hawkeyekate: (Queen Kate)
Take care when one goes wandering in the woods. Especially where a Labryrinth lies hidden in the depths. Never know where one might end up. A croquet game with old yet new friends. The Ruler of a strange and peculiar kingdom where logic and proportion had fallen sloppy dead.

Kate didn't know where she was. She thought her friends acted strange, and she found herself feeling sorry for how Cassie there was being treated. They weren't like that with her even after she defected to the Initiative. No matter how much this Eli urged her on.

Even curiouser and curiouser was seeing Eli as King, and herself as Queen of Hearts, resplendent in an ermine cape and crown. She was compelled to act haughty, rather like some of her classmates from the Academy. The stuck up rich offspring who cared more about summer homes in the Hamptons, and how much was in your mutual funds account than being a friend. She wasn't sure how she came to be here, and how to get back. And the longer she was here, the more nonsense made sense. Watching Tommy as the White Rabbit, zipping around to do her errands. It was getting too comfortable here.

So of course, it takes an Alice, or a giant Cassie to bring the house of cards crashing down.
hawkeyekate: (is tired of your crap)
Because Billy was with her as invisible backup, it didn't take long for the news to pass through the team ranks. (Most of them anyway), and get right back to the person she really didn't want to find out.

So Eli chewed her out in front of everybody, and she nearly tore his head off in return before storming off for some stress relief in the practice room of the clubhouse.

Like that, basically.

Tommy caught up with her, well, being a speedster, this wasn't very hard. But she told him a little, and he suggested going some place. She surprised herself a little by saying it was a date. But she was angry, and hurt. She wanted to hurt back. Eli for chewing her out and getting her back for embarrassing him. And maybe Will a little for getting her hopes up about that someday.

Either way, she figured going out with Tommy for red bull mojito spritzers in a dodgy bar sounded like a good idea. He then insisted on asking again what happened, and she never was very good at hiding the truth. Because she never really wanted to. So they stepped outside, and she told him the whole story.

Next thing she knew he was suggesting they steal it back. She was shocked, but interested. Because dammit, it was her bow now, her name. Hasn't she earned it by now? Still, she wasn't sure. The Avengers would be out on patrols so they wouldn't be there. Could just sneak in.

And something about how Tommy said it, and the way he held her in his arms as they zipped along into the elevator... And that kiss.

She's clearly always had a weakness for thieves.
It didn't mean she was letting him sneak a kiss a second time.

She was briefly distracted with the picture of the Avengers. The original ones, and they all looked about their age. Young and eager to fight, not knowing what's to come, and how things would end up long years later.

It still didn't stop her from being happy to get her bow back, even when they heard Luke and Clint returning to the room. Tommy could get away easily, and so could she. But she couldn't help lingering to listen as Clint argued... Arguing and vouching for them. Saying how good they are, and they just need a little guidance.
"The world absolutely needs those kids in it."
Even adding that they had the right kind of fight for it.
She couldn't help smiling as she hugged her bow tightly, and snuck off finally back to the clubhouse.

Where Clint found her a little later much to her shock. And to her further shock, he didn't ask again for the bow. It was hers because she fought for it, and he even gave her a gift. The picture. The same one that she had stared at a few hours before. He then talked about tradition and family, and they were. They were young, but definitely getting there.

And she teared up a little as he added how people didn't believe in him, doubted and despised at times too. All of those things she had said to Brand months ago... and she wasn't the only one.

And now it was their turn to be the ones needed. Avengers.

She hugged the picture tightly, and then placed it carefully up on the wall.

Her "Thanks, Hawkeye," might have been to an empty room, but it was ok. She... they were doing the right thing with this.

She then turned to head out of the practice room, the door opening wide...
hawkeyekate: (well this sucks)
It seemed to be an especially cold autumn as November rolled through, and into the start of December. Kate barely noticed as she just threw all her focus into school, and patrolling. It was easier that way. Or seemed to be. Eli took her aside after one hard battle with a jewelry thief that can spit acid. He had started to do so more and more, noticing how much she was pushing herself. And yet seeming half numb at times. The earlier conversations were shorter, more brusque, and fighting than talking. The later ones quieter as the weeks drew on with no sign of the door. She had tried one more time with Will's trump. Just one more. But after a second failure, she just placed it away in a drawer, along with the necklace and ring he had given her.

"Kate, you gotta face it. How do you know the door's coming back?"

"It has to." She opened up about Will meeting their daughter, and always talking about someday. But she wasn't sure now, and as her own birthday(Dec. 9th) drew close, Eli threw a curveball to her.

"....A date?"

"Yeah, just a little something. Should do something for your birthday, and I got us hooked up. You don't have to worry about anything. How about it?"

Kate debated, but she needed a distraction. Anyway, they're friends, he understood, right? No big deal.

Wrong, that night was unseasonably warm, but it was one of the few things right about the night. The conversation in the carriage was awkward. What was she thinking? She can't do this to him, he's her teammate. And she still loves Will. It's not fair to either of them. So she tried to explain, and he seemed to understand. And then he tried to kiss her.

"You did NOT just try to kiss me. You did..."
"No! Kate, I..."
"You did NOT."


And then Ronin shot the already bad night to hell by jumping them.
"Kate, the carriage isn't moving."
Correction, jumping Eli and then testing her in fight.
"Jeez, what the hell was that?"
No way was she going to tell the truth.
"Oh you know. Central Park carriage ninja."

No he didn't buy it, but the evening was already ruined even before the fight happened.

Then the next day, surprise, surprise, turned out that Clint Barton is indeed alive in her world after all. And he wanted to see the bow. His/her bow. The bet came right out of left field. He makes the 'Robin Hood' shot,(And god, didn't the knife twist sideways in her heart a little at the reference.) and she had to give up the name of Hawkeye and the bow. He doesn't make it, and she kept them both, plus the older Avengers would leave all of her team alone. (All of them now that Cassie was talking with them again, and things were better. Even things were getting better with her step dad too.)

"...You're gonna miss each and every shot you can't be bothered to take. That's not living life, that's just being a tourist. Take every shot, Kate. If it's worth caring about, no matter how impossible you think it is...You take the shot."

Which he did, and of course, like the expert archer he is, and what she thought she was. But not yet, clearly not yet.... He made the shot.

And everything seemed even darker and colder.

(with apologies to the wonderfully talented Matt Fraction for the canon dialogue in italics. From Young Avengers Presents: Hawkeye)
hawkeyekate: (Eeep!)
"KATHERINE ELIZABETH! GET DOWN HERE NOW!"

What the hell was that about? Kate finished her text to Eli, 'Gtg, dad freakout again.' She then set down her cellphone, and hopped off the bed. She headed downstairs.

"What, Dad?" She then froze at the bottom of the stairs where her father was holding up a newspaper with pictures of her and her teammates in costume.
'Outlaw Superhero Menace' was the headline.

"What is this? You think you can stroll around in disguise, be photographed by *my* papers, and NOT be noticed?" He berated her, and stopped her from walking past.

"No, but you're barely here, Dad." She shot back as she folded her arms in front of her.

"I'm away because I'm running around making sure this family has enough money."

"Really not a problem there."

Derek got more in her face, "Hey, watch it. We wouldn't be living like this if it wasn't for what I did. Look, I understand how much you miss Eleanor, and I always encouraged you to help out those in need. But this is too far. It's dangerous, and illegal."

"Only because of a stupid law!"

"I'm not going to have you going out every night risking your neck, and getting arrested. I want you home as soon as you're done with school, and that's final."

Kate snorted, "Right, I'm almost 18, Dad. This is what I want to do." Her father scowled more since he didn't like the reminder that she was getting older. The house would empty soon enough, but he wanted it put off as long as possible.

"You don't have powers, why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to help people! It's more direct than any charity, and keeps people safe!"

Her father threw up his hands, and paced around, "Then be a cop, go for the FBI, but I will not have you wasting your life with this costume crap."

He then came closer to put his hands on her shoulders, "Katherine, please. You girls are all I have now, and you know your mother would have wanted better for you than this."

She scowled more, "Mom would have understood and supported me."

Her father started to yell, but then bluntly stated. "That's it, go back to your room right now, and you stay there until you have school."

"It's the weekend, Dad."

"Too bad. Go."

She turned to go, and her father added, "And starting Monday, I'm setting up security cameras so don't even think of sneaking out."

She stared at him, "You can't be serious."

"I told you to go."

"Fine... look I know you're worried, but I'm doing the right thing. And you can't stop me, I'll find a way."

She then ran upstairs while her father sank onto the chair with a sigh. After Kate was upstairs and out of earshot, he picked up a photo of Eleanor. A shot of the two of them at their engagement party.

He sighed at the photo, "She really takes too much after us sometimes. She always listened better to you."

Upstairs, Kate flopped on the bed, a sigh escaping her that sounded identical to her father's.
Her cellphone then played the opening notes of Greensleeves, and she picked it up.

"Hello?"

Eli's voice on the other end immediately said, "Hey Kate, you feel like sneaking out tonight? Got something I gotta do."

She smiled, and grinned, "About time you called. I'll meet you. Usual place." She then hung up a moment later, and got up to get dressed.
hawkeyekate: (Smile)
The street lead the pair out onto Park Avenue, around 71st. There were a lot of shops and restaurants along here by the look of the bustling shoppers in the summer heat, many with rain gear. It felt like the sky might open up anytime now. It was a main drag so there were plenty of cabs going along the streets to catch. But Kate was more focused on something other than the upscale boutiques and bistros.

"Oh, good, we're right near it. Come on, it's by the Park." She then tugged him along 71st.
hawkeyekate: (unsure)
She had gone home again. School was finishing up, and people were dispersing for the summer. She kept hearing rumors about Billy and Teddy at Camp Hammond, but nothing for certain. And she wasn't able to call them. Eli wasn't sure either. Didn't know about Tommy or where he was.
And then at her father's insistance since her mother would have wanted her to continue her music education, she was shipped off to Interlochen. It would be her last time since she would be too old for the program, and graduating from Hawthorne then. The distraction of music and archery practice helped at times, but she kept getting the feeling that some of the others resented her. Were even jealous of her talents and her growing potential. And she was getting more and more frustrated that it wasn't enough. She wasn't going to get the real training she needed. Not here, not now. And now the door wasn't working, and she was panicking a little. Worried it would close for good. And part of her mind pointed out nastily that if she wasn't so stubborn and hadn't refused Branden's offer, she could have gone back there anyway.

It was looking like the makings of a long summer.
hawkeyekate: (with Patriot)
Kate had been up in her bedroom, reading over some books she got from the public library, some were self help books about maximizing potential. One was actually called Find your inner mutant of all things. Obviously just a way to sell books when it came out, and now it had been buried toward one of the back shelves after the Sentinels were sent to monitor mutants more closely. She wasn't sure why, but right now she was finding the books fascinating as her memory stored the contents.

She then got a call on her phone, which luckily there was no way for it to be bugged. No powers and a minor, plus her father's money stopped that idea.

"Hello?"

Patriot was calling to ask about sneaking out for patrol again.

"Sure, be right there? Meeting by your place? Oh, there. All right." She set the books aside, and got changed into her Hawkeye costume. Putting the notions aside for now.

Later on, after they stopped what first looked like an old (dead) villain named 8-Ball, but turned out to be some lame fanboy who wanted to break into crime. Felt good to knock some sense into him before the police showed up. They ducked into the sewers to escape.

While they were walking around, listening to the distant roar of the subway, Hawkeye then asked, "Eli, I'll understand if you don't want to talk about this. But back before your grandpa's transfusion... if somebody had offered you training instead of the MGH, but you weren't sure of the drawbacks or the ethics of the person offering... would you?"

He stopped and then stared at her, "Why are you even asking, Kate? You don't think you need powers, do you? Thought you were above that."

"Sometimes I think it might help a little, sure. And I'm not above anything, Eli."

He shook his head, and asked her, "You saying somebody made you an offer?"

Hawkeye nodded, and then started to explain some of the recent events. But not all.

Patriot frowned, wondering what she was leaving out, and suspected he might know. He then started to explain more about what it was like being under the influence of the MGH, and only realizing afterwards what the price of it was. What was being given up.

"Whatever the offer is, Kate. I don't think it's worth it. You saw what I was like on that stuff, I wasn't myself."

"You're still a hothead."

"Hey! I'm not as bad now. Man, give me some credit."

She remarked, "I do. And I already agreed to ignore him from now on."

"Training's one thing, this sounds more like something else."

She nodded again, and they continued along, the conversation shifting to lighter topics again as they headed to their respective homes.
hawkeyekate: (Ow...)
(One had to be careful when they start searching for answers. The ones they find, or stumble across, might not be what they want or were looking for.)
She had settled into sleep, and her brain patterns slipped into REM sleep. The dream state. She was outside by the Avengers mansion, watching time shifting and changing all around them. Because of Kang, and Kang the Conqueror. The changes took away Billy, and Teddy. Possibly Cassie too.

"She's going to betray you all later, I saw it. And one of the Witch's spawn? Why should he matter, or you? You were never on my younger self's list." It was the older Kang, Kang the Conqueror staring back at her, and their surroundings shifted. Walls of an old hospital by the look of it. Paint crumbling, sickly dim yellow light.

"You're not really an Avenger. You have no power, and the little you have... can be taken away." He was taunting her with her sword again from one end of the hallway. "You couldn't leave well enough alone. Just like your dear old mother." He was aiming his futuristic gun at her mother now, and still had the sword aimed at Kate.

She tried to run toward them, only for her mother to be shot and vanish again, "No!" She was then stopped as she was grabbed from behind, an arm catching her around the neck to choke her. And the other hand going lower... No, no, not this! Not again! Hard to breathe, but she could still elbow him in the chin, stomp his foot, and kick him in the gut. And felt her attacker fall away and disappear.

"So you are an Avenger... or should I say, killer," Kang the Conquerer taunted her, "You killed me after all. As surely as that whelp of my younger self did."

She shook her head as he approached her while she was still coughing and struggling to breathe again, "Avengers don't kill."

"No? Isn't this your sword? Your stolen sword from the Avengers lockers? The one that sliced through my gut? Do you want it back?" He hissed at her, and then suddenly charged forward to plunge into her stomach.

"TAKE IT!" He yelled. She turned so it only hit her to the side of her torso. Narrowly missing the vitals as it sliced in. She sank down as he removed it and he then vanished. She plunged her fist into the wound, trying to limit how much she would bleed out. Even though, trickles of blood pooling around it, and over her knuckles, dripping on the tiled floor. It hurt, why did it hurt so much in a dream?

And there were footsteps approaching, and a voice, German accent by the sound of it. What's going on?
hawkeyekate: (Hawkeye eyes)
She kept Will's hand closely linked in hers as she opened the door to a place that was full of metal, and underground. Realizing how strange and disturbing it must look to the medieval man with dark memories she squeezed his hand a little tighter. Looked quiet enough around this hallway at least for the time being as she walked along in her Hawkeye costume. Her boots making slight noise against the tiled floor.

"Need to find a place you can hide until I can introduced you to Cap. At least my teammates can vouch for you now as well. Everybody's really nervous with the plans to get into the prison now."
hawkeyekate: (Ow...)
Back in Secret Avengers Headquarters where everybody was getting medical attention. Kate's injuries were mainly various shallow cuts and bruises, and very grateful for Guppy's first aid kit with her at the time. Also, there was a deeper slice she took to one of her cheeks and that needed a bandage to hold it closed. Plus one of the rocks had hit her head, causing some bleeding there. She now was in the main area with a bandage wrapped around her head as well, and assisting Jane with Cap's injuries. Mostly since her own injuries were light in comparison, and all hands were needed to help since hardly anyone there didn't need some form of medical attention.

He was currently arguing Cable and Nighthawk about appealing for amnesty, while she yelled at him to hold still so they could finish treating him. It was hard to see the goodness about either side when half their people, including Wiccan were now locked in the SHIELD penitentiary building, even with any who turns to their side now.

Then Nighthawk was turning away to leave, along with a few others. Including Stature.

"Cassie?" Kate tried to call her back, and her friend turned back with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Kate. But I don't want to end up in this super-jail like Wiccan. I want to fight villains, not cops and superheroes." Kate tried to reach out to touch her shoulder, trying to keep her from leaving. But Cassie just glumly glanced away again without another word to follow the others out.

Kate could barely hear Cap's words after that, and Eli came over to stand by her.

"Thinking of going after her?" He quietly asked, and she shook her head.

"I can't. You know that, I don't understand how she could do that. I thought we were all united on this."

"Yeah, come on, we're going to have to move out in about two hours to the new base. Thinking of heading back to that space bar, and your uh, boyfriend?" Eyeing her as she fiddled with the cross necklace hidden under the white scarf of her uniform.

"In a little while, sure. Could use some fresh air. Wish you guys could see the place sometime."

"Yeah... look, Kate, tell the guy, Will, sorry for punching him. Should have known better. I was..."

"Jealous?" She finished with a knowing expression, her eyebrows arched towards him.

"Yeah... a little," He admitted.

She remarked, "I noticed. It happened so quick before either of us fully realized it. He's a lot like you, you know? Wants to be strong and good, only can't always see it in himself. Also both of you are stubborn and on extremely short fuses..."

"Ok, I get the point. He won, I lost," Eli paused to collect his thoughts, and then added, "...Though if he ever changes his mind about you, I'm giving him a few more punches."

Bitter laugh since she was amused, but just bitter about the war, and how it was turning out. She then replied, "Got the feeling that's not likely to happen. Not for a long time."

"Yeah, well, or if you ever change your mind...?" Small smile at her.

"You'll be the first to know. I should go."

He rubbed the back of his bald head thoughtfully, "Yeah me too. Rest up for the next match. Talk to you later, Kate."
hawkeyekate: (Ow...)
Their team had been in the underground facility for a while now, and everyone was tense, pacing. The Young Avengers were invited in on some of the meetings, but many just turned into shouting matches between the adult heroes. Unsure of what to do or what actions to take. Especially now Iron Man was a figurehead for the Pro-Registration Avengers, while Captain America lead the Secret Avengers underground. Hiding in shadows with fake identities. But their own group had been ordered to stay put, Cap telling them that they were his soldiers, and they would be needed soon enough.

It didn't stop the team from sneaking out to steal a jet out to California to assist a group of runaways. Many with powers. After some miscommunication, disagreements, and then squaring off against Noh-Varr, and a SHIELD secret lab to rescue their friends, there was a sort of truce between the groups. Still didn't mean they didn't get holy hell from Cap, Luke, and others when they returned to the facility. Berating them all for risking their location, and risking getting arrested. Even when Kate and Eli went on about how they were in the right to still help others, Cap just buffeted their responses away.

----------

Back to lockdown again for some days after that...only to get a distress call. A major one, a petrochemical plant on fire, and everybody was scrambled out of the facility to assist with rescue efforts. All forces were transported via Cloak and Wiccan. Definitely not the best way to travel by far, but there was little time to react before they were all there.

And then Cable yelled, "Get the hell out of here, boys! It's a trap!" Suddenly Cloak and Wiccan were knocked out with tranquilizers darts while Iron Man's team was now approaching them.

A final claim of amnesty...rejected. And then the battle began in earnest. Everybody was reacting, Hawkeye was firing arrows as quickly as she could get a bead on someone. Patriot nearby fighting Spiderman, while The Thing was punching Hulkling. It was getting harder to keep track what was going on. Iron Man was barreling into Captain America.

Suddenly there was loud crackle of lightning as the heavens themselves seem to split in two.
She could hear Patriot saying, "What the hell...?" as they looked upward, and then screamed as lightning struck the very earth they stood on. Sending them all in the air. She could barely roll to the side to stand up as everyone stared at the seeming sight of Thor back from the dead.

Thor, who was trying to kill them all.

Reed Richards put him into standby after Iron Man activated a sound frequency that shrieked into everyone's skulls. Her ears were still ringing a little after an explosion knocked Iron Man to the side.

"Somebody switched it off!" Whether she meant the frequency or the fake Thor, or both, it didn't matter now.

"So what are you waiting for?" Daredevil berated Hawkeye who nodded and stood up to fight back again, arrows aimed at the ready once more.

Then Goliath grew to take on Thor...only to take a lightning attack through his stomach, killing the giant hero in an instance.

She was staring up in terror as the seeming thunder god declared, "
You are all going down.
" And there was no time but to brace for impact, and pray for a miracle.

That miracle came in the form of Sue Storm creating a forcefield around them all, and ordering them all to "Get out of here. NOW!" They then tried to grab as many as the wounded and injured as they could, and used Cloak to teleport back to the facility.
hawkeyekate: (Ow...)
The Superhuman Registration Act was now law, and about to go into effect. In 24 hours, anyone not registered, would be hunted down by S.H.I.E.L.D agents and arrested on sight. That still didn't stop the Young Avengers from going on their usual patrols however.

Only then, there was a panicked call from Patriot coming in, "
Guys! We gotta get out of here! S.H.I.E.L.D just caught me breaking up a mugging, and now they're all over me! This is serious! These guys are not messing around!
"

They barely had time to react, or try to escape before there were guns pointed all of them, and before they knew it, everyone was wearing the power dampening restraints likely designed by Stark Industries and S.H.I.E.L.D. on their necks and on their lower arms behind their backs. Not that Hawkeye really needed such measures, but they were a team, and being round up together as a team.

Hawkeye and Hulkling glanced back to see the similiarly restrained, and injured Patriot being led in by another agent. Just before they were all loaded into the transport, and likely prison after that to jeers of one of the agents.

She sat down next to her best friend, Stature, and then Wiccan was seated next to them, wishing for some miracle to get them out of here.

Only for that miracle to show up, in the form of a disguised Falcon who broke Wiccan's neck restraint free so he could speak, and ordered him to do a teleportation spell.

It took him a few panicked moments, and they almost ran into a police barrier, but then the transport was suddenly somewhere else, and skidded to a stop. Causing all them to painfully crash against each other. The back door was opened into a giant underground facility. All of them staggering, scared out of their wits.

Only to see a disguised Cap and Daredevil helping them out of the restraints while Cloak, Luke Cage, and others looked on.

Cable then declared: "
Congratulations children. You just joined the resistance.
"
hawkeyekate: (Smile)
They walked through the door, and it lead out to a street a few blocks from the warehouse where the team now trained.

Kate got out her cellphone, and texted a message, her other hand linked with Will's.

"Just letting Cassie and the others know we're on our way. Another example of modern technology, a lot quicker than trying to call across a town square, and longer distance," She held up the phone to show him the modern device.
hawkeyekate: (Default)
She had been feeling better, and headed back to New York. Partially to check with her family doctor about the tetanus booster. Handy to be up to date with all the minor skirmishes the team gets into.  She was talking with Cassie as the team met in the headquarters in the converted warehouse she had set up. She was currently talking about recent events in Milliways with her emerging best friend. Mostly since it was nice to have another girl on

"He does sound really sweet," Cassie said with a touch of envy, and there was a glance toward Vision.

Kate noticed that, and she quietly added, "He doesn't know yet, does he?"

"Well, it helps that he doesn't look like Iron Lad anymore, it's just hard." She replied, and Kate gave her an one armed hug of comfort.

"It'll get better."  They were then interrupted by a loud BOOM! from outside.

"If that's Speed blowing up another landmark again, I'm going to deck him," Eli growled.

Billy sighed and traded a glance with Teddy.

They then looked at Kate, "I think you should go to talk to him. He still won't listen to me." Even though Billy was sure they were really brothers, Tommy was having trouble believing it still.

Kate had a sinking feeling in her gut at that, "...He knows?"

Eli answered this time with annoyance, "Yeah, he said he saw you and your fantasy boyfriend from that space bar in Central Park last week."

She frowned, "Don't you start, he is real. Just because he's not from our world or time... look we'll talk about this later." She then got up, and hurried outside to find Tommy.
hawkeyekate: (Stunning look)
The door is opened to a sunny day in New York. Light breeze and clouds overhead. Not that it would be easy to see from where they were on the upper east side in Manhattan.  The street was quieter here, so not as much taxis and cars as some other ones. But it still meant some regular traffic.  It was early spring so there was still a light chill to the air. Jacket weather, not coat.

Kate glanced over at Will in his 21 century disguise she had bought for him, "Well, any preference in where you'd like to see first? It's a short walk to the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan from here. Those are two of the city's known art museums. The Metropolitan even has a very nice collection of Medieval art and armoury."
Page generated Jul. 26th, 2025 12:10 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios