"That was a quick retort!" Axel exclaimed, heavily patting Thor's arm. "Buddy, did you get a new brain from the World Tree? How are you so quick-witted today? Your response went straight to the core."
"What, do I usually seem slow to react?" Thor asked, curling his lips. "Axel, I am the heir of Asgard, the future Supreme Lord of the Nine Realms, Odin's most outstanding successor, Thor Odinson, destined to become Asgard's greatest king! As a king, in addition to having martial prowess that surpasses all warriors, wisdom is indispensable. I'm not foolish; I'm just so strong that I rarely need to use my brain. But you are an excellent champion, and Hulk's skills are impressive. What is wrong with being flexible-minded in front of allies I cannot easily crush with muscle?"
Thor rolled his eyes and looked at the siblings, who were deep in thought.
Axel nodded at Thor, then turned to Wanda and Pietro. "What Thor said makes sense, don't you think?"
"We have our reasons!" Pietro spoke up before Wanda could respond. "Our parents are dead, and we must avenge them. Seeking revenge on the creator of a missile might seem unreasonable to you, but besides Tony Stark, who else can we go after? The ones who bombed us were rebels. If they had won, they would be the government army now. The only reason they are still called rebels is because they were wiped out shortly after. Our direct enemies no longer exist. Since we cannot get revenge on the murderer who wielded the knife, we will vent our anger on the scoundrel who sold it. Even if that logic does not satisfy you, we still must take down Tony Stark. We want to use his head to honor our parents and everyone harmed by his weapons."
Pietro's face was stubborn as he gazed at Axel, while Wanda worriedly tugged at her brother's hand.
Axel licked his lips, casting a brief glance at Wanda's chest, before grinning and waving his hand dismissively. "Alright, I get it. Do whatever you want. Tony isn't my son; I don't care if he lives or dies. If you have the ability, go ahead and take him down."
Pietro broke into a joyful smile, and Wanda let out a sigh of relief.
But as they relaxed, Axel tapped the communicator behind his ear.
"Hello? It's Axel. Can you hear me?"
"I hear you, Axel," Lex Luthor responded after a moment. "This is an internal channel. Can you use more civilized language?"
"Fine. What are you guys busy with? Are you still with Tony?"
"Clark and Tony are together, clearing Hydra forces from the Avengers' New York branch," Lex explained. "Bruce and I are at the Avengers Academy. Hydra kidnapped several prospective trainees, and we are working on a rescue. Do you need something? If not, I need to continue replacing the energy cores. We didn't expect such a massive conflict. Fortunately, Bruce always has a backup plan, but even with his secondary core, our power won't last. I estimate we have three hours at most before we need to head back for replacements. I will rely on you then."
"No problem, just call me," Axel agreed before continuing. "As for why I called, I have two spirited youths here. Specifically, a young lady who is exceptionally well-endowed."
Axel cast another glance at Wanda's chest.
Wanda instinctively wished to shrink away from his gaze, while Pietro stepped forward to shield his sister.
"Hey, what are you looking at? Can't you be more discreet?" Pietro snapped. "How can you be so openly crude? You are a massive scoundrel."
"Pietro!" Wanda warned, pulling his sleeve. While she disliked the attention, she did not want her brother provoking a dangerous powerhouse over a look and a few vulgar comments.
Pietro grunted in frustration but remained standing firmly in front of her.
Axel curled his lips in amusement and spoke back into the communicator. "You understand my description, Lex?"
"I do. Are these youths affiliated with Hydra?"
"Exactly, Lex. You probably know them. They are Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. For some personal reasons, they want to take Tony's head. Given her assets, which I haven't even touched, I am reluctant to kill them, but Tony is still an ally, so I can't let them actually succeed. I will remain neutral. I won't interfere, so let them deal with you. Just keep an eye on Tony so his brilliant mind doesn't get taken out by these kids, alright?"
"Understood, we can handle that," Lex replied. "But why would Magneto's children have a vendetta against Stark? Did they wander into the wrong conflict?"
"Don't worry about the details, Lex. There are no mutants in this universe, except for Deadpool. I am leaving this to you. Good luck."
Axel cut the connection and waved at the siblings.
"You heard all of that, right?"
"We heard it," Wanda said, rolling her eyes.
"Don't take the terms too seriously. Go on, get your revenge. Don't waste my time."
"Wait," Wanda said, her expression filled with doubt. "Is Tony not your ally? Why are you actually letting us go after him?"
Axel shook his head. "Because I am certain you lack the ability to succeed, but I also know you won't stop unless you try. Go ahead and try. The world should offer youth a few privileges. If no one cared for you in the past, consider this my small allowance to you."
Before Wanda or Pietro could respond, Axel reached out and gripped the back of Pietro's neck, leaning in close to whisper.
"Simply killing someone doesn't make them suffer enough. Let me tell you a secret to truly hurt Stark. Stark is incredibly fond of a woman named Pepper Potts. Her skin is exceptionally smooth. Every time I pat her behind, Stark suffers more than if he were dead. If I were you, I would capture her first. Think about it."
With a loud laugh, Axel slapped Pietro's backside, sending the flushed young man stumbling back toward Wanda.
Pietro quickly grabbed Wanda's hand and hurried out of the stadium. He realized Axel was not a hero, but a chaotic, vulgar villain. He wanted to keep his sister as far away from him as possible.
Inside the empty stadium, Axel rubbed young Peter Parker's head with a grin.
Thor leaned in, looking confused. "Alright, Axel, I admit I don't follow. Why let those two go after Tony if he is your ally? Do they even stand a chance? This is incredibly messy. Also, I just remembered, my father wants to invite you to a meeting. I almost forgot to mention it."
"What?" Axel blinked. "How did you manage such a massive pivot in a single sentence? Why does your father want to see me? I don't work for Asgard."
"I don't know the details, but Father mentioned you, and he has several guests to receive. You are one of them. He told me to extend the invitation. If you wish to go, call for Heimdall. If not, Asgard respects your choice." Thor patted Axel's shoulder solemnly.
"Why wouldn't I go? If Odin invites me, he has to offer me a drink. I've never tasted Asgardian ale," Axel said, smiling.
He turned to Jessica Jones.
"Jessica, you heard him. I have an engagement in Asgard. Take care of Peter and the others. Keep them here for now; their homes aren't as safe as being near you."
"Right... Odin... the King of the Norse Gods..." Jessica muttered, bewildered.
"I am the future glory of those gods," Thor grumbled under his breath.
Axel waved a hand toward the sky.
"Heimdall, don't—"
The massive energy of the Bifrost began to descend, but before the light fully enveloped the area, Axel vanished.
His final words echoed in the empty space.
"—bother picking me up, I'm already here."
Axel appeared directly in front of a startled Heimdall in the observatory.
Seeing Axel's smirk, Heimdall swallowed and slowly pulled his greatsword from the central pedestal. He leaned on the weapon and sighed.
"Is this the behavior of the Midgardian Lord? In nearly two thousand years, this is the first time a guest has arrived before I could retrieve them. You have broken my perfect record."
"Is that so? You will just have to try harder next time. Consider it a favor to help you find your drive, buddy."
Axel tapped Heimdall's chest playfully and walked out of the chamber, stepping onto the vibrant Rainbow Bridge.
In the distance, the majestic spires of Asgard rose into the sky, with flying vessels and mounted riders patrolling the airways.
Recognizing Axel, the guards watched him warily.
At the far end of the bridge, Fandral stood with Hogun, watching Axel approach.
"Is that the guest we are meant to welcome? He looks ordinary, lacking the powerful presence of the Lady White Phoenix."
"Do not underestimate any guest invited by King Odin," Hogun replied sternly, leading Sif, Fandral, and the escort guards forward.
Seeing the welcoming party, Axel grinned and tapped his chest.
His specialized golden armor responded instantly, shifting his casual clothing into a sharp, gleaming set of armor enveloped in light.
Sif and Fandral looked on with appreciation at the sudden transformation.
"The style is reminiscent of the eastern celestial realms," Fandral noted. "I have seen similar armor in the grand pantheon. It carries a commanding presence."
Axel walked comfortably across the bridge, enjoying the solid feel of the structure beneath him.
As they met, the Asgardian warriors bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, esteemed Lord. Welcome to Asgard," Sif addressed him. "The All-Father is currently receiving the Venerable White Phoenix in the Great Hall. Please follow us."
"White Phoenix? Who is that?" Axel asked.
Sif looked surprised. "You do not know Lady White Phoenix? She is also from Midgard, and was once the Iron Fist of K'un-Lun. We assumed you would be familiar with her."
"An Iron Fist? Could it be Wu Fengji?" Axel muttered in surprise.
He smiled, his interest thoroughly piqued.
"Take me there. Things are getting interesting."
===
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