2004
AVENGERS COMPOUND
"You ready, kid?" The person- well animal, asked her.
Athena looked down to rocket, biting her lip nervously as she nodded. "Yeah. It should be an easy task, I guess..."
"Then why're you so nervous? I've never seen you so nervous in the past five years I've known you." Rocket commented, quirking a brow.
Athena sighed. "I'm confident about us three going to Asgard, but I'm nervous about what happens after... Something's just telling me that thing's are going to go somewhat south."
The raccoon patted the side of her thigh. "Let's not focus on that for now, yeah? We can deal with that problem if it comes, but for now, let's focus on our goal. Getting that stone."
Athena nodded, as Rocket did the same in understanding. The two positioned themselves beside each other, as well as Thor who stood on the other side of Athena. They were standing on the platform of the Quantum Tunnel, as well as everyone else.
On Steve's accord, they were all brought towards the middle near each other. Athena walked along side them, raising her closed fist like everyone else's, as if showing the mechanism on top of it.
"We all know our tasks. Get the stones, then come back." Steve announced, eyes scanning around everyone as he spoke. "One round-trip each. No mistakes, no do-overs. Most of us know where we are going, but that doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives, and we're gonna win. Whatever it takes."
Athena sighed once more, taking in a deep breath. This is it. This is what she was destined for, what the prophecy from years ago was about.
"Good luck." Steve then began to walk back to his position from earlier, everyone following in suit.
"He's pretty good at that." Rocket commented, looking up at Athena and Scott, who stood on the other side of him.
The girl scoffed, a smile forming as Scott bobbed his head, making a face. "Right?"
"You heard the man, stroke those keys, Jolly Green." Tony called out, directed towards Bruce/Smart Hulk as the big man was finalising the buttons.
Despite feeling nervous, Athena was pretty excited. An excited smile slowly formed on her face, Bruce/Smart Hulk walking onto the platform and joining them.
Athena looked up, locking eyes with her aunt who smirked at her. "See ya in a minute."
1994
ASGARD
Athena had to balance herself once they landed. That was not a trip she would definitely do for fun, as she now felt like vomiting.
She looked towards the other two males with her, watching as they also tried to find their balance. She brought her wrist up, tapping on the advanced tech as her suit began to go away, sealing itself.
Her normal clothes were now exposed, wearing her go to cargo pants, a skin tight cropped turtle neck, all in black. Her boot-clad feet thumped against the floor lightly, the girl tching and pointing her finger at them, a flow of magic escaping as it directed towards her boots, making the footsteps silent.
"Where we heading to?" Athena asked the two, her glove covered hands hding beneath her arms as she crossed them. Rocket looked up to Thor for an answer.
The man only stumbled slightly, taking a sip out of his drink. "We have to get to the room Jane's being held in."
"Uhh, where exactly is that?" Athena asked the man, who grew quiet for a while. He then perked up.
"Oh! Follow me!" And that they did. Thor tiptoe-ran throughout the large castle(?) halls, trying their best not to get caught. Athena observed the place as they did, noticing that it looked so royal and ancient? I guess, it looked sort of like Hogwarts, but this place had more royal significance around it.
They made it to the final hall near Jane's room, hiding in between pillars and statues. Rocket then hopped off of the statue.
"Kid, you have the extractor?" Rocket asked, looking up at her.
Shen nodded, taking it out of her pocket. "Why do you call me kid... it's not like your older than me..."
"Well with how immature you are, you might as well be." The raccoon answered back, taking the extractor from her.
An offended gasp left Athena's mouth. "I am not immature, ratchet!"
"Keep it down! We'll get caught!" Rocket shushed her. He then turned to Thor. "Alright, here's the deal Tubby. Your gonna charm your old flame, I'll extract the stone from with this thing, and the kid will keep guard."
Before Athena could protest again about the nickname, the sudden thud of a door opening was heard. This caused all three of them to hide, Rocket behind the statue and Thor and Athena behind the thick pillar.
They peeked their head out, trying to see what the source of sound was. A few women walked out of the door, all of them wearing fancy sort of clothing. One of them however, radiated some sort of presence, as if she was highly respected. She looked like she was instructing the girl behind her to do something, three others just following.
"Who's the fancy broad?" Rocket asked, looking at Thor.
The man just stared at the woman sadly. "My mother. She dies today."
The mood around them deflated. "Oh, that is today?"
Thor didn't answer, as he began to step back. His breath then began to fasten, breathing heavily. Athena noticed this, placing a hand on his back as magic flowed out into him, trying to calm him down.
"I can't do this. I can't do this. I shouldn't have come." Thor stated panickily, using his hands to fan himself. "I think I'm having a panic attack-"
"Uncle Thor-"
"Come here." Rocket motioned for him to step closer. "Right here."
Thor did so, shaking his head. "I shouldn't have come here. I sho-"
A slap was then delivered to the man's face, causing him to stop. Athena's eyes widened at Rocket's actions. "You think you're the only one who lost people? What do you think we're doing here? I lost the only family I ever had- Quill, Groot, Drax, the chick with the antenna- all gone! Even your own child-figure lost their own family!"
Rocket pointed his head towards Athena, Thor looking at her as she just looked down.
"Look, I get you miss your mom. But she's gone. Really gone-"
"Ratchet I don't think that's helping-"
"And there are many other people who are only kinda gone. And you can help them." He told him, Thor nodding shortly as tears brimmed his eyes. "So is it too much to ask for you to brush the crumbs out of your beard, make shmoopy talk with miss Pretty Pants, and when she's not looking, suck out the Infinity Stone, and help get us get our families back?"
Thor looked to the side, then down, nodding his head. He sighed. "Okay."
Rocket looked at him weirdly. "Are you crying?"
The man denied by shaking his head. "No." But as he looked at Rocket, he nodded. "Yes."
Athena gave the man a somewhat hard smack on his back. "Get it together Uncle Thor, you can do this."
"Yeah, what she said. You can do this!"
"I can do this." Thor exhaled, a determined face growing on his face. "Yes I can."
"Good." Rocket then hopped down, walking forward. Athena followed behind him, the two too engrossed to their mission that they didn't even realise that the man backed out and ran away somewhere. "Alright heartbreaker, she's alone- Thor?"
They both turned around, not seeing the god behind them. "Dear Merlin... Ya want me to go find him?"
Rocket sighed annoyingly. "No. We need this to be fast and get that rock. Think you can charm women?"
Athena scoffed, a smirk growing on her face. "Oh can I? That shouldn't even be a question."'
✎✎
"All right it turns out I can't charm Asgardian guards." Athena mumbled, running at a fast pace as she followed Rocket. "How dare they oppose my attractiveness?!"
"Doesn't matter! We've got the rock and now we just have to find Thor!" Rocket exclaimed, the raccoon on all fours as he ran across the castle.
"Can't you just let me teleport both of us to him?!" Athena yelled out to him, the male stopping.
"Right, forgot you can do that." He murmured, now running up to Athena. "Okay, catch me!"
Grunting, Athena caught him, quickly looking back at guards who were catching up. And then as she looked back, the two vanished within a blue and black cloud of smoke.
As soon as they reached their destination, Rocket hopped off of Athena, stumbling upon his feet. "I am never doing that again-"
The two looked up, seeing Thor and his mother standing there. "Hello."
"Is this the girl you would take care of when you would go to Earth a few years ago?" Thor's mother, Frigga, ask, smiling at Athena. Thor nodded. Said mother walked towards Athena, placing her hands on Athena's cheeks. "Oh, aren't you a gorgeous masterpiece. I can sense that your a powerful one... My son hasn't been harsh on you, has he?"
Athena smiled at the older woman, shaking her head. "No, Uncle Thor's been nice. Just doesn't listen to me when I tell him to stop drinking."
"We have to get going, we got the stone and now we gotta leave." Rocket interrupted, looking up to the three humans.
"Right." Athena stated, feeling Frigga's hands leaving her face as the royal went to go stand before her son.
Athena then stood beside the raccoon, simply standing there as they let the mother and son say their goodbyes. As they were ready to leave, Thor stopped them, suddenly bringing his arm up.
"What am I looking at here?" Rocket asked.
"Sometimes it might take a while." Frigga explained.
Athena's mouth then opened slightly. "Isn't it at Earth right now? Does it even work if the distance is that far?"
"Of course it does, just as long as this man is still worthy." The mother continued, hands clasped together. Then, a loud metal thud was heard, the mjolnir now it Thor's hands.
"I'm still worthy." The man huffed, smiling as he laughed.
"Oh boy..." She heard Rocket mutter, causing Athena to chuckle lightly. The raccoon then tapped the back of his hand, their suits now on them. And then, they were back in the Quantum Tunnel, making their way home.
2004
AVENGERS COMPOUND
They were all now back at the platform, all of them in a circle. The helmets were removed, revealing the successful smile on Athena's face.
However, as she continued to scan her eyes through the group of people, she realisied something, causing her smile to turn upside down.
"Where's Aunt Nat?"