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Chapter Text

Coffee shop, NYC

The news of The Las Vegas Solar Panels being completed, meaning that there was enough Solar Energy for roughly half of the US Populace now, thankfully all of their people had left the city before they could be eliminated, so that was great, the only real danger was that there was a specimen on this planet that was able to make a decision that a member of their Empire would have.

“Can’t believe that someone would do something so horrible and that the government would make it into a solar panel.” Casey had said and hearing that, Thula shrugged at the statement, “People live, people die.” Thula ad told Casey, making her roll her eyes at that as she saw that someone familiar was walking by, “Excuse me,” Thula told her friend before approaching the woman.

“Hello?” she had asked, making the woman turn to see Thula, “Oh! Kregg’s sister,” she had said, making Thula nod, it was a trip she had with Kregg to see the city, the two of them had stumbled upon a visiting Dawn there and Kregg had went to breed with her, “What are you doing here?” Thula had asked, “I thought you lived Missouri?” Thula asked her, “I do, but I was there when… when IT happened.” Dawn told her, “Then all of a sudden, I was here and I have nothing.” she said.

“What do you mean?” Thula had asked her, “I mean that I woke up here with nothing but my suitcase with my clothes, but I lost my wallet and my phone, I tried asking for help but–” “It’s New York, everyone’s guarded.” Thula had said to her before pulling out her wallet, “Here–” “Thula! I– I– I couldn’t–!” “I can cancel it when you get there, enjoy and get back home.” she had told the woman.

In response, Dawn had went and hugged her tightly, “Thank you!” she had said as Thula had turned towards Casey, “Casey, can you please drive her to… whatever is the best way to Missouri without an ID?” Thula had asked, making Casey sigh, “I’m putting it on your tab.” Casey muttered, “Okay, get in, we’ll get your stuff and get you the Hell out of here.” she had told Dawn, ho smiled while Thula went to work.

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The Glass Field(Formerly Las Vegas), Nevada

Thula was up above the cloudline and was watching them from down below when she had started to take the photos, making sure that the glare wouldn’t be blinding as Thula went to go lower and lower so that the images would be as detailed as possible before she had started to finish up, glad that they were done, Thula moved to leave when she saw that Invincible was before her.

“Thula.” head said to her, making Thula sigh as she had went and stored away her camera in the case that she had personally made, “What are you doing here?” he had asked her, making The Viltrumite roll her eyes, “The Newspapers that I work for all want a picture of The Glass Field.” she had told the hero, “I want to get a few so that I can get currency.” she had explained.

That made Invincible cautious, “I thought that you would be doing the mission?” he had asked, not really knowing what to call the fact that they were there to breed, taking a breath, the woman had started to fly up, “My progress with the mission is none of your business.” she told him as The older woman went to leave, “Wait.” he said, irritating her now, “What now?” She snarled.

“This, would you have stopped it?” he had asked her, “I would have removed any valuable assets from the area first, but otherwise, yes, I guarded operations like these for The Empire in the past.” she had told him, “It helps the world more long term then the bomb, which is more important.” she told him, “What is?” Invincible asked, “What you do in the aftermath.” Thula said before flying away.

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Conquest Residence, Brooklyn

Anissa was here, looking at the facility that was growing more and more, “You know, that would make a useful Space Port.” Anissa said, “We’d have to kill them off, but yes, I can see it.” Thula had said, it would make a nice defensible position as she saw that there was some extinct tech there, “How do they have that technology?” Anissa had asked of Thula as she opened up the files.

“Here’s the reason, there was a technician that was sent there,” she told Anissa, “The Primus must have protected them to make sure that they would have access.” Thula said, thinking that it would be the kind of plan that she and her siblings would plan, making Thula wish that she had met this Primus, it would be an interesting fight as Anissa spoke up, “So, are you only breeding with one?” Anissa asked.

That caught Thula off guard, they were never for small talk when they were out in space, for her to ask… “Yes, I am… dating? Dating him.” she had told Anissa, “Why? I thought we were supposed to be finding multiple partners.” Anissa had said, “At first, yes,” Thula, “But he is intelligent and I already have the strength, I don’t see a need for someone inferior.” she had told her.

That had made the woman roll her eyes, “I prefer strength over intelligence.” Anissa said, making Thula roll her eyes, “Well there isn’t anyone that fits those parameters here.” she had said, Anissa annoyed at that, “I and I’m not allowed any of those HEROES because of Thragg’s… orders…” she went before looking towards Thula, “Thula…” she had said.

“What?” Thula had asked, “Your Stardust outfit, let me borrow it.” she had told Thula, making her curious, “Why do you want to borrow it?” she had asked, making the woman grin, “I’m going to breed in it.” she had told Thula making her give a disgusted look at that, seeing that, the Viltrumite groaned, “You have more than one–’ “No, just the one.” Thula had said and hearing that, Anissa glared.

“Come on, don’t make me take it.” She had said and hearing that, Thula had snarled at her, “If you want to meet heroes, make your own suit.” she had whispered towards her, making the woman think before nodding, “Alright, I can do that.” she had said, hearing that, Thula wondered what she would be doing now as the Viltrumite had went and walked towards the exit.

“Alright then, it was good seeing you–” “What, don’t you want to have a… lunch date, like the humans do?” she had asked, making the woman smile at that, “Where do you have in mind?” she had asked and hearing that, the warrior had smiled, “Great thought, I have JUST the place in mind.” she had said towards her friend and so the two of them went and flown upwards to go have some fun.

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Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

The two of them were both eating a lot of the cultural dishes that were thee as they had decided to speak in Viltrum only, “So then, you want to use a hero persona so that they will breed with you?” she had asked, “I have heroes, but villains…” Thula had said to her, “We have no one in position there, I bet that we can find someone more… your speed.” she had told Anissa.

That had made her contemplative, “That seems interesting.” Anissa had told her, “Something that I can get behind, she had told Thula who had smiled at that, “I think that I have some old armor that you can use.” she had told Anissa who nodded, “Something that can cover everything identifiable?” she had asked, “I have several.” she had told her as they paid the bill, thanked the staff and went to get to work.

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Anissa’s Apartment, NYC

Thula was sitting on a chair and was watching as the warrior had started to change into a heavily armored behemoth warsuit, making the hunter nod at that, “Functional, and with your strength–” “But it hinders mobility.” Anissa had said to her, “Could we find something that is more… serpent? Less ursine.” she had told Thula who thought about that, “I might have something.” She told her.

Thula had went towards the storage locker where she kept her trophies before finding the vacuum sealed pad that housed it, “I got this from a Mayeri Assassin that an annoying Third Circle Laird sent.” she had said, remembering the event, “Just plug the end into the back of your neck and it’ll be working like you were born with a tail.” she had said, making Anissa look before hating the sight, “It’s salmon.”

“So?” Thula asked as she looked at the black and salmon outfit, “I don’t like Salmon.” she had said in annoyance, “Are you kidding me?” she had asked, “We’ve went through EVERY version that I have! The only thing I have left is something from my old Black Ops days.” Thula had snarled, making Anissa curious, “You were a silent Executioner?” she had asked Thula.

The Silent Executioners were assassins that had been sent out in the Civil War, attacking the enemies of Thragg, they were ruthless and that had made them seen as some sort of boogeymen, Conquest and THula were the only two surviving members after The Virus had ravaged their people, “I always wanted to see one.” she had said and hearing that, the Viltrumite had went and pulled it out.

They had seen that it was a full body uniform with a metal in the shape of their funeral mask as well as some shoulder plates, greaves and gauntlets that made it seem more militaristic which had made the two of them look as Anissa had examined it, “This is impressive.” she had said, “And not for you.” Thula said, “Look, if my collection isn’t up to muster, use your own.” she told Anissa.

Anissa was about to speak up about that, when she had paused, “I might have one or two that could work.” she had said, making the Viltrumite curious as Anissa had went and grabbed at her own treasure chest, it was a tradition amongst them, when you found a worthy opponent, you’d take a memento, the armor, their weapon or something important to them, all of them had something similar.

As Anissa had dug through, Anissa had eventually found one that looked interesting, a Gunmetal Grey and Blue tac suit with three circles making up the face of the armor that had made the two of them look, “Where’d you get that?” she had asked, “Bounty Hunter, The Scowl.” Anissa had told Thula who had remembered that Bounty Hunter and how he killed three of them.

“I didn’t know you killed him.” Thula had said, making Anissa grin, “It was back when I had been posted on that planet, the one where drugs were sounds.” Anissa had told Thula, “I prefer the one that used lights instead.” Thula told her, making the two of them nod as they had each went and pulled out, “Want to get high?” Anissa had asked as they had both went and started them up.

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Traziacian Compound, Ceres

The three of them had went and looked at the data that was there from what they saw in the Glass Field, “Alright, so we’re in agreement that the Las Vegas section is useful.” The Primus had said, making Justus nod at that as they had looked over possible areas, “The one known as Dinosaurus will be a problem.” Justus had said to his parents, “Yes, but one of our people has gained an interest.”

That had made them look and saw that there was none other than the first Human/Viltrumite hybrid that had been born there, it was quite a dangerous foe, “And THIS was the one that had slayed Conquest?” They had asked, making Justus nod towards them, “Would you like us to kill them?” Justus had asked, “No, he is useful, he is against the Empire right now.”

Hearing that, Jutus had nodded towards their leader, “What about the others?” the warrior had asked, hearing that, the two of them had looked towards each other before there was an agreement, “Focus on Thula, find the rest of her brood, they’re most likely to join us.” The Primus said, making Justus glare but nod as he had wondered what had made them so important.

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Medical Ward, Viltrum, Memory

Thula was watching as her brother and sisters were dying, making the woman sigh at the sight as she saw that her father was tumbling out of the iso–ward, “Thula…” He had said, going and approaching her while she had watched them all in various stages of the virus, she saw Mimah, her youngest sister, had vomited blood and looked so much weaker as she did.

“Why are they dying?” she had asked her father, “More like, why did you survive?” he had asked and hearing that, Thula looked and saw her father’s corpse, eyeless as it had stared at her, “Why did YOU survive?!” her siblings had all asked, getting up in varying forms of decay, “Why you?” “Why you?” “WHY YOU?!” they asked as one of them grabbed at her throat.

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Anissa’s Apartment, NYC

Anissa flinched as she saw Thula flinch awake in a panic, “What the Hell was that?!” she had asked in panic towards Thula who was calming down now, “Ah, just a nightmare.” she had told Anissa who nodded, having something similar in her dreams as well which they all had in some manner or form, whether it be an enemy, a lost loved one, or something that had made them panic.

“What’s yours?” Anissa had asked, “Mine was my first husband on our wedding night.” Anissa had told her, “The Quarantine Section of The Medical Ward, when all of my siblings were in there.” Thula had told her, neither one of them wanting to think more about it at the moment, “Alright,” Thula said, “I’m going to go and head back, I need to sleep, see you.” She told her to go and fly as far away as possible.

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Conquest Residence, Brooklyn

Thula was working and taking photos with her camera, people watching from the balcony as she had checked people, seeing their reactions, it was something she did with her mother when she was a child, a way to learn how they fight and it evolved into an interest that she kept up with as a routine to help her when she had hunted down a few others before seeing a person looking up.

It was a stranger in a suit, making her sigh, Thula had went and flipped the bird to the person, making them get a surprised expression, so they could see her, guess she had to be more careful as Thula had went and headed back in which was where she saw that there was something there, a present, curious, Thula had went and taken her knife and split the tape.

Seeing that it opened without trying to kill her, Thula was a bit relieved as she had went and opened it to reveal a cube that had video files, “For you and your siblings.” The note on it had said and reading that, Thula had glared, disliking the statement as she pulled out out and pressed, seeing the image of her older siblings laughing with a pregnant woman.

Her blue hair was in a braid that had split into three with each one having a small blade on it, eventually, Conquest had went and picked up one of them with a smile, making Thula almost gasp at the sight of how young and how happy her father was with her older siblings, “Thavia!!!” her oldest brother, Willum had said, “Can we go to the hunt already?”  he had whined to her.

“In a moment, Willum, I just want to say something to your unborn sister first.” Thavia had said before looking towards the screen, “Thula, I know that you’re in here, and I know that I will survive, but I still wanted to say this,” The woman had said with a grin, “You are my daughter, Conor’s daughter, and you will be glorious,” She had said with a smile.

“And I cannot wait to help you become just that.” She said with a grin, at that, the video had made static before they had closed, as Thula looked at the file, she had felt something, was there a leak in the ceiling, she touched her face and tasted it, only to realize it was salty, that it was a tear and they were starting to come more and more which had made her confused.

Thula had looked to the others and wanted to press another, but when she thought of what Thavia would tell her on them, what she would see of her family, it made Thula stop herself, taking a breath, the Viltrumite had taken a breath before she had decided to call someone, Thula had waited, listening to the ringing before there was a voice on the end, “‘Thula?” Colin Malco said.

“Colin.” Thula had stated, making him curious, “Thula, what’s wrong? You sound upset.” He told her and hearing that, the warrior had taken a breath to try and steady herself, “Someone sent me some old videos of my siblings and my parents and… they just got to me.” Thula had told him, “Wow, must be alot to see them, to see Conor and Bekka–” “Thavia.” Thula said.

That seemed to catch him off guard, “I’m sorry, I thought you said that your mom’s name was Bekka?” He had said, “Stepmom, Thavia was my birth mother.” Thula had said and hearing that, the man remembered how she said that her dad had three wives, “Okay, that must have neem surprising to see–” “That’s just the thing, I didn’t even realize I was crying, I didn’t even know I could anymore…” She said.

“It’s a natural reaction to when you’re upset–” “That’s just it, I thought I was bled dry, that after everything I’ve done, I didn’t think I could grieve anymore.” the Viltrumite had said, still unsure why it had happened, “Thula, did you talk to your therapist about this?” Colin asked, knowing about them, “I don’t think– I don’t want– no.” Thula had said to him, making Colin chuckle.

“You’re cute when you’re tongue tied,” He said, surprising her for two reasons, “But I think you should tell them, they’ll be able to talk about this better than I can.” He had said, hearing that, the alien had went and started to think on what would be happening next, “It wouldn’t hurt.” she had said, taking a breath when she had seen that there was a scheduled meeting.

“I actually have one in for today,” Thula said, “I’ll go and talk to them.” Thula had said and hearing that, the man gave a sigh of relief, “Great to hear, Thula,” He had told her, “If you ever need to talk, I’m ready to listen.” He said, making her feel a little happier as Thula had went to go and fly up, enjoying the thought of what he had said as she had flown to go see them.

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Doctor Stern's Office, Brooklyn

Dr. Stern had looked up in surprise at the sight of Thula who was in early, “Okay, this is new…” he had said, making the woman sigh as she sat down, “I cried today.” she told him, making Dr. Stern nod, “Right, that’s a sign of weakness in your home country.” he had said, “Was there a particular reason as to why you had cried today?” he had said and hearing that, Thula sighed.

“I saw some old family videos that I’ve never seen ago with my mother Thavia in them,” she had told the psychiatrist, “I didn’t even know that I was crying until I tasted it.” Thula had said and that had made the man curious as he had went and written that down, “When was the last time you cried? Before today.” he had clarified, making the Alien think, “It was back when my family died.” she told him.

“The pandemic had attacked them all, I was the only one that wasn’t infected and all I could do was watch them die, one after the other until my father recovered,” Thula explained, “All we could do was watch them fade away.” the woman had said, gripping her wrist to keep herself under control, “They didn’t fight and die, they were left on a bed and went slowly and… and painfully.” she told him.

Dr. Stern had went and written it down before he had looked up, “I take it that had resulted in a… disliking for medical facilities?” he had asked, making Thula roll her eyes at that before he spoke again, “What else do you wish to talk about?” Thulasaid, not wanting to reveal if that was a weakness or not just yet while he had looked back to his notes, “Okay, what about your mother?” he asked.

“I only watched one, I haven’t looked too deeply into them.” she had said, making the man think on that, “Then please, check on the others, see if they’ve gotten anything that you remember.” he had said, giving the assignment and that had made them look at each other before Thula had nodded, “Okay, I can work with that.” she said, though one question she had was why they had those videos in the first place.