Captain's Shield

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"No one wants to join S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Avengers initiative. They want to form their own independent group to protect Earth from alien invasions—without getting involved in national conflicts."

Nick Fury listened to Coulson's report, his expression unreadable. He had envisioned an Avengers team with members like Kai, Tony, Banner, and Steve. But now, Kai had recruited them first, throwing Fury's plans into disarray.

Still, Fury adapted quickly. "Fine. Take Natasha and join them. Keep me updated on their activities."

Fury wasn't giving up. By inserting Coulson and Natasha into the group, he would have his eyes and ears on Kai and the others. If he played his cards right, he could still recruit them one by one.

After ending the call, Coulson approached Steve. "Hello, Captain. I'm Phil Coulson. It's an honor to formally meet you."

Steve was reviewing the files Kai had provided, studying the strengths of each team member. He glanced at Coulson and gave a polite nod, recognizing him as part of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Unexpectedly, Coulson continued, "Actually, I saw you before. I visited while you were still unconscious."

Steve looked at him, puzzled.

Coulson quickly clarified, "I mean, when you were in the ice."

His excitement was obvious—Coulson was a huge fan.

He went on, "Originally, we wanted to recruit you for the Avengers. We even modified your uniform. I helped with some design suggestions."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "My uniform? Isn't the stars-and-stripes look a bit outdated?"

Before Coulson could respond, Kai walked over. "Steve, I agree. That design is old-fashioned. You should create your own. If you design it, I can get it made for you. How about it?"

Steve was intrigued. He turned back to Coulson. "I appreciate the effort, but I'd like to design my own uniform."

Coulson chuckled awkwardly as Steve grabbed a tablet and began sketching ideas.

Meanwhile, Kai turned to Coulson. "So, did the bald guy approve your request to tag along?"

Seeing Coulson's expression, Kai smirked. "Let me guess—he agreed but expects you to report back on us?"

Coulson hesitated, but before he could say anything, Kai raised a hand. "It's fine. Even if he knows what we're doing, he can't stop us."

As they spoke, Tony stood next to Banner, watching him closely. Suddenly, he poked Banner's side with a thin stick.

"Ow!" Banner flinched.

Tony leaned in, scrutinizing Banner's face.

Ethan frowned. "Tony, what are you doing?"

Tony shrugged. "Just testing if mild irritation can trigger the transformation."

Banner smirked and suddenly let out a pained growl, pretending to transform.

Tony and Ethan jumped back in alarm—only to realize a second later that Banner was faking.

Kai, watching from the side, nodded in satisfaction. Everyone was busy with their tasks, and there were no internal conflicts.

---

Elsewhere, Loki instructed Dr. Selvig to rebuild the Tesseract's portal. Using it, he established contact with one of Thanos' lieutenants.

"You need to move faster," the figure warned. "The Chitauri are growing impatient."

"Tell them to prepare for battle," Loki replied. "I will lead them in a glorious conquest."

"Battle?" The figure sneered. "Against the weak forces of Earth?"

Loki's expression darkened. "I want a swift victory—assuming your army is as unstoppable as you claim."

The figure bristled. "You dare doubt *us*—or *him*? He gave you the scepter, shared ancient knowledge, and granted you this mission, despite your exile and failure."

Loki's eyes burned with resentment. "I should have been king—King of Asgard! I was betrayed."

The conversation turned hostile, and their connection abruptly ended.

---

Meanwhile, aboard the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier, Fury acknowledged that he had no reinforcements available. Without hesitation, he ordered the carrier to take off, activating its cloaking system.

---

Back at their base, Steve finalized his new uniform design and handed it to Kai. The new suit was more practical—combat-ready rather than a flashy costume. It was primarily blue, with a star emblem on the chest.

Kai took the design and led Steve to a fabrication machine. "This will make the suit exactly as you designed it. The fabric is upgraded for combat durability and comfort."

The machine whirred to life. Within moments, the uniform was complete.

Steve changed into it, then stepped in front of a mirror.

Kai nodded approvingly. "Looks good."

Steve flexed his fingers. "Something's missing..." He waved his empty hand, as if expecting to be holding something.

Kai grinned. "Oh, right—your shield. Let's go get it."

Before anyone could react, Kai teleported away with Steve, leaving Coulson standing there, looking dejected. He had wanted to bond with Steve, but in the blink of an eye, they were gone.

As they left, Kai called back to Tony, "Taking Steve to retrieve his shield!"

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