#fusion spawns

[silyabeeodess]

Cover for the next chapter of my Fusionfall fancomic. This'll kick off the start of the next arc: Future Heroes.

[spoks-illogical-art]

fusionfall memes? in my 2023?

[sfarxuri]

Meet Sfarity! Fan kid of CD Sfarx & CD Oscuri! Funny story with this lil fella, he actually was just suppose to be like a mockup of CD Sfarx trying to clone himself but I liked the idea of CD Sfarx being petty as hell when he sees Sfarx's kid Osarx to try to create a kid of his own. Origins are different in EJ Reborn AU & Medic of Luna. Blue one is for EJ Reborn AU & Purple one is for Medic of Luna. EJ Reborn AU: CD Sfarx didn't like that he was out numbered so he goes searching for a clarity scanner the only problem is he couldn't find any of the stronger models such as the medium or large eye only the small one much to their dismay, CD Fark shortly comments of why his spawn is so tiny & CD Spark is weirded out by the facial features & color being so close to Clarity, in disappointment as CD Sfarx they name their kid Sfarity. They are both treated as villain of the week by the jesters, Osarx, & Oscuri, even Patchwork mocks Sfarity for being so weak due to the scanner not having a strong signal to get cloned off of. His only reason for being created in the first place was to fight/defeat Osarx but since hes very weak she is able to defeat Sfarity so easily. Doesn't really help that hes also very naïve plus runs away very often to add to CD Sfarx's disappointment. (CD Oscuri doesn't exist in this timeline)

Medic of Luna: His creation during CD Saga is from an idea CD Oscuri shares to CD Sfarx, as her loyal henchmen she suggests to use the Centralis scanner to make their own kid after having to flee the flower fields she spys on their counterparts finding out they have a child following them, scanning half of her self then CD Sfarx; Sfarity becomes a much deadlier force, having an axe like pincer stinger tail, color scheme, face markings, & red eyes like his father & mother. Shares the abilities to use poison as well as electricity, since CD Oscuri's data was copied, Sfarity moveset is a combo of knowing how to use ninja tricks as well as CD Sfarx's data with being able to shoot laser beams from his hands as well. He's alot more brutal when hes runs amuck on Luna enjoying the slaughter of innocents which makes things worse for Sfarx, Osarx, & Oscuri's reputations when they are traveling Luna trying to stop them from destroying it. He is able to get in Osarx's head saying how she is a mistake & that her parents don't really love her making Osarx question things during their encounters but he ultimately fails when he trys to isolate her in the simulation to try to finish her off her parents reach out to her to help her escape into the real world, causing the last fight to be at the Titanic Tower where they must prevent the combat datas from sending the orbital ring to lose gravity & crash into the earth, thinking they won the CDs warp into the simulation only to be greeted by a furious Patchwork, not being able to stand a chance & badly hurt CD Sfarx bites the bullet when Sfarity ends up being the voice of reason to try to make a truce with their counterparts for one last showdown to prevent Patchwork from becoming the new Centralis, waiting for them in the out of bounds arena. Both of them share some similarities but if they met each other The purple one would hate the blue one for not even trying to put up a fight against Osarx lol

[cizzle-freezy]

great now I'm combining hyperfixations (pikmin x fusionfall)

[spiderjimmy]

Been reading and watching Spawn, did this Spider-man Spawn fusion. I made 4 variations because I kept going back and forth on the webs and cape.

[helladventurers]

first shiny Obtained 🥳🥳🥳

unfortunately they fucked up his color pallete but thankfully someone made a custom sprites with the correct colors 😭🙏 so I can have a properly spooky ghost child

[creativemaniacshenanigans]

Haejivistem

A Fusion of: Stem Stinger (Skylanders), Haejigoku Shellga (Kiramager), Poison Slime (By the Grace of the Gods), and Carnivine (Pokemon)

Element: Normal, Grass, Dark, Poison, Fire, Psychic, Bug, Ground, & Flying

Capabilities: Levitate, Risk-Taker, Flash Mob, Stinger Stab, Burrowing, Summoning Flytrap Tentacle-like Vines, has a Sense of Sight, Generate Poison and Paralyzing Agent, Spear Mastery, Jump, Absorb, Digest, and Split

Resident to: Water, Grass, Electric, Poison, and Physical Attack

Immune to: Ground

Natural Diet: They're Carnivores. Especially with Haejivistem Offsprings that can can devour anything bug-like during feeding frenzy

Natural Habitat: Wetlands, Deserts, Normal Forests, in Islands, Gardens, Valleys, Ruins, Nearing Camps, Flower Plains, Nearing Lakes and Fountains, Beaches, Mountains, Snowy Areas, Grass-Themed Temples, Psychic-Themed Temples, Treetops, Grass-Type Kingdoms, Enchanted Forests, and Flower Shops in Nearby Battle Arenas

[keycomicbooks]

The Deadly Duo #1 (1995) John Cleary Art, Erik Larsen & Gary Carlson Story, 1st Appearance of Fusion, Featuring Spawn

#TheDeadlyDuo #1 (1995) #JohnCleary Art, #ErikLarsen & Gary Carlson Story, 1st Appearance of Fusion, Featuring #Spawn "Untitled" Kill-Cat is excited by the sight of a light signal being lit in the air dedicated to him, finally feeling respected by the city of Detroit in the same way that Batman is in Gotham City. https://rarecomicbooks.fashionablewebs.com/The%20Deadly%20Duo.html  @rarecomicbooks Website Link In Bio Page If Applicable. SAVE ON SHIPPING COST - NOW AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL PICK UP IN DELTONA, FLORIDA #KeyComicBooks #ImageComics #ImageUniverse

[kashverse]

how about babykuna asking for a sibling...

you and sukuna had discussed the possibility of another baby before. emphasis on discussed, because after witnessing the sheer chaos your current spawn was capable of, you both silently agreed that one babykuna was already enough to take years off your lifespan. but then, the unthinkable happened. babykuna asked for a younger sibling.

it started with a business proposal. babykuna, ever the visionary, plopped a crayon masterpiece in front of you and sukuna one evening. the drawing? mr. pickles, the gigantic, long-suffering maine coon, being ridden into battle. the passengers?

you

sukuna

babykuna

and a mystery fourth figure that was smaller than a tic-tac

written in shaky, all-caps crayon letters under the fourth figure?

“BABY.”

you and sukuna stared. then stared at each other. then stared back at babykuna.

“…baby?” sukuna asked, cautiously.

“yes.” babykuna nodded firmly. “we need one.”

“define need.” you said. babykuna pointed very seriously at the poorly drawn fourth passenger.

“see? the cat is too empty.”

“empty?” you blinked.

“yes. there is room for one more.”

sukuna leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand down his face. “listen, kid,” he began, adopting his negotiation tone. “it’s not that easy. do you know how much work it is to have a baby?”

babykuna rolled her eyes. “duh.” she crossed her arms. “you just do the power rangers fusion again and out comes baby.”

you threw sukuna a murderous glare. he pointedly avoided your gaze.

so, how was this resolved? simple. the very next day, sukuna went out and got a cat. a male cat, mind you. when babykuna saw the new orange menace sitting in your living room, tail flicking lazily, she gasped. “baby?!”

sukuna clapped his hands together. “that’s right, kid. your new baby.”

you squinted. “you named him… baby?”

sukuna shrugged. “solves the problem, doesn’t it?”

you looked down at the newest addition to the household. baby, the orange tabby, yawned unbotheredly and flopped onto his side. babykuna beamed.

“…good enough.”

[beardedhandstoadshark]

who is the strongest amongst a bunch of ANIME?

GOKU it’s Goku is this even a question it’s obviously Goku. This show practically invented power creep and he’s the very op main character of it. Everything is a peer upgrade. Heck, he dies and even from that he gets one out of it!

Unless ANIME is actually an acronym for smth because it’s in capslock…in that case, idk

[formlines]

Fusion

Susan Point

from the website: "Fusion" is the original maquette that was used to create a fourteen-foot-tall public sculpture of the same name situated at Granville and W. 70th Avenue in south Vancouver, a few hundred metres from the ancient settlement of c̓əsnaʔəm. Created by combining red cedar with powder-coated aluminum, "Fusion" stems from the theme of the "People of the Grass" and the "Salmon People," which are uniquely Musqueam.

Carved and painted red cedar in the form of green river grass sprouts from the sculpture's circular cedar base which is carved with traditional Coast Salish trigon motifs. From the base, ten Salmon emerge from a central axis that spreads out in the four sacred directions. Faces emerge from the bodies of six of the Salmon, referencing the human aspect of the artwork, with cattails interconnecting their swimming forms. Nine of the Salmon also have black, inlaid eyes of carved and painted red cedar.

When speaking about the artwork, Point said, "The human element within the salmon has universal appeal that symbolically relates to all peoples. The faces are revealed with traditional Salish elements... giving a sense of place and a landmark that respects past, present, and future. Spawning salmon on their journey up the Fraser River have passed the Musqueam People for thousands of generations. A story this big means they need to be big to be characterized fittingly."

[jim-the-simpleton]

Fallout 4.

There is a settlement in Fallout 4 called Spectacle Island. It's situated off the coast of the southern half of the map, and is one of the largest settlements you can acquire in the base game.

Fallout 4's settlement system allows you to set up supply lines between settlements, which allows them to share basic resources like food and water, as well as component items you need for crafting. This will also set up a settler on that supply line who can be encountered in the world moving between the two settlements, which can create some interesting encounters.

You can set up supply lines to and from Spectacle Island, but the game doesn't have any functioning boats and NPCs aren't supposed to swim, so the settlers will just kinda hang out on the coast with a brahmin. Fallout 4.

Functionally, the supply line still works and the settlement will share resources with wherever you set it up, but cosmetically it isn't a great look to have someone longingly look out to the coast with a pack brahmin.

However, if the settler is wearing power armor, they can just walk along the bottom of the ocean between Spectacle Island and your other settlement just fine. Fallout 4.

The problem is, you can't assign settlers to power armor. Fallout 4.

Well, I know for a fact that settlers CAN get into power armor, as it's happened to me and several other people in the past. If the settler is engaged in combat and if they have a fusion core, they will- sometimes - enter an empty suit for the fight.

However, they have to be close to the power armor (which, I mean, yeah), and Spectacle Island is one of the largest settlements in the game, so the chances of a settler being close to the power armor while they're in combat is low. Thankfully, in workshop mode, you can tell settlers to go to a certain location. Less thankfully, they will walk as slowly as possible to where you need them to go, and they tend to get distracted on the way by anything and everything, requiring constant guidance the entire path. On top of that, as soon as they reach the requested destination, they will wait there for all of two seconds before getting bored and going back to wandering aimlessly. Fallout 4.

Well, I put a fusion core in the settler's inventory and hold their hand as they walk to the shed where I'm keeping the power armor. There are ways of bringing enemies directly to a settlement thanks to a DLC I have installed, but it's a long and slow process that I really didn't want to have to deal with, so I used console commands to spawn in a Deathclaw Matriarch, a high-level enemy. However, at my high level and with the defenses I have set up, the deathclaw takes about all of thirty seconds to take down, which isn't enough time for my settler to decide to get in the power armor. Fallout 4.

After this, I start spawning Deathclaw Matriarchs in 2-4 at a time. My settler keeps running out of the shed to fight the deathclaws with a base-level pipe pistol and getting knocked down instantly, which prevents him from entering the power armor. I decide to use the power armor to trap the settler inside the shed, so that the only way to leave us to enter the power armor. The deathclaws are still dying too fast, and I still have to spawn them in multiples to keep combat going as long as possible. The settler simply won't get in the power armor. He's clipping through and getting stuck on the power armor, but not entering it. Fallout 4.

Miraculously, after about 12 Deathclaw Matriarchs had their lives taken as unceremoniously as they were given, my settler finally decided that now was the time to enter my power armor. I could now safely assign him to a supply line. I usually liked to give my supply line settlers higher-level weapons since they tend to encounter enemies pretty frequently. Plus, basic pipe weapons look really small and awkward when paired with a beefy suit of power armor, and this entire endeavor has been for cosmetics' sake, so I walk up to my settler and press the talk key. Instead of hearing my character ask to trade a few things, I instead hear:

"I need you to get out of your power armor."

My settler agreed and was more than eager to hop out of a top-of-the-line suit of T-45d Power Armor. Fallout 4.

I gave him the weapon I wanted him to have equipped and started the entire endeavor over, with another dozen Deathclaw Matriarchs dying for the express purpose of forcing a settler into a suit of power armor. But, well, it worked again, and he had the Assault Rifle I wanted him to be using. I hit the quicksave key as fast as I could because if Fallout 4 knows you've done a lot of things since you last saved, it will crash just to make you do it all again, because Fallout 4 is a vindictive and spiteful force of evil.

All of this so I could see my settler do this:

Fallout 4.

[tvok]

AU that's been eating away at my brain for the past several weeks that spawned from @cyberdragoninfinity and I being like "what if the yuboys swapped dimensions" -> "do the bracelet girls swap too" -> "they swap but also to different dimensions"

standard yuto & rin are childhood friends and go to you show together; the other characters don't swap dimensions so rin is skip's kid and yuto is yusho and yoko's kid. yuto runs a "performedieval" deck themed around renaissance fair-type actors. rin runs a fire-attribute spellcaster "bellodious" deck themed around hot peppers 🌶️

xyz yuya & celina know each other through school (and yuya knows shay through her by extension) but they frankly Aren't Very Close. yuya runs a "phantom bards" deck with little ghostly animal musicians and celina runs a "lyriline" deck with catgirl rockstars.

synchro yuri & lulu grew up and lived together until yuri decided to steal the duel runner they built together and enter the friendship cup on his own (making him the current champion). yuri runs a plant-type "speedling" deck themed around rapid-growth plants, lulu runs a winged beast-type "windwing" deck with arctic birds.

fusion yugo & zuzu are unlikely friends (in the sense that zuzu isn't "allowed" to hang out with yugo but does anyway). neither of them are supposed to leave DA which zuzu thinks is super unfair, so she sneaks yugo out with her to go check out the standard dimension. yugo runs a "predapuzzler" deck with monsters based on puzzles, toys, & predatory animals, and zuzu runs a "lunalull" deck with flowergirl monsters that bloom at night

[bridge-arsonist]

Contrarian-Cold Parallels

Something I think is super underrated is the parallels between the Cold and the Contrarian. Because, though they present themselves very differently, at heart, they're much more similar than you'd initially believe.

The Contrarian is someone who strives to piss off the Narrator. Whatever he does, he just wants to ruin the Narrator's day. Have some fun, and mess with Narrator; those are his two main goals. He doesn't actually have bad intentions, though. He never wanted to create a fusion of multiple princesses like in the Stranger, in fact, he seems incredibly remorseful. He never realized the weight of his actions, that's all. The Contrarian is much more caring than he seems at first glance, trying to get the player to help turn the princess back at the end of the stranger route, and softening up considerably at the Shifting Mound's heart.

The Cold is actually pretty similar to this, though he has his differences. He, at heart, strives to ruin the Narrator's day and have fun/stay interested in things. Though he's considerably less remorseful for the fate of the princess than the Contrarian, he definitely is more caring than he appears at first glance. He tries to help the Slayer in his own way in Moment of Clarity (I believe it's even implied Cold's powers were what the Slayer used to help stay sane), and he tries to help the other voices bear through terrible pain using his advice of staying numb.

So, they both:

Want things to be interesting

Want to ruin the Narrator's day as much as possible

Don't really seem care about much else other than the two aforementioned goals

Can be surprisingly feeling despite their initial, uncaring presentation

Both seriously underestimate the consequences of their actions—With Contrarian underestimating the harm you can do to the princess, and Cold underestimating the harm she can do to you (sure she's just a ghost, bud, suuuure.)

Funnily enough, though, they spawn from opposing courses of action. Disobeying the Narrator from the start until you accidentally unravel everything (including yourself), and obeying the Narrator until he unravels everything, and then having no other choice but to purposefully end yourself to escape the eternal void he's trapped you in.

And so their presentations seem opposite: The lackadaisical, mischievous, prankster type; and the stoic, serious, calm type. But they both have a major, dare I say character-defining trait in common:

A seeming apathy towards everything except pissing off the Narrator.

In Cold's main route, and most of his others, you literally stab yourself because, well, fuck the Narrator and this torturous eternal void. And Contrarian's routes are... Pretty self-explanatory. You walk away with no discernable goal but the lulz and pissing off the Narrator.

Despite seemingly being completely opposite courses of action, these paths begin to converge into endings much more similar than they seem. You did everything so differently, but in the end, you're still here. With an unknown princess, and a voice who seems to care for naught but entertainment and that pesky raven in your head.

So different on the outside, yet so similar at the heart of it all; that's something I love about these two.

[kalixora]

In every universe

Spawned on an city island, you shook your head and blinked furiously, disoriented by the sudden shift. The last thing you remembered was strolling through the city with Natasha, the two of you laughing about how weirdly quiet things had been lately. It was supposed to be a normal day—coffee, maybe lunch. Now, the sun was harsh above you, the air sticky with humidity, and your body was wrapped in your full hero suit like you’d been yanked into a mission mid-briefing.

“Tasha?” you called out, voice edged with confusion.

Her head whipped around, eyes narrowing. “You okay?”

You nodded, but the shock still clung to you. You both rushed toward each other across the uneven sand, boots kicking up wet clumps of earth and shattered webbing that stuck to the ground like old gum.

“What’s going on?” you asked, heart pounding.

“Not sure,” Natasha muttered, frowning as she scanned the eerie skyline. Tall, unfamiliar structures loomed in the distance—half skyscraper, half webbed nest—twisting into the clouds like something out of a nightmare. “Where the hell is this place?”

You turned slowly with her. The landscape was a chaotic fusion of nature and something else entirely—mutated. Hulking spider webs spanned between trees like bridges. Strange, twitching cocoons hung from branches. The skyline of what once looked like a city was warped—buildings overtaken by vines, spires crowned with chitinous webbed domes.

“Wait…” you breathed. “Is this Tokyo?"

Natasha’s jaw tightened. “But it so full of... glowing webs?"

“Maybe Tony made Peter his own island?" you muttered, your eyes catching something moving just beyond giant glass window—a flash of red and blue swinging from one web to the next.

And just like that, a distant thwip echoed in the room.

You and Natasha both turned sharply, instincts kicking in.

Spawning in again, there stood another famaliar face, only you didn't know her, she was famous around the world.

"Is that Luna Snow?" you pointed.

"Who?" Nat raised her brow.

The Kpop-star turned to the both of you, her eyes widened. "Oh! Hey there! Um- do you guys know what's going on? One mintue I was rehessaring back stage and then poof now I'm here..."

"No clue, same thing happened to us too," you answered motion your hand out for her to take in which she galdly accepted.

Spawning in again—just a few feet away from where you and Natasha stood—another figure shimmered into existence with a faint ripple of blue light and static crackle. The flooring beneath her boots shifted as she stumbled slightly, arms flailing to steady herself.

You blinked.

There, standing under the glare of the sun, was a face you didn’t know personally, but you definitely knew from somewhere else.

"Is that…" you pointed, eyes widening. "Luna Snow?"

"Who?" Nat raised an eyebrow, still in full spy-mode, though her stance eased just a little. "That supposed to mean something?"

You turned to her, half shocked. "Seriously? She’s a global Kpop star. Also has cryo powers... Tony's ringtone."

Before Natasha could answer, the woman in question turned to face the two of you, visibly confused but trying her best to smile through it. She brushed a loose lock of silvery-blue hair behind her ear, her stage outfit gleaming slightly under the sun’s harsh light.

"Oh! Hey there!" Luna called out, her voice melodic even when confused. "Um—do you guys know what’s going on? One minute I was rehearsing backstage, and then poof… now I’m here. And this is definitely not Seoul."

You stepped forward slightly, offering a hand. "No clue. Same thing happened to us. We were just walking through the city and then suddenly... here. In costume. On this really pretty city filled with golden webs..."

Luna hesitated for a moment, then accepted your hand with a firm but friendly grip. Her touch was cool—like holding polished glass.

“I’m [your name],” you said. “This is Natasha.”

“Nice to meet you,” Luna replied, then squinted at the horizon. “Wait a second, I think I know you guys."

Natasha crossed her arms. “You do?"

"Yeah, Y/N L/N right? With [your powers], and Black widow. You guys saved New York from those gooey monsters from another planet."

"Gooey monsters?" Nat tilted her head. "We fought in an alien invasion. Maybe were diffrent people in your universe or something?"

Just then, a sharp screech echoed from somewhere deeper in the jungle—high-pitched, fast, and definitely not human. You, Natasha, and Luna spun around at the sound, instincts flaring.

Something came barreling out of the tangled underbrush, weaving through web-wrapped trees like a missile.

It was… a shark.

Correction: a small, land shark, bounding full-speed on stubby legs, tail wagging behind him, and mouth open in a wide, toothy grin. His little fins flapped like arms as he zigzagged across the sand.

“Is that…?” you blinked.

The land shark skidded to a stop as a tall man came jogging behind him, wearing a sleek black helmet and a silvery armored suit. The man barely looked winded.

“Such an odd creature,” the old man said, pausing to brush some sand off his gloves. “Persistent. Enthusiastic. Occasionally dangerous.”

The shark spun in a circle, then sprinted toward your group—straight for you.

“Oh no—nope—no thank you—”

But it was too late.

The land shark launched into your arms like a missile, knocking you back a step before nuzzling against your chest like an overexcited puppy. You staggered, caught completely off-guard.

“He's licking my face—Nat, he's licking my—"

Natasha lowered her weapons, blinking. “Seriously, what the hell is going on?” She smiled as the shark calmly jumped from you to her.

Luna cooed softly at the little creature. "Aww, so cute! What’s your name, little sharky?"

Around the shark’s neck was a collar. Natasha gently grabbed the tag and read the name aloud.

"Jeff."

Spawning with a low hiss… and in walked a man with silver hair, a sweeping deep-red cloak, and a helmet that gleamed like it had never known dust.

Magneto.

He stepped out like he’d been expected, his eyes cool as he surveyed the group. The energy in the room shifted instantly — heavy, electric, reverent. Even the lights seemed to dim slightly around him.

"Ah," he said, his voice smooth but commanding. "Hello?"

"Hi there!" Luna smiled brightly. "The actual Magneto! Wow!"

"Yes, er—should I know who you are?" he asked, giving her a puzzled look.

"No," Luna shrugged. "But you should know that magnetism doesn’t work on super-cooled materials. Guess what I can do?"

"Be impertinent, it seems," he replied casually, looking past her toward you and Natasha.

"Ah. If it isn’t the Avengers — how wonderful."

“Magneto…” you hummed thoughtfully. “Y’know, I’ve actually never met him before,” you said to Nat. “Do you think Wanda would know him?”

Before Natasha could respond, Magneto turned toward you, chin lifting ever so slightly.

“Wanda is my daughter. Of course she would know me,” he said, his voice laced with pride. “For I am.”

He let the silence hang dramatically, cape shifting behind him like it had its own gravity.

Natasha gave you a look. “Well… that answers that.”

Magneto moved to the window, studying the glowing sprawl below. “Spider-Islands… a game, a trap, or perhaps a crucible. Regardless, something powerful is waiting at its center.”

Then — a pulse.

Soft, warm green light glowed from the far wall. A panel hissed open.

Everyone turned again, weapons halfway drawn… only to pause as a cluster of vines pushed through, growing rapidly from the base of the wall. Bioluminescent spores floated in the air, casting soft lights across your faces.

From the vines stepped a small, familiar figure — bark-skinned, with wide glowing eyes and a gentle hum of nature in his steps.

“I am Groot,” he said.

“Oh my god,” you whispered. "A talking tree.."

Jeff barked joyfully and ran straight to him, wagging his tail like crazy. Groot giggled and gave him a hug, vines wrapping around the little shark like old friends reunited after lifetimes apart.

Luna laughed softly. “Okay, that’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Even Natasha’s stoic expression cracked into a small smile.

Magneto observed Groot silently, then nodded. “Odd."

“Okay—are there any more people that are gonna show up, or is it just us?” Luna asked with a nervous laugh.

“Hey there!”

“AH!” Luna screamed, nearly jumping out of her boots.

A woman’s voice giggled in response. “Sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you there, Luna.”

Luna blinked. “How do you know my name?”

“Oh, I know all your names,” the voice replied cheerfully. “Duh! I’m in charge of the multiverse. Like, the coolest job ever.”

You glanced at Natasha, who mouthed What the hell?

“Anyway,” the mystery girl continued, her voice practically sparkling, “I’ll keep it short! When the doors open, there’ll be objectives for you to complete. You’ll be facing off against familiar and unfamiliar faces.”

The room’s lights flickered in time with her words, casting an eerie glow across the floor.

“Each side that wins gets bumped higher in rank,” she added, chipper as ever. “And once you hit that mark? You’re free to go!”

Then silence.

As if she’d never been there at all.

Jeff growled lowly.

“…Did anyone else get Hunger Games flashbacks, or just me?” you muttered.

“Your objective,” the voice rang out again, now echoing slightly as if projected through the entire room, “is to push the vehicle to the other side of the island.”

A low rumble filled the floor beneath you, followed by the mechanical clank of massive doors unlocking.

“But there’s a catch,” she continued. “You have to stay near the vehicle to keep it moving. If you wander too far, it’ll slow down… and eventually roll backwards.”

A beat passed.

“And if that happens? The other team wins, ranks up, and you—well, you stay stuck.”

A loud buzz signaled the end of the announcement, followed by flashing arrows pointing toward the now-open exit.

“Doors opening in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1!”

The doors slammed open with a mechanical whoosh, revealing the path ahead. Beyond the threshold, the island stretched out before you—vast, full of winding paths and towering obstacles.

And there, sitting in the distance, was the vehicle: a massive, sleek, futuristic transport, humming with low, pulsing energy.

The six of you stepped out the doors, all of you unsure of what to actually do. The moment you hesitated, a flash of light shot toward you.

You gasped and quickly stepped back, just as the light slammed into the wall behind you with a resounding crack.

Charging forward, you caught a glimpse of a young woman with yellow-blonde hair, her black outfit sleek and aerodynamic, like it was made for speed. She moved with precision, her eyes locked on your group, exuding confidence and power.

“Illyana,” Magneto warned, his voice steady but commanding. Without hesitation, he raised his hand, and an invisible force knocked her back, sending her stumbling.

“Get to the vehicle,” he ordered, his eyes narrowing as he focused on her. “I’ll handle the Darkchild.”

Running ahead, you were suddenly shoved to the side, your body slamming into the side of a nearby building with a harsh thud. You grunted, dazed for a moment, your head spinning as you tried to steady yourself. The sound of footsteps echoed nearby, and you quickly snapped your gaze up to meet your attacker.

Standing in front of you, arms crossed and eyes sharp, was Bucky Barnes. His face was hard, eyes narrowed with a familiar intensity, but something about him seemed different. Your breath hitched, lips parting as you took a step back, unsure whether to brace yourself for a fight or try to talk your way out of it.

"Is it... you?" you muttered under your breath, fingers flexing at your sides, wondering if he was the Bucky you knew or someone from another universe, a version of him twisted by a different fate. The memories of your Bucky flashed in your mind—his smirks, his soft side that only you got to see, his pain that mirrored your own at times. But now, there was nothing soft about him. Was this Bucky still capable of those quiet moments of warmth, or was he lost to something far darker?

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared at you with that familiar gaze—yet colder now, as if you were a stranger to him.

"Y/N?"

You nodded, your heart pounding as you took a tentative step closer. Without thinking, your hand reached out, fingers trembling, as if you could bridge the gap between you and the version of him standing in front of you.

But the moment your fingers neared his arm, he pulled back swiftly, stepping out of your reach like an instinctive reaction. His eyes flickered with something unreadable—anger? Fear? Regret?

"Don’t," he said, his voice low, barely a whisper, but filled with weight. "You don’t know me."

The words hit harder than you expected. It wasn’t just a warning—it felt like a barrier he was building, keeping you at a distance. His eyes softened for a second, and you saw the familiar pain in them.

You let out a bitter chuckle, the sound carrying a mix of pain and disbelief. "You sought me out before I could reach the real fight," you said, your words laced with a sharp irony. "My Bucky always did that too."

A brief flicker of something—recognition, maybe, or even a hint of guilt—flashed across his face. He took a step back, eyes shifting uneasily, as if your words had hit too close to something he'd buried. The Bucky you knew, the one you had once loved and fought alongside, always had a way of showing up at the most unexpected times, protecting you before you could make your own move. Always trying to keep you safe from the dangers that loomed ahead.

He exhaled sharply, as if your words had caught him off guard. For a moment, he looked like he was about to say something, but he didn’t. Instead, he glanced down at the ground.

"When you're low, come here. I'll guard you," Bucky said, his voice low but steady, as he gently reached out and touched the side of your face. His touch was soft, almost tentative, like he was afraid you'd pull away—or maybe like he wasn't sure if he was allowed to be this close to you again.

For a moment, the world around you seemed to stop, the air between you thick with unspoken emotions. His hand, warm and familiar, lingered on your cheek, the simple gesture bringing back memories of all the times he had done the same, when everything felt easier, when you both knew where you stood. But now, with everything that had changed, it was different. There was a tension in the air, like both of you were trying to figure out if there was still a place for that tenderness in this new reality.

Your heart skipped a beat at the feeling of his touch—this Bucky, from whatever universe or path he had come, was still the one you knew in some way, the one you remembered. And yet, the distance between you was greater than ever before.

His thumb gently brushed over your skin, his eyes searching yours for something—maybe a sign that it was okay, that it was still you he was touching. And maybe it was—maybe the Bucky you knew still existed somewhere beneath the hardened surface, just waiting to be reached.