Chapter 13

(General P.O.V)

Turns out getting out of the belly of the beast was a simple matter. That is if you had a giant green human rip out the Leviathans insides and pull you out. Ash did in fact have such a thing. He counted his blessings lucky he didn't suffocate while inside the belly. He doubted his Quirk would help him much with that.

The second he was free, he stomped down on the urge to vomit, something that was quickly becoming the norm. If he continued like this, it wouldn't be long until people started calling him, 'Mr-almost-vomits-at times-but-manages-to-barely-stop-himself- therefore-sparing-his-already-sorry-existence-more-embarrassment.'

Knowing Stark, that wasn't too farfetched. He saw a hand appear in his face from his kneeling position. Grabbing it, he was lifted to his feet with ease.

"Are you alright son?"

Captain America asked with a strange look on his face.

'Oh he probably can't tell my real age due to my features while using hardening.' Ash theorized.

"Ah yeah, I'm okay. You can call me Ash."

The him from before would have been mute with awe at standing infront of Steve Rogers. But the old him had not gone through 14 horrible deaths or been forced to kill someone to save his own life. The awe was still there though.

"Steve..."

"Rogers yeah, I know."

Ash interrupted Captain America with a slightly amazed smile.

"You're a legend. A living one now."

He added laughing at his own joke.

"That was..."

Steve looked unsure.

"Bad? No need to be polite Captain. Making funny jokes is something that I sadly did not inherit from my dad."

Ash wiped the blood and other bodily juices from his face, getting ready to continue the fight.

Captain America nodded with approval before stepping on the shield on the ground and lifting it smoothly through, strapping it to his forearm in a single move.

"Follow me."

He told Ash and then broke off in a run towards grand central station.

"I heard chatter through a fallen officer's radio. We have multiple people hiding inside the station and Chitauri trying to break through the entrance."

Luckily it wasn't a long run. Still despite his physique getting strengthened Ash found himself struggling to keep up.

They met a couple of Chitauri on the way. A glider pulled around the corner and spotted them. Captain America dodged at impossible angles, throwing his shield and slamming away both of the aliens on the glider. The glider lost control and barreled down towards them.

Ash used a broken chunk of asphalt to take a leap and jump on the glider. Then he struggled to bring the glider under control before turning it around and bringing it over to Cap who was done dealing with a few more Chitauri on the ground.

"You can drive that thing?"

He asked the teen.

One of the handles was broken due to Ash not being in full control of his enhanced strength.

"Yeah. It's like riding a bike. Only in the air and twice as fun."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Cap grabbed his shield and took off running towards the station. Now that Ash was in a glider keeping up with the super soldier was easier.

"Hey you had a motorcycle during the way right?"

He asked just as they turned the corner to arrive at the station. It felt like all the aliens gathered there, the number more than ten, turned to face them in unison.

"Yes I did. It's in an exhibit in Washington."

Cap answered, his speed exploding as he surged ahead of the glider. Ash not wanting to be undone punched it as well, aiming for the group that was firing upon the super soldier. Cap was like a rhino, with his iconic shield blocking his front, he received the energy blasts on the shield. The metal ignored the concussive and heat energy from the Chitauri weapons. With a grunt, the time displaced soldier bowled over the tightly packed Chitauri.

He heaved, pulling the first Chitauri off it's feet and over his back. Then Ash truly got to witness a Super Soldier in play. Cap snapped out devastating kicks and punches, alternating to use the shield to block the attacks and crush Chitauri bones under it's tough edge.

Five Chitauri were done for the count before Ash could even jump off the glider. When he did, the teen wasted no time in grabbing an energy blaster from a fallen Chitauri and begin shooting at the ones trying to surround Cap.

He got off a few shots, taking down two Chitauri before discarding the weapon after it lost it's charge. Ash ran forward to Captain America's right. The Chitauri he was aiming for pulled the trigger, desperately trying to stop his charge.

The energy blasts did nothing to his hardened body and once he pulled in close, he slammed his shoulder into the Chitauri's chest. Along with broken ribs, the alien slammed onto the wall of the building, breaking it's spine from the force of the hit. Ash landed a fist onto it's face, cracking it's head into pieces like a water melon.

"Duck!"

He heard from Cap and did as instructed. Cap's shield sailed over his head to smack into Chitauri before bouncing back to Ash. Without thinking the teen grabbed the shield, blocked another energy blast aimed at his face before crouching and sweeping the feet of the Chitauri out from under it with the shield and then slammed a kick onto it's face.

His sharp and tough toe nails dug into the neck of the Chitauri, quickly killing it. Then Ash spun and threw the shield at a glider that was coming in at Cap's blind side. The shield smacked onto the driver of the glider, making him lose control and crash on a wall. As if by magic the shield bounced off another Chitauri's head before returning to Captain America.

Silence dominated as Ash breathed heavily but Cap seemed to be as fresh as ever. The soldier looked around at the 13 Chitauris they had dealt with before turning to Ash with a surprised expression.

"Nicely done."

The praise made Ash smile. Maybe saving the Captain was not such a bad thing after all.

"Thank you."

The moment was broken when Iron man spoke through Steve's comms.

"I am coming in hot with the missile Cap. I need Point Break to clear me a path. We cannot have the bomb exploding anywhere near the city."

Cap brought his fingers to his ear.

"Thor, you heard the man. Light them up."

"With pleasure."

Ash saw the light before the sound hit. From a building near the Stark Tower, streaks of lightning erratically exploded towards the portal in the sky, tens of lightning bolts with more streaks of electric energy branching out to destroy the Chitauri gliders with impunity.

"Holy crap."

Ash muttered to himself. He thought he had power but this? This was something else entirely. This wasn't a simple quirk like hardening, this was a power that defied all odds. He probably wouldn't survive a direct hit, no matter how much he hardened his body.

Ash tightened his hands into fists. He'd get there though. By the gods he would get there. One way or the other. Broken pieces of metal fell from the sky, detached from the destroyed gliders and the Chitauri on them. A massive Leviathan pulled back into the portal after a brief taste of Thor's lightning. Loki was really lucky. Infact, everyone Thor had ever face was really lucky that the god of thunder was an easy going guy who hid his full power. Or rather didn't know how much power he actually had.

Iron man appeared from the horizon carrying the missile over his shoulders. He adjusted the trajectory of the missile with slight alterations aiming for the portal in the sky. With the sky empty of any Chitauri, the billionaire was able to angle the missile and direct it towards the portal.

He plunged in with it and Ash gulped. He hoped his actions hadn't changed anything too drastic. This world was doomed without Tony Stark. Seconds ticked by until finally Cap gave the order.

"Close it."

The energy beam from the tesseract sustaining the rift in spade blinked out and the hole begun to close. Ash's body tensed.

"Come on...come on..."

Just before it could close all the way, something fell out of it.

"There!"

Ash said pointing at the red and yellow figure falling down from the sky. The portal above him closed and every Chitauri still standing fell to the ground, dead.

"He's not flying."

Cap noted with worry. Before Tony could crash through a building, the hulk jumped off of one, grabbed his falling body and landed on the ground, protecting Iron man from the fall. Thor descended at roughly the same time, grabbed the metal face plate and removed it roughly.

Tony's scared non expression appeared. His face was tranquil in the minutes following his suicidal actions. Just as Cap was about to place his fingers on the side of Tony's neck, the Hulk growled with anger.

A stunned Tony Stark blinked his eyes wide as he instantly came back to his senses.

"Tony."

Cap thought it was a miracle.

"Huh, so did we win?"

Tony drawled.