Tragic Hope

09

The First Group which had Tony, Steve, Bruce and Scott, traveled to New York in 2012. The Chitauri snarled and the iconic circle take around the six original Avengers assembled. At a side street, Scott, Steve, Bruce and Tony materialized.

"All right, we all have our assignments," Steve said. "Two Stones uptown, one Stone, down. Stay low. Keep an eye on the clock."

2012!Hulk passed by them, smashing everything in his way. Bruce put his hand on his face, embarrassed.

"Feel free to smash a few things along the way."

"I think it's gratuitous, but whatever," Bruce said.

Present!Bruce pretended to smash things in a sarcastic way. He tore his shirt off and walked over to a car. He lightly punched the car, making a small dent, all the while making growling noises. He picked up a motorbike and threw it at a wall, wincing as it hit the wall.

---

At the Roof of the Sanctum Sanctorum, the 2012!Ancient One protected it. Bruce tried to enter through the roof before noticing her.

"I'd be careful going that way," the 2012!Ancient One warned. "We just had the floors waxed."

"We're looking for Doctor Strange," Bruce said.

"You're about... five years too early. Stephen Strange is currently performing surgery about twenty blocks that way. What do you want from him?"

"That, actually," Bruce said as he pointed toward the Eye of Agamotto where the Time Stone was kept.

The 2012!Ancient One looked at it. "Ah! I'm afraid not."

"Sorry, but I wasn't asking."

"You don't wanna do this."

"Ah, you're right, we don't," Bruce replied as he made a grab at the Eye of Agamotto. "But I need that Stone, and I don't have time to beat it-"

The 2012!Ancient One pushed Bruce's astral forms out of his body. Bruce who, was now in astral form, looked at The Ancient One, horrified. "Let's start over, shall we?"

Asgard - 2013

Loki was sitting in his prison cell. Without him noticing, Rocket and Thor crept by, past the cell. They stopped at a pillar a few meters away room of where Jane Foster was.

"That's Jane," Thor said.

"All right," Rocket replied. "Here's the deal, Tubby: You're gonna charm her and I'm gonna poke her with this thing," he held up a device, "and extract the Reality Stone and get gone, lickety-split."

"I'll be right back, okay? There's a wine cellar, that's just down there. My father used to have this huge barrel of Aakonian ale. I'll see if the scullery has a couple of to-go cups..."

"Hey! Hey! Aren't you drunk enough already?"

A door opened and Thor and Rocket both tried to hide. Ladies walked along with 2013!Frigga. Thor saw his mother.

"Who's the fancy broad?" Rocket asked.

"It's my mother," Thor replied. "She dies today."

"Oh. That's today?"

"I can't do this. I can't do this. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't have come. This was a bad idea."

"Come here." He stood in front of him.

"No, no, no. I think I'm having... I'm having a panic attack. I shouldn't be here... this is... this is a bad-"

"Come here. Right here." He slapped Thor in the face. "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. Now, I get you miss your mom. But she's gone. Really gone. And there are plenty of people who are only kinda gone. But you can help them. So is it too much to ask that you brush the crumbs outta your beard, make schmoopy talk to Pretty Pants, and when she's not looking, suck out the Infinity Stone and help me get my family back?"