Chapter Text
Day Five of the Reign of the Green King
“Arch-E has failed, Green Scar. The Wildebots of the Twisted Woods refuse peace.” Hiroim's statement was concise, to the point. Their attempt at diplomacy had failed, but the chosen qualifiers brought back to the royal capital not just a refusal: they brought back a choice for their leader to make.
The green giant, known by many names. Green Scar. Holku. Hulk. Worldbreaker and Sakaarson both. Now, he is the Green King. And alongside a kingdom, he has inherited a whole lot of new problems.
“And that's only the group I talked to. The biggest, but still...” A lot of which he couldn't just smash and call it a day. “Not as simple as we thought, big man. The Wildebots are not one people.” The machine life-form chimed in. Arch-E had been the sole member of the delegation the Green King had sent to sue peace with the Wildebots, cybernetic scourge of the empire he would now claim as his own.
Removing a tyrant was the easy part, the puny one would say. The history of their birth-planet Earth was filled with revolutionaries that failed to form a cohesive new state after toppling their oppressors or, post-formation, failed at becoming successful peace-time leaders and administrators.
The first order of business was to foster a sense of unity and mark a clear disconnect with the rule of the Red King, and one of the biggest eyesores was the clear difference in levels of security between provinces. The dead king had chosen a policy of neglect when it came to Wildebots attacks, which he had deemed 'regional issues', leaving the residents of provinces closer to the Twisted Woods to their own devices, with no protection from the army answering the central authority.
“They're fragmented. Leaderless. Chaotic.” Korg added. The rock warrior and the Shadow Priest would depart on their own diplomatic endeavors the following day, now that safe passage had been negotiated with the Fillians of the northern-most province.
“Wild?” Chimed in Elloe Kaifi. As the youngest and brashest of the group of gladiators turned Warbound revolutionaries, her companions were accustomed to her style of intervention.
Just like she was accustomed to the deadpan stares she often received in reply. She shrugged. “We get it, Korg. The groups have no more allegiance to each other than they have goodwill towards us.” She leaned forward on the rectangular table, the sun setting on Crown City illuminating her from behind. “So, when do we march?”
“Impossible.” Caiera the Oldstrong chimed in from the Hulk's right. Shadow Guard of the Red King. Queen of the Green King. Wielder of the Old Power. “We march any army into the Twisted Woods, we know not how many return. Worst, we may scatter the Wildebots to the four corners of Sakaar, triggering a crisis we have not the resources to deal with.”
“They were a problem before, figures now the Death's Head guards have joined them. Oh man, oh man.” Arch-E added, still feeling digital dread at the memories, surrounded by fellow cyberneticals who could nonetheless snap him in half like a twig if they so wished.
“Isn't that reason more?” Unpersuaded, Elloe retorted. “You know better than anyone else the strength of the Death's Heads. We need to strike before they do!” She added, standing up from her chair. “Arch-E, they refused peace. But what is it they want, then?”
“...the usual.” The robot let out after a few seconds of hesitation, with the synth equivalent of a sigh.
“Eradication and/or enslavement of all non-cybernetic life-forms, then. Which means that another clash with them is not a matter of if. Only when.” Elloe stressed the word and let her eyes move over each and every person at the table. No one disagreed. “So, we strike them now.”
“Many will die.”
“Many die right now, Korg. They can't be reasoned with. They can't be contained. And diplomacy has failed. Only one way forward but only if we act now!”
“I decide when we smash.” Finally, the head of the table spoke, commanding everyone's attention. The Green Scar had been content to listen, so far, for his life had taught him many things but chief among them: he was the strongest, but he wasn't always the most knowledgeable. He didn't always know everything about what surrounded him.
About whom surrounded him. As the Warbound had tragically learned, on the day of greatest betrayal so soon after their greatest triumph.
Thus, he who could have broken the world but chose to redeem it decided that to be the king Sakaar needed, he would follow his instincts. Surround himself with people he trusted. Grant them the freedom to speak as they saw fit when they sat at his table. Then he would make the ultimate decision on any matter at hand, and his word would be final. So would be the responsibility.
And the duty to remind people of their respective roles and responsibilities, when needed. “And this is not the time to smash. They are tired of war. Tired of bloodshed and violence.”
“...yet the violence still comes to them, Hulk.” Elloe insisted but sat back down, now visibly calmer. “I have no more love for it than anyone does. But what other choice do we have?”
“None that I can see.” Hulk continued, causing visible surprise in his Warbound. With the exception of Arch-E, who groaned, and Caiera, who remained unmoved as the stones. “I have heard many suggestions and opinions about what not to do. What can't be done. Only one proposed to do something. And we need to do something.”
“...it's to be more war, Holku?” Hiroim asked, eyes closing in thought.
“Maybe. But...” Caiera remained unshaken because her focus wasn't so much on the dealings at the table but her husband. She had gotten closer to him than any of the Warbound, despite their relationship initially finding themselves at opposite sides of an executioner's blade. Once sworn to eliminate him, she now carried his child and lead an empire as his Queen.
Thus, only she had noticed that her husband was focused less on the options currently available to him, and more on whether there remained others to be found somewhere they hadn't looked yet. Where he hadn't looked yet.
Inside.
“...leave us. I need to think. Let's reconvene for dinner.” The green giant suddenly announced. “I'll have an answer for you by then.” The proclamation was sudden, but the Warbound had learned to take these kinds of actions in stride. They excused themselves and filed out of the meeting room. Hiroim, last to do so, gave the royal couple a last evaluating look before closing the door behind him.
“Holku?” Caiera asked, as her husband's brow furrowed.
“I need to talk to him.” He declared as he stood. “Keep everyone out. No one gets to see me. No one.” She understood. She understood because she had seen. She had seen all of him, like he had seen all of her. She had seen the gladiator. She had seen the Sakaarson, and the World Breaker. She had seen the King.
And she had seen the Bruce.
-I-
“...why are you asking me?” Even the Green Scar didn't so easily enter this place. Desolate one moment, lush the next. Rivers of memories coasted islands of personality crystallized over decades of living. The skies blue and red and green and more with emotions. The winds carried songs of regret and cries of victory.
Across from him, sat in a twin of his own throne, was puny Banner.
The Green Scar hated coming into the mindscape. Because, if in the land of flesh and blood he could escape it, in a world of mind and spirit there was no escaping the knowledge that for all their differences, Banner was him. He was Banner. And together they were I.
“You have brains. Use them.” The Green King answered, frowning at the emotions coming off his counterpart.
“I don't think I should.” Banner retorted and the green giant's eyes went wide, balking.
“You don't think you should?! Banner...!” Lightning thundered across the sky as rage surged through him. He breathed heavily through his nostrils, hands grasping the throne's armrests... “Why?”
“Because I'm me. And I always screw everything up, don't I?” The bespectacled human explained, and the Hulk fought back the onset of nausea. “Let's be honest, Hulk... Green Scar. You win. You've managed...” A wave of self-loathing washed over him as the puny scientist spoke. The river's waves took color as memories became more self-evident. “You didn't just survive a world of monster, you saved it. You smashed a tyrant, found friends and love... And you're now going to build a new world on top of that.”
“Hnnnngh...” The Green Scar grit his teeth, fingers grasping unbreakable rock as sweat poured from his brow.
“All of this not with me but despite me. No... Nononono. You've got... You've got something good here, Scar.” The scientist shook his head and, as he finished his spiel, the Green King gasped in relief as the wave retreated. His chest burned hot, hating this feeling. Hating that this puny, weak human, that his feelings had such power over him...! “I'm not going to ruin it. You're better off-”
“GET OVER YOURSELF, BANNER!” As the giant stood, the sky turned red. Lighting struck memories, boiling the worst of them back into seafoam. And just like Banner's commiseration had struck him, so did his anger strike Bruce like a warm desert wind. Silence reigned for a few seconds as the Green Scar calmed himself down enough to speak with him instead of at him. “Always thinking you're smarter than anyone else. Always thinking you know better, while in the same sentence admitting you know nothing.”
“I know myself.”
“Do you?” The king retorted. “You are me. I am you. We are I. And yet you know nothing of me, do you?” He paused, green eyes meeting brown as their shared mindscape went back to a neutral state once again. “And I know nothing of you. Never cared to learn...” He trailed off, sighing as he sat back down on his throne. “But she did. She would know all of us.”
“Caiera...” Bruce said. The Green Scar had to push down the twinge of jealousy and possessiveness.
“Yes. Caiera... And Korg.” The giant added. “And Hiroim. And Elloe, and Arch-E and No-Name. And the Hivelings, the farmers, the Shadow People... So many, Banner. So many, who had been left with no hope for so long.” He grinned maliciously. “We both know a thing or two about that.”
“You're the one who gave them back hope. Your actions did.”
“Damn straight. And I intend to keep on giving it to them, which is why you need to listen to me.” He straightened his back, head held high. Hiroim's lessons in posture were bearing fruit. “You don't trust yourself, and you don't want to make important decisions? I'm not asking that, puny human. I'm here to tell you what they need us to do.”
“...” Bruce stared at his green counterpart. Then, he went to mimic his sitting position, down to the splaying of the fingers.
“Smashing is useful. Fun, too, but we can't keep smashing forever. We need to make peace... And for that, we need equal parts strength and brains. Right?”
“...right.”
“You got brains.”
“I do.”
“And I got problems for you to solve. I decide what needs solving, you give me a solution. Easy.” Pathetic. “You'll never have to decide anything ever again. You'll never break or hurt anyone ever again.” Like he could! Never again. Banner was in control never again. He'd make sure of it. “You just help.”
He saw the thoughts dance behind Banner's eyes, irises darting quickly in different directions as he weighted all the pros and cons, thought everything through a million times... How could someone who thought about things so much be wrong so often, the Green Scar wondered.
“I don't think you understand what you're asking me, here.” He frowned.
“I'm not stupid, Banner.”
“You're not. You've proven that... Heh. 'Hulk slash'?” The sky flashed to blue as Banner discovered mirth in a common memory. The Green Scar found himself grinning back, sharing in the puny human's amusement. “That was a good one... But, Scar, I can't just... Magick you a solution from here.” Banner continued, shaking his head. “I need to look at the problem. Touch it. I need to look at the technology that the people of Sakaar have. God only knows if the Red King left behind an archive in any serviceable state... I need people to give instructions to. I...” He stopped, holding a hand to his face before looking at the Green Scar between splayed fingers. “I can't do it from here. I can't do it through you. Do you understand?”
“...yes.” The Green Scar replied, eyes softening.
“And do you understand that... During those times, we would be vulnerable. We... You. You would need to tell. Tell more people.” He looked down at the space between his feet. Of course, he understood. He wasn't stupid. But was he prepared? “Are you sure you're okay with that?” Was he ready to share him? Himself? Them? Share with people other than Caiera?
Share the puniest of parts, with the implicit admission that Banner could do something for them that he could not?
“No. I'm not.” He grunted back. “But I'll do it anyway. For them.” He added and returned his gaze to his mirror. “I'm still the one in charge, though, Banner.”
“I don't care to be. As long as I can help... Well.” Banner sighed and relaxed in the throne, eyes looking upwards at the now clear blue sky. A warm sun peeking through the clouds. “You should go tell Caiera before she starts worrying.”
“Worrying about what?” The Green Scar asked, an eyebrow raised.
“Remember what happens outside, every time we have one of these deep talks?”
...
Oh, fratz!
-I-
“C-Caiera?”
“Holku...?” As the Green Scar resurfaced to the land of flesh and blood, his eyes found focus on the figure of his wife. Who looked a bit paler in the face than he remembered. “Are you... Well?”
“Hmm, yes, I am.” He shrugged his head from side to side, flexing his hands. His body was his, still. Big. Strong. Green. Remarkably un-puny... But he figured it hadn't been like that for the duration of his conversation with Banner. “...let me guess. I was green, and pink, strong and puny, and everything at the same time?”
“Y-Yes. Also grey, I...” She bit her lower lip, clearly not knowing how to properly explain what she had witnessed. “I know not what I saw. You were there. So was Bruce... And I think others, too? I...” 'Others'? Could it be that...? He frowned. He needed to focus. One problem at the time. “Husband, there's more still to discover about you, is there?”
“You know the important things.” He answered as he stood up again. “You know what lies at the bottom of my soul. You know him, and us.”
“I know... And yet, there's more. I could perceive so much... Pain.” He grunted, avoiding his gaze. She stood by his side, placing her left hand on his shoulder. “Where do you come from, Holku? What was your life, that left you scarred so?”
“...one day.” He stated, still avoiding her gaze. His eyes focused on the world outside their bedroom as the sun had set behind the walls of Crown City and the Maca Mountains on the horizon. “When everything is not on the verge of crumbling again. Then, I will share.” He promised and chuckled. “Warning, though. It's a real horrorshow.”
“Horror... Show?” Caiera repeataed and Hulk chuckled.
“It's nothing... Now, is it dinner time yet?” He asked, figuring that better do it sooner rather than later.
They were his Warbound. Despite recent events, they were still the only ones he could trust with his secrets.
-I-
“When I'm not around, Caiera is in command.” When the group came back to the Royal Palace to meet the Green Scar and his Queen, they had expected to continue the conversation from that morning about what to do with the Wildebots. Instead... “If she's not available, Korg is in command.”
“Wait, I'm third? Why am I third?” The rockman asked, half a bite of coal still in his right hand.
“Because Hiroim is fourth. After that... Eh, you figure it out.” The Hulk shrugged.
“Holku, what is this about?” The Shadow Priest asked. Elloe kept her silence, a little miffed about not being included in this new hierarchy but deep down, knowing she had a long way before she could match her father.
“In case I'm not around and a decision needs to be made. I think it's important. Because I'm not always going to be around.” He explained, and in doing so made his Warbound only more and more confused. Save his queen, of course. “Don't like it any more than you do, but we got too many problems to solve.”
“Big guy, I'm waiting for you to start making sense. Are you talking about your death or...?”
“Oh no! Nononono, it's way too early to start thinking of a war of succession! I'm going to string your body up with wires and puppet you around, if need be!” Elloe piped up, only half joking as the prospect genuinely terrified her. “Tell me you're not sick or something!”
“I'm not sick! Pipe down, already!” He bellowed. And grunted, ignoring the little voice in his head that whispered 'technically...'. “I'm just... Hrrm.” This was getting ridiculous. Why was he trying to get to what he needed to say so meekly? Like he was scared? He was scared of nothing! Nothing! “...what I'm about to share with you does not leave this room.” He pointed firmly. “You bring it with you to your grave.”
“...we bring... what?” Korg asked, dinner now forgotten in favor of his Warbound. The rock-man focused on the Green Scar's face, looking for sign of discomfort or worry, trying to understand what had brought this on...
...only to suddenly have to start inclining his gaze downward... And downward...
“...what the...?” Further and further downward.
“Fratz?” Until, finally, it stopped.
“...so, uhm, I can understand that exception made for Caiera... This is a shock to you.” And the figure that sat where once did the Green Scar needed several sizes smaller garments. “The Green Scar asked for my help with your, ah, brains problems... And so, here I am.”
“...speak your name.” Hiroim said, seemingly the only island of calm among the surprise and confusion of the table as their king, gargantuan and emerald, had been replaced by a stranger smaller and weaker looking than any imperial.
“I am Doctor Robert Bruce Banner… You can call me Bruce, or Banner.” The pink-skinned man explained, acting and speaking as if he had found in this kind of situation many times before. “First order of business would be: are prescription glasses a thing, on Sakaar?”