Please see author's note at the end for clarification on things.
Also, please review so I know I should even continue or delete this.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Introduction
Afghanistan was the ending and yet also the beginning of life for Anthony Stark. It marked the end of careless days filled with blasé meetings with random women. The end of weapons built bigger and stronger for the highest price. It marked the end of his human heart. For Tony went into those caves with a heart that still beat on its own and had left with a metal one.
He had no complaints, except you know… The nightmares.
.:.:.
Holding a hand to the reactor in his chest, Tony spread his fingers watching the light shine through. Drumming his fingers deep in thought, he took a deep swig of the beer in his hand. No scotch tonight, not when the idea was to get completely tanked. It would be such a waste of the good stuff. Looking at the half assembled suit laying on the bench, gouges still deep in the plate mirroring the red stained bandages on the side of his face, he rubbed at his mouth. Leaning further back into the chair he was lounging in, with a deep sigh through his nose he stared at the ceiling. The beer was just barely hanging on to the cusp of his fingertips, contemplating his life thus far.
Tony –he would never say so of course –was a lonely man, having lost so much to Stane's insanity. His ability to trust in others, Rhodey, Pepper… just gone. His connection to the outside world became that much smaller. To be honest, his existence was just a sad excuse of a life and Tony knew it.
He constantly missed Pepper…
He had always been a man of science, the intellect the likes of which most could not claim to have. He was always improving, making his suits better, faster, stronger. For where he fell short, his suits more than made up for the slack. And word spread of his noble deeds, a hero among men. Certainly, his tongue could get him in more trouble than many would deem worth it, but to those who saw actions spoke louder they were mesmerized by this man who burned so brightly, just like a star. It was as if his dark past was simply forgotten and he'd like to keep it that way, even if he himself wasn't able.
The bottle slipped from his grasp and clanged against the ground, spilling the remaining contents before rolling away. He stared at it from the corner of his eye, wondering if he could get Dum-E to come and clean it, but thought better of it. His lab was already a mess anyway, what good would picking up a single bottle do?
Scrubbing at his eyes roughly he held his palms to his eyes, pressing harshly. God, he hated this introspection shit! Always made him so melancholy.
"Jarvis."
"Yes, sir?"
"Play some Led Zeppelin, I don't care what. But I need a change of tone here, I'm drownin'." Tony rolled his chair closer to the damaged suit; drunkenly tilting his head to the side to better see it.
"Of course, sir." Tony's pupils dilated with delight as soon as 'Immigrant Song' began and his head started nodding along with the beat, a tiny smirk lighting his face. Snagging another beer from the cooler beside his feet, he cocked an eyebrow.
"So let's see here, scrap metal, how can I fix ya so this problem doesn't happen again." He pointed to the side of his face, "Because this? This can't happen again. I like this face, it's the only one I've ever had and I'm really attached to it, ya see? And it's such a good-looking face. Be such a shame if it became scarred."
Throwing back as much of the beer as he could, Tony set the bottle down and began pulling the remaining pieces of the suit apart. And as more songs spilled out around him, buffering the nightmares that had blanketed him with thick hot itchy despair, his shoulders loosened with inebriety and sweet relief.
And Tony did what he did best, he tinkered and he improved and he ignored the sad little pit in his stomach.
.:.:.
"Sir."
Tony rolled his head away from a stray streak of light that was burning through his eyelids, making his head pound.
"Sir."
He groaned and covered his face with his arms, the chair he was resting in creaking menacingly so. If only the AI pestering him would leave him the hell alone too so he could get back to sleep where hangovers were nothing but distant possibilities.''
"Sir, I insist."
"Jarvis, buddy, leave me alone! I'm tryin' to sleep like the dead and avoid this hangover completely! Let me be in peace, I beg of you!"
"It's Fury on the line. He says it is urgent and that you need to head into SHIELD right away."
Cracking an eye open, Tony glared at the ceiling. "So Patchy wants to actually deal with me today, how unexpected. What, did the entire population die last night of some freak viral break out and I'm the only one left?"
"Very funny, sir. But I believe he said that he needed you there as soon as possible and that he'd explain everything soon as you had arrived. I'm certain this call is more a formality to ensure you get the message than anything."
Scoffing, Tony hid his eyes as throbbing pulsed in his temples. Might as well get it over with. "Urrrrrgh, patch him through."
"Of course, sir." The sound of a hologram screen popping online filled the lab.
"Mr. Stark, how surprising it is that you actually answered this time. What an improvement." Fury snidely commented, eye burning on Stark's person.
Tony lifted one hand from his face and pointed at Fury. "Now see there? That's where you're wrong. Gotta keep things fresh, otherwise I'd become predictable and we can't have that, now can we?" He smiled as innocently as a shark at Fury, eyebrows lifted high. He watched the spy's lips tighten in displeasure, imagining his fists doing the exact same.
"Quite… We can't have that…" He agreed haltingly. With a deeper glare, Fury nodded to Tony. "Regardless, I need you in SHIELD today. I need to brief you on something big that you'll be interested in hearing."
Tony perked at that, then trying to seem more nonchalant, he casually leaned forwards, hiding his eyes from the lights. "Oh? And what could the big bad Fury need my help with?"
"Can it, Stark. Just get your ass over here pronto. Fury out."
The screen snapped closed with hardly a noise and Tony leaned back in his chair, once more staring at the ceiling. Contemplating the situation, Dum-E rolled up holding a tray with a glass of water and Ibuprofen. Taking those in hand, he thought over whether he really even wanted to go to Fury like some good little puppy. Standing up, he winced at the stiffness he felt from sleeping in a chair and the ache that always followed from excessive drinking. Looking around the lab as blood rushed to his head, he spied the proof that he'd been avoiding for days.
He was avoiding his room, too many bad memories haunting him and his mansion. With another wince he decided.
"Jarv, I'm headin' out. God only knows how long I'll be gone. Take care of the house for me, would ya pal?"
"Of course, sir."
With a smirk, Tony put on his new and improved suit, shooting out of his mansion towards SHIELD headquarters. Fury was the lesser of two evils anyway.
.:.:.
When Fury said something big, he meant catastrophic. Apparently, Doom and his bots had gotten ahold of some top-secret tech and had decimated half of downtown. Tony had almost all his near endless supplies of money on bet that it was Hammer Tech. Figures, morons stealing from morons.
Sweeping across the sky, he shot down towards the grim outline of burning crumpled buildings. The smell of plastics melting and other such unsavory scents wafted around him as the sounds of screaming grew louder. Clenching his lips together, he couldn't help the cold fury that slowly engulfed him. Ignorant egotistical and power hungry fools like Doom were the bane of all greater good.
He made sure he stared hard at each broken charred building, confused terrified people running, limping, crawling. He made sure he stared at the ones on the ground not moving, halos of red pooling around them. Even as his stomach felt sick, he watched as he shot by, to remind him why he did what he did.
A giant blast and screeching of metal cut his thoughts off short and he quickly rolled and shot off into the direction of the noise. The number of people running in the opposite direction of Tony increased exponentially. And right as he turned the corner, a Doombot with a blue glowing cube held in its hand was going haywire. Electric static shot off of it in random directions, its limbs twitching violently, it's weapons triggering and firing every which direction.
Tony jumped forwards, huddling around a little girl as bullets pelted off his back, her screams filling his head. He held her closer as he heard thuds of those around him hit the ground, their screams choked off.
"Run," he gritted through his teeth and he swirled around to face the Doombot, repulsers raised and whining as they charged, the little girl running as fast as she could. The Doombot's head twitched violently towards him just as Tony's repulsers shot out. The bot flew backwards into a collapsed building, pulverizing the remaining wall, concrete dust and shrapnel billowing out in toxic clouds.
Standing upright, Tony cautiously moved forwards, stepping as lightly as possible towards the pile where the bot was. Sensors running a mile a second, eyes peeled for any signs of movement.
"Jarvis, anything?"
"Nothing new that my scanners are picking up. Though, the energy pouring off this Doombot is abnormally high."
"Tell me something I don't know," Tony snarked as he looked about at the damage surrounding him, hands dropping down to his sides. He stepped over a giant chunk of infrastructure, spinning in a slow circle. "The bot was so full, it was sparking. Any more juice, and its head would've popped right off. POP! Just like a pimple."
"Quaint, sir."
"Oh don't I know it. Never seen one that strong before though, Doomie's steppin' up his game." He smirked as the dust cleared, his faceplate snapping up. Tony ignored the smells that made his nose burn and eyes water, instead looking to see if any survivors were trapped within the rubble nearest him. Just as he closed his hand around another, a deep rumbling made the ground tremble. Heaving the person to their unsteady feet, he shoved them along, faceplate slamming down once more. In perfect time too, as the Doombot from before, burst from the rubble, chunks of rock once more flying through the air.
"Oh, don't you know when to stay down, ya piece of junk?" Tony scoffed in ill humor. The mangled metal looked at him, one arm crushed completely off; half it's face ground into the cement behind it, legs dented and barely moveable. But the arm that held that blue cube was still glowing a bright orange, sparks flying every direction.
It shot up into the air hap hazardously and with a curse, Tony flew up after it, firing repulser blast after another. It lost altitude with each hit until finally, with an unholy screech, it began firing back. Tony, dodging back down began weaving through the collapsed and collapsing buildings, hoping to cause the nearly destroyed machine to crash. The thing continued firing, its aim blown straight to hell, hitting everything and anything.
Hearing a scream, Tony looked down in time to see a young couple cowering beside a small structure that, having been shot, was now toppling towards them. He quickly flew in between, positioning his arms to hold the best he could. Indescribable weight pressed down on him, his suit whining and whirring as the pressure increased. The couple looked at him in absolute terror. Just as he was opening his mouth, the sound of malfunctioning boosters filled the air behind him.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw the Doombot, raising its arm to fire. Panic flooded through Tony, unable to move due to the weight and honor bound to protect the civilians on his opposite side to the bot.
"Run!" The couple hunkered down, as bullets ricocheted everywhere, screams echoing. Tony gnashed his teeth. Fuck! What should he do?! "God damn it, RUN!"
The two booked it out as fast as possible and Tony taking the moment he had while the bot reloaded its ammunition, he hefted the building as fast and hard as he could, the rubble crushing the bot with a small explosive boom. Tony panted as hydraulic fluid and the likes flowed out from beneath the rubble. Stumbling to his knees, the numbers in the suit began flashing red.
"Sir, it appears that the weight of the building has caused major damage in the right leg and arms."
"Yeah Jarv… I can see that." Tearing off his helmet, Tony gasped in fresh air, heart pulsing a mile a minute. The sound of static arcing from the ground had him looking up as the pile of metal and concrete bulged upwards. "…. Oh you've got to be fuckin' kidding me…"
The hand holding the cube lifted itself from the depths and shot up into the sky, where another three Doombots were floating. Tony stared at them harshly wondering when the hell they'd even arrived. The closest bot snatched the cube, prying the melted fingers from off of it and immediately started sparking and going nuts. It touched the two beside it and in tandem; they all began shaking and groaning. Like bullets, they flew towards Tony and with a curse he jumped back too late.
He crashed backwards, his unprotected head knocking against the ground making him see stars. Fuck!
Quickly hopping back up, if unsteadily, Tony lifted his repulsers, firing at the closest bot as it bobbed and weaved blasting at him as well, forcing him to step back and dodge to avoid damage to his already abused head. Taking off into the sky, he made it twenty feet upwards before his back boosters gave out and he lost control maniacally flying this way and that, a high pitched groan signaling more damage than he'd previously thought.
"Shit!" Landing rough, he rolled as best he could to absorb the impact, twisting and turning, firing out shots at the steadily approaching overpowered machines. This volatile dance continued until a misstep had Tony stumbling back, shoulders knocking hard against a wall. Bullets pierced through right beside his head and the wall crumbled. Tony rolled best he could to escape the majority, his foot becoming trapped. Hitting the rubble with all his might, he jerked his foot free, a painful pop filling his ears.
Biting back a hiss, he hopped to his feet, the missiles on his shoulders shooting forwards just as his knee gave out from beneath him, a searing pain stabbing up from his ankle. The bots screeched as they were hit, ones chest exploding outwards with heat and noise and fire. The other two steadily approached, cube still grasped in one hand.
Tony, lifted himself back up as he hobbled away and into a broken but half standing building, avoiding the rain of bullets as they tore past him. Running as best he could up the stairs, he quickly ducked into a room. A half decimated couch and cracked TV greeted him, his vision swimming and red staining one eye. Swiping at his forehead, his gauntlet pulled away smeared in crimson. "God damn it… I already said we had to fix this problem. I really need my face."
Stepping over to the couch he flopped down into it and stared off at the entrance, wanting a beer badly. His eyes slowly rolled over to look at the dust covering everything, wondering how it had come to this. What a way to go.
He lowered his gaze to the doorway, the last of his missiles prepping. If he was to die, then he'd take them with him. He would protect his people.
The sounds of the floor crunching under heavy metal reached his ears and he saw the twitching bots enter the room, guns smoking and already spinning. With a smirk Tony laughed.
"You guys don't know what you've got yourselves into." They stepped closer as Tony gestured around him. "Cuz, ya see, when Tony Stark throws a party. It's sure to be one remembered forever. And well, they've been known to bring the house down."
With a quick recalculation on his part, Tony shifted his shoulders and fired at the main support beam behind the Doombots. They didn't even flinch as the whole place began groaning ominously. And Tony couldn't help but laugh.
"See you kiddies in hell!"
The whole place collapsed around them.
.:.:.
If there was one thing that Herja knew, it was that over the centuries the number of true warriors called to Valhalla dwindled to merely nothing. To be called once more to watch upon a battle was such a rare honor. She watched the metal man as he danced through the buildings, teasing and taunting the other metal men that chased him.
This world had become so strange in the time that she had last been here. Midgard was such a volatile place, never one thing remaining for long. She stepped forwards as the building they had all went inside began to crumple. Calling her lightning, she moved to the mortal man's side, kneeling beside him, her shield covering their bodies before Hel could ensnare him with her icy fingers. This man was needed for more important things; a warrior such as this could not be allowed to be wasted. Especially since the last one that had been called had been nearly a century ago. And as rocks and other debris fell round them, she watched the two metal men be crushed before her very eyes, a familiar blue light snuffed out.
Snagging ahold of the small man's lolling head, knocked unconscious by the might of her lightning, she hefted him into her arms. In another flash of lightning, she was in the halls of Valhalla, the gold walls glittering like the sun. Carrying the man in her arms, many of her shield sisters stopped in surprise and delight as they saw him. Many whooped with victory, fists raised high in praise, spears and swords clanging against great shields. Herja smirked back at them, eyes glowing with pride as well as she stepped into the barracks. She placed the man upon a bed and began to clean him up, removing the stained and dented and incredibly strange armor he wore.
She pulled the torn clothing from his bloodied skin, wiping a rag along him. With each swipe of the golden cloth, the wounds disappeared, pink healthy skin left behind. As she swiped along his skull, the chest heaving below her eased. Moving along his ankle, the sweating ceased and clenched teeth relaxed. Having seen to his dire needs, she dressed him in soft loose clothing and stood.
"Rest warrior and be at peace. You are home here in Valhalla."
.:.:.
If there was one thing worse than letting a building collapse on your head was waking up after letting a building collapse on your head. Sweet Jesus did his head hurt! Groaning, he rolled onto his side, holding at his head.
"Jarvis… Some Ibuprofen please, Daddy's gotta killer headache."
"… I am not your Jarvis that you speak of." An amused female voice answered. Tony, not expecting that, jerked to sitting up, head throbbing angrily in protest.
"What the..? Who the hell are you?" He then raised his hands in placation. "Not that I'm complaining or anything, seriously you're drop dead gorgeous. But really, what's with the Xena get up? Did you just come from some hardcore LARPing? Not gonna lie, the armor's badass. Super brownie points."
The woman's eyebrows merely furrowed more and more in bemusement as he spoke. Shaking her head, "You're words mean nothing to me. What is LARPing? Is it a form of battle or stratagem?"
Tony burst out laughing. "Yeah, you could say that."
The woman looked at the bed thoughtfully, and then looked in his eyes seriously. "Then you shall have to teach me this art of LARPing that I may better myself."
And again, Tony couldn't help it. He really couldn't. He burst out laughing, grasping at his aching stomach as the really big –holy shit! –woman frowned in insult. "Will do, Xena." He gasped out between giggles. "But first off, where the hell am? And, once again, who the hell are you?"
He looked around at the fairly Spartan if luxurious in color room, not recognizing a thing as the woman bowed her head deeply. "My apologies. I am Herja, a Valkyrie of Asgard and the halls of Valhalla. You are currently in the barracks of those such halls."
It was now Tony's turn to stare on in confusion. "Asgard? Valhalla? You mean like that place where Vikings believed they went to after death?"
Herja scowled menacingly at him. "Vikings were known to be plundering fools and cross pigs, rare was the honest one." She motioned around her. "No, Valhalla is where worthy warriors of time gather to join my Father's army to fight against Ragnarok. I was the one to pull you from the rubble and the one who brought you back from the brink."
He stared at her wide-eyed, not sure if he was being punked or if this was all just a really long vivid dream brought on by too much alcohol. She smiled at him.
"Be proud, warrior. Long has it been that someone has been called into our halls to fight alongside us Asgardians." She lifted her fist to him, brandishing it with pride. "We are to be shield brothers and sisters to each other when that day comes! I look forward to getting to know you."
Standing up she brushed her pleated armor down around her thighs –her magnificent thighs, Tony couldn't help but notice –and moved to the window, pulling the curtains back, golden light filling the room.
"But alas, that shall wait for another time, shield brother. Odin and his generals wish to speak to you." She grinned back at him, head tilting, her golden curls softly falling down her back to brush at her spine. "You are something of an oddity nowadays. The last warrior called was seventy or so years ago."
She shook her head, bereft. Herja then laughed and clapped Tony on the shoulder. "I suspect there shall be a feast tonight in celebration. And in your honor!" She shoved him in the chest playfully –Tony hid his wince as best he could. "We shall have you out and about in no time!"
She stepped away to the door and glanced back as she exited. "Now that you are up, I shall call someone to fetch you to be presented before my Father." And with that she was out the door and Tony was left feeling like he'd just had the rug pulled out from under his feet.
"Well…. Shit."
.:.:.
Thor stomped down the hallways, a smile bright upon his face. There was magnificent news to be had and the rumors were that a new warrior had joined them here in Valhalla. Herja his Valkyrie sister must have been successful in her endeavors watching over a mighty battle. He hurried faster, cape billowing behind him, Mjolnir gripped tightly in his hands. Finally, another man worthy to call Asgard home! Making his way quickly to the barracks, he practically danced into the room with the only closed door.
The man inside jumped, arms raised above his head, a flowing shirt caught around his elbows, chest exposed showing off a glowing blue circle, and his head peeking out from the neck in wide-eyed bewilderment.
"Seriously. Does no one here know how to knock?" The small –if Thor was completely honest –man glared at him as he pulled the shirt down around his waist, the light color of it and thinness allowing the light in his chest to shine through. Thor wondered at that as the man crossed his arms. "Can I help you, Blondie? Or are ya just here to enjoy the show? I mean, c'mon, it is a pretty nice show, it is me we are talking about. But, I'm gonna have to start charging people for staring, fifty bucks per blink."
Thor, in confusion tilted his head. "… What?"
The tiny man huffed and motioned at Thor. "No seriously, fifty a blink. You already owe me like 250 already, MC Hammer." The man stopped and tilted his head leaning towards Mjolnir in curiosity. "What's the hammer for anyway? It's pretty huge… is it compensation?"
He then stood back up straight, eyes roving over Thor's person, a weird little smirk alighting upon his face. "And what is it with all the people and the medieval armor and Shakespearian ways of speaking? Swear to god it's like I've been sucked back in time to when… well when time sucked." His brow's furrowed. "What-What time is it anyway?"
Thor smirked, finally understanding what was coming out of the strange man's mouth. "It is just past midday, my friend." He then frowned hefting Mjolnir higher. "And this, this is no compensation. Mjolnir has seen me through many a battle and countless victories. One may never know when an attack is coming. T'is always better to be over prepared than under."
The man smiled up at him, pointing at him. "My kinda man." He threw his arms wide and looked about the room. "My uh… my Valkyrie friend said that someone was coming to collect me for a meeting with her father?"
Thor's eyes widened and again the smile split his face as boisterous laughter filled the room. "Of course! My mistake, I was excited to be meeting you myself I had forgotten. Please, let us go at once. Odin shall be very interested in meeting you…?"
"Oh! Name's Tony. Tony Stark." The little man smirked up at him, one eyebrow cocked to the side.
"Very well, I am Thor." He opened the door for Tony, closing it behind them. As they walked down the hall, Tony's eyes alighting on everything, bright with childlike wonder and awe. Thor couldn't help but smile more. Leading them both down the correct path, he opened his mouth once more.
"He'll be very pleased to meet you, Tony Stark."
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
1.) Herja is not an OC. She is in fact an actual Valkyrie that is mentioned in Norse mythology. As well, Odin is homologous with Wōden. They are one in the same. Therefore, I used the name Odin to tie everything together better and reduce confusion as best I could. This will be a mix of Norse mythology and Marvel cannon as well as –obviously –AU. That being said, any actual confusion will be answered in the chapters themselves. If it still remains, IT WILL BE EXPLAINED IN ENDING AUTHOR'S NOTES.
2.) It didn't hit me until about halfway through to realize that Immigrant Song was very apt. Thought it funny enough to note.
3.) This is my first Avengers fiction so please, let me know how I've done. Leave a comment on what needs improvement or what you enjoyed. I need feedback to know whether I should have done this or not, I'm incredibly nervous.
4.) Thank you for your time whether you review or not. I'm glad you chose to read my story.