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Chapter Text

“Mortis, you had better have a very good explanation for this!!”

The physical manifestation of death didn’t even look over from what he was doing to reach up and catch the small, hard projectile that came flying at him. He turned and arched an eyebrow at the woman storming towards him with a thunderous expression on her face. “I would ask what it is I’ve done to invoke your wrath, but I was informed about 15 minutes ago.” 

The blonde growled and stepped into his personal space, poking him in the chest as she snapped, “Don’t even try and feed me your flimsy excuses, Mortis! You made a serious error, and one of my favored died because of it!”

The ebony haired male calmly reached to shift her hand away from his chest as he spoke. “I am more than well aware. The instant his file appeared on the desk, I knew something had gone wrong. And I think I know what happened.” Hearing this, the amber-eyed woman stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her crimson high-heeled covered foot on the floor. “Someone in that universe has been in contact with an Infinity Stone, possibly even multiple. My Master has been inundated with paperwork because of it, and he’s debating just hitting the reset button on the whole thing because of how bad it’s gotten.” 

There was a moment of silence before fingers tipped with crimson nails began tapping on the woman’s arm, a considering expression crossing her face at the same time. “Hm… perhaps the world doesn’t need to be reset entirely -- Just certain parts.” 

Mortis studied the woman in front of him, silvery gray eyes not betraying any of what he was feeling. “What are you planning, Veasna?” 

Slowly, a grin pulled at the woman’s lips, and she held out a hand where a single gold stone formed in it, and she toyed with the multi-faceted bauble as she looked back at Death. “Why don’t you and I go find your Master, dear brother. I have an idea.” 

---

“Well well, it’s been a long time since I’ve had you in my office, Lady Luck. What can The Nexus do for you today?” 

Veasna smiled at the man behind the desk as he stood and came around to greet her. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Hadrian. I understand you’ve been having some trouble with a particular universe recently.”

Emerald green eyes rose to the ceiling as if praying for patience. “Vee, I don’t get the urge to use the reset button very often, but I have never been so tempted to do so in my entire tenure as the Master of Death. The moment mortals start playing around with sources of cosmic power, things go pear shaped, and the amount of paperwork I have to file becomes astronomical.”

Lady Luck cooed and gently ran her fingers through the ebony black locks on the man’s head. “I can only imagine. I’ve actually come to talk to you about that.” She moved to sit in one of the seats in the office, gesturing for Hadrian to join her. “A mortal recently passed into your realm that was actually one of my favored. The use of the Infinity Stones actually caused a divergence for him that led to his untimely death.”

A deep sigh escaped Hadrian and he nodded. “Yes, I saw. I’m deeply sorry for that, Vee.”

“It’s no fault of yours, my dear. He is actually the reason I’m here.” She daintily crossed her ankles, giving the man across from her a piercing look. “I might have an alternative to starting the world over.” 

Curiosity churned within the emerald-eyed man, and he sat forward with an intrigued expression. “I’m all ears, Veasna. What did you have in mind?” 

---

“That… That’s so crazy it just might work.” Hadrian sat back with an awed expression on his face. “I don’t know where you come up with these ideas, but this one has the potential to fix what’s been going on. This way, I only have to rewind the world to a certain point-- Time owes me a favor anyway-- and we can execute your plan from there.”

The woman preened under the praise of the Master of Death. “Thank you, my dear. So, shall I take my favored off your hands?”

Hadrian hummed for a second before holding his hand out, where a peculiar ring sat upon it. He removed the piece and turned it in his hand three times, murmuring in an unidentifiable language as he did so. A moment later, he held his other hand out to catch the glass sphere that formed in the air, where a combination of red and gold mist swirled around a brilliantly glowing blue spark at the core. “I truly hope this works, Veasna.” He said softly, cradling the orb close for a moment with an unreadable expression on his face. “He went through so much in his life… he deserved so much better.” 

A pang of sympathy echoed in the woman’s chest, and she stood from her seat to approach him. “I will take care of him, Hadrian.” She reassured him, kneeling so they were eye to eye. Now that the Master of Death was holding her favored’s Soul Orb, the gravity of the decision and the consequences that came with it were finally beginning to set in for him. She sensed the change in him instantly, and desired to do all she could to support the ebony haired man. He was giving her an incredible gift, after all-- one that did not come without sacrifices. “He has paid his dues many times over-- Now, it is our chance to give him the life he deserves.”

After a second or two more, a resigned sigh escaped Hadrian as he looked up at her. “This will be the last time I lay my eyes upon him like this.” Veasna’s amber eyes softened and she nodded silently in affirmation. “He has such a beautiful soul, Vee… even after everything he suffered through, he never lost his brilliance.” He ended in a softer voice, rubbing his thumbs over the smooth expanse of glass as he stared into it, as if engraving the sight into his memory. "Look at how brightly he shines, like a star…"

Lady Luck reached forward to reverently brush her fingers over the surface of the soul orb, smiling tenderly at the way the colors within seemed to brighten and dance. “As vibrant in death as he was in life.” She agreed, falling silent afterward to give the man a few moments to collect himself.

Finally, Hadrian shifted and lifted the Soul Orb to press a gentle kiss to the surface, giving it one last look before raising his emerald eyes to meet Veasna’s amber again. “Take care of him, Vee.” He simply said, finally holding the glass out to her. 

The blonde gave him a soft, brilliant smile as she reached to take the soul from him. “You know I will, my dear.” She leaned forward to brush a kiss to Hadrian’s forehead before standing straight and sweeping from the room without another word. 

It was several minutes before the Master of Death managed to rise from his chair. Holding his hand out, a plain looking folder fell into it in a burst of silver sparks. He tenderly ran his hand over the name stamped into it, even as the file began to disintegrate into a shower of gold embers. As the last few dissipated into the air, he bowed his head as a tear escaped his eye.

“Live well, Tony Stark-- you’ve more than earned it.”

Chapter Text

“Thank you for your help, Vitus. I know this sort of thing isn’t done often, but…”

“Hush, Veasna. He is a special soul, and he was always fated to stand above others.”

It was the sound of two voices speaking in soft tones that pulled Tony back to the waking world, a content sigh escaping him at the feeling of being surrounded by warmth and comfort. The sound seemed to draw the attention of the two unknowns, and the second voice spoke again. “It seems your favored has awoken, Vee. I will leave you to tend to him and explain everything.”

The first murmured a soft ‘thank you’ before the click of heels came towards him, and a moment later fingers were gently running through his hair. “Welcome back, Tony,” The voice was warm, almost motherly, and the genius let his eyes slide open to see a woman with cornsilk blond hair and eyes of yellow-tinted amber sitting on the bed next to him. "I honestly didn't expect you to be up so soon. After an ordeal such as the one you've been through..."

Tony blinked at that before his own eyes widened in remembrance. "Rogers and Barnes, they-- they just-- he caved my chest in, left me--!"

Faster than he thought was possible, the woman had him upright and wrapped in her arms, gently soothing and shushing him. "I know, my dear, I know. I'm sorry they betrayed your trust so badly."

"I just don't understand... I thought he was my friend." The genius took a moment to calm and collect himself before pulling away to look the woman in the eye again. "So... Guess this means I finally kicked it, huh?" He asked in a voice that was resigned, sad, and slightly bitter.

Red tinted lips pulled into a small smile at that. "Not quite. You see, your death was not supposed to come for many, many years. It would seem that the use of the Infinity Stones caused your universe's timeline to warp and alter in a way that it shouldn't have. Because of that, things have been shifted around so that certain crucial events either happened later than intended, or not at all, and inversely some things happened far earlier than intended or even happened when they shouldn’t have. It's been causing so much trouble for myself and other parties that the Master of Death had contemplated simply restarting the universe entirely."

Tony suddenly held up a hand in a 'stop' motion. "Hold up, the who?"

"The Master of Death. His job involves protecting the multiverse from sources of unbalanced death, seeing as that is his domain. During the Battle of New York... What you saw through that wormhole is what drew his attention to your universe to begin with. Rather, who was behind it all."

Cognac brown eyes widened at that. "So there is something there! I told them, I tried warning them time and time again, but they wouldn't listen!"

The woman tucked her red high-heeled clad feet underneath her and gave him a smile. "Oh, there is absolutely something there. Your allies were fools to dismiss such, especially because his end goal involves wiping out all life in the universe."

Tony went completely pale at that. "Admittedly... That's a lot worse than I thought it was. How do you know, though?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask!" She gave him a bright smile and dipped her head in greeting. "My name is Veasna, I am the physical manifestation of luck and chance. I suppose you could call me Lady Luck." She laughed when she saw the incredulous look on the genius' face. "Is it so hard to believe, Dear Heart? You've met gods and seen aliens and all manner of curious things."

A sigh escaped the brunette at that. "Okay, that's a good point. But if I died in the bunker, what am I doing here?"

Vee smiled at that and stood from the bed. She held her hands out to him as she said, "Walk with me, and I will explain everything." Tony nodded and allowed her to help him rise. "It's true that you did perish in the bunker that day. However, as I have said before, that was not meant to happen. I was most displeased to learn that the soul of one of my favored had crossed into my brother's realm too early."

"Your favored?"

The blond nodded as they continued down a white marble, gold gilded hallway. "I have always had certain mortals that I bestowed my gifts upon more than others. You have always been among them, Anthony. Were it not for my influence combined with your intelligence, you would not have made it out of Afghanistan alive, nor would you have found a suitable core for your reactor. And it was my hand that gave you the extra push to not be trapped on the wrong side of a wormhole opened in the sky."

The genius was silent for a minute as he thought on that. "I understand the last one, and maybe even the second... But Afghanistan?"

A tinkling laugh escaped the amber-eyed woman as they passed into what appeared to be a lavish garden filled with all manner of unique and colorful flora. "An invasive operation done in the middle of the desert with unsterilized equipment? You would have perished from a post-op infection at least."

“That... Is actually a very good point." Vee sat on a bench by a fountain, and upon being gestured to join her, Tony sank down next to her. "But I still don't understand why I'm here and not in some weird afterlife."

"You're here because I went to the Master of Death myself to request your soul. Hadrian does not often contemplate the use of what he has dubbed the ‘restart’ button, but the situation had gotten so out of hand in your universe that he was seriously considering it. I offered a different solution." Vee sat back and gave the brunette a knowing look. "You were denied your chance at a good life, my favored. We would like to offer you a second one."

Tony stared at her for a while, eyes wide at the offer and the implications. Slowly, his expression became cautious and slightly hard. "What's the catch? There's always a catch to a deal this good."

The blond gave him a sympathetic smile. "There is, but not in the way you're expecting. You see, by taking this offer it would elevate you into a position similar to Hadrian's-- the Master of Death, I mean. The difference is that you wouldn't be death's master... You'd be mine." 

Cognac brown eyes blinked in stunned incomprehension for a moment. "How is that a catch?"

"You would be rather surprised at the amount of paperwork involved in something like this. In truth, the only real catch that comes with this sort of offer involves immortality. Sometimes, such a thing can be slightly off-putting to those offered, though I've never done so before you." Vee sat forward with her hands in her lap. "If you take this offer, you'll be able to go back and live life the way you choose it without the strings of fate binding you. You would have the power that comes from being a master of one of existence's Truths."

"I heard that word being capitalized. What is a ‘Truth’?"

A spark of excitement lit in Veasna's eyes. "Primordial Truths, absolutes that span existence no matter where you are in the multiverse. Life, death, order, chaos, luck, time... There are several others, but you get the picture."

Tony sat back with a considering look on his face. "Okay, level with me here-- if I take this deal with you, there are no strings attached, no fine print that involves me selling my soul to demons, no hundred thousand years of slavery before I get the power?"

The question startled a laugh out of Lady Luck. "No, goodness no! If anything, you'll simply be asked to check in on universes now and again to make sure my influence remains untampered with there."

"You're basically making me a god. Isn't there already one of yours in our world?"

The blond simply gave him a bright smile at that. "Actually, there's no god of luck and chance in your universe. How would you like to change that?"

Absolute silence fell over the garden for a moment as Tony considered her offer. There didn't seem to be a downside to any of it-- he'd cross the bridge involved with immortality eventually, but for right now... A grin slowly slid across the genius' face as he held out his hand to Vee. "Well my Lady, my life is a chip in your pile-- ante up!"

---

“Now! Before we send you back, we must get you kitted out properly. You will, of course, keep all your memories and knowledge that you had from before, but with several boosts thrown in by yours truly. If you're going to be my Ace of Spades, then you'll have all the power and clout one with your status should have-- I'll accept nothing less!"

Tony's lips quirked into a smile as he stood on the dais watching the red-garbed woman flitting about around various machines that looked suspiciously similar to slot machines, token drops, and an odd arcade machine or two thrown in for good measure. "What exactly are you doing down there, Vee?"

The blond gave him a sunny smile as she typed something into the machine in front of her. "You have several naturally occurring talents and traits already-- your score in intelligence is astounding, with your charisma at the exact same level. Your wisdom is just under those two, with your strength, dexterity, and constitution higher than normal, but still average."

A snort escaped Tony at that. "The way you're speaking, it makes me think like you're writing me a character sheet for some tabletop RPG game."

"Well, you're not wrong. It's fun being the dungeon master of life sometimes." The words got a full-blown laugh out of Tony, and Lady Luck smiled at having been able to put a smile so big on her Ace's face. "Now your stats have been adjusted accordingly--" Tony snorted out a laugh again at the reminder, "-- we have to actually apply said modifiers to you. You might want to brace yourself, this can be a bit intense."

Tony nodded and took a deep breath, and as he let it out an odd-looking runic circle lit up under his feet. Something in his very being jolted as if he’d been struck by a bolt of electricity, static zinging through every cell of his body and sparks filling in spaces he’d never even realized had been empty to begin with. Every hair on his body stood up on end as something inside him shifted , changing on a fundamental level. The sensation was gone within a minute, but it still left Tony bent over with his hands on his knees, gasping for breath. "Holy shit, reminds me of the time I got electrocuted trying to upgrade one of Natashalie's spider bites!" He finally managed to say, standing straight once he had his breath back. 

Veasna gave him a sympathetic smile as she helped him down from the dais. “I’ve no doubt, my Ace of Spades. Before we continue…” She pulled the genius’ head forward and pressed an almost motherly kiss to his forehead, and a comforting warmth filled Tony at the motion. The woman gave him a kind, joyful smile, one full of the sensation of home and kindredness and love. "You now have access to the full power bestowed upon the Ace of Spades and the knowledge of how to use it. But some of  that power requires tools with which to harness it!" She led Tony to a table, where several random objects seemed to be sitting. "The first item in your toolbox is one of the most important," She announced as she picked up a leather bag. “This is a bag of holding. It carries all of your various tools, and has the added benefit of granting you items that are useful in any situation you find yourself in. Simply express your intention, reach into the bag, and whatever you pull out will be what you need in that given situation.” She then gestured to the gold d20 laying on a pedestal. "The d20 is able to freeze time so you can access the other things in your bag, but it's also used in tandem with one other tool. We'll get to that in a second."

The genius studied the dice for a moment before turning his head in Lady Luck's direction, giving her an amused arch of his eyebrow. "Dungeon master, thy name is Veasna."

The blonde laughed at his proclamation before pointing to the next set of dice. "These are your d10 and percentile dice. They're used for prediction and determining the chance of something influencing a situation one way or another."

Cognac-brown eyes narrowed at the words as he tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Think of it like this," Vee scooped the dice into her hand, giving them a shake as she continued, "If you want to know the chances of someone's interview going well…" she tossed the dice, the d10 landing on a 5 and the percentile on a 30. "They've got a 35% chance of it succeeding."

A soft 'Oof' escaped Tony a that. "Those odds are NOT in their favor."

"Yes, but they're not 0%. And if you so desire, you might have the ability to change it-- that brings us to the last of your tools." She led him to a small glass box and lifted the lid on it to reveal what appeared to be a deck of cards and a few sheets of paper. "These are the Cards of Coincidence. With them, you can manipulate the threads of a person’s luck and destiny.” The woman plucked the papers from within and handed them to Tony. “There are 22 cards in total, each with a different effect. You can use a card at any time, but I would recommend against using them again and again-- you start taking penalties for each consecutive use past the first. It only lasts a week, though, so once that time has passed the penalty no longer applies. I suggest studying the list and making notes about what the cards do-- there’s some fun little pieces in there I think you’ll enjoy.” 

Tony hummed and began to read over the papers, and by the time he reached the end his eyebrows were firmly in his hairline. “Vee, you are basically sending me back to Earth as a bona fide deus ex machina. I would imagine someone able to wield this kind of power would garner some attention…” 

The Truth nodded with a grim smile on her face as she took the list back and collected everything, tucking it all into a pouch. “I’ve no doubt it will, Tony, and for a number of different reasons. You hold a position and power that only two others can claim-- domain over a primordial Truth. The Norns are already aware of your status, and respect that the threads they once held have been severed. I’ve no doubt you’ll also garner some attention from the local pantheon, though if they’re smart, they won’t try and confront you. There are a few others that will come into play, but for now, those are the two you need to watch out for.”

A soft sigh escaped the genius at that, and he accepted the satchel from the blonde. “Alright, I hear you. So… I know I’m getting sent back to a point in time where the universe wasn’t fucked six ways to Sunday. When exactly in the past will that be...?”

Veasna hummed as she gathered all of the items up to tuck them into a small satchel. “You have some say in that regard, Anthony. I am sorry to say that it must be after the events regarding your being held captive in Afghanistan.”

Tony held up his hand at that, an understanding spark in his eye. “Honestly… a part of me is glad it happened. I had my eyes opened to the damage my company was doing with its weapons, and I was able to put a stop to it.” He lapsed into a thoughtful silence for a few seconds before he looked back up, a small smile beginning to stretch across his lips. “Actually… I have an idea.” 

--- 

“Boss? Wake up, we’re home.” 

Tony jolted awake with a startled noise, looking around wildly for a moment before the sound of his chauffeur's voice registered, calming him immediately. “Thanks, Happy,” He mumbled as he stretched to work out the kinks. A moment later, he let out a startled noise of pain as the arc reactor situated in his chest made itself known. ‘ Shit, I completely forgot about that. Between the lung capacity and the palladium poisoning I know is gonna be a problem within the next year… Immortal physiology be damned. Project one-- arc reactor comes out of the body. ’ He quickly bade Happy goodnight before striding into the Malibu mansion, though he took a second to drink in the familiar setting and sights. After a moment, he called up to the ceiling, “FRIDAY, lights please.” There was no response, and a second later Tony closed his eyes as he remembered what was waiting for him in his living room. “Dammit… alright, let’s get this over with.” He turned and stepped into the living room, fully expecting to see Fury’s silhouette against the window. He stopped in his tracks when he failed to see anyone in the room. Yeah, this was not part of the previous timeline.

“Well met, Ace of Spades.” 

Tony whipped towards the sound of the voice, immediately locking onto the shadowy figure reclining in one of his chairs in the darkness. The title the female voice had used hit him a moment later. “Who the hell are you??” 

A rumbling laugh escaped the woman as she stood gracefully from the seat, the light from the window reflecting off something over her head as she moved. “I apologize for startling you, Anthony Stark. I know you were expecting another here-- rest assured, he will not be a problem.” She stepped forward into the light, revealing her 5’6” figure with ebony hair and horns, crimson eyes with slit pupils almost glowing with power. “My name is Minowa Norddahl, and I am an agent of the Master of Death.” 

Cognac eyes widened a bit at that. “The Master of-- you mean Hadrian?? That would make you a Reaper, then.” The woman dipped her head affirmatively. “So what are you doing here, and where’s 007?” 

"Nicholas Fury is dealing with a more pressing problem currently… though he doesn't realize it was set up so he would not make it here tonight." A smirk twitched at her lips for a moment before she became serious again. "As for my presence, I've been stationed here for the foreseeable future to aid you in whatever plans you have."

Tony arched an eyebrow at that, studying the woman with a critical eye. "So he sent you to help me? Why?"

Minowa's eyes slid to the side to gaze out across the moonlit ocean beyond the window. "Your death rattled and upset the Dinokthur immensely-- though I didn't pry, I believe you would have been one of us under different circumstances. When Lady Veasna offered you a second chance, he was ecstatic…"  she paused for a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing, "and he knows something is coming-- a threat of massive proportions. As the first of the deinmaar se dinok , the Reapers, I was the best choice to send as an ally against such a thing." 

The genius nodded at her words, absentmindedly stroking the bag on his hip with his thumb. “Yeah, and I finally have a name and motive to put to it. Thanos. He’s trying to wipe out all life in the universe in an effort to court Lady Death.”

“She’s not interested, I assure you, and she certainly doesn’t approve of Thanos’ show of devotion.” The woman turned back fully to the genius, eyes glowing with power. “Between the two of us, Ace of Spades, his plans will not come into fruition.” She took a few steps closer to Tony, her movements smooth and graceful, a predator’s gait. “I also come bearing a gift from the Dinokthur -- an apology, of sorts.” Getting a curious look in response, Minowa jerked her head up to the ceiling with a small smile on her face. “You are a man of many talents, Anthony Stark. But I do not believe even you know the full extent of your genius.” She held her hands out palms up as she continued to speak, and a glowing light began to form in them. “You created machines capable of learning, able to think and feel for themselves. Whether you know it or not, you have created life .” 

Tony swallowed hard as understanding finally dawned on him. He was back in the past, when he had first come out as Iron Man. 

Before FRIDAY had been brought online.

Before he’d lost one of his best friends. 

“JARVIS,” He croaked, his cognac brown eyes filling with tears as he briefly glanced at the ceiling, wondering why his AI hadn’t spoken up yet.

Minowa gave him a compassionate smile as the light finally burst outward to reveal an orb with brown, blue, and green swirling within it. “Offline, but only briefly. You see, you have created life, but it has been missing something crucial to being truly alive .” She held up the orb, and it began to glow with a brilliant white light. “This is our gift to you, Anthony.” The orb suddenly shattered outwards, light and energy radiating through the entire mansion and rushing over and through the walls and floors. 

The Ace of Spades staggered for a moment at the power that rushed over him, and once he’d gotten his bearings back he looked up at her in confusion. Minowa simply smiled and tilted her head with a knowing glint in her eyes. Before he could finally voice his confusion, JARVIS spoke. 

“ It’s so good to see you again, Antonio .”

Tony choked in shock at the name. In his entire life, there had only ever been a handful of people who called him that. Absolute silence filled the room for several seconds before he finally managed to speak again. 

“ Edwin ??” 

A soft, familiar laugh filled the otherwise quiet room. “ Hello to you as well, Antonio. It’s been far too long… Lady Minowa, please give Lord Hadrian my thanks for the opportunity to do this for Tony. ” 

Minowa dipped her head towards the nearest camera, the smile on her face growing. “Of course, Master Jarvis. He was happy to do this for you both. Oh, Anthony,” She took several steps forward to catch the man as he collapsed, heaving sobs escaping him, overwhelmed at the magnitude of the gift he’d been given. “It’s alright, Anthony, just let it out,” She soothed him, maneuvering them so he was curled up with his head against her chest over her heart so he could hear her heartbeat. Edwin began speaking gently as well, slipping into Italian as he’d done before when Tony was struggling with his emotions. 

It took almost half an hour for Tony to calm down long enough to get words out. “I c-can’t--” He hiccuped hard before continuing, “I can’t b-believe you d-did this for m-me,” He choked, pressing harder into Min’s chest. “You gave me back m-my dad .” He was unable to get any more out before bursting into sobs again. 

Slit-pupiled eyes rose to the ceiling again, giving the camera another smile. “You deserve to have your chance to live life to its fullest extent, Anthony. The mistakes of the past will not be repeated-- we will make sure you have your happiness.” 

“ We’ll be with you every step of the way, Antonio, ” The AI promised him with conviction in his tone, wishing desperately he could be there to physically comfort the man he and his wife had come to see as their own child as they watched him grow. For now, he would have to do with the presence of his voice and the hum of his servos in the walls. 

Finally, the exhaustion induced by the events of the day-- fuck, had everything involving Veasna and becoming the Ace of Spades only happened in what he perceived as the last day?-- forced him to succumb to Morpheus’ call, and Minowa didn’t hesitate to scoop him into her arms and stand, turning her eyes to the ceiling once more. “Edwin, if you could show the way to his bedroom…” 

“ Of course, Lady Minowa. ”

  ---

“So, you actually set a world back. I never thought I’d see the day.” 

Hadrian’s eyes flitted up from the paperwork he was doing to the chairs on the other side of his desk. “Well, it seems this week is full of surprise visits,” he said with a smile as he sat back in his chair, giving the newcomer a nod of respect. “And from the Voice of Life, no less. How goes things in the Echelon, Lysander?”

Molten gold eyes shone with familial affection as the man sitting in the chair waved him off. “You and I stand as equals, my friend, no need to stand on formality. They’ve been good, busy as usual! Although I must admit that this isn’t a social call.” Getting a gesture of ‘go ahead, he continued, “I heard that Veasna took a ‘master’ of her own, and about the circumstances of her doing so. The Echelon would like to offer our services as well.”

Green eyes blinked in surprise as Hadrian adjusted his glasses. “We certainly wouldn’t turn down the aid of the forces of Life, but… may I ask why ? Normally the Echelon only intervenes in places where the Darkness is starting to stir…” he trailed off, then gave a great sigh. “Ah. That’s part of why the universe was becoming unstable so fast, isn’t it?”

“Got it in one.” Lys reached to play with the tips of his brunette hair that transitioned to strands of solidified light that curled and rippled around his fingers on their own as he continued to speak. “Since you and Time set the clock back, we now have the ability to intervene and head things off before they get too bad.”

A soft hum of understanding escaped the Master of Death as he tapped his fingers on the desk. “I see… that would certainly make sense. And my eldest daughter is already stationed there as well… who were you thinking of sending?” 

The smile on Lys’ face turned to a knowing, mischievous smirk at that, and Hadrian suddenly had the ominous feeling that he was going to regret asking…

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 2 - Quest Markers

The sound of footsteps padding softly across the floor pulled Minowa’s eyes from where they were gazing out of the window and admiring the brilliant Malibu sunrise, and she gave the sleep-ruffled genius approaching her a fond smile. “Good morning, Anthony,” She greeted him quietly as she plucked two cups of coffee from the table next to her and offered one to the brunette as he stepped up next to her. “Did you sleep well?”

“Best I’ve had in years, in fact.” Tony confirmed with a grin as he grabbed the coffee and took a sip, only to pause before taking a bigger sip. “Okay, this might just be the best damn coffee I’ve ever had. Where did you even get this??”

Minowa gave him a knowing grin as she took a sip of her own. “It’s coffee one of my brothers is fond of. He brings it home with him every time he visits his friends with his husband.”

A groan of pleasure mixed with exasperation escaped the Ace as he took another mouthful. “Damn, so not exactly easy to procure… wonder if he’d be willing to bring me some?”

Crimson eyes glittered with mirth as the Dragonborn laughed outright at the expression of longing on the genius’ face. “I’m sure he wouldn’t mind doing that for you. It might even turn into coffee dates for you both-- many of the Reapers at the Nexus find it to be too strong for their liking.”

Tony gasped as if scandalized, placing his free hand over his heart dramatically. “Too strong?? Heathens! They simply have no taste for superior coffee!” The duo shared a round of playful laughter before calming down again. “How about you, Minowa? Did you sleep well? Did Edwin show you to one of the spare rooms?”

From the ceiling, Edwin called back, “ I showed her to the suite closest to yours, Antonio. ”

“The rooms are wonderful, and I had a restful sleep.” The ebony-haired woman reassured them both with a dip of her head. 

The genius nodded before falling into a contemplative silence, and the duo watched the sunrise in a comfortable quiet for several minutes. When Tony finally spoke again, his voice was soft, but full of determination and conviction. “It feels so surreal-- I’ve been given a second chance I never thought I’d get, nor ever thought I deserved. Now that I have it, though…” A smirk slowly stretched across his face as he turned to Minowa and held his mug up towards her, his eyes taking on a bright golden glow. “I think it’s time the cards were stacked in my favor. All in, Miss Norddahl?”

The grin she responded with was sharp and full of too many teeth as she raised her own mug and tapped them together. “Match, Ace of Spades. Where do we begin?” 

---

“First and foremost, this glorified nightlight needs to come out of my chest.”

Minowa studied the projection of the arc reactor in front of her, reaching out to twist and turn it in fascination. “I admit that the Dinokthur did not inform me of this technology’s purpose, only that it was vital to your continued survival at one point.”

From the ceiling, Edwin answered the unasked question. “ The reactor is keeping several pieces of shrapnel away from Antonio’s heart. Unfortunately, the core is made of palladium currently, so it will eventually start giving him heavy metal poisoning. It would be difficult to remove the reactor all together, though, seeing as it’s also holding his sternum together from its initial placement. ”

Crimson eyes narrowed as Min hummed, letting go of the projection to sit back with a thoughtful look on her face. “A damned if you do, damned if you don’t scenario, then. And were you to come up with a solution suddenly, it would surely raise questions with your friends and family.”

“Yeah, I can only imagine how that conversation would go. ‘Hey guys, so funny story, I’m actually a Tony from 2016 that got beaten to death by Captain America but then got brought back to life by Lady Luck herself who then proceeded to make me into what basically equates to a god, immortality included, then got sent back here so I can fix the timeline that was actually so fucked up that the Master of Death was about to launch universe_reboot.exe.’ I can’t see how that could possibly go wrong.” 

The completely deadpan delivery prompted a full blown laugh from Minowa before she fell into a pensive quiet. Finally, she slowly said, “I believe one of my sisters could help us in this endeavor. Let me make a request to have her sent here, I’m sure her input would be invaluable.” 

Tony nodded at the offer, a grateful expression clear on his face. “That would be awesome, thank you.” He made a quick note on his Starkpad before banishing the hologram and leaving the screen blank again. “On that note, though… we need to do something about these two.” Two new pictures popped up on the screen as the Ace continued, “Ivan Vanko and Justin Hammer-- the first is out for my blood because of something my old man did to his dad, and the second is a crappy businessman who had no problems busting the former out of prison to have him build weapons for him… despite the fact that he was in there for trying to kill me.”

Minowa’s lips curled back in a snarl at Tony’s words, the ebony-haired woman glowering at the picture. “It would seem to me that Vanko would be better off removed from the picture for good.If you wish it, I will see it done myself.”

Quiet filled the room for several seconds before Tony sighed and turned his eyes to the ceiling. “What do you think, Edwin?”

The answer from the being was slow and calculated. “ I admit, the fact that this man is out to kill you for a sleight your father committed is… alarming to me. It’s a grudge he’s seemingly held for years, so the chance of redemption is… rather slim. I am in agreement with Minowa in this matter. ” 

Tony hummed at that, and after a few seconds he reached for the pouch on his hip and withdrew the percentile dice. His eyes began to glow a brilliant gold as he gently shook them in his hand. “If Vanko remains alive, what are the odds that he comes after me in this timeline?” He cast the dice into the air and they tumbled in place in front of him for a moment before stopping. “53%...” He murmured, pinching his lips together in thought. The genius started to close his eyes before they suddenly flew open again, alarm filling them. He grabbed the dice again, though he didn’t vocalize the next question before he cast the dice again. 

84%. 

“Do it.” Tony said firmly, turning his eyes to Minowa’s curious ones. “With a number that high… I don’t care if the chance of Vanko attacking is almost 50-50. I’m not willing to play with that other number on the table.” 

The Dragonborn arched an eyebrow, but didn’t pry into the reason for the second roll. Instead, she gave him a bow and firmly stated, “Your will be done, Ace of Spades.” 

Tony nodded, but didn’t elaborate any further. He pushed Vanko’s picture away and turned his attention to Hammer. “As for him… I think the whole company needs to go. The problem is that they took over government contracts for their weapons after SI shut down weapon development. Even though Hammer is a slimy businessman with vastly inferior products, I don’t want to put them through that kind of debacle again so soon.”

Edwin hummed softly before slowly saying, “ Antonio, I have a thought on that. Perhaps it’s not the whole company that needs to go… just Hammer himself. ” 

“... Yeah… I think you’re right. But I think death might be a bit much on that end.” After a moment, the genius’ eyes lit up with unholy glee. “But I don’t need to kill him … I just need to kill his career .” He reached for the pouch again and pulled the cards from them. He began to flip through them, mumbling under his breath. “Aha!” He finally crowed, pulling one in particular and showing it to the Dragonborn and AI. “I think the card ‘Ruin’ will fit our purposes just fine. Hammer will lose everything , and we can make sure someone with actual skill and morals fills his position.”

Minowa held her hand out for the card, and she handled it with reverence when it was handed to her. “I have heard stories of these-- the Cards of Coincidence. They are tools of great power, completely disconnected from the strings of fate. Pray tell, what will this one do?” 

The Ace took the card back and held it up, and after a moment it and his eyes began to glow simultaneously. “The ‘ruin’ card is used in conjunction with this.” He pulled the d20 from his bag, showing it was glowing as well, “Whoever the target of the card is, they’ll be rendered completely destitute within however many days the d20 shows. Speak of which…” He gave the die a shake before tossing it into the air. 

A maniacal grin crossed Minowa’s face as the number ‘3’ showed up. “Oh, I can’t wait to see how this plays out.” 

The die and card both gave a brilliant flash before the glow faded, and Tony slipped them both back into their proper place. “Honestly, me too. It’s sure to be a fantastic show, that’s for sure.” He made a note on the screen before sitting back on his heels to think. “Those are the most immediate threats right now… But that doesn’t mean they’re the only things on the agenda that need addressing. If I remember the timeline correctly… Brucie-bear hasn’t broken Harlam yet, and shit hasn’t gone sideways with Point Break and Reindeer Games up in Asgard…” Seeing the flummoxed look on Min’s face, he quickly explained, “Bruce Banner is my science bro from before-- smart as hell, but he tends to keep to himself due to the other guy.”

“The other guy?”

“Yep. Let’s just say an experiment when sideways, and now he has this… other presence with him. Tends to pop out when he gets mad or stressed. We called him the Hulk. It’s… actually kind of hard to explain.” 

A hum drew Tony’s attention, and he turned to face Min and paused. Black had bled into the whites of her eyes, and when she spoke, a second voice was layered underneath hers. “ Believe us, you do not need to explain. We understand better than you think. ” The black receded, and Min gave him a small smirk. 

Tony blinked at the sudden display. “... Okay, I’m gonna need an explanation for that one.”

Min sat in one of the nearby chairs, crossing her legs. “I have a tenant in my mind. Our souls are bound together irrevocably. He is… zeymahi , my brother. One day, I will tell you the full story, but for now, believe me when I tell you he is our ally.” 

“Okay, I trust you on that. But I want the full story later.” He got a nod from Min before continuing. “In order to get Bruce back stateside, we need to get rid of a guy named Thaddeus Ross. He’s out for Banner’s head because he wants access to the Hulk. Ross is engaged in several illegal goings on, but pinning him down will be a challenge.” 

“ Antonio, perhaps I could be of assistance here. ” Edwin offered. “ Allow me the chance to root around and see what I can dig up about his activities. I’ll ensure they reach the proper authorities, hopefully that will be enough to get him out of our hair. I will also exonerate Dr. Banner’s record. ” 

Tony sighed with relief and nodded. “Perfect, keep me posted on how that goes. As for the other two, that would be Thor, god of thunder, and Loki, god of mischief. The history between the two of them is… complicated at best, considering they aren’t actually brothers. Not to mention that their dad, Odin, has been hiding that fact from Loki for his entire life.” 

Edwin gave a soft, almost exasperated sigh. “ That doesn’t seem like the kind of thing you would want to keep from your child… ” 

Tony snorted at that. “You’re absolutely right, especially because of his actual parentage. Let’s just say the two races don’t get along very well…” He tapped a finger on the desk, humming thoughtfully. “Unfortunately, that’s one of those things that has to be handled very delicately. Loki’s basically the redheaded stepson of the royal family, and it shows in the way they treated him. And from my understanding, the current version of Thor is an arrogant ass. The shit that went down between them is actually what led Thanos to be able to get a foothold here to begin with… granted, Loki was mind-whammied when it happened, so I don’t blame him.” 

A soft huff escaped Min as she tapped one finger on her arm. “It seems like it’s a delicate balance right now… but also something we don’t want repeated. So… how do we approach it?”

“You use the card in your boot, Ace of Spades.” 

Tony and Minowa jumped and turned to the new figure standing in the room, a man with brunette hair and dressed in white and gold shirt, pants, and boots. His golden eyes shone with kindness and a spark of playfulness as he looked upon them, but the most striking part of his appearance came from the wings on his back, both sets of iridescent white and gold feathers, the tips taking on the same glowing white appearance as the tips of his hair. Tony opened his mouth to question the newcomer when he felt Minowa’s hand on his arm. “Still, Anthony. He’s an ally.” Crimson eyes then turned to the man, and to the genius’ surprise she dipped into a small bow. “ Drem yol lok, Zulselaas . You honor us with your presence.” Seeing the confused look she was being given, she explained, “This is Lysander Prince, he holds the same position you and Hadrian do in the domain of Life.” 

“The title she used for me actually translates to ‘Voice of Life’.” Lysander added as he approached the two. “It’s good to meet you, Tony. Vee has had nothing but the best to say about you so far.”

Tony shook the man’s hand when offered. “Nice to meet you too. What was that about cards in the boot?” 

Lysander smirked as he held his hands out, and a burst of iridescent white flames burst into existence before fading away to reveal a circular, navy blue plate with curved lines and circles and stars swirling within it. “Odin has a rather sordid secret that he doesn’t want getting out. The existence of Loki’s children.” 

“Woah, hold on, what ??” Tony had to grab the edge of the desk to support himself. “Loki has kids ?? Since when??” 

The Voice tapped on the plate in a few places in a pattern only he knew, information scrolling across it following the lines and swirls. “He has four children, actually. They’re all adults now, though he has very little contact with them. Not for lack of trying. He has three sons, Sleipnir, Jörmungandr, and Fenrir, then one daughter, Hela. And it’s her that’s going to be your most important card. Hela is the goddess of Death in this universe, not to mention the one Thanos is trying so hard to impress.” 

Minowa studied the plate with a critical eye. “A Death Goddess… one who falls under Master Hadrian’s domain and purview. You believe she would help us with her father?”

Lys snorted and nodded. “Oh, I know she will. Odin separated Loki from all of his children almost immediately after birth, seeing as they were prophesied to bring about Ragnarok, the end of days. Which, I hate to tell you, is complete and utter bullshit.” He gently pushed and pulled various images and lines so they were separated from each other. “Speaking from a point of authority, there are certain prophecies that fall under the category of ‘self-fulfilling’. If we act now, we can kill several birds with one stone. First, we save Loki’s kids from the conditions they’re being held in. Frankly speaking, it’s torture. Second, we’re able to win Loki’s loyalty and keep him from falling into Thanos’ clutches. Third, we gain the services of a powerful magic user. Loki’s skills are second to none in most areas besides healing. Considering Asgardians see magic as a woman’s tool, I think he’d prefer the kind of environment we foster in that ‘if you have magic, then wave that flag high and proud’.” 

A snort escaped Tony as he rolled his eyes. “A woman’s tool? What the hell kind of misogynistic mindset is that??” He shook his head in disgust before continuing. “What do we know about the lot of them?”

“ From the research I have done, Antonio, quite a bit. And much of which you will not like. ” Edwin spoke up. The display nearby flickered to life, and the trio gathered around to read the information there. 

It took only thirty seconds for Tony to reel back, eyes flashing and glowing gold. “What the actual fuck?? ”

Min’s eyes glowed as well, black swirling in the whites of them from the force of her anger. “ Dukaan meythur !” 

“Oh, that is so much worse than I thought…” Lys muttered, looking a bit green. “I know there’s quite a lot that needs to be done, but all things considered, I think it might be a good idea to go get the four of them first. All those in favor?” The other three immediately voiced their agreement. “Perfect, motion carries. Should we divide and conquer?”

“Wait, before we do that…” Tony piped up. “Should we include Loki in this? I mean, right now he’s probably working under the assumption that his kids are being held prisoner. If we do this and he finds out after, he could become a wildcard.” 

Lys hummed softly, his head giving a bit of a cock and tilt as he thought. “... No, I think we’ll be alright if I make a quick pit stop before heading out. Thor’s mother Frigga has… shall we say prophetic abilities of her own, and she and Loki have a very good relationship. If I approach her and ask her to seek out Loki regarding what’s going on, she could send him our way without arousing suspicion.” 

Tony hummed and slowly nodded at that. “That’s probably our best option, then… Alright, who’s going where?”

Minowa held up her hand, the black once again having receded. “As the first of the Reapers, my word holds weight among the various death deities. Allow me to handle Hela.” The genius nodded at her words, the logic sound.

“Well, if I’m going to speak with Frigga, I could swing by and grab Sleipnir on my way back.” Lys added, storing the plate in his robes. 

“I guess that leaves Fenrir and Jör…” Tony hummed softly and thoughtfully. “Given what we know, Fenrir’s probably the more critical case. Seriously, bound in chains and sword through the jaw, who the fuck does that?” 

Lys sighed sadly and shook his head. “A fool with delusions of retention of power, that’s who… As for Jör…” He hummed thoughtfully. “... I think I have someone I could send to get him, a fellow member of the Echelon.” Seeing the confused look on Tony’s face, he quickly added, “The Echelon is basically Life’s equivalent of the Reapers.”

The genius gave a soft ‘ah, got it’ and nodded. “Okay, if you think they’ve got what it takes, then go for it.” He looked around and up at the ceiling. “Okay, we ready?” The other two nodded, but Tony suddenly said, “Wait, hold on. Let me just…” He rooted around in his bag again, pulling out a card. “Here, just in case. Lys, this is the Sun card, it bestows consistent good luck for a time.” 

“Ah, Tony, wait a second…” He trailed off as Tony held up the card. It began to glow before suddenly fizzling out. Seeing the confused look on his face, Lys gave him a sympathetic smile. “Would now be a good time to mention that beyond a few specific circumstances, being like you, me, and Hadrian are acausal?” 

Tony blinked in surprise at that. “... Upon further reflection, that would actually make sense…” He muttered, turning instead to Min. “What about you?”

Minowa gave him a sharp smile. “If you wish to grant me your blessing, I would be a fool to turn such an offer down.” The card was activated again, and the 17 the dice showed caused the grin to spread even wider. “ Kogaan, fahdoni , thank you.” 

Cognac eyes shone with appreciation at the genuine thanks as Tony stored his materials again. “Alright, now we’re ready. We’ll meet back here in the lab once we’ve got our people. Sound good?”

Lys nodded as he snapped his fingers, and a burst of iridescent flames surrounded him before falling away to show his robes had been replaced by a shimmering iridescent white bodysuit with some armored plating. “Sounds good. See you soon!” Another burst of flames surrounded him as he vanished from the room.

“I have… so many questions about the fire thing…” Tony muttered before turning to Min. The woman nodded with a sympathetic smile before a surge of darkness surrounded her in the same way. “Okay, now I have even more questions.”

Edwin chuckled softly. “ The latter I can easily explain, Antonio. The Reapers have a method of transportation they call corridors, the equivalent of magical wormholes that allow almost immediate travel from one point in a world to another. They’re connected to a system known as the Relay, which allows movement between worlds themselves. ”

Tony’s eyes lit up at that as he summoned his own power. “Instant teleportation from one point to another? I’d make a joke and say ‘holy shit, I want one’, but…” The sound of a metal coin being flipped into the air was heard as he turned on his heel and vanished from the spot.

“ Oh Antonio, what am I going to do with you… ”

Chapter Text

CHAPTER 3 - Escort Mission

Lysander swept through the halls of Asgard, completely unseen by anyone as he did so. Despite the urgency of the task at hand, he couldn’t help but admire the area around him, taking note of the architecture and greenery. Perhaps he was biased, but nothing would ever match the beauty and splendor of the Sanctuary. Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t take notes about elements to incorporate later. The sound of raucous laughter and voices pulled his attention away from the garden he was passing and towards a hallway. At the other end, he could see Thor and his group of friends speaking loudly with each other with smiles on their faces. His eyes then looked beyond them to see Loki standing off to one side, looking like he would rather be anywhere but there. “... Soon,” he softly promised the ebony haired man, heart aching at the obvious loneliness and other-ness he gave off. After another few seconds of observation, he continued on his way, now laser focused on the mission at hand.

It didn’t take long for him to locate Frigga, walking with a few other women. He tailed them from a distance, hoping he wouldn’t need to intervene too heavily to get her alone. Thankfully, it was only a few minutes later when the queen excused herself, breaking off from the group to head down a side hall. He slipped behind her, following at a respectful distance. Once they were alone, though, she suddenly stopped. Lys stopped too, already having an inkling as to where this was going. 

“... I know you’ve been following me for some time. Why don’t you come out and we can talk?” 

A bemused chuckle escaped the Voice as the queen turned to face him, one he allowed her to hear. “I should have known better than to think I could get anything past the beloved queen of Asgard.” He allowed the illusion he was using to fall away, and he swept into a respectful bow. “I promise I mean you no harm, though.” 

Frigga gave a soft laugh as she regally sat on a bench, patting the space next to her. “I know you don’t, my dear. Come sit and chat with me for a moment.” 

“Of course, Lady Frigga.” The brunette agreed as he swept over to the bench and did so, making sure to shift so his feathers were draped over the back. “If you know why I’m here, I would imagine you also know who I am.”

The queen nodded with a smile on her face. “I do, yes. You honor me with your presence, Voice of Life.” The smile slid from her face after a moment. “... You’re here about Loki, aren’t you? His heart has been so very heavy recently, and there has been naught I can do to ease his pain…” 

Lys nodded with a sad frown. “I am, yes. And I applaud you for trying so hard with the cards stacked so high against you.” He looked around for a moment before speaking again. “For what it’s worth? I think your husband is a fool for having kept it from him for so long.”

Frigga nodded in agreement with his words. “I encouraged Odin to be honest sooner, but he can be so very stubborn sometimes…” She looked out over the city for a few minutes, and Lys was content to sit and be a silent companion for that time. Finally, she turned her attention back to him. “Between you, the Master of Death, and the Ace of Spades, I know Loki and his children will be safe with you. Go, free my grandson. I will call Loki here and tell him what I know.” 

The Voice nodded and stood, resettling his feathers as he did. “Of course, Lady Frigga. I swear they will always be safe with us.” 

The Queen hummed and nodded her approval before giving him a slightly teasing smile. “Oh, and one more thing… make sure to take care of my son.” 

Lys blinked in confusion, giving a head tilt. “That… was always the plan, Lady Frigga.” Frigga hummed a chuckle, eyes sparkling knowingly as she shooed him away. He paused for a moment before shrugging and turning, the illusion hiding him once again as he walked away towards the stables. 

Frigga waited until she was sure Lysander was gone before giving a soft laugh. For as much as the Voice of Life was able to See, sometimes it took seeing the future of someone else to know another’s future. She waited until one of the servants found her, and she asked them to find Loki and bring him to her. She had much to impart upon him.

- 

“That was a little weird…” Lys muttered to himself as he peeked into the various stalls of the stable, trying to find his quandary. “‘Make sure to take care of him’, she says, as if that wasn’t already obvious…” It only took him another minute to locate Sleipnir’s stall, and a soft huff of annoyance escaped him at the various spells woven into the door and lock. “Paranoid bastard…” He grumbled before holding up a fingertip. A small point of iridescent flame flickered to life like a lighter, and he quickly drew a series of symbols in the air with it. The symbols flashed and imploded, then the various spells and enchantments simultaneously flickered out of existence as if they’d never been there in the first place. He quickly pulled the door open and slipped inside, closing it behind him before turning to face the other occupant of the stall. The eight-legged horse had his face in the far corner, looking forlorn and defeated with the bit and bridle still attached to him. “I’m going to assume those are spelled to hell and back as well,” Lys drawled as he dropped his illusion, causing the horse’s attention to snap to him. He held his hands up for a moment to show he was unarmed. Well, physically, at least. “Easy. I’m here to jailbreak you.” 

‘ Who are you, that you would attempt to do so? How did you get past the Allfather’s spells on the door? ’

Lys wasn’t even phased by the voice that rang through his head as he approached the stallion. “For now, let’s just say I’m a friend with a vested interest in freeing you and your siblings and getting you reunited with your… I suppose for you it would be your mother.” He held his hands out in offering, and after a moment of hesitation Sleipnir rested his head in them. “Mm, yeah, enchanted to the nines… alright, brace yourself. Dissolve.” The word carried a resonance that caused the world itself to ripple oddly, and a moment later the magic vanished from the headgear. 

Sleipnir startled a little at the sensation, even as he allowed Lys to pull the gear free. He gave a relieved whinny before beginning to glow brightly, shrinking and shifting until a tall male with dark brown hair and deep brown eyes remained, and he gave Lys an appreciative smile and nod. “I know not what manner of seiðr that was, but it has granted me my freedom. For that, you have my gratitude.” 

“You can thank me when we get you to safety, you and the rest of your siblings.” Lys made a hand motion, and he pulled a length of cloth from seemingly nowhere made of the same material as his body suit to hand to Sleipnir. The man wrapped it around his shoulders with a grateful nod, and Lys took one more look around before moving to the door. He drew another series of symbols on the door before turning back. “That should erase our presence and keep the Allfather from catching wind of your escape for a while. Grab hold and brace yourself.” He offered his hand to Slei, and once it was taken the duo disappeared from the stall with a burst of flames, leaving only the bit and bridle behind on the floor. 

--- 

“Well, this is certainly a charming place to be imprisoned…” 

Tony shook his head as he strode across the island, the land misty with sparse vegetation, a few stray pine trees littered here and there. The only sounds that could be heard were the gentle lapping of waves in the distance, the light breeze rustling what little greenery there was, and the mournful whine of some animal. “Gonna go out on a limb here and follow the sound of the animal in distress.” He said to himself as he began jogging in the direction of the sound. It took only a few minutes to reach the source. The massive wolf was chained in the middle of a clearing, pinned down to the ground with a sword through its muzzle to keep it shut. Golden brown eyes snapped to Tony as the genius approached, a deep rumbling growl emanating from his chest. “Easy, Lassie,” Tony soothed him, holding his hands up in a gesture of ‘I’m not a threat’, “I’m here to get you out of here.”

The growling cut off, instead replaced by a confused whine. “Look, I promise we’ll give you an explanation later, but I’ve got people working on breaking your siblings out of their respective prisons, too. For now, I need you to trust that I’m here to help. Can you do that?” 

After a moment, a voice rang out in Tony’s head. ‘ You do not smell of deception… and it is unlikely I will ever be granted the chance of freedom again. Do what you will, oh immortal one. ’

The genius wasn’t going to question how Fenrir could possibly know the nature of his being. Instead, he approached the chains to study them. “I know conventional weapons and magic can’t cut through these things…” After a moment, he reached down and into his bag. “I need something capable of breaking through unbreakable chains.” Something immediately pressed into his hand, and he pulled the item out. “This is… a knife.” He said incredulously, studying the weapon. It had a silver handle and a blade so black that it seemed to absorb all light around it. “How is a knife supposed to help me??” He questioned.

‘ Let me see it, immortal one. ’ Tony held the blade up, and Fenrir snorted softly. ‘ That is no ordinary blade. I have heard of weapons with an edge so fine that it cuts through reality itself. That is the manner of blade you have there. Test its edge against the chains that hold me, and they will fall to it. ’

“Oh shit, now we’re cooking with gas,” Tony said as he moved to a length of chain closer to the ground. If the blade was as dangerous as Fenrir said, he did * not * want to potentially cut the wolf with it. He started a slicing motion with the blade and made a shocked sound as the weapon cut through the chain as if it was nothing but air. “ Woah , okay. I kind of want to keep this, but I’d be afraid of chopping some part of my body off. How do you even keep something like this on yourself??”

‘ That is the curse of such weapons, ’ Fenrir replied, remaining still as Tony worked, ‘ They are as likely to kill their wielder as they are to kill their target .’ 

“Yep, there’s the catch.” The genius snarked as he made quick work of the various chains. He pulled them off and over to one side before turning his attention back to the sword. “Okay, this has me stumped. How am I supposed to get the big fuck-all sword out of your jaw without you bleeding out?” 

Fenrir snorted a bit with amusement. ‘ The sword is meant to pin me here, not keep me injured. The wounds have long since healed, although that does not mean having the sword pulled out in the wrong manner would not re-open old wounds. Were you able to dispose of the sword without moving it… ’

The brunette hummed as he slipped the knife back into the bag. “Okay, that means I need something capable of removing a sword without physically moving it… hang on. Fenrir, is the sword magical in any way?”

‘ Considering it has retained its edge the entire time I have been imprisoned here… ’

“Perfect. Hang tight.” He moved several feet away, pulling his cards from his bag and sorting through them before pulling two. He set one on the ground before coming back over with the other. The card glowed brightly before flashing once. Immediately the sword vanished in a similar flash, appearing on top of the other card that had been placed a ways away. “Don’t move,” He told the wolf as it shifted as if to stand. He pulled another card and the d20 from his bag and stepped up as close to Fenrir as possible. The card flashed and a 9 appeared, but he could have rolled a 1 and it wouldn’t have mattered. All at once, a ripple of light washed over Fenrir, healing the various wounds and sores on his body, the hole in his jaw closing up all at once. “Okay, now you can move,” Tony said as he stored the Moon and Talon card, briefly jogging over to the sword to nab the anchor card. 

Immediately Fenrir stood to his full height and shook himself out, then raised his muzzle to the sky and let out a long, triumphant howl. ‘ It has been countless years since I have had true freedom. ’ He said as he padded over to Tony, laying down so he didn’t tower over him so much. ‘ For this, you have my eternal thanks and absolute loyalty, immortal one. You mentioned my siblings? ’

“Yeah, we’re breaking them free of their respective prisons as well.” Without thinking, he reached to set a hand on Fenrir’s snout, giving it a soothing rub. “For now, how about we get out of here and get you something to eat and drink? I bet you haven’t had a decent meal in ages.”

The massive wolf gave him a sharp, canine grin. ‘That it has, immortal one. Lead on and I shall follow. ’

---

“My my my, how long has it been since I’ve had the honor of hosting one of Hadrian’s children in my halls? And the eldest among them, no less. How lovely to see you again, Minowa.” 

Minowa smirked at the woman who approached her, getting an equally sharp one in return. “ Drem yol lok, Jud Hela. I hope you’ll forgive me the unannounced visit to your domain.” She greeted the goddess of death, even as she kept scratching behind the ears of the massive hound she stood next to. 

Hela chuckled as she swept up to Minowa to also love on the dog. “Nonsense, you and your brethren are always welcome in Helheim. Garm, I know you are enjoying the benefits of Minowa’s presence, but there will be time for such attention later.” The massive dog whined in disappointment, but backed away to stand guard again. “Now, what brings you to my realm, Lady Dragonborn?” The goddess of death asked, gesturing for Minowa to walk with her. 

The Reaper fell in step next to her as she spoke. “I’m sure you’re aware of the current goings on in the mortal world, as well as the… shift , shall we say.” 

“Oh, you mean the feeling of the very fabric of reality being mended and straightened and the redistribution of souls that came with such?” The ebony haired woman laughed with a cutting mirth, taking a glass of wine from one of her ghostly servants as he approached her, handing a drinking horn of mead to Minowa as well. “It was hard to miss.” 

Minowa chuckled as well, giving a soft ‘thanks’ before sipping from the horn. “It was necessary,” she continued as they walked. “It was either that or the Dinokthur hitting the reset button.” 

The words caused a solemness to fall over her companion. “It was truly that dire, then. Why rewind the nine realms instead, then?” 

“A specific mortal ended up dying that was not supposed to. Lady Veasna’s Ace of Spades.” 

Hela paused mid-step, arching a well-manicured eyebrow at Minowa. “The Ace of Spades? So she took a master of her own, then. That makes three now, correct?” 

Minowa nodded with a grim look. “ Geh , and the other one is currently working directly with us.” 

A silence fell over the two as Hela led the way to one of the high walls of the palace, looking over the frozen, misty landscape that her realm was known for. Minowa could appreciate its beauty-- it reminded her so much of home. “For three different Primordial Masters to have gotten involved… things must be more dire than even I had assumed.” She finally said with a solemn air. “And if the Voice of Life is involved… that means the Echelon is as well.” Minowa nodded in confirmation, and the duo fell into silence again. “... If I could leave this place for any great time, you know I would offer my aid as well. I have no desire to entertain Thanos’ absurd courting gestures.”

“Funny you should say that.” Minowa fully turned to face her. “We’ve made the executive decision that you shouldn’t be bound to this place anymore. Normally we wouldn’t want to attract the attention of the Allfather, but considering my allies are in the midst of freeing your brothers…” 

Hela’s hand tightened minutely on her glass. “... I know you, Minowa Norddahl. You would never jest about such a thing.” She turned to face the dragonborn fully. “... What must I do?” 

Minowa simply smirked, eyes glowing crimson. “You are no longer bound to this place. All we ask is that you aid us.” 

A moment of silence passed before Hela suddenly laughed. “I had forgotten the gift you received upon becoming a Reaper, my dear. How deliciously poetic, that the chains of the Allfather can be undone so quickly and effortlessly by naught but the will and whims of another.” She sipped from her drink again, savoring the taste. “Of course, this is still my domain, these are my people. I may not be bound to it, but I have served as Helheim’s queen for too long to simply give up the position now.”

The words caused a laugh to escape Min. “As if we would ever ask you to. No one could fill the role of Goddess of Death as well as you do, anyway.” She gave Hela a sharp, mirthful grin. “Could you imagine your oaf of an uncle trying to fill your shoes?” 

The mental image caused them both to break into sharp, cold laughter. “He wouldn’t last a day , I assure you,” Hela said once they had calmed again, and the two women sipped from their drinks again in companionable silence for a minute. “I will make arrangements here,” Hela finally spoke, “then I will join you and your allies. It has been far too long since I’ve had a vacation. But for now…” she tilted her wine glass in Min’s direction with a smirk, “I’m sure you have the time to catch up. Besides, I heard the most… intriguing gossip about you.” The words garnered an eyebrow arch from the Dragonborn, and Hela smirked wider. “Do not think for a moment I do not know that the impressive bruise on your neck is anything less than what I know it is. So he finally claimed you fully, hm~?”

Minowa sighed fondly at that. For as cold and aloof as she tended to be, the queen of Helheim was an absolute gossip. 

—-

The sound of soft, measured footsteps echoed through cold, wet tunnels as an ebony-haired male swept through them, seemingly unbothered by the limited light provided by the small device hovering over his shoulder. “Of course the World Serpent would be bound at the bottom of the Ocean. And the Mariana Trench, to boot.” He sighed, his smooth timber echoing alongside the soft ‘drip drip’ of water onto the floor. 

“I still think the Allfather should stand trial for reckless endangerment, child abuse, holding a hostage, and whatever else we could possibly pin on him.” A mechanical voice piped up from the floating shell over his shoulder, the being bobbing and plates shifting to convey a glare from the optic sensor in the front. 

The man hummed in acknowledgement, though he didn’t break his stride. “I agree with you, Helix. But unfortunately, we can’t play judge, jury, and executioner. We can only move to fix the damage he’s done. Speak of which…” 

The tunnel opened up to a massive domed chamber, the center consisting of only a vast pool of seawater. Helix hovered over the water, a beam shining from his scanner over the water for a few seconds before he returned to his companion. “I’m sorry, Xirsza, I can’t get a read on how far down it goes. But judging by the size across and the width of these tunnels, I’d say this is the metaphorical front door.”

The light blue sparks amidst the deeper, darker blue of Xirsza’s eyes seemed to shimmer and flash as Xirsza knelt by the edge of the water. “Well, if that’s the case… the only polite thing to do is knock.” He lay his hand flat on the surface of the water, and a ring of black and red crackles seemed to pulse away from his palm in a perfect circle, not disturbing the surface of the water physically even as the magic traveled across it. 

Seconds later, a deep rumble echoed through the chamber and halls, the surface of the water beginning to churn and swirl. “Back up, back up, back up!” Helix yelped, even as Xirsza was already vaulting backwards and away from the edge. A wave of water surged over the edges of the pond as a great head breached the surface, the serpent’s head towering far over them as a pair of green eyes with black sclera slid open and locked in them. Xirsza remained completely still, his posture loose and relaxed even as the brine pulled at his legs, rushing back to its point of origin. 

There was silence for a few seconds before a voice projected into the chamber around them. “ Did you actually do the equivalent of ringing a metaphysical doorbell ?? ”

Xirsza gave the massive serpent a smile and nod. “Willing resident or no, this is your home, is it not? It would be rude to do otherwise.”

A massive tongue flicked out from Jörmungandr’s maw as he lowered his head to be closer to their level, scenting the air curiously. “ I would say you are a very strange mortal… but then again, you aren’t mortal at all, are you? ” He turned his attention to Helix. “ And you… I haven’t a clue as to what you are. ”

“More often than not? The voice of reason and holder of the brain cell.” Helix drawled in response, getting a soft laugh and a ‘hey!’ from Xirsza along with a light, fond shove. 

“ Ha! I like you, little thing. You have a good sense of humor. ” The tongue flicked out again, this time managing to bump Helix’s chassis. The indignant squawk was ignored in favor of Jör turning his attention back to Xirsza. “ So, what brings a Perpetual to my humble abode? ”

The sparks in Xirsza’s eyes gleamed again as he replied, “We’re freeing you and your siblings from your prisons in preparation to stop a universal threat to existence from wiping all life from the fabric of this reality as a courting gift to your sister.” 

The silence that descended over them lasted several seconds before the Midgard Serpent spoke again. “ For a one sentence summary of current events, that is quite a lot of information to unpack. ”

Helix piped up, “Oh we know, and we’ll have time to go over all of it later when we’re back up top and somewhere dryer. Xirsza?”

Xi nodded and calmly reached out to pat the massive serpent’s snout. “You’re free to leave, and you won’t have to worry about being tracked or captured again. Let’s go join your siblings.” 

The serpent pauses before rearing back in shock. “ What manner of magic was that ? It’s like the spells that bound me simply vanished! ”

“Oi! Escape now , explanations later. ” Helix interrupted before Xi could open his mouth. “Just because we’re free to leave at any time doesn’t mean that time should be later. ”

Jör hissed and nodded at his words, and his body was engulfed in a bright white light that seemed to implode in on itself. The light coalesced on the shore and faded to reveal a human male with deep green hair and eyes identical to that of his serpent form. “You’re right, I have zero desire to remain here any longer than necessary.” Xirsza helped him to his feet, and he was forced to lean against him for support for a moment. “It has been some time since I’ve been in my human form…”

Xirsza nodded, more than willing to remain there for a moment as the man reoriented to his smaller, bipedal form. “Now that you’re in it, there’s something crucial we need to get you first…”

“Oh? What is it? It must be something of importance… ah! Food!”

“ Pants .”

“… That too.”

Chapter Text

Cognac eyes watched with fascination as interlocking triangular panels seemed to flip into existence from nothing, each covered with flowing symbols and lines that crossed each other and formed intricate spell circles. “So this is your schtick, huh?” Tony asked conversationally as he watched the manifestation of the panels follow the slow, sweeping arch of Xirsza’s arm, steadily forming a dome of crackling red and black magic over the Malibu house. 

“Shields, wards, and barriers, yes.” The ebony haired man didn’t stop or slow the graceful, sweeping motions of his arms and body as he continued, “That’s my whole job in the echelon, along with teaching others how to do what I do… albeit not in the same way.” The dome finally gave a bright flash and gave off a buzzing, distorted crackle before winking out entirely as if nothing had ever been there. “That should do it.” He hummed with a nod of approval before turning back to Tony. “You didn’t have to stand out here with me while I did this, you know.”

The genius shrugged as they made their way inside. “Hey, I was curious when you mentioned being able to make this place untouchable to anything that isn’t a universal truth or master. Can you blame me?”

Xirsza gave a soft laugh and a shake of his head. “No, I suppose not. I keep forgetting you’re not used to seeing displays like this.”

“The Echelon is an organization of many people with many talents,” Lysander said conversationally from his place sitting at the bar with Minowa, who raised a bottle of mead in their direction. “And Xi specifically is a special case. Although I’m sure your husband would agree with me on that end for other reasons, hm Xi~?” The Voice gave him a shit eating grin at the ribbing. 

The insinuation caused Xi to trip over his feet a bit, his own wings flaring out a little at the same time and accidentally knocking Tony into a chair. “ Lys ! Must you?? Ace, I am so sorry about that…”

Tony couldn’t help but laugh as the ebony-haired man helped him up. “No no, you’re fine. I thought it was funny. What did he mean, though, about being a special case?”

A glass of brandy was passed to the blue-eyed celestial as he sat on one of the cushier ottomans near the bar. “He’s referring to my lineage. I’m a son of the universal Truth of Chaos.”

A moment of silence passed, Tony taking a sip from his own scotch. “Mm… yeah, sorry, I can’t see it. You’re nothing like I would imagine any kid of Chaos would be like.”

“Exactly.” Helix piped up as he manifested over Xi’s shoulder. “That’s the point. He goes against the expected.” 

Tony thought about that for a moment. “… Oh— oooh ! So by being the antithesis of what someone would expect you to be—“

“I live up to my birthright,” Xi finished for him, raising his glass in a toast with a momentary smirk. 

The group laughed at that for a few seconds before falling quiet again. “How are the others settling in?” Minowa finally asked, glancing towards one of the hallways. 

“They’re doing okay. I set them up in one of the bigger guest bedrooms, seeing as Fenrir hasn’t wanted to leave his wolfy form.” Tony swirled the drink in his glass with a sad frown. “I doubt we’ll be seeing any of them until tomorrow. They all seemed so… exhausted . I mean, I was able to take care of Fenrir’s injuries, and Hela was already in perfect shape, but Slei and Jör? They’re gonna need time.”

Min nodded with a sad hum. “And that is speaking from a physical standpoint alone . They have emotional and mental wounds that will need special attention. They have all been isolated for so long…” she rubbed her chest with one hand, something flashing over her face— raw and agonized and haunted— before it was hidden away again. “… Sometimes, that is far worse than any physical wound.”

Tony couldn’t help the morbid curiosity that welled up for a moment, but he quickly squashed it down. He knew from personal experience that there were some wounds and scars you just didn’t pick at. If she was going to share, it would be in her own time. “Alright, so we have Loki’s kids here safe and sound. Now we need to figure out where to go from here.”

“ It’s best if we put Loki himself on the back burner, ” Edwin spoke up. “ Frigga said she would speak to Loki on our behalf, so we need to let him come to us on his terms. The things she has to share with him are going to be a shock. ”

Golden eyes gleamed with sadness as Lys nodded. “At least we can keep his children safe and happy and cared for in the interim… When he finally shows up, he’ll have that comfort waiting for him.”

Xirsza sipped from his glass again as he nodded as well. “I agree. Let’s put Loki to the side for the time being. Is there anyone else we should focus on?”

The words caused Tony to suddenly sit straight in his chair with a look of realization. “Actually… yeah. There are a few I can think of.” Seeing that he had everyone’s attention, he stood and moved to a nearby table to pull up a screen. “I’ve been doing some thinking about what happened… you know. Before all this. Before the timeline was set back.” He tapped a few things as he continued talking. “The Avengers… Bruce wasn’t wrong about what he said. We weren’t a team, we were a ticking time bomb. What happened with the Accords proved that. But part of the reason for that is because we were forced to work together in a very hostile environment under the annoyingly paranoid and watchful eye of one Nick Fury.”

“I know who you’re talking about,” Minowa drawled, an expression of contempt and exasperation on her face. “I made sure he was elsewhere last night so he didn’t have the chance to jump you. From what I know about him… loathe as I am to say it, he’s not a bad man. It’s his methods that leave much to be desired.”

“And I’ll give him credit, his organization isn’t that bad. Got plenty of good people in it too. Although it was a bit of a shocker to find out how much of it was HYDRA, after all the files got info-dumped during that whole debacle with—“ Tony suddenly froze mid-sentence, eyes going faraway. 

An expression of concern flitted across Lys’ face as he put down his drink. “Tony? Are you alright?”

A few seconds later, a grin slowly stretched across the genius’ face. “I just got an idea on how to prevent a fuck-ton of SHIELD-made problems from occurring again. But we’re gonna need a certain Snowflake to pull it off.”

There were several seconds of silence before it clicked. “James Barnes.” Xirsza said, expression thoughtful. “Get him on our side and Steve Rogers will follow.” 

“And that would keep either of them out of SHIELD’s manipulatively grubby hands.” Helix added, giving a decisive bob.

“Bingo. And between the lot of us, I know we can figure out where he is and how to break him out of his icebox prison.” Tony’s brow furrowed in thought. “Although… there IS a problem. I don’t have the tech to help him with the trigger words like I did before. So I don’t really have any ideas on how to help with that.” 

The sound of a new female voice cutting through the room drew everyone’s attention to the front entry. “Fortunately for you, Ace of Spades, healing of all kinds happens to be a specialty of mine.” A blonde woman approached with quick, purposeful steps, blue and tan robes lightly billowing around her as she moved. A glowing gold sword was strapped to one hip, and a medicinal kit was slung over the opposite shoulder. “I would have been here sooner, but Julienne had another incident.” She addressed Min, amethyst eyes locking with her crimson. 

“Thresher Maw?” The Dragonborn sighed in fond exasperation, even as she stood to embrace the blonde.

“600,000 years and she still manages to pull these stunts! Oooh, I’d rake her across the coals and throttle her if it weren’t for my healer’s oath! Why no one has bothered taking her driver’s license is beyond me!”

The ebony haired woman laughed at that before turning back to the rest of the group. “Lysander, Xirsza, I know you’re already familiar with Bri. Ace, this is Archmage Bridget Arendottir-Ivorsen, foremost expert in restoration magics and healing of all kinds. Bridget, may I introduce Tony Stark, Ace of Spades.” 

Bridget wasted no time in shaking his hand, momentarily  surprising the man with the firmness of her grip. “Honored to meet you, Ace. Min told me you need my skills. I take it she wasn’t just referring to these ‘trigger words’ you just mentioned?”

Tony snorted and shook his head, pulling up another screen. “If only. Beyond the brainwashing, James has been in and out of cryostasis for the better part of… eh, back of the napkin math says 60, 70 years. His buddy Steve is currently trapped in his own ice box, we should probably get him asap and start thawing him out. Two of Loki’s kids are probably going to need full physicals of their own, you’ll probably blow a gasket when you find out what they’ve been through, and then there’s the bomb shrapnel and eventual heavy metal poisoning on my end.” 

To her credit, Bridget did little more than pull out a pad of paper and a pen to begin writing notes down faster than his eyes could fully follow. The scratching stopped suddenly though, amethyst eyes flicking up to meet Tony’s cognac. “… I beg your pardon, what was that about shrapnel?” 

A screen was pulled up, showing a 3D model of Tony’s chest with the arc reactor and shrapnel highlighted. “ Unfortunately, the pieces are too small to be removed by today’s means, and the reactor in his chest is the only thing keeping the pieces from reaching his heart. The core of the reactor is made of palladium… ” Edwin trailed off, also pulling up a model of the reactor. 

“Which means the very thing keeping him alive will also start to kill him,” Bridget finished, studying the various scans with a critical eye. “I’m stunned you even survived the initial surgery. Why in Mara’s name would anybody be so sloppy with—“ She suddenly stopped, expression shifting a bit as she read the details that continued to scroll. “… I see. That explains a lot.” She briefly turned her attention back to Tony. “My condolences for your loss, Ace. This Yinsen… given the circumstances, he did an exemplary job.” Tony didn’t say anything, simply giving a slightly sad smile as he nodded in agreement. “Given what I’m seeing, though, the reactor and shrapnel need to come out as soon as possible. Beyond the problems already listed, there’s also this to contend with.” She pointed to a few parts of his ribcage.

Tony studied the areas closely. “… Sorry Archmage, I’m not seeing what you’re referring to.” 

Bridget gave him a quick smile. “Just Bridget will do, Ace. These are micro fractures from the stress and strain the reactor is putting on the ribcage itself. Even if we removed the reactor and put something in the hole to act as a stabilizer, the integrity of the ribcage has already been compromised heavily. If you were to fall or take any kind of hard hit, your ribs and sternum would be in danger of breaking into several pieces.”

The genius flinched a little at that, hand unconsciously rising to press against the reactor in a protective motion. “Yeah, I know… what do you suggest we do?”

Bridget tapped the screen, spinning the projection carefully and studying it. “… We have two options, from what I’m seeing. The first would involve growing the bone so it slowly fills in the cavities and fractures. However, that would be a long and complicated process that could potentially require additional bone growth potion injections to supplement any other fractures that could occur.” 

“Okay, and the second?”

“We completely regrow your ribcage.”

Tony blanched at that. “I’m sorry, what??”

Bridget arched an eyebrow at his shock. “We regrow your ribcage. That way, the bone integrity is as close to 100% as possible while mitigating any potential problems that could pop up in the future. Not to mention the benefits added by your status as Ace of Spades. Once it’s corrected, it won’t have to be messed with again.” 

“Honestly, that sounds like the best option,” Lys piped up, thumbing the rim of his glass thoughtfully. “Hadrian and I didn’t have the problem you currently have. Once we took up our mantles as Primordial Masters, our bodies became immortal at the peak of their performance. But that wasn’t an option with you. If you let her do this procedure, your ribcage will be the first thing that you won’t have to worry about again.”

After a moment of silence, Tony sighed and nodded. “Okay, yeah, you’re right… that sounds like the best bet. What would this look like?”

The blonde once again started scribbling on her pad as she spoke. “You’d be put into a medically induced coma, then I would remove the shrapnel and reactor. From there, it would take me a few days to fully regrow the bones— I refuse to do a half-assed sloppy job in the name of time.” She said in a no-nonsense tone as Tony made to open his mouth in protest. “Once you woke up, I’d do an examination and test your range of motion, and once you get the green light you’d be good to go.” 

After a few seconds of thought Tony groaned and nodded. “I know you’re right… there’s just so much that needs to be done, and knocking off days of time feels… I don’t know, wasteful?”

“ That’s why you have us, Antonio, ” Edwin soothed him in an almost fond tone. “ We are more than willing to help cover you and complete whatever tasks you need done while you’re under. ”

“That’s called delegation, Master Hadrian does it all the time. Why do you think he has the Reapers?” Min gave a sharp, almost teasing smirk. “Just tell us what you need done, Ace. We’ll cover for you.” 

Something tight and warm settled in the genius’ chest for a moment at the show of solidarity from the group as they all piped up to pledge their own help and support. “Thank you, guys…” he croaked, giving them a small but genuine smile. “… Okay. If we’re going to be delegating, there’s one more person I want to pull into this. All things considered, she’s one of my biggest supporters here, and I trust her skills implicitly.” He took a breath to continue, but was suddenly cut off. 

“What is going on here??”

All eyes snapped towards the entryway and to the red headed woman standing there, dressed in a professional blazer and pencil skirt and expression twisted in confusion. Tony blinked, looking between the now silent group and his personal assistant before a massive grin split his face. “Well speak of the devil in Prada and she doth appear. Come have a seat, Miss Potts, have I got a story for you.”

—-

Pepper gently massaged her temples, giving Bridget a nod of thanks as she pressed a mug of tea into her hands. “This is… insane. But the evidence is too real for it to have been made up.” She sighed and took a sip from the mug. “This is very good, Miss Arendottir.” 

Bridget waved the redhead off. “Just Bridget, Pepper. It has a blend of herbs that promotes a calm, clear mind. Given everything you’ve been told, I thought it would be best.” 

She nodded at that and took another sip before turning her attention back to Tony. “So… given everything you’ve just told me, what is it you want me to do?”

Tony leaned forward a little, another screen popping up as he began to tap on it. “I need your help keeping all the ducks in a row. We have a lot of things happening at once and a lot of tasks to complete. I trust you more than anyone else to keep things running smoothly while I’m having my ribs regrown. And everyone here will follow your lead on things, right guys?”

Immediately, they all nodded. “At the end of the day, you’re more familiar with this world than we are. And if Tony trusts you to run a tight ship that sails smoothly, then we’ll take our cues from you.” Xirsza said, nodding in respect to the woman in question.

Pepper nodded at that, internally touched at the show of faith from them all. “In that case, where do we start, Mr. Stark?” 

Tony immediately launched into a list of everything that needed to be done, the group as a whole listening attentively and making notes of their own. In the back of his mind, Tony couldn’t help but compare the dynamic between them all with the mess that was the original Avengers. There were no backhanded comments or passive aggressive jabs, no secrets or half truths. Oh there was absolutely still playful teasing— Bridget and Minowa specifically seemed to have the kind of friendship where half their interactions involved giving each other shit in some way— but it was clear they all would rather support and build each other up than tear them down. Hell, even Pepper was slotting into the dynamic seamlessly, getting along well with Xirsza right out the gate. Given their personalities, it honestly didn’t surprise him. 

Finally, Bridget stood and gave a clap of her hands, drawing everyone’s attention. “Alright, we have several good plans in place. I hate to interrupt the flow, but if we’re going to get your surgery done in a timely manner, we need to go now.”

Tony groaned and stood as well, stretching to work out the kinks in his muscles. “Alright, alright. Anyone have any final requests or things to say before I take a three day nap?”

“I think we’re good on this end,” Lys replied with a shake of his head and a smile. “And even if we aren’t, we’ll figure it out. We always do. Just focus on your healing and recovery and leave the rest to us.”

Min nodded at his words. “We have your back, Ace.”

Pepper tapped a few things on her phone before storing it. “I’ll stick around to make sure things run smoothly here. Is my bedroom still available?” 

“For you, pepper pot? Always.” 

A smile quirked at Pepper’s lips at the nickname. “Will that be all, Mr. Stark?”

Tony gave her a fond, lopsided grin. “That’ll be all, Miss Potts. See you all on the other side.” 

The group called out their well wishes and ‘good luck’s as Bridget guided him from the room, and after a moment of quiet Lys stood and stretched. “Well, this has certainly been an eventful day. I say we all find somewhere to park for the night and reconvene in the morning. Sound good?”

“ I can show you all to individual guest rooms, if you so desire. Miss Pepper, you know where yours is. ” Edwin piped up. 

“Of course, thank you Edwin. I have a few phone calls to make, so I’ll be up for a bit longer. I’ll see you all in the morning.” 

—-

“I should have known Antonio was involved in this somehow.” 

Pepper arched an eyebrow at the gentleman on the other side of the video call. “What do you mean?”

“I have years worth of memories that I’ve never lived.” A wine glass was twirled lightly, the rose colored liquid swirling within. “And given what he told you, those are years and events that would have come to pass were it not for the intervention of higher powers. Normally they wouldn’t intervene in such a way, but I suppose if the need and threat were great enough…”

“Universe ending, by the sounds of it.” Pepper sipped from her tea before continuing. “Are you the only one who remembers?”

“It seems so. But I believe that has to do with both my personal connection and my work.” He twisted his hand briefly to show off his sling ring before continuing. “There have been things that happened sooner or later than they should have— as of right now, I’ve taken over the assassins’ guild and rescinded several KOS orders, but from my memories, that shouldn’t have happened for another year. It works out, though. There are certain parties I can keep an eye on this way.” 

Pepper arched an eyebrow at that. She didn’t blame him for speaking in riddles, given the nature of his occupation. Plus, plausible deniability was always the best route when it came to these things. “That seems like a good thing…”

A soft snort escaped the man at that. “It mostly is. Unfortunately, I now have to rebuild the relationship I had with my best friend. I’m essentially a stranger who took over the faction that led to his banishment to begin with, so regaining that trust will take time.” For a moment, his electric-blue eyes seemed to glow and shine all on their own, but that might have been a trick of the light on his end as well. “But if the cost of that is Antonio’s life and happiness, then I am more than happy to pay.” Pepper nodded her agreement, and after taking a sip of his wine the man spoke again. “Give me a day or two to put things in place here, then I’ll join you in Malibu. Although given how many new friends he seems to have, it may be worth looking into procuring a larger dwelling. Especially if he continues to collect them, as it seems like he plans to. Would you be a dear and start looking into that for us?”

The redhead gave a small snort of amusement as she made a note. “I can certainly add that to the to-do list. Will that be all, Mr. Stark?”

The grin that crossed the face on the other end of the screen was familiar, yet sharper and darker in so many ways. “That will be all, Miss Potts. I’ll see you soon.”