The White Phoenix 10: An Avengers: Endgame Fanfiction

Chapter 10: Fighting Our Past Selves? Really?

'Tony, what's going on?' Steve (2023) said over the earpieces. 'Tell me you found that cube.'

'Come on, Stark, pick up,' I (2023). We stopped. 'You gotta be shitting me,' I growled. Right before us were my 2012 self, right next to Steve's 2012 self. Steve (2023) groaned in exasperation.

'I've got eyes on Loki. 14th floor,' Steve (2012) spoke into his communications. My Steve placed the case that held the scepter down on the floor and spoke.

'I'm not Loki. And I don't wanna hurt you.'

'You changed the suit,' Adelaide Lehnsherr (2012) spoke to me.

'Damn right, I did.'

'Who are you supposed to be, Loki's girlfriend?' Steve (2012) snapped at me. I laughed out loud at this.

'That's ridiculous. He doesn't even have one.' Turning my attention to my past self, I spoke to her. 'Adelaide, listen to me. It would be really nice if you and Steve let us through. Like he said, we're not Loki. We don't want to hurt you, but we will if you don't get out of our way.' My 2012 self glared at me. Then, our 2012 selves engaged and we began to fight, the two Captain Americas clashing with their shields and me with my sword and my 2012 self with her telekinesis protecting her from my sword. We fought for at least a few minutes before Steve and the past Steve were knocked down. My past self and I kept fighting before she kicked me down. I attempted to get up, but she grabbed me and we fell down a few floors, crashing through the glass of the bridge we were standing on.

'Adelaide!' Steve (2023) and Steve (2012) yelled in unison as we fell to the floors below, shattered glass preceding us. The past Steve scrambled to his feet, as did my Steve.

'I can do this all day,' Steve (2012) said, getting into a fighting position.

'Yeah... I know, I know,' he snapped back, the saying apparently getting a little old. The two threw their shields at each other, which pinged off of one another and fell away as the two engaged in a hand-to-hand fight. As they fought, they kicked the scepter away to the same level as myself and my past self. We kept fighting on the ground, trading blows like it was another day in HYDRA training. Soon enough, past and future Steve fell down to us and began fighting again, but not before future Steve's compass fell out, the one that had Peggy in it. The two crawled towards each other, grunting from the effort. Past Steve picked up the compass.

'Where did you get this?' he spoke sharply to my Steve. The two kept fighting. After a while, past Steve had my Steve in a choke-hold, not letting up. I tried to help them, but was knocked down by past Adelaide, who wrapped her leg around my neck. I tried to tap out, but she wasn't letting up. Just then I heard future Steve groan out three words, which surprised even past Adelaide.

'Bucky... is... alive!'

'What?' Past Steve let him go, shocked. So did past Adelaide. We both sucker punched our opponents, and they fell to the ground, unconscious, though Steve had to use the scepter to knock the poor man out, while my single punch was a little harder than intended, sending her to the ground quicker than a bolt of lightning. I hopped up and sheathed my sword across my back.

'Sorry about that, girl. You'll wake up with a pretty aching nose. You'll be okay. Just sleep.' I put my hands to her head and I felt her deep breathing. I stood. 'Better safe than sorry.' Steve picked up the scepter and stared at Steve (2012).

'That is America's ass.' We ran off, with the scepter in tow.

On top of the Sanctum Sanctorum...

Smart Hulk laid down on a beach chair, Bruce's astral form separated from his body. The limp form of the Hulk had a hat on and appeared to be sleeping. The astral form of Bruce Banner followed the Ancient One (2012) around the top deck of the Sanctum Sanctorum, begging her to give him the Time Stone.

'Please, please!' he begged.

'I'm sorry, I can't help you, Bruce. If I give up the Time Stone to help your reality, I'm dooming my own,' the sorcerer replied.

'With all due respect, I'm not sure that science really supports that.' Just then, the Ancient One stopped and using her hand, created a projection of the flow of time. Around the middle, sat the Infinity Stones as they spun in a loop around the flow of time.

'The Infinity Stones create what you experience as the flow of time. Remove one stone and that flow splits.' Flicking the projection of the Time Stone away, a dark branch of an alternate reality formed. 'Now, this may benefit your reality, but my new one... not so much. In this new branched reality, without our chief weapon against the forces of darkness, our world will be overrun. Millions will suffer. So tell me, Doctor, can your science prevent all that?'

'No,' he replied, 'but we can erase it. Because once we are done with the stones, we can return each one to its own timeline at the moment it was taken. So, chronologically,' and at this he took the Time Stone projection, 'it never left.' He placed it back into the flow of time, among the other Infinity Stones and the dark branch disappeared.

'But you are leaving out the most important part,' she replied, still largely unconvinced. 'In order to return the stones, you have to survive.'

'We will. I will. I promise.'

'I can't risk this reality on a promise. It is the duty of the Sorcerer Supreme to protect the Time Stone.'

'Then, why the hell did Strange give it away?' She looked up in shock.

'What did you say?'

'Strange, he gave it away. He gave it to Thanos.'

'Willingly?'

'Yes!'

'Why?'

'I have no idea. Maybe he made a mistake.' She looked down.

'Or I did.' Twisting her wrist, she returned control of the Hulk body to Banner. 'Strange is meant to be the best of us.'

'So he must have done it for a reason.'

'I fear you might be right.' Opening the Eye of Agamotto, she gave him the Time Stone.

'Thank you.' Before he left, she stared up into his eyes, holding his arm.

'I'm counting on you, Bruce. We all are.'