Ben 10: Earth's Mightiest Heroes

A Worn Slate

Steve's eyes widened at the sight of Wolverine's face. "James?" He didn't expect to meet a familiar face after all these years. Had he been frozen as well?

Wolverine narrowed his eyes, his grip tightening. "Who the fuck is James?"

The man hesitated, shock etched across his features. "It's me, Steve. Steve Rogers."

Wolverine's scowl deepened as he tried to piece together the fragments of his past. The name stirred something, but it was like grasping at smoke. "Steve...?" He studied the man's face, recognition dawning slowly but obscured by the fog of lost memories.

"Yeah, it's me," Steve confirmed, his voice softer now, though the tension between them remained. "After all we've been through, don't tell me you forgot your Captain."

Wolverine didn't answer but kept his claws up.

Steve faltered. "James, what happened to you?"

"I ain't James," Wolverine snapped. "I go by Logan."

Steve's brow furrowed in confusion. "Logan, you know me. I was your squad Captain. I'm Captain America."

Wolverine shook his head. "Captain America? That can't be right. Everything I read said Captain America was dead."

Steve took a step closer, his eyes pleading. "We fought together in World War II, remember? We took down those Hydra bases and battled the Red Skull... You were always different from the rest of the squad, but not like me, not a super soldier. You were always willing to put yourself on the front line and take a bullet. It's like you knew you would be fine. I respected your privacy and waited for you to share your secrets."

Wolverine's eyes flickered with uncertainty, his resolve wavering. Fleeting memories of a past life, of battles fought and comrades lost, swirled in the back of his mind. But he shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. "I don't remember any of that. Besides, you're way too young to be a World War Two Vet."

Steve seemed to make a strange face. "Yeah... About that... I know this sounds weird, but I've been frozen in ice for over 60 years, and I just defrosted this month.

Wolverine raised a skeptical brow. "Right..."

Steve's expression softened. "James, Logan, whoever you think you are now, you're still the same man. The same fighter. Something must've happened to you."

Wolverine growled, frustration evident in his voice. "I ain't James, and even if I was, I ain't your soldier anymore." He paused, changing the subject. "What are you doing here, Steve? Why are you chasing the Wendigo?"

"It's my duty to protect the innocent, no matter what country I'm in," Steve replied firmly. "I was there when it attacked the town. I won't allow any more of that to happen.

"Well, the Wendigo is my target, and my target alone," Wolverine insisted. "I don't play well with others."

Steve huffed, a hint of a smile on his lips. "You used to act like that during the war, too, but you always came around. The squad wore you down eventually."

Rolling his eyes, Wolverine sighed. "You're gonna be a problem whether I like it or not. Fine. We'll work together. But don't expect any team-building exercises, got it?"

Steve chuckled. "Fine by me."

#

Wolverine and Steve crept through the wilderness, the snow crunching softly beneath their feet. The dense forest around them was silent, save for the faint whisper of the wind. Wolverine led the way, his keen senses locked onto the scent of the Wendigo.