Chapter one

Two worlds, one adventure

(Richard Stark/Blue steel's POV)

Universe A

Avenger tower, New York city

Three years after the invasion of New York.

Amazing isn't it, standing on top of it all, feeling so alive. The view is breath taking. Air is crisp in the winter evening, sky is painted with beautiful colors as the sun deeps below the skyline. I was standing off the edge of the Avengers tower. The chilly wind blowing in my deep black hair, last rays of sunlight softly kissed my young European tan skin as I took a deep breath and smiled. My bright blue eyes shined as I looked out. I was in my regular blue jeans and Black Sabbath t-shirt. My reactor shining bright as the moon above. I love it out here, I feel like there are no boundaries that I can cross, no limits to break. Yet why do I feel so . . . empty on the inside?

"ATHENA, you with still with me?" I asked my AI friend through my earpiece with a rather low voice. ATHENA is her name, she actually named herself. Stands for 'Alternatively Testing Hyper Neural Applications'. Do not think I need to explain much else from there. Her first words were 'I am the shield to your sword' in Latin, Dad and I created her in a similar way to Ultron, only she is a hell of a lot less genocidal and a million times more loyal. Included a few 'Emotion' functions to help her simulate real emotions, huge pain in the ass there. She's is my oldest. . . hell my only friend that isn't family. People don't like it when I out smart them, like the time I accidentally made a miniature nuclear reactor in science club with only scrap metal and what I had around me at the time. Not hard when you can do what I can. Cops arrested me for I forget the reason. Bail was outrageous but should have seen the look on Tony's face when they read my charges. He looked like he couldn't be prouder to have a son like me.

"At your service sir." She replied in a godly smooth voice. "Wind speeds are just right for flight. I informed the Air force so don't be expecting to race any F-22 pilots today. Also took the liberty of putting the closest medical facilities on alert just in case things go wrong." That's good. While I like racing the jets, Tony doesn't like me doing it so much. Says he's in enough shit with the military and for me to not get into any more trouble with them.

"Fire up the Mark Seven version 2.5, let mom know that I'm going out, and tell dad I'll race him to Ray's pizza place." I ordered checking the wrist bands to be sure they were on right. I've done this about a million times. It's a trust exercise between me and ATHENA. I trust her with my life and that she'll catch me on the way down, and she trust me with her life to a extent. Her programming is so fine and compact that it fits on powerful computer chip the size of my thumb at the base of my skull. My idea so that she can run my suit, my heart, and my brain chips.

Let me explain a bit about myself. My name is Richard Levi Stark, heir to the Stark industries fortune and company. Tony is my adopted father. Before he meet me all those years ago, I was a orphan living in the streets of new York. I can't remember what it was like, I was like six I think. Tony did everything in his power to help me forget those horrid and cold times. Never meet my either of my real parents. ATHENA did a genealogy test on me a while ago. Found out I was born in some country called Latveria. Who there is my parents, I do not care anymore. Tony loves me like the son he never had, and Pepper even treats me like one of her own kids if she had any. I couldn't ask for anything more.

Right out of the get go, he hired only the best tutors he knows for me to learn and grow. He let me make my own mistakes, let me learn at my own pace, even shares ideas to help me learn. I graduated high school four years early and currently going to collage for nuclear physics and thermodynamic study. Designed several high grade military grade weapons, with Tony's help of course. Life went by well for the most part, then shit hit the fan.

Several months after he introduced the Jericho missile to the military, I developed some type of rare heart disease, I forget the name, sounded very scary and deadly, I know what much. I was given a year to live at most unless a new heart was found. All the transplants I had all failed or got corrupt by my unique system. That didn't stop Tony. He slaved over his workshop for weeks on end with no breaks. Few months later he developed an artificial heart that simulated and behaved just like a real one does. Only problem is that it required a energy source. He let me chose how I wanted to power my new heart. I chose the Arc reactor route, not my best choice but I didn't want to go back to get new pacemakers installed every three months. We built and invented side by side ever since. We both worked on the Iron man project together and pointed out flaws and errors the other missed.

Then there's the crap I can do. During the pre-op MRI, the doctors noticed something weird inside my brain. Tony did his research with some help from Thor and found out it was an Infinity stone. Powerful little shit that one is. It allows me to bend reality around me with a mere thought. With my degree of control, I am mostly limited to changing physical objects and basic cartoon like stunts if I feel like it. Now most people would love to have that kind of power at their finger tips. Me on the other hand, I rather rip this stone out of my head and throw it in a lava pit. It's a hellish curse pulled straight out of Steven King's worst nightmares. Because of where it's located, they can't remove it out without killing me.

Found out that it works on the molecular level, changing the physical properties of the target material to what every I want them to be, redesigns the material and reshapes it. I can literally turn lead into gold if I wanted to. Bad part is that it slowly tears apart my mind as I do so. Slowly drives me to the brink of insanity. Te bigger the change, the worse it hurts. Most people who I try to befriend run scared when they find out I have this power, other people try using me for their own gain. Tony tries to help me to the best of his ability. He had the best doctors/healers on this realm AND from asguard surgically inserted a series of chips into my brain to help limit the power I somewhat control. That is where ATHENA comes in, she regulates the chips and insures I always remain in control; or at the very least lets me know when my control begin to slip. If I lose control, well long story simplified extremely, I made a lot of things go boom and nearly turned the state Rhode Island into a happy volcano fun land.

Now several years later, I am ready to test out my modifications to the Mark seven suit, same type that helped save New York. Tony lets me tinker with a suit's schematics once he deems them outdated. I tend to improve them in ways Tony never knew. Let's take my newest suit for example. I managed to improve the laser systems in the gauntlets then added deplorable anti-personal and armor mines in the legs. They're prototype mines of my own personal design for the military, about the size of your pinkie's nail, and the suit can hold tons of the little buggers. If I got it right, then I got a possible fly-by weapon to use during another invasion, like a carpet bomb only I make sure at lest 98% of all the mines would blow up in every strike. Other two percent I can remotely disarm when the battle is over. Got to make the hippies happy. Ripped out the leg missiles to make room for the mines, installed a portable shield generator that works similar to the tesseract's energy barrier, and modified the repulsors to output higher damage based on the charge. Change the color scheme to cobalt blue and steel grey. Two of my favorite colors. Thinking of naming my suits after the mark thirty armor, Blue steel. I like that suit. Intergrated a few of it's systems into my suit design; like the trapezoid style reactor and the energy redirection from electrical based situations. Examples: getting struck by lightning (pissed off Thor again), taking out enemy energy cores, getting knocked into power lines, knocked into power stations, ect. . .

Tony's up to Mark 46 I think, I'm still at my mark Seven suit, version five because I go over the suit numerous times to be sure there is nothing more I can improve to that particular model. This one I am preparing for heavy combat. Better to be prepared and ready then to be caught with my pants down again. Mark one was more suited for a first suit, to get me use to the Iron man systems and how they work. Mark two was more used for a incogido suit, like Tony's mark V. Modeled it to form as a backpack, yet unfold around me to kick ass. Mark three was a more serious attempt at a main suit design. Mark four was mostly for stealth, yet required too much damn power to fuel the camo modules. Mark five was modeled for space combat and flight. Mark six went something along the lines of a speed suit. Something to cure my need for speed. Got that puppy up to supersonic speeds with ease. Clocked it at over two thousand miles per hour. Each one is up to date with the latest in Stark technology in their respective fields.

Though with everything I got, I still feel empty inside most of the time. I got everything anyone could ever want or ask for. Money, fame, a smart computer program, all the time in the world to do as I please. Going to collage for multiple areas of the scientific community, mainly nuclear science and weapons development, just like Grandpa and Dad. Yet I would give it all up just to have just one honest to goodness friend. I mean, who in their right mind would want to be friends with me? I got the power of a god yet no idea where to even begin to control it. I got enough money to buy anything I could ever want; Goverment crap included, yet no friends to share it with. Sure I got ATHENA, but she is a computer program stuck with me till the day I die. Fame and fortune is worthless without having friends to share them with. A simple friend is something money can't buy, well it can but not a good or honest one.

"Jarvis has informed me that Tony tells you 'Loser buys while winner chooses'. His current position is unknown." She informed. I took a deep breath as I held my arm out and looked over the edge. Here goes nothing. Time for ATHENA's favorite game of catch.

"Alright dad, game on." I whispered to myself. "Athena, deploy the pod." I ordered as I willingly jumped off the edge of the building. I kept my arms and legs as spread out as I can to slow myself down. The faint shattering of a window let me know that my suit was under way. I looked to my left to see the red laser grids trying to find my bracelets as the ground starting getting a little closer. It glowed red as a metallic clank filled my ears. I looked right to see the suit already forming around me as the cement of the sidewalk below came into view. I felt the cold metallic armor segment wrapped itself around my body. Helmet formed right on cue as I passed a flock of birds. My head up display showed everything I could ever want. Thruster usage, Arc reactor power levels, 3D map of route ahead with directions to boot, altitude, speed, and my personal favorite, ATHENA's voice bar. I threw my hands forward and activated the front and rear thrusters. I shot through the air at speeds to make Quicksilver green with envy.

"Flight stabilizers working at 97% efficiency, assembly time shows that your model is 1.23% more efficient then the older model, power consumption is showing a 1.35% decrease from the older model as well. Weapon systems are online and ready for deployment, distance left till you went on he front page of tomorrow's newspaper is well below the acceptable levels on my part." ATHENA informed as we flew past a skyscraper, nearly clipping it. Her line moved with every word she spoke. My own personal preference there. It's to help me get familiar with an artificial intelligence that has emotions a bit. Word of the wise, never make her mad. Enough said there, I'm not going into detail.

"You're alright Athena, it is just a test run. That's why we're practicing." I praised. "Also, have someone repair that window, or have them make it slide out when we're ready to deploy."

"Noted, also you have a phone call from Ms. Potts." She informed as a skype style calling feature popped on my HUD. "Already answering it."

"Richard, tell me that wasn't you that fell from the building and took off?" Pepper asked sounding frightened.

"Okay, it wasn't me."

"It was you wasn't it?"

"Yep, testing out the new model I outfitted and modified. She handles like a dream."

"You know you need to warn me or your father before doing something that reckless and dangerous."

"I did, currently racing dad to Ray's pizza place, loser buys."

"Why am I not surprised. Alright Richard, just don't get into any more trouble. Their still trying to repair sixth street after you destroyed it."

"Gotcha, love you mom. I'll be careful and not blow anything up this time." I replied hanging up on her. I love Pepper in all, but I can only handle so much of her paranoia. Tony falls from buildings all the time and Jarvis catches him, I trust ATHENA enough to not let me go splat.

"I see the target zone. Deploy air breaks." I ordered coming to a quick stop and slamming on the ground hard. Everything was normal, nothing broken, and Dad isn't anywhere in sight. Red plastic roof over the front entrance to a brick building with the restaurant's name on the side. I smiled as I picked myself up. "A; I think we won, let me out." I declared as the armor unwrapped and let me out. "I'm thinking a nice meat lovers pizza would be good. Yeah with extra cheese and maybe some bacon cooked into the crust." I said to myself as I open the door to see Tony in a corner booth with his feet up on the table, in his mark 45 armor, helmet off and eating a pepperoni pizza slice. He saw me walk in and smiled.

"Oh, hey there slowpoke. I was wondering when you'd arrive." He said finishing his last bite and walked to me. "Figured you got caught up in traffic. Nice suit, I like the color scheme Could use a bit better trim job. Grey suits you more." He smiled as he patted my back and handed me the bill. "Saved you a few slices, didn't think you'd mind stuffed crust. I'll see you back at the tower. Be home by ten at the latest." With that he put his helmet on and took off for the tower. Son of a bitch, just when I thought I had one up on the old man, he turns out to be three steps ahead of me. How he manages to do so I'll never know. I sighed as I looked at the damage. We're both filthy rich so it's more of a game for bragging rights and ego mostly, with him winning all the time. Guess I need to step up my game if I ever want to stand a chance against him.

"Well played dad. Well played."

Hours later

Empty, why do I still feel so empty inside. I was coasting on an air current over New York, watching the city light up below. I smiled as I slowed down a bit more and looked up, cloudy night again. Not a star in the sky, barely even the moon. One bad part about being in New York. You can only see the stars on good nights. Rest of the time it's just clouds and pollution. I let out a sigh as I slowly coasted a right turn. I love the stars, they're like this beautiful force of nature. Taunting me to push forward to try and reach them. They're truly amazing, thousand years ago humans looked up at the stars for guidance and wisdom, thousand years later we look toward the stars for our never ending pursuit for knowledge and often just to slow down.

Lot has changed over human history yet some things still remain the same. We still look to unknown forces for guidance and answers, we still find better ways to kill each other, we still require the same basic needs, and we still have a lot to learn. No matter how advanced we get, no matter how far we believe we come. There will always be more to learn, more to explore, more to ponder. There will always be questions out there needing answers, always going to be problems to solve, always going to be something new popping up that we know nothing about.

People could go mad just thinking about it all, what it all means. Why are we here? Why is the universe full of so many questions? How did it all begin? How will it end? Just so many questions that keep me up at night. But then there is the biggest one of all, one no one thinks about. Are we suppose to be here? Are we suppose to exist in this universe? Are we suppose to be as advanced as we are now? Were we the byproduct of some freak alien experiment, millions of years of evolution, or made by some all knowing force for what ever reason. That is one of the few questions religion never answers. Why did God create the earth in the first place? Why did he/she/they even create humanity at all? Why are we such a destructive species? Why would they give me such a terrible curse? Why me of all people?! There are billions of other people more worthy of such great power so why me? Just . . .why to everything?

"You alright Richard?" ATHENA asked. "Your speed dropped by 2.98% and we're off course from the regular flight pattern to the tower. Something bothering you?"

"I'm fine, just enjoying the scenic route home." I replied as I flew over times square. "A; do you ever feel like there's something missing from your life? Like there is this, black hole inside of you that needs to be filled. Yet nothing in life is enough?"

"I'm sorry sir; I can't say I understand your question. I am only programmed to have the four base emotions. Joy, sadness, fear, and anger. Please explain what you mean." She said.

"Oh right, sorry. Keep forgetting you're a computer program. Remind me to add a expand your human interaction functions when we get home." I said looking down at times square. Zooming in on a couple of friends taking pictures and just over all having fun. I took a deep breath and continued my flight. I love being in the air. It's just pure freedom. I feel like are no limits I can't break, nothing holding me down, nothing keeping me from doing what I love. Like nothing matters but me and the soft rumble of my thrusters. Well and ATHENA as well, I don't know where I'd be without her at my side. Probably splattered all over the side walk in front of the building.

"It's alright sir, that is something very easy to forget given your unique experiences." She replied. She was talking about my Infinity stone and I know it. I closed my eyes and listened to the people below. All the different voices and noises mixing together, I smiled as I listened to the joyous laughter of the people below. "May I suggest you take some zen meditation classes. Good for your body and mind."

"Sure A, I'll consider it." I replied shooting straight up. I need to get over this pollution, I need to see the night sky. Only thing keeping me sane right now. The past few months have been hellish. First there was the supreme court trial at the beginning of the year to decide if I should even live or not. In their words, and I quote 'Richard Stark is a threat to, not only national security, but global security and bla bla bla'. I was lucky Banner took my side when he did. Very few people want to willingly piss him off, even less survive to tell the tale when the other guy comes out. After that was a 'peaceful' dinner in North Korea with their leader, forget the guy's name. It was anything but peaceful. Went more along the lines of him trying to talk me into building him a few high grade missiles to 'improve his national defense'. I stopped eating the chicken there and politely left after paying for the meal. I didn't trust my mouth at the time, and didn't want to start world war three over some very harsh words. After that was a failure of a field-test of a direct energy anti-armor weapon for the military. Long story short, it worked but the recoil was a whole lot worse then anyone expected, and the person firing it dislocated their arm and broke their shoulder. I could barely fire it with my suit on without straining the servos, that says enough right there. Safe to say I went back to the drawing board for that one. Need to find a way to stabilize the recoil without sacrificing too much power. Then there was the countless set backs with the mines. Mainly getting the coordination down for the detonation sequence. The either detonated too early, too late, or not all of the did. Nearly lost my hair trying to figure that mess out. I just need some alone time right now. While Tony dislikes me involvment when it comes to creating weaponry for the military, he still supports my choices; but warned me to keep a close eye on who gets my weaponry, where it's being shipped to, and what it is being used for. Also where ATHENA cones in. Hacking government systems for everyone I sell to, to be sure they are using the weaponry appropriately, and not to blow everything to hell.

Soaring above the New York skyline is the best stress reliever I know right now. I broke though the pollution cloud and shot up to cruising height for the big jets. I smiled as I looked up at the stars above; shining so bright, so tempting to reach up and grab them. With my curse I know I can do it, but I don't even want to think of what would happen afterwords. The moon laid high in the sky, shimmered as I leveled out and stabilized. I took a deep breath and slowed myself down once again. I brushed my hand over the cotton clouds as it flowed though my fingers.

"Sir, Unknown energy fluctuation detected." ATHENA informed. I quickly snapped back to reality just in time to see what ATHENA was talking about. Ripping though the very fabric of space-time was a swirling purple portal. I instantly hit the air breaks to slow down. Unfortunately I was a bit too late and flew straight into it.

First thing I noticed was the sudden change in background. What use to be a star filled night time sky is now the colorful sunrise sky, streaks of smoke filled the sky as the familiar sound of plasma fire filled the air as much as the smell of burning metal did. Below me was miles of ruined rice crops with several pink MECH units running down below. The MECH in question looked a lot like a rabbit had a drunken one night stand with a walking tank that ended with a kid; that has cannons for arms and looked like it skipped leg day at the gym. Did I forget the thusters on the back? THE MECHS had pilots in them, from the looks of it they were a bunch of children. Okay, that is weird. Who would be despite enough to put children inside of MECH units? And the hell are they running toward?

I looked up and nearly stained my armor at what they were running toward, and I was flying toward. It looked a lot like a Halo Scarab on steroids, only add dozens of anti-air missle launchers, double the size, double the legs, add anti-air turrets and loads more armor plating. One of the legs was damaged but not destroyed. This was going to be a tough fight. It's face cannon let loose a large stream of energy as it incinerated a few of the slower rabbit MECHS. Okay I picked a side in this fight, time to blow shit up.

"Prepare weapons systems. We're taking that thing out. Get the repulsors online first and foremost." I ordered diving down to get some more speed. I shot past a few of the charging MECH units and straight toward the beast of a machine. It took notice of me and began firing it's anti-air guns at me. I barrel-rolled right to avoid the spray of gunfire as the fragmentation rounds exploded all around me. I raised my left hand and sent a repulsor blast straight at the knee joint. The blast impacted the joint taking out a anti-air cannon, but still stood strong. I flew in between it's legs and shot out at blinding speeds.

"ATHENA, find me a weak spot. Anything I can exploit." I ordered bolting past the head bit and sent a repulsor to try to get it's attention. Those MECHS must know how to take it down. If I can distract it, they'll have a chance to take it out. ATHENA got to work on analyzing the massive mechanical wonder as it focused fire once more on the much more agile rabbit MECHS.

"Scan complete. Highlighting weak points on the HUD now." ATHENA informed as the joint areas popped up red. Figures, weakest point in ANY machine or armor suit is the joints. Biggest pain to armor without sacrificing too much mobility. I use interlocking armor plates for most of my armor. Saves on mobility without leaving any part of my body vulnerable. This beast of a machine doesn't seem to have that luxury.

I zipped past it's head, firing my repulsors as I passed. I took a quick glance down to see how the rabbit MECHS were doing. One was dodging the turret fire like it was nothing, weaving inbetween the legs while taking potshots at the joints. I rolled left just in time to avoid the missile launcher. Unfortunately it launched at least a dozen missiles after me.

"Sir, we've been locked on. Missile identification: Modified version of the RIM-116 Rolling Air frame Missiles." ATHENA warned. Damn it, I seriously hate going up against these things. Pain in my ass to avoid when I forget to replenish the flares. . . . and I forgot to refill the flares again. In my defense; this is a prototype, not the final version. Guess I got so caught up in work that I forgot to refill them. Way I see it, I got three options.

1, shoot them out of the air. Tempting but no

2, out race them. I can do that easy.

3, make the best out of this situation and use the machine's missiles against it. Crazy, stupid, and has me written all over it.

"Increase power to thrusters. We're doing something rather dangerous and stupid." I ordered doing a barrel roll left to evade the missiles trajectory path. As expected, the missiles followed me and banked with me. I smirked as I flattened myself and shot forward. I'll agree that this is not my best laid out plan, but it is the best I can come up with on the spot. My HUD showed a map marking the best possible flight path I can take for this plan to work. I quickly banked right hard. I kept up with the turn until I was aiming directly at the giant MECH. I kept a close eye on the missiles as they slowly begun gaining on my tail. Damn those suckers are fast, but not as smart. ATHENA diverted the necessary power to the thusters as I shot forward in a sonic boom, directly toward the Machine's damaged leg. Missiles still on my tail. I closed my eyes as I narrowly passed by the MECHs leg, clipping my foot on the advanced armor plating. I was thrown off my flight path with a ear damming explosion going off behind me. The force of the blast sent me spiraling down to the ground.

"ATHENA, damage report." I ordered forcing myself to get up. Pain shot though my chest, few bruises easy. My HUD went fuzzy for a few seconds as it re-calibrated itself. I could barely make out one of the MECH pilots walking up to me in their suit. Strange, she looks so young. Easily my age, maybe even younger. Chocolate rich hair, same color eyes, weird headset on with spiked tips, even weirder was the four pink triangles on her cheeks. Her suit, as far as I can see, was blue and skin tight. Can not see much else past that. Her facial expression told me everything. She was torn between being impressed and pissed. If I'm to be honest, she looked kind of cute.

"Who are you?" She asked with a rather obvious young Korean female voice. I used the barrel of her MECH's gun as something to help me get up, shaking my head and trying to think straight. ATHENA chose the right time to return the damage report . . . nothing major. Just some minor scuffs and dents. I'll fix them when I get home.

"Just call me Stark for now." I replied though my suit's speakers, looking back at the Scarab thing. One leg was destroyed as it was now a nub of wire and metal. Unlike in the Halo games, this one kept going after it's leg was blown off. Why can't anything be easy. "We'll get to proper introductions later. I got a walking pile of scrap to blow up." I replied shooting back up into the air.

"Sir, may I suggest you try to make friends with Miss Song. Her record indicated that she might make a good ally or even . . ." ATHENA tried suggesting as I barrel rolled right to avoid a turret and sent a repulsor blast at it.

"A, what have I told you about hacking into government systems, without my permission." I scolded sending another repulsor blast at a new turret. Two down, ten dozen to go. I banked left and activated the suit's wrist lasers. It popped up as I flew along side the MECH's leg and three red lines shot out, burning through the many turrets of the MECH. The laser did nothing to the outer shell. If anything I seem to have pissed it off even more.

"Sir, may I suggest you . . ." ATHENA tried to explain but was cut off by a missile smacking into my gut. I groaned in pain as I shot down toward the ground, digging another trench as I done so, knocking me beside a destroyed rabbit MECH thing. The pilot was pretty noticeably dead, if glass shards in his pale head were any indication. I picked myself up as I took another look at the mech, the back armor was completely destroyed. With a glowing reactor core exposed for all to see. Bigger then my ARC reactor yet it looked so much more powerful. Wonder what could be powering it. Cold fusion? Nuclear? Anti-matter? What could be making it tick?

"A, what is the energy output on that reactor." I asked as gunfire filled the air around me.

"The core is damaged and could reach unstable levels within the next few minutes. I can not get a confirmed reading on it. I suggest you get to safety before it goes off." " She informed as I got closer to where I was staring directly at the reactor, to where I could touch it if I pleased.

"Let's see if we can reuse this power." I asked myself as I used both hands to grab a hold of the dying core. I felt a extreme jolt of energy as the core's power flowed though the outer shell of my suit. My HUD glowed brighter with each passing second. So much power in that little thing, so much energy. I cried out in pain as I felt the bolts of energy climb into my heart and reactor. I quickly dropped the core as it died off and fell with a loud clunk. Bolts of electricity flowed all around me and around my finger tips.

"Power up two thousand percent and climbing fast. ARC reactor reaching critical mass. I suggest you discharge as much as you can within the next few seconds." ATHENA warned as I turned to the MECH.

"Direct . . . all power. . . to unibeam." I ordered forcing myself to speak. This much energy flowing though my veins, it is a pain unlike anything I've ever faced. Only thing that can come close is being hit by lightning, multiplying it by ten, then getting smacked around by the Hulk. I can feel every bolt sparking off my body.

"Sir, that much energy going through your main reactor has a 95.36. . ."

"Never tell me the odds. Just do it!" I ordered powering up my unibeam. The giant MECH in front of me decided to aim it's main cannon at me, swirls of red and green converged at the central point of the massive cannon. I laughed hysterically as I forced myself to keep the main reactor aimed right at it.

"Unibeam charged beyond the maximum limit. Discharge when ready." ATHENA informed as the MECH in front of me let loose it's cannon. I screamed at the top of my lungs as I let loose one of my own. Blinding stream of pure light erupted from my trapezoid chest piece and hit the MECH's beam dead on, and absorbed it's beam into mine. The MECH was engulfed in the blinding light as I let loose every ounce of energy ATHENA could scrap up. A ungodly screeching sound echoed though out the air as my beam cut though and destroyed the massive machine in front of me.

Once my beam died down I fell to the ground in a exhausted heap. The monstrous MECH was effectively destroyed as it was pretty much a pile of scrap at this point. The rabbit MECHS ran from the falling legs as they smashed into the ground in a mangled pile of molten metal and exposed wire.

"Sir, that blast depleted your main battery. We are now running on emergency back-up power." ATHENA warned as my vision began to grow fuzzy and dim.

"Call . . . call dad." I ordered as I felt myself slipping. The pilot jumped out of her MECH and ran toward me. Strange, she looks a lot like the one I meet earlier. Her jumpsuit hugged her curves just perfectly, weird maniacal rabbit logo on the center of her chest. I stiffed a chuckle as my eyes forced themselves to close. All I heard before passing out was ATHENA saying one sentence. One sentence that made my blood run cold and full of dread. I'm in a lot of trouble.

"Sir I can not get in contact with master Stark or with any of the other Avengers, we're on our own."

All aboard the Overwatch hype train *Chu chu!*. New story being posted in place of 'Gods don't bleed'. I reviewed how it was going and didn't like it at all. Richard was just too overpowered in the Percy Jackson universe. Only Gods could compete with him there. So this is the alternitive I came up with. Now for a giant omnic that attacked South Korea, the wiki says nothing on how it looked. So I came up with one as a filler in the meantime. Improved Richard's back story a bit, made it more believable and realistic compared to the last one. Improved some typos from the first few pages. Aside from that, the first three pages are a copy paste from my last story. Why waste a decent backstory and scene when I can recycle it. Anyway, here is my new story. Darkness within. I will be diving into Richard's insanity a lot more in this one. No spoilers on how, just note it will be funny and random. Also added a slight hint on who Richard's true father could be.

I'll tell you all right now that updates will be random. So please don't expect it to be a every day thing. I'll update this when I can, got two others to update and keep flowing as well. Got big plans for this. They require me to do a bit more research, to prevent the hardcore fans from chewing my head off. Beta reads are welcome if one wants to beta this. Anyway, here is your new story; enjoy.

~Dgreen20