Chapter Text
Aikku's life has changed a lot over the past few years. First a chance (?) encounter locked her within POD, part of the planetary defence system, and she stopped being 'I' and became a 'we'. A weapon.
It took them both time to adjust. Aikku lost a lot, her life in Norway, her girlfriend Darja, control over her body. But it was worth it. They were doing good and important work. POD cared about her and she cared about POD. That's why Aikku stayed with her, stayed as a 'we'. It was comforting, to have someone else with her always. And POD deserved to survive. She didn't want to lose POD. POD had done so much for people, for Earth, and Aikku was happy.
Then they were attacked by the New Revengers, and POD was terribly hurt. It was scary, and there was nothing she could do to save POD. POD chose to safe Aikku over herself. She was just 'I' again. It was another adjustment. She could keep POD's undersuit that let her still do heroic things. Just like POD would have wanted. She got together with Toni, and being with her helped Aikku deal with the lonliness left behind by POD.
***
And then Aikku renamed herself Enigma, doing superhero things with Toni and U.S.Avengers and she was happy. She was worried about Toni and what being the Iron Patriot was doing to her. She worried she was just being a nagging girlfriend when Toni stopped being IP. Doreen is a good friend, and helped her see that Aikku just needs to let Toni deal with everything her own way and just be there for her. It's still a work in progress, because Toni has a habit of being in the way of trouble. But they are happy.
After Aikku was put in statis as part of some type of game that included stealing Earth, and was unfrozen after Red Wolf's sacrifice, things get weird and confusing. Voyager, the legendary Avenger, turns up with blue skin and one of the cosmic doorsteps that this whole game is about. Aikku can't phase through the door and before they figure out what they should do about all this, the Hulk is there.
The original green one, that Aikku has never met. She heard he died. But she is getting used to those types of events.
Aikku is the physically least vunerable one there, so she will go protect people from the Hulk. It's what POD would have done. But she wasn't strong enough. Enigma wasn't strong enough. The Hulk ripped her suit to shreads and she barely survived. She lost another piece of herself. Quicksilver brings her to safety, and there's still a little energy left in the suit.
She and Toni use it all up against the Black Order but luckily calvary arrives just in time. It's a miracle from POD.
***
But now it's all over for Aikku. POD is truly death, the Enigma suit is gone. She's just a normal human again. Not a superhero. She hopes POD was proud of her, and that she did well during her time.
U.S.Avengers is over too. Roberto is going back to being a solo act, Maverick's health can't take being Red Hulk anymore. Toni is finding a new place for herself. She's back to being Rescue, or well, R.E.S.C.U.E. Organization. It will be good for Toni.
Aikku still worries, of course, but she's happy for Toni. On the other hand, it's Aikku's time to try to find a new place for herself in the world.
They made a statue of her. It's by the Avengers Mansion in New York. She goes there, sometimes. She and POD and Enigma must have done something right to deserve that.
One time when she is visiting it, she runs into Bruce Banner. Neither one of them recognizes each other at first. Neither one of them has really met the other one as a normal person.
Bruce looks like he wants to disappear the moment he realizes who she is. Aikku still remembers what it felt like, getting Enigma ripped off from around herself, losing her final connection to POD. But it wasn't Bruce's fault.
"You don't have to go. It's your statue, too."
Bruce stops, turns, and looks at Aikku. He lets out an awkward laugh, "I don't know your civilian name."
Aikku smiles and extends her hand, "Aikku Jokinen." Her name has always elicited a hint of oddness. Fully Finnish name was odd though not too uncommon in Norway, but in America no one has any sense on how to place it. She can see a hint of that on Bruce's face now. "I'm Norwegian, but my parents are Finnish," she clarifies for him.
Bruce nods before he seemingly cannot stop himself any longer, "I'm sorry about Enigma."
Aikku looks at her feet, tries to gather herself. "She was POD first. We were a 'we', she was a part of me, until she died. Enigma was what I had left of POD. Now she's really gone." The pain, the grief, it comes and goes. Now is one of the times it really comes. Aikku wipes away a few tears from her face.
"But it wasn't your fault. You didn't choose to be brought back, to be so angry. And you didn't kill me. POD chose me, and I don't regret it. It gave me Toni. Se did, I did a lot of good. Now I will just do something else."
Bruce seems speechless, until he finally manages to say, "Can I at least buy you coffee and a pastry?"
Aikku smiles brightly, "Of course."
They walk along the streets of New York, going into the first cafe that seems nice. They talk, or Aikku does, and Bruce listens to her talk about what it was like to be POD. Maybe Bruce understands that 'we'-ness a bit more than other people.
Hours later, Aikku goes home to Toni. She tells Toni of her meeting with Bruce and she realizes that she feels better now. She doesn't know what she will do with the rest of her life. But she is happy for now and she is young. She has time to decide who Aikku will be, after POD and after Enigma. For now, she'll settle on being Aikku.