Spider-Man. The House Of Venom

“Attention Kree Ships. A force from Earth has taken control of your main cruiser, and if you continue to fire, we will destroy you,” Peter announced over the communications channel Natasha had finished hacking into. “So you don’t doubt our intentions. We will lock on and destroy one of you in ten seconds unless you stop firing.”

Natasha nodded as the ship slowly turned and its main cannon adjusted itself and locked on.

“So, Do you feel lucky, punks?” Peter asked, as Natasha rolled her eyes and prepared to fire.

We surrender, flashed across the screen on the main cruiser.

Peter frowned, “guess the Kree aren’t idiots after all.”

Everyone, we have disabled the three cruisers in space. There will be no more bombardments, but we can’t force the ground troops to surrender. Sorry, but that's the best we can do for now. Stay safe, and love you.

⁂

Hank had been angry when they finally got to New York. After the incident with his Pym particles, he was at a loss. The deal with AIM was gone, his hopes of financial backing were gone. Until Nick Fury turned up and gave him hope. The incident with AIM was used as a smokescreen. Hank would not be part of AIM, he would be part of WRATH.

Nobody held grudges, and he was forced to let go of his own. He even spent a little time in the warehouse, talking to Cindy, under the watchful eye of Logan. He had cleared the air, apologised profusely for his error, and vowed to make it up to her.

They made plans to expand on the shrinking insect-based team. Their powers leant more to infiltration than large battles, and Fury sold them on the idea. Hope spent hours pouring over dictionaries and thesaurus, while Fury helped.

Strategic Tactical Infiltration and Neutralisation Group

The nicely fitting acronym that Hope had been very pleased with herself was born. Once they filed all the relevant paperwork, Sting would be part of AIM, and able to do some good. Nobody was expected to fight, nobody would ever have to risk their lives. Hank was happy, he was free, and even if Scott was a dumbass sometimes, he was happy for Hope.

Until the aliens arrived.

Now, Wasp was flitting between alien foot soldiers, while Ant-Man herded them towards her. Falcon was in the air, taking out anyone who used those damn jump packs they had. Captain Marvel was fighting soldiers while taking out gun emplacements. Laser rotary cannons did not look like a fun thing to defend against. For once, Hank is glad he retired.

To watch as superhumans fought with super-aliens was humbling. Hank now knew why AIM had been founded, and he knew he had to do better, not just because of Cindy, but for the world. Shield could still go fuck itself, however. Stark was slightly more tolerable but was still too much like his father for Hank to make peace with. For now, he would watch, coordinate, and help rebuild once the battle was done.

⁂

Alongside STING were Reed and his team. His experiments into the reality damage had produced some amazing things. Reed knew his work drove the others away, but if they could only see he was trying to help they would understand. He could only shake his head, nobody understood.

And then the aliens arrived.

Reed was fascinated to learn their origins, and he wished they had been peaceful. If any species knew how to undo the damage it would be the Kree. They had produced and contained their own version to create the Augments. He just knew he would never get the chance as the first beam struck across the sky. A pity, he thought as he hit the alarm to summon the other. Maybe I can get my hands on their database. Parker had been helpful, but Reed knew he was holding something back. A dictionary would have been helpful as well.

Once assembled, the foursome headed to the streets to take the fight to the Kree. Tony Stark handed out communication earbuds, so the groups could coordinate.

The world was under attack, and New York was to be a battlefield. There would be no rivalry today.

Sue was flagging. Unlike the rest, her powers relied on her emotional state, and she was just so tired. Johnny flew overhead and blasted them with superheated gas, herding them to Ben. Reed would keep them contained and Ben was smashing them. She was keeping them safe, but they were not trained for combat. Too many times she had to suddenly erect a forcefield to stop a soldier from getting behind Reed. Too many stupid mistakes.

A flare of red landed next to her. She raised a field around herself, expecting a Kree but instead, it was a young woman. One of Parker's friends. As the bright energy blasted a group of Kree into oblivion, Wanda put a hand on her shoulder.

“There is no shame in being tired, and no shame in wanting to stop.” She reached behind her back and took out two wrapped bars. “Here. Peter makes us carry supplies in case we get hungry.”

Sue grabbed one of the chocolate-covered energy bars and wolfed it down. “You don’t have anything to drink?”

Wanda laughed as a small portal appeared next to her. Sue’s brow furrowed as she saw a refrigerator and Wanda looking through a selection of soda. “Felicia drank all my cola, again. Is lemonade okay?”

“Water.“ Lemonade might have sugar but all she wanted was something cold.

Wanda shrugged as she handed a bottle to Sue. Wanda waved her hand and a crimson energy field covered the pair. “Rest, you look like hell.”

Sue sat down on the edge of the sidewalk, “How do you do this?”

Wanda shrugged. “I was living in a warzone most of my life, and then here. Of course, everyone will pick on New York, it has the largest collection of known powered in the world.”

Sue drank more of the water and poured a little into her hand and wiped it over her face, “And it doesn't bother you?” but Wanda shrugged and reached through a portal for a drink for herself.

“A lot of powered don’t want to fight, but I do. I have things I want to protect.” 

As she saw a trooper moving to fire, she flicked her wrist and he vanished into a sling ring portal. As she took a drink, they could hear him screaming and then impacted with a sickening crunch on the ground.

“How are you doing that?” Sue asked, wanting anything to distract her from the carnage around them.

“If I said magic would you believe me?” Wanda asked.

“No,” Sue said and Wanda could only laugh.

“Fine, I am altering reality using a set of basic instructions, like a computer. I can enhance it with my own Augment power,” Wanda explained.

“Because of the Stone?” Sue asked. 

“No, well, yes and no. Magic is the result of the Stone being used. We found out that these assholes altered humans, trying to make gods and well. Here we are,” she said with a smile and a shrug.

But Sue had another thought, “Wait, you can fix Ben, you can stop Reed from...” but she faltered.

“Stop him from being a negligent and inattentive boyfriend?” Wanda asked and another trooper vanished into a sling ring portal. She had seen the look on Sue's face, and this one would take him over the volcano where Ultron had been disposed of.

Sue started to peel the label from her bottle. “He’s trying so hard to fix us.”

Wanda laughed, “There is nothing to fix.” She took a deep breath. “I can only explain it the best I can. You are not water. If you are hot, you do not become steam, if you are cold, you do not become ice. You are a cake. You started as flour, egg, sugar, and milk but now, you are cake.”

Sue frowned. “So you’re saying the damage can’t be undone?”

Wanda nodded. “There is no damage. The stone altered reality. You are not the human Sue Storm who visited Egypt. You are now the Reality Altered Susan Storm who walked from Doom’s machine. You were once flour, and now you are cake.”

Sue sighed in frustration. “And Ben?”

“He is living rock. Carol told us there is a rock species in the galaxy called Kronan, so I guess he is one of them now, I don’t know. A lot of the more sciency stuff goes,” she made a woosh noise and raised her hand over her head. “Metaphysical, yes? Normal physics, ask Peter.”

Sue set the bottle down, and ran her hands through her hair, “Reed won’t talk to him. He blames him for this.”

“So? Talk to him anyway. Who is Reed to tell you who you can and can’t talk to? I can even see if Stephen will talk to you. He knows more about the Reality Stone than anyone. But they will both say the same. There is no damage. Once flour, now cake.”

Johnny floated overhead, “You know, a battlefield is not a good place for girl time.” Wanda lay a hand on Sue's knee and with a small smile she nodded. Wanda curled a finger and a portal appeared next to Johnny.

“Oh haha, like I didn’t just watch you do that.” but as he turned to fly away, he smacked face-first into an invisible barrier. Grumbling, he flew off straight up and continued his assault on the Kree.

“He is right though. If you wish to stay at the warehouse I can get you there.”

But Sue stood and shook her head. “No, there are things I want to protect as well.” As she held out a hand, Wanda and Sue floated into the air and began to clear the streets once more.

⁂

Doom watched as the sky filled with Doom Bots. The pathetic attempts of the Kree to destroy his country were thwarted again and again. Even the ones in New York were capable of halting those pathetic fighters. He was most proud of his Life Model Decoy though. That idiot Stark had no idea that it was a disguised Doom Bot fighting next to him in New York. Another use for Parker's CLS, with Doom's ingenious telepresence modification.

He intercepted the radio chatter, Parker had finally neutralised the cruisers in space. 

A pity, he thought. He was busy preparing a Doom Bot capable of space travel to claim them for himself. 

It would have been so much easier to force the Earth to capitulate with space weaponry. But their weapons were of no matter. He had seen the future. He knew what was coming and knew how to fight against it. It was a pity that half the galaxy would perish, but as long as Doom lived, then all would be welcome in his paradise.

⁂

Jean sped across the ocean, as fast as her powers could carry her.

Shuri had shared the message, that her forces were decimated, and her defences were not enough. With Wanda protecting the skies of the US, and the others trying to stop the bombardment, it was up to her to save her.

She fought back the bile and anger as she reached the shores of Africa. The sand area was blasted into glass, and the cities were in ruins. Even as she approached Wakana the devastation was abhorrent. Bones, bodies, and ruins were all that remained of Africa. Nobody had escaped.

Within the secondary shield, she spotted the ground ship, and her aura flared.

The ship they arrived in crumpled and collapsed as her powers flattened it. She could smell the burning flash, the still cooling bodies and the acrid ash in the air. The Kree had already picked their forces clean and were now heading to the capital.

Shuri, I’m at the gap in the shield, how long do I have?

Shuri lifted her head as Jean sent her a message.

The battle had not been going well. After thirty minutes of rhythmic pulses, the shield had finally collapsed. But rather than start the assault the shield breaker had pulled back. They kept a presence at the disabled section but moved the breaker to another section. This time, they were patient and fortified their position. They were not stupid and knew the bottleneck would act against them.

Once the second section of the shield collapsed, they begin their assault. One hundred Kree, in formation, march through the gap. Each one holding a rifle, each one firing in rows at the Dora Milaje assembled to stop them.

It was now a war of attrition. For each Dora taken out, another replaced her, but there were more Kree waiting. Far from the battle and fresh, ready for combat, the Kree had the advantage.

Feeling the Augment, Jhalia perked up.

Jean, come to the capital. We do not have much time.

Jean's aura flared and she flew. Passing over burned and still smoking remains she swallows and bites back her tears.

No, we cannot hide. The dead deserve your tears, but the Kree deserve your anger. This is what they are, murderers, Helios says in her mind.

No, we can. The professor says killing is... but Jean freezes as she approaches the shield.

There are hundreds of Kree and Dora Milaje fighting, and the Kree are winning. 

As Jean lands, and grabs hold of a dozen men, “Stop! Just surrender,” but they ignore her. Her voice is drowned out by the screams of the dying, and the anger of the living.

“Please, stop.” but she spots Nakia. She watches as she deflects a blow with her shield. As she moves to stab the Kree, another side steps beside her. Tucking his pistol under his arm, he fires twice into Nakia's side. She shudders as the blasts tear into her armour, and she falls lifelessly to the ground.

Nakia.

Sitting in the pool, sharing stories of her time with the Dora.

Nakia.

Complaining as Jean trims her hair, that it itches and won't grow straight.

Nakia.

Laughing as Peter walks into the pool but bites her lip as he distracts her. Jean nudges her in the ribs as her eyes go straight to his manhood.

Nakia.

Of dark lips teasing and tasting pale skin, and of gently soft moans. Of exploring fingers, and sparkling love.

NAKIA!

Jean's aura flares, dying from a bright yellow into a deep crimson, and black flares at its edge.

Grief pours from Jean, and the Kree are engulfed in flame, they can barely scream as they are simply gone.

The Kree are obliterated. Her fiery aura spreads and so do the black flames spread. The Kree scream as the Dark Phoenix strips them of not just flesh but life itself. As they die in agony, Jean screams in rage.

The Dora grasp at their heads as the psychic shockwave overwhelms them. Several collapse and their eyes roll back in their head. They shudder as the blood trickles from their noses and eyes.

Jean, please, stop, she hears Helios beg, but it is too late.

The last of her controls slips and the courtyard is engulfed in black flame. As it burns out, Jean stands huffing and panting. Back in control, back from her grief, she turns, and everything around her is gone.

I'm sorry, she whispers as she slumps to her knees, as she lifts her hands, he sees them covered in black soot.

Helios?

There is no answer.

Feeling inside herself, she finds nothing. There is only the chilling quiet. 

Helios was gone. Everyone, Dora and Kree alike, was gone.