The Girl In Battle (Carol x Valkyrie)

assigning tasks. finding Carol and Loki and hopefully not die along the way.

"Thanos is back?" Wanda gasped. Red swirls wound around her delicate fingers. The rage in her eyes was terrifying. "Did anyone of you play with the time travel again?"

  "Wanda, calm down." Stephen placed a hand on her shoulder. "This is nobody's fault. Thanos must have found some pym particles and duplicated them somehow. Or he made one himself."

  "Valkyrie, where's Carol?" Thor asked.

  "I-I found her in space." Valkyrie felt everyone's eyes on her. "She didn't attack but flew away instead."

  "Isn't she mind-controlled?" Loki asked.

  "We watched from afar," Mantis said. "I don't know but she seems to remember who Valkyrie is."

  "She doesn't know my name," Valkyrie said coldly, keeping her voice devoid of emotions.

  Mantis gave her a sympathetic look and retreated behind Drax.

  "2012 Loki must be in New York," Loki said. "That's where the wizard lives." The look he shot at Strange gave Valkyrie a feeling that there was something more between the both of them. "I need to go and find past Loki but I can't leave my duty to protect my people." He looked at Valkyrie for help.

  "Doctor Strange will go in your place. Together with Thor, Drax, Gamora, Peter, and Rocket. The sorceress, Nebula, Mantis and the tree will go with me to find Carol again. We'll bring her here if we can. Thor, if you can, bring 2012 Loki back here too. If you can't, tell me where he is. Maybe I'll send Mantis to go and help you. Bruce, stay here and find out what you can about 2012 Thanos."

  Bruce nodded. "You'll need these if you're going to inform each other on what's happening." He produced two communication headsets and passed them to Valkyrie and Thor. "Good luck."

-

Carol jumped when Valkyrie appeared in front of her. The team had flown aimlessly around space when Mantis had reported a sighting of something bright.

  Valkyrie had wanted to go alone like last time but Wanda didn't want her to. So, she told Wanda to stay somewhere where Carol couldn't see her.

  Now Carol and Valkyrie were circling each other. "You're always in space," Carol said after a while. "Alone." She gave the headset on Valkyrie's head a look.

  "I came to see you," Valkyrie responded. She began toying with the locket in her anxiety, and Carol's eyes were glued to it. "Do you want to see it?"

  Carol didn't say anything but she just reached out and touched Valkyrie's braids. Then her fingers traveled to Valkyrie's cheek. "You feel familiar. How come?"

  Valkyrie couldn't breathe. She reached up and held Carol's hand closer to her cheek. "Because you know me. Three years ago."

  Carol's eyes were as fathomless as ever, but she didn't pull away from Valkyrie's touch. Instead, she drifted closer curiously. "I know you," she repeated.

  "You know me," Valkyrie whispered. She touched both sides of Carol's head. "Come back to me. You're my friend."

  Carol stared at her with the expression that she had when she had fitted the chestplate over Valkyrie's body. But then she reared away with a sharp cry and grabbed her head, as though in pain. When her eyes opened, they were red. Blood red.

  Valkyrie turned around and saw Wanda moving her hands and twitching her fingers. Her eyes glowed. "Thanos is the enemy..." she whispered. "You're not you..."

  Nebula had come out and shook Valkyrie hard. "Hit her on the head."

  "But this isn't part of the plan..."