#11-Savages
"An aerial combat assist will raise your game to a level," Tony said to Cap as the two along with Twilight and Falcon were in the training room.
"You get it? Cause it's up high?" He asked.
"Yeah, we get it, very amusing," Twilight rolled her eyes.
"I like my boots on the ground, thank you. I don't want to rely on tech, and I don't need armor," Cap said.
"You're right. What you need is a way to keep up with me in case we don't have a sky-cycle around. Hence I took you boring butt kickers and I teched them up a bit."
"More tech does not always equal better."
"I don't think that's proper grammar," Falcon chimed.
"Dumbing it down for the genius."
"And we're ready. Look. Think of it like skiing on air."
"Last time I skied it was backwards down a mountain, firing a machine gun at Hydra agents."
"Well this will be better than that, and hot chocolate for you, if you don't break anything," Tony said as he turned on Cap's rocket boots.
"Whoa," Cap said as he was in the air. "Hey this, uh… Not bad, Tony!"
The boots send Cap flying through the place bumping into the wall.
"Hey! Time out! Stark, a little help here!"
"Uh, Stark, shouldn't you shut it down?" Twilight asked him.
"In a second Sparkles, this is what technology is made for," Tony recorded it as Cap braced with his shield as the boots came off and hit Falcon and Tony at their butts.
"And sometimes, it just kicks you the butt," Twilight remarked, holding her laughter.
"Five thousand hits and counting," Tony said. "Let me make a couple of adjustments."
"No thanks, you can keep the jet boots, I'll stick to my natural talents. I don't use technology as a crutch."
"But I do?"
"Not to be offensive. You think I'm afraid of tech and I think you're afraid without it. I mean you need the arc reactor to keep you alive, but the rest of it? Tell me you could go 24 hours without all your toys."
"Are we really doing this? A bet?"
"If I win, a whole week of basic training. 5 am wakeup, ten-mile runs, push-ups, pull-ups…"
"Won't happen but okay. And If I win, you test drive my next invention."
"Deal." Both men shaked on it.
"You are gonna make an awesome crash test dummy. When do we start?" Tony asked.
"Now," Twilight shut down most of the Tower with her magic.
Much later…
"Hey Stark, I can't seem to get the base differential to jive with the critical convergence value," Twilight asked him.
"Something's probably off with inverse power coefficients…" Tony went to his computer but Twilight handed him a pencil and notepad.
"What? I didn't make the bet. I'm making sure you follow the rules," Twilight smirked then walked away.
In the lobby, Tony was surrounded by standard tech trying not to cave in, then he saw his pad and touched it, but Applejack and Rainbow cleared her throats to grab his attention.
"What? I want to check the news? What if Manhattan gets attacked?" He asked.
"Here," Applejack tossed him a newspaper. "It's called a newspaper."
Tony rolled his eyes as the two mares chuckled a bit.
As time went by he walked by an elevator where Rarity and Pinkie are, the door opened but Rarity stopped him with her magic.
"We're 100 floors up," Tony exclaimed.
"That doesn't mean, you can't get some exercise," Rarity giggled as the two ponies walked in forcing him to take the stairs.
Hours later at the lobby…
"I'm done." Tony said.
"It's only been 96 minutes, Tony." Falcon said.
"You win. Give it!" Tony caved as Twilight hands him his phone.
"Now do you see how relying on tech dulls on your natural skills?"
"I like the 21st century. But I'm not the only one who relies on tech around here," Tony said as Falcon was on his phone, Hulk and Hawkeye were playing videogames and Pinkie was watching AFV (American's Funniest Videos)
"You're right. We should all give up tech for a few days," Cap said. "It could be a team-building exercise."
"You know that's a great idea." Tony smiles. "I bet none of you could last 24 hours in a totally tech-free environment."
"What are the stakes?" Hawkeye asked.
"Here's a good one, first one to cave in has to do Hulk's laundry," Rainbow suggested.
"Where's the tech-free environment?" Falcon asked.
"I know just the place," Tony said. "Thor? Hulk? Dash? Pinks? You guys stay here in case the world needs an Avenger or four. And me make a promise, if we're going 24 hours without tech, you'll go a day without destroying my stuff."
"Do you think of us as children, Stark?" Thor asked.
"Seriously don't touch anything," He said as they left the four alone.
"So, what are we touching first?" Rainbow asked as the four got smiles on their faces.
On the Avenjet…
"Come on, Tony, where are we headed?" Cap asked.
"You'll find out soon enough."
Then everyone heard Starlight's hooves tapping.
"Cosmos, relax."
"Sorry," she said with a sheepish look on her face.
"His version of roughing it is poolside in Cancun, with one cabana girl," Hawkeye said as he took a nap.
Hours later, the jet shook as Hawkeye woke up.
"That cabana girl does not sound happy," Hawkeye said as a group of pterodactyls attacked the jet.
"Are those pterodactyls?" Falcon asked.
"Yes. Yes, they are," Tony said as he forced a crash landing to an island. "A perfect emergency crash landing. On manual, I might add."
"You took us camping in the Savage Land?" Cap asked.
"You said we should get back to nature," Tony implied. "And what's more natural than a hidden, prehistoric enclave?"
"Perfect," Cap smiles.
"Coolest camping trip in history!" Falcon exclaimed as he took photos. "Can we see more dinos?"
"I doubt it," Tony said. "I picked a spot far away from the big guys. I like a good bet, but I'm not stupid. The 24-hour no tech challenge starts now," Tony said as the jet went invisible. "Jarivs is programmed to keep us out of comfort zone for a whole day. Unless this is too intense for you guys and girls?"
"Too intense? This is fantastic! Let's head into the jungle, to make camp, I'll lead," Cap as he and Tony went into the woods then others followed.
Back at the Tower…
"Ugh, I'm hungry!" Hulk exclaimed as tried to work the microwave.
"Uh, what are you doing, big guy?" Rainbow asked.
"Want popcorn!" He said as Thor chuckles.
"Friend Hulk, we do not need Stark's toys," He placed the popcorn pack on the table then raised his hammer. "Energy you need, energy you shall have!"
He summoned a lighting which popped the popcorn then Pinkie and Hulk took some and ate it.
"Not bad," Pinkie said.
"Let's try a watermelon," Hulk suggested.
"Oh, yeah, I'm down," Rainbow wore her amulet.
Back in the Savage Land, Cap was making a fire as Tony, Twilight, Starlight and Falcon were making a tent.
"You can't just put walls on a roof. You need adequate cross support, or it all collapses," Tony said.
"All you need is a counterbalance like this rock," Falcon holded one.
"I'm talking engineering, you've got a rock," Tony said as Cap managed to get the fire going.
"Haven't had to do that in a while," Cap said. "How's the shelter going?"
"I miss my lab," Tony said.
"Tony, think of this place as a lab. You;re the experiment. What're you going to find inside?" Cap said .
"I hate when you pep talk and I'm not in air conditioning," Tony said.
"And I hate being hungry, who packed the marshmallows?" Hawkeye asked.
"Unless they grow on trees, we don't have them."
"Dinner on me then," Hawkeye said, bringing a makeshift slingshot. "Behold, the super sling 3000 B.C.'
"No offense, Hawkeye, I might suggest not eating whatever you can shoot," Rarity said.
"Good point." Then she sees Falcon eating and uses her magic to lift a box of cookies.
"Really. Cookies?" Rarity raised an eyebrow.
"My mom made them and they're homemade, that counts as natural right?" He offered some.
"Yep." "Definitely." "I can live with that."
"I swear Pinkie makes her cookies with the weirdest stuff," Rarity exclaimed as the group heard roaring. "Please tell me that was Hulk, right?"
"Unless he can smell from way out here, no," Hawkeye said as they saw some triceratopses running to them.
"I take it back, I don't see any more dinosaurs."
"Guys, I swear, there wasn't supposed to be any dinosaurs, it said so on the SHIELD maps."
"Take cover," Cap said as they got off the dinosaur's path. "Let's take a scouting position in those trees."
Cap, Falcon and climbed to trees as Twilight and Fluttershy were in the air, Tony tried to climb one but failed.
"Okay, so I'm not a big climber. Big whoop. It's not like we're ever chasing evil squirrels or anything." Tony said he, Hawkeye and Starlight and Applejack gasped as they saw a T-Rex.
"Oh, sweet Celestia!" Starlight gulped.
"And I left the Hulk at home," Tony said as he threw a rock but it did nothing.
Then Applejack got on it, then rode until it crashed into a tree, then leaped off from where the large dino headed the forest.
"Not bad AJ. I mean seriously, I threw a rock at it."
"It's not about what you can't do, it's what you can do."
"I can tell you this… Those animals were after us. They were running away from something. And that's bad," Tony said.
"Are you suggesting, we dive right into an inhumane jungle, to find out what's scary enough to scare off a massive T-Rex with our wits and part of our sanity," Rarity exclaimed with an eye twitch then everyone looked at her. "Alright, okay."
The group went deep inside only to see a driller drilling.
"Who's drilling here?" Falcon asked as the drilling made a piercing sound.
"Vibranium, they're mining Vibranium," Tony realized.
"Isn't that the rarest metal in the universe?" Hawkeye asked.
"Rare, indestructible, and also dangerous in the wrong hands," Falcon reminded. "The only known source is Wakanda."
"Was Wakanda," A small drone dropped down on them showing Justin Hammer's image. "In case you miss the obvious signs, Avengers… I was here first."
"Justin Hammer."
"Tech master Justin Hammer," Hawkeye asked.
"Master is a bit strong, tech hobbyist, maybe."
"Tony, did you forget that he's one step away from the Cabal," Starlight said.
"One very small step, once I buy my way in with a pile of fresh minted vibranium. Wait a sec… Where are your Iron Man pj's? No toys? Well, in turn of events… Boys! We have guests!'
A group of velociraptors approached them with guns on them.
"Those are raptors with guns on their heads?"
"Yep."
"And that's my mind, snapping," Falcon said, as the raptors roared.
Then Applejack tied a vine around Tony's waist.
"Uh… AJ?"
"You're our best chance to stop Hammer and getting us out of here," Applejack said as she bucked him off.
"Do your thing!"
"What does that mean?" Tony exclaimed as he swung down to the ground away from the others just as a rock creature approach and put him back on his feet.
"Whoa.. uh… Thanks. I'm Tony. Mister, uh.. Rock Guy," Tony said, "You're not related to The Thing are you.
Meanwhile where Hammer was, he had contacted Skull…
"Skull, baby! I got the mother of all upgrades for ya!"
"I only care about the vibranium."
"Then how about a lifetime supply of it along with some Avengers. Would that sweeten the pot, Nein?"
"Ja. If you hold them until dawn. And that is a considerable 'if' Herr Hammer."
With Tony…
"SHEILD does now know about this," Tony said as the rock guy carried him to where a bunch of other rock guys then set him down.
"I am Brok. You are welcome here."
"You guys speak English?"
"There have been others who came before. We learn from them."
"This is great! With a stone army, we can take down Hammer's mining ring ."
Then Brok sighs, "Always, outsiders want to fight. We don't fight. We don't run."
"So, you just sit?"
"No, sometimes we craft the silent stone. And then we sit."
"But you saw Hammer's machine. It can chew through rock and I'm assuming rock-people," Tony argued, "Maybe it's time for a policy change."
Then all of them sat down.
"That is not in our nature. A thing can be only what it is. We are not fighters, but a small sun burns bright in you," Brok said to him, "You possess the same powers as the one who will destroy us."
"Hardly. All I've done on this trip is run circles and almost got eaten," Tony said. "Before I was a fighter, I was a builder. If you won't fight, will you help me? Help me build?"
"That we can do."
Much later… inside of a Hammer's Mine Site…
"I am somewhat impressed," Skull's voice was on Hammer's phone as he saw the heroes captured, "That does happen often, Herr Hammer."
"Get used to it, Skull, once I join the Cabal."
"Bring the body of Tony Stark, and you sit at my right hand."
"Problem, the raptors search the area. There was no body. Probably some dino's midnight snack ..."
"Search for him again. In the meantime, destroy the others."
The dino circled around the gang.
"Uh any brought live meat," Starlight gulped
Then Tony crashed onto the scene wearing a downgraded version of his armor that made out of rock.
"You are kidding me!" Pinkie and Twilight said.
"Jinx, you owe me a soda," Pinkie said to her.
"Do I have to say it, or do I have to, let's rock."
"This? This is what comes back with a literal rock suit," Hammer exclaimed, "Oh I can't bear to see how far you've fallen… Starky. Boys?"
The Raptor Gunners rushed to him and surrounded him.
"Before I get to buttkicking, this counts as using my natural skills, right?"
"Yes." "Sure does, partner." Both Cap and Applejack nodded.
"Good. I don't want to lose another bet."
Tony rolled away from them then looked at Hammer.
"You were so busy, tearing the Savage Land apart, you can't see what could make it, Hammer," Tony said as guns from the Raptors fired but the blasts did nothing, "That's high destiny crystalline obsidian. Only need to be centimeter thick to repel light and raptor claws."
He fend off a couple of raptor claw swipes.
"Vines of the Kantua Tree can be vulcanized and woven to the tensile strength of steel," He added as whack two raptor with clubs, "While also allowing elasticity."
"Meaning, I can jump, punch, move while covered in rock," Then he set his teammates free.
"Uh why do I get the feeling you knew this was going to happen," Applejack looked at Cap.
"You know me, as well as Tony. He's a builder. He doesn't adapt to the situation. He adapts the situation to fit him. Literally."
Pinkie rammed a raptor at high speed.
"Please be careful with them, they'll only be used by Hammer," Fluttershy pleaded as the rest knocked the dinos with Twilight lifted a pebble with her magic and chucked it at the last one.
"Now, which one said that a rock is a rock?" Hawkeye said.
"Someone who's probably realized by now he was wrong," Tony admitted.
"How on earth did you do all of this," Starlight was at a loss for words.
"Simple, Glimmer. I'm a natural leader, remember? I made friends," Tony said as he gave a thumbs up to Brok, who replied with a thumbs-up of his own then seconds later the rock dudes were being flown at Hammer's Mining Operation, destroying it in the process.
"This is not good," Hammer said when he came across Cozy Glow, Spellbreaker, and Tirek, "Uh… I can explain here…"
"Don't," Tirek said as Spellbreaker held him in the air. "For all you self-proclaimed brilliance, failure as always been expected of you, Mr. Hammer."
"What he means is, if we were to cross paths, expect it to be very unpleasant," Cozy said then Spellbreaker dropped him.
"That was only a small percent of what I can do," Spellbreaker grimly said as the three vanished.
Hammer glared at Stark, as a reminder for all past failures, then immediately grabbed a rocket launcher and aimed at him.
"Never again, Stark! Never again!" Hammer exclaimed then he fired, but both Twilight and Starlight created a shield to block the blast as Pinkie in a burst of speed buckled him to the ground.
Much later at Avengers Tower…
"What in the…" Twilight was lost for words seeing the place completely wreck.
"Only gone for the day, and the whole get trashed," Applejack said.