#chatlog: destiny is fulfilled

[multiverseofmiracleshq]

THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR AVENGERS: ENDGAME !!

STAGE II | PART II ( destiny is fulfilled ) → MORAG: 2014. arriving on morag, it was up to james rhodes & nebula to find the power stone before an outlaw idiot named peter quill did. while they found the stone, they also found that they weren’t the only ones there looking for it and a trio familiar face meant trouble.

THIS IS THE OFFICIAL COMPLETE CHAT LOG COVERAGE OF THE IC

M O R A G : 2 0 1 4

NATASHA: They had done it. They had actually done it. Although the day had yet to be saved the fact that the Quantum technology had worked was something that Natasha could barely comprehend. For years she had been sitting, waiting and planning for that special something that would tip the scales and now they had it. The ship vibrating under them, Natasha helped Clint ease the space ship ( her - the kgb spy - was piloting a spaceship ) to the ground where it made a loud thud as it connected to Morag. As the doors hissed open she followed Rhodey and Clint out onto the planet to make sure that they were ready.

RHODEY: Rhodey craned his neck as he watched Nebula ease the pod they would be using to the ground. “Good, Blue. Drop it down. Yeah, mhm. To the left. Line it up on the line. Down, down.” He coached.

NATASHA: Kicking at a weird alien creature that was running around, Natasha cracked a smile at where Rhodey was. “C’mon, guys. Chop chop. We’re on the clock.”

RHODEY: “All that? Really helpful.”

NEBULA: After Nebula finished programming the coordinates for Natasha and Clint, she proceeded to join them and Rhodey on the surface. Her first steps onto Morag left her feeling tense, even as her teammates joked around and prepared to split ways for the mission. “The coordinates for Vormir are set.” She let them know, standing off to the side. “All you have to do is not fall out.”

NATASHA: Reaching out to hug Rhodey, Natasha pulled him close. “Take care, okay?” She would have hugged Nebula but it didn’t seem right. She settled instead for a smile and a nod.

RHODEY: Saying goodbye to Nat and Clint wasn’t as hard as he thought. They had a job to do and so did he and Nebula. They’d have time for sentimentals when it was all over. “Go get that Stone, okay? No messing around.” If anyone could do it, it would be the two who were once Strike Team Delta. Nat and Clint knew how to take care of each other. “Hey, watch each others six.” He tacked on at the end.

CLINT: Clint followed behind, giving Rhodey a nod of affirmation in lieu of a goodbye, “Hey– you got this.” He wasn’t entirely familiar with Nebula, nor was he aware of her trustworthiness as of yet, but she seemed to have a pretty steady blue head on her shoulders. With that observation, he stepped onto the ship with Natasha.

NEBULA: Nebula had been with these people for years now. She cared for them, in her own way. Being a part of a team wasn’t ever something she thought possible, but here she was. And even though Nebula kept things short and to the point, she hoped that they all knew how she felt. Natasha’s nod was enough, and Nebula gave her one back. Every time she thought about the place Nat and Clint were going, her stomach flipped. None of this was easy, but she was grateful that it wasn’t her going to Vormir. Her sister was murdered on that planet. It would have been difficult to set foot in that place, even if at this time, that horrible thing hadn’t happened yet. After the ship had taken off everything went quiet, and Nebula was a bit lost in thought.

RHODEY: Believe it or not, Rhodey had gotten decently close with Nebula over the past few years. She’d crack a joke, he’d laugh. Vice versa. It was nice but neither were super over the top about being friends. Rhodey could respect, and the silence between the two was far from uncomfortable. He took a few steps as he looked around. “--’kay, so, uh, we just wait for this Quill guy to show up and then he leads us to the Power Stone. Is that it?”

NEBULA: Nebula was clearly uneasy. She looked to Rhodey, trying to hide the obvious anxiety on her face and failing. “We should take cover–” She turned her back to him, taking a few steps, aimlessly looking for a hiding spot. “We aren’t the only ones in 2014 looking for the stone.”

RHODEY: They weren’t the only — “Wait, wait, wait. What? Who else is lookin’ for these Stones?” Rhodey moved closer to Nebula even though she still faced away. It should have just been them and the idiot Quill. That’s it. Morag wasn’t exactly a populated planet.

NEBULA: “My father. My sister. And.. me.” Maybe she should have said something sooner, said something to the team before they all left. But it wouldn’t have changed their plans.

RHODEY: And it got weirder. “And you?” His voice was hesitant. Skeptical. “Where are you right now?”

NEBULA: “Most likely, my sister and I have been called back to our father’s ship by now.” Nebula recounted that day. “When he heard word of the Power Stone’s location, he sent us to a ship run by a man named Ronan. It’s the start of how we come in contact with Quill. But we should hide now.” She changed the subject quickly, ducking behind something nearby and waiting for Rhodey to follow.

RHODEY: Once they were in position, Rhodey crouched down beside Nebula. The arrival of Quill wasn’t hard to miss. Nebula’s psuedo brother-in-law was singing and dancing around. Rhodey bobbed his head, trying not to be judgmental. He failed. “So, he’s an idiot.” It was a statement and not a question.

QUILL: Bounty hunters – or as he liked to refer to himself: a rare item aquiree. No death, not much at least, and if anything, Quill was more of a booty hunter, if you got his gist. Settling his foam padded headphones over his ears, he set his cassette tape to play and as a late era symphony played in his ears (aka Come and Get Your Love by Redbone) Quill meandered his way across the empty landscape. Of course, he had a tune to his step, and a song in his voice, but he usually lacked any sense of shame when no one was around to look. Besides, with his notoriety, anyone showing up would recognize him for what he was: a legendary outlaw. As the chorus hit, he spun in a wide circle, catching himself just at the end where he went into a tune-filled slide, only to collide with the tough metal of a —

RHODEY: One arm extended was all it took. The head of the space pirate? thief? idiot? connected solidly with the sturdy arm of the War Machine armor and he was instantly knocked out cold. Rhodey watched Nebula dig around his bag for a long minute. “What’s that?” He finally asked.

NEBULA: Once Nebula found what she was looking for, she stood up and held it in front of her while a small bit of relief washed over her. “The tool of a thief.” She gave Rhodey a nod and then headed over to the run down building where the stone was hiding. At the entrance she used the Quill’s tool and opened it with ease, and even while the doors were still sliding open she took a step forward to make her way inside.

RHODEY: Seemed useful. As Nebula used it to open the door, Rhodey watched the stone and metal slowly reveal the interior chamber where the orb was being hung in the middle of the room. As soon as she was moving, Rhodey shot out an arm to grab hers. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. This is the part, y’know, where spikes come out with skeletons on the end of them and everything.” He made a gesture.

NEBULA: Rhodey’s attempt to stop her from going in wasn’t forceful, but she paused nonetheless. As he explained his reasoning, her normally straightforward expression hinted towards disbelief at the ridiculousness he was spouting. “What are you talking about–?” But she knew his answer would be even more ridiculous, so she turned away from him with a small shake of her head and entered the ruins anyway, hoping he would drop his monologue and follow her in. It was dark in the chamber, the only sources of light being the one Rhodey held in front of him and the energy field protecting the stone. Nebula took a brief second to look over the cage it was held in and then reached forward with her left arm, the one made completely from inorganic materials. Her hand seethed as it passed through the energy shield, glowing a bright orange as it began to burn and melt away. But there was no indication that it caused her any pain, and within moments she had grabbed the orb containing the stone and pulled it out. Her arm was damaged, still glowing from the heat, smoke curling up and away as it cooled. She turned and dropped the orb in Rhodey’s hand before inspecting herself, seemingly unaffected by what she had just done. She had felt the heat, felt part of herself quite literally burn away, but it wasn’t the same as before. These parts of her would forever be different, a reminder that she wasn’t whole. But as Rhodey’s gaze stayed glued to her, Nebula was forced to look away. “I wasn’t always like this.” She whispered, almost ashamed that she had let him see her like this.

RHODEY “–When you walk into a place called The Temple of the Power Stone there’s gotta be a bunch of booby traps.” Nebula kept walking though and Rhodey couldn’t help but shake his head. “…Okay then. Alright. Go ahead.” Walking behind her with his light held over his head, Rhodey paused and watched Nebula grab the orb even as her arm seemed to burn down to the metal frame. There was something intense about Nebula. Anyone who met her could see that and the still steaming orb dropped into Rhodey’s armored hand as her own smoldering was a sign of that. He watched her as she stared at her own hand, the fire singed appendages dangling in the air between them and he felt – No, not pity. He didn’t pity her because he didn’t think she wanted to be pitied. But he felt something. Maybe a remorse that someone had taken her and warped her into something she didn’t seem to know. At her motion his eyes snapped up to her face. When she spoke his gaze dropped to the floor, lips tucked in against one another. “Neither was I.” He admitted, voice low and devoid of bravado. For someone who had always known who he was and what he wanted it was hard. It was hard to wake up and feel the stillness of his own legs. It was hard to take them off at night knowing what was going to happen as soon as sleep cleared his mind. He had fought a war knowing what the risks and outcome could be but it was still hard to look down and realize that the only way he could walk was because of a gift that Tony had given him. A gift, from a friend who had started a war that Rhodey had jumped headfirst into. He always had. War was something he had learned. It was coded into him, he was a soldier and that’s why he believed it when he said “But we gotta work with what we’ve got.” The two made eye contact then, a moment coming and going. There they were: two people outside of their time with bodies outside of their control. “Let’s go.” He broke the silence. Snapping on his Quantum traveler, the white suit covered the War Machine armor. “Three, two, one…” And with that, Rhodey was gone as he fell into the Quantum Realm and was yanked back towards the present.

NEBULA (2014): As Rhodey and Nebula did what they needed to do on Morag, the Nebula that belonged in 2014 had her own business to attend to. The fight was beginning to get on her nerves– they should have finished this ages ago. And it was from that frustration that Nebula reared up with a scream, lunging for the closest adversary and swiping with the blades she held in each hand. She landed one final blow, but it distracted her from the grenade that landed next to her, and when it went off it sent her flying back. Another much larger alien approached her as she sat there stunned, and for a moment there was fear in her eyes. But before she even had a chance to move, the enemy in front of her was sent flying up and into the energy stream behind her. Just in time. It was Gamora who had saved her skin, of course. Was Nebula surprised? No. But it made her blood boil, and she let out a groan as her sister approached her. ”I could have handled that.”

GAMORA (2014): Another day, another mess to clean up. Or, as Gamora had thought about it: another day in hell. Whatever fight they were engaging in was not one that she was interested in. They letted blood on Thanos’ word alone and that was the law. The way things were supposed to be. For as long as she had known Nebula ( which had been most of her life at this point ) Gamora had gone head to head with her sister and come out victorious each time. Even when they weren’t sparring with one another Gamora had fallen into the routine or besting her and after listening to Nebula’s childlike scream and near fatal failure, Gamora intercepted with a shout of her own as her sword quickly felled the one who almost dispatched Nebula. A part of her looked at the blue alien sitting in front of her and wanted to smack her in the face for being so caught up in Thanos’ games. If Nebula hadn’t been so eager to please one who already saw her as a tool alone maybe they could have gotten somewhere. Emerging from the smoke, Gamora sighed and sheathed her weapon as she moved to pace around her sister. “You’re welcome.” Her tone was smug but tired. This had happened too many times. Even then as Nebula groaned Gamora knew she couldn’t let her die. They were sisters who seemed to hate each other, but sisters all the same. “Except, you needed me to.” She proffered a hand then and didn’t flinch when Nebula smacked it away. “Get up. Father wants us back on the ship.” She paused, dreading the next words. “He’s found an Infinity Stone.”

NEBULA (2014): Nebula was still seething as Gamora gloated above her, so it took a moment for her words to sink in. The look she gave her sister was one of surprise– this was a moment they had been waiting for, one that she thought might never come. But now it had. She followed Gamora back onto their father’s ship which was in orbit, and once they were situated Nebula’s curiosity got the best of her. “So father’s plan is finally in motion.. Where is the stone?”

GAMORA (2014): The ride on the Q-Ship back to Thanos’ behemoth of a craft was silent and tense but Gamora wouldn’t have expected any less. They didn’t have long until their father arrived and they had to be on the same page. “On a planet called Morag.” Gamora was walking around the holographic projection that hung in the air.  “One Stone isn’t six, Nebula.” She was quick to correct her sister with a glare and hands planted firmly on her hips. Gamora had to revel in that fact. Even if Thanos had one there was still five chances that Gamora had to keep him from achieving his goal. One of those chances was hidden away so far only she knew where it was. Vormir: a god forsaken planet that was a hidden blessing. For now though, they had to focus on Morag and what was there.

NEBULA (2014): “It’s a start.” Nebula felt it was important to note that. She could tell that her sister felt strongly about all this– she was more hesitant, more impacted by the news than Nebula was. But now she could almost understand where her sister was coming from. “If he gets all six stones..” In the end, Nebula would always be more afraid of punishment than what their father would do to the rest of the galaxy. And her train of thought was interrupted as the Titan arrived onboard.

THANOS (2014): In a flash of bright light, Thanos was transported up to his ship. Once he arrived, he stepped out of the light and towards his daughters. They were waiting for him, just as he requested, and as he wiped his blade clean with a cloth he made his way over to them. “Ronan has located the Power Stone.” He informed them. “I’m dispatching you both to his ship, immediately.”

GAMORA (2014): As soon as it became apparent that Thanos was arriving both warriors quickly turned to face the blinding light. “He won’t like that.” Gamora tucked her arms behind her back, head bowing slightly in her fathers presence.

THANOS (2014): “His alternative is death.” It was a statement of pure fact, one that Thanos knew he wouldn’t have to say twice. As he walked he tossed the bloodied cloth aside. “Ronan’s obsession clouds his judgement.”

NEBULA (2014): As Thanos approached, Nebula held her head up high and straightened her back. She moved forward, placing herself in front of Gamora before bowing allegiance to him. “We will not fail you, father.”

THANOS (2014): “No, you won’t.” Thanos looked down at her, both proud of her dedication and annoyed at her over-eagerness to prove herself.

NEBULA (2014): “I swear I will make you proud.” Nebula stood up, looking her father right in the eyes before she stumbled backwards, holding her face as pain shot through her. The implants in her skull burned and crackled, setting off sparks. As she crumpled to the ground, she desperately tried to make it stop by hitting herself, but instead it brought forward a projection. 2023 Nebula would have recognized him as Rhodes, but this Nebula had no idea who this was. ’So what, we just wait around for this Quill guy to show up, and then he leads us to the Power Stone, is that it?’ And Nebula swore she heard her own voice answer the stranger, but she couldn’t be sure. She smacked her implants again and the projection disappeared, leaving her shaking and gasping for air. Luckily, the pain began to dissipate.

GAMORA (2014): She was being ridiculous. Gamora didn’t even bother to conceal her eye roll as she watched Nebula drop to a knee and suck up to their father. It wasn’t good enough. No matter what she did Thanos would never favor her. It was cruel but that was how it was. When Nebula pitched to the side in pain she was quick to drop down next to her and grip the partially metal skin to see if she was okay. Gamora had hurt Nebula but she still did not like to see her in pain. Watching the recording in confusion Gamora leaned closer when it shut off. “Who was that?” Her tone was urgent to hide the concern.

NEBULA (2014): “I don’t know–” Nebula’s voice was barely at a whisper, and it was shaking. “But my head is splitting. I don’t– I don’t know–” She was panicking now. There was no room for malfunctions, especially not now. She was afraid of being ripped apart for scrap metal.

GAMORA (2014): This was bad. This was very bad. She would beat Nebula in combat when required to stay alive and stop Thanos from experimenting on her any more than he already had. The silver etching over green skin was a sign that she hadn’t always pleased him despite her wins, but she didn’t wish to see Nebula in pain and she definitely didn’t wish to see her stripped and discarded by Thanos into basic spare parts. He was likely cruel enough to melt that metal down, create a weapon and force her sister to carry the remains. Gamora kept her fear tucked away just like always as she confidently stood to her feet and faced their Father. If Nebula were to make it, she would have to be brisk. Professional. Thanos needed to be assuaged. “Her synaptic drive must have have been damaged in battle.” Despite it looking like a change in posture, Gamora was deliberate as she sidestepped in front of Nebula to use her body as a wall against the looming form of their father.

THANOS (2014): Thanos didn’t even look to Gamora as he stepped forward. What was happening to Nebula was curious-- perhaps she would be scrapped by the end of the day if this problem persisted, but she was still of use to him at the moment. The stranger mentioned the Power Stone, which couldn’t have been a coincidence. And if he was to secure this stone, he needed every advantage he could get. When he reached his daughter Thanos lifted his blade and placed in underneath his chin. The cold metal was close enough to her throat to make her feel uncomfortable, and he noted how much she was shaking as he forced her to look up at him. She was still weak-- a scared child. But there was something insider her head that he needed. “Bring her to my ship.”

GAMORA (2014): All she could do was step to the side as Thanos approached, dark eyes darting back and forth from the blade that the Titan used to push Nebula’s head upwards to the frightened look on her sisters face. it would have been easy for Thanos to end it there but instead his words were daunting. Daunting but not final. There was a chance they could turn it around. Bending down, Gamora grabbed Nebula and roughly dragged her to her feet. The force was in place only in case the other daughter of Thanos resisted. The steps after that towards the pod were gentler. Gamora released her grip -- they had never really been ones to touch. If anything contact had been burned out of their memory by a cold and unrelenting father who saw his children as weapons. Gamora could vaguely remember her mothers hands but now Thanos’ haunted her dreams, tipping her chin up as he looked at her with something akin to a cruel pride. Still, she kept her arms tensed and ready in case Nebula should fall or stagger. To keep things composed was to have a better chance at ending this without Nebula disposed of. Once on this ship she watched as the Maw ( her least favorite of her siblings ) strung Nebula up in the air so she hung like a decoration.

EBONY MAW (2014): As always, it was an honor to serve. There was a prestige that had once existed among the Children of Thanos. The Maw remembered the days all too well. Korvus, Proxima, Cull and Himself had long thrived as the Black Order and the most trusted of Thanos’ offspring. The two girls that arrived with the Titan were ones Ebony Maw knew of but he was not impressed. The little Zehoberei, Gamora, he knew well. The Maw had walked the dirt poor ground of her planet while Thanos’ glorious purpose was achieved. He had observed her family die so she could ascend into another and she had never been grateful enough for the gift. Thanos favored her with a fervor that Ebony longed for himself and it was infuriating that one so young had gotten to grow up under the wise hand of Thanos. As for the other one, well... the  luphomoid had always sought to serve Thanos but her eagerness outweighed her skill. Now she was on display like a common jest and Ebony emerged from the shadows silently towards the command center that housed the technology they needed to examine her. Many times over the years had he watched in this position, stripped bare so Thanos could do as he please. Many times had the Maw observed, helped and listened to her screams with no twinge of remorse or pity. His hands were both efficient and effective as she powered the device and hooked it up to the right frequency so that a cable fell slowly towards her head.

THANOS (2014): Thanos took long steps around Nebula as she hung suspended in the center of the room. The Maw was off to the side, readying everything they needed to extract the information from Nebula’s memory. He stopped, tipping his head to the side as he observed his daughter for a moment, and then reached up to pull down the cord above him and connect Nebula to the ship’s systems. Once he clicked it into place, he let it go but stayed close. “Run diagnostics. Show me her memory file.”

NEBULA (2014): Nebula felt helpless. She found herself in this position more and more often as time went on, it seemed. But it never got easier. She felt like a feral animal, caged and chained up to be gawked at. There were only three people in the room with her but it felt like a thousand. When Thanos connected her to the ship, she let out a soft gasp but stifled it down, knowing that any emotional response would be ridiculed later.

EBONY MAW (2014): “Sire,” his hands were still moving as he processed the information. “The file seems to be tangled. It appears to be a memory but not hers. There’s another consciousness sharing her network.” How intriguing that was. Perhaps she should be torn apart to see what was going on. He broke his pause, “Another Nebula.” 

THANOS (2014): “Impossible.” Thanos gave Ebony Maw a puzzled glance, wondering if he could be mistaken.

EBONY MAW (2014): Oh, but it was apparently. “This duplicate carries a time stamp. From,” he hesitated, beady eyes squinting as he checked the information. “...Nine years in the future.”

THANOS (2014):  Fascinating. Even with the doubt he still felt, there was something intriguing about what was happening. It couldn’t be ignored, even if it turned out to be something other than what they expected. “And so where is this other Nebula?”

EBONY MAW (2014): The information was easy to access. “In our solar system. On Morag.” It seemed so convenient considering the size of the galaxy. The Zehoberei looked away from Nebula and the Maw wondered if it was because of the same disgust he felt.

THANOS (2014): The pieces were starting to fall into place. This was definitely not just a coincidence. “Can you access her?”

EBONY MAW (2014): “Yes.” He could do most anything Thanos asked. “It’s linked.”

THANOS: “Search the duplicate’s memories for Infinity Stones.”

EBONY MAW (2014): Ringed fingers danced over the images until Nebula’s head jerked upright like a puppet on a string. Which, in many ways, she was. The holograph began to project one confusing image after another as strange Terran’s walked around in discussion of the Stones. Thanos’ Stones, nonetheless.

NEBULA (2014): As the Maw weaved his way through her mind, Nebula did her best to stay still, not blink. When he found what he was looking for, her optic drive kicked back on and another projection appeared in front of her. This time it wasn’t just one person, but a whole group, Nebula didn’t recognize any of them. They spoke of the very stones Thanos had been chasing down. They were searching for them too.

THANOS (2014):  “Freeze image.” Thanos paused the memory, taking a step closer as he analyzed the faces he saw in the projection. There was something familiar about them.

GAMORA (2014): Moving almost under her sister that she could look up at what was bring displayed, Gamora’s face twisted in confusion. “Terran’s.” She knew of them but had never met any.  Instead, she knew what Thanos had told her about the Chitauri battle and the failure of the Asgardian. Terran’s stayed on their own planet and so they were ignored.

THANOS (2014):  ”Avengers.” Thanos spit out the words. “Unruly wretches. But--” He pointed to a spot on the projection. “What is this image in the reflection? Amplify it.”

GAMORA (2014): As the Maw flicked his wrist and did just so Gamora’s heart sunk into the pit of her stomach. These were Terran’s -- Avengers -- and there, reflected in the image, was Nebula’s exact likeness. “I don’t understand.” Her words were quiet. Eyes slowly moved from the one that was intangible to her actual sister who was hanging there. Gamora wanted to cut her down but she couldn’t. All she could do was try and make sense of what she was seeing. “Two Nebulas?” 

THANOS (2014): “No. The same Nebula-- from two different times.” Thanos corrected her. He turned to Maw. “Set course for Morag, and scan the duplicate’s memories. I want to see everything.”

NEBULA (2014): The Maw pulled up another memory from 2023 Nebula’s files. It sent a shock through 2014 Nebula, and she was forced to watch again as an image of her father appeared in front of them. He was.. Different. Worn down, half of his face covered in what looked like scars. Nebula thought that it was impossible for their father to be beaten. It came as a shock to see him like this. He spoke of the stones, said that he had used them and then.. destroyed them? It chilled her to the bone.

THANOS (2014): Thanos, on the other hand was fascinated. He was staring straight at himself, and while he appeared weak he could tell that it was after a long deserved victory. It did not trouble him. It only made him more eager.

GAMORA (2014): With their path now being traced, the clips continued on playing in the air in a horrible sequence. Thanos was burned, badly injured and rasping for breath. He was being asked where the Stones were and his next words stilled the blood in her veins: gone. All she wanted was for them to be forever out of reach but this didn’t look like it had been a happy ending. Unable to look away, Gamora listened to the twisted version of already twisted father as he explained the Stones had been used to eliminate themselves. Her eyes dropped at the mention of his work always being done. She knew that all too well. His words were pretentious bit she wouldn’t be permitted to say so. Instead Gamora stood with her hands folded behind her back, blank face trained on his burned one. “What did you do to them?”

THANOS (2014):  “Nothing. Not yet.” Thanos was calm, collected. More sure of himself than ever. “The Avengers aren’t trying to stop something from happening in our time. They’re trying to undo something I’ve already done in theirs.”

GAMORA (2014): “The Stones.” The words fell out in a whisper, breath catching and stopping them from being spoken at full volume.

THANOS (2014): Thanos turned to Gamora, a small smile on his face. There was a hint of admiration and softness across his expression, like he was glad his favorite daughter was here to share this moment with him. “I found them all.” He moved over and stood in front of her, his voice at almost a whisper as he glanced down at one daughter and ignored the other. “I won. Tipped the cosmic scales towards balance.” Then he reached out, gently brushed aside the magenta waves off of Gamora’s shoulder.

GAMORA (2014): She stood steadfast as he approached, not flinching despite the heavy tremors from his boots that reverberated from the ground and up her legs. Thanos was not affectionate. She had never seem him touch any other one of his children the way that he did her: gently. From the moment she had first laid eyes on him on that hateful day he had reached out to her. His thumb had dwarfed her entire hand but she had taken it and he had crouched beside her, shielding her eyes from the carnage with a gentle nudge back towards the gift he had given her. Back then Gamora had no idea how rare the Titan’s actions were, how different he was around her. Even though he had hurt her more than she could bear to remember there had always been a tenderness that rose bile in her throat. As his hand gently caressed the bottom of her face she was reminded all over again that the man who claimed to be her father was not so. Her father was dead, wiped out in a genocidal wave of violence with no real point. Unable to stop her skin from crawling she dropped to her knees, head bowed in what appeared to be reverence as she took a second to close her eyes and shake off the all too familiar wave of nausea that accompanied his toxic touch. 

EBONY MAW (2014): “This is your future.” His voice was reverent. It was a well deserved win for their savior. 

THANOS (2014): ”It’s my destiny.” He had always been sure of that. Then the memory began playing again, and it was Nebula’s voice that was heard. It was mere seconds before a blade came crashing down in view, and the Thanos from the old Nebula’s memory met his end. But he did not flinch, nor seem bothered by watching himself die.

NEBULA (2014): Nebula watched a foreign memory from her mind and what she hard made her sick. Her father was apologizing to her, admitting that after decades of mistreatment and torture that he had perhaps been too harsh on her. He couldn’t even say it for sure. In his final moments, there was no regret in his voice, only pity for the girl he took apart and spliced back together again. Watching him die left her feeling too much, and yet nothing at all.

GAMORA (2014): She remained postulant he spoke, but upon hearing Nebula refer to their father her head shot up with the disgust still evident on here face. The confusion overtook it as he seemed to almost compliment Nebula and then the unthinkable happened: Thanos was felled. His head was severed clean from his body in an act Gamora had only ever dreamed about as she jumped to her feet. It was what she wanted, but the confusion and conflicted feelings still thrummed through her. If Thanos had died and Nebula was there, Gamora wondered, where was she? Why had she not been there to help? If anyone wanted to kill Thanos it was her. Nebula had been so busy kissing his boots she never seemed to have any inkling to do so.

THANOS (2014): “And that--” Thanos looked proud, looking upon himself with a smirk on his face. “Is destiny fulfilled.”

EBONY MAW (2014): “Sire,” he could barely control the rage coursing through him. “Your daughter,” waving one hand in the air, a cord tightened around Nebula’s throat in a chokehold. “Is a traitor.” The last word was spat.

NEBULA (2014): Nebula was finally free of the forced memories, but as soon as any relief was felt there was cold metal being wrapped around her neck. The Maw tightened its grip, and she struggled to breathe as she felt the links dig into her skin. “No, no--” She shook her head frantically, trying desperately to convince her father that Maw was wrong. That wasn’t her, that couldn’t have been. Even though deep down, she knew the opposite was true. “That wasn’t me, I could never--- I would never betray you--” She watched as Thanos approached her, very calm and collected, and when he reached out the chain around her neck broke and fell away. Nebula took in a breath, thankful for a brief second that she had been saved, and then froze as her father cupped her face in his hand. He could easily end her right in this instant, but he didn’t. And she wondered why he kept giving her chance after chance, even as she failed him every time.

THANOS (2014): “I know.” Thanos replied, trying to get his hysterical daughter to shut her mouth. “And you will have your chance to prove it.”

NEBULA (2023): Nebula had been ready to leave with Rhodes. They the stone, they had a moment, and she was ready to go back. There was almost a smile on her face as she readied the GPS on her wrist, but before she could hit the switch her skull felt like it was about to split. The implants near her eyes sparked under the pressure, and she collapsed to the ground, holding her face in both hands as the pain spread. She was helpless, unable to move as someone or something forcefully pushed their way into her memory files. She tried to fight it. She did. But her efforts were wasted. And she caught glimpses of faces-- her father, Ebony Maw, Gamora. And she was able to piece together what had happened: somehow, her past self had become linked. Thanos had been able to see the future through her eyes. And-- he knew she was here. Once Maw deactivated the link, Nebula gasped for air and realized the severity of the situation. She pushed herself up and ran back to the pod as fast as her legs would carry her. Rhodey was gone, but Clint and Natasha could still be out there. But every attempt to contact them failed, and before she had a chance to run, Thanos’ ship arrived and beamed her aboard. This was it. She was done for, and so was the plan to save the universe. Nebula huddled in the corner of the pod, waiting for someone to open the hatch. She could have fought back. She wanted to fight back, but seeing her younger self made her freeze, and 2014 Nebula easily pulled her out and threw her down to the ground. ”You’re weak.” She said. And Nebula replied back: ”I’m you.” Her response prompted a punch, and as her skull met with the metal of the floor 2023 Nebula let herself lay there, even as her former self pulled the time GPS off her wrist.

NEBULA (2014): Nebula was reveling in her victory. She stood up as Gamora entered, dangling her prize in her sister’s face before passing her to take her place.

NEBULA (2023): “You could stop this.” 2023 Nebula looked up to Gamora, eyes brimming with tears. She thought she would never see her sister again. It was surreal, but she was also desperate and needed to lean on Gamora’s unspoken feelings. Nebula knew her sister wouldn’t go along with their father’s plan. “You know you want to. Did you see what happens in the future? Thanos finds the Soul Stone. You want to know how he does that? What he does to you?”

GAMORA (2014): Judging by the sound alone, Nebula was taking her aggression out on herself. Gamora heard the kicking and the grunts, the sound of boot meeting body and she entered the room assessing the situation. Nebula was holding something triumphantly but it wasn’t apparent what it was. As her sister passed her,  dark eyes flickered over to watch how close they came to brushing shoulders. It was with her head held high that Gamora tried to look at the version of her sister on the ground, but something was off in her posture. She couldn’t stand as straight and guarded as she needed to. Thanos finds the Soul Stone. If he did that, it meant... Those words caused a cataclysmic shift in Gamora. She blinked rapidly, lashes fluttering before her eyes fell to the ground. What he does to you? That was why she wasn’t there when he died. It had to be. Had her father killed her when he learned she lied? The map to Vormir remained nestled in Gamora’s mind. She knew enough to keep Thanos from getting on the right trail, but not enough about how to keep it safe from his greedy reach. In the future -- in as little as nine years -- she would be dead and Thanos would have the Stones. Even if he met his end too it wasn’t good enough. It meant that Gamora had failed somewhere along the lines and slipped up. It was enough to make her hands shake, but she was a warrior and an assassin. She wasn’t supposed to be short of breath or trembling from words alone. What he does to you? Whatever it was, it couldn’t have been pretty if this new and different Nebula sounded emotional about it. Her sister was far from stoic but the tone in her voice was new. For almost the first time since Thanos had decimated her planet, Gamora was truly s c a r e d.

NEBULA (2014): “That’s enough!” Nebula took a quick glance to Gamora before lashing out and promptly kicking her older self back down to the ground. Gamora was starting to look uncomfortable, almost.. scared. She didn’t think that he sister could feel fear. But the expression on her face was enough to make Nebula make sure this older version of herself shut up. She unsheathed a blade from her belt and it hummed with energy as she crouched down to her other self, waving the knife in her face as a threat. ”You disgust me.” She even went as far as throwing a hand to her neck, just enough pressure to make it obvious who had the advantage. “But-- that doesn’t mean you’re useless.” The one distinction between the two of them was the orange plate on her older self’s skull. It was bright and obvious, a strange choice. It made her stand out. But it could be taken, and it could be used. So Nebula took her blade and wedged it underneath the plate, removing it easily. She then removed her own replaced it, then took everything else she could find out of the pockets of her other self. This was sure to make her father proud.

NEBULA (2023): Nebula was broken. She didn’t say anything as her younger self walked out, head held high as she passed Gamora to go talk to Thanos. Their father wasn’t disappointed for once, and after a talk about their next move, 2014 Nebula was sent back in place of her other self. With the changes made to her appearance (the orange plate and a pair of gloves to cover up her flesh hand), it would be easy enough to blend in. She left the ship and went to 2023, leaving the rest of them behind to ready themselves for the fight ahead.

[ Our heroes are sucked through time, returning to one another at the New Avenger’s Facilities in the year 2023 ]

CLINT: Clint Barton was no stranger to pain. His years training as an expert bowman to be used as a weapon, to be mind controlled and pitted against his friends and teammates, to countless beatings because sometimes a bow just wasn’t enough. Clint Barton had thought pain was merely physical, maybe a touch mental, but mostly he could bandage up, pop a few aspirin, and be back in the game the next day. He’d never felt pain before, though, not until he watched his family get swept up like a cloud in the wind, reduced to ashes and given back to the Earth. Not until Natasha’s hand slipped out of his own and he couldn’t pull his gaze away quick enough before he saw her collide with the rocks below. She was gone. His family was gone. Clint Barton was gone. The return to the present was too much for him and he collapsed to his knees, the hard surface biting into him, but he didn’t feel it.

BRUCE: This trip was the epitome of an out of body experience for him and one that filled him with more confidence than anything else on this mission had before. “Did we get them all?” he asked to the group, but it was at that moment when he saw Clint fall to his knees. He took a step forward. “You okay, Clint?” He glanced around for Natasha but couldn’t see her. Did she enter in her calculations wrong? Tone and face full of concerned he asked Clint a question he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer to. “Clint, where’s Nat?”

CLINT: All he could do was meet Bruce’s gaze, and then Steve’s. The horror that radiated from Steve’s face was almost palpable, and Clint understood the feeling all too much. It was his fault she wasn’t here. It was his fault he couldn’t save her. He hung his head low, the guilt radiating over him.

BRUCE: Clint’s face said it all. Bruce’s jaw dropped as his knees buckled. He couldn’t believe it. Before he knew it he found himself dropping to his knees not far from Clint. In a moment of Hulk like anger he slammed his fist into the platform denting it and causing the entire lab to tremble.

TONY: As soon as they arrived back through the portal, Tony felt like he could breathe again. There had been a snag in the plan but they fixed it. Sure, he saw his dad and things got weird. It got emotional, it got a little screwed up, but the mission was done. Steve got what they needed and the briefcase at his side had the stone that they lost. But it only took a few seconds to see the empty space next to Clint. Tony had been looking forward to that smile of hers when they got back, the one she had on just before they left. It had only been seconds since then in real time. Mere seconds, and now Natasha was gone. And suddenly their victory didn’t feel like much of one at all.