chapters 216-220

chapters 216-220

216-220.

-Earth Marvel, Atlantic Ocean, SHIELD's New HQ-

"Any other noticeable changes this past week?" Nick Fury asked Steve Rogers. The two of them were taking a tour of the brand new Helicarrier. They were currently on the upper deck.

Steve flexed his hand tightly. He felt much stronger than he was before. "No sir. Nothing, new at least..."

"That's good at least." Fury muttered. He couldn't quite believe what had happened to Steve Rogers shortly after taking down Dionysus. When did his life become so strange? He missed the days when SHIELD's biggest threats were run of the mill terrorists...

"So this thing can really fly in the sky? How is that possible?" Steve asked as he looked down to the moving ocean below. This carrier was bigger than the largest battleship he had ever set foot on during world war two and somehow it could fly? Steve marveled at how far technology had come.

"Not only can it take to the skies, but it can move very fast as well. Faster than the average commercial airliner. This is meant to be Earth's greatest Sword in the event of an alien incursion. We currently have three more of these being built." Fury said proudly. He was glad that Hydra had been exposed prior to the other three Helicarriers being completed. Had Hydra gotten control of them...it would have been very bad.

Steve wasn't sure how to feel about weapons of war like these. On one hand, he would have preferred they not be built at all, because he was afraid they could be abused. On the other, he saw the footage of the Demon Belial burning down half of Scotland. He knew that humanity needed more firepower to stand up to threats like that.

Even with his new...abilities, Steve couldn't be everywhere at once.

There was a beep on both of their communicators that put an end to their tour.

"Sorry to interrupt, but your guests are waiting for you on the 3rd floor." Coulson's voice echoed in both of their ears.

Fury led the Captain back inside and into the room where the rest of the future team were waiting for him. The Avengers initiative was finally coming together...Too bad Layla had run off to the other Earth and was going to miss the first mission.

Inside the room, Steve saw Tony Stark, along with his new sister Andrea Stark, and Natasha Romanoff.

"Is this everyone?" Steve asked Fury. He was hoping for a few more. He knew that Clint Barton was currently busy with other matters, but Fury should at least have assembled a few more people.

"We have two more members who are a bit delayed." Fury explained. "Thor is supposed to arrive any minute now, our satellites have him flying towards us quickly across the ocean. As for Daredevil... he might not make it. He was attacked by a mind controlling mutant earlier this morning and saved by Layla. He might need some time to mentally recover."

Tony let out a whistle. "Mind controlling mutants? Man this world is getting weird isn't it." He commented out loud while pouring himself a small glass of whisky from the counter. He ignored the glare his new sister was giving him. She had quit drinking during her zombie apocalypse and wanted him to do the same. 'The horror!'

Natasha scowled at SHIELD missing someone so dangerous. "His name was Killgrave, apparently, and he was completely off of our radar. He had the ability to perfectly control anyone who smelled his pheromones. He has thankfully been neutralized."

"Gross..." Andrea commented. "Good riddance." She walked over to Steve to shake his hand since they had not met yet, in this universe at least. "Nice to meet you, Captain. I'm Andrea Stark."

They shook hands and Andrea grimaced for a moment when they did so. She pulled her aching hand back. He was incredibly strong!

"I'm sorry. I forgot how much stronger I am now!" Steve apologized to her.

She waved him off. "It's ok. You are a lot stronger than my old Captain America, that's for sure." Andrea was shocked that he was still so much stronger than her after she became an Asgardian.

"That happened recently." Steve replied.

Fury put his finger to his ear before interrupting them all. "I'll let the Captain here give you all the details. Thor has just landed on the upper deck and I need to go and greet him. He is technically foreign royalty after all..."

Tony gave Steve a curious look. "So you got even stronger? Did you take another dose of the Super Soldier Serum or something?

"That's not what happened." Natasha said. "He got this way after he killed a God."

Tony whistled again. "Hot damn, I need to hear this story!"

Steve let out a sigh before he started to tell them what happened to him. They all listened attentively. Even Natasha because she hadn't heard the full story yet. Fury had kept it above classified after he heard it himself.

"This is what happened..."

...Shortly after Steve had killed the God residing over camp Half-blood, Dionysus, Steve had randomly collapsed to the ground.

He then woke up in a very strange place where everything seemed like a dream. A young girl with purple hair and green eyes was there to greet him. She was shocked that he was even there in the first place because, "she could sense that he wasn't even from her universe."

She told Steve that some powerful being must have sent his soul here, after he ended up slaying a God, to meet her. Since Steve was a human and he had killed a God, Pandora, the life giving mother was able to perform the ritual. Steve was transformed into a Campione, a God Slayer, and Pandora named him as her child.

Shortly after that, his soul was flung back into his body and he woke up much stronger than before. He also had a few other powerful abilities that he instinctively knew how to use.

"So Pandora is a real person huh?" Tony said while rubbing his chin. "And you didn't think to ask her what was in her famous box? Talk about a missed opportunity..." He lamented while shaking his head in pity.

Andrea glared at Tony for being insensitive. "He was probably too busy freaking out. Who cares what was in Pandora's box anyway?"

"It was probably porn," Tony muttered. "Maybe the greatest porn ever recorded!? I bet that was what corrupted humanity!" He said with a grin.

Natasha and Andrea both scoffed at him while Steve just sighed. Their conversation was interrupted when the doors opened up and a very large man with blond hair walked in.

Thor smiled heartily at everyone in the room. "Hello, everyone. I am Thor of Asgard. I am glad to have been invited to this team of Midgard's mightiest heroes... It is also nice to have a bit of time away from my betrothed. She is currently VERY mad at me..." Thor mumbled out as his smile shrunk. He had trouble figuring out what the problem was though.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Thor. But welcome to the team!" Steve said sincerely. "What's the problem between you and your girl? Is it cold feet before the wedding?" Steve asked.

"Nay, tis not that. Lady Jane is more than happy to get married. She is upset about being pregnant currently." Thor explained.

"Awwwe." Andrea cooed.

Natasha was listening in and couldn't help but be a tad bit jealous of Jane Foster. Natasha was a SHIELD agent, she obviously knew who a famous alien prince was currently dating on their planet. One thing that Natasha had always wanted was children. Specifically now, Layla's children. The red room took away Natasha's ability to ever have children when she was younger. Layla of course, being the amazing woman she was, had completely healed Natasha. Layla had asked her to wait on having any children though until Earth's bigger threats were cleared up first. Natasha was glad that they were clearing up one of those threats shortly.

"Congratulations, man!" Tony walked up to Thor and patted him on the shoulder. "My fiance Pepper and I have been thinking about making mini versions of ourselves as well."

"I can't wait to be an auntie!" Andrea said with a smile. Tony and Pepper, in this world, had taken her in and treated her like true family.

Everyone in the room was enthusiastic to hear about Thor's future kid.

Thor nodded. "Thank you for the encouragement everyone, I'm excited to be spending the next few hundred years raising our child!" He declared.

"..."

The happy atmosphere in the room immediately vanished.

"Wait? What?" Tony asked.

"Hundred years?" Andrea asked with a sense of foreboding. "Thor? How long do Asgardian children take to grow up?" She asked him.

Thor didn't notice the mood shift in the room. He was still smiling proudly at the thought of being a father. "How long? Not that long. Only a few hundred years. The average Asgardian child should be finished potty training usually before they're 60 in Earth years."

Natasha's eyes widened in shock at that number. She was now very glad that she held off on becoming an Asgardian when Layla offered her one of those apples! Natasha now knew why Jane was so upset as well. For a woman who started out as a human, that amount of time raising a child would seem horrifying.

"60 years of diapers..." Andrea muttered to herself in horror. She was starting to regret eating that apple impulsively...

"..."

The doors opened again and Fury walked back in. He wasn't alone, a teenage boy with blond hair and blue eyes was following behind him.

The current roster of gathered Avengers were looking at the kid curiously. Fury sighed before introducing him to them. "Everyone...this is Danny Rand. Otherwise known as the Iron Fist."

Danny bowed to everyone in the room. "Greetings everyone. I hope this day brings you good fortunes. I am the Immortal Iron Fist. I have been told that you brave warriors have been assembled to help me do battle against the Hand! With my help, I assure you we will be victorious. The sun shines down and smiles upon us this day."

"Why doest this child talk comically?" Thor asked ironically.

"I'm glad he said it, because I was also thinking it." Tony added.

Fury sighed again and explained. "He was raised by a secret sect of monks who are sworn enemies of the Hand. Iron Fist here knows where the Hand's main base of operations is. On top of that, the base is typically surrounded by a powerful barrier which Danny should be able to break...with his Iron Fist?" Fury said questioningly. Fury wasn't sure how it all worked to be honest.

All Fury knew was that the Hand had operated in this world long enough and it was time for them to go. After the Scotland incident, they had become public enemy number one for giving Voldemort the ritual to summon a King of Hell into their world. Other nations were rightfully afraid that the same thing could happen to them. Layla might not be around to save them in time and reverse the damage done either.

Natasha was looking at Danny Rand, she was very unimpressed. "What is his power exactly? He can break barriers? The black weapons that Layla gave us can do that."

Danny frowned at being so underestimated. "I assure you all that the power of the Iron fist is unrivaled. With its awesome power I can smash boulders and dent even the strongest of metals in a single blow!" He said proudly while expecting everyone to be awed.

"...Wait...? Is that it? I can do that too now that I'm an Asgardian!" Andrea said. And with her suit's firepower, she could blow up entire mountain ranges...

"Shameless boasting." Danny scoffed at her.

"I will escort you out of our territory so you can teleport away." Vasco said.

I waved him off. "That's fine. I'm just going to leave from here."

"There's a powerful barrier around the Vatican. You can't teleport here without being keyed into the ward–Huh!?"

He was cut off when I casually waved my hand and a purple portal manifested next to Asia and I. "I can travel between Universes, your church's barriers are nothing to bypass compared to that." I told him. He did not look happy that I could apparently freely come and go undetected into their territory. That wasn't my problem though. Asia and I hopped through the portal and went to pick up Heather and Vali. It had been a few hours and I wondered if Heather managed to learn any new magic?

XXX

"Check this out, mom! FIREBALL!" Heather shouted loudly as soon as we arrived back outside of Mephisto Pheles's tower. She held up her hand towards me and a fireball the size of a basketball came hurtling towards my face! She didn't use her wand and I didn't sense the use of any Eldritch magic either.

"Eeeep!" Asia yelped in panic and ducked behind me.

I casually swatted the fireball away with my hand when it reached me. I rubbed my forehead. Heather, please be mindful about throwing fireballs around when other people are nearby." I scolded her.

"Sorry about that." She said while rubbing the back of her head. She grinned at me. "That was cool though, right!? I used magic without a wand or Eldritch energy!"

"That was cool." I told her before turning towards Mephisto. "I take it you taught her a bit of human magic? Thank you for that." I said to him.

"It was nothing but a simple trade. She let me study some of her wand spells and I taught her some basic human magic spells. Ones that require the least amount of calculations." He replied casually.

Heather's face scrunched up. "Human magic here relies so heavily on math! What kind of heartless monster came up with that idea?"

"That would be Merlin." Mephisto responded with a shrug. "He was a fun guy, pretty strong too. His biggest flaw though was that he couldn't keep it in his pants. The guy gives Genghis Khan a run for his money with how many descendants he has in Britain."

"Eeew, gross! TMI, Mephisto!" Heather exclaimed.

"I'm planning on heading back with Heather if you're both done trading magic." I told them. "Where's Vali by the way?" He was supposed to be sticking around and guarding Heather but the guy wasn't here.

"He ran off to go and try to find some dead dragon's hoard." Heather replied with a shrug.

"What?" I turned to Mephisto hoping he could give a better explanation than that.

Mephisto explained that the Welsh Dragon, Albion's enemy, was from a nearby land, and his treasure hoard had never actually been discovered. Vali was bored and wanted to go exploring to try and find it.

"He's wasting his time if you ask me." Mephisto said casually. "I've lived in this land for over a hundred years now and I even tried to find it myself a few times. It's probably already been looted. What a shame. Before his death, Ddraig was rumored to have robbed Tiamat of most of her treasures."

That was more than a rumor from what I know. Why else would she keep killing all of his hosts off?

"I guess we'll have to wait for him to come back then..." I muttered.

Azazel would be mad if I just ditched his foster son in another country. Especially one so close to Angel territory where he could be killed. Vali is a direct descendant of their sworn enemy after all.

"I can practice this cool ice spell while we wait." Heather said. "Cmon, Asia! You should try to. You need to know some protection magic!"

Asia came out from behind me and looked nervous. "I don't like hurting people and I'm not very good at math, but I'll try."

"Don't worry, it's easy! Just watch this! ICE SPIKE!" Heather held up her hands and a small icicle formed above her palm. She aimed it forward and tried to launch it...The icicle instead fell directly onto the grass below and didn't move.

Everyone awkwardly stared at her for a second before Heather turned her head in embarrassment. "D-don't judge me! That was my first try!"

"That icicle was cute and I'll be able to always have cold drinks in summertime if I learn it. Teach me!" Asia said excitedly. She ran over to Heather who started explaining the math behind the spell. Asia was nodding her head up and down throughout Heather's explanation and I had no idea whether she was actually following or not.

"When Vali gets back, there's something I want to talk to you about." Mephisto said as he took a seat next to me. Right as he fell backwards, an elegant armchair manifested directly under him.

My Rinnegan temporarily manifested and I used Creation of All Things to make my own chair. I took a seat next to him.

"Genuine creation magic? Been a while since I've seen that." He commented. "Anyway, like I was saying, there is something I would like your help with as an outsider here." A table with a full tea set appeared between us. He poured himself a cup before handing me one as well.

"Thank you," I said while taking a sip. "So, what is it?"

"About a week before you came here, the sensors in my tower detected a massive surge of temporal magic! Someone attempted to and possibly succeeded in sending themselves, or at least their soul, to our current time." Mephisto wasn't able to tell whether they were from the past or future, but the obvious guess was they were from the future.

"Interesting..." I said. "Tell me more."

Quest Started: Investigate the temporal anomaly...

...

Vali came back a bit later with a look of irritation. To our surprise, he actually had found a large cave in the countryside that had lingering traces of Ddraig's energy, according to Albion at least. Sadly, Mephisto was proven correct and the cave had long since been completely looted bare.

As for the potential time traveler, Mephisto Pheles finished explaining the situation to me. He then had to leave claiming he had other urgent business to take care of. Mephisto asked me to keep the information on the time traveler on the down-low though, due to the area the temporal magics originated in.

Kuoh Town, Japan... Of course it came from there of all places!

"ICE SPIKE!" Asia shouted the spell and a large icicle launched forwards from her palm at high speeds. It tore right through a straw training dummy that I had created for the two girls. If that was a regular person, they would be very dead after getting hit by her Ice Spike.

"I did it!" Asia cheered in excitement and started jumping up and down.

"Good job, Asia!" I praised her. She had learned that spell fast! I'm glad she finally had a small way to protect herself.

"Yeah...good job..." Heather muttered dejectedly. She was a bit jealous that Asia had mastered the spell even faster than she had and with a lot more ease. Asia had mastered the icicle spell in only thirty minutes.

The reason for that was because Asia was NOT bad at math. Not at all! She didn't have tv or internet, all those years locked away in the church, but she did have textbooks. Lots of textbooks! Apparently, she had read through all of them multiple times and studied them thoroughly. Her dream was to be a doctor without using magic or her Sacred Gear, and I could safely say that was a real possibility with her current education. She wasn't bad at math...she only thought she was because the last few textbooks she had tried to learn were advanced quantum physics books and she was struggling with them trying to teach herself...

"Can we go now... It's boring here with nothing to do." Vali whined at us.

"You're the one who followed us after not being invited!" Heather snapped back at him.

Vali scoffed at her. "I just wanted to fight Layla. Now I'm more interested in this time traveler though. I wonder if they're strong. If they attack the two Devil princesses in Kuoh, will a Maou show up? I wouldn't mind fighting Serafall Leviathan or Sirzechs Lucifer." He said the last name with clear derision.

Two pairs of futuristic looking wings sprung forth from his back. "Don't be so Gung-Ho about fighting either of those two. One of my past wielders was slain by the hand of Sirzechs. Even my Juggernaut Drive couldn't match his True Form." The voice of Albion echoed in warning.

I was intrigued to hear that. I wasn't sure how much a True Form added to a Devil's power. For the Greek Gods, their True Divine Forms boosted them by 10 Levels. Did the Devil's get an even higher boost?

[Too bad for you, only the DxD Archangels have true forms. You could theoretically develop your own though. You could put your Faith Energy to use developing one. You'd need a lot more followers though...]

That was something to think about. It would be a cool way to power up without burning through MP at least. Mana Burst was awesome, but it was a risky gamble when I used it sometimes.

With everyone ready to go, I opened a portal to Kuoh Town.

"Well, the city isn't on fire at least. That's a good sign that whoever time traveled here is at least not insane."

Heather laughed. "When have you ever even been to a city that was on fire?" She asked me.

"Asgard was on fire the first time I visited." I replied to her.

Heather sputtered at me. Oh right, I hadn't told her that story because it ended with me and Hela in the sack for the first time...

"I sense the presence of my rival in this town. What a coincidence." Albion's voice echoed from the wings on Vali's back.

"Is Ddriag awake?" I asked him. Had canon already started here and Issei was a Devil?

"Hmmm. I cannot tell. The power I'm feeling is too weak. Whoever his host is, they have a pitiful amount of magic inside of them." Albion said.

Vali was initially looking excited to fight his fated rival, but he frowned when he heard how weak Issei was currently. "Cheh...what a let down." He spat out.

First thing first, I told everyone that we needed to find a place to stay in town for the next few days before we started investigating. The sun was already setting here due to the difference in time zones.

Good thing for us, Vali had been given a Black Card by Azazel that we could use to get a few hotel rooms for the next few days. I shamelessly guilt tripped him into paying for us all because he left Heather alone with Mephisto earlier. Nothing untowards happened of course, but it was the principal of the matter.

Tomorrow, I will start searching the town for the potential time traveler.

[And search for some cute Devil girls to flirt with while you're at it?]

Possibly that too...

XXX