The Liberty War || Infinity War & Endgame

Chapter Forty-Two: Battle Symphony

Music is "Emerge Part I" and "Emerge Part II" by Ruelle.

Picture is Tatiana Maslany as 2012 Emma and present-day Emma.

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CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: Battle Symphony

"I'm not Loki, and I don't wanna hurt you."

Steve slowly lowers the scepter, and his decade younger counterpart charges him full-throttle. Shield against shield, soldier against veteran, his younger version gets the better of his balance and tosses Steve across the glass walkway, muttering his signature line: "I can do this all day."

"Yeah, I know," Steve replies, exasperated. "I know."

As he pulls himself up and the two let loose their shields towards each other, I make a break for the glass elevator resting at the interior of the building, settled at the thirteenth floor. The trajectory is perfect in my line of sight, a perfect place to get the better of 2012 Steve without permanently hurting him. I can throw him off, into the elevator, and lock him in there for the time being. Now, just how do--

My thought is cut off by a shadow in the corner of my vision. Dodging to the side out of instinct, I barely miss a familiar metal staff whiz past my face, crackling with electricity at one end. I don't even have to look back to know who it is. Spinning out of the way and taking shelter behind one of the metal conference tables inside the building, I hear soft footsteps follow me, oddly quiet despite the metal they're made of.

"Since when did Hydra get shapeshifters at their disposal?" the 2012 version of me shouts across the room.

In place of a reply, I pull my staff from my back holster. Lucky for me, it's had some work done since this year. But if there's any person on Earth I wouldn't want to fight, it would be myself. Especially at this time. The anger and mercilessness of Lady Justice still flows through her veins, as does the guilt. If she's come to the conclusion -- and I can't exactly blame her -- that I'm the enemy, that I'm Hydra, she will do absolutely anything in her power to take me down.

I don't think this is exactly what they mean when they say "fighting with yourself," but it's as bloody close as you can get, I suppose.

"Would you believe me if I said I'm you from the future?" I shout back, keeping myself hidden behind the table despite knowing it gives me little cover. The only thing it can give me is a moment to think, to plan, to find a way out of this mess without completely mucking up the timeline.

She sneers in response, and I can tell she's thrown that possibility out the window, even without seeing her face. "And I suppose the one out there is also from the future? The other Steve?"

"Yes! We are."

"Unlikely. At first, I thought you were Loki as well, but now I see you're something else."

Before I can respond, outside the glass walls of the room, glass shatters, and both Steve's fall in tandem. They hit just about everything in the way on their descent. Both the other Emma and I shout for our respective friends at once, and then she looks at me like I'm crazy, as if she can't believe the tone of voice and worry in my voice is the same as hers.

Taking advantage of the shock, she scoops up her weapon and launches at me, throwing me into the wall nearest us. Pining my neck to the surface with the metal staff, I'm forced to use my boots to break free, lifting them and pushing hard so she goes soaring back. Her own hoverboots break her fall, and she's flying at me at a breathtaking speed less than a second later.