Chapter 2

The Fallen Prince

"By the way, this somehow ended up in my bag." Peter confessed as he handed Jenny what looked like a baton.

Jenny smiled and took the baton from him. "I was wondering where this was. Thank you so much!"

"So, your friend made this?" Peter said, gently holding one of the other batons.

"Yeah," Jenny replied. "Audrey could only access the plastic stuff… most of my old weapons are made from the same things…now they just sit in a box in my apartment in my coat closet. Now I have access to stronger materials- like metal."

"What do these older ones do?" Peter asked. Jenny took the weapons from him and swung them around. They stretched into staves and metal hooks unfolded. Jenny was now holding what looked like crooks.

"Woah." Peter breathed. "So, why did she pick that design?"

"When I first became The Painter, my weapon of choice was the first thing I could get my hands on: paint rollers on poles…That's where she got her inspiration." Jenny explained.

"I wish I could meet her." Peter said, lowering his eyes.

"She would love you." Jenny replied. "She…loved everyone she met…" The two were silent for a moment before Tony came back in with a bottle of alcohol.

"Um…are you cleaning something?" Jenny asked.

"Huh? What are you talking about? This is for me." He replied, taking a large gulp at the beverage.

"Mr. Stark, are you sure it's safe to be drinking around this equipment?" Peter asked.

"I do it all the time, don't worry about it." Tony said. Jenny had a hard time telling when Tony was drunk or not. She didn't grow up with any alcohol addicts in her family, and her Sensei taught her to never drink, or use any harmful substance. When she could discern Tony was drunk, she felt completely out of her element.

Thankfully, Tony was still able to help her work on her latest project. Despite all his flaws, he still felt like a father figure that Jenny and Peter both lacked. He always gave her good advice and was always checking in on her to make sure she was safe. He must have found out from SHIELD that she had some powerful enemies.

Peter and Jenny began to grow tired and decided to call it a night. As Tony was ready to walk Peter down to the lobby, a strange light appeared in the room. Golden sparks began to fly, and a portal appeared.

"Tony Stark, we need to talk with you." A man appeared through the portal. He wore a red cape- much fancier than Thor's, and it seemed to blow around without any wind. He wore a blue outfit- to Jenny it looked like something a Jedi Knight would wear. He had a golden necklace in the shape of an eye hanging loosely around his neck. He had a white streak in his hair on both sides of his head. He had a short beard. Jenny and Peter couldn't help but to stare in awe. Tony seemed ready to defend both interns from this visitor.

"Oh, and congrats on the wedding, by the way." The stranger added. From behind him stepped out two more men. One was dressed similarly as the first man. The second was a man that Jenny never got to meet, but she immediately recognized his face.

"Bruce!" Tony gasped.

"Hey Tony." The man said. The two men embraced like brothers.

"It's good to have you back, man!" Tony cheered. He introduced Bruce Banner to Jenny and Peter. In return, Bruce introduced the two strangers as Wong and Doctor Strange.

"Oh, we're using our made-up names." Peter stammered. "I'm Spider-Man."

"Um…I think that's his actual surname." Jenny sighed.

"Tony," Bruce suddenly turned grim. "There's something I have to tell you!"

The group sat down, and Bruce retold the story of what happened to him after Ultron's defeat. Bruce had flown to a new universe and had been captured by a tyrant named Thanos. He had been trapped for many months.

"While the Hulk was chained, I listened." Bruce continued. "I learned everything. He's after these things called the Infinity Stones. He wants to destroy half of the universe."

"Infinity Stones?" Tony repeated.

"There are many types of Infinity Stones." Wong answered. With his magic, he displayed five painted stones in the air. "Reality, Mind, Space, Soul, Power-"

"And Time," Doctor Strange finished, holding out four fingers and revealing a green stone hiding inside the eye necklace.

"There are many others." Wong continued. "We are not sure of their whereabouts. But these six are the ones The Mad Titan is looking for."

"It's him, Tony!" Bruce added. "He's the one who sent Loki to attack earth… He…he practically forced him to." Bruce trailed off, and his face suddenly turned pale. "Loki…oh my goodness…Loki!" He jumped up and began to pace.

"Loki?" Jenny spoke up.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked.

"Loki was the one who broke me out of the prison!" Bruce said. "I mean… the Hulk seems to like him, but he helped me escape…I don't know why…I don't think he had any motives…"

"I think you're right." Tony said, looking directly at Jenny.

"Has…no way…" Bruce approached Jenny. "You've met him?!"

"I met him and Thor." Jenny said. "I'm a friend of Jane Foster…"

"Bruce, she could play Reindeer Games like a piano." Tony said.

"Maybe that's why my necklace has been cold." Jenny wondered aloud. "Maybe he's…" She trailed off, not wanting to finish the thought that Loki could be dead. Did he really sacrifice his life to bring back their strongest Avenger?

"I don't know what happened." Bruce admitted. "I don't know if he's dead or alive. But like I said, the Hulk seemed to like him."

"The Hulk also remodeled my floor with him!" Tony said.

"So, what do we do now?" Peter asked.

"I think we should get you home before your aunt comes to murder me." Tony replied.

Before anyone could say anything else, there was a large thump on the floor above them- the roof. The group all rushed up, ready for battle, only to find a feeble figure curled up and nearly whimpering.

"Excuse me…" Tony said. "Sir…are you okay?"

The figure did not answer. It only stayed curled up. Tony approached and had to bite his lip to keep from gasping. There, laying on the roof, clearly in pain and nearly starved, was Loki.