Fury said, "I guess my first question is what is Ally."
Mr. Fox is quiet, and says, "It's... complicated."
Furry replies "Then explain."
Mr. Fox flicks his tail, and sighs, "I don't fully trust you, Fury. But considering your situation, I can tell you some things. My realm... needs a more stable dimension to continue existing. To continue supporting the countless souls within it. It feeds off that realness. Not... harmfully. More... like grass growing in dirt. In order to feed the realm... 2-way... tethers are needed. Conduits. The only thing that can act as one... is a soul. One with its body in your world, and its soul in mine."
Fury responds, with a blank, professional face. "Then I suppose the first real answer you've given me is that she's not just a woman with powers. She's infrastructure. Biological, emotional, dimensional." He leaned slightly forward, elbows on his knees. "You're feeding a realm through her soul. I don't like that. What happens when she breaks?"
Mr. Fox frowns, "She won't... or at least not easily. The realm... I guess represents its tethers. After all, its energy is funneled through a soul, and thus... takes in, and acts partly with their subconscious. Making them gods of creation within this realm. Though... it's complex to control, often needing song."
Fury said finally, voice steady, anger even, "You've wired an entire reality into the mind of a twenty-something SHIELD agent, one who just suffered a brain injury, has no military training, and who you know damn well has trauma, trust issues, and an unstable tether to her own humanity." He let the silence hang for just a second longer than necessary. "And the best answer you've got is 'she won't break easily?'"
Mr. Fox frowns, he is... guilty. "You're right I guess. But the realm was dying, and I did not have many other choices. Especially when you have over 8,000 people in this place, that would dissolve into nothing but energy, and fragmented concepts if you fail. Besides... I'm doing my best to train her. Though... I have no idea how to train her in combat skills. A single song takes out a lot of someone's energy. Makes her vulnerable. That is the only reason... that... event occurred, and now I'm stuck dealing with a crashed Helicarrier. Plus... I still got 482 innocents in here, I've been very careful to not transform into shadow foxes in here. I need someplace to put them."
Fury says, "You talk about training," he said, voice low, "but you're building an army out of musicians and instincts. That's not gonna cut it when a sniper takes her out mid-song. Your training seems to not be cutting it."
Mr. Fox narrows his eyes. He is annoyed. "I've been stuck in this place for 82 years, Fury. I've been stuck watching the real world. I've been trapped in a lucid dream I can control... where nothing feels truly real except the matter, and souls I pull from your own."
The surroundings turn grey in the animated TV land. He says, "They are no army, my shadow foxes. They suffer... but they are murderers, rapists, or the horrible. Then they are reborn. I wish... it was in my power to return them to humanity... but I can't. Worse... they like it now. They enjoy it now. They create games, life, culture, story, society. This is not a prison... it's a civilization. One I seek to keep alive, one I seek to improve. But I hate... hate blindness. I hate it when someone harms another simply because they have a lie they wish to preserve, and not see the truth. So... quite simply. I take them away, show them their wrongdoings. If it's minor, I return them. If it's major, they become a shadow fox, and recover. I even allow them out, to see their loved ones in the real world. It's the best I can do. I am limited, Fury. I am a fucking soul trapped in a dream realm, acting as its foundation. Its only foundation. If I go... everyone does. So I think it's more stable to have two... than one."
Fury nodded once—slow. The way you nod when a target steps right into your line of fire. "So what you're telling me," he said carefully, "is you've been running a reality off of desperation and emotional therapy sessions for 82 years." His voice stayed calm, but it hurt—a blade honed by grief. "You're telling me your people aren't an army, but a society built out of your pain. Your survivors of murderers, rapists, the worst of humanity—you gave them second chances. Fine. But you didn't give Ally a first one." He leaned forward again, elbows on knees. "You picked her. You bonded to her. She bleeds for you." He looked back to the hospital bed, where Ally slept. Twitching faintly. A realm inside her chest. A bullet in her mind. Too much. Too soon. No protection. "You said you're limited," Fury continued, quieter now. "That you're a soul holding a world together. I believe that. I do. But this—" he gestured vaguely toward the TV, toward the realm, toward Ally, "—this isn't saving people anymore. It's using them. And don't bullshit me with good intentions. I want to know what happens when she's done. When she can't take the weight. When she breaks—not as a god—but as a person."
His voice hardened again. "Because I've seen what happens when you build systems that rely on exceptional people never failing. They always do. That's not their fault. That's just time. Biology. Pressure."
He paused, just long enough. "So let's say she collapses. Let's say she decides she can't do this. Or maybe someone else kills her before she even gets the chance to decide. You said this realm's foundation is her soul. What happens then, Fox?"
His single eye bore into the screen. "Do we get another collapse? A static crater of a city, forcefully dragged into your world? Or do we get eight thousand souls screaming into the void with no world to hold them?"
Mr. Fox frowns deeply... then... deflates. "I know... I made a mistake. But fine. Whatever. I'm just trying not to die here, and have a good life. Perhaps allow others to have one themselves. I will admit to my mistakes. But honestly... I think she likes it here. She makes the sun shine here. The realm likes her. I do, and so do the shadows. Honestly... Fury..."
His eyes turn slightly guilty. "You're right. But so be it... you can train her. Honestly... I was not sure about her helping you in that whole mission. She was not ready. I was scared for her. I'm just a fucking cartoon, and I had no say becoming this. I chose her... because... she asked why... instead of running in fear at this place. Now she is a part of my family as far as I'm concerned. I will teach the children I saved, I will help her. I will save people, and help the world. Because that is all I have left. So yeah... it was wrong of me. But I was fucking dying, and I was not willing to see everyone I love die."
There is a silence. Long... quiet. Before Mr. Fox changes tone. "Anyway. I seriously need a place to drop off the innocents I collected from the HYDRA battle. All those forced into working for HYDRA, that my foxes found were not bad enough to deserve to become shadow foxes. Place a few TVs in a line somewhere, and get Ally nearby. I need it done within a few days... or... the fox realm's energy will leak into their souls too much."
Fury replies. "I'll get it set up within forty-eight hours. You'll get your drop site. But don't think for a second this means I trust you." He narrowed his eye again, just slightly. "You owe me. And you owe her."
Mr. Fox sighs... "Yes I do. I know I do. I do think, however, you should keep her away from any battles for a while. I only allowed her to join your battle... because she wanted to, and I respect her decisions. Not like I could stop her anyway." He pauses and then sighs. "You also have responsibility on your back. I respect you, honestly. Even if I do find you annoying."
The TV turns off. Fury is quiet for a long while, sitting. Then... gets up, and leaves. Giving a sad look at Ally. "You got too much responsibility." He says, as he leaves.