Tony was in full flight when he was shot down. He felt and heard the bullet 'ping', before skyrocketing out of control, down towards unfamiliar grass. He lay, gazing up at the blue roof of the world, weak. He ripped off his face-plate, and breathed in cool, fresh air, sighing. He looked upwards and around for the assailant, but saw nothing. He exhaled, and got up with a couple of awkward grunts. He carried his face-plate with him, like some kind of ostracised iPad, walking towards a clearing in the surrounding oaks.
He found himself staring at a brown-brick mansion, seemingly abandoned. He trudged up the gravel path to the front door, and opened it slowly, hearing it creek awkwardly. Inside was well kept, with neither dust nor cobweb adorning anything.
"Hello?" he called. There was a shuffling, and a small old man hobbled out.
"Yesh?" he croaked, missing teeth, "who are you?"
"Uh...Bruce...Parker."
"Sho, whats bringsh you to these partsh?"
"Need to use a phone."
"Shome fancy get-up ya got there, shon."
"Thanks. You got a phone?"
"Shorry, son. Don't gotsh one."
Tony nodded, and went back outside. Then he realised something, and put the face-plate back on.
"He pronounced son perfectly." he whispered, and stormed back inside. The old man laughed, and changed into a young man with long hair, in a yellow and black jumpsuit.
"Professor, he knows! My act can't be that bad."
"You said son, not shon. Who are you?"
"I'll answer that. Thank you, Morph."
"No problemo, Professor."
A bald man in a wheelchair entered into the room. He smiled at Tony.
"Tony Stark, the Iron Man himself."
Tony felt the urge to leave, but walked forward awkwardly.
"Who are you?"
"I am Professor Charles Xavier. This is my school."
"Private school?"
"I suppose you could say that. Now come along, I want to show you something."
He was led into a kind of study. There were numerous people inside. There was a guy wearing red-tinted sunglasses and short hair, a woman with grey hair, another woman with flowing orange hair, a blond teenage male, and a rough looking man with black hair that slightly spiked at the edges.
"Where is Beast?"
"Up here."
A blue shape fell from the rafters and onto the floor. Tony had removed the face-plate again.
"Tony Stark! Oh my stars and garters!"
"Hank McCoy?! Hey!"
They high-fived.
"You seem...different. Not that there's anything different."
"Who the hell is RoboCop here?"
"Calm down Logan," Xavier uttered calmly, referring to the rough-looking man, "this man was shot out of the sky. He came to borrow our phone."
"Why show him us then, Professor?" asked the man with sunglasses.
"I agree with Scott." replied the grey haired young woman.
"Scott, Ororo. Calm down, I read his mind when he came in. He's the infamous Iron Man. He's got a good heart."
"And a great smile." Tony cracked, getting a laugh out of the teenage boy.
"Good one."
"Thanks kid."
"Bobby. Bobby Drake."
Tony looked around.
"Look, you guys, I don't like having to refer to you all by hair colour. Except you, Lex," he said, looking at Xavier, "Hank, and Bobby."
They shuffled.
"I'm Scott Summers." said the man in sunglasses.
"Ororo Munroe" replied the grey haired woman.
"Jean Grey." said the orange-haired woman.
"Logan."
"And you guys are?"
"Mutants."
"Oh. Cool."
Xavier moved forward and beckoned for the others to follow.
"Come, let me show you how we operate."
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Tony had learned that Scott could emit optic blasts from his eyes (which the shades blocked), Ororo could control and create weather conditions, Jean and Xavier had powerful telepathic powers, Bobby created ice and could cover himself in ice, Hank was now super-strong, had heightened speed and agility, and could hang onto surfaces with his original mutation (ape-like feet. The blue fur was the result of a self-tested mutant cure), and Logan had adamantium claws (three per hand) and a healing factor.
They also had codenames just in case. Scott was "Cyclops", Jean was "Marvel Girl", Bobby was "Iceman", Ororo was "Storm", Hank was "Beast", Logan was "Wolverine", and affectionately Xavier was "Professor X."
Tony was about to go, finally after calling Pepper.
"Listen, I-"
"I read your mind, and I am aware of the incoming invasion. You will have our services."
"Thanks. You better tell the others, might get a guy with a big head who really likes to interrupt at the wrong time."
He walked away, and found Pepper waiting at a roadside with a jeep.
"What happened? Wait, don't tell me. Someone beat you up?"
"I was shot down, met a mutant school and got them to help with the whole Thanos thing."
"Who shot you down?"
"No idea. I'll run diagnostics at home."
lllllllllllllllllllllllllll
Tony's assailant walked into his employer's office.
"Did you get Stark?"
"Dropped like a stone."
"You know, I never asked for your name."
"Just call me...Coldblood."