-AN-

Through this fic, I'm finding myself wanting to marathon the MCU movies up until endgame. The early films were pretty good, with some exceptions. Kinda wish I could watch them all again fresh with no memory.

-Story Start-

For once somewhat focused, Tony made his way into a dim warehouse with all the confidence of a man who knew not only himself but his place in the world at large. Getting this call from Nick Fury hadn't been all that surprising in the least once he thought about it. Drama between him and a Russian inventor. National security threats left right and center, and super powered kids from another world dumped in his lap. Yeah, having some secret agency like SHIELD on his doorstep wasn't odd at all. He was ignoring that SHIELD was the one that dumped the kids on him.

But coming up to a bank of computer monitors and a desk with the lone Fury sitting there calmly, Tony plastered a smirk on his face as he took the only other chair. "Well then, you called, I'm here. What's the word."

Fury was silent as he analyzed the last living Stark. Sure he wasn't the same charismatic figure his father was, but there was something else there that was just as important. A core of self that was made of sterner stuff than Fury had expected. "How's the new ticker doing."

Reaching up and tapping the new chest piece, Tony relaxed somewhat, "Oh you know, working like a charm. Even have some new ideas in the works." Scaling up to a full sized reactor was part of his new path within the company. He was still looking to move away from weapons sales.

"Good to know. Now, I thought I might want to update you on something a little interesting." A folder was placed on the table top and a dark hand pushed it towards Stark. "Romanoff had some things to say about you. Thought you'd be curious."

Taking up the folder and opening it to read along, Tony's face twitched as he had to admit. Natasha had gotten a pretty good read on him with how little that had interacted. "A classic narcissist with destructive tendencies and an ego bigger than most nations GDP? I mean, to be fair I was dying last week."

Smirking, Fury leaned back and looked the picture of relaxation, "Uh huh. Keep reading."

Eyes scanning the rest of the file, Tony read some more, "Trouble maintaining relationships with a penchant for deflecting serious issues with horrible humor…I mean, I'm working on it. I'm back with Pepper and I'm running the company again aren't I? It's an improvement."

"There's still more Tony."

Rolling his eyes, Tony did read the final lines. "Recommendation for the Avengers initiative. Tony Stark…conditional. Iron Man…yes." Pausing as he considered that, just what was conditional? "How can you, want me, but not want me?"

Leaning forward and lacing his hands together, Fury let a grin stretch his face, "I'll be frank with you Stark. When you are acting as the Iron Man, you are capable, assured and dedicated to getting the job done. Something SHIELD needs. But as Tony Stark, frankly, you are a mess." Seeing Tony gearing up to argue, Fury raised a hand. "However, like you said. You're working on it. Plus, we had an…unanticipated addition to the situation that actually worked in your favor."

That sent a new thought train rolling through Tony's mind. Something unexpected? Did he mean? "The kids."

"Yes." Fury leaned even closer, voice dipping a bit even here. "Those kids drew something out of you and you them. You gained their trust. We still don't know the full story about them but if you're willing to help us with them, we would be able to consider you a full member of SHIELD."

"You mean spying." Voice flat, Tony leaned away with disinterest clear on his face. "Don't tell me you're scared of those teenagers."

"You aren't?" Fury stood, a remote coming from his pocket to click and change all of the monitors to a few revolving scenes. Boruto making clones and tossing field agents left and right. Himawari dropping fully armed and armored men and women with barely a whisper. Cammy tearing apart reinforced walls while casually holding a fully loaded van above her head. Dead center was a picture of a blonde man Tony had never met, standing before a massive metal robot before tossing it away as if batting at a fly. "We don't know anything about them outside the fact that they are powerful enough to make full grown men and women look like children. If these are kids, imagine what their parents are like. What their people are like."

Tony shrugged while mentally wondering why Fury was worried. He trusted those kids enough to watch over him and keep him alive didn't he? "We know they're kids lost to the winds who are looking to get back home."

"Are they? Or are they a spear tip?" Sighing and shaking his head, Fury turned back to Tony. "I'm being frank and honest with you because I've decided I can trust you Stark. Those kids, maybe they're just a symptom. But things are changing and changing quickly. I want. No. Need humanity to be ready to face what's to come. That's what this initiative is all about."

Nodding along, Tony was starting to get the picture, "So put together a super secret boy band full of misfits and heroes? That's the plan."

Ignoring Tony's snark, Fury nodded, "Precisely. A group of people who are willing to become Earth's Shield. The mightiest heroes we can muster." It was no longer an idea of if humanity would encounter life from other worlds. Thor and the Uzumaki clan were proof more life was out there. Now was determining who were their friends. And who were their enemies. "I want your help with this."

Standing, Tony pushed his folder back toward Fury with ease. "I don't think you can afford me."

Chuckling, Fury tossed Tony a phone that he caught instinctively. "You're loyal to those kids. That's good. We'll be in touch because whether you like it or not, the world is going to need you. Need us. And I know you. You'll be ready. You can't help but be."

Rolling the phone around in his hand, Tony considered tossing it back through Fury's head. "I'm not spying on those kids for you."

"I wouldn't have recommended you if I thought you truly would. See you around Stark." Fury was already turning away, mind a thousand miles away already and onto the next problem.

Something Tony noted but mentally discarded as he turned to return home. The Avengers huh, dumb name. He wanted to refuse something like this outright, but with the proof currently living within his own home that there was more out there…he hated that Fury was right. Tony was already starting to prepare himself. While the kids were in fact good kids, they were proof that there was a chance not everyone out there was so friendly. Which meant they needed to be ready.

Of course, Tony wasn't going to let Fury just walk all over him either. No. Tony needed to make some plans of his own if he was going to work with this agency. Better to be safe rather than sorry.

-b-

"Soooo why are we here. Across the country and in some glass and steel tower we've never seen before?" Boruto was at least slightly curious. If there was something this earth had that their home didn't was some truly mind boggling skyscrapers. Hundreds of floors with some over six hundred meters tall, while not the prettiest buildings around they were certainly works of engineering mastery that Boruto could appreciate. Though this new city Tony had brought them to, New York. Well that left a lot to be desired. The people were so, aggressive. Mama-Tayuya would probably love it.

Tony chuckled as two of the three kids followed along behind him. Boruto was here because he was starting to find a love for the tech Tony had to offer, while Himawari was continuing to take guarding him as a serious task. Something he was repeatedly having to remind her she didn't have to do. Turning around as they entered a sleek elevator, Tony ushered in the kids and hit the button for the top floor. "You know, you could have hung out with your sister. There's nothing to worry about here."

Himawari knew the statement was directed at her and hid a grin, "Mrs. Stark has informed me that you have a, penchant, for getting into trouble."

"She isn't my wife."

Boruto smirked and chimed in to help his twin, "I don't know. Sure seems like one of you wants it." Both children noted that Tony shut up quickly. Was that doubt on his face? "So why are we here?"

Coughing into a fist and vowing to figure out how to get back at the kids, Tony put his hands on his hips. "Well, with the company buying out Hammer Industries and needing a new headquarters, we're moving house here. Thought I'd bring you along to see the new digs, check out the facilities."

"More like getting ready to foist us off in a new place so you can have your wife all to yourself for a little while. I get it I get it. Dad does the same thing from time to time with Uncle Sasuke." Boruto's grin grew as again Tony coughed harshly into a fist. "You know you could just ask, we know how to make ourselves scarce."

Himawari nudged him in the ribs with an elbow, "Don't be so crass, Stark-san is trying to be nice." Which was something of note to be honest. Weeks of getting used to the man and they had noticed that while he wasn't exactly a model father figure, he was certainly more like a doting uncle. He had even taken to adding some nature to his Malibu home after he had gotten them to speak up about their own home and the lack of nature there. It was, nice.

"Oh I know. I just don't do nice."

"You sound like Auntie-Tayuya."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

Tony groaned as the doors opened and the afternoon light filled the elevator cabin. Before them was a still under construction space that included a bar along the right wall, a wide bank of clear windows dead ahead of them and a lower recessed sitting area directly in front of them. Outside of the windows they could see the New York City skyline and a walkway to a helipad that was currently empty but full of storage and transport boxes. In the sitting area and going over design plans, Pepper sat on a clean couch with blueprints and assorted amounts of regulatory paperwork in front of her. Tony smiled despite himself and held his arms out wide, "Pepper, I though you would have been busy elsewhere by now."

"I needed a break and I can only stare at finance reports for so long before it all starts to look like cyrillic." Sighing and tossing the tablet she was holding to the table, Pepper leaned back and spied the trio walking in to join her. "Field trip?"

"Tour." Tony smirked and started to wander to the bar, "Should I be worried that your younger shadow isn't here?" The third sibling had tagged along with Pepper and he had expected her to still be here.

Pepper shrugged, "She said something about hunting down an urban myth and disappeared when she felt you all coming." Pepper turned tired eyes to a serene looking Himawari as Boruto wandered off to try to inspect cargo boxes with lots of warning labels. "Can you please correct your mother next time you see her? Tony and I aren't married."

Flinching as he was setting about making himself a drink, Tony turned back with a bottle of scotch in hand. "Would that be so bad?"

Eyeing the alcohol and sighing, Pepper decided to get back to work, "Hah hah. The day you seriously consider getting married is the day the world is probably going to end." Pepper had been around for a long time by Tony's side. That included putting up with his conquest of the week era. She wanted no part of that, even if he was starting to clean up his act. She also missed him spilling as he flinched even harder.

From across the room Himawari and Boruto shared a look, but it was Himawari who spoke up, "You said Cammy is out?"

"Yes, something about a strange feeling and wanting to investigate. Couldn't tell you where exactly." Pepper considered that these kids seemed to have the ability to find each other with no need for technology of any sort. If they wanted to find their sister, they would.

A fact that Boruto didn't even bring up, "Want me to go get her?"

Himawari considered it before shaking her head. "No. I'll go. You're supposed to be working anyway."

"Aw com'on Hima. We're in a whole new city. Can't I at least hang out for the day before getting back to it?" The icy glare he received from his twin said more than enough and he hung his head. "Fiiine. Hey Tony, got somewhere I can work."

"Yup!" Clapping his hands and ignoring the twinge of whatever it was in his chest, Tony was already motioning back to the elevator. "I've got a whole two or three floors dedicated to manufacturing and product testing that you'll just love. Plus it's just a level or two above where the new Arc Reactor is going to go. Gonna power the whole building if my math is right."

Pepper eyed up the two men as they left, turning to Himawari who had a curious look on her face, "Everything okay?" Even though all the children acted much more mature than any of their peers here on Earth, Pepper had to remind herself that they were in fact still children. Teenagers yes, but children far from home and everything they knew. "Adjusting alright to our world?"

Himawari nodded, coming back into focus and smiling brightly. "Oh yes. Like Cammy has said, there's so much to learn and explore here and I need to give myself time to do just that. With Boruto doing his job, I'll just check in with Cammy for a while before returning to watching after Stark-san."

"You know he's going to keep hounding you to call him Tony."

"Like you said Mrs. Stark, the world will have to end before that happens." With a thought Himawari flashed away, leaving a frustrated but blushing Pepper in her wake.

"We AREN'T married yet!" These Uzumaki were going to drive her nuts!

-b-

Wandering around with a hot dog in hand, Cammy took in the sights and sounds around her. Sure the city smelled, well like shit, but it was so lively! People from all over the world were here and it showed. Sure, they were a prickly lot the natives were, but there was a kindness here. I life here that enveloped everything. Even now as she danced through a shower of water with a laugh as someone had apparently opened up a fire hydrant to cool off the street from the afternoon July heat, she also deftly avoided a slew of water balloons thrown by a group of dark and light skinned children. They giggled and laughed with her as she shook herself briefly of the water, but it was easy to laugh and wave as she continued on.

"Hey there cutie, you lookin good! You got a man?"

Raising her voice and striking a pose, Cammy turned to eye a group of men sitting on some steps she was walking by, "I think I'm a little young for you, but thanks, I am pretty hot aren't I?"

A woman's voice barked out near instantly with mirth from a window a few floor above them, "Oooh she know she fine!"

Laughter filled the air as the group of men started to rag on the one who called out to her, tussling and shaking him back and forth, "Told you she was just a kid!"

"Aw com'on, look at her!"

"Uh huh, don't pull a R. Kelly man. Let her go."

"Awe screw you!" More laughter filled the air and Cammy continued on, appreciating the cooling effect of the water on her while chowing down on her carefully kept dry hotdog. Chakra was so handy sometimes.

It also didn't surprise her at all when Himawari appeared next to her without a sound, flowing out from an alleyway with ease, "Hello sister."

"Heya Hima-chan, guessing you needed some time outside."

"One way to put it." Himawari took in the wide but quieting down street before them. It wasn't a commercial district, but there were certainly more corner stores and little markets than she expected here. "What are you looking for out here?" She then idly looked back at the loudly chatting group Cammy had just passed, "And should I go put those perverts down?"

"Nah they were cool, just appreciating my beauty was all. We've really gotta get you outside more sis." Shrugging and finishing off her hotdog, Cammy unsealed another and offered it to her sister. With a smile as Hima took it with a curious look, Cammy folded her hands behind her back, "I just wanted to wander around for a while. There's something here, it's an interesting feeling." It was like with Kaguya-mama spied on them from far away whenever one of the moms started to worry about them. That feeling of being watched, without actually being watched. "Wanna tag along? I'm sure Boruto can take care of himself for an afternoon."

"Bo-kun isn't really the one I'm worried about. But I suppose a change of pace would be nice." Himawari took a small bite of the cylinder of meat covered in ketchup, mustard and relish. Flavor exploded in her mouth and she gave an appreciative moan of delight. "Mmmmm."

"Good right? We could probably spend all day just exploring the food if we wanted." Cammy would make sure to add it to the list of things to do while they were here. Better to keep themselves distracted while Boruto fixed his mistake. "Plus who knows, maybe we could find some cute boys to antagonize."

"Ew." Himawari piped up as she polished off the last of the hotdog quickly. It wasn't that she was against boys in general. They were all just so…icky. "I'm more interested in what your senses have found." Now that she was on the ground and looking herself, Himawari could pick out a certain tingle of, being watched. It wasn't a bad feeling or an evil feeling. More like, something being cautious.

Rolling her eyes and vowing to get her sister to expand her horizons, Cammy pulled her along by the hand through the crowded sidewalk. "Well let's go then! We have an investigation to perform!"

Allowing herself to be tugged along, Himawari smiled despite the heat, "You're having too much fun."

"And you're not having enough!" Laughing away as they weaved between the crowds, eliciting some angry calls and even some bemused looks, the pair made their way along towards the source of their curiosity.

On the other end of those feelings, the Ancient One sighed and slowly opened her eyes. She should have known that any children of HIS would have sniffed her out if they got close enough. They were a mixed bag of emotions and feelings, and the energy they radiated was like nothing she had ever felt on this world before outside of their father's…but they were coming. Whether they knew it or not, they were slowly changing a river's course. With a grunt she stood from her prayer mat, gaining the attention of one of her closest disciples, Mordo.

Mordo, tall and dark with a stern and steadfast demeanor, took a step closer to the Sorcerer Supreme as she built a portal to the New York Sanctum, "My Lady, is everything alright?"

Pausing to consider the man, the Ancient One wondered over the one flaw she could not train out of him. He was steadfast in his adherence to the rules she herself had laid out. Her word was law as far as he was concerned. Of course, she had figured normally that eventually one would come along to temper his mind to acquire some flexibility in his thinking. But now? The timeline was changing already. Who knew if that would come to pass. "Come with me. We have. Guests."

Mordo raised eyebrows as his teacher stepped through the portal, following along behind her without question. Was this someone she knew? Someone she was acquainted with that somehow he did not know? She was old even by his standards so of course it was possible. Even so, it was still alarming how unsettled she seemed to feel. "Guests? What sort of guests are we expecting here?"

The Ancient One nodded to the guardian of the Sanctum and instead motioned for them to go through the portal. "Watch over Kamar-Taj until I return. I have need of the Sanctum for a short while." The man and his proteges nodded before quickly moving through the closing portal, leaving the Ancient One and Mordo alone in the dark Sanctum in silence. One that she herself broke as she turned calm eyes to Mordo, "Tell me Mordo. When was the last time you dealt with…teenagers?"

"T-teenagers ma'am?" Was this a test? Was there some hidden meaning behind this. "I cannot say."

"Hmmm, that so?" Mirth in her voice, the Ancient One descended the massive staircase as Mordo followed along behind her. It was a quiet manor they had acquired some time ago. A long time ago. Something that honestly could probably use more life within its walls than it received these days. Times were changing to rapidly it seemed. "Worry not, you'll be getting a refresher soon enough." It was a short walk to the front door, and an easy motion to reach for the door.

"Ma'am?"

The Ancient One paused for a moment, turning back to her protector to motion for him to step back with a free hand. "Whatever happens in the next few minutes. You are not to interfere. Understand?"

"Is there a threat? You said these were guests didn't you, are they people you know or enemies to Earth?"

The hand making shooing motions turned to one of calm, "No no. Just. A bit of play and a test, that is all." Seeing Mordo wrestle with his own feelings on the matter, he eventually did back down and take a few steps back.

"As you wish, Sorcerer Supreme."

"Thank you my friend." Taking a breath, the Ancient One opened the door, surprising the two young girls there. The taller one with auburn hair already had her hand raised to knock, "Well hello there. Looking for something?"

Mordo did not understand what was going on. When the Ancient One had said they had guests approaching, he had expected anything from former students or even fellow master sorcerers like the Ancient One, to enemies that yet held her respect and thus deserved caution. He was not expecting two young girls dressed lightly in summer clothes and looking for all the world like a strong breeze could carry them away. Just what was-

He was answered, as Himawari pulled a surprised Cammy behind her, a chakra laden hand already spearing forward toward the Ancient One's midsection. The older woman dodged away, but Himawari was already in pursuit, Byakugan active as the thing before her settled a grin on her face and kept just out of reach. "Cammy, run!"

Cammy didn't know what came over her sister, but her eyes darted to the dark skinned man off to the side who looked just as confused as she felt. She cast out her senses, but whatever it was that Himawari was freaking out over, she wasn't seeing it. "Hima! What the hell are you doing?" Finally getting her wits about her as the older woman dressed in orange and red monk's robes bent at a nearly ninety degree angle to dodge under another palm strike from Hima, Cammy performed a shunshin and appeared behind her sister, wrapping arms around Hima's own to lock her in place. "Knock it off! What's gotten into you."

"NO! That's not, that's not a person. Whatever that is, its….its…." Himawari couldn't fully describe what it was that she was sensing or seeing. It had only gotten worse when she activated her Byakugan, something that had been instinctual when the door had opened unexpectedly. That the being before them had stopped just as she had, standing before them with a smile on its face and exuding calm that Himawari just could not feel. "What…who are you?"

Calming herself and noting that it probably was for the best not to surprise people who could kill her, the Ancient One bowed her head lightly. "I am known as the Ancient One. I protect this world from the supernatural. The unseen. You are not from this world, so I was a bit curious. I did not mean to startle you." This was good, the pale eyed girl was beginning to calm down. There was a lot of energy wafting off of her eyes, so there must be some ability there at work that allowed her to see just what the Ancient One really was. "Please be at ease, we mean you no harm."

Vibrating in place and feeling her heart hammer in her chest, Himawari took stock of the situation. Cammy was holding her back, chakra coursing through her to keep her from killing the being in front of her. That thing's assistant? Follower? Well that man was watching them but there was much concern on his face, as if he didn't understand what it was that stood in their presence. He was not a threat. At least not now. Which left it. "How can I-we believe you?"

Sighing and bringing herself to stand up straight, she held her arms and hands out wide. "Let's say I've had a meeting with your father before. Naruto Uzumaki, correct?" Seeing some realization reach the young girls' faces, the Ancient One breathed another sigh of relief. "I mean you no harm. I promise."

Cammy could feel the tension bleed out of Himawari and nearly wept with joy. She had never seen her sister freak out like that before and she certainly didn't want to see that again. Letting her go, Cammy stood to the side and bowed deeply to the woman. "I'm sorry. Normally we're much better mannered than that."

Himawari reluctantly bowed at the waist as well, though her heart wasn't much into it, "Yes. I apologize. That was unnecessarily rude of me."

Relaxing completely, the mage motioned for Mordo to relax himself, "It is quite alright. You are new here and I'm sure that to your senses I would not appear as normal to you. I am a sorcerer, something you have never encountered."

Cammy rolled that word around in her mind, sorcery usually went hand in hand with magic. Auntie Sakura usually ranted about Dad and Uncle being hack magical ninja, so was this the same sort of situation? Did this woman actually have power that rivaled them? Well that would make sense why Dad would know this woman then. "Ooooh, okay. So you are one of Dad's friends. I get it. Sorry about this." Cammy grinned and relaxed her stance, "We were just curious, felt like someone was watching us so we came to take a look. But if you're a friend of Dad's that makes sense." Daddy usually worried to much, so of course he had a friend watching out for them.

Himawari blushed as somehow she bowed deeper, "I'm soooo sorry! I can't believe I attacked a friend of father's. I'm so ashamed!"

The Ancient One was quick to shake her hands in the negative as Mordo closed the door finally and watched them quietly, "Be at ease, it is alright. I didn't expect you to be so spirited. Come, let us find somewhere to sit and we can talk. Is that alright?" Seeing the girls nod along, she turned to Mordo, "We have tea upstairs don't we?"

Mordo nodded slowly, "Yes, I'll prepare some." This situation was strange. Two girls barely out of their teens, one of which pressed the Sorcerer Supreme to nearly shifting into a mirror dimension if her hand motions were any indication…and the mention of another that Mordo had never heard of before. He would have to think on this.

Belatedly, the Ancient One remembered that their own father had requested that she not get involved with his children. Did it count if they sought her out? She sure hoped not. She did not want to encounter that being ever again. Surely he would kill her. Clearing her mind, she ascended the stairs with a smile as both girls followed after her. "If you don't mind, we could have a short chat for a while. I have some questions I'd like to ask."

Cammy nodded quickly, nudging her sister in the ribs with gusto, "Of course. It's the least we can do after an introduction like that. Riiiight Hima?"

"Ah, yes. Yes of course. You can ask us anything." She really hoped she didn't anger a friend of their father. That would not end well nor benefit their situation at all. They were already in trouble. She didn't need to heap anything else on top of that.

Coming up next to his mentor for a moment, Mordo leaned in and spoke in a whisper, "Is this wise? That girl, she was willing to kill you."

The Ancient One dipped her head once with a smile, "I promise you, things will be okay. It was merely a, misunderstanding."

A misunderstanding she says, Mordo mulled that over as he broke away to find the kitchen. There was more going on here, more than just two young girls who were more than they appeared. That one could press a Sorcerer of any caliber was already impressive on its own. But the Supreme? He had much to consider, for this had to be a test. What kind of test was for him to understand.

The Ancient One weaved through cluttered tables and rows of display cases and stands, "Please don't mind the mess. Just a collection of magical items collected over a long life."

Himawari nodded, eyes trailing along a long looking cloak that seemed to track her as she walked, "It's not a problem. Reminds me of Auntie Yukina's workshop."

Cammy nodded with a grin, "Either that or Auntie Karin's."

Unable to repress the full body shudder that worked through her, Himawari rubbed her shoulders with her hands, "Nothing compares to Auntie Karin's basement. Some of the things down there…shouldn't exist." Sure Fuwafuwa was cute and made sense for Riptide's own Isaribi, but that tentacle thing she had hidden away in the corner? She didn't want to think about who that was for. It looked like a torture device.

The Ancient one offered a sly grin that she wasn't fully feeling in her mind, "Oh? Sounds like your relatives get up to some amazing things." At the least, the girls seemed to have confused her for a friend of their father. That was a plus. They would most likely be more open to talking freely in that case.

Cammy nodded and spoke for the both of them, "You have no idea. Come visit some time." Cammy might not like the combat aspect of their heritage, but the innovations that had piloted couldn't be denied.

-b-

With a thought, Naruto homed in on the tag he placed on Thor and suddenly he was under an expansive star filled sky. Clearer than he had ever seen before. Giving a low whistle of appreciation, his gaze turned down to the literal bridge of rainbows underneath his feet. Huh. That woman Jane would get a kick out of this.

"Hmmm….Naruto Uzumaki. I did not fully believe you could travel between worlds like you said. But I suppose this is certainly proof." A deep voice called out just behind Naruto, forcing him to turn and take in the massive man in gold plate armor. The two handed greatsword in his hands was held point down, at rest but ready.

"Oh uh. Sorry about the random drop in. I did tell Thor I would come and visit." Holding out a hand, Naruto put on a wide grin, "Naruto Uzumaki, at your service."

Hiemdall took said hand and shook it firmly. "Worry not Uzumaki. I saw your deeds on Earth. You are a good man and a friend to the line of Odin. You are welcome here in Asgard." Here the amber eyed man smirked and turned slightly to look at the golden city behind them. "Should I announce your arrival?"

Prankster heart exploding, Naruto put a finger to his lips, "I think Thor could use a surprise, don't you?" Seeing the larger man nod silently and pretend like he wasn't there, returning to his eternal watch at the end of the broken bridge, Naruto set off. Floating off into the distance, he took in the sights of the city built for gods.

'I bet we could have a great fight here.'

'Down boy. We're here to visit, not tear things apart.'

'You say that. But you feel it don't you. Something…big.'

'Yeah yeah. We'll find you something to fight sooner or later. Kami. I thought letting you loose on the Matabi would have mellowed you out by now.'

'If it didn't work for you, why would it work for me?'

'Point.' Naruto chuckled as a very obvious palace rose in the distance. "Well that's something." Senses out and probing, he grinned as something old and powerful turned its gaze to him as well. "Ooooh, maybe I'm not as sneaky as I thought."

'Like you ever were.'

Inside said palace, Odin sat upon his thrown as Thor kneeled below him. Face twitching only slightly, he nodded down to his son with a calm manner, "The destruction of the Bifrost was a necessity to protect order among the realms. It will be rebuilt, though you will have to forgo your visits back to, Earth, for some time."

Thor nodded and stood, a smile on his face as he held Mjolnir at his side, "It is alright. Jane will understand I'm sure. Knowing her, she is searching for her own way into the stars." It was only a matter of when he would get to see her again, not if. "Before that father…Loki. What should be done?" Lost in the abyss, Loki had chosen to run instead of face the consequences of his actions. Even now Thor knew Loki was out there, possibly plotting, planning for another try for the throne.

"Hmm, your brother is…misguided. But I believe one day he will come back around. We can only have faith that he will see the correct path." With a smirk, Odin tilted his head just so. "What about the other man you met? The Traveler?"

Blinking and thinking it over, Thor nearly smacked himself. He had forgotten about Naruto, and his promise of a favor for his help. "I have no way of contacting Uzumaki. It is unfortunate as well, but-"

"-Buuuuut it'd be really crazy if he showed up out of the blue huh?" Naruto grinned as there were gasps all around the room, several guards raising weapons before a slightly raised hand from Odin caused them to pause. "Yo!" Naruto was enveloped in a strong manly hug, "Missed ya too buddy."

Thor stepped back and smiled brightly, "Naruto! Even knowing you could build portals at a whim, I still never expected you to find me all the way here." Actually, now that he thought about it, Thor raised an eyebrow and turned to his mother and father, "Should he be able to do that? Did Hiemdall not see him?" That would actually become a cause for concern now that Thor was really pondering it.

"Arriving from the cosmic lanes, Naruto Uzumaki of Uzushiogakure!" A booming voice announced to the heavens, and all eyes turned to a sheepish Naruto who scratched his neck.

"Uh, surprise?" Naruto raised an eyebrow as Thor's father rose from his throne, walking to stand before him with a neutral expression.

Which morphed into a smile as Odin reached out and took Naruto's hand, "Hmm, worry not young one, I take no offense to the surprise visit. Though, perhaps don't broadcast you're looking for a fight so loudly here. There are plenty who would be up for the challenge." Something old passed behind his remaining eye and Naruto got the message loud and clear. This was an elder god, even if he was in the guise of a tired old man.

"No sweat, I'm not exactly looking for a fight right now anyway."

'Says you! Let me out, I wanna have a go against another god!'

Naruto chuckled as Odin backed away with a knowing smirk, "Your sibling may bite off more than he can chew one day. I hope you're prepared."

"So do I."

Thor looked between his father and his newest friend, sure that there was another conversation going on here that he was missing. But instead he bowed his head lightly to his father and mother before he took Naruto by the shoulder, "Well, now that you are here, I did promise you a feast for you help did I not?"

Naruto let himself be led away while under the watchful eye of Odin and his court, "I'm pretty sure I asked for a favor."

"And a favor you shall have. But a feast, this is between friends."

Naruto grinned and nodded along, "Heh, alright then Thor. A feast it is." Naruto raised a hand and a jug of sake materialized there, "I did say I would bring the booze."

"That's the spirit!"

Naruto noted that this entire island…realm? Place had an odd feeling to it. He could probably spend weeks here just to study it, and hell he just might. Kaguya might track him down up here but that was okay. Speaking of loves and family. "Oh, by the way, how do you feel about going back to Earth and visiting Jane?"

Thor paused and spun Naruto to face him almost instantly, "You can take me as well?" Thor had resolved to not seeing Jane again until the Bifrost was rebuilt. But the chance to see her sooner? Would he pass that up?

"I mean, you saw me make a stable portal right? We can go back and forth as much as you'd like."

Eyes shining and nearly wanting to weep, Thor grinned and brought Naruto in for a crushing hug, "Friend Naruto, I owe you another great debt! We shall feast and drink until the morning! Nay, for a week straight!"

Almost being carried down the hall and shaking his head at the raw happiness pouring out of Thor, Naruto decided that was his second good deed for the day. Ignoring the meddlesome woman with his kids was his first. "Alright alright you big lug. Let me down."

"Nonsense! You are my guest of honor!"

"I have legs you idiot!" Welp, time to learn if the Asgardians knew how to throw a party or not.

-b-

Grumbling and fanning out meters upon meters of scrolls, Boruto sat cross legged in a clean drawing room provided by Tony. Sure the walls were glass and looked out into the rest of Tony's various labs and manufacturing areas, but it was well soundproofed and had given him the peace to scream to his heart's content when his frustration finally boiled over. A point he was quickly reaching again as he finally flopped to the floor and splayed out. Learning the Hiraishin wasn't nearly this hard. How did Dad make this look so easy all the time?

Distracted by a knock on the glass door, Boruto turned to see Tony there, holding up a to go container with something that smelled suspiciously like chinese food. "You are my hero." It was only now as the scent of the food hit his nostrils did he remember that he hadn't eaten all day today. "What time is it?" Boruto accepted the food easily and popped open the container.

"Closer to six in the afternoon by now. Sun's starting to dip in the sky." Grinning and looking around the cluttered floor, Tony tried to make sense of what Boruto was up to. Of course, he didn't understand most of the squiggles that Boruto had made, but the math. He could keep up with that. "You're making progress."

"Not enough."

Tony could hear the disappointment in Boruto's voice and decided to come down and sit with the kid. Leaning against the cold glass and eyeing the tired looking boy up and down, Tony motioned to all the scrolls and papers. "What's the point?"

"What?" Boruto looked up with some surprise, watching the inventor with some caution as Tony looked to be considering his words.

Something Tony was not used to doing. He was a talk first and consider just what he said later sort of person. But this was new territory. Mature or not, Boruto was still a kid. Someone who needed guidance, instruction, as well as space. Space to learn. And space to screw up. "Can I tell ya a story?"

Boruto shrugged, digging into the food but making sure to pay attention, "Sure. I'm all ears."

Getting comfortable, Tony folded his hands in his lap as he started to dredge up the past. "I remember when I was a kid. Well, early twenties. I worked hard. Damned hard. MIT grad, top honors. The works. All in some, I don't know. Misguided attempt to outpace my father's shadow. To become someone else other than, Howard Stark's son."

"Heh, sounds familiar."

"I bet." Tony and Boruto shared a grin before the older of the pair continued. "But when I felt like that wasn't working. I did the exact opposite. I started jumping from cause to cause. Researching every interesting thing before abandoning it when I got bored. Women. So many women. Like, I think I lost count once I got into my thirties and-"

"Okay okay, so you were a horn-dog. I got it. Is there a point to this?"

Chuckling, Tony nodded, "Yeah. Something of a point. Everything I was doing. Even what I've done with Stark Industries with the weapons I built…it wasn't to surpass my old man. It was to be acknowledged by him." Tony made a slow show of looking around at the room in disarray. "Except, I learned a little too late that it was all for naught."

"What, he end up refusing to see you for you in the end?" Boruto could see it. When you were that great. That famous. How easy would it be to overlook the needs of a few children. Even your own?

"Opposite in fact." Seeing Boruto pause in his eating, chopsticks halfway to his mouth, Tony smirked. "My old man left me a tape. Admitted that he was leaving everything to me. That he knew I was something special even before I did. Sure. It was a father's love for his son, probably clouding his judgement there. But he saw me. I just. Couldn't see that right away." Taking a deep breath, Tony once more looked around the room. "The point I'm trying to make is. All this? What's the point of it? The real point."

Boruto huffed and restarted eating, even if he was seriously considering Tony's words. "We've had this talk before, or something close to it already."

"Maybe, but sometimes the message takes a few tries to stick. I would know. I'm a wise ass like you."

Chuckling and shaking his head, Boruto sighed and leaned back on his hands, food container balanced on his lap. "You aren't wrong. I know Dad loves me, loves us all. I just. I wanted to feel special. I don't want to be just another one of the kids. Another face in the group. I want to be Boruto. Me. I want him to see that. Praise me." Boruto did finally look around at all his work, "I want it to be my efforts that he can praise and say I did a good job. I want to hear him say that he is proud of what I've done."

"So that's why you're doing it all alone."

"Well that and Dad apparently said I can't ask for help at all." Well, now that Boruto was thinking about it, Mom had said that he couldn't ask for any Uzumaki help. Not that he couldn't ask for help at all. Groaning and deciding all old people had problems, Boruto eyed the inventor up and down. "Okay, so maybe he didn't say I couldn't ask for help."

"Your Dad strikes me at the type to hide lessons within lessons."

"You don't know the half of it." Dad was a prankster at heart and it boiled over into everything he did. Even raising his kids. "Uuuuugh. Fine. You wouldn't happen to know anything about inter-dimensional travel would you?"

Shaking his head as he stood, Tony dusted himself off, "Nope. But. I think I might be able to find someone who can lend a hand. Give me a few days?"

Boruto eyed the mountain of work before sighing and letting it all go. "Yeah, I think I can be patient for a few days." Rolling his neck and deciding everything would be alright for now, he turned a sly eye to the inventor already turning to the door. "Soooo, what the plan for Pepper?"

Snorting, Tony waved off Boruto with ease, "That's my business, not yours kid. You're a little young for that."

"Oh I don't know, I think I could help you out."

"Not in a million years wise ass. There's….a lot of history there." A lot of bad decisions and missed chances. It would probably take a miracle to bring her around completely.

Boruto dug back into his food as he started to plan out his meddling, "Mama-Ino would say, 'persistence is the key to the heart' or something like that."

"Something tells me she isn't used to hearing the word no."

"Oh she's used to it. She just usually gets her way in the end."

"Fabulous." Tony was already chuckling and leaving the kid behind, mind set on making a few calls to Fury and SHIELD. He was going to help this kid out, maybe prevent a few mistakes that he himself had made along the way. No sense in letting the kid beat his head against a wall for no reason.

Behind him, Boruto extended out his senses to track down his sisters. For as long as they had been gone, he was sure they would have checked in at least once. Blinking as something was with them and it surely wasn't anything or anyone he recognized, he shoveled the rest of his food in his mouth and prepared to leave. They seemed calm if the feeling of their energy was anything to go by. But that could mean anything on this world. Shrugging and making a clone, he gave it a half hearted salute.

"Clean up in here would ya? I'm gonna go check on the girls."

"Yeah yeah, lazy."

"I'm not lazy, just prioritizing my tasks."

"Uh huh. So fancy lazy."

Rolling his eyes and flashing away with no effort, Boruto had to blink a few times to adjust his eyes. The room he found himself in was dim, done up like an old english manor with massive bookshelves along every wall. Except one which held a bank of windows that all looked out on different landscapes. Were those computer screens? No. The energy he felt there, those were actual views on Earth. Interesting.

Clearing her throat, Himawari waited for her brother to turn and face the three women sitting down for tea, "Bo-kun. Shouldn't you be working?" Rava, their host, had summoned a rather sturdy and ornate dark colored table with four chairs around it. Mordo would have been with them, but had stepped out to check on something. She shared a look with Cammy, "Or are you slacking off already?"

Boruto frowned and pointed a finger at his sisters, "Now wait a minute, you've been gone all day. Can't I take a break too?"

Himawari pointed a finger back at him, "Well maaaybe I'd like to be able to go home."

The temporarily named Rava chuckled and held up a hand. "Perhaps I can be of assistance? What troubles you, young Boruto?"

Pausing and sizing up the…woman that was staring at him, Boruto chuckled nervously and eyed up his sisters. "Uh, friend of yours? Can we trust her?"

Cammy shrugged and took another sip of tea, "Friend of dad's actually. So yeah, we can trust her."

Rolling that over in his head, Boruto decided he'd get the story from them later. "Well, uh, you probably know why we're here then right?" Seeing the bald woman nod, Boruto continued, "Well, while I got us here. I can't exactly get us home. I'm working on it, but I could probably use some help." That raised Himawari and Cammy's eyebrows. Boruto was willing to admit he needed help? Maybe this trip was good for him.

Mulling that over in her mind as she noted Mordo returning through the open doorway, Rava stood and spread her arms wide. "Hmmm, let me show you something." With a twist of her hands and orange light dancing along her hands, the room began to shift in fractal patterns.

Standing as her mind tried to make sense of the bookshelves somehow getting taller and longer with every passing second, Cammy finally gave it up and turned to Himawari. "Okay, I give, what kind of technique is this?"

Himawari's eyes began to glow and yet still she shook her head, "No technique. This is something else. Amazing. I wish you could see what I can see."

"Still so unfair that you got the Byakugan and I didn't." Boruto had made peace with that genetic difference between them, but sometimes it still stung.

"You have father's mind. I think that's a fair trade." Himawari's eyes continued to dance back and forth, "It's like staring into a thousand different mirrors, each with a galaxy behind them.

Rava nodded as she finished, hands coming down to her side as the world around them continued to shift and move in ever increasing patterns and formations, "Welcome, to the mirror dimension. A space just out of phase with reality. Something useful for more, destructive projects and experiments."

Mordo leaned in with a small smirk, "As well as keeping unruly foes locked away to be dealt with."

"Very true." Rava motioned around them as Boruto began to pace around, touching the barrier and probing it with his senses, "Your world is far from here, and your goal is to return, correct?"

"That's the plan yeah." Boruto walked around with some real awe on his face. This was so far beyond what he could even conceive of. "Is this, magic?" It sure as hell wasn't based on chakra, that was for sure.

"That's one way to put it. My will used to bend and twist reality to suit my needs. Generally that is how magic is described but. This is what you are aiming for yes? A way to bend reality in order to travel between worlds?"

Absently Boruto nodded, head tilting as he considered the way the world around them was shifting. There was a pattern here, an equation to be solved. "Yeah, that's how dad describes it. Though he says we all have the ability within us, we just need to learn how to reach it. It requires years of study and practice. Plus a lot of hard work." A hand coming up, a thin but glowing blue chain extended from his palm. Methodically he attached it to a shifting section of bookshelf, anchoring it in place. "Huh."

"What are you doing lad, that's dangero-" Mordo paused as the Ancient One raised a hand, urging him to wait. He now understood that these children did in fact have power much like she did, but to what end he still could not grasp. Yet this boy, the newest addition to the group, was moving and anchoring the dimensional fabric with ease. "How?"

Rava smiled brightly despite her misgivings. This was fascinating to watch. "Can you tell me what you are doing?"

Without thinking, Boruto anchored a seventh section of the shelf, now connecting it to the floor, and thus, the wall. "It's not complete." He had been staring at miles worth of formula and equations for days on end. Trying to get them home and figure out where he went wrong. He now understood why this looked familiar. It was part of his problem. But this made it easy. He could touch it, move it, mold it how he needed. Solve it in real time.

"What do you mean, not complete?" It took her a moment to really understand just what he was doing, feeling out in the ether for the changes he was making. If she didn't know any better she would assume he was building a gateway. It blindsided her in an instant, just what he was unintentionally doing. "No boy! Wait!" Before anyone could stop him, Rava and the others watched Boruto anchor a ninth point, snapping into being a portal that literally tore reality around them. With the sound of breaking glass, they all were suddenly subject to a completely different world. A sickly green and yellow sky greeted them, harsh toxic air burned at their eyes and throats. More over, above them and staring down on a desolate wasteland of a burned world, a giant of a being turned to regard them with all the interest of a man contemplating a line of ants.

"Hmmm…little playthings. Come to die?" Several eyes of the darkest abyss promised every torment they could imagine. An eternity of solitude. Convergence within a ravenous God.

And then they were back in the manor. Gasping for air and collapsing on the floor, they all took a few moments to catch their breaths and try to understand what they had just seen. Wide eyed and shaking, Cammy was the first to turn to Boruto. "Y-you idiot. What the hell was that?"

"I-I-I-I don't know! I just. Completed the equation. That was it!" Shaking and unable to see anything else other than that being that promised death, Boruto hugged himself and tried to circulate chakra through himself. His control was shot, and all he managed to do was decrease his jitters somewhat. Instead he turned to the woman they called Rava, "What-what are you connected to?"

"Mmmm, no no no Bo-chan. That's the wrong question." A voice all three Uzumaki children new by heart, the pale form of their aunt floated above them. "You are a naughty boy Bo-chan."

Himawari filed away his question for later, instead coming to her knees with the help of Cammy. "Auntie Kaguya!" The older Uzumaki woman gathered all three children together, her chakra suffusing through them to calm them and sooth their nerves. "What are you doing here?"

Kaguya noted the marked one being helped up by her assistant and shrugged them away for later. "Well when I felt you three shift away from this reality, I was curious and wanted to make sure you were okay. When I felt you leave entirely I thought it best to intervene." Here Kaguya brought a hand down in a soft chop to Boruto's forehead. "And you. Now do you understand why it is so important to learn all of the basics before attempting world travel? With no true destination point, you traveled to the closest thing within your portal's alignment. I can't tell you who that was, but you can assume it was no one good."

Cammy bounced in place and shivered, "Yeah you can say that again. Guy looked like he could eat worlds."

"He can, but that's a story for another time." Kaguya turned cold eyes to the Ancient One and Mordo. She considered what she wanted, before turning back to the children with a bright smile. "But, you now have another piece of the puzzle, right Bo-chan?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah I do." He had a lot to think about now. Something told him he would be up long into the night tonight at this rate.

"Good, why don't you three run along. I need to have a word with this one." Kaguya exuded an aura of calm and warmth, and the children all soaked it up easily.

Cammy took the lead, grabbing her siblings hands and dragging them out, "Sure thing Auntie! Hey thanks for the tea Rava, and sorry about my bro doing crazy stuff with your technique!"

"It-it's quite all right. We all have to learn yes?" The adults all watched the children leave the building from the hallway, before the Ancient One turned to the being who did not exist. "I apologi-" An invisible force locked her in place.

"Hmmm….I don't think I gave you permission to speak, did I?" Kaguya refused to let her feet touch down in this filthy place. Continuing to float and tower over the two. "I should reduce you to protoplasma for endangering the children."

"How dare you!" Mordo was already pulling free his staff to come to his master's defense. Before those pale eyes turned to him.

"I do not like the chattering of a dog. Kneel you cur."

One moment Mordo was rushing to attack this monster. The next he was on his knees, force pressing his forehead down to the floor and completing his groveling. No matter how much he struggled, he could not rise.

Seeing she had that in order, Kaguya turned back to the thing that thought it could stave off the wrath of a real god. "Now then. I do believe you and I shall have a chat. Be a good child and listen to your elder." It was time to set some ground rules.

-AN-

It came to me in a dream, what if we had a chance to remind everyone that Kaguya was in fact a Goddess? Plus, much like the early MCU we're in the set up phase, so it'll be kinda slow for a bit. I forgot there was technically two years(in universe time) between iron man 2 and avengers. I'll either do a skip, or we can do some more…interesting set up. We'll see as usual.