Adventures in Babysitting ↠ Peter Parker [1] ✓

10 | Lullabies of War

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ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING
x. LULLABIES OF WAR

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   RILEY STARK'S EARLIEST MEMORY was tranquil. She couldn't really remember much of it, nor did she recall the memory often enough to ponder upon the details; however, she did remember bits and pieces of it, and she kept those bits and pieces locked away in a special part of her heart. Riley's earliest memory was a lullaby sung by Athena O'Dair.

   At least, Riley naturally presumed it was her mother's voice she sometimes heard singing in the back of her mind. She couldn't make out the words of the lullaby, but Riley always found herself subconsciously humming the melody of the song whenever she wasn't preoccupied with something else. Riley liked to think highly of Athena after Rob ruined the image she had painted of him in her mind. She was thankful her first memory was of her mother.

   Still, Riley couldn't help but wonder: If she died in battle today, would her final moments be as peaceful as her first?

   Standing on the battlefield, the Wakandans gathered into formation. Warriors from every tribe united. The enemy was stuck on the other side of the barrier. For how much longer, they didn't know.

   Riley stood beside Bucky soundlessly, observing as Natasha, Steve, and T'Challa confronted two of their enemies, Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian.

   "Maybe if we ask nicely, they'll surrender," satirically suggested Riley to the Winter Soldier.

   "We could always take them out for lunch before fighting to the death," matched Bucky.

   Riley and Bucky wanted to get along. They really did. They knew a lot about each other through Steve, and they knew that they both meant a lot to Steve. If getting along through dark and poorly timed humor was the way to do it, then so be it.

  In the distance, they could see Proxima's arm shoot into the sky, sword brandished. Ships behind her raised their outer hulls, allowing their passengers to disembark.

  "Well, that looks promising," Riley muttered.

   The trio returned sooner rather than later. Steve and Natasha stood on either side of Riley, with Bucky on Steve's left. Sardonically, Bucky wondered, "Did they surrender?"

   "Not exactly," Steve matched.

   T'Challa took it upon himself to commence the leading of a war cry. "Yibambe!" he would cry. The chant warmed up the Wakandans, sparks of fire burning within each of them. Again and again, they shouted together. They were getting ready, preparing for incoming.