Strength of the Shield, Strength of the Dream
(This is Avengers fanfiction. As if you couldn't tell. ;) )
--
When a large squad of armed Skrulls dropped their disguises on New Years' Eve and began firing into the crowd at Times Square, almost everyone tried to run. The big screen began showing demands in six languages, one of them alien, as the crowd crushed itself, individuals suffocating and getting trampled in the panic.
Police directed the wild crowd toward safer exits, while the Avengers, several watching live from Stark Tower, ran at top speed for the Square. But one was already on the scene.
A figure outlined in the lights of police vehicles raised the iconic shield: circles of red, white, and blue with a shining white star in the center.
The Skrulls fired a few potshots, but it didn't matter. The shield stopped their blasts.
Then the figure charged forward at the dozen or so enemies, throwing the shield.
They dodged, but one was struck in the head and didn't get up again.
"Captain!" shouted a policeman, "Behind you!" But the figure was already picking up the shield and turning to catch flankers in the face with it.
Then Captain America pulled the cop behind his car. "Shh, listen to the radio, you need to evacuate," he whispered. "The other Avengers are on their way."
Dumbfounded, the policeman stared as Captain America ran up beside what was apparently his protege and punched out a Skrull. The girl blocked a shot from a Skrull rifle, then offered him the shield.
"Thanks, kid, but hold onto that for a bit. We've got to keep these guys busy until the others get here!"
As the police were getting themselves reorganized, one asked, "Why the hell did Cap give some black girl his shield?"
The reply was sharp, "Because he's the Captain, and he knows what he's doing."
And a third followed up in wondering tones: "Boy, she sure does."
The fight was short, the rest of the Avengers arriving to capture the last Skrull and finish the battle. SHIELD agents started pouring onto the scene, but they'd been upstaged and the press was already interviewing the Avengers.
"All credit goes to Dacy," said Cap. "I was letting her hold my shield for a moment, 'cause she said she wanted to feel the power in it. Then these Skrull started shooting up everybody and she didn't think, just started kicking butt harder than my Commandos used to!"
Dacy blushed, and gave the shield back. Then Iron Man's helmet folded back and Tony Stark said, "If you want, I can make you something. Pick a tool, a uniform... your parents oughtta be proud of you. Is there some sort of career you were thinking of? I can get you into any school you dream of!"
She shook her head and looked up at Cap. "He's already wearin' the uniform. It was like a dream come true right in front of me, thinkin' how I could beat up the bad guys with the Captain's shield, and then there they were! I just let the dream carry me."
Hulk knelt down and offered his hand. "Strong girl. You grow up big like Hulk, we be friends and smash bad things." She hugged his hand, and the giant lightly hugged her back.
And then she giggled, and hugged the Captain. He blushed, of course, and knelt down.
"I think what you just said is the most important. You let the dream carry you. Now, Iron Man just offered a scholarship to any school you want. When you're ready to dream of a career, call us, okay?" And a contact card was given out to her and her crying mother.
Once Dacy and her mother were safely home, and she'd been righteously fussed over, she sat on her bed with the white pony toy she'd got for Christmas and smirked. "Dacy Kail, the new Captain America, they said. Bet everyone I know would die of a heart attack!"
But behind her eyes rested a mightier dream, inspired by the strength of the shield. The world would know her again, by a different name.
* * *
Ten years later, Mighty Alala stood tall above her latest foe, her search for justice still unsatisfied. In her hand, a small round shield with a single star on a field of blue. She smiled at him and spoke in an amplified voice: "You fool of a man, you will not touch me with impunity, for I am the Dream Realized."
He pulled the trigger on his pistol, but the shield blocked it. He fired again and again, until from her eyes flashed a beam of light which numbed his hands, causing the gun to fall to the ground. Alala snapped her fingers, and his arms were pulled back by unseen forces, hands bound behind his back. Then she floated as light as hope, carrying him telekinetically out onto the sidewalk, where her power forced him to kneel.
"Are you gonna kill me, bitch?" he yelled.
"No, I am not," she replied. "I am going to leave you here, kneeling before the poor and homeless until one of just authority takes hold of you."
With that, she left him bound by magic, and flashed into the distance like a bolt of lightning.
* * *
The Avengers were gathered for their latest briefing. Hawkeye was out on a covert mission, so a seat was empty that day.
"You guys remember Dacy? The girl who fought as hard as Steve?" Iron Man pulled his Starkphone out and whipped a video clip off of it and onto the video screen on the wall. "Well, I think this is her. See the shield? About the right age, too."
Bruce shook his head. "Kid's too young for this work."
Betty sighed. "We're not getting any younger."
Iron Man continued. "Anyway, here's the rundown. Dacy Kail, girl wonder. I got her into Yale once she'd graduated high school. She earned a Master's in Art, and then started working for Perfect Information, Incorporated, a PR firm just up the street. She's working in their art department, but her graduate thesis was something about the 'Manifestation of Dreams in Ancestral Artworks'. She called in that other favor a few weeks ago and had me fab up a mini shield, and offered to pay for it. She said, Make it as strong as Cap's, like I remember, so I did, and gave it to her."
"Of course you did," said Bucky. "And now she's using it."
"I thought she'd hang it on her wall or something!"
Captain America smirked. "I think she's doing great. Three weeks and she's already collared two muggers and taken out the guy behind the drug war in her old neighborhood. That's a great start!"
"Yeah, it's a great start, but I think she needs some guidance. We've got a lot of ways to help and I'm pretty sure we need to get to her before SHIELD does. Heck, I'd be surprised if they didn't already have her under surveillance."
JARVIS broke in, while adding written details beside the image of the new vigilante. "I believe SHIELD is preparing to move on Dacy. She now calls herself Mighty Alala; Alala means Dreamer in Yoruba. She has displayed several major powers: Enhanced strength, enhanced speed, telekinesis, flight, and command of what appears to be a form of magic. In addition she appears to be adept at blocking attacks with her shield. She has not been seen to carry any other weapons or tools."
"Appears to be magic," said Tony. "Makes me wish Thor would show up and tell us if it is or not. Anyway, the last guy she fought was forced to kneel on a sidewalk for most of a day, begging for a 'just authority' to take him away." A set of photographs came up on the screen. "Two cops showed up an hour in, but they couldn't make him move, couldn't even budge him. It was like he was made of concrete! They called a few more. Maybe half the precinct showed up, but none of them could move him. The guy asked if he could have something to eat. A homeless guy pushed in and offered him a burger. Soon as they touched, the guy was free. He surrendered on the spot."
Tony pulled up the homeless man's face, alongside a summarized military record. "Former Sergeant Jack Vambroke, US Army. Out on medical discharge, with two purple hearts and PTSD."
JARVIS sounded pained as he said, "It seems most of the police in that precinct were not 'just authorities'. Their Internal Affairs department is rather upset."
"Why bring him up?" asked Black Widow. "Is he related in any way?"
Betty nodded. "Mighty Alala has been seen giving food to the homeless. He might be in danger if anyone goes after her."
"So," said the Captain, "I guess we have our mission: Discreetly protect Sgt Vambroke, and make contact with Dacy before SHIELD does. Widow, would you be willing to make contact on our behalf?"
"I would be glad to."
"Bucky, would you like to go out with me and visit the homeless for a day or two?"
"I sure would. A few old vets doing the charity thing for each other sounds just about right this week."
"Betty, I think you and JARVIS should go over Dacy's track record. It's pretty clear she's just starting out, but she also has some pretty amazing powers. See if you can get started figuring out where she got them, okay?"
"Yes, sir," said JARVIS while Betty nodded and said, "Right away."
With that, the Avengers went to prepare for their separate tasks. Soon, the Mighty Alala would have allies in her fight for justice.
--
And that's as far as I got. Now I need to go sleep. There may or may not be a sequel later.
This entry was originally posted at http://zeeth-kyrah.dreamwidth.org/18604.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
--
When a large squad of armed Skrulls dropped their disguises on New Years' Eve and began firing into the crowd at Times Square, almost everyone tried to run. The big screen began showing demands in six languages, one of them alien, as the crowd crushed itself, individuals suffocating and getting trampled in the panic.
Police directed the wild crowd toward safer exits, while the Avengers, several watching live from Stark Tower, ran at top speed for the Square. But one was already on the scene.
A figure outlined in the lights of police vehicles raised the iconic shield: circles of red, white, and blue with a shining white star in the center.
The Skrulls fired a few potshots, but it didn't matter. The shield stopped their blasts.
Then the figure charged forward at the dozen or so enemies, throwing the shield.
They dodged, but one was struck in the head and didn't get up again.
"Captain!" shouted a policeman, "Behind you!" But the figure was already picking up the shield and turning to catch flankers in the face with it.
Then Captain America pulled the cop behind his car. "Shh, listen to the radio, you need to evacuate," he whispered. "The other Avengers are on their way."
Dumbfounded, the policeman stared as Captain America ran up beside what was apparently his protege and punched out a Skrull. The girl blocked a shot from a Skrull rifle, then offered him the shield.
"Thanks, kid, but hold onto that for a bit. We've got to keep these guys busy until the others get here!"
As the police were getting themselves reorganized, one asked, "Why the hell did Cap give some black girl his shield?"
The reply was sharp, "Because he's the Captain, and he knows what he's doing."
And a third followed up in wondering tones: "Boy, she sure does."
The fight was short, the rest of the Avengers arriving to capture the last Skrull and finish the battle. SHIELD agents started pouring onto the scene, but they'd been upstaged and the press was already interviewing the Avengers.
"All credit goes to Dacy," said Cap. "I was letting her hold my shield for a moment, 'cause she said she wanted to feel the power in it. Then these Skrull started shooting up everybody and she didn't think, just started kicking butt harder than my Commandos used to!"
Dacy blushed, and gave the shield back. Then Iron Man's helmet folded back and Tony Stark said, "If you want, I can make you something. Pick a tool, a uniform... your parents oughtta be proud of you. Is there some sort of career you were thinking of? I can get you into any school you dream of!"
She shook her head and looked up at Cap. "He's already wearin' the uniform. It was like a dream come true right in front of me, thinkin' how I could beat up the bad guys with the Captain's shield, and then there they were! I just let the dream carry me."
Hulk knelt down and offered his hand. "Strong girl. You grow up big like Hulk, we be friends and smash bad things." She hugged his hand, and the giant lightly hugged her back.
And then she giggled, and hugged the Captain. He blushed, of course, and knelt down.
"I think what you just said is the most important. You let the dream carry you. Now, Iron Man just offered a scholarship to any school you want. When you're ready to dream of a career, call us, okay?" And a contact card was given out to her and her crying mother.
Once Dacy and her mother were safely home, and she'd been righteously fussed over, she sat on her bed with the white pony toy she'd got for Christmas and smirked. "Dacy Kail, the new Captain America, they said. Bet everyone I know would die of a heart attack!"
But behind her eyes rested a mightier dream, inspired by the strength of the shield. The world would know her again, by a different name.
* * *
Ten years later, Mighty Alala stood tall above her latest foe, her search for justice still unsatisfied. In her hand, a small round shield with a single star on a field of blue. She smiled at him and spoke in an amplified voice: "You fool of a man, you will not touch me with impunity, for I am the Dream Realized."
He pulled the trigger on his pistol, but the shield blocked it. He fired again and again, until from her eyes flashed a beam of light which numbed his hands, causing the gun to fall to the ground. Alala snapped her fingers, and his arms were pulled back by unseen forces, hands bound behind his back. Then she floated as light as hope, carrying him telekinetically out onto the sidewalk, where her power forced him to kneel.
"Are you gonna kill me, bitch?" he yelled.
"No, I am not," she replied. "I am going to leave you here, kneeling before the poor and homeless until one of just authority takes hold of you."
With that, she left him bound by magic, and flashed into the distance like a bolt of lightning.
* * *
The Avengers were gathered for their latest briefing. Hawkeye was out on a covert mission, so a seat was empty that day.
"You guys remember Dacy? The girl who fought as hard as Steve?" Iron Man pulled his Starkphone out and whipped a video clip off of it and onto the video screen on the wall. "Well, I think this is her. See the shield? About the right age, too."
Bruce shook his head. "Kid's too young for this work."
Betty sighed. "We're not getting any younger."
Iron Man continued. "Anyway, here's the rundown. Dacy Kail, girl wonder. I got her into Yale once she'd graduated high school. She earned a Master's in Art, and then started working for Perfect Information, Incorporated, a PR firm just up the street. She's working in their art department, but her graduate thesis was something about the 'Manifestation of Dreams in Ancestral Artworks'. She called in that other favor a few weeks ago and had me fab up a mini shield, and offered to pay for it. She said, Make it as strong as Cap's, like I remember, so I did, and gave it to her."
"Of course you did," said Bucky. "And now she's using it."
"I thought she'd hang it on her wall or something!"
Captain America smirked. "I think she's doing great. Three weeks and she's already collared two muggers and taken out the guy behind the drug war in her old neighborhood. That's a great start!"
"Yeah, it's a great start, but I think she needs some guidance. We've got a lot of ways to help and I'm pretty sure we need to get to her before SHIELD does. Heck, I'd be surprised if they didn't already have her under surveillance."
JARVIS broke in, while adding written details beside the image of the new vigilante. "I believe SHIELD is preparing to move on Dacy. She now calls herself Mighty Alala; Alala means Dreamer in Yoruba. She has displayed several major powers: Enhanced strength, enhanced speed, telekinesis, flight, and command of what appears to be a form of magic. In addition she appears to be adept at blocking attacks with her shield. She has not been seen to carry any other weapons or tools."
"Appears to be magic," said Tony. "Makes me wish Thor would show up and tell us if it is or not. Anyway, the last guy she fought was forced to kneel on a sidewalk for most of a day, begging for a 'just authority' to take him away." A set of photographs came up on the screen. "Two cops showed up an hour in, but they couldn't make him move, couldn't even budge him. It was like he was made of concrete! They called a few more. Maybe half the precinct showed up, but none of them could move him. The guy asked if he could have something to eat. A homeless guy pushed in and offered him a burger. Soon as they touched, the guy was free. He surrendered on the spot."
Tony pulled up the homeless man's face, alongside a summarized military record. "Former Sergeant Jack Vambroke, US Army. Out on medical discharge, with two purple hearts and PTSD."
JARVIS sounded pained as he said, "It seems most of the police in that precinct were not 'just authorities'. Their Internal Affairs department is rather upset."
"Why bring him up?" asked Black Widow. "Is he related in any way?"
Betty nodded. "Mighty Alala has been seen giving food to the homeless. He might be in danger if anyone goes after her."
"So," said the Captain, "I guess we have our mission: Discreetly protect Sgt Vambroke, and make contact with Dacy before SHIELD does. Widow, would you be willing to make contact on our behalf?"
"I would be glad to."
"Bucky, would you like to go out with me and visit the homeless for a day or two?"
"I sure would. A few old vets doing the charity thing for each other sounds just about right this week."
"Betty, I think you and JARVIS should go over Dacy's track record. It's pretty clear she's just starting out, but she also has some pretty amazing powers. See if you can get started figuring out where she got them, okay?"
"Yes, sir," said JARVIS while Betty nodded and said, "Right away."
With that, the Avengers went to prepare for their separate tasks. Soon, the Mighty Alala would have allies in her fight for justice.
--
And that's as far as I got. Now I need to go sleep. There may or may not be a sequel later.
This entry was originally posted at http://zeeth-kyrah.dreamwidth.org/18604.html. Please comment there using OpenID.