#Dr. Hank Pym

[savage-kult-of-gorthaur]

"…WANTING TO EXPLOIT THE FACT THAT THIS GUY HUNG OUT WITH ANTS."

PIC INFO: Spotlight on artwork done by Sandy Plunkett to help sell an "Ant-Man" graphic novel proposal to the powers-that-be at Marvel. Artwork by Charles "Sandy" Plunkett.

"I don't remember much about the plot I came up with [for the graphic novel] but I do remember wanting to exploit the fact that this guy hung out with ants -- something no other writer had yet done. I mean, if you know anything about ant societies…!)."

-- SANDY PLUNKETT (American comic book artist)

Source: www.plunkettcomicart.com/blog/category/antman.

[vertigoartgore]

Countdown to Avengers #800/34 (2026) : 1999's Avengers Vol.1 #1.5 (or Avengers#1 1/2) cover by cover artist Bruce Timm (he also did the interior art). Source

[cloverhasnobrain]

Very lazy Hank Pym doodle, warming up to see if I can get back to learning digital art🧡

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers West Coast #66: TUNNEL VISION

January, 1991

Ultron 13 -- Avengers, 0.

Hah, that's pretty clever, comic text.

Also, Tigra is back to normal! Yessss! Can't wait to see that happen!

Previously in Avengers West Coast: Wonder Man's brother, the Grim Reaper, was brought back to life and now has to murder people to live.

Forever ago, Tigra went feral so Hank Pym shrank her and put her in a terrarium but then forgot about her and she got out and has been missing ever since.

Ultron is a jerk. Once, he tried to not be a jerk but another version of him came and killed him about it.

Over in Avengers West Coast Avenging West Coastishly... uh, the government asked them to relocate some protestors that are standing right in the path of a malathion pesticide aerial spraying.

US Agent is, characteristically, grumpy about it. He's probably muttering about the nanny state under his breath.

Iron Man uses his repulsors to blast the pesticide spray so it won't land on the crowd. Meanwhile, US Agent decides to yell at the crowd.

A man protests that the helicopters are spraying at night too and decides to take a swing at US Agent. Which the super-soldier easily dodges.

US Agent: "The authorities okayed this spraying. If malathion's good enough for them, it's sure good enough for -- Hey! What's that rash on your face? It looks like -- some kind of metal!" Guy: "That's what I've been trying to tell you, jerk... They've also been spraying in secret -- at night! I've heard 'em -- choppers, the works! I got this way eating fruit from my own garden -- in Pasadena! These other people got the same problem!"

So, I went down a small rabbit hole, trying to determine if having a story about malathion spraying was just one of those Very California Stories that Avengers West Coast sometimes does.

And apparently, in the 80s, California started spraying the pesticide to control an outbreak of Mediterranean fruit flies and continued the program for a while. But the program was discontinued when there was a bioterrorist attack that released massive numbers of the fruit flies in protest of the spraying. The culprits were never caught but it did result in the end of the malathion program (because it was ineffective) and also transporting Mediterranean fruit flies into California got bumped up from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Wild.

Anyway, in real life, malathion probably doesn't make people develop metal rashes, maybe.

Oh, brief tangent. Speaking of US Agent and how much he loves the government, you'd think that the Avengers losing their government charter would be a thing. Unless the government specifically stripped the charter from the East Coast team and kept on the West Coast team because they had their Agent on the inside.

The book has not said! And since they have different creative teams now, I do not expect them to try very hard to be on the same page! Granted, even when John Byrne was writing both books, they didn't really feel like two halves of the same whole.

Anyway.

Iron Man almost made the helicopter crash when he repulsored the pesticide. So after he saves the pilots, they decide to quit the pesticide business. They seem like they were on the fence already - sympathetic to the concerns about whether malathion is safe or not.

But US Agent has become a believer over one interaction and accuses the helicopter pilots of spraying at night.

Pilot: "You know that hothead, Iron Man?" Iron Man: "Who really knows anybody?"

Hah. What a way to dodge the question. He really doesn't want to associate with the guy.

The pilots deny having anything to do with nighttime spraying. All their flights were listed in the paper long before they did it.

US Agent is still being belligerent, though, so Iron Man picks him up and flies away with him. They weren't there to take sides on the malathion controversy.

US Agent: "Yeah? Well, we're Avengers, aren't we? If you'd got a close look at the skin on some of those people -- as metallic-looking in spots as your fancy-pants armor -- maybe you'd feel it was high time the Avengers West Coast finally started doing some real avenging!"

US Agent fills Iron Man in about the night sprays on the flight back to the Avengers West Coast Compound. And Iron Man agrees that it warrants the Avengers looking into.

Also, Tigra. She's back to normal. It happened off-panel! Agatha Harkness did it in Avengers Spotlight #38!

I'm slightly annoyed that the subplot dragged on so long in the book and it gets resolved in another book!

Tigra is also back to her old ways. She throws a flirt US Agent's way and he looks stricken by the attention. Slightly terrified, even.

Iron Man: "Yep. You're back to normal all right, Greer."

Everyone Avengers West Coast is in the meeting room, except for the Human Torch. Or as the ever-prickly US Agent calls him "the has-been Torch."

Do they have beef? US Agent and Human Torch both do so little that I don't remember them interacting very much.

Hank Pym called a meeting to tell everyone about the robot farmers he ran into.

And he reveals that in the most dramatic way possible.

Hawkeye isn't very impressed by some androids. The Avengers see a lot of androids.

But Hank Pym explains that these robots were being controlled remotely and disguised as perfectly normal wheat farmers. And that they blew up when he activated the Rover aircraft's engine.

Wasp speculates that if someone is replacing farmers with robots, it has something to do with tampering with the food supply.

US Agent connects some dots and wonders if this has anything to do with the metallic rash he saw on those protestors. He's not sure why these things would be connected but I think he could be onto something. Why are they in the same arc if not?

Hawkeye laughs this off.

Hawkeye: "Malathion spraying? Get serious, Agent. You think the Earth's being inaded by robot medflies?" US Agent: "You brainless -- ! Uncle Sam put me here to keep an eye on clowns like you -- not to take any of your bull!

The rest of the Avengers have to hold the two back so they don't start punching each other.

Hank Pym tries to get everyone on task, telling the Avengers to check out other farms in the area and asking US Agent to follow-up on the metallic rash. But Wonder Man interrupts to say he definitely will not be doing this.

He's got other priorities lately.

Wonder Man: "It's the rest of you that're crazy -- not me! Wanda and I told you how my dead brother's come back -- as the real Grim Reaper this time -- how he's drinking up people's lives like so much Miller Lite! And you want us all to charge off looking for robots down on the farm?"

Dr Pym acknowledges that he's not exactly the team chairman so he can only suggest what the team does.

Hey, the team hasn't had a leader since Hawkeye rage-quit. Why haven't they gotten around to resolving that? Like, the team doesn't need a leader. Some Avenger's iterations don't have one. In Jason Aaron's run, after Black Panther quit the leadership role to go deal with a bad solo book, the Avengers didn't replace him so made decisions as a group. It's perfectly valid.

Except, this book keeps going 'huh, weird how we don't have a leader, right?' and then not doing anything with that.

This is the era of Avengers where plot points drag on forever for no reason.

Anyway.

Dr Pym says they don't have any leads on Grim Reaper so they may as well focus on this robot farm threat while the whole L.A.P.D. focuses on tracking down the Reaper.

Wonder Man dismisses this reasoning.

Wonder Man: "Threat? What thrat? A tinker-toy version of Ma and Pa Kettle -- some bozo with zits whining about how somebody sprayed insecticide on his face -- and you jokers start worrying someone's going to cause rust on the food chain!" Iron Man: "We all hope you're right, Wonder Man, and it's just a false alarm. On the other hand -- don't you think you may have lost your objectivity?" Wonder Man: "I don't want to be objective, tin man. I want to find my brother -- "

Wow. You know that Tony is going to have to pay for that, right?

Wanda Witch runs after Wonder Man and tries to convince him not to fly off half-cocked, to wait for when the Avengers can back him up. Wonder Man says nuts to that. He asks Wanda to come and help him look for Grim Reaper but her powers are still gone so she's not sure what help she can be. So he says nuts to her and flies off half-cocked.

Later, the Avengers West Coast investigate various places for robots or weird pesticide spraying without finding much of anything.

Iron Man checks Riverside, US Agent checks Hollywood, Wasp checks Pomona, and Dr Pym and Wanda coordinate from the Compound.

But Hawkeye has gone rogue, going to investigate a closed down section of the metro rail tunnel without checking in with base.

And Quicksilver and Tigra have also gone rogue so they could sneak up and give him shit about going rogue. Because he was so obviously going to sneak off and go rogue that they couldn't help but follow him.

Hawkeye confesses that he took the malathion nighttime spraying stuff US Agent brought to the Avengers very seriously for reasons he can't really explain.

So he looked at the reports of nighttime sprayings and found that they made a nice circle around a metro tunnel that had been closed after a fire. Which IS a very ripped from the headlines thing, as an editorial caption confirms that the fire was in all the papers.

Rather than tell anyone about this lead, Hawkeye did not tell anyone. So the Avengers are flying around everywhere, wasting their time, so that Hawkeye can be the big man who cracks the case wide open.

Not a very good team player for a guy who wants to lead the team again.

Anyway, he's stuck with Tigra and Quicksilver now.

Tigra bends the bars over the tunnel entrance so they can get in. And she spots a minute crack in the wall where a secret tunnel (SECRET TUNNEL) was covered up.

Hawkeye blasts a new entrance hole with one of his arrows and the three go through to find a hi-tech secret base.

A base with a helicopter, like the ones that have been spotted spraying at night! Also, robots! Like the ones Hank and Jan found!

Team Hawkeye assumes hostility and starts bashing the bots. And they take care of them fairly quickly. Pietro hits one bot with another and then cheekily suggests he's available to help the other two Avengers. But they're also already done.

Hawkeye: "Four up, four down. All our super hero free-for-alls should be that easy!"

But just as Tigra is vowing she won't leave this base until she finds out what's going on, Ultron backhands her from the shadows and tells the Avengers they're not even allowed to leave.

Hawkeye says don't make me shoot you with an exploding arrow after already firing one. But you know Ultron, always made of really strong metal.

He shrugs off Hawkeye's electro-net arrows and then ZAPTs him.

Quicksilver tries running around and around to buffet Ultron with hurricane force winds. Ultron is even less bothered by that.

Ultron: "In earlier incarnations I created the Vision, and survived his betrayal --- I faced Avengers and Fantastic Four together, in the Inhumans' Great Refuge -- ! I triumphed even in battle with Ultron-12, who tried to usurp my identity and my station --" casually clotheslines Pietro "-- and now they send a mere jogger against me? It is almost -- insulting."

Hey. Hey, Quicksilver? Maybe you should have used that superspeed to run and get help.

By the time the Avengers waked up, Ultron has tubed them.

Villains love tubes.

Hawkeye: "Tigra -- Quicksilver -- you two all right?" Tigra: "Well, I had a bit of a cold, and Pietro's been complaining about an ingrown toenail..." Quicksilver: "This is hardly the occasion, Tigra -- !"

This is a superhero comic, Hawkeye. You're fighting a robot that's the unrestrained id of your fellow hero. Maybe a few yuks aren't genre inappropriate.

Hawkeye admits belatedly that maybe he shouldn't have run off without telling the others where he was going. But he guesses that Ultron is behind the farmer robots AND the night spraying?

Ultron confirms. He's been placing robots amongst the wheat farms of California so that they can add a crystalline substance to the crop. The spraying is another way of getting that same substance into circulation.

Hawkeye assumes that Ultron is trying to poison humanity but Ultron says he's trying to evolve them. Into robots. That's evolution... probably.

And in the half hour that the heroes were unconscious and being tubed, Ultron sprayed them too.

Ultron: "You see -- in the past, I made the fundamental error of wishing to conquer the human race. What use could I possibly have for men, either free or slaves? At last, I see what should always have been my true goal: to replace every man, woman, and child on the planet -- with living ROBOTS who are nothing more nor less than four billion extensions of myself!"

Ah, assimilation plot.

Very evil robot supervillain of you, Ultron. Although, I assume that if you ever manage to accomplish this, you won't be satisfied with the result. You wouldn't dick around with making robot wives so often if you wanted to sit around talking to yourself all day.

Still, I wonder how the Avengers West Coast is going to get out of this one. They don't have the heavy hitters they usually rely on to deal with Ultrons.

Wonder Man flipped the Avengers the double birds and went off into a back-up story to cover his subplot. Scarlet Witch lost her powers. Thor and Vision are with the East Coast Avengers. I guess Dr Pym is around but his track record against Ultron is... bad.

Anyway, speaking of Wonder Man subplot...

Not sure why this needed to be a back-up story. Roy Thomas worked on both the main story and this. Other issues of Avengers have had subplots going on at the same time as the main story.

Anyway, Grim Reaper ate a guy.

And just when he's relishing the meal and making it oddly sexual

Grim Reaper: "Tell me, friend... Was it good for you, too?"

Wonder Man shows up and punches him through a wall.

And credit where it's due, Wonder Man remembers that there's other plot threads going on and asks if Grim Reaper is involved with the night spraying that is turning people into robots.

Grim Reaper: "I don't even know what you're talking about! Why would I want to do something like that -- when I need human life to exist?"

He raises a good point.

Wonder Man says that means they're on the same side on this one and suggests Grim Reaper surrender and let the Avengers help him with his horror hunger.

Grim Reaper tzzakks Wonder Man. The Avengers are just humans and humans are just food. Except Wonder Man, who is useless as a food because he would eat Grim Reaper instead.

Since Grim Reaper can't really hurt Wonder Man, he plans to drop a building on him. To keep him out of the way!

BUT OUT OF NOWHERE, MANDRILL!

Not entirely out of nowhere. He's Nekra's sister and he tracked down Grim Reaper because he's furious that he killed her.

If only he were better at not getting killed.

Luckily for him, he'll be saved from death by poor editorial oversight.

He'll pop up thirteen years later with no explanation in a She-Hulk comic because somebody either forgot or didn't care that he was dead.

Wonder Man is horrified and clearly Grim Reaper killing a monkey man was a line too far in the way that him killing a random man was not.

Wonder Man: "You better kill me, too, Eric -- before I get my second wind. Because if you don't -- after what I've just seen -- I won't rest -- till one of us is back in that grave of yours!" Grim Reaper: "You almost wish I'd bury you beneath a mountain of rubble, don't you, Simon? Then you could stop feeling responsible for all the lives I've taken -- the ones I'll go on taking. I'd almost prefer to let you live -- so you can suffer every time you hear I've killed someone -- Which should be at least once a day. Yes, I think I will leave you in torment for a while. Then, when I feel you've agonized enough -- I'll finally come back and finish the job!"

Grim Reaper jumps down a manhole but Wonder Man is stopped from following him when the police arrive. What with all the dead bodies around, seeming to flee would be a bad move so Wonder Man stays put.

Police: "Saw somebody duck down that manhole as we drove up, Wonder Man. Any idea who the killer was?" Wonder Man: "Afraid not, officer. It was someone... I never knew...!"

So that's about where Wonder Man is falling on the drama scale right now.

Next Avengers time, the East Coast branch changes up their roster. But next Avengers West Coast time,

Follow @essential-avengers for more Avengers at this Avengers channel at the usual Avengers time. Like, reblog, comment, subscribe and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

[holy-shit-comics]

[phantom-the-spookyboi]

Avengers/Watchmen

idk thought it'd be fun

[thedarktowerdames]

Art Edit Credit to Roberto Coltro

[shamlesspandanerd]

[buckys-arm-and-rios-dagger]

When your ex-boyfriend you had an ugly breakup with calls you to stop a world-ending threat but fails to tell you you're gonna be on a team with your other ex-boyfriend who you had a second, uglier, more recent breakup with all while you're just trying to be a single dad to the daughter you had with your missing presumed dead wife

[wanderingmind867]

Actually thinking about it after having read some of the old 60s Ant-Man and Iron Man comics, The Origin Avengers actually aren't as boring as I once felt they were. Thinking about the original five members (I'm not counting the Hulk, the Hulk belongs with the Defenders to me), you've got:

• A man living on borrowed time (Iron Man)

• A man who thought he was human, but now knows his whole life is a lie and he was secretly a vessel for a god (Dr. Don Blake/Thor)

• A man with bipolar disorder and trauma from a dead wife (Ant-Man/Giant-Man)

• A man from another time (Captain America)

Really, the only well adjusted person here might be the Wasp. And even then, I think her father died (I was just getting to rereading her debut comic). So really, these people all have trauma they need to deal with.

[hjbirthdaywishes]

September 25, 2024

Happy 80 Birthday to Michael Douglas.

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: Avengers West Coast #67: "CONVERGING TRAJECTORIES"

February, 1991

By Avengers BETRAYED!

Okay, so Hawkeye, Quicksilver, and Tigra have been turned into robots. Tigra still having normal hair is weirding me out. Because she's covered by fur and that turned into metal. Quicksilver's ridiculous hair is covered by the logo so I can't tell if its metal or not. But I just want some consistency.

Anyway. We continue the Reaper and the Robot arc. Which seems to be about Grim Reaper, now a life force guzzling zombie, and Ultron, a robot.

Last times, Wonder Man learned his brother was alive again and killing people to stay alive. He's got a bee in his bonnet about it, believing that every person the Reaper kills is his responsibility for not stopping him. When the Avengers had different priorities, he stormed off to look for Grim Reaper alone.

Meanwhile, the Avengers are investigating robot farmers and helicopters secretly spraying stuff at night that seems to be giving people a case of skin turning into metal.

Hawkeye got the idea to check an abandoned subway tunnel and went off without telling anyone. Quicksilver and Tigra tailed him (without telling anyone where they were going) and then they discovered and got captured by Ultron.

Who is going to spray them with spray that turns them into robots.

Archie Robotnik, eat your heart out.

Ultron has a lot to say about life and such. But his plan to turn mankind into robots is well on its way, with his robot farmers putting the roboticizing compound on wheat and his helicopter spraying it over residential areas at night.

Currently, he only has a few hundred people fully converted into robot puppets. But every day, that number multiplies.

Ultron has some of his robot puppets stage a street brawl to lure Iron Man into a fight, just to see how well they hold up in a fight with a superhero.

I love Tony thinking "they haven't managed to do me any real damage" a second before getting hit with an entire street light.

Anyway, once Tony starts actually trying, he knocks out the three roboticzied humans in fairly short order. And then he's at a loss of what to do with them since they're the victims here.

Ultron is pretty satisfied with how the fight went, even though his dudes lost. Because his mental control over his robot puppets, his andrones, is so complete, he experienced the fight as if he was there in person.

Meanwhile, Grim Reaper has been spying on Ultron's monologuing and was startled to hear that Ultron was going to turn humanity into robots, leaving him no one to feed on.

He's been sneaking up behind Ultron this whole time but Ultron knew he was there.

Ultron lunges at Grim Reaper, who lashes out defensively and manages to cut the adamantium of Ultron's arm.

Ultron finds that a bit fascinating. I'm guessing it's because magic. The scythe is magic now and sidesteps durability.

Having his arm cut doesn't really hinder Ultron because he has auto-repair. A healing factor if you will. Adamantium plus healing factor. Hmm...

He's a better Wolverine than Wolverine. And what he does isn't pretty.

Ultron realizes that Grim Reaper is dead now and decides that he may as well test out some theories he has about the Reaper and his scythe having developed a symbiotic relationship.

Using his laser eyes, which he has, why wouldn't he?, he fuses the scythe to Grim Reaper's arm so it can't be removed. Which the Grim Reaper actually likes.

Ultron: "You who are dead yet 'live' -- and I who am the ultimate synthetic embodiment of life -- we shall make quite a team, Reaper!" Grim Reaper: "Yes, Ultron. Quite a team."

Ah, I see. I said Ultron wouldn't like turning the world into robot puppets because he wants someone to monologue to. If Grim Reaper is joining him, then he'll always have someone around to talk at.

Grim Reaper explains that he needs to murder someone every 24 hours to keep 'alive' and Ultron says he would offer him one of the three Avengers but their transformation into robots is too far along.

Later and elsewhere, Dr Pym and Wanda have come to UCLA to borrow their new super-computer. Dr Falk, who I guess is in charge of it, isn't keen on letting superheroes get involved in an academic institution and doesn't even care how important the reason is. But someone over her head has authorized it so she just tells Hank he has five hours.

What Hank wants to do is to study the scrap of the robot farmers he and Janet encountered and the metal flakes that stuck to US Agent's gloves when he confronted that protester with the metal rash, and see if he can establish a connection.

You know, the usual superhero thing. I wonder why he needed the UCLA super-computer. Don't the Avengers have top-of-the-line lab equipment?

Anyway, Hank starts doing some science and Wanda starts feeling like a third wheel. Without her powers, there's not a lot she can offer the team and wonders whether she should even stay on the team.

But while she's musing on that for an hour, Hank makes a breakthrough! He's fairly certain he can cure the metallic rash, if the case isn't too advanced! With light, of all things!

Then the three roboticized Avengers burst in through the skylight and backhand Hank unconscious.

Wanda realizes that they're not in their right minds and yells at Quicksilver not to let someone turn him into a murder.

And then Dr Falk comes in yelling about the racket so robo-Quicksilver throws Wanda into Dr Falk, knocking both women out. The three roboticized Avengers then start trashing the lab.

This is why Dr Falk didn't want to let superheroes use the equipment!

But Iron Man, US Agent, and Wasp rush in for the rescue!

Iron Man called the other two and had them assemble on Hank's location after taking those random andrones to the hospital and having them checked out.

He warns the other Avengers not to let themselves be hit. With the andrones having a lot of their meat replaced with metal, getting hit by them is like getting run over by a tank.

Wasp wants to hear ideas for how to stop the androne Avengers without hurting them and Iron Man isn't sure they can be stopped.

And I see where he's coming from. The three formerly normal andrones he fought weren't really a match for him but they were tough. And if you combine superpowers with that... That's just scary.

But also, Iron Man doesn't want to hurt his friends. Especially since they're under someone else's influence.

Meanwhile, US Agent is okay with fighting an androne Hawkeye. He would have preferred to punch the flesh and blood version. Because US Agent has a chip on his shoulder the exact size and shape of the Grand Canyon.

And also he punches a metal man in the face and goes ow my bones.

Wonder Man shows up to help. And hopefully is ready to accept that this whole robot farmers thing was something that needed looking into.

Simon flies past, snagging Tigra off Iron Man's back by the hair and then flies her into Hawkeye.

Meanwhile, Iron Man tests out his new magnet function.

He just lifts Quicksilver off the ground so he can't go anywhere.

Kind of the logical weakness to a guy whose whole thing is running really fast.

I give it props for a fun device for Tony just to have already equipped in his armor.

Hank recovers from being backhanded and yells at Iron Man that light is probably the answer. So Iron Man configures his chest uni-beam to blast out different kinds of light radiation until he hits the right one.

Infrared light knocks the andrones the fuck out! It doesn't cure them but Hank thinks maybe the right frequency of infrared might do it.

He's kinda just guessing, though. He didn't even know infrared was the key until five seconds ago.

I assume that the uni-beam shoots out concentrated infrared but it's still a secret weakness for Ultron's big plan to turn humanity into robots. Isn't infrared everywhere?

Wanda asks Simon whether he's still looking for his brother. And Wonder Man says he is. But if his brother is looking for whoever is turning people into robots, then Simon can work the same case and probably run into Eric.

Dr Falk comes out to yell at the Avengers some more and the funniest thing is, they don't even react to her.

Just completely do not respond to her.

Because, it's not a productive line of accusation to humor, honestly.

Iron Man starts trying different frequencies of infrared to try to cure Tigra, Quicksilver, and Hawkeye. But he despairs that there are an infinite number of frequencies and it could take years to get the right one by random guessing.

And by trying over and over again, Iron Man is straining the uni-beam. If it burns out, it could take days to get equivalent equipment.

But talking about the odds makes Wanda wish that her powers could come back, even if for just a second. Just long enough to alter the probabilities of finding the right frequency to yes.

Wanda waves her hands around and scrunches her face in CONCENTRATION and maybe it works!

There could have been ambiguity if Dr Pym hadn't yelled 'ah ha, the Scarlet Witch must have altered probability to make it more likely that we'd succeed.'

Ffs Hank, you don't always have to be right about everything.

So, I guess Wanda's powers are back? Everyone is acting like that's the case.

Although, the infrared-ing was only mostly successful. Hawkeye is left with a metal hand. And he even grouses that he wishes that they left him a brainless robot puppet so he wouldn't have to be a freak with a metal hand.

Punch him in the future, Winter Bucky.

The three dingbats, Tigra, Hawkeye, and Quicksilver don't remember running into Ultron, finding his lair, all of that.

Hank wants to use the UCLA computer to figure out which infrared frequency worked to cure the metal-izing.

Does... Does Iron Man's armor not track that information? That's an odd choice.

Dr Falk yells that the Avengers can't use the super-computer again but Iron Man goes nuh uh, we have special Avengers priority so yes we can.

This again makes me think that the East Coast Avengers had their charter revoked but the West Coast Avengers didn't. What an odd decision.

Anyway, Dr Pym can't shake a worry that whoever (Ultron) is behind the metal rash will strike before they're ready and will change a large number of people into robot slaves.

BECAUSE HANK ALWAYS HAS TO BE RIGHT ABOUT THINGS. He is exactly right.

Ultron is planning to hit the Rose Parade.

And Grim Reaper is planning to start a human farm, so he'll always have a private stock and a breeding population.

What a story this is.

Next time, switching back over to the Avengers for their dealings with the Tetrarchs of Entropy and to see if the reserve squad does anything.

Next next time, more the Reaper and the Robot.

Follow @essential-avengers for more of this exact kind of thing. Like and reblog to show appreciation. Comment maybe? Follow your heart.

[donnatroyprincessofthemyscira]

Art Edit Credit to Roberto Coltro

[wwprice1]

Awesome Kevin Nowlan cover.

[stewardofningishzida]

Stephen Strange Meta-Fic Sequel Chapter 9: Silly Witch…

Okay, people! The latest plotline is underway! Our heroes need to get their friend back and there’s no time to lose! Thank you to our lovely Trix, Prettywitch, and Tear for sticking around still!

SPOILERS AHOY: Loki

TRIGGER WARNING: Torture, kidnapping, mentions of death

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*We arrive at Avengers Campus and notice Scott walking by.*

Me (quickly):  Scott, we need to call a meeting.  It’s urgent.

Scott: Sure. What’s up?

Stephen (grim):  Agatha Harkness has kidnapped Trix.

Scott: *He stares at Stephen quizzically.* Wait…the crazy witch lady that Stark was talking about?

Stephen: Yes.  She took Trix hostage as retaliation for the girls’ informing us about Wanda.  We attempted to protect them, but Harkness somehow managed to get past the wards and grabbed her.

Me:  It seemed like she manipulated Trix somehow.  It was like Trix was her usual self at first, but then she suddenly went into some kind of spiral and yanked open the door.  Then, she passed out and when Tear and I tried to catch her, she vanished in a puff of purple smoke.

Stephen (disturbed at what I just said):  …Mental manipulation.  Agatha must have used Trix’s magical signature as a conduit since you four have different energy signatures than the wards and other spells in our universe.

Scott: I have no idea what any of that means.

*Prettywitch snickers, unable to keep herself from finding Lang adorable in a moment of crisis.*

Stephen (snippy):  So, are you going to call the meeting or not?  *He’s getting agitated due to being worried about Trix.  If Scott won’t call the meeting, then he will.*

Scott: Hey, take it easy, Stephen. I never said I wouldn’t. Besides, I still owe you one for showing up at Cassie’s birthday party. *He pulls out his communicator and hits the emergency meeting button installed on it.* Alright, see you guys in an hour. 

*He goes to find the remaining Avengers currently present on the campus.*

*Stephen doesn’t leave our side.  Though he does end up pacing agitatedly after a while as we wait.  After an hour, we enter the conference room with Scott and Peter.  Tony and Steve have already come in.  They had switched places with Rhodey and Sam a few days back to rest while other heroes tend to stabilizing our universe.*

*Fury is sitting at the head of the table with a deadpan look on his face and glances at Stephen and the girls.*

Fury (sarcastically): So, how did magical protective custody turn out? I see you’re down a person.

Stephen (coldly, trying not to lose his temper):  Still better than your option.  There would have been more of them missing and sooner without the wards.

Scott: Yeah, about that. You lost one of them?

Peter: “Lost one of them?” You can really lose people inside Kamar-Taj? *He looks between Scott and Stephen, slightly anxious as he’s been inside the temple before*

Tony: *He sighs tiredly* I don’t think he means Stephen misplaced them, kid. The Purple Witch of the West clearly got her claws on her.

Peter: *His eyes widen and he stiffens in his panic, too concerned to worry about being embarrassed* What? She did? Who did she take? Are they okay?

Steve (stern and concerned):  How did this happen?  

Stephen (trying to be patient):  Agatha bypassed our magic by using the girls�� energy as a conduit.  It’s similar to…Hmm…What Stark would say a VPN is on a computer.  She used it to manipulate Trix into opening the door and breaking the wards.  Then, Agatha abducted her before anyone could do anything to stop her.  From what we saw, Agatha is holding Trix hostage within an enchanted crystal and has threatened to kill her if any of our trained sorcerers follow her.

*Steve listens.  He doesn’t really understand it, but he lets Stephen talk.*

Scott: So, it’s basically a firewall breach but with magic.

Tony: Goddammit… *He rubs a hand down his face and shifts in agitation* And how certain are we that she’s actually crazy enough to go through with that threat? Could it be a simple bluff?

*Stephen nods at Scott affirmatively.  He then looks grimly at Tony.*

Me (tense):  She DID try to bump Tear, Prettywitch, and me off in the tunnels.  Said something about “hopefully your corpses will contain enough useful residual energy.”

Stephen:  Agatha carrying through on her threat is very possible.  She appears to want information and to…experiment on one of the girls…It is highly likely that once she gets what she wants, she…*He cuts off, clearly dreading what could happen.*

Peter: *He rushes to interject, eager to pull the adults from such dark endings* But we can still find Trix then, right? If Agatha did, then so could you and Mr. Wong. And we can plan an extraction together. Not to be mean or anything but…*He winces at Stephen*...sorcerers don’t tend to expect tech to be used against them. The Stark tech only continues to work because you’ve helped improve it with magic and…stuff.

Stephen (at this point, he’s willing to take any help he can get):  We COULD locate them, but Wong and I cannot follow…Peter does raise a good point in that regard, I suppose.  *He appears to be silently mulling something over.*

Fury: So we’re dealing with yet another magic user who loves to mess around in people’s heads and doesn’t hesitate to retaliate? This is the third one in a decade. You better have solutions for this breach in defenses for us mere mortals. *He’s still annoyed at being snubbed at the last meeting* Let alone that woman was the one who shared the most information and I doubt she’s had training to not share information through torture. If she knows this much about everything and has been captured, she’s a liability at this point.

Stephen (irritated):  Just like SHIELD is doing with the Ten Rings?  How is the current situation with HYDRA, by the way? 

*Fury looks unimpressed but doesn’t push more on the issue for now*

Me:  Tear, Prettywitch, and I are still novices.  Our signatures are still rather weak and Agatha bragged about finding us by sensing a “dead zone”.  So, since she probably isn’t in one of those areas, our signatures are more easily concealed.  We want in on this rescue mission.  *I’m firm*

Steve:  Well…Do you girls have any non-magical skills that could help?

Me (coolly):  We’ve been receiving martial arts training, as well as with some melee weapons.  Before coming here, I had advanced fencing training and some mixed martial arts from my dad since he’s a Marine.  Prettywitch has some prior training too.  Also, I can pick locks, make small explosive rigs, wire some objects to shock people, tie several strong knots, and a few other things.

*Stephen looks back at me and raises an eyebrow.  I hadn’t mentioned any of that before.  Despite this, he isn’t reassured and hates having to essentially sit back while all of this is happening.  The Sorcerer Supreme is also highly aware of Wong’s own agitation.  Neither of them like where this is going.*

*Steve is taken aback by this and more than a little suspicious of me after I admit to these things.*

Tony: *He waves a hand at Steward, palm facing up* Sounds like the basic Avenger skill set to me. Any of you know how to shoot a gun?

Me:  I don’t, unfortunately.  Can use a recurve bow and crossbow.  That’s it.

Prettywitch: *I shy my gaze away.* I don’t have any melee training, sadly. I am a pretty good swimmer, though.

Tear: *I meekly raise a hand* I can. Dad kept a shotgun in the house in case of intruders when I was younger…and I’ve had some weird boyfriends who thought shooting ranges made for cool dates… *I cross my arms and look away, clearly embarrassed*

Tony: Right, I don’t know why I’m surprised anymore. I can help equip them with a few things, for protection mainly. Maybe Rhodey can be convinced to do so as well. I don’t have any full suits, custom or otherwise. I don’t exactly run a leasing program.

Scott: I can probably help modify goggles for night vision.

Fury (grimacing): So what happens if more of you get captured then?

Stephen:  I was thinking the same thing, honestly.  However, I also know that these three won’t sit quietly either…Seeing as they’re hell-bent on participating in this rescue, we think it’s best that they do so while we can keep an eye on them to prevent more of them being captured.  *He still has an intense expression on his face.*

Scott: *Raises his hand to volunteer.* I can go with them.

Stephen:  Okay.  *He’s still not as familiar with Scott as the others, but his skills seem appropriate and Scott did help them defeat Thanos.  So, Stephen agrees to this as he continues to ponder.*

Prettywitch: So…does that mean we shrink down?

Scott: Yeah, but the problem is trying to convince Hank to let me use the Pym particles on a bunch of kids. He’s still pretty mad about me and Hope joining the Avengers. 

Fury (deadpan): You don’t think a multiversal threat that can manipulate and destroy anyone she comes across isn’t a compelling enough argument? 

Me:  We’re all in our 20’s and 30’s.  So, that might help a bit if he’s aware that we can understand the risks.

Scott: Okay. You have met Hank, right? Quick to anger, made a Hydra agent eat a table? He’s not exactly known for being chill under pressure. Believe me, I know!

*Fury just stares at him and then sighs.*

Fury (resigned): Strange, I would say to send one of your…apprentices along with Lang to convince Pym with the sob story but I have the feeling you’ll go feral if I even attempted to suggest that.

*Stephen turns to Fury with a look that all but confirms that fact.*

Prettywitch: Don’t worry, Fury. Stephen won't have a problem with it…because he’ll be coming with us. Won’t you, Stephen?

Stephen (displeased, but reluctantly agreeing to it):  Fine.  Though Wong will be keeping an eye on the rest of you.  None of you are to leave our sight.  Understood?  *He’s firm*

Me:  Yes, sir.

Tear: Promise we’ll behave. We don’t want to cause you or Wong any more trouble.

Prettywitch: Ditto.

Fury: Keep us updated on your progress and next steps. This witch has the potential to do a hell of a lot of harm if she gets the bright idea to step out of the shadows for once.

Tony: Pete and I will touch base with Rhodey and Wong, see what kind of equipment we can provide for you all. We’ll strategize and form a plan with Cap once you return. It’ll be easier if we know what we’ll have to our disposal.

Steve:  We’ll hold the fort over here and alert you if there are any additional developments in the meantime.

Scott: I’ll let Hank know you guys are coming.

Stephen:  Okay, so which one of you is coming with me to speak with Hank Pym?

Me:  I’ll go.  I can be diplomatic if needed.

Prettywitch: Tear and I can stay here in case they need an extra hand.

Stephen:  Okay.  Tear, PrettyWitch, stay with Wong and the Avengers.  Scott, Steward, and I will be back shortly.  *He opens a portal and sends the two girls back to Wong at Kamar-Taj alongside Tony and Peter.  Then, he opens a new portal to Hank Pym’s office once Scott finishes his notification.*

~~~~~

*Agatha is happily bustling about her lair as she starts getting preparations together for her  guest of honor. She has taken off the crystal necklace and it is floating above the onyx slab table in the center of the room. Compared to how it looked back at Kamar-Taj as a dark eggplant color, now it is cycling between a light violet and a bright orange.*

Agatha: Now my dear, you truly are something interesting. Completely different kind of magic just popping up like a weed out of nowhere. That and you and your friends seem to know way more than you let on… *she stops moving and turns to the necklace* Let’s start off easy… *she whispers a spell and purple smoke blows out of her lips and circles the necklace before it seems to be pulling something out of it. Finally, a violet and orange orb emerges from the crystal and begins to shape into a translucent form…*

Agatha: Alrighty, we never got formally introduced. My name is Agatha Harkness and you ruined my plans. Who are you supposed to be?

*Trix is floating about a foot above the necklace, seemingly tethered the crystal like a ball and chain. She is groggy and confused but takes a moment to realize where she is and just who is in front of her.*

Trix (out of it): Oh! It’s you! I love you, you’re one of my favorites! I was supposed to know something about you right now…damn I’m still useless… *she seems to shrink into herself for a bit*

Agatha: I’m glad that you could finally meet me then! Tell me- what’s been your favorite thing you know me from. *She’s slightly confused but isn’t going to let a chance like this go to waste*

*Trix is looking like she would fall over to the ground if she had a body at the moment but tries to focus on Agatha.*

Trix: You were in Wandavision. You had a catchy theme song and everything and almost won… *She starts to piecing together in her mind what’s going on and physically recoils when she looks down to find the situation she’s found herself in* Oh. We’re in that part now, huh.

Agatha (puzzled): I’m rather curious about you. Like how exactly you knew about my plans. Is it that seer friend of yours? It’s written all over her magic that she’s clairvoyant, same for the medium. It was you and that other one that were trickier to whittle down. But you’re still aware of details without your little group around as well. *She frowns and brings her hand up to her mouth in thought*

Trix: Listen, I just like to keep up with some of the more important magic users! It’s why I’m such a fan of you! *She’s trying not to get nervous but she has no idea what sort of spells that Agatha has going on. It’s better for her to tell the truth than get caught in a lie*

Agatha *She begins circling the table, looking up at Trix*: So, are you a witch then? Is this the Sorcerer Supreme’s attempts at an experiment? Combining witchcraft and the mystic arts to make up for the loss of their infinity stone? *She frowns to herself*

Trix: I mean, I don’t know what his plans are- they kinda just grabbed us from our home and suddenly we were being trained! 

Agatha *She hums*: So, why the different magical signatures then? I know what their goody-two-shoes ‘mystic arts’ looks like and I have seen nearly every form of witchcraft on this earth and yet four women show up out of nowhere with an entirely new one. 

Trix: I don’t kn- *She hisses in pain as her form begins to glitch out with magical sparks. Agatha smiles*

Agatha (cheerfully): You know, props to you for making it this long without lying to me. I was looking forward to a light show but you’ve only given me some $5 sparklers. *She laughs* Not that I’m complaining but I thought you’d make this more fun.  *She comes closer to the crystal and stares up intently at her* Now that you are starting to learn the consequences, why don’t we try that again?

Trix (nervous): Okay! Okay, I’ll tell you everything I know about what’s going on. But I want to know some things too. For every question I answer, you teach me something new about witchcraft. Where I’m from we didn’t have witchcraft like yours and when I found out about you, I was fascinated! Please? *She’s trying to be as convincing as possible*

*Agatha stares at her seriously for a moment before letting out a laugh and backing off and Trix lets out a small silent sigh of relief*

Agatha: I respect the hustle, kid. I really do. You’re lucky I want to learn your secrets today because lessons with Auntie Agatha don't normally come cheap. Fine, I’ll play this game so long as you tell me everything you know about what’s going on. Otherwise, I might get a bit clumsy and drop that crystal on the ground and Humpty Dumpty isn’t going to get put back together again…

*Agatha gives her a sharp grin and Trix smiles weakly back in response. She’s going to have to think on her feet to get out of this and honestly, she might have just made a deal with the devil.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Stephen, Scott, and I arrive in Hank Pym’s office and wait for the man to come in.*

Hank (coming into his office briskly): Stephen! It’s been awhile; good to see you. I take it this is one of the girls you mentioned, Scott?

Scott: Yup.

*Stephen greets Hank politely.*

Stephen:  Hello, Hank.  

*I watch the conversation start and give a meek wave, a bit shy around the older man.*

Me (polite):  Hello, Dr. Pym.  I’m Steward.  

Hank: It’s nice to meet you, Steward. I’ve heard a little about your situation from Scott and I’m eager to learn more. (He holds his hand out to Steward for her to shake it and, noticing she’s hesitant, smiles.) It’s okay, I don’t bite.

Scott: Isn’t that what you said to Peter the other day before you chewed him out for…(He sees Hank slowly turning to give him the death glare.) You know, you’re right. I’m shutting up now.

Hank: Thank you. (Turns back to Steward.) Anyway, I look forward to helping you.

*Stephen gives me a gentle nudge to snap me out of the shyness.  I’m slightly startled, but look back at Hank.*

Me:  Thank you.  *I reach out to shake his hand, keeping it professional with a small smile of my own before getting serious.*  Erm…Unfortunately, one of us, Trix, has been abducted by a witch and we need some non-magical means to slip past her detection.  We were hoping that we could borrow some of your equipment for the rescue mission if that’s okay.  *I’m still slightly cautious, but figure that Hank would appreciate a direct and honest approach.*  I also figured that maybe if things work out, then you might be curious about interdimensional energy and travel.  So…Maybe if we can get the mess sorted out, you could visit our universe.  The differences in quantum energy between universes could be interesting.  *I offer this, speaking from scientist to scientist.*

Hank: Well that depends…(Turns to Scott) Will you be there with them?

Scott: Yeah, of course.

Hank: (Turns back to Steward) Then you’ve got yourself a deal. (He motions for the trio to follow him and they do.)

Scott: Wow. I actually thought it would take awhile to convince you.

Hank: If you’re with them, there’s less of a chance of something going wrong. Just…try to keep it under the radar. I don’t need the FBI on my ass…again.

Scott: (Sigh) You’re just never gonna let go, are you?

Hank: You had me on the run for the Government for two years!

Scott: Oh, right! Cause you were living so uncomfortably!

Hank: And you weren’t?

Scott: (He’s realizing he has no argument for them.) Point taken.

*Stephen watches everything unfold quietly, slightly amused by the bickering.*

(They step into Hank’s lab.)

*I’m intrigued, glancing around curiously.  Though I’m also being careful not to touch anything.*

Hank: So, tell me a little bit about this witch.

Stephen:  Her name is Agatha Harkness and she practices Dark Magic.  Her original goal was to corrupt Wanda Maximoff with the Darkhold, but the girls informed us about it and we managed to stop her.  As retaliation, Harkness went after the girls.  Wong and I attempted to keep them in protective custody until she could be captured, however something went wrong.

Me:  Agatha essentially used our different magical signatures as a conduit to get past Stephen and Wong’s wards and manipulated Trix into opening the door.  She basically forced Trix into a mental breakdown.  Tear, PrettyWitch, and I tried to stop her, but it happened so quickly…As soon as the door was opened, it broke Stephen and Wong’s wards and Trix disappeared in a puff of smoke.  *I speak grimly.*

*Stephen looks at me empathetically, the truth of the matter on how Agatha got to us finally starting to sink in.*

Hank: A magical bypass…Well, I’ve got something that should work. Although it is experimental. (He pulls out what looks like a regular old press-on tattoo.) This is the Achilles Tendon; it’s meant to neutralize incoming frequencies and disruptions without your opponent knowing.

Me:  So, it’s effectively a wearable signal jammer so she can’t interfere with any of us during the rescue?

Hank: Exactly. I’m not exactly sure how powerful it will be against magic, but I’m sure that’s something you can help with, Stephen.

Stephen:  I can.  Do you have an extra one for me to reverse-engineer?

Hank: I do. (He tosses it Stephen’s way.)

*Stephen catches it.  As he does, his expression lightens.  It appears he has multiple ideas.*

Stephen:  Great.  *He nods at Hank gratefully*  I’ll get to work on it.  

Hank: Good. I’ll set you up with some more discs, Scott can show you how to use them when you get back to the compound.

Me: Thank you, Sir.

Hank: Don’t mention it. Good luck.

Me (slight smile):  Heh…If the lab is still reasonably intact and my boss lets me, maybe I can let you and Tony check it out.  I’m in biomedical science, but it still could be interesting.  *I’m showing gratitude*

Hank: (Chuckles) I’d like that.

Stephen:  We’ll report back to the compound for now.  Thanks, Hank.  We’ll keep you updated.  *His trademark smirk is beginning to reappear.*

Hank: You’re welcome.

Scott: Oh yeah, Hank? Would you mind texting Hope and let her know I’m gonna be running late tonight?

Hank: Text her yourself, she and Janet are out having a spa day.

Scott: Oh yeah…Hope mentioned something out that…now that I remember.

*After he texts Hope, we accept the tech from Hank and portal back to the Avengers Compound.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Trix is beaten and battered as she hisses in pain, landing hard on unfamiliar ground. As she looks around, she seems startled as she finds a landscape made up of orange and purple, the colors swirling together like a lava lamp. She has no idea how she got there, as the last thing she remembered was Agatha’s crazed eyes. Trix hadn’t given up any important information (in her eyes) yet, but had dragged the conversation along until the witch grew tired of waiting for a relevant answer and went straight to torture instead.*

Unknown Voice: I don’t know why you think that trying to outsmart a centuries old magic user is a good idea. Especially when trapped like this.

*Trix whips around to look behind her and it almost seems like halfway through the dreamscape, someone painted a line down between the halves and smothered it in green. The most surprising thing is the black haired person sitting casually on the ground, looking up at her unamused.*

Trix: I can’t tell her something important but I have to keep her distracted long enough for the rescue team to show up. Wait- *she frowns* can I not lie in here as well?

*The man sighs and stands up, revealing a very tall figure. He wanders up to the split and just stares at her. Trix merely stares back at him as she begins to recognize him*

Man: We’re in the astral plains. We’re essentially spirits here with no physical body so that leads to being unable to lie. Unfortunately the witch has extra compulsions on the crystals…

Trix: You-you’re Loki! *she is absolutely starstruck and Loki looks confused*

Loki: You know of me? I’m not even in my usual manner of dress. *He frowns and looks down at himself. He is wearing khakis and a white button up shirt. The tie is almost shredded and there’s no jacket to be found.*

Trix: You’re the one who had to deal with the TVA! Fuck, how did you end up in here? *She’s exhausted but realizing who’s there with her is giving Trix a second wind*

Loki (frowning): How…how do you know about the TVA?

Trix: Long story short, I know about what the sacred timeline is and how the multiverse was broken open by Sylvie killing the One Who Remained. *She glances around* Agatha can’t hear us here, can she?

Loki: No. We would have to be pulled out in order for us to be spied on. The one saving grace of this spell to be honest. *He stares at Trix closer* You’re not another version of me, are you? Because the female presenting ones seem to be a bit more successful in their murdering plans.

Trix (smiles weakly): No, I’m not a Loki however my nickname is based off of you. Well, it’s a nickname of a username…Trickstress turned into Trix and…y’know- *She can’t help but ramble and her body begins to tremble with both nerves and exhaustion*

Loki (gently): A pleasure to meet you then, Trix. Apologies for the terrible living conditions. Clearly you were important enough to be trapped in this torture session. *He smiles at her gently, seemingly aware she’s at her limit*

Trix: Oh no, I’m no one special. My friends are amazing and can do incredible things! I’m just the expendable one who faints whenever I come across something in a different language. *She wanders over to the border and knocks on the invisible wall before plopping down on the ground.* I just had to promise Agatha that I would tell her everything I know about what’s going on…

Loki (deep in thought): No, you’re clearly important enough to render this *he gestures wildly at their surroundings* punishment.

Trix: You mentioned we were in the astral plains…how exactly are we here?

Loki: *He sits down again, staring at Trix* This is typically used by mages to their particularly tricky or uncooperative opponents. The body is transformed and crystallized, revealing the deepest parts of one’s soul. In your case it’s the violet and orange around you. Mine matches my magic. *He gestures at his surroundings* In the same way that our body would normally house our spirit, the crystal prison that our body becomes gives others almost complete power over our souls. Such as being unable to lie. *He looks annoyed at that.*

*Trix looks around at their surroundings with a bit more hesitancy*

Trix: So you’re saying it’s pointless to try and escape?

Loki (shrugs): You mentioned having assistance so you’ve already started to stall. The only way you’re getting out of here is by outside help, a good opportunity, and luck.

Trix *confused*: Why do you say that like you’re not getting out?

Loki: I’m not a good person. I am acutely aware of that fact, especially after everything that happened after New York. No one knows that I’m here and they likely wouldn’t save me otherwise. *He isn’t upset at any of this, but states it as fact*

Trix: I would absolutely help you and the others would as well, especially after they know what’s going on. *She attempts to scoot closer to the barrier* Don’t give up on yourself yet!

Loki (smirking): I could say the same for you. You don’t seem to have a high opinion of yourself at all.

*Trix frowns and curls into herself*

Trix: So, the long story short is that my friends and I are from a universe where everything about your universe, from the ‘Sacred Timeline’ is media. Stories that were fictional and we bonded over our love of those stories. Then Stephen *she blinks a moment* Doctor Strange is what he’s formally known as and now is Sorcerer Supreme here, accidentally ended up in our universe. Our universe kinda broke and now magic is becoming real, we all got new powers but mine keeps being overwhelming, and we were brought here to try and train so we can survive and thrive at home. *Trix is rambling at this point but Loki is listening intently* The others are all able to fight, even at a beginner level, have amazing abilities like being able to talk to spirits, or advanced healing, and even foresight! I’m only able to read and understand languages but it’s just so frustrating because my brain can’t handle it! I am horrible at fighting too and injuries freak me out. I honestly shouldn’t have come, I don’t contribute much…

Loki (frowning): No, you will. You might not be able to now but you will eventually. In Asgard, you weren’t highly regarded if you weren’t a warrior. I decided to learn how to be a politician and a scholar. You don’t need everyone on the same path and same skills. *He crouches down next to me on his side of the barrier* I’m guessing I’m a character in these stories you talked about, yes?

Trix: Yeah… *finally starting to pull slightly out of the depression*

Loki (slightly frustrated but trying to be motivational): You likely know my whole story then. Even the parts from my ‘true path’ and know more than I. Yes?

*Trix nods*

Trix: Yeah, you’ve always been one of my absolute favorites. You’ve always somehow been able to get through any situation even when it’s seemed impossible.

Loki (grinning): Ah, good. Then let me become your instructor in the School of Loki. You shall be my first disciple. 

*He’s trying to goad her into a smile and is pleased when she lightly giggles in response*

Loki: Consider this an early repayment of gratitude for your dedication to both getting me out of here as well as your dedication to my story, as it were. *He sits down next to me on his side of the barrier*  First, we’re going to get you prepared to be summoned back to Agatha as I am fairly sure you haven’t been trained in how to withstand torture and interrogation, yes?

Trix: Yeah, not part of my curriculum when going to school.

Loki: Honestly, it should be. Anyway: you promised her that you would tell her everything that you know. In this, you will not lie. We are unable to at the moment.

Trix (realizing): I completely forgot about that-

Loki (slightly exasperated): Which is why I believe you about your origins and why I can’t train you as I’d like. Anyways: let’s begin-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*Stephen returns with Scott, me, and the tech in tow.*

Stephen:  Okay.  I’ll let Wong and the others know how it went.  Also, I have another idea.  We’ll discuss it once everyone is back.

*Stephen messages the Avengers to update them and then communicates with Wong.  As soon as the older sorcerer knows that things are okay, he portals Tear, Prettywitch, and the two Avengers back to the Compound to join me and the others.  A few minutes later, the rest of the Avengers assemble to begin formulating their strategy to deal with Agatha.* 

Me (small smile):  It worked out.  We have the tech.  Also, Hank wants to visit our world later on when stuff calms down.  If stuff calms down, anyway…

Tear: I’m sure it will. Tony managed to get in touch with Rhodey. He said Matt and Jen had finally made some progress in giving SHIELD and the Avengers proper authority over disaster zones.

Me:  That’s great news!  *I brighten up slightly.  Though still worried about Trix.*

Prettywitch: It’s about damn time. *She says this with a smile.*

Steve (giving a small congratulation before getting down to business):  That’s some excellent work over there.  Now to the problem at hand.  How do we locate and capture Agatha Harkness?  Also, how do we make sure she doesn’t have Trix on her?  We need to make sure we get her out safely as quickly as possible. 

Stephen:  Wong and I have already traced her location to a remote cabin in the middle of the October Mountain wilderness near Salem, Massachusetts.  That part wasn’t difficult.  Hank gave the team some wearable signal jammers and I’m going to attempt to modify them so that Harkness’ spells won’t work on anyone wearing them.  Also, I think I found a workaround for the witch’s defenses so that Wong and I can provide additional aid.

Tony: *He sends Stephen a look, genuinely impressed* So you’ll give us the Sorcerer Supreme’s version of protective charms? Sounds like we got lucky with our cereal box.

Stephen:  Technically speaking.  *He gives Tony a wry look.*

Steve:  Okay.  That’ll work as an effective defense.  What else do we need to be on the lookout for when confronting this witch?

Stephen:  She’ll most likely have several traps and wards up.  Judging by the fact that she uses Dark Magic, those wards and magical triggers for the traps will be in the form of runes.  Not all of them are visible to non-magic users.  However, the girls will be able to see them.  We did get them to that stage of their training before it was interrupted.  Anyway, most trap spells are triggered by anything larger than an insect.  As for the wards, all of the runes have to be taken out at once or they stay up.  Beyond that, be careful of any potential entities or brainwashed mortals that she might use as pawns.  

Tony: Alright, so we’ll do extensive recon. We had already determined we cannot go in, guns blazing, while Trix is still a hostage, so our strategy cannot change. *He types away at a holographic keyboard being projected from his wristwatch and finally flips his hand forward, tossing the resulting hologram to hover where everyone can easily see it. It is a terrain map of the mountain Stephen mentioned.* This is where Atom Ant and his tiny army come in. With the Pym Tech, I can equip you with scanners and beacons to help us locate these runes.

Scott: *Raises an eyebrow at Tony’s nickname.* Atom Ant?

Stephen (stepping forward quickly):  Our first priority should be to locate Agatha within her lair and confirm that Trix’s crystal is present and undamaged.  *He’s still quite livid about the situation and worried sick about Trix, but containing himself as best he can.*  Once we do, the crystal needs to be secured and taken out of Harkness’ reach.  Then, the runes must be destroyed to break the wards.  Wong and I should be able to portal to the ensuing battle as soon as Trix’s crystal is secured and the wards are down.  *The sorcerer seethes with determination.*

Scott: Hey, don’t worry, Doc. We’ll get her back. 

Steve (reassuring the sorcerer): Precisely, Stephen.  We’ll ensure that Trix gets freed safely and help the other girls through this mission.  Scott, could you please brief the team on how to use the discs Dr. Pym provided?

Scott: Sure. *He holds up two discs for everyone to see.* Alright, so there’s two different discs. Red shrinks, blue grows. Now, the way you use them is pretty simple; all you gotta do is throw them at the object or person you wanna shrink or enlarge and…bam! *He throws a red disc at Fury’s coffee cup, which shrinks.*

*The entire group listens intently to him, asking questions to be sure that everyone has the facts straight.  Scott has each person do a dry run of what to do so the risk of anything going wrong from misuse is minimized.  I’m nervous, but hiding it well.  I’ve never been in this kind of fight before.  However, my main priority is getting Trix back.  So, I listen well, answer the questions, do the drills, and stay composed.  Steve watches all of us intently.*

Steve:  If we feel confident in these drills, then we need to address how to properly disable and capture Agatha.  Stephen, any advice?

Stephen:  Magic takes focus and concentration.  If she’s too preoccupied with defending herself, then she won’t be able to hit back as effectively.  Also, most incantations have to be spoken and the proper gestures need to be made.  If you can somehow silence her and prevent her from using her hands, she can’t cast.

Me:  Tony, if you have some spare supplies, I can make some small charges and connect the detonators so they all go off at once to take down the runes.  Do you mind?  Oh!  Also, maybe some clamps, a couple of wires, and the power supply from a taser.  I’ve got an idea…*I have a slightly nasty-looking smirk at the last bit, but notice his look.*  Don’t worry.  It’s nothing lethal.  Basically, if she tries to open her door, she’ll get shocked.  It could provide an opening for a second or two while she’s stunned.

Tony: *He lifts his eyebrows at Stephen, slightly amused.* She’s devious. *He turns back to Steward and gives his consent with a small flick of his fingers.* You can grab what you need from any of the shared labs in the Compound. And I may not have any extra suits just waiting for grabs, but I do have plenty of explosives. FRIDAY can easily time the detonations. So if Mother Goose doesn’t object, you can be responsible for setting them up.

Stephen (looking at me):  Are you sure you know what you’re doing?

Me:  I do. 

*He sighs.* 

Stephen:  Please be careful and don’t blow yourself or anyone else up.

Me:  I won’t.  I’ve worked with explosive charges before.  *I have a toothy grin.  The small chips and slight cracks on my teeth are not reassuring.*

Stephen (resigned):  Do I want to know?

Me (chipper):  Probably not!

*Stephen reluctantly allows me to perform my tasks.  Though he IS hovering nearby as he works on enchanting Hank’s devices.* 

Steve:  When we have Trix’s crystal located, we’ll have to secure it quickly before Agatha can damage it.  If we can disable her quickly, then we should be able to go in and recover it without too many complications.  However, if she’s wearing or holding it, we’ll have to make sure we incapacitate her carefully without giving her an opening to make a move on the crystal.

Peter: *He sits up eagerly and lifts a hand as if they are in class.* Oh! I could easily steal it back from her if I get a clear shot at it. *He turns and shrugs at PrettyWitch, who is standing closest.* It worked when I once stole Cap’s shield.

Steve:  Admittedly, that was an effective move.

Tony: *He frowns, unsure.* I don’t think I want you anywhere near the witch, Underoos.

Steve: *Approaching the subject gently, but firmly.  He’s trying to be tactful.  Though he understands why Tony is so protective of Peter.  Even then, he also sees how much Peter has grown.*  Tony, as young as Peter is, he did help us save the universe.  Maybe it’s time that he helps more on missions if he’s willing.

Tony: *His eyes flash dangerously as he whips around to face Steve with a scandalized look.* Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware his guardianship had passed from May Parker to Steve Rogers.

*Steve puts his hands up and steps back, letting Tony speak his part.  He’s not looking for a fight.*

Stephen (stepping in):  I’ve finished my modifications on the “Achilles Tendon” devices that Hank provided.  They should ensure that everyone on this rescue mission is well-protected.  *He emphasizes the last part while looking at Tony, who looks about to explode at Steve.*

Tony: *He drags his eyes away from Steve to meet the sorcerer’s. His angry glare remains if only to hide the sheer fear in his eyes.* Can you promise me that?

Peter (meekly): I trust Doctor Strange…

Stephen (solemn):  I promise.  Everyone there will be wearing the devices, including my apprentices.  They will provide the best protection I can possibly give while unable to be there myself.  *He’s deadly serious*

Scott: *He notices the tension in the room and decides to do something about it.* Ah, great! Hank’s gonna be thrilled. *He takes the devices from Stephen and looks at Steve & Tony.* Well, come on. Let’s go. *He makes his way towards the door.* 

Tony: *He sighs and turns to Peter, pointing a scolding finger at him.* You stick close to the girls and listen to your Spidey Sense, no matter how little a tingle you feel. Got it?

Peter: *He grins, happy he got his way in the end* Got it. Just stop saying tingle.

Tony: *He pivots to point that same finger at the three women.* And that goes for you three as well. Out there, you all listen to Cap or you listen to me. No questions asked. The last thing I need is Mother Supreme haunting my ass if anything happens to any of you.

Me:  Aye, sir.  *I give Tony a serious nod.*

Tear: *She links elbows with Peter and gives both Tony and Stephen a nod.* We’ll keep each other safe.

Prettywitch:  Exactly! You two’ve got nothing to worry about.

Steve:  Okay, any more questions?  If not, then suit up.  We’re moving out in T minus 5 minutes.  Make sure everyone has everything they need. 

*Within 5 minutes, Steve, Peter, Tony, Scott, and the three women are suited up and ready for action, each person donning a modified Achilles Tendon device to block Agatha’s spells.  They use a Quinjet to get close to the location.*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*There’s no way to track the passage of time while in the astral plains, however Trix has been summoned by Agatha four times so far. Each has been harder than the last and she comes back wounded each time. This was one of the longer sessions so far.*

Loki (looking concerned at Trix): That one seemed to be a harsh session, are you alright?

Trix (laying on the ground and spasming in pain): I asked too many questions that time and I think she was getting less forgiving of my stalling. *She groans in pain and lays there for a while. Despite being in her astral form, she looks beaten and bloody.*

*Loki does a spell and a large leather bound book appears before him, floating in place right around his chest*

Loki: Let’s not waste your sacrifices then. Show me what she taught you. 

*Much to Trix’s initial surprise when he first did so, Loki is able to use magic in the astral plains and has been slowly teaching Trix to do so as well when she isn’t too burnt out. He has been collecting all of the knowledge she’s been drawing out of Agatha in a grimoire he had summoned. He slowly taught her to cast spells to show what the runes looked like in light. While Loki’s was green, Trix’s was orange.*

Trix: It was warding this time. It looked like the runes she has up in her lair. I know a little bit about runes from my world but hers are different, unsurprisingly. They looked like these-

*She casts from where she’s laying on the ground and six orange runes float above her. Loki makes a noise of acknowledgement and begins to write them down. Trix begins to explain how Agatha described each one and what each one meant and how they interact with each other.*

Trix: I recognize them from the show. She went more in depth in them here of course versus the show but they’re meant to keep people from performing magic. ‘In a given space, only the witch that cast the runes can perform her magic’ she had said in the show. Agatha didn’t say that here, only explaining the details of each one. I’m doubtful she would have taught me this if she knew that I know what they do. *She pauses a moment before looking over at Loki* I think this may be what we need to stop her.

Loki (nodding): I think you’re right. I recognize some of these but covens are notoriously picky about who they share their knowledge with. Even the names of them weren’t recorded, at least until now. They’re a superstitious lot. They believe names have power but that simply isn’t true. An old wives’ tale. 

*Trix cranes her head back at him and smiles briefly*

Trix: I’m glad we have it now. I’m running out of things to tell her before I get to the parts I do not want her to know. I already shared that we know what we do from stories that were passed down over decades. Agatha is convinced we live in some sort of coven that has the ability to determine prophecies and she seems way too interested. She keeps asking about where I came from and giving my exact city name isn’t working anymore. I think she went to investigate our city in this universe but didn’t find anything. She’s going to ask even more clarifying questions soon and I’m going to run out of ways I can stall without revealing what’s actually going on. *She starts pacing and it’s incredibly easy to slip into the beginnings of an anxiety attack due to Agatha’s manipulations*

Loki: *closes the book and makes it disappear. He looks at me with a gentle smile* You’re doing very well, Trix. The wounds on your soul are starting to pile up but you are being incredibly strong. We’ll get out of this soon. For now, rest and heal as I tell you more stories about my oaf of a brother and how I got him out of another stupid situation when we were younger. Then we can worry about appeasing the witch.

*Trix just lets out a small smile as she closes her eyes and just listens to him weave a tale meant to calm her down and make her laugh*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*As Trix endures her captivity and befriends Loki, the team proceeds to close in on Agatha’s lair.*

***To be continued***