7 Augaust 2017 - The First Mission
Title: The First Mission
Author: Beriaearwen
Characters: Bucky Barnes, James Rhodes, mini!Buffy Summers, mini!Xander Harris, mini!Willow Rosenberg
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Avengers (movieverse)
Rating: Suitable for all ages
Word count: 1177
Notes: Another addition to the mini!Scoobie Avengers (reference Twisted shorts entries for 2016 challenge on August 2, 9, 16, 17, 23, 30, 31 and 2017 challenge August 3. And yes, they've been playing “Uncle Bucky games” for a few months, so they're now getting their first, daring mission.
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of the Avengers belong to Marvel, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Mission Control
“O. K. Team. This is your first mission. You've trained for this. You're ready for this. The successful completion of this mission is critical to our operation. You're good enough. You're smart enough. You're skilled enough.”
“And we're hungry enough,” Buffy chimed in, voice serious and drawing agreement from Willow and Xander.
“Be that as it may,” Bucky said, struggling to keep the smile off his face, “You can not let your hunger distract you. If you are distracted, you could be caught and if you're caught...”
“Tickles,” Xander breathed out.
Bucky nodded seriously. “Tickles. And possibly a scolding.”
“We can handle a scolding,” Willow stated firmly, before her resolve faltered. “Can't we?”
“I know you can,” Bucky agreed, voice sounding confident. “But the whole point of this operation is to not get caught.” The trio of four-year-olds nodded at him.
“We'll do it Uncle Bucky,” Buffy stated, sounding confident.
“I know you will. The target is confirmed in the location. Get in position. You move out in five minutes.”
“Yes, Uncle Bucky,” the kids said, laughing in excitement as they each hugged the man and headed off to where they needed to be.
“You know the others will figure this out, right?” Rhodey asked, moving out from the shadows where he had been waiting.
“You do know they were aware of your presence,” Bucky countered.
Rhodey let out a bark of laughter. “They're four, Buck. They wouldn't have seen me.”
“Oh, yeah?” Bucky asked with a grin as he turned and opened his hand.
Looking down, Rhodey saw a crudely drawn picture of what could be his suit. “How?” he asked, looking up.
“Xander passed it to me and then nodded toward the corner you were in when he came up to me. Buffy and Willow just darted eyes in that direction.”
Rhodey thought about that for a moment. “Can you imagine what they're going to be like as teens? We'll never stop them from sneaking out.”
Bucky shrugged. “We'll just have to out-think them. It'll keep our skills sharp as well. Besides Friday is aware of what's going on and will report it back.”
“You sure about that?”
“What do you mean?” the Winter Soldier asked.
James just shook his head and smiled. “Nevermind.”
Bucky eyed him suspiciously.
Elsewhere in the base
“OK. You got everything you need Wills?” Buffy asked one more time before the trio split up. They'd made it as close to their target as they could without being detected and confirmed that everything was as it should be.
“Yes. It's all here,” Willow assured. “You just need to remember to wait thirty seconds after it starts before you move. Do you have the watch Xander?”
“Yep,” Xander agreed holding up the watch. The timer on it was already set to thirty seconds. “All I have to do is press this button and when it goes off, Buffy and me will sneak in and get what we need.”
“OK,” Buffy said. “Let's do this.”
Willow slipped away as Buffy and Xander remained hidden in their chosen spot.
They waited patiently for the signal. Well, as patiently as four-year-olds could wait which wasn't very. Still they managed to stay in their assigned place until they heard the signal to start their countdown.
Xander hit the appropriate button on the watched and the duo watched the numbers tick down. When it hit 0, Xander put the watch in his pocket and then the two set out.
Making their way as quietly as possible, they scoped the area in question and found it free of other people. Moving swiftly and silently, the two crossed the room to their assigned targets.
Xander reached his first and opened the cupboard door. Using the shelf, he pushed himself up until he could climb onto the counter. Settling quickly, he opened his backpack, extracted the zip-lock bag he'd been given, removed the lid from the cookie jar that was filled with still-warm cookies and proceeded to fill the bag as full as possible.
Across the room, Buffy had pulled the refrigerator door open, but the milk jug was out of reach and previous experience climbing the shelves in the refrigerator had proven it was a bad idea. Darting over to the utility closet, she located the step-ladder and brought it over to the refrigerator. She opened the ladder before re-opening the door and moved it into place. She used both hands and grasped the half-full gallon jug, thankful for her strength. Climbing down the step-ladder with the jug, she set her own backpack on the floor and slipped the milk into it. She then replaced the step-ladder where it belonged and made sure everything looked undisturbed.
Xander jumped down from the counter, doing his best to land quietly like they'd been taught. He still made a noise, but at least it wasn't loud. Buffy was adjusting the straps of her backpack on her shoulder and nodded to him. He nodded in agreement and quickly made their way back out of the room, releasing only two small giggles.
Moments later, Miss Darcy walked in shaking her head. “Why would they have their alarm clocks set like that?” she murmured to herself, stopping in front of the bowl half-filled with cookie dough waiting to be baked.
Mission Control
Willow arrived first, which was just what should have happened. Rhodey tried to conjole what she'd done out of the little red-head, but Willow refused to explain citing “Mission Security”.
As time dragged on for the child, Bucky and Rhodey did their best to keep her distracted.
Perhaps two minutes after Willow arrived, Buffy and Xander arrived, giggling, backpacks obviously laden with their find.
“How'd you do?” Bucky asked, helping Buffy remove the backpack.
“No problems, Uncle Bucky,” Buffy assured.
“We were sneaky and didn't make noise,” Xander confirmed handing his backpack to his Uncle Bucky.
“Well, not much,” Buffy admitted. “I had to get the step-ladder and Xander made a little noise when he jumped off the counter.”
“I see,” Bucky said as he pulled out the plastic cups and napkins they'd stashed in the room earlier. “We'll keep working on it. Did you take the cookies on the cooling rack?” he asked Xander, feeling the warmth of the treats as he started removing them from the bag and onto the napkins.
“No,” Xander assured. “She would see that too soon. I took them from the cookie jar.”
“Good man,” Bucky assured, taking a seat as everyone now had a cookie and a glass of milk. “Since Miss Darcy hasn't tracked us down yet, we'll call this mission a success.”
“And even if she does find us, if the cookies are gone, she can't prove we took them,” Willow added as she munched on her cookie.
And while their parents were a little concerned that the kids’ appetites seemed a little off at dinner, they never found out about their first, successful mission. At least not until years later when Uncle Bucky let it slip, but that's another story.
End
Author: Beriaearwen
Characters: Bucky Barnes, James Rhodes, mini!Buffy Summers, mini!Xander Harris, mini!Willow Rosenberg
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Avengers (movieverse)
Rating: Suitable for all ages
Word count: 1177
Notes: Another addition to the mini!Scoobie Avengers (reference Twisted shorts entries for 2016 challenge on August 2, 9, 16, 17, 23, 30, 31 and 2017 challenge August 3. And yes, they've been playing “Uncle Bucky games” for a few months, so they're now getting their first, daring mission.
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc. The characters of the Avengers belong to Marvel, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Mission Control
“O. K. Team. This is your first mission. You've trained for this. You're ready for this. The successful completion of this mission is critical to our operation. You're good enough. You're smart enough. You're skilled enough.”
“And we're hungry enough,” Buffy chimed in, voice serious and drawing agreement from Willow and Xander.
“Be that as it may,” Bucky said, struggling to keep the smile off his face, “You can not let your hunger distract you. If you are distracted, you could be caught and if you're caught...”
“Tickles,” Xander breathed out.
Bucky nodded seriously. “Tickles. And possibly a scolding.”
“We can handle a scolding,” Willow stated firmly, before her resolve faltered. “Can't we?”
“I know you can,” Bucky agreed, voice sounding confident. “But the whole point of this operation is to not get caught.” The trio of four-year-olds nodded at him.
“We'll do it Uncle Bucky,” Buffy stated, sounding confident.
“I know you will. The target is confirmed in the location. Get in position. You move out in five minutes.”
“Yes, Uncle Bucky,” the kids said, laughing in excitement as they each hugged the man and headed off to where they needed to be.
“You know the others will figure this out, right?” Rhodey asked, moving out from the shadows where he had been waiting.
“You do know they were aware of your presence,” Bucky countered.
Rhodey let out a bark of laughter. “They're four, Buck. They wouldn't have seen me.”
“Oh, yeah?” Bucky asked with a grin as he turned and opened his hand.
Looking down, Rhodey saw a crudely drawn picture of what could be his suit. “How?” he asked, looking up.
“Xander passed it to me and then nodded toward the corner you were in when he came up to me. Buffy and Willow just darted eyes in that direction.”
Rhodey thought about that for a moment. “Can you imagine what they're going to be like as teens? We'll never stop them from sneaking out.”
Bucky shrugged. “We'll just have to out-think them. It'll keep our skills sharp as well. Besides Friday is aware of what's going on and will report it back.”
“You sure about that?”
“What do you mean?” the Winter Soldier asked.
James just shook his head and smiled. “Nevermind.”
Bucky eyed him suspiciously.
Elsewhere in the base
“OK. You got everything you need Wills?” Buffy asked one more time before the trio split up. They'd made it as close to their target as they could without being detected and confirmed that everything was as it should be.
“Yes. It's all here,” Willow assured. “You just need to remember to wait thirty seconds after it starts before you move. Do you have the watch Xander?”
“Yep,” Xander agreed holding up the watch. The timer on it was already set to thirty seconds. “All I have to do is press this button and when it goes off, Buffy and me will sneak in and get what we need.”
“OK,” Buffy said. “Let's do this.”
Willow slipped away as Buffy and Xander remained hidden in their chosen spot.
They waited patiently for the signal. Well, as patiently as four-year-olds could wait which wasn't very. Still they managed to stay in their assigned place until they heard the signal to start their countdown.
Xander hit the appropriate button on the watched and the duo watched the numbers tick down. When it hit 0, Xander put the watch in his pocket and then the two set out.
Making their way as quietly as possible, they scoped the area in question and found it free of other people. Moving swiftly and silently, the two crossed the room to their assigned targets.
Xander reached his first and opened the cupboard door. Using the shelf, he pushed himself up until he could climb onto the counter. Settling quickly, he opened his backpack, extracted the zip-lock bag he'd been given, removed the lid from the cookie jar that was filled with still-warm cookies and proceeded to fill the bag as full as possible.
Across the room, Buffy had pulled the refrigerator door open, but the milk jug was out of reach and previous experience climbing the shelves in the refrigerator had proven it was a bad idea. Darting over to the utility closet, she located the step-ladder and brought it over to the refrigerator. She opened the ladder before re-opening the door and moved it into place. She used both hands and grasped the half-full gallon jug, thankful for her strength. Climbing down the step-ladder with the jug, she set her own backpack on the floor and slipped the milk into it. She then replaced the step-ladder where it belonged and made sure everything looked undisturbed.
Xander jumped down from the counter, doing his best to land quietly like they'd been taught. He still made a noise, but at least it wasn't loud. Buffy was adjusting the straps of her backpack on her shoulder and nodded to him. He nodded in agreement and quickly made their way back out of the room, releasing only two small giggles.
Moments later, Miss Darcy walked in shaking her head. “Why would they have their alarm clocks set like that?” she murmured to herself, stopping in front of the bowl half-filled with cookie dough waiting to be baked.
Mission Control
Willow arrived first, which was just what should have happened. Rhodey tried to conjole what she'd done out of the little red-head, but Willow refused to explain citing “Mission Security”.
As time dragged on for the child, Bucky and Rhodey did their best to keep her distracted.
Perhaps two minutes after Willow arrived, Buffy and Xander arrived, giggling, backpacks obviously laden with their find.
“How'd you do?” Bucky asked, helping Buffy remove the backpack.
“No problems, Uncle Bucky,” Buffy assured.
“We were sneaky and didn't make noise,” Xander confirmed handing his backpack to his Uncle Bucky.
“Well, not much,” Buffy admitted. “I had to get the step-ladder and Xander made a little noise when he jumped off the counter.”
“I see,” Bucky said as he pulled out the plastic cups and napkins they'd stashed in the room earlier. “We'll keep working on it. Did you take the cookies on the cooling rack?” he asked Xander, feeling the warmth of the treats as he started removing them from the bag and onto the napkins.
“No,” Xander assured. “She would see that too soon. I took them from the cookie jar.”
“Good man,” Bucky assured, taking a seat as everyone now had a cookie and a glass of milk. “Since Miss Darcy hasn't tracked us down yet, we'll call this mission a success.”
“And even if she does find us, if the cookies are gone, she can't prove we took them,” Willow added as she munched on her cookie.
And while their parents were a little concerned that the kids’ appetites seemed a little off at dinner, they never found out about their first, successful mission. At least not until years later when Uncle Bucky let it slip, but that's another story.
End