A.I.Mless Destruction (Open to all Avengers!)

Participants: Jennifer Walters
Open/Closed: Open to all Avengers - present and former!
Location(s): San Francisco
Time of Day: Mid-afternoon
Weather: Overcast and warm
Summary: A.I.M have unleashed a new wave of AIMbots upon the San Francisco, hoping to cause chaos and carnage - but to what end? With the help of the Avengers, San Francisco might just survive the assault...

She charged across the suspension bridge, bellowing gutturally as she swept abandoned cars out of her path, large hands swatting them away as if they were little more than insects. Her destination lay ahead, halfway across the raised roadway: a yellow bus, perched perilously over the bridge’s edge. A dark, foreboding smoke billowed from its damaged hood, and the screams of those aboard – teenagers who had been field-trip-bound to a local museum – were audible despite the chaos that had engulfed San Francisco’s harbour. Trapped and unable to move for fear of overbalancing their barely stable transport, there was little they could do to escape the predicament they found themselves in.

Luckily for them, they had a Hulk.

While initially, the gigantic bruiser had wanted to tear the murderous robots assaulting the West Side limb-from-bionic-limb, the rest of the gathered heroes were more than capable of doing that without the Hulk’s aid. The Avengers had fought and outlasted numerous technological threats over the years, and Jennifer was certain this new breed of AIMBOTS, however advanced, would be eventually foiled in much the same manner every older AIMBOT model had. Thus, with a little more effort than Walters would like to admit – the Hulk’s inner Jennifer had managed to corral the rage-monster and direct her attention elsewhere; specifically toward saving the teenagers facing their imminent demise.

“Do you think we could maybe not smash the cars?” It was a passing mental suggestion, from Walters to Hulk, and it was met with a loud, negative grumble. Already separated from the fight she wanted to be in, the gamma-infused part of Jennifer’s identity had to destroy something, and abandoned cars were the closest things to robots she could find. As if to show her defiance, Hulk backhanded a diagonally-parked Porsche , knocking it so high into the air it spun three times before connecting with a Range Rover, bucking against the much tougher car’s chassis. “Wow…really?”

With a snort, Hulk leapt forward, taking to the air in a giant bound. The power in her jump ate up the remaining yards between her and the bus, and she landed at its side, the impact causing it to tip violently. Rocking twice, its heavy front end dipped sharply. With its equilibrium altered, the transport began to plummet into the waiting waters below the bridge. Luckily, the Hulk’s reactions were as fast as she was strong.

Reaching down, the giant green woman snatched the bus’ rear fender in one hand, fingers piercing metal with ease. Its descent halted near instantly, and with surprising care, the Hulk hauled it back up onto the suspension bridge it had fallen from. Once it was secure – all four wheels upon tarmac and in no danger of plummeting for a second time – she tore off the rear door.

The school children shrieked in shock, staring at their unlikely saviour and cowering away from her presumed savagery. If Hulk was bothered, she showed no outward signs. “Hulk save,” she muttered, then pointed a finger away from the conflict, to the safe side of the bridge. “Run now.” Indeed, with the bus continuing to belch smoke into the mid-afternoon air, sheltering in the vehicle was unwise. “NOW!” she bellowed, and the second attempt caused more shrieking, but also action. In seconds, the class of sixteen year olds had bolted from their transport and scuttled in the direction Hulk had suggested.

Watching them for a moment to ensure their safety, the lumbering green-skinned heroine eventually turned back to the conflict between the Avengers and the forces of AIM. “Now Hulk smash?” she growled to herself.
“Sure, now Hulk smash,” was Jennifer’s mental response, and with a huge grin, the gamma-monster began bounding back toward her teammates, fully prepared to cause AIM-based destruction with Jennifer’s approval.

John was in a defensive position with his shield up and facing down five of these supposed “new and improved” AIMbots. Each time one tried to slip past him and advance on the bridge, he’d use is genetically enhanced endurance to cut them off at the past and smash them with his shield. The damn things were like the hydra. Every time John broke one, two more took their place. He could have easily just whipped his shield at them and taken them all out in succession but if they were coming back two at a time he’d quickly turn 5 AIMbots into 10. Besides, the point wasn’t to destroy all of them right now but to hold them off from advancing on She-Hulk.

Walters had broke off from the rest of the team to rescue the bus of kids that got caught in the ruckus when the AIMbots swarmed San Francisco. He cringed every time he heard the screaming and crunching sound of metal as it was twisted, crushed, or ripped apart by the gallivanting green giantess. For years he recommended Jennifer Walters to the pentagon whenever they insisted on having a Hulk be part of a mission. In his years of service with the Avengers, Banner had a reputation of being unpredictable and unreliable. In the field it was crucial to the success of the mission to know that the people on your team were going to be where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be. Jennifer Walters in his opinion always maintained a better control over her “other half” but he was beginning to have second opinions when he caught the sight of a Porsche twirling in the air out of the corner of his eye. He growled to himself, taking his aggression out on the AIMbot that tried to slip past him. Walker took his shield with both hands and brought the lip down on the joint of the bot to effectively decapitate it. It fell to the ground in a sputtering mess as John strapped the shield back to his forearm. “I’m getting really tired of you bucket headed geniuses! How about next time you get the guts to face me like real men?” Truth be told John didn’t mind fighting the bots. With humans he had to pull back on his strength to make sure he didn’t inadvertently kill anyone. Just because he didn’t get big and green didn’t mean he didn’t have a temper.

One of the bots charged up some sort of beam cannon on their arm and John gritted his teeth before ducking behind his black, white, and red shield. A concentrated beam of blue energy of some variety hit his shield directly in the center. If it hadn’t been made of vibranium the beam would’ve likely punched through it and incinerated him in the process. John planted his feet, braced himself forward with his shoulder, and pushed forward. He heard another weapon charging and a second beam hit his shield. The damn bots were learning. They could tell that he was stalling them now and were going to try to overwhelm him to clear a path to the bridge. The sound of a third weapon charging was now ringing in his ear as he gritted his teeth. Now he was getting mad. “Walters, what is taking your green butt so long?!” 

He afforded himself the chance to look backwards to see something big, green, and gorgeous charging his way.

Hulk had been quick to the site of the endangered bus, but she was even quicker returning to the fray. With the promise of destruction near, the savage aspect of Jennifer’s green alter-ego raced back toward the other Avengers, clearing the bridge in half the time she’d taken crossing it previously, using her long, powerful arms to propel herself forward in a lumbering gallop. As she closed in on her destination, she set her glowing green eyes on John Walker – the U.S. Agent – who was crouched behind his shield, taking cover from three A.I.M bots who assaulted him with what looked to be flickering beams of pure energy.

They quickly became the giantess’ first targets.

Letting out a loud roar – a challenge to her enemies – the Hulk threw herself into a leap, vaulting Walker and cannonballing into robots beyond. The pace at which she moved, coupled with her size and weight, turned her into a living meteor, and her impact with the machines caused them to buckle instantly – electronic limbs snapping from metallic bodies, revealed wires sparking as their chassis’ were crushed and mangled.

A few of the machines beyond, those who had been moving in to follow up on the attack on Walker, were unfortunately within the Hulk’s reach too. Lashing out with huge hands, she punch one so hard its head was detached from its neck, while another was grabbed by its leg – turned into a club of sorts to bash one of its allies into a sparking pile of rubble. ‘Careful,’ Jennifer willed, as the Hulk flailed her new weapon about, before turning back toward her ally and his shield. ‘Careful!’

With the still twitching A.I.M bot in hand, and no warning given to John, she raised the bot high and brought it down hard upon the U.S. Agent’s shield, not once, not twice, but three times – beating it against his vibranium disc, not pausing to check if he was ready for the brutal assault. Her strength, coupled with the item’s unbreakable nature, left just a spasming metal thigh in the Hulk’s hand, which she carelessly tossed over her shoulder, her enemy defeated.

‘I am so sorry’, Jennifer thought, hoping the Hulk would offer an apology with a little encouragement. Instead, she just grinned at Walker proudly, appreciating the small man’s surprising resilience and the brief look of rage that flickered across his features – an emotion the green monster knew all too well.

John Walker

Walker stayed crouched behind his shield as he watched Walters dive over his head. There was a surprising amount of grace in the brute strength she exhibited as she dismantled each AIMbot. He didn't have much time to react as he saw a look come over Walters' face. John ducked down low again, bracing his shield against his shoulder and covering his head as he felt the impact of each swing of the AIMbot. She-Hulk would have pounded him into the ground like a nail if it wasn't for his augmented strength. John gritted his teeth, both to brace himself and to vent his anger. Would she have done this if he was Steve Rogers or Bucky Barnes? It seemed like he was always fighting from behind with those two. He was stronger than Rogers. He was more agile and better all around than Barnes. Yet, he was always second or third best. "What the hell is your problem, lady?!" When the beating stopped and he could hear the sound of twisted and tattered metal hitting the ground, an enraged Walker stood back up and pointed an index finger at She-Hulk. She loomed over him and her neck was thicker than his entire torso but he was too pissed off to care.

Walters wasn't the same chatty, talkative She-Hulk that he knew her to be. The She-Hulk he had been around would say something sarcastic and give him some infantilizing nickname but she didn't utter a word. Even as she flashed a big grin at him he wanted to say something smart in return even if she could just as easily toss him around like a ragdoll next. Something had happened to her recently but he wasn't sure what. Maybe it wasn't his business? Lord knows he had tons of problems and issues that he preferred that no one knew. He also knew what it was like to have an explosive temper that led to some regrettable actions. How much blood was still on his hands from his mental breakdowns? Walker took a deep breath and shook his head. "Forget it. We have work to do." There were still more AIMbots and more civilians in danger. 

"Come on, She-Hulk." John took off in a run towards the waterfront where the AIMbots were still flooding the coast. The kids were safe, the bridge had been evacuated and his ego could be repaired on another day. It was just another in a line of hurt pride for him. He thought he'd proven himself enough to the Avengers and to his country but he was wrong again. John looked back to see if She-Hulk was following him and, even if he was mad at her for treating him like a tool, he didn't want her to think he was still just hothead John Walker. "You owe me a beer after that little stunt." The last thing he wanted was to piss off a woman who could bench press a Sherman tank. Besides even if she was giant and green she was still kinda cute. 

Jennifer Walters

For a long moment, Walker glowered at Hulk in silence. At first, the green behemoth appreciated his show of anger – it was something relatable that she admired, along with his apparent resilience. However, the longer he stared, the more she began to feel it was something of a challenge, and she began to shift restlessly, rising up to her full height and narrowing her eyes at the puny male who opposed her. A low rumble began building in her chest.
'Hey, woah! Calm it down big green. He’s on our side remember? He’s probably just pissed you tried to flatten him with a robot.'
The rumble grew a little louder.
'He definitely doesn’t want to fight. He knows ‘Hulk is strongest there is’ ok? So…down girl.'

Whether Jennifer’s mental commands calmed her Hulk’s frustrations, or whether it was Walker’s finally standing down, the super-soldier offering a muted ‘Forget it’, She-Hulk’s rage was quelled, and John narrowly managed to take a detour from the path he’d been on – cruising toward an impossibly painful bruising. Dropping back into her more simian crouch, Hulk grumbled, the closest thing to an apology Walker or Walters was likely to receive – and it wasn’t an apology at all.

“Come on, She-Hulk.”

John directed the Avenger back into the fray, re-focusing with military precision upon the next area they had to aid. He started toward the waterfront, taking off at an impressive speed. Hulk, however, was faster, and began bounding after him – easily keeping pace. "You owe me a beer after that little stunt." Without asking, Hulk reached out and hoisted Walker from his feet, holding him under one arm, and increased her pace – galloping toward their destination, every footfall almost a leap.
“If Walker survives, Hulk will drink with him.”

Inwardly, Jennifer Walters groaned. 'This is so, so embarrass- hey, what do you mean if he survives?!' Hulk grinned at Jen’s mental line of questioning. 'Hulk! What- no! Don’t even think about it!'

“Has US Agent ever heard of…fastball special?” Hulk beamed almost innocently down at her shield-wielding commander – who, whether he liked it or not, was about to be turned into thrown projectile.


John Walker

For years the United States government hunted Bruce Banner and the Hulk across the ends of the earth for good reason. 1) He was a liability due to the rage that came along with all of his strength and power and 2) he was essentially walking, talking government property. Everyone in Washington must have had a collective, relief sigh once they met Jennifer Walters for the first time and saw her She-Hulk that had the power but none of the loose cannon, primal tendencies. She was a Hulk that could be trusted to follow orders, keep her cool, and act within reason. Seeing the galloping green goddess running alongside him made him wonder what exactly happened to revert her to a form like her cousin. Walker gave her a side-eye, partially out of annoyance and partially to make sure she stayed in his line of sight. Is this what the Avengers came to after his departure? Uncontrollable renegades? It was shameful. She-Hulk had eased herself but he had no idea why. Maybe Walters was still the voice of reason somewhere inside of her? And then he felt himself get lifted off of the ground. 

"Whoa! Jeeze, lady! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" John Walker was always a powerful figure even before the Power Broker experimented on him and granted him his enhanced strength, agility, and durability. In his hometown in Georgia, Walker was hardly a pushover and would push through the offensive line of every football team in the area to sack their quarterback. Then there was boot camp, active duty in the military, and then becoming a damn professional wrestler after gaining his powers. Simply put, John Walker was not the type of man to be manhandled. Walker turned to chew her out further but there was a look to her that he didn't like. She would drink with him if he survived? Then she was asking him about baseball, all while speeding forward with him like a jumping battering ram. 

Walker peeled his attention from the gorgeous, green behemoth, and looked at the horde of AIMbots at the waterfront that they were rapidly approaching. They didn't appear to have much in the way of autonomy. Were these just drones sent out with the simple message of causing havoc? Was this just a diversion? He could hear the screams of civilians in the background, past the air whipping around his head from She-Hulk's speed and the sound of artillery fire and shattering metal. He would think that he and She-Hulk would have more in common - the angrier he got the harder he fought. "What? I've got no idea what you're talking about but whatever it is do it fast!" 

He had no clue what a "fastball special" was. It sounded childish but no different than some of the names for the plays the team had in football. Whatever it was, though, he brought his shield up to his face: he had a feeling he'd need it. 

Jennifer Walters

"What? I've got no idea what you're talking about but whatever it is do it fast!"

Hulk’s innocent grin took on a markedly mischievous quality. With a final bound toward the A.I.M bots lining the waterfront, the gamma-infused giant spun twice in mid-air, before launching Walker as hard and fast as she could toward the gathered metallic nuisance. The strength of the throw alone and the speed it inferred would have caused most people to liquefy the second they made contact with anything solid. Luckily, the U.S. Agent wasn’t ‘most people.’ Armed with a vibranium shield and possessing the physical constitution of a super soldier, he’d survive impact – probably.

Watching the black-clad operative hurtle forth like a pitched baseball, She-Hulk followed in his wake, leaping high into the air so her eventual landing cratered the area immediately about her, hurling robots in all directions. Those that remained close she snatched up in giant hands, crushing them to rubble with little more a squeeze of her fingers. With the area about her clear, the behemoth moved on, charging forth, shoulder lowered, her body acting as battering ram, flatting assailants under her immense weight.

All the while, Jennifer Walters remained alert for signs of trapped civilians or further threats, doing her utmost to reign the She-Hulk in, limiting her wanton destruction to the A.I.M bots, hoping to protect the surrounding streets from impossible architectural damage. A mental command here, a desperate plea there – anything to keep her alter-ego, for the most part, acting as an unstoppable force of good, rather than taking on the role of a one-woman demolition crew.

Her attempts were severely hindered when, unexpectedly, a beam of force hurled She-Hulk from her feet, causing her to bounce across the asphalt and sand, finally rolling to a halt in a cloud of dust and debris. After laying still for a long moment, the green giantess pushed herself up slowly, brow furrowed. Surprise had kept her floored, as she felt little in the way of pain. A shadow loomed over her – a rather more sizable machine, quadruped and spider-like, skittering closer.

‘Uh-oh.’

It was the only thought Walters could form before She-Hulk beat at her chest with her hands, roared at the sky and rushed to engage the new threat, eyes burning a rage-fuelled colour of emerald green.

John Walker

John Walker soared through the air like an arrow being released from Hawkeye's bow but also as if it had a jet strapped to the back of it. If it wasn't for his shield held over his face, he swore the wind resistance would feel like it was tearing his flesh from his skull. Whatever he was going to hit, he was going to hit VERY hard and that he did. He braced himself for impact and the sound of twisting, bending, crunching, and snapping metal rang in his ears as he plowed into something and then the crowd. The blow was jarring. He stood slowly on wobbly legs, looking out at the mess of damaged, twitching, and scrapped AIMbots who were still doing their best to claw at him even though they were in total disrepair. Walker stomped his boot on the head of one of the Bots as he regained his constitution. What the hell did Walters call that? A fastball what?

He heard a scream nearby. No time now for semantics or wondering what She-Hulk had gotten herself into now. Walker took off running in the direction of the screams, leaping over rubble, broken AIMbots, and other debris as he found his way to a flipped over four-door sedan. There were people trapped inside. John strapped his shield to his back and effortlessly ripped the driver's side door from the hinges thanks to his augmented strength. He peered inside. A man, a woman, and two children who despite still being in a terrifying situation were happy to see him even as they hung upside down from still being buckled in. The driver was bleeding from her forehead and the kids had a few bumps and scratches. "Is everyone here okay?"

"Y-y-yes, we think so." The passenger spoke up first. One of the children, a little boy had tears rolling down his cheeks while his big sister comforted him. Walker nodded and, as gently as possible, rolled the car back over on it's wheels so that they could safely take their seatbelts off. He helped with the driver before passing her off to who he assumed was her husband. "Alright, make your way East from here. We've already cleared out the attack bots in that direction and medics should already be setting up to help deal with injuries. Keep your heads low, your eyes forward, and keep moving. Understand?" 

The man nodded as he braced his partner against himself and slowly motioned for the kids to follow after him. The girl wrapped her brother up in her arms before following closely behind, though she did stop and turned to him. "Thanks, Captain America!" John just nodded. No need to correct a terrified child. Besides, would they even care? Being saved by Captain America would be a better story for their friends instead of being saved by US Agent. He didn't get into this line of work to be treated like a hero anyway. 

His attention was snapped in another direction though when he heard a primal roar that could only belong to the great green giantess that had unceremoniously hurled him in this direction. As soon as John saw the family make it out of line of sight, he took off in the direction of the roaring She-Hulk. With every move he made, he batted off or decapitated an AIMbot with his shield without breaking any momentum. If these things were everywhere, the Avengers were better off acting as a unit than getting too far ahead of themselves. He skidded to a halt when he saw the monstrosity that She-Hulk was facing down. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into now, She-Hulk?" 

He watched as Walters galloped off to meet this four-legged mechanized menace head on as he got an idea. This thing obviously needed all four legs to keep it's base and stand upright. Walker grabbed his shield and hurled it at the things front-left leg. If he could take it off, it would put She-Hulk in a major advantage. Besides, by the way she was acting, the last thing he wanted was to stand anywhere in between them. 

Jennifer Walters