If you had told Tony from a year ago what his life would look like just a year later. He would have been ecstatic.
And why wouldn't he be?
A miniature arc reactor outputting 3 gigajoules of pure fusion energy. The answer to the world's renewable energy crisis. Created in a cave with nothing but bolts and scrapes? Check.
A suit of armour with the capability to outmatch an army and survive tank rounds to the face? Check.
A smoking hot assistant ready to be swept off her feet from a knight in quite literal shining armour? Check, check, and check.
Tony from the past would be salivating at the thought of what he would achieve. The fame, recognition and pure awesomeness associated with being the first real hero since Captain America.
Now, If you were to ask Tony in the present? He would've told you getting tossed around like a ragdoll in his first villain showdown was a little more than humiliating. And it hurts.
'"Hurts" is a bit of an understatement.' Tony's usual arrogant smirk was replaced with a sharp grimace as Obadiah ground slammed him into the street.
It was one thing to have your own tech used against you. It was another thing entirely to have your lifelong mentor literally rip your most prized possession from your chest. Leaving you for dead in your own home. Obadiah was a selfish man, that much was true. But he had always treated Tony like a son. He always had his back. Whether it was the media looking for spicy drama or company stockholders looking for more leverage. He was someone Tony thought truly cared about him. Now it looked like all he had really cared for was what Tony could create. How much more he could squeeze out of the brilliant inventor. And it seemed like Stane finally saw an end to his usefulness.
Obadiah's mechanical monstrosity of a suit shifts in place. Tony can hear the gears and motorized components working overtime to move the giant machine. Still reeling from the pain of getting punted across the road, he watches helplessly as a metal boot comes crashing down on his chest.
"Hughh!" air is forcefully pushed out of his lungs as his suit's durability withstands the force of multiple tons crashing down upon it.
"I built this company from nothing!" Obadiah shouts with anger at the downed form of his long-dead partner's son.
A surge of anger rose from within Tony's mind. His father had founded the company. Worked all his life to push Stark Industries to the forefront of technological success. Stane had been part of the company even before Tony was born but he was never the mastermind. For all of Stane's gifts and intellect, he could never match up to the Stark. Neither of them. He didn't own Stark Industries. He never would.
The Iron Monger, as Obadiah had so beautifully named it, lifted its leg and prepared for another heavily weighted stomp. Before Tony could react, his headset blares with several data points as J.A.R.V.I.S highlights a blur moving in his peripheral vision.
BOOOMM!
Metal vibrations not dissimilar to metal gongs being hit sound out as the Iron Monger's form crashes and cleaves straight through the bus behind it.
Tony's head swivels in the direction of the impact.
His brain freezes. Recalibrates. Then it freezes again. This cycle continues for the next few moments while he tries to take in what he was looking at.
"Hey, Jarvis buddy? Would you be a darling and check the suits' neural sensors for possible brain trauma."
As the suits systems go through a quick medical diagnostic Tony watches as the… floating man stares at his palms in wonder.
"I'm lucky the people got off the bus in time. I should've controlled that a lot better. Was It meant to be that strong? Hmmm… adrenaline rush facilitated an extra boost in strength. That was still too much. Doesn't explain the striking power. Broken bones? Something feels out of place….." The man mutters about things Tony really couldn't be bothered to focus on at the moment.
"Sir, diagnostic results show that besides abnormally high levels of stress and Epinephrine release there are no signs of traumatic brain injury." I hear my computerized British butler's voice through the microphones installed inside the helmet.
"Ok. So a giant robot, and a flying man. Never thought I'd see the day. A 2v1 scenario. This fight just went from bad to pretty manageable. Looks like our luck is finally looking up, wouldn't you say Jarvy boy?" Tony's signature smirk returns in full force as he uses the strength of the suit's motors to lift himself off the ground.
"Hey, kid!" The speakers in his suit relay his voice with a distorted pitch. I watch as the floating man whips his head in my direction. His face gives off a look of recognition. Weird. Silent excitement buzzes around the kid as he smiles a little bit too wide for the current situation.
"Oh hey! You doing alri–" KABOOM!
An explosion rattles the surroundings as a missile impacts the floating man and sends him flying straight into a building adjacent to the highway. I watched in silent horror as what was possibly my only chance of equalizing this fight blew up in smoke. Literally.
"Didn't figure you were the working together type. let's get back to it shall we Tony?" Iron Mongers' menacing voice slaps me back into focus.
"You wanna go? Let's go." Tony taunts Stane as he brings up the suit's interface heads-up display. Longitudinal and latitudinal data spread across his view as he activates the repulsor thrusters in his arms and legs. He boosts up into the air and uses his hands to stabilize himself a few feet off the ground.
"HAHA, Impressive! You've upgraded your armour! I've made some upgrades of my own!" Metal tubes attached to Stane's suit click downwards as metal plates shift into place. Heat builds up under his metal boots as the giant suit of armour slowly lifts off in a style that reminded Tony of a spaceship during takeoff.
"Sir, it appears that his suit can fly."
"Duly noted. Take me to maximum altitude." numbers flew across the top right section of his hud while preparing to fly himself as fast as he could away from the megalomaniac rising below.
"With only fifteen percent power, the odds of reaching that–"
"-I know the math! Do it!" he shouted in frustration as J.A.R.V.I.S redirects all remaining suit power from combat application to flight utility. He watches as the city rapidly shrinks and the suit's acceleration picks up to push him at speeds outclassing the average car.
"Sir, there's an urgent matter requiring your attention."
"Jarvis I swear if this is about powe–" Tony gets cut off as he hears an impact and a startled yell from below. Looking down he watches in astonishment as the Iron Monger that had been hot on his trail goes veering off course and spiralling back down towards the city.
"..."
"So back to that urgent matter you were bringing up….."
"That's new" I mutter out as I slowly rise from the rubble. Large sections of concrete wall had been entirely blown out from my heavy crash leaving chunks of huge rocks scattered across the interior of the parking lot. Looking down at my body I take note of my tattered clothes and the last remains of my scorched hoodie.
I loved that hoodie. It was my only one.
Money constraints aside, I was surprised. No pain. Everything felt normal. Better than normal. I flexed my hand and almost freaked out at the feeling. Something was fractured. I couldn't tell what type, seeing as how I could move my hand freely regardless of what direction I twisted it in.
'I should be freaking out right about now.' I dust off my body as I stand and regain my balance. Probably not the best time to be thinking about things like that. I'll figure it out after the big metal man goes down.
I run back to the hole in the wall and scout around for where I'd been shot away from. The street was cleared. No sign of any suits or people. Thankfully it looked like everyone evacuated the area in time. I hear the sound of tires approaching as 5 black vans pull up to the highway.
'What's that about?'
Before I can question it any further my head tilts up as I notice 2 lights streaking up in the sky.
'Tony?' I could hardly see from down here. I could fly up and try to find out what those lights were but that could just be wasting time. For all I know, those 2 were off on the other side of the city duking it out again. Guessing from how the fight played out earlier Stark probably needs my help. I can't afford to make a mistake.
As I pondered on the dilemma I was in, ready to just throw caution to the wind and make a choice, I felt it again. The prick at the back of my head. The calling. Whispers in the dark. It's now that I realize they'd always been there. Speaking to me through my dreams. It just hadn't been the right time for me to hear them. Till now. I could… feel them. Shards. 1 in particular. A power was reaching out to me, asking to be used.
And I answered.
Striker
Information flooded my brain. The power I had been using was replaced with another. Something the situation called for. I knew what I had, what It could do. What I could do. No more wasting time. My pupils dilated. Looking at the 2 objects speeding away in the sky my eyes zoomed in. It was like looking through an HD camera. One second I have 20/20 vision, and the next I'm watching Iron Man from hundreds of feet away as if he was an arm's length from me. My vision blurred, then split. I didn't need to focus on a single object anymore. The limitations of human ocular vision were broken. I watched both him and the metal giant at the same time, simultaneously. The new ability allows me to process the change in ways I wouldn't have been able to before. Iron Man and… the Iron Monger? Marvel knowledge coming in clutch huh?
Extreme pain shoots up my arm. The fist I used to punch metal with was definitely broken. I cradle my hand as the pain distracts me, and for a moment I nearly contemplate leaving the fight completely.
Shaking my head away from those weak thoughts I get ready. My vision blurs again and the superior vision slowly fades away. I call upon the power I had. What I needed right now was to catch up to them both.
Mover
And with a thought, I flew.
There was something about the power of flight that mesmerized me. Willing yourself out of gravity's reach. Leaving the earth under your own power. There was no other feeling like it. If I weren't in a rush this would have been so much cooler. I'll take my time with it later. Helping Tony comes first.
I zoom through the night sky. The cold air bit at my skin. My power keeps it from reaching me. From affecting me. I quietly took note of the pain that had all but disappeared from my arm. I could get used to this.
I start rapidly accelerating. Catching up to the 4 tons of flying metal above me. I was moving fast. Faster than they were. I reached forward with my hands, anticipating my next move. I might not know much about the world I found myself in, but what I did know were the slums. The parts of LA that had all but been forgotten by construction efforts. Before Chris had picked me up from the streets I was using public benches as beds. And abandoned buildings as homes.
After coming up with a good area to land in, I rushed up even faster. Arms outstretched. I flew a few meters away from the Iron Monger. Tilting my body at an angle, I put everything I had into a frontal assault. Rushing towards him, I caught one of his legs with my arms sending us both careening off into the distance.
"Hey! What in the hell are you thinking?!" I hear his startled shout through the suit. Smirking to myself I look downwards.
There's no doubt my nerves were somehow being blocked off in this state. But I could still be hurt. The pain I felt after switching powers was clear evidence of that. Even though I could feel my bones slowly mending back together in my hand, I'd rather not test just how much I could push myself yet.
Bracing my body, I halted abruptly in mid-air. Using all the strength I had to stabilize myself against both gravity and the engines still firing off from under Iron Monger's suit. It was difficult. Incredibly so. But I only needed to control it for a fraction of a second. I felt my arms strain under the pressure. My muscles were tearing in all sorts of ways. My ability to fly with some sort of unknown leverage was the only reason I was still holding up. With a monumental effort, I started spinning around in a circle while decelerating downwards. The Iron Monger spun around in my hands like a Beyblade. Fire and light trailed the bottom of his feet. Aiming at an abandoned building I frequented and hoping for the best, I let go of the man and watched as he got throttled.
His body hits the ceiling and caves it in. The roof completely gave way to the weight of the armour. Concrete, brick, and wood all crumble inwards. I watch in astonishment for a moment before getting my bearings back enough to float down.
I enter the building from the hole I created and slowly descend downwards.
It was an office building. I could tell from the few cubicles that had been erected during construction. There had always been a lock stopping me and other homeless people from getting higher than the ground floor. Probably to prevent people from committing suicide. I kept on my descent while slowly searching my surroundings. The big dude had struck multiple floors on his way down stopping halfway through the building.
I touch down on the ground and search around me. The moonlight from above leaked through the top of the building. The static darkness on this floor sent chills going up my spine. I held firm. My power inflicts me with insane levels of confidence. I'd survive. I was sure of it. My abilities gave me belief. And with belief came bravery.
Clank Clank!
I turn to the side scared shitless. A bucket of paint bounces around and hits a cubicle wall before rolling closer to me. My eyes squint in suspicion. I use my senses to the best of my ability. Ears that had long been worn out from loudspeakers and Bluetooth headphones were re-tuned to perfection. The sensory input was just as clear as the day I was born.
I hear a click, and a whirl gradually builds up. My eyes widen to the size of small plates as I jump sideways. My strength and flight combined to send me shooting through several cubicle walls. Bullets fly through the office floor. Ripping apart anything in their path.
"He really outdid himself with this one, don't you think? Trying to rid the world of weapons, he gave it its best one!" I hear a voice cut through the hail of bullets attempting to take me out. It was a game of cat and mouse. I zig-zagged through the air, changing trajectory as much as possible. He continued missing every shot. His aim was more than likely being helped out by computer programs, but even that was unable to help him catch up with my superior speed.
I felt amazing. My stamina was stagnant. I felt like I could fight for days. Every turn, twist, and twirl made me faster. I could see the mounting frustration through his actions. The sporadic change in the attack wasn't him coming up with new plans. He couldn't replicate the Iron Man armour fully. The repulsors were replaced with arm-mounted machine guns. We both knew their limitations. Ammo was finite. Much more than the source of power Tony had created.
"Hey Superboy! Need a hand?" I reorient myself mid-air to face the voice, careful to dodge the bullets that were still incoming. Iron Man comes flying in hot from the hole in the ceiling. Hands primed and ready. 2 repulsor blasts slam into Iron Monger, sending him sliding back from the force and falling on his ass.
"Took you long enough." I banter with the playboy billionaire while he glides towards my position.
"Oh, my bad. I was just thinking about how a certain somebody completely ruined my plan to take out the bad guy, save a damsel in distress, and proclaim myself hero of the day."
I roll my eyes in exasperation. He was as funny as I thought he'd be. But while I'd like to continue the back and forth, we were very limited on time.
"So Flyboy got anything in the arsenal to win this?" Tony asks as we each take a moment to come up with our own game plan.
"Hmm, it's possible. I'm gonna need a few seconds of focus. Never tried it out before, but it'll work if I get the time to prep" Iron man nods his head before facing the giant who was slowly getting back to his feet.
"Just get me an opening, something to distract him with. When you do, I'll give the signal. You'll know it when you hear it. You'll have about 3 seconds to haul your ass out of here after I do." I explain as I hype myself up and run through the plan again.
"I'm not leaving you behind, kid."
"First off, not a kid. Probably. And secondly. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. You saw me tank a missile didn't you?"
"True, that did happen. I'd very much like to know how you managed that after this."
"I'll pass. Secrets and all that. Take me to a 5-star restaurant and I might reconsider though." while I couldn't see through his face plate, I had a lurking suspicion that he and I were sharing the same smile.
"Deal. Now do what you gotta do, games about to start." Tony flies forward to take on the Iron Monger on his own to give me the crucial time that I needed.
I fly up as well. Making sure to stay hidden from both of them. Utilizing the dimly lit interior of the building to do so. Large chunks of it were being broken apart. Windows blasted through, bullets flew, and cubicles were damaged too badly to be recovered. If this building had not been abandoned already, whatever company owns it is gonna get a hell of a surprise.
I inched my way closer to the fight. I needed to be directly on top of Iron Monger for this. The change of power would strip me of my flight. I'd be motionless and vulnerable for those few seconds of free fall. When I had the other power activated my brain was given information about it. I wouldn't break my bones like with Mover. The ability made it impossible for me to hurt myself with the specific offensive aspect of the power I wanted.
'Right….. here!' I got into position. Exactly where I needed to be. Iron Man was doing a perfect job of playing the decoy distraction. Focusing his enemy's fire in every direction. Not changing distance to lull him into thinking he should stay where he was.
I closed my eyes and focused. Looked inwards again. The power was there. I just needed to learn to pull it out. It was like using a new muscle. With time and practice, I'd get better at it. 12 powers made themselves known. Some smaller, some bigger. I could've used quite a few of them for this fight. But 1 hit was all I needed to end this. And that's what I would do.
The part of the power I wanted to use required concentration. The longer and harder I focused. The bigger the impact. I looked down at exactly what I wanted to hit. A hit to the head would kill him. He needed to pay for his crimes, so that was automatically out as an option.
His chest. I don't know how he did it, but he got himself an arc reactor. I hit that hard enough, and all of this was over. The target was set. Tony had given me more than enough time. I knew what I needed to do.
Striker
Gravity takes hold of my body once more. I start falling rapidly. The pain in my right arm had come back but it was far less painful than before. My focus would not waver. I draw my left arm back.
5 meters, 4 meters, 3, 2…
"TONY!" my shout echoes inside the building. Iron Man's head nearly does a 180. Him being the genius that he is, he recognizes this for what it was and flies out through one of the broken windows. I could guarantee he'd question me later on, but that was a problem for future me to deal with.
"What?" A bonus of my shout was the Iron Monger tilting his body up to see me. Also perplexed at my sudden proclamation. The new angle he puts himself in perfectly places the suit for what comes next.
BOOMMM!
The earth shook. My fist strikes straight through his chest, not only breaking the arc reactor but any electrical circuitry. Metal warps, becoming completely unrecognizable to what had once been a state-of-the-art weapon of war. The suit smacks against the ground. The floor gave way to the massive giant and he continued his fall straight down. I watch as the cycle repeats itself. With 1 punch he breaks through the remaining floors of the building. The sheer power of the hit rattled its foundations. Visible shockwaves could be seen from the point of impact. With every floor completely broken through, any hope of the building staying up dies.
As I stare at my fist in absolute wonder, everything around me starts to fall. Spider web-like cracks appear across the walls. Creeping their way up and around. Pieces of concrete crumble off in large chunks, before finally with a thunderous noise it all comes down. I had placed everything on a bet, whether I could live from this or not. With only moments to act, I make sure to change back to Mover before I die under several tons of building material.
My body hits the ground hard. Several tons press down against my body as I'm buried alive. I don't panic. I could feel large lacerations across my body and several bones breaking under the stress. But just as fast as those injuries appear, I feel my power working to knit my body back together again. The regeneration would take time, but I had all the time in the world down here. The all-encompassing darkness and limited space are comforting. My inability to feel pain really changed my perspective on things. I didn't get tired anymore. I knew that my body could run indefinitely. But as my face pressed down into the hard soil below, I couldn't help but feel like this was going to take a while.
My eyes close gently as I try to drift off to sleep. Waiting for someone to pull me out of this mess.
Rough day. A rough day indeed.