CHAPTER FIFTEEN, the struggle

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

IVANNA HAD CONTINUED putting up her fight, watching as Steve and Thor shared their usual sarcastic remarks with one another as they used to. Thor was fighting the Chitauri off with his new weapon, when Steve and Thor paused to look at one another. Steve was breathing heavily and nodded in Thor's direction.

"New haircut?"

A faint smile grew on Thor's face and he pointed at Steve, "Noticed you've copied my beard."

Steve nodded and waved Thor off, Ivanna's gaze darting to the tree that had arrived with Thor as it stabbed through a group of Chitauri aliens.

"By the way, this is a friend of mine, Tree,"

The tree turned to Thor and Steve, "I AM GROOT!"

Steve nodded, gesturing to himself, "I..am Steve Rogers."

An alien charged in their direction and Ivanna spun around, letting her baton collide into it's head before she pressed her palm to it's chest, shocking it and looking to the men and Groot, "A little help?"

She continued fighting, letting Thor and Steve handle the Chitauri around them and shifting more toward Natasha. The two sisters exchanged looks with one another as them and Okoye continued fighting off the Chitauri. Their fight continued while ships starting sliding across the ground in their direction. Ivanna looked at them with wide eyes, only for Wanda to drop to the ground in front of them and cause them to fly around the women to a group of aliens charging in their direction.

Ivanna smiled in Wanda's direction, ever grateful for Wanda's help. Okoye stared at Wanda,

"Why was she up there this whole time?"

Ivanna chuckled and shrugged, turning around and continuing her fight alongside the other women. She was growing physically exhausted, just like everyone else who continued to push through the fight. Ivanna could hear Sam and Rhodey giving demands and sending remarks to one another over the comms, and would glance around to catch a glimpse of them.

"Guys," it was Sam, who sounded surprisingly calm, "we've got a Vision situation here."

Ivanna looked around toward where the team had left Vision, and was met with the sight of Sam being knocked out of the sky. She quickly turned back to the Chitauri she was struggling with when Steve's voice came over the comms.

"Somebody get to Vision!" He instructed.

"I got him," Bruce.

Ivanna swung the baton in her hand toward the legs of a Chitauri, ducking as it swung its sceptor toward her head. She clenched her teeth together and lowered herself onto her back, rolling away and getting back to her feet. Ivanna held the baton behind her as the alien approached her, then swung again: connecting with the head and kicking it backward.

"I'm on my way," Ivanna glanced toward Wanda as she heard the red head over comms.

Wanda was struck over the head and fell into a valley in the ground, the female chitauri from earlier being the one to attack her. Ivanna watched Natasha move toward the valley and followed suit, Okoye joining as well.

"She's not alone," Natasha spoke.

Natasha, Okoye, and Ivanna watched the alien look around at the three women surrounding her. When her eyes landed on Ivanna the blonde grinned and tilted her head, tightening her grip on the baton and clenching one hand into a fist. The alien let out a shout and charged at Natasha, provoking Ivanna to charge after her. Okoye followed suit and the three women fought against the Chitauri woman as Wanda recovered on the ground.

"Guys!" Bruce's voice rushed over the comms as he spoke, "Vision needs backup, now!"

Ivanna was going to turn away and help, until Natasha was kicked in the face and flew against the dirt wall. She landed on the ground with a grunt. Ivanna watched as the Chitauri grabbed Okoye and threw her to the ground, then turned to Ivanna. The blonde rolled her shoulders and swung her baton a few times before she approached the alien and swung, she hit the alien and heard her grunt. Ivanna quickly pulled the baton back and spun, connecting her foot with the alien's side. She lowered her foot onto the ground and gripped her baton tighter, before feeling something connect with her side and getting flung to the ground.

Ivanna spit on the ground and slowly pushed herself onto her hands and knees, watching as Natasha split her baton in half with rage on her face. Natasha picked up the fight where it had left off and Ivanna rose to her feet, watching her sister get pinned to the ground while the alien summoned a blade and held it toward Natasha. Natasha resisted, and soon a red mist surrounded the alien as Wanda lifted her from the ground and directly into one of the passing ships. The women got splattered with a blue liquid and Wanda dropped back onto the ground. Ivanna leaned against the dirt wall and glanced at Natasha who was supporting herself back up and catching her breath.

"That was really gross," Natasha said with her eyes on Wanda. Ivanna nodded in agreement, running her hands over her hair as she caught her breath.

Ivanna glanced in Wanda's direction as Okoye and Natasha continued recovering, she turned her head to Natasha who nodded her head when they met eyes. Ivanna walked toward Wanda and helped her to her feet, grabbing Wanda's shoulders and helping her off of the ground.

"We need to go," she spoke softly and Wanda nodded, letting Ivanna help her to her feet.

Wanda took off in the direction of the woods that Vision was in, Ivanna running after her at the fastest pace she could carry. She knew everyone would be moving in the same direction anyway, and was soon joined by Natasha. The sisters reached the trees and entered the woods, feeling the wind start to pick up.

"What the hell?" Natasha's voice was soft but Ivanna turned at the sound of it anyway. A blue cloud formed and soon a giant man with purple skin appeared. Ivanna held her weapon tighter as Bruce spoke.

"Cap, that's him."

"Eyes up," Steve instructed, "look sharp."

Bruce and Steve both moved into the direction of Thanos, only to be covered by blue and purple clouds and blown away. T'Challa moved next, jumping up and bearing his claws only to be stopped by Thanos grabbing his neck. Thanos punched the king in the head and watched him slam into the ground, Sam flying in his direction shooting guns only to be similarly stopped.

The group continued their fight, only for each of them to constantly be stopped by Thanos' power against them. Bucky and Okoye were blown away, while Natasha ended up trapped under rocks from the ground. Ivanna was flung through the sky and smacked into a tree. She sat on the ground panting and looking around at the people around her. Her friends and family all being overpowered.

Ivanna shouted and pushed herself to her feet, finding Steve running in the same direction as her as well. Steve noticed her and stopped, watching Ivanna before nodding. Steve began running again, sliding across the ground while Ivanna jumped. She landed on Thanos' shoulders and Steve delivered a blow to the Titan's face. Ivanna shouted as she pushed all of the power as she could through her body and electrocuted Thanos, watching Steve grab Thanos' hand that had the gauntlet.

Ivanna locked eyes with Steve as both continued to hold the Titan off, only for her to feel a large hand grab one of her arms and her body flying through the air once more. She could hear Steve starting to shout, and when she landed on the ground she rolled and stopped herself, but was too weak to support her body further. Ivanna glanced back up as Thanos' fist collided with Steve's head and the blonde man fall to the ground.

She wanted to scream Steve's name and ensure he was okay, but felt too exhausted to do so. Ivanna watched Thanos approach Wanda and Vision, struggling to brace herself and get to her feet to help Wanda. But she soon collapsed to the ground all over again due to the flash and explosion that happened all around them.