𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐑 - MCU

IX. BATTLE OF WILLS

IX. BATTLE OF WILLS
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Luna stood perched on the corner of the roof of an apartment building and watched the city below with a trepid look on her face. The evacuation of Sokovia had begun. It was relatively calm; like an unsettling silence before disaster would strike. It made Luna's stomach twist and turn.

"All they want is to live their lives in peace." Captain America had said back on the Quinjet, when they had landed but not yet gone into the city.

Pietro took the lead, speeding into buildings and first asking the people of Sokovia, his people, nicely to leave as quick as possible. If that didn't work, he found ways to be persuasive. Luna looked to, as Wanda stood in the middle of the street, tendrils of scarlet flowing from her hands and going into every building in the vicinity. Quickly and quietly, families started to file out of their homes.

"And that's not gonna happen today. But we can do our best to protect them, and we can get the job done." Cap had spoken and Luna had hoped that, for the love of God, that was true. If they failed here today... She had shuddered at the thought.

"We find out what Ultron's been building, we find Romanoff, and we clear the field." Cap had continued, "Keep the fight between us."

Thor was scouring the city, searching for any trace of what Ultron was planning. Bruce took the task of locating and rescuing Natasha onto himself and was pulling apart every nook and cranny. Steve, Barton, Stark and Luna were overseeing the evacuation.

Steve and Clint from the ground, Luna and Tony from the air. Luna would propel herself from building to building, prepared to step in if anybody needed help. The team kept in contact through their comm-system.

"Ultron thinks we're monsters." Luna could picture Steve's face clearly in her mind as he had said that; a worried frown and far-away eyes. "That we're what's wrong with the world. This isn't just about beating him. It's about whether he's right."

"Found Nat, we're safe." Banner's voice came through Luna's earpiece.

"Good," Luna replied with a relieved sigh, "Now get out of here as fast as you can."

There was no reply, and Luna's attention was quickly drawn back to the task at hand. Down below, the bridge across the river and out of Sokovia was quickly getting clogged with honking cars and screaming people. Parents were yelling Russian profanities as their kids sat scared in the backseats. The exhaust gasses were filling up the air like a steel wall, telling people they weren't allowed to leave Sokovia.

"Ultron's in the church, I'm headed for him now." Tony said.
      
"Need back-up?" Luna asked as she jumped from a building and landed softly on the ground.
      
"I'm good, gonna buy you guys some time to get these people out. Everything going smoothly on your end?"
     
A whoosh went over Luna's head. She looked up and saw Ironman flying further into the city towards where, she guessed, the church stood. "Oh, it's going wonderfully. Except for the angry, confused and scared Russians who keep yelling at us."
      
"Keep at it," Tony said, "Don't know how long I can stall him for."

That's exactly what Luna did; keeping at it. She ran between speeding cars and broke up fights until she heard someone crying out in distress. Luna spun around, looking around for who the cry came from. She stopped when she spotted a little girl, who couldn't have been older than 10, standing in the middle of a crossroads. Tears and snot were running down her pale face.

Luna ran up to her and kneeled in front of the girl, placing a careful hand on her shoulder.
     
"Hey there, what's your name?" Luna asked.
     
The girl looked up at her, a frown on her face.
       
Luna quickly realized her mistake, "имя?" She pointed at herself, "Меня зовут Luna."
       
"Vanya." The little girl replied. She had stopped crying, to Luna's relief, and let herself be pulled off of the street.