, and this is due to his lack of experience. Lack of fighting in a war that included aliens... Or just any war.

...Why is he here again?

"Look..." A royal blue jacketed thirteen-year-old flashes a cute, but fake smile when talking to the River Tribe member, the two of them plus Princess Ania aboard a Wakandan carrier on the way to the battlefield, "You're a nice guy, Tarik."

Danielle tilts her honey-blonde strawberry head as she says curtly, "I'm not interested."

"Perhaps, there is someone else you should look into pursuing..." Sea-foam green eyes wander over to where the tan-jacketed and bun-wearing sixteen-year-old stands, and Ania wants to gasp in horror—in a struggle to hold in the urge to madly blush because that is all she's ever wanted.

From Tarik. Because she is in love with him.

The boy merely looks confused, however, as he is still not getting the hint... and Dani allows herself to laugh, "You know, for being from Wakanda, you're not very smart."

"Oh yeah?" He takes some offense to that, her jab, and fires back with a rather worse one, "Well, from being from London, you're not very..."

He eyes the thirteen-year-old before relaying, "—British."

The girl rolls her eyes in return, and Ania wants to scold him again.

Dani's tone is suddenly darker, though, patronizing as she explains her backstory, "For the first five years of my life I was in solitary confinement."

"Trapped in a base where my biological parents experimented illegally on me until one day their awful, evil plan finally worked."

She plasters another smile onto her very bitter and twisted face, raising a hand still wearing a white-device bracelet that controls her sustainable abilities, and promptly clasps it against Tarik's shoulder, "So, sorry I lack any sort of accent."

Ania and Tarik only look at one another in silence. She is one sharply-pointed tack. With a biting sense of humor. Sheesh. 

Little do they realize that more pile onto the carrier they accompany, Steve, Natasha, and James Bucky Barnes that promptly transports them to where the actual battle was to begin.

Ania and Tarik's first war, and possibly, their last if not taking careful consideration and following direct orders given to them by the Avengers, and her father. And...

"I see you have mastered the art of being unable to run away." The voice of the White Cat's mentor makes her turn around abruptly.

There she is, Ania's teacher, Izitena. The White Tiger. Fearless warrior. 

She grins endearingly at her student's stance, raring and ready for anything. Her ambition tromping all others.

Ania offers a smile acknowledging her own, "Well, the only running I will do now is toward the fight."

"The fight that is my fight, in my country."

Izitena dressed in her white animal-printed suit, gently takes hold of the girl's hand, speaking then in Xhosa, "Ndiyazi ukuba uya kuba ulumkile, Ania. Yenza okulungileyo." I know you will be smart, Ania. Do what is right.

The child responds back in the language that didn't always sound native on her tongue, due to being of somewhat American heritage, but is nonetheless home to her, "Ewe, titshala, ndiza kukwenza ube neqhayiya." Of course, teacher, I will make you proud.

White Tiger grabs her shoulder, tugging her in close and insisting, "I already am."

White Cat's features brighten. She was ready.

So are all the Avengers.

"How we looking, Bruce?" Black Widow speaks into comm, questioning the man whom she had an awkward reunion with, and he lets out a noise of excitement.

He is leap jogging inside the Hulk buster suit, and now being able to help despite not taking the form of his 'green friend' he is extremely swift, "Yeah, I think I'm getting the hang of it."

 "Wow! This is amazing, man! It's like being the Hulk without actually—"

"Oh!" Bruce stumbles on a rock, and a carrier goes by from which Okoye gives him a side look, very unimpressed.

He pulls himself off nonchalantly, "I'm okay. I'm okay."

Dani is not. The girl trembles although her jacket is heat-infused, and upon the fight actually growing closer, there are repercussions. 

For example, Agent Rockland doesn't know how useful she will be. Sure it is no doubt she possesses extreme power, but ever still present, there is no control behind it. The only thing keeping the child from having a fit of blue energy burst out of her body is the white-beaded tech that minimizes the use of her abilities... that may no longer serve a purpose if more is needed. 

If she were to take them off.

That can't happen, for then she would be dangerous. A potential threat.

❀☽ ❀☽ ❀☽

"I've got two heat signatures breaking through the tree line." Rhodes declares mid-flight, Sam closeby as Falcon and War Machine fly in.

The Wakandan carriers shortly stop so that those boarding them can get off and arrive on the battlefield, and the Dora Milaje shouts a command to the remaining warriors needing to get in order.

"MIE EFFA!" WIN THEM!

"YA HU!"

"MIE EFFA!" WIN THEM!

"YA HU!"

"MIE EFFA!" WIN THEM.

"YA HU!"

"MIE EFFA!" WIN THEM!

"YA HU!"

Other tribes come to fight, one being the Great Jabari, and their leader Lord M'Baku greets King T'Challa on the sidelines of the battlefield. He stands next to Okoye and Izitena, as well as Ania and Tarik, and adjacent to the pair is Agent Rockland, the three aligned together due to their young age, and inexperience. From childhood best friends.

Natasha Romanoff is in between Dani Rockland and Steve Rogers, still not showing any signs of trust, meanwhile, Bucky is to the left of his childhood best friend.

Ania's father shakes hands with her distant uncle while proclaiming with sincerity, "Thank you for standing with us."

"Ewe, mzalwana." The leader of the Jabari Men answers back, sincerely. Of course, brother.

Then, T'Challa, Natasha, and Steve head down to greet Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian. 

 Two of Thanos' only children are still alive, and there is attention brought to that.

"Where's your other friend?" Black Widow asks in a mocking tone, to which Proxima, after testing the barrier with the tip of her staff grits menacingly.

"You will pay for his life with yours." She sneers, "Thanos will have that stone."

Captain America cuts in, stating firmly, "That's not gonna happen."

"You are in Wakanda now." Black Panther, King, and protector speaks up.

 "Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood."

Proxima Midnight says right back, "We... have blood to spare."

Grunting and raising her weapon, it activates the outer hulls of the ships brought from behind her—aliens embark out. There is that same rumbling this time, though it is significantly more than just distant. It's in the direct line of sight.

Bucky asks Steve, somewhat with a sardonic demeanor when he returns back in position, "They surrender?"

The long-haired and bearded man shakes his head, "Not exactly."

Dani presses her lips together with an irk of her neck, "Didn't think so."

Ania and Tarik lock eyes carefully, both their jaws shut from being slightly open.

Ania's father leads the Wakandans in their fierce battle cry when preparing to fight, "YIBAMBE!" Hold it!

"Yibambe!"

"Yibambe!"

"Yibambe!"

The two teenagers sustain their position while the younger one next to them simply tightens her fists, her expression not altering when getting a good look at the creatures approaching the barrier—even if they are these alien-dog-looking things. Dani is not fazed.

Bucky is, when Proxima finally brings her sword back down, Outriders begin pouring out of the spaceships and toward the battlefield, through the trees— "What the hell?"

Natasha narrows a blond brow in response, "Looks like we pissed her off."

Aliens snarl nastily as they run into the Wakandan barrier, only to be unsuccessful in getting through and ultimately decapitate themselves when forcing their way in. It is a disturbing sight to see.

Okoye expresses her horror, "They're killing themselves."

 Izitena quips her head, "Good riddance."

As a few manage to squeeze through the ForceField, the Border Tribe lower and raise their shields. 

The Kingsguard behind them level their sonic spears over their shoulders and on T'Challa's command, fire at the approaching monsters. Both the White Tiger and Cat raise their spears as well that have blasters implemented into them. 

Ania keeps her grip vice and steady when launching as many hits as she can into these alien beings. Tarik stands behind her with a similar handle on both of Sister Nakia's disk rings.

The Winter Soldier uses his M-249 machine gun to take down many as well, and Bruce fires the Hulkbuster's hand repulsors as a way to do his part, too.

Sam sends Redwing into the chaos as it splits into three different stabilizers, attaching itself to some of the aliens including one that nearly bites Falcon—he flies up, "You see the teeth on those things?"

"All right, back up Sam. You're gonna get your wings singed." War Machine drops a barrage of explosive devices over the heaviest area full of aliens and following a huge explosion some damage is done.

There is a success, but also misguidance when a significant number of them begin to run around to the back of the administrative building, where Shuri was currently working to remove Vision's stone.

"Cap, if these things circle the perimeter and get in behind us... there's nothing between them and Vision." Bruce informs Steve.

Who then looks forward, "Then we better keep em' in front of us."

"How do we do that?" the General asks, and her eyes fall to King T'Challa.

Who has a plan, "We open the barrier."

The Black Panther places a hand on his earpiece to instruct, "On my signal, open North-West Section Seventeen."

Tarik gulps in a matter of dreadfulness, "Oh, no."

Ania gratingly bares her teeth instead.

"Requesting confirmation, my King." Her 'aunt' can be heard from the other line, "You said open the barrier?"

T'Challa confirms, "On my signal."

"This will be the end of Wakanda," M'Baku says with a hand perched on his staff.

Okoye from next to him declares with the utmost righteousness, "Then it will be the noblest ending in history."

Ania seconds that, simply readying herself in a stance that represents her passion and optimism for this fight. 

She picks up her spear, this was it. On Baba's signal, she would be charging into her first war. Her first battle inside the place where she was born and kept safe from many.

Captain America readies one of his vibranium-covered hands, having been gifted two panther-shaped shields as a weapon, having no longer the red, white, and blue one. Agent Rockland places one foot in front of the other, lifting her arms to be one in front and the other behind her, and she patiently awaits the command from King T'Challa.

He shouts in Xhosa, the Wakandans in result disbanding their Phalanx Formation, and preparing to act once their ruler reaches the forefront of the large gathering of warriors.

Warriors and Avengers, assembling together to take on a lot. Maybe even, risk their lives.

Black Panther crosses his arms over his chest, and right before his claws and mask subconsciously go on, he yells out with much conviction—climatically, "WAKANDA FOREVER!!!!"

And all charge into battle.

The heroes and leaders are at the center of the charge. M'Baku, Okoye, T'Challa, Steve, Natasha, and Bucky. Overhead Sam and Rhodey soar alongside a few Talon Flyers, and Bruce brings up the rear in the Hulkbuster suit. 

This leaves Ania, Tarik, and Danielle, the trio remaining close together as they run fiercely into battle alongside their older important figures. Ones they looked up to, and also lost trust in... though at the moment the only thing that matters is keeping the enemies AWAY from the stone.

The one that Thanos is looking for, right after he finds the other.

So all trudge forward halfway with big battle cries and weapons emerging, and when they get even closer, T'Challa decides that it's time—lifting his wrist once more, "Now!"

The forcefield promptly opens up, line drawing down the middle, and aliens spill into Wakanda as a result. They snarl wildly, distractedly piling in one after another and a huge battle breaks out when everyone assigns themselves to take them on, using their blasters, shields, or physical strength. 

Captain America and Black Panther run fast as they reach the front of the altercation, leading the herd when both leap agilely off the ground in their enhanced strength. Steve's from a SuperSoldier Serum, and T'Challa with the Heart-Shaped Herb.

Not too far away is the golden trio, that being Ania, Tarik, and Dani who lets out a few grunts when shoving away as many aliens as she can with the blue aura coming out of her wrists. The boy from the River Tribe hurls his glowing ring disks at the Outriders which temporarily stun them, leaving White Cat to stab each with her tinted long spear and Ania keeps doing so for as long as she can before beginning to grow tired.

It was everlasting, much like in New York, these beings kept on multiplying, and soon enough physical strength just isn't enough to help defeat them. There needed to be more. Spiritually.

Sustainably, with a sustainable energy source.

Dani lets out an ear-piercing yelp when one of the Outriders climbs atop her, and she quickly and instinctively has her powers communicate with the white bracelets atop her wrists that give the being a strong blast away from her, so she can sit up.

The thirteen-year-old is slowly rising from the ground when Rhodey, who is in the air, calls out to her over comm, "Dan, you plan on helping out anytime soon?"

"What do you..." She sends a thwack into another Outrider that bares its teeth at her, "Ugh! Think I'm doing here, Uncle Rhodey?!"

The man known as War Machine implies what some are thinking right now, about her, and her abilities, "I mean, can we up the voltage on your ForceField? Fight fire with fire?"

The girl understands now, fighting fire with fire... Infinity Stone with Infinity Stone.

Except, her powers stem from only pieces of the dang thing, not to mention how incredibly uncontainable they are. Uncontainable, and dangerous.

"The devices on my wrists can only allow so much power to be used at one time." She explains over comm, leading to a blunt response.

"Well, then take them off."

Dani feels a breath hitch in her esophagus, immediately denying the request, "I-I uh," 

She stammers, contesting, "I don't think that's a good idea."

"I-I mean, it's been at least two years since I haven't worn these things. My powers... It could be dangerous."

She exhales sharply when another space alien heads toward her, and then another, and Dani elbows both of them back before her breathing begins to become heavy.

"Dani..." Rhodey addresses her on comm, again, trying to get through to her, and everyone else witnesses it.

Witnesses Colonel James Rhodes give the necessary approval to the idea of his surrogate-niece being released from any sort of restraint. From the pieces of the Space Stone, one of the six, being freed from contained ability.

"Take. Them. Off."

The thirteen-year-old gulps, honey-blond hair moving as she glances around and eventually succumbs to a mighty groan—a huff of frustration that leaves her wordless as she marches South in the field. 

She jogs until she is at least twelve feet away from any other person that might get hit by an uncontrollable surge of the pieces of the Tesseract inside her, that hadn't been used properly in TWO YEARS.

...Yikes, she was in for a rude one.

Danielle takes in a deep amount of oxygen, then raising her blue-jacketed arms up towards her face she ever so carefully undoes the buckle on the technological devices that have been on her wrists. She undoes the buckle, then slides them off.

They fall back to the ground, no longer helping her somewhat control her outlandish abilities.

Dani runs back into the fight.

"Glory to—Bast, agh!" Ania grits out as she slices into another Outrider being, but a desperate yell for help next to her causes her brown eyes to widen when three-to-four more surround Tarik.

The sixteen-year-old raises her staff to try and help the other, but the next thing known, two beings get the jump on her and the White Cat fights back—trying to use the strength in her legs to kick them off but it does not work.

Likewise previously stated, the Outriders keep on appearing

"Agh—Ania!!" The Wakandan boy yells out, and the Princess can only struggle as she tries to wrap her legs around the necks of these aliens, and Ania fears that this may be it.

It isn't.

Black boots trek over heightened boulders and then up, blue aura enrapturing the feet as then simultaneously and amazingly ... Dani Rockland backflips into the air. Her feet touch the dirt ground again and along with that is an enormous amount of energy that propels out of her body and takes out all nearby Outriders, zapping them to death.

Agent Rockland's eyes glow a vibrant blue as she concentrates, but due to being in mild shock at what she just did—and her abilities uncontrollably taking over her body, she briefly loses her footing.

Briefly. Literally.

Dani flies backward into the same boulder she flipped over moments ago.

The girl releases a staggering yelp that turns into a groan. Nonetheless, her efforts are extremely impressive, earning a look in that direction from both Natasha and Steve—who are still in utter amazement of the girl's unparalleled power.

Unparalleled, and consistently developing—growing stronger. Always.

Harder to control, though, for sure... as when Dani picks herself back up she stares down in a distracting amount of shock at her own capabilities—performing a skill such as flipping into the air and landing perfectly, she doesn't remember being able to do that ever before. 

It was almost like the pieces of the Tesseract had done the work for her, like she was levitating, like she was... flying.

"Damn, Ms. Rockland!" An emphasized voice brings the teenager out of her astonished thoughts, dilemma, and Tarik Umoya and Ania Udaku are smiling widely.

"Think you can do that again?" The Princess asks her, intently.

 Dani tilts her head, pledging, "Probably," and then the three proceed to get to work, to continue fighting in a battle that has only just begun.

That would turn out to be too much, very soon. So much so that they needed some help, from a certain savior.

One who was Asgardian...

❀☽ ❀☽ ❀☽

GOSH WHAT A FUN CHAPTER TO WRITE WRITING ACTION AND THESE BIG BATTLE SEQUENCES CAN BE SCARY BUT ALSO FUN!!! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and know that sincerely and really... we are getting close to the end 🤭 the BIG BATTLE(S) omg I'm not gonna lie it's going to be intense, crazy, and heart-breaking... Because it's INFINITY WAR OBVI.

Anywho, really hope you guys are doing well & I've been pretty consistent on here lately with editing and changing things in my other stories to make them more presentable and intriguing (editing chapters & adding gifs plz lmk if you have ANY suggestions or tips I'd love to hear from you 😊) & yeah rn I am going back to work on Troubled Youth (Caitlyn Strange) so I highly recommend checking her story out if you are here and haven't read it yet... If you are though you might be a lil confused so I highly recommend it because I love that story truly I love all my stories they are all different yet so similar in this series I put together. I am proud of all my bbs ❤️❤️

So also happy Easter/whatever any celebrations there are because times are crazy and I hope everyone is somewhat at peace, and I hope that reading these stories brings some joy out of you, because writing them certainly helps me :)

So yeah that's really it lol I'm gonna write the next chapter today but wait to post it until next Saturday bc that's been my thing lately... and yeah, for now, if you're still reading this here's a little Spring gift...

SNEAK PEEK OF A SCENE COMING UP IN THIS BOOK VERY SOON!!!!!!

~Future moment from THIS STORY ~

He stares her down, having heard so much since he sent the Chitauri to Earth.

Of her nature, of her kind.

That was more than originally thought.

She stands across from him, palms glistening, and Thanos first acknowledges, "There were pieces of the Stone missing."

"Pieces that were taken out, and put into you."

He watches the glittering of her palms, encircled in blue mist, and the demigod endears as he speaks knowingly, "So, this is the child in possession of pieces of the Tesseract? The Space Stone."

Dani's breath is cut off. But her eyes narrow.

Thanos tells her, "You, young one, are capable of more than anyone could imagine."

"You are strong, though not enough."

~k toodles... AHHHH xoxo, Alessandra 

dreamkept