Obligatory Disclaimer : I do not own anything (except maybe OC characters) all characters, places, worlds, universes…etc mentioned here belong to their respective owners and/or companies.

This is purely a work of fiction. Not meant to offend or incite, but to entertain and (maybe) inspire.

FRIENDS MAY CRY

EARTH

SHIELD HELICARRIER

“How does Fury even see these?” Tony Stark asked, half rhetorical, half curious. The one-eyed super spy would have to keep turning to catch up with the information displayed across the multiple screens on the bridge, something the futurist found quite tedious and inefficient.

“We have eye tracking holograms made specially for him.” Maria Hill, Fury’s trusted second in command, answered the billionaire genius. “Hammer tech.” She smiled seeing Stark lose his at the mention of that name.

He turned away from her, a new chip on his ego. ‘I could have done the same if you asked.’ He left unsaid. ‘Even better than his.’ He assumed, recognizing that he wasn’t envious of the bastard. Not one bit.

He tapped and prodded the systems, conversing about the invader’s plans as he browsed through files with quick clicks and taps that made it seem as though he was randomly filing through the database, but the futurist was storing away sensitive information at mere glances; a virtue of his photographic memory. It was also a way to distract others from noticing that he had placed a small, direct interface unit beneath the screens—the small, chrome device would allow Jarvis, his Artificial Intelligence, unlimited access into the SHIELD mainframe.

“Does Loki need a particular kind of power source for this portal of his?” Interjected Captain America, the super soldier—peak human performance made flesh—breaking the futurist’s monologue. He, a man out of time, was here talking about magical beings, space gods and extraterrestrial super rocks, on a flying military base, with people who were anything but normal. Sometimes, the truth really was stranger than fiction. He acquiesced.

“He’d have to heat the cube to a 120 million kelvin just to break the coulomb barrier.” Said Dr Banner, the scientist with a destructive, rage fueled alter ego trapped beneath his genial, scholastic exterior.

“Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect.”

“If I recall correctly, there was an open source paper detailing that exact process published late last year.”

“Yes, it was.” Once again, the futurist sighed, he admitted begrudgingly that it was impressive, he’d spent a week reading through it to find flaws but ended up verifying it instead. He wasn’t about to express it and make he-who-must-not-be-named anymore smug than he was.

“With that in his arsenal Selvig should be able to easily achieve heavy ion fusion at any nuclear reactor on the planet.”

“Finally, someone who speaks English,” Stark smiled, extending a hand to the only other scientist in the room with enough brain power to hopefully keep up with him.

“Everyone.” Fury walked in, a step behind followed a striking, well-built man with short golden-brown hair styled an almost militaristic side fade. In a clean, form fitting dark suit with similarly tinted shades and a charming smile that made many hearts flutter on his face. “Meet--”

“Hammer!” The thunder god laughed, going in for a bone crunching shake. This was his favorite mortal after all, it was also the only familiar face he appreciated seeing today. “Midgard’s wisest how goes...” He paused at the end, still holding onto the man’s hand.

The god of thunder wrinkled his brows, Hammer smelt—of fire and glory, of divinity and death and something dangerously primal and aged—of godly power. There was much of it in those arms that still held his, power to verily rival his, a god’s, if he was being generous of course. He was the god of thunder, Asgard’s greatest warrior and few could hope to rival his might if he should be allowed to state.

“You..what happened? How did you transcend?” He asked, it was the only conjecture that made a hint of sense. He could feel the familiar god aura emanating from the man, there was of course something more upon him, but the god of thunder could only recognize that which he knew.

And he knew the breath of gods. How had a mortal broken past the very limits of his flesh and soul to ascend? Thor had met many mortals who had the physical might to rival gods, most of them lived short lives for their spirits could not sustain their flesh. And he had seen the opposite happen, mortals with greater spirits than flesh could hold. The disharmony would always cause destruction, regardless of the being’s strength or power.

This was why sorcerers wielded powers from other dimensions even while they had their own reserves to aid them. Power always came at a cost.

What has this man paid? Thor wanted to know.

“Something like that.” The not so mortal man replied easily, the slick smile still on his face. Attention snapped to him, those within the vicinity were curious as to what the thunder god meant by saying Hammer had transcended.

“What do you mean Thor?” Fury asked. If Hammer had a breakthrough in his genetic modifications he needed to know and factor it into future plans and the file he had on the man. If it was something mass producible, he had to get hands on it before anyone else to secure it from the wrong hands. But his intuition told him that it was anything but that.

Was it when he tasked Hammer with taking a look at Thor’s hammer? Did this man really reverse engineer a method to become a god just from prodding an otherworldly weapon? Fury knew Hammer to be a super genius, but this was just ridiculously prodigious.

Hammer knew not of the super spy’s thoughts, even if he did he still wouldn’t correct the man.

“Midgard might have a new god.” Thor answered with finality.

“Yeah right.” Stark chuckled. Maybe, just maybe, Justin Hammer had made a breakthrough in a new type of technology that most likely enhanced his biology. Maybe that technology was incredibly similar to a type 3 civilization alien’s—the so-called thunder god's— which would be why he recognized it.

There’s no way he beat me to that. Stark groaned inwardly, he wasn’t particularly invested in genetic modifications, armor and weapon technology was his forte and passion. He wanted to be the first to make a powered suit which could take down a ‘god’ be it Thor or Hammer. So, what if Hammer got a bit stronger, the blond boy scout that was Captain America got everything special about him from a tube too.

Tony was aware that that idea was a gross oversimplification. He would never admit it out loud but he knew Hammer was a genius too. And maybe this was the man’s answer to his own power suit. The question now was whether Justin would commercialize his breakthrough and make the world a more dangerous place than it already was…

“Hah.” The futurist chuckled, there was no way in hell someone as smart as Justin would do that. The loss would far outweigh the gains, and as a business man himself, Tony knew just how much they hated taking losses.

“I jest not, divinity flows through his veins, and it grows…this man is no longer as mortal as most of you are.”

Eyes turned to Hammer, he knew they wanted an explanation. One thing he was grateful for was that there weren’t any magicians here sensitive enough to feel the vespers of his subdued aura, and the god that did seemed to ignore it as part of his divinity.

“It is what it is.” He said, leaving it at that. Stark rolled his eyes at what he deemed to be Hammer’s attempt to come off as mysterious.

Justin moved past the god of thunder, he was excited at meeting the important people in this room right now. These were once characters he’d seen on his tv in a past life, famous celebrities worshipped by masses of the population back in his native world. Yet here they were in person. All their abilities and characteristics, no longer figments of imagination or digital imagery but actual things they possessed; their behaviors no longer influenced by script but by ideals and desires.

His smile widened, “Captain, it’s an honor to meet you.” He said, extending his hand to the super soldier. A terse moment passed and the walking American ideal shook the outstretched arm. Steve found it unsettling that the man glossed over the fact that they were calling him a god so easily, but everyone had their secrets. He was never one to judge a man by looks alone.

“I’ve heard a lot about you.” He replied, he’d been briefed on the man. A highly intelligent weapons manufacturer, tech tycoon and business mogul. He even had one of the virtual reality headsets, they were instrumental in helping him acclimatize to this time period.

“Me too Cap.” Steve caught the joke there. “I’d like to steal your secret to eternal youth but can I have your autograph and a selfie for now? Next to Coulson, I’ve got to be your second biggest fan.” So that’s where the almost fanatic gleam in his smile came from. Steve let out a breath of air. He’d seen that same look in hydra scientists who’d give their souls to have him strapped to a surgical bed.

Where did the scars come from then? He left unasked as his eyes trailed the razor thin scars on the man’s face. He was certain that they came from a bladed weapon slashed against his face, most likely aiming for his vitals judging from just how long they ran and how they were positioned.

“Sure,” Said the Captain, now a bit curious of the man. Justin retrieved his phone and took a burst of photos, muttering beneath his breath as to how he’d show it to someone named Eve and Valeria. Justin once again shook the Captain’s arm, left him a business card and a vague line about catching movies that sounded more like a date to the flattered Rogers.

“Dr Banner, nice to see you here.”

“Likewise, Dr Hammer.”

“That’s a mouthful, please just call me Hammer or Justin.” Or big daddy Doom. Justin laughed, leaving the last part unsaid.

“My previous offer still stands. You’d have everything you need, and I’d have your brilliant mind in my employ helping solve the world’s crises and save billions.”

“I'd like to take more time to consider it.”

“Please do, even if you end up rejecting my offer, my resources will still be at your disposal.”

“Thank you.” Banner appreciated the man’s honesty. You’d think a successful businessman like Hammer would be more focused on increasing his profits through any means possible, but the man was actively seeking to make the world a better place by utilizing cleaner and more sustainable methods and innovative systems. He was tempted, he truly was, to take Hammer’s hand and join him on doing the world some good. But he had things to settle first, things he needed to get out the way to allow him the focus needed to help the world—he couldn’t do that if he couldn’t even help himself.

Hammer approached his rival and favorite character, his smile widening.

“Tony, how are things going with my favorite inventor?”

“Great till you came along.” Stark folded his arms, adopting a bored look. “Do you need my autograph too?”

“On your employment contract? Yes of course.”

“Coming from the guy who can’t build his own iron man suit? Not a chance roid rage.” Stark smirked.

“Oh you jelly bro? Too bad I don’t need a can to protect my ego.” Hammer knew exactly how much Stark hated it when he adopted the speech pattern of a college frat boy, which was why he made sure to do so.

“No, you’ll need a helmet for that.”

“What’s with all this hostility, is being number two getting to you?” Hammer sneered. Stark maintained a smile while his right fist clenched up, he imagined all the ways he could throw a punch hard enough to satisfyingly break Justin’s smug mug.

“Enjoy your fifteen minutes while it lasts.” The futurist threw back.

“You could always just ask for my help.”

“That’ll never happen.”

“Not with that attitude.”

“Settle down boys.” Mariah Hill interjected, seeing both men playfully squabble like children. “You could always continue after recess.”

Stark rolled his eyes at the antagonistic man, intending to focus on other things.

Hammer maintained his grin, moving next to the seated, red haired assassin.

“Natasha, always a pleasure to see you, here or in my dreams.”

“Do you say that to all the girls?”

“You know I do. I can’t help myself.”

She shook her head at him with a smile on her face. His nonchalance and carefree demeanor did not fool her, no man as powerful as he, got to where he was by being playful. It was just an appearance, a well done one made to disarm tension and scrutiny. An act to ease the atmosphere his presence brought to the room.

“You are gathered here because the world needs you—our only true hope at survival.” Fury began by being honest, taking away the chance for Justin to further flirt with the blistering red head. “At this point I assume you all recognize that the threat we face is unprecedented. You will have to give it your all, for the sake of our world and the lives of everyone on it.”

“This is that threat.” The director pointed at the holo-image of a suave, grinning man with raven black hair that reached his shoulders and ocean blue eyes that glinted with guile and cunning—Loki, god of mischief, holding onto the glowing cube that was the tesseract. They’d managed to capture him a night ago thanks to the efforts of Iron man, Captain America and Thor. But the fact that the Space stone was still out in the open along with the stolen iridium meant that the god of mischief had something up his sleeve, and if the conjecture of Stark and Banner was anything to go by, it was something disastrous.

“Hammer is here to offer Banner and Stark assistance in locating the cube. We have to find it and thwart their plans of powering it up.”

“What of that glowing stick of his?” The captain asked.

“What about it?”

“Looks awfully similar to a hydra weapon to me.”

“I don’t know about that, but I do know that it was able to brainwash and turn my best men into puppets.”

“If we assume that the gem in that scepter functions like the tesseract, then we should be able to locate it by cross-referencing their frequencies.” Hammer said.

“Stating the obvious.” Stark rolled his eyes at the man.

“Keep rolling them Tin man you might find a brain back there.”

“Tin man? I do not understand--” Thor asked, confused.

“I do!” Rogers pointed with a smile, glad at catching a pop culture reference. He looked around the awkwardly silent room, spotting a supportive grin from Justin Hammer. “I got the reference.”

“Let’s go play Banner.” Tony said to the Doctor, breaking the pregnant silence.

“I better go supervise them.” Hammer added, clapping Thor on the shoulder as he stood.

“High five.” He smiled at Steve, earning a crisp clap on the palm as he too made his exit. Leaving the super assassin that had to hide her laughter by bowing as though in deep thought and the man out of time to smile sheepishly in response.

*.*.*.*.*.*

MORAG

She trailed silently through the dead temple, her steps light enough that not a broken stone or cracked marble tile shifted beneath her feet. The scanners on her skin fed her data from every recordable wavelength on the electromagnetic spectrum, even magical ones in a certain range, nothing she could react to would be able to sneak up on her, it also allowed her to ascertain the exact location of that which she sought. The soft blue glow from the platform highlighted the featureless mask on her face—one inspired by his, the man she valued above all else.

She scanned the force-field, recording and filing away data on its function, fabrication and operation. The boss would like it, she thought. It could provide insight or inspiration into something he needed. She deployed a resonating frequency of hers, allowing her to easily pierce through the force field without any damage done to herself.

She withdrew her hand, holding in her grasp an intricately designed metal orb, she didn’t need to open it to see what was within, the immense cosmic radiation picked up by her scanners had already confirmed it for her. But she was more like him than not, and he would verify it with his eyes just to be sure. So, she did too.

[Power stone acquired boss.] She broadcasted through their psionic link, the gem’s soft purple light reflecting against her the smooth exterior of her mask, its astounding energy level made her skin tingle like having tongues of electricity lick directly against her sensors.

‘That’s why you’re my best girl Eve’ It was nothing compared to the jolt of joy she received from him. The ecstatic pleasure his praise and attention brought her were unrivalled. And as she tapped into the video feed of the Shield Heli-carrier to see his smile, her eyes behind the mask went up in crescents, throbbing heart shaped outlines written over her very pupils.

He’d reference an esoteric meme if he saw her like this, something only he would find funny. She closed the orb and stored it. And began pressing both palms against her burning cheeks. She didn’t need to regulate her responses here, she fully enjoyed basking in these emotions that came with gaining a body. “Ara ara~~” she whispered beneath the mask, an obsessive glint in her eyes and a manic smile on her luscious lips as she made for the portal by the temple’s exit. On to the next agenda.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*