The Other Symbiote

Slice And Dice

Raiva woke to the sounds of an engine rumbling outside. She didn't have any energy to get up but she could tell it was Tony arriving.

"Ms. Brock, your presence is requested in the living room." FRIDAY chimed from the intercom. 

"Thanks FRIDAY." She rolled out of the bed, holding the blanket Nat had given her along with a stuffed Toothless under her arm. 

She trudged down the stairs slowly, step by step, until she heard the room below become silent. 

"Don't stop on my account." She chuckled dryly, her voice scratchy from the tears she had poured yesterday. 

"Raiva..." 

"Don't, Natasha. I'm not in the mood." 

"Well then kid, when are you going to be in the mood?" Tony leaned over on the counter, his face just as grim as Raiva's. 

"Well, maybe if you give me more than 24 hours to sort my shit out. I mean, I did just lose my girlfriend and half the universe is dead, so give me a break." Raiva gave a weak, bland grin before wincing slightly. 

"You okay, Rai?" Nat rushed to her side to see bruises forming underneath her skin. 

"What is that?!" A woman from behind Tony spoke, her blue skin and resting bitch face making Raiva slightly on edge. 

"Who are you?" 

"This is Nebula. She was with me in space." Tony stepped forward to keep her from moving towards Raiva. 

"Nice to meet you. Since I lost my symbiote yesterday, I've got some old wounds reopening." 

"You bonded with a Klyntarian? Are you mad?" 

"Why isn't your skin reopening?" Nat looked up, Raiva grinning slightly. 

"Genetics isn't that hard when you have all of the DNA in front of you." 

"You edited your genes?" 

"Yep. Not that hard." 

"No, Raiva, that's dangerous." 

"Yeah, but when you have an AI and a couple of PhDs, you find that nothing is that hard." 

Nat shook her head slightly at her joking attitude but saw it fall as she turned to the kitchen and poured herself a bowl of cereal.

"So, why did FRIDAY call me down here?" She opened the draw and pulled out a spoon, recklessly chucking it into the bowl before putting away the milk and Cheerios. 

"You and I are going out." Nat ordered, Raiva nodding once and eating her cereal at the kitchen counter. 

"Alright. Where are we going?" 

"It's time you meet someone. Someone who, frankly, could help you." 

"Help me?" Raiva sighed, dropping her spoon into the bowl and looking up at Nat. 

"For Christ's sake, Natasha, I don't need help." 

"Raiva, I heard you last night. I heard your screams, your wails, your howls. You need help." 

"No. I need revenge on Thanos. So someone better tell me where the hell he is."

Silence fell into the room, Raiva standing up abruptly and walking to her lab. Others followed, mainly to keep her in check until she began to sift through her draws. 

"It's gotta be here somewhere... Where the hell is it?!" She growled to herself, releasing her frustration by sending the dusty papers on her desk flying.