Show Yourself Into The Unknown

Summary: The one where Thanos is dead, Tony has weird dreams instead of nightmares, the Avengers watch dubious Disney movies and mystical creatures are more than real. Oh, and the Cloak totally ships it.

Warning: Some made up words that have no meaning other than looking alien and weird and represent alien insults. Also, violent descriptions of disembowelment and other nasty threats. It's quite descriptive. I must have been in a sadistic mood when I typed that. Then again, I was on a public buss during rush hour after too little sleep.

Enjoy! I think ...

"You!" Snarled the insane leader of the Empirikul, pointing some ax-sword-spear-hammer-shield hybrid weapon at dragon and Ib. "You and your pest have been a parasite to this world long enough, HwáKī!"

'HwáKī?' Tony asked Elsa through their souls even as he let his helmet recede so the alien man can see his pissed off expression. "Excuse you, but I have been around for only fifty years or so and Elsa's not even a year old so fuck off!"

'HwáKī is another term for companions of dragons, though this time derogatory. Basically, he just called you dragon's bitch.'

'Oh, that motherfucker's going down.'

"Your entire race is a plague on this universe, HwáKī! You have been praying on lives and souls of innocents for eons! This ends today, you pricàþî!"

'Pricàþî?'

'Shit dwellers.'

'Well, at least that's an interesting and creative one,' Tony had to admit and filed away the thought for later that he should ask Elsa for alien curses and cuss words and insults. It would seem he was missing out on some very interesting material.

"Once, the last of the dragons escaped me! This time, I shall not allow her spawn to do the same! Your sick, deprived dynasty ends today, JœłĶə!"

'JœłĶə?' He couldn't help but ask again, morbidly curious and completely ignoring the usual villain monologue. It was all the same. He'd heard it all before and it made him wonder if there was a sample for the speech or something that all villains used to base their speeches on.

'He probably means JūłĶə. It means meaningless, worthless parasite worm. Can we fight him now, my Ib? This is starting to get on my nerves, especially his gloating about stalking my mother to her death.'

'Of course. Let's go.' Tony leaned down closer to Elsa's neck just as she dived for where the Imperator was on what appeared to be some sort of extremely advanced space hoverboard, scorching fire spurting from her mouth. The Imperator cut off his rant at the sudden attack, bringing up some sort of shield to repel the fire. Elsa flew right overhead, all the while breathing flames, before rounding up and changing tactics, the inferno coming out of her mouth blue in color and absolutely freezing in temperature. The shield meant little when ice accumulated around it, becoming heavier and heavier and making the hoverboard waver and strain under the added weight.

Just as the Imperator dropped the shield and started trying to break through the ice, Tony called on the magic he got from Elsa and, in his mind, imagined it combining with the unadulterated Arc Reactor energy from his chest piece before letting it rip, aiming straight for where the white armored man was. The Imperator went flying and Tony noted with great pleasure that a good part of his armor was absolutely obliterated. "Should we finish it?"

"Let's," Elsa said with a growling voice that would have sent a shiver down anyone's spine but Tony's, for Elsa was his, part of his soul and a person he was born to share it with and he knew, without a doubt, that she would never hurt him. The growl called to something within him that had, once, made him put on the Gauntlet and used the Infinity Stones, that something that had made him take on the mantle of Iron Man in the first place. Elsa's growl was for the injustice done by this one man to countless civilizations just because one group had caused him pain, for the pain caused by one man's arrogance to think that he had a right to decide for innumerable people, for the multiverse, for Existence itself. Tony had become Iron Man to stop power being abused against the masses. And as Elsa's Ib, the person who hatched her, who summoned her from her egg into this world, Tony felt the need to protect the rest of the magical peoples in the multiverse.

The Imperator tried to bring them down as they charged towards him, using the same rays - according to FRIDAY's scans - that had disrupted Elsa's magic flow and caused her control to go haywire - from the last time they faced against him, but Elsa executed precise evasive maneuvers to dodge every one of them. When one came too close, they mutually decided to separate, Tony activating the thrusters on his suit and flying off as Iron Man, now leaving the Imperator with not only two targets, but also with two things shooting at him. He was not as stable as one would like to be in a fight while Elsa was a born flier and Tony had been flying around in a suit of armor for over ten years. He was vastly outclassed in the air even without Tony wasting ammunition on him and even on the ground, neither Tony nor Elsa would be at much of a disadvantage.

"We're almost done with the engines, Tony," Hope's voice suddenly filtered through the comms, making him pull back a little from one of his bombing maneuvers so he can safely focus on the small live stream 'chat' window with Hope's fave on it, peter and Scott in the background putting the final touches to whatever chaos they are about to unleash. "We could use a lift. This thing's about to blow in one minute."

"Roger that, Wasp. Start heading out. I'll come pick you guys up. Where's Loki?"

"Here, Man of Iron," said the trickster god as he came into view from behind the corner. "I hear you asked whether the Emiprikul will drop like the Chitauri if the Imperator is taken down. I am happy to deliver the wonderful news that, indeed, they will. They are linked to his bio-signature. The second he drops, they will."

That was the best news Tony's heard in a while. Well, if the news weren't regarding Elsa or Peter, anyway, since those two were always good news. "Great job, you guys, now get the fuck out of there so I can take you to safety. Iron Man out." He switched to a different frequency, this one shared with everyone down on the ground. "Guys, the infiltration team's done and coming out. Clear the area. Doc, you and your Merlinians ought to get ready to close that rift soon. Raindeer Games just reported that the Emirikul will drop the second the Imperator hits the bucket. This fight is slowly coming to an end."

"What about the Witchfinder Wolves? Do they drop as well?" Barnes asked as he kept shooting said beasts with his strongest riffle.

"Keep killing the fuckers until we find out. Gotta go now." He concentrated on flying off, signaling Elsa he had to get to the next part of thei plan and heading straight for the belly of the command ship. It didn't take long to spot the Iron Spider suit and Loki in all of his Asgardian glory, nor did it take long for Tony to swoop in and take them each by the waist, flying off down towards the ground. When they were almost there, a somewhat safe distance away from the ship that was seconds from being blown sky high, Valkyrie met up with them and gestured for Loki to get behind her onto her pegasus. Tony still needed some getting used to to that, which was ridiculous given he had a dragon sharing his soul from the beginning of everything and had a soulmate as of recently.

"Need a ride?"

"Don't mind if I do."

Tony and Peter watched as they easily maneuver around until the Frost Giant was seated on the flying horse behind the female warrior of legend and they were off. The two scientists could only gawk for a bit before shaking it off and continuing on just as the ship above and a little behind them finally blew up. Stark whistled. "You guys did a really good job."

"Thanks," replied Scott from where he and hope were cupped in Peter's hands.

"Alright, this is where I drop you guys off," Tony announced as he came within five meters of the ground, knowing that Peter can manage higher jumps but deciding to be safe. "I need to get back to Elsa. You guys be careful."

He flew off again, shooting at a few Witchfinder Wolves and Eyebots on the way, going straight to Elsa. She was practically dancing around the Imperator, making Tony feel a bit lightheaded with worry at how close some of those dangerous beams were getting. Still, he didn't have time to be a worrywart right now. Not when he could see an opening with the enemy leader's attention focused solely on his dragon partner with his back turned to Tony. Immediately, he formed a sword on his arm from his nanites, admiring the way Elsa's magic covered it in icicles, making it stronger and sharper and thrum with energy and he knew, without a doubt, that this blade will pierce the shield should the Imperator throw it up if he sees Tony coming. He actually turned off his loud repulsors and wondered if Elsa's little wing addition will work. It, of course, did and flying with magic with just a thought, a direction in the form of his will, was a thing he will need to learn to get used to one day, but at least it was smooth flying right now. And it was quiet. It may not be stealthy visually but there was almost no sound to be heard as the wings flapped on the wind.

The Imperator did notice him coming, at practically the last second, and managed to whirl around just enough to block the initial attack, but Tony just as quickly formed a second sword and used that one to slice the Imperator's hybrid weapon in half. The man stared at his weapon - given it had stopped the first slice, it must have been made of some pretty strong material, so perhaps the surprise was well warranted - for a long moment, watching how the energy leaked out of it, leaving it cold and with none of that dangerous power that had nearly killed Tony, Elsa and the multiverse with them. Then, his even more enraged eyes flew up to meet Tony's - well, the Iron Man's faceplate, anyway - glaring death at the genius billionaire former-playboy philanthropist.

"I will rip you apart piece by piece, HwáKī! I will tear out your heart and feast upon it! I will gauge out your eyeballs and force them down your own throat! I will cut off your genitalias and show them up your anus and I will take out your intestines and stuff them into your stomach until it bursts! I will drain out every one of your blood vessels and bathe in your blood and make your dragon watch-"

The Imperator cut off when a large spike of ice pierced through his heart at that exact moment. He and Tony both looked over his shoulder to see Elsa looking more enraged and more dangerous than anyone has ever seen her before. Tony, who had the memories of Ahtohallan, had actually never seen any dragon look that dangerous before. If he were an animal, he had no doubt he could smell her killing intent in the air. She was radiating it in energy anyway, so there would be no mistaking it. The spike of ice was coming from her hand, held like a sword, as weird as it was to see a dragon holding a weapon when their whole being was a weapon. Her voice, when she spoke, was full of the rage of millions upon millions of dragons that had come before her, echoed all of their roars of loss and anger. Elsa's voice always sounded either human or almost angelic with how pleasing it was to the ear.

This time, even Tony shuddered when he heard it, an instinctual reaction from his hindbrain in the presence of such a dangerous predator.

"No one, NO ONE, threatens MY IB!"

"M-m-monster!" The terrified man squeaked, which made Stark wonder if this guy had ever actually faced a real dragon head on or if he'd always just had his lackeys do it for him. Not that it mattered. A second later, Elsa brought up her tail - spiked with those ice-like crystal shards - wrapped it around him and let it contract with the spikes all pointed as inwards as she could manipulate the prehensile limb. A spurt of gray colored blood came under the pressure and the bladed tips and the Imperator's body went limp in Elsa's hold. She threw it away a second later, used magic to fling away the fluids dirtying her tail and hide before hesitant eyes turned to her Ib.

It had never occurred to Tony that dragons could be that aggressive.

It had never really occurred to him that Elsa had been aware of that part of her nature the whole time.

It had never really, truly occurred to him that she will fear his reaction to how aggressively she might act in an attempt to protect him, whether he will still view her the same or if he will reject her.

It never occurred to him that he ever could. He couldn't. Not even in the face of this, of how dangerous she could be. Not even with the revelation that dragons weren't as perfect as everyone seemed to be making them out to be.

But Tony didn't believe in perfect. Never had and never will again, even if he had temporarily had his eyes wrapped in wool for a short while and then had them forcefully opened again in the wake of what could be considered an ultimate betrayal of his trust. (Was it? Or was that Stane?)

Either way, Elsa was Elsa and she had never been aggressive towards anyone - not really - until this moment and the Imperator was an enemy who was, knowingly or unknowingly, threatening the entirety of existence and it was Elsa's duty and purpose to protect it. And Tony could understand that. He had done much the same to Thanos when he got his hands on the Infinity Stones. He couldn't and never would judge Elsa for doing it. He wouldn't judge anyone for doing it.

(Perhaps that was what put such a divide between him and Rogers from the getgo. Tony would never judge, for he has acknowledged all of his flaws years ago, even if he pretends in front of everyone else that he thinks himself flawless. Steve Rogers, on the other hand, genuinely believes himself to be the perfect human being, completely forgetting that such a thing doesn't exist, cannot exist as it defies human nature - wasn't Rogers christian? Doesn't Christianity, whichever teaching, say that only God with the big G was perfect? Did Rogers think himself a god among men? - and he goes out of his way to convince everyone else the same. Tony doesn't judge people but is always judged and Rogers judges people but has never allowed anyone else to judge him because maybe he knows in some subconscious part of his mind that he will be found wanting 'despite' the supersoldier serum.

And people are surprised by who of the two of them had ended up as the dragon summoner in the end, honestly.)

"We did it," the genius says, withdrawing his weapons and his helmet as a grin stretched across his face so Elsa can both see and feel his acceptance of this part of her, watching fondly as she relaxes in relief. He hadn't even realized how tense she was until it all melted away.

The cheering from the ground when all the Empirikul simply slumped to the ground like puppets whose strings were cut and the last Witchfinder Wolf was slain came as though on cue and Tony laughed at the ridiculousness of his life. Elsa just purred as she drifted closer to him and then the two of them danced across the sky, around each other in victory and celebration, only the rush of air and beating if wings mattering in their minds for at least just this short while.

"Na nanana hey nana Naa Naa Naa Hey na hey na hey na NaaNaaNaa Naaa!" The Northuldra's song greeted their ears and Tony and Elsa turned to each other amber meeting blue-light purple-pink ones before they dived for the ground to land in front of where the Sami were waiting waiting for them with smiles on their faces while the Avengers seemed to realize only now that the greeting they got the morning they woke up as their guests was actually meant for Tony and not them. The elements came to stand in between the Northuldra and the dragon-Ib pair and bowed their heads as the song reached its peak and Elsa finished it off with a victorious roar that made the world shudder. Tony couldn't help but laugh as he leaned against the one he was created for and who was created for him until Stephen landed before him with the flutter of the ever dramatic Cloak and drew him into a chaste kiss that turned into another and another and would have turned into not so chaste ones if Wong hadn't cleared his throat very pointedly.

"We still have a rift to close," the Asian sorcerer pointed out and the Sorcerer Supreme honest to Ahtohallan pouted but nodded and went along. Then the words registered in Tony's mind and he turned to look up at Elsa, seeing she was already looking back at him with the same thoughts churning in her mind as they were in his.

"Wait," he called after the sorcerers gathering beneath the rift, making them pause and looking at him expectantly as he jogged his way over. "We can't just close the rift! What about the snow demons?"

"What about them?" Wanda scoffed, earning herself a severe glare from several sources that were too large for Tony to name without making it look like one of his old party guest lists. "Their world is destroyed. They stay here and help the Avengers." She said it as though she were royalty and the last few remaining snow demons were meant to be her servants or, and this better not be the case because Tony would fucking kill her, slaves.

Elsa looked quite disgusted to be speaking with her at all but she did and she pointed at herself as if that alone should be explanation enough. And it would be, but because Maximoff and certain others were just that thick, the young dragon explained herself anyway. "Dragons and their Ib possess the power to control the Flow of Existence. Tony and myself can coax the Flow to revive their world and the people that the Empirikul have destroyed."

"Then why not just do the same thing for everyone else?" Rogers asked, sounding predictably suspicious and judgmental. "Why not give everyone else the same treatment?"

"Because everyone else was not so lucky as to have any remaining members of their species," Elsa answered, looking down on Rogers as if this should have been obvious. "One, we don't even know who all they have attacked. Two, with no survivors to base our coaxing on, we can't do anything for any people without making them clones of others or getting it all wrong, perhaps lethally so. And three, we couldn't simply do it all at once, as you seem to be implying. I am still young and while all dragons can manipulate the Flow of Existence, some can do it better than others, be it training or talent or the strength of their connection to their hatchers. Until I am older and more sure of my limits, it is not a good idea to be making big overtures with the Flow lest we cause something we shouldn't. Don't involve yourself into matters that don't concern you, Mr Rogers."

"The safety of the world very much concerns me," the blond retorted and Tony rolled his eyes. He did it again, especially hard, when Rogers crossed his arms in a stubborn stance that just begged to pound away at Tony's brilliant brain in a massive headache. "I've already said this before. I don't trust you. Neither one of you is qualified to hold that much power and responsi-" His tirade cut off when a familiar sparking portal opened beneath his feet and he fell through, the portal closing behind him in a second.

"Oops," Stephen deadpanned. "My sling ring slipped." Not even Wong chastised him for using his powers in such a way. "Anyway, you two were saying you could save at least some of Hiku's people?"

Tony nodded at the man who had become his soulmate - and with whom he had yet to go out on a proper date yet, something that will probably be happening soon - before he used his repulsors to level out with Elsa's neck. He climbed on with the ease of someone who had been doing this for years despite it being only the second or third time. The memories of former dragons and their summoners helped. "We'll be right back. Try not to miss us too much."

"My heart is weeping already," came the sarcastic reply that had Elsa snorting and Tony outright laughing even as Elsa took him through the rift to heal a world.

He idly wondered how long Rogers will be falling through empty inter-space for.