Infinity Era

by JDPrime22

Chapter 122 – Suit Up

The rest of the day was filled with hard work and a lot of it. When Scott came back to the facility with James Rhodes, he was dragging alongside him a rolling briefcase. When open, Scott revealed to the rest of the Avengers, Guardians, agents, and equines the rows upon rows of bright red vials. Pym Particles, he called them. He acquired them from Hank Pym’s laboratory in his private office, the only place that wasn’t confiscated because no one knew where it was hidden.

No one except Pym and Scott Lang.

He explained that the Pym Particles, when properly utilized with the Ant-Man suit, could allow the user to shrink to microscopic size in order to reach the Quantum Realm. It was how he was able to enter the Quantum Realm in the first place, and he made sure to bring every last vial he could find. Unfortunately, he brought with him bad news alongside the good, noting their limited amount of particles available. Not all of them could travel to the past, and with the number of vials they had… they wouldn’t have many chances to retrieve the Stones. They needed to make every second count. Scott, Tony, and Banner started constructing the suits available for those willing to go back for the ultimate mission, the ultimate gamble. They got a headcount and got right to work.

With the suits settled and being finalized by Nebula, Rarity, and Starlight, that left the biggest minds in the entire facility to focus on the main task at hand and hoof…

Rocket, Tony, Shuri, Banner, Scott, Twilight, and Sunset got to work on building the time machine, Stark absent for most of the endeavor to work on a “personal project” of his. He never explained nor ever did until it was finally ready, as he said. Clint, Maud, Frank, Reyes, Groot, Tempest, Rainbow, Rhodes, and Romanoff carried supplies back and forth for the others to piece together and construct the machine. Carol was especially helpful, pulling off most of the heavy lifting and settling the base of the Quantum Tunnel into the hangar bay, the machine nearly ten times her own size. After having dropped precious equipment time and time again, Derpy was urged to take a seat and rest for a bit. She sat next to Thor, gazing quietly to the King of Asgard from time to time. Thor watched them all work while lounging on a foldable chair, sipping a Bud Light fondly and burping under his breath. Rainbow sent him a scowl to which he didn’t even turn her way, pretended she didn’t exist. Like most of everyone there.

Except for the pony on his left, his only companion for the time being, Thor burping and offering Derpy a sip. Though mildly cautious, Derpy was nothing if not a curious mare. She fumbled with the glass bottle between her hooves, sniffed the lid once or twice before tipping the Bud Light into her awaiting mouth. The strange liquid filled her as she sloshed it around for a bit, nearly gagged, then forced it down with an audible gasp for air following. She appeared to be looking green once more, shoving the bottle back Thor’s way. The god smirked to her, snatched the beer out of her hooves and downed the rest of it in less than two seconds. He tossed the empty bottle behind him, the shatter following as he turned to Derpy and burped. The Pegasus giggled, digging deep and burping in retaliation. It was soft, cute, and followed up by a plethora of chuckles from the duo.

And then it ended when Derpy’s stomach churned, the Pegasus clutching her tummy, her mouth, then zipping off towards the nearest trash can to vomit once more. Thor stared pitifully to her, Rainbow Dash just shaking her head and getting back to work.

The New Avengers Facility was a frenzy of moving bodies. Minus the God of Thunder, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were all fumbling around with the control console that Friday was currently engrossed in, the Mark 45 Iron Man armor teaching Mack and May how it operated. Steve was overlooking the progress of every individual with Daisy striding alongside him, both Avengers gazing to the massive Quantum Tunnel growing with every passing minute.

Elektra was also formally introduced to the rest of Matt’s team in the minimal amount of downtime they had. During work hours, she and Matt had a lengthy and private conversation in the living room while everyone else was busy tinkering and working in the hangar bay where the massive Quantum Tunnel was being constructed. From Elektra, his old flame, Murdock learned of what exactly happened that night more than five years ago. After the Hand pulled her out of the rubble, she fell back into that old life because it was all she knew. It was all they made her to be. For so long, while the rest the world suffered, she lived. Both thought the other to be dead. Both accepted that and moved on.

But now, with Matthew back in her life, Elektra was fully willing to turn away from her past sins and focus ahead. She wanted to help Matthew and his team. She would gladly stand with them if it meant bringing back billions of lives lost in the Decimation. Mostly, whatever they were planning to do with time travel, it meant everything to Murdock. If there was a chance to see his old friends again and save the universe… then Elektra would be there, right by his side through every storm. Like in the past… and for every day moving forward.

Matt accepted her promise with a firm grip of his palms onto hers.

Their moment of peace was interrupted by the intercom.

Everyone in the entire facility was halted and frozen to a standstill when Tony Stark’s voice rang out and declared, “Avengers to the armory. Got a surprise for you. And yeah, I’m referring to everyone when I’m saying that.”

Seemingly everyone abandoned their work—for the moment anyway—and proceeded to the facility’s armory. It was absolutely everyone who stepped foot and hoof past those sliding steel doors and into the massive armory. Every Avenger, Guardian, agent, and pony who gazed onto the small group of four consisting of Tony Stark, Nebula, Rarity, and Starlight Glimmer. Every Avenger finally present and accounted for. The trio of girls were focused and whispering to one another, turning about when the massive crowd entered the room with them. Tony was already standing at attention and fully ready for them.

And in his hands were three bright, burning blue lights. Upon closer inspection, they made them out to be none other than Arc Reactors. Twilight’s brow furrowed at that, her curious expression shifting upwards to Stark when he began to speak aloud once more. She nearly gasped when he zeroed her, Rainbow, and Rarity out amongst the masses.

“Twi, Dash, Rares… mind stepping forward?” Tony politely asked. More like ordered.

Hesitant, certainly, Twilight and Rainbow sent one another a confused glance that each shared. Then they turned about, watching as every head and every eye was on them, waiting for them to take those necessary steps. Then they finally turned to their final friend called out. Rarity sent that knowing, sly smirk her friends’ way. She flipped her mane fabulously as she stood before Tony Stark, jutting out her chest to him. Slowly, Twilight and Rainbow eventually made their approach and paused on Rarity’s left and right respectively.

He reached out and placed the Arc Reactor on Twilight’s chest first. The Alicorn flinched, eyes closed tight as she expected the device to hurt upon attachment. After hearing horror stories from Stark himself how he first got his first Arc Reactor, she wasn’t particularly looking forward to it. She was pleasantly surprised to feel the nanobots snuggle their way onto her chest comfortably. The mare blinked and opened her eyes fully, gazing down curiously to the blue light resting over her heart. As her snout nearly touched it, she could hear Tony speaking to them, pausing when he moved from one mare to the next.

“These… are for… each of you. Meant to be used for emergencies only; something to give you a little extra push out in the field,” Stark finished, resting on one knee as he finalized the device just over Rainbow’s chest. Then he clapped his hands, remaining on his knee and analyzing each pony.

Though they were too busy analyzing the Arc Reactors instead of activating them.

Stark shook his head, clearing his throat and earning their eyes. “Well, don’t just stand there with your jaws on the floor; give it a test run.”

Looking from Rainbow to Rarity and finally back to Stark. Twilight slowly raised a hoof to hover just over the burning light. She furrowed her brow once more, asking curiously, “So, just… like you do?”

Tony tapped his chest, just over his heart. Two times. “Once should do it.”

With not much to lose, Twilight just shrugged to both Rainbow and Rarity, her lips forming an uncertain expression. Uncertain but curious nonetheless. She slapped her hoof against the face of the Arc Reactor alongside Rainbow and Rarity, all at the same time, gasping out as the following tech flowed outwards almost instantaneously.

It was instantaneous in how it operated, flexible and meticulously crafted. Nearly everyone was taken aback by the advanced suit, unlike anything they had ever seen. Some like Derpy, Sunset, and even Tempest had slackened jaws and bulged eyes when they witnessed Twilight’s suit overcome her body. The nanotechnology seamlessly overcame her coat and body, from the bottom of her hooves and stopping just around her tail, letting the violet hair flow outwards untouched. Even her wings were coated in it. Twilight’s eyes flickered back and forth nervously as the nanobots swarmed her face, and darkness was her greeter for a second. A second later, light filled her eyesight, causing the mare to flinch against it. A HUD erupted before her, showcasing the suit, its status, weaponry, and everything she needed nor didn’t even imagine she needed. When it was finalized, the metal suit covered Twilight from head to hoof, letting her mane flow outwards like her tail. Untouched. The suit was colored a vivid and glossy black, hot pink, and light violet, bright blue eyes igniting alongside various other lights upon the armor.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes shot open when she saw Twilight’s suit fully, the darkness overcoming her when the nanotech consumed her face but let her mane and tail flow free. Like Twilight’s, it showed Rainbow a plethora of options on her HUD, an added boost to her repulsors with Stark knowing how much she like to break the sound barrier. She smirked at that. Rainbow flapped her wings, looking over and seeing bright repulsors burning at the tips and edges of her armor-covered wings. Her eyes were bright blue, joining the sky blue and jet-black of her armor when it was fully realized and standing before her fellow Avengers.

Rarity smiled and closed her eyes as the nanobots overwhelmed her face and body. Thankfully, her mane and tail were untouched, but as for the rest of her... Rarity received an upgrade unlike any other. A jolt of extra weaponry choices, the power of controlled flight for the first time in her life, and the ability to choose however she wished all laid before her. Her armor was colored a dark purple and white, the bright blue eyes burning with raw energy as she raised a hoof proudly to every eye in the room. The repulsor shimmered on the bottom of her hoof, the nanobots finalizing themselves one last time.

There they stood, all three ponies encased in bright, colorful, and immensely powerful suits of armor unlike anything anyone had ever seen. Carol Danvers slowly smirked from where she stood, hands on her hips and joining the likes of Natasha, Clint, and many more. Steve was awestruck, watching as Rainbow Dash merely gazed to her own foreleg for seconds on end, probably even a full minute before anyone decided to speak again. Sunset, Starlight, Maud, Derpy, and Tempest each showed their amazement in their own ways, all eventually turning back to Stark when he spoke.

“I call ‘em the Iron Mares,” Tony announced, his hand pointing from Twilight, to Rainbow, and finally to Rarity. Respectively stating, “Mark 1, Mark 2, and Mark 3. You’re welcome.”

Their masks materialized back into the rest of the suits, Twilight practically breathless as she turned her eyes over to Rainbow and Rarity. They each fell into the same state of awe as they observed one another, Rarity practically speechless as she stared at her friends and herself. All she wanted to do was gush for hours on end over their new suits, but she just couldn’t find the words for it. She showed her enthusiasm by stamping her hooves repeatedly into the ground, squealing with excitement as the metal plating tapped repeatedly against the concrete floor, the suit’s wiring crying out to her movements.

“How do they look?” Rainbow asked to no one in particular, spinning about to try and catch every inch of her new armor. “Does it look cool?”

“Rainbow…” Sunset breathed, watching the Pegasus fall her way and await her word. Sunset slowly smiled, nodding once. “I think you look 20% cooler.”

For what had been years, that same arrogant, flaring smirk finally returned to Rainbow Dash’s lips. It felt somewhat awkward, but the warmth filled her face shortly after. Like an old friend finally finding their way back home where they belonged. Twilight’s face brightened from that alone, Rarity smiling widely to her best friends, but mostly to her gorgeous new set of armor she personally helped design alongside Stark. Mostly the colors, considering all the tech made her head hurt.

The warming and victorious moment was ruined when Frank Castle started talking.

“You dragged our asses over here just for that?” Frank asked, burly arms crossed and resting over his black shirt. Carol sent him a scowl alongside Starlight, but both were shocked to say the least when Tony chuckled softly to that outburst.

“Oh, I definitely didn’t forget your ass, Castle,” Tony retorted, pressing down on the device in his hand, much like pressing a key fob. “And you’re definitely gonna need something covering it.”

To everyone’s continued awe of silence and surprise, the wall to the right of them slid open. However, it was only Frank Castle who approached what was within the wall the whole time, what was gazing to them all with the dark eyes hidden behind the gray and white mask. His eyes were slowly directed by his own will to the chest plate, a scoff escaping Frank’s breath alongside a shake of his head when he saw the white skull. Standing tall before him and the many others beyond Castle, the suit of armor glared forward while carrying an arsenal almost considered to be impossible. James Rhodes knew the suit of armor personally, his brow hardening and his arms crossing when he gazed fully to it, fully analyzed it.

When he fully saw his old War Machine armor hanging before them.

Stark seemed to read his mind, stating, “Old War Machine model. Rhodey lent it to me when he upgraded. Added a few extra things here and there; second minigun on the shoulder, rocket and grenade launcher, and a portable chainsaw. Yeah, if you couldn’t tell, I had some fun with this one. Never know what kinda nastiness you’re gonna run into back in time.”

Frank was shockingly silent to that, his scarred and vein-covered hand rising up and caressing the white skull on the chest and helmet of the suit, matching his almost to a T.

“I call it the Punisher Armor,” Tony finished.

“Punisher Armor…” Frank muttered under his breath with a weak chuckle. Shaking his head at that, he studied the armor slowly to himself, taking every second to gaze to the weapons on the shoulders, the wrists, the chest, the palms, and pretty much everything. It was a war machine all right. One that suited him just fine. He turned back, nodded once and fiercely to Stark. “Appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me, ‘cause you’re just borrowing it. I don’t want to see that thing outside this facility once we’re done,” Stark warned, seeing that scoff and chuckle from Castle’s end as the Punisher turned away to gaze to his armor once again. That time he didn’t look away. Almost believing he had just made a grave mistake, Tony put it alongside the others and focused elsewhere.

He pointed to the unicorn on his far left, not even looking at her. “Also… I offered a suit to Starlight to match the trinity right here, but she politely declined. Unless any of you…?”

Sunset shook her head and held out her hooves, smiling awkwardly. “I-I’ll be fine, Tony. Thank you, though.”

“I have plenty of extra push from my Asteroid Gloves,” Maud commented dully, as if the shocking suits of armor Stark spent the past couple hours manufacturing hadn’t even affected her.

“Thanks, but I still really love my Domino Gun!” Derpy exclaimed, rubbing the back of her mane and giggling.

Rocket smirked, arms crossed. He murmured, “That a girl.” His attention shifted over when Tempest Shadow snorted rather loudly, rather rudely, gaining that unwanted attention from every eye in the armory.

Tempest shook her head to Tony. “I don’t need a metal suit. Never needed the support.”

While Stark took that rather harsh statement as easily as he could, others in the room took her words harder. Two individuals in particular. Two who gazed to the unicorn lacking the key feature that made her to be that very pony, that very race. Shuri and Rocket stared at Tempest’s broken horn trying to be concealed by her mane, both thinking the same thing but standing at complete opposite ends of the crowd. However, neither one made that push forward. They didn’t have time.

Rarity turned to Tempest Shadow, then to Starlight and Nebula. Then to Tony. The alabaster unicorn smirked, tossing her mane back and asking, “Well… perhaps you prefer a little more color in your suit then?”

Before Tempest could have even pondered on what she was referring to, she and many others simply took a step back as Starlight and Rarity pulled forth various devices from the workbench they were situated near prior to the team’s arrival. Their magical aura filled the air, eyes gazing upwards to see Tony’s Time Travel GPSes numbering in the dozens. A little over two dozen to be exact. Twenty-five to be very exact. Starlight and Rarity levitated each device completely over their heads and latched them onto those who volunteered to travel back in time.

The first ones were Tony, Nebula, Twilight, and Rainbow, each given a Time Travel GPS that was either tied around their left palms or left hooves. Twilight raised her foreleg and gazed curiously to the device resting just on the tip of her hoof, eventually dropping it and staring to the remaining members earning their necessary tools.

Scott was forcefully pulled forward when he refused to move, Starlight’s aquamarine aura wrapping around his arm until the Time Travel GPS was safely attached. Rubbing his arm, Scott muttered something under his breath as he frowned to Starlight, ultimately ignored in the end. Rhodes was given his alongside Carol Danvers, Daisy Johnson, and Sunset Shimmer. Then Steve was given a GPS with Natasha, Banner, Clint, and Thor. Matt and Elektra were next, followed by Robbie, Rocket, Groot, Tempest, Maud, Derpy, and Frank, who finally turned away from his new suit when the device was latched to his left palm. He studied it alongside the others, lifting his eyes to the unicorns who applied them in the first place.

Rarity and Starlight were the last ones to put on their devices, each mare personally attaching their own to themselves. With each device secured and activated, those who were not given them backed away to allow each Avenger to analyze and observe their new GPSes. But more importantly, they almost knew what was going to occur, giving themselves that space just in case anything went wrong. Just in case…

Tony Stark held out his hands, smirking and triumphantly stating, “Time to suit up.”

He slapped the face of the Time Travel GPS. The twenty-five who received one all did.

The suit came out of the Time Travel GPS everyone wore on their wrist or hoof. It materialized from it, the seamless Stark Nanotechnology enveloping each individuals’ unique body structure. From pony to human, raccoon and Groot, Kree, Inhuman, and even cyborg. All watched and felt as the suit covered their bodies and sealed them tight from the dangers that the Quantum Realm held. Mack, May, Piper, Davis, and Shuri backed aside and gazed in amazement to them all. The following seconds were filled with stunned and awe-filled silence, each and every last one of them observing their arms, legs, and the suit that covered them.

The Quantum Suits were white, black, and red in color. Small lights glowed upon the shoulder blades, the large black Avengers symbol plastered on everyone’s left breast and both shoulders. Carol and Daisy checked themselves out, Carol twisting back to gaze to her backside, Daisy doing the same. Both turned back, smiling and nodding to each other. While others continued to observe themselves, Scott Lang took a moment to make an important announcement. It was so important that he had to shout over the crowd.

“Okay, really important!” Scott said, earning several heads and waiting until the room died down considerably before continuing. “These suits are gonna run on Pym Particles! You need to be very careful when handling the vials, because the ones we have are all we got! We lose those, and we lose altogether! It’s over! Is that clear?”

“Stick the vials in the suits and don’t break ‘em,” Carol repeated in a manner everyone could understand. Short and simple and to the point. She had her arms crossed, a smirk growing across her lips as she eyed Scott humorously. “You make it sound so hard.”

Scott eyed Danvers momentarily, holding out his palms and stating, “I’m just a little on edge.”

“Oh, Ms. Natchios,” Tony called out, earning Elektra’s attention and bringing her eyes away from her own suit. Together, she and Matt gazed to Stark, listening intently as he asked, “Are you absolutely sure about going, because you are not obligated to by any means?”

For a moment, Elektra was caught. Her undying guilt was strong enough to push her down, but the beating heart of her old love was enough to keep her strong. Her faith, her fury, and her fight were more than enough motivations. Matthew was more than that, though. He was her flame. She held Matt’s hand, saying “I’m not going to leave you be any longer. Your fight is mine… for our world as well as every life.”

Steve nodded to that, turned to Elektra and met her eyes. Stated just as proudly for everyone to hear, “This one’s for every life.”

Thor tightened his facial muscles at that, laying a heavy palm on Steve’s shoulder. “For every life,” he grunted, meeting Steve’s eyes with his teary one.

One by one, that statement alone filled the armory, emanating in power with each resounding declaration. Until that statement was all that was heard in the facility, growing louder again and again and again. Until every life shouted it and declared it in one resounding, “For every life!”

They were dismissed shortly after, everyone returning to duty.

Not everyone. A pair of individuals—even if they didn’t know it or see each other while doing so—found themselves gravitating towards a certain unicorn. That unicorn just so happened to be Tempest Shadow, the mare observing her back and the Quantum Suit that covered it. An innocent and polite cough caused the pony’s ear to flick, Tempest shifting around to gaze onto the warming smile of Queen Shuri of Wakanda.

“I know you don’t want the support, but…” Shuri began to explain, pausing only to reveal what her hands were hiding behind her back. On further examination, Tempest made it out to be a jagged, silver shard, glinting under the light of the armory like a precious stone. Tempest hardened her brow at that, lifting her eyes to meet Shuri’s. “I couldn’t help but notice that you seem to missing a little… ‘important’ component just for your head.”

Before Tempest could even digest the meaning of her words, the unicorn shot back when the soft growls could be heard behind her. And there, standing with his teeth barred, Rocket Raccoon shot out his claw and the curved blade he held in it, pointing a finger to Shuri and shouting, “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?! I was gonna give her a shard to stick on her horn!”

Tempest’s eyes shot open. Wider than ever before. She held her breath…

“A shard?” Tempest breathed again, flicking her head back and forth between both opposite parties. She rested her eyes on Shuri when she asked, “A shard of what?”

“This is a piece of vibranium my brother held so long ago. It was lying in his ashes when I… when I finally found him,” Shuri explained, struggling a tad with that last sentence. Gulping down her prolonged cries and tears, she breathed a shiver then forced a smile her way. Remaining strong for her allies. “After I learned that you would be here… I just thought you would like a replacement so you don’t have to overwork yourself. Sunset mentioned to me of what you went through at Nidavellir prior.”

The growing disbelief and warmth filling Tempest’s normally cold and empty chest suddenly transformed into fury. That fury sent a heated glare across the room to the unicorn in question, Sunset whistling and looking away innocently.

Rocket sighed, bouncing the metal shard in his claw. “Well, speaking of Nidavellir, I got this Uru shard here after Eitri gave it to me as payment. And I don’t know what I was gonna do with it; maybe make a bomb or a knife, but… I feel like you need it a hell of a lot more than me.”

That alone was hard enough for Rocket to give up what he rightfully earned. Yet after seeing Tempest Shadow struggle with spells that Twilight or Rarity handled without even breaking a sweat for years, maybe there was a part of him that wasn’t completely asshole-ish. After all, if it wasn’t for Tempest that day in Nidavellir… they wouldn’t have gotten Stormbreaker or off that forge for that matter. Rocket gripped the Uru metal one last time, breathing in sharply… then softly exhaling. He held out his claw and offered it fully, no bargains and no holding back. Just a sure-fire gift from him to her.

And Tempest didn’t take it. Not at first, because all that Rocket or Shuri saw from the unicorn was a fumbling, almost nervous wreck. Her lower jaw shivered, eyes darting to and fro, back and forth, and anywhere except where the shards were. It was a far cry from the hardened warrior they knew her to be, Rocket sending a raised brow up to Shuri for an explanation. She had none. They simply had to wait for her to answer on her own terms.

“Well, I…” Tempest stammered, heart beating rapidly and chest expanding and deflating with rejuvenated vigor. “I-I… I can’t take… two.”

“Why not both?” Shuri suggested, smirking.

Rocket tilted his head towards her alongside Tempest. “You serious?” the raccoon asked.

“Simple procedure,” Shuri said, smiling warmly onto the unicorn. “But I think I can make something really special for you.”

Then the silence permitted, both parties allowing Tempest to be the final word of action to their deeds. They needed her confirmation before they could even think about proceeding, and to their growing dismay, all they saw from Tempest was a look of utter uncertainty and disbelief. The disbelief of how anyone or any creature would want to help her in the slightest fix something as menial as her horn when there was far more hanging on the line. And uncertainty for how exactly she could proceed. If Tempest had been the same pony six years ago, still under the wing of Storm King’s armada, she wouldn’t have hesitated to take that of which she most desired. For every nation she plundered, every city she burned, and every life she took… all of it was just for her master to restore her horn.

Now, six years later and that opportunity was offered to her on a silver platter… and Tempest didn’t even move. A part of her had moved on, became good, looked to better herself without the need of a horn and instead focused on helping others. Instead of destroying nations, she liberated them, helped rebuild them alongside Twilight Sparkle and the ponies that were once her enemies. Never once in those six years did she imagine having that old desire return to her. She felt as if she didn’t need it. But Tempest would certainly call herself a liar if she didn’t miss having a horn grace her forehead, that assurance that she had another line of defense to help her and those close to her. That assurance died the day the Ursa Minor sliced the horn right from her face, taking a chunk of skin near her eye with it.

There she was. Tempest Shadow, given the opportunity to fix all of that, find that desire, and become whole again. She showed every inch of her disbelief with burning tears at the edges of her eyes and the stammering tone escaping her whispers.

“Why does my horn matter so much to you?” she asked. Lifting those tear-filled eyes, Tempest met both Shuri and Rocket, spinning around completely when she heard that familiar and friendly cough earn her attention.

Twilight stepped forward with the rest of her friends, from Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, Maud Pie, Derpy Hooves, and even Sunset Shimmer. All of them stood before Tempest, all of them smiling to her and holding that resounding comradery and respect for their friend. Twilight declared, “Because you matter to us, Tempest. After everything you’ve done… let us do something for you.”

“Anything to get our team working one hundred percent,” Rocket added, arms crossed as he leaned against the nearest wall. Tempest turned to him…

Turned to Shuri…

And for the first time in a long time… smiled. Really smiled.

The procedure went by faster than anyone really expected. Even for Rocket and Shuri, the surgical implementation was rather simple. The hardest part came when they forged the two shards together.

Together, they helped to craft a vibranium/Uru horn for Tempest, Asgardian runes painting the curved edge of the vibranium weaves. Tempest was given no anesthetics, no drugs, no nothing. She wanted to be awake every second to see her horn being crafted and merged with her. She needed her magic to bond with it, to see if it would become a suitable replacement. The moment of truth finally came, Tempest holding her breath and watching as Shuri used the nearby medical machines to levitate the new horn towards her forehead.

Towards her shattered horn.

With Tempest lying back-first against the medical table, the machines of the New Avengers Facility aiding the two in their work, all of it simply allowed Shuri and Rocket to connect the new horn onto the unicorn. It was curved in shape, much like the Uru originally was. However, the base of the vibranium proved to be the foundation of the horn, considering the Asgardian metal would be the most unstable against its equine host as Thor suggested. Her magic would easily flow throughout the vibranium, be enhanced by the Uru, and escape to her command. Without pain ever again.

That was the theory, of course. When they finally connected it, made the appropriate securement as they sealed her natural horn with the replacement from the machines’ lasers… it was complete. It was finally time to test it out.

Meanwhile, a growing crowd of concerned individuals and friends paced back and forth, sat nearby, or simply waited where they stood just outside the medical bay doors. Even they were surprised when those doors finally opened, the surgery having only been occurring for less than thirty minutes. Most of that time was spent forging the two shards into one. But they stepped out of the medical bay all the same, every eye finally able to gaze onto the final state of Tempest Shadow’s new horn.

She was the one to lead the pack, Rocket smirking with his arms crossed. Shuri smiled, as well, both great minds quite pleased with themselves and their work. Their eyes turned to the unicorn that was the center of everyone’s attention, every eye falling onto the large, curved, and glowing horn joining Tempest once more. Finally reunited. Finally made whole after years and years of having become so utterly empty and broken.

Not anymore. Tempest Shadow held that same gleaming smile, closing her eyes as the magic from the base of her old horn swirled upwards and shimmered into her new horn. The vibranium glowed a radiant blue, the Asgardian runes radiating the same color until the very curved tip was glowing. From that magic, swirls of blue coated Tempest’s body until she was literally floating from the ground, a simple levitation spell but an achievement nonetheless for Tempest Shadow.

That achievement showed itself as Tempest cut off the spell with a flash of light and hit the ground, breathing rapidly with a satisfied and excited smile proudly adorned on her face.

Her friends instantly swarmed her, congratulating Tempest and admiring her new horn with strong hugs all around, patting her backside and congratulating her for completing her first actual spell on the fly. Thor smiled from where he stood, giving Tempest a thumbs-up in the distance. Tony and Steve both smiled warmly to the scene of the mares hugging their friend, Tempest unable to contain her smile or her own tears. It was almost enough to get them both misty. No time for that, however. They turned around and got back to work. Like many of them did.

“Gotta tell ya,” Sunset exclaimed, taking a seat on the nearby bench right next to Daisy and pointing over to the crowd surrounding Tempest. Pointing to Tempest. “That is a breath of fresh air.”

Daisy Johnson lifted her eyes to the mare on her left, smirking once before settling her gaze to the heartwarming sight before her. Her smirk slowly fell, that darkening sense of unease clouding Daisy’s heart and mind. She settled forward, shakily whispering with her elbows resting on her knees. “Yeah, I’m still trying to find that myself.”

Sunset tilted her head her way. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

It took a second for Daisy to breathe herself into submission, her gloved-palms lacing together and hands gripping onto one another. She said, “I’m afraid… if we do this… if we somehow manage to bring everybody back… then maybe I can still have a chance to save Coulson. Just a chance…”

She reached into her gauntlet, revealing the Centipede Serum she kept all those years. Sunset’s eyes enlarged when she stared onto the glowing orange liquid within the small vial, her ears flicking in Daisy’s direction when she began to speak again.

“I was too late last time… and Thanos took him from me. But if that chance is still alive, then maybe Coulson can be, too,” Daisy explained softly. She slipped the serum back into her silver gauntlet for safekeeping, Daisy leaning forward and sighing. “I’m not religious, Sunset… but I’ll tell you now that I’m praying that all of this is going to be worth it.”

“It will be. And don’t worry,” Sunset told her, playfully punching Daisy’s shoulder. “You may have stayed away from what really mattered. You may have sat on the sidelines and before you knew it… it was too late to change what happened. When you see Phil again… just don’t hesitate. Don’t stay out of the fight.”

Daisy smiled her way, nodding. “I’ll keep that in mind, Sunset.”

She wasn’t the only one. Though her words were meant to ease the agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avenger of her worries, all it really did was amplify Sunset Shimmer’s own. Staying out of the fight was one of Sunset’s biggest regrets five years ago in Wakanda. While the others stood against Thanos and his tyranny, even as he gained the last Infinity Stone, there was Sunset, standing on the sidelines alongside Starlight and Spike. She hardly imagined she could have made a difference either way, but doing something rather than nothing would have proved to herself that Sunset was willing to do whatever it took to ensure victory. Even if they lost, Sunset would still have that assurance that she did whatever it took.

She gazed to Twilight and Rainbow chatting and praising Tempest for her new horn. Sunset carefully caressed her geode with the tip of her hoof, staring only to them, to their forced smiles onto Tempest and to one another. While Sunset was willing to take the necessary steps to ensure victory, there were others that still refused to. More importantly, she knew that Twilight and Rainbow couldn’t hide from it forever. They needed to face the fight ahead as a team or not at all.

Whether they wanted to or not.

Sunset’s hoof pressed firmly over her heart, over her geode. Whatever it took…