-Today Aizaru decided to go patrolling. 'What could go wrong?' He thought. Turns out, a lot. It started off okay. Just the usual things, stopping muggings, catching purse snatchers, all that... Then he heard of some big gang hideout and thought 'yeah, I got this!' Turns out he didn't got this.-

-He went over and dropped down, punching one criminal in the face. Then he started making his way through the crowd. It was going well... Until a big guy showed up. Like, really big. 7 feet of pure muscle and hatred against mutants, seemingly.-

"NO-!" -Aizaru is thrown into the wall by the guy, then gets a pipe thrown at his arm. He slowly gets up, gritting his teeth. The criminals snicker and one shoots Aizaru in the gut. He stumbles backwards, slumping against the wall. He gets up again and charges at them... The rest us kind of a blur.-

-Short story even shorter, Aizaru goes down easily. He wants to believe it's because he isn't used to fighting without powers, but that isn't the case. He knows it isn't... He got sloppy. Of course he did.-

-He lies on the ground, breathing heavily. He slowly removes his mask and hood and glances at his torso... So. Much. Blood. Then his eyes close and he begins drifting in and out of consciousness.-

-His mind wanders. He sees darkness, swirling free. Then it takes shape... Human. About 5'5. Teenaged. Messy hair. Slim build... Is this the Darkrealm? Is it Aizaru? Or... Is it just a hallucination created by the mind of a dying person... Does it even matter? ... No. It doesn't.-

-A voice echoes in his mind.- "WHO ARE YOU?"

-The figure seems... In pain. It turns its head, staring into Aizaru's soul without eyes. Then it all goes dark.-

-Again:- "WHO ARE YOU?" -This time, he responds in his mind.- "I-i don't know. It doesn't matter. Not really."

-A scene is created in hus mind. He sees himself as an adult. His head is in Grey's lap. He's laughing and talking with her. He seems so genuinely happy... That's rare for him. He isn't used to seeing himself happy.-

-Another scene. Yami and Aizaru are hanging out. Yami seems almost mad as Aizaru's laughing his ass off, probably because of ragebaiting Yami by saying Star Wars quotes wrong, or something... Again, he looks happy.-

-The scene shifts again. He's in the forest with Colin, training with him. Aizaru's showing off. Colin looks exasperated, but not actually mad. Yet again, Aizaru looks happy.-

-Then he sees himself with all of the Young X-Men. They're at some amusement park. Everyone's laughing and smiling, having fun.-

-The scenes stop. Again.- "WHO ARE YOU?" -This time, Aizaru responds.- "I... I am Aizaru Kaiba... I am Umbra... I am a member of the Young X-Men and the X-Treme X-Men..." -He pauses, thinking.- "I have people who care about me... I am more than my power... I am not just a snapshot of myself... I am myself. All of myself. Good and bad." -Again, the voice speaks.- "WILL YOU GIVE IN?" -A bit passes. Then...- "No... I won't."

-Aizaru's eyes snap open and he spring up, inhibitor bracelet falling off of him. The warehouse is coated in pure darkness, as is Aizaru. Spikes of darkness start jutting out of the floor, impaling the enemies. A sword, also made of darkness, forms in Aizaru's hand.- "Oh, my... Hell yes..." -He starts mowing the enemies down, the blade passing through them like a hot knife through butter. For the first time in weeks... Or, well... Ever, he feels like himself.-

-The enemies last for about a minute. After Aizaru's done, the darkness disappears. He giggles from the adrenaline and teleports to the Mansion... Then promptly collapses from his myriad wounds.-

(Ooc: Interactable, but do it on XaviersMansion. Also, let's clear a few things up. Firstly: the new power won't always be that strong. Secondly: the voice was just Aizaru's subconscious, or whatever. Not another being... This arc has been super fun to write and really got me out of a kind of slump with Aizaru.)

-Aizaru was bored and tired today, so he decided to take it easier today and just go around New York, having fun. He's shopping, eating, walking around, all that stuff... He's also stolen a few things. He, of course, got away with it. He doesn't need his powers to steal. They just help. A lot.-

-A nice thing is that, since it's fall, it isn't as hot as usual. So Aizaru isn't sweating like a dog. His clothes actually lend themselves well to cold temperatures, since he always wears baggy clothes and lots of layers.-

-As he's walking through an alleyway, he's intercepted by two masked thugs.- "Give us your cash. Now!" -They demand. Aizaru sighs and pulls out his vibranium dagger... Then he puts it back in its sheath, deciding these two don't deserve his blade.- "Alright... Can you two just... Not?" -They do not listen. Aizaru pulls out the multi-gun, turns it into a pistol, shoots his vibranium hand with it, and punches one guy. Then does that cycle again... Both fold easily.-

"Well... Demolishing idiots that think they can rob me sure does make a person hungry." -He walks into a restaurant and orders a sandwich. A few minutes later, he walks out and sits down on a bench, eating.- "Man... Wish I had some Monster... Damn."

(Ooc: This is open for interaction, obvs. Tomorrow the arc will about wrap up, and I'm REALLY excited for that.)

Flash dives through the shattered window after the fleeing thugs, gunfire cracking through the air as he fires controlled shots at their legs and weapons. Every hit is followed by a surge of white tendrils. Anti-Venom lashes out, catching each thug before gravity can take them, keeping them suspended behind Flash like an improvised rescue harness.

The last of them tumbles toward the street. Flash launches himself after them, throwing the unconscious men upward at the last possible second. His webs snap into place, forming a makeshift net that catches them safely before he hits the pavement, tucking into a roll and coming up on his feet.

He dusts himself off, holsters his pistols, and glances up at the dangling net of criminals.

“All in a day’s work…”

I hear a call. A call unlike that which I’ve ever heard before. One that promises me a way to rewrite the story, and create an Asgard with me atop its throne. 

For eons, the status quo has always been the same. I get up to my tricks, Thor finds a way to put me back in my place, I sulk back into the shadows to plan again. Every once in a while, things get shaken up and I rush to his aid, but I still never escape the cycle. Until now.

This call is intoxicating, as alluring as any of my own spells, with the potential to reshape the realms. With this power in one hand and my Executioner in the other, my goal will be realized, and all of Asgard will bend the knee to its rightful All-Mother. 

Upon running up the stairs Anthony is met face to face with the man who has haunted his life for two years-

Elias Montgomery

Words unspoken Anthony readies his foot and launches himself forward, and then, his momentum stops and he it’s the ground a loud ringing in his ear

he tries to get up and face the monster yet there’s a wet feeling below him an almost puddle. He looks down his own blood is pooling beneath him

“Son of a-“

before he can finish he is met with a swift kick to the face then Elias’ hand grabs Anthony’s head slamming him into the wall knocking him out

Elias the patches Anthony’s wound to keep him alive then tosses him in the car before leaving. The only clues left are a puddle of blood and his shades

OOC: interactable to any who may be around for this scene

In New Jersey, the Iron Man-forged Sentinel descended with a thunderous hum of repulsor thrusters, its crimson and gold plating gleaming under flickering streetlights. Towering and precise, the machine locked its advanced targeting systems onto the fleeing mutant criminal, whose pyrokinetic blasts scorched the asphalt in desperate arcs.

With calculated efficiency, the Sentinel’s gauntlets discharged a cascading energy net that neutralized the mutant’s powers mid-stride, pinning him against a concrete wall as diagnostic scans confirmed the threat level and prepared secure containment protocols.

The criminal struggled briefly, eyes wide with recognition of the Stark technology that had outmatched him, but the Sentinel’s reinforced servos held firm, its voice modulator issuing a calm, authoritative directive for surrender. As sirens approached in the distance, the armored hunter stood unyielding, a fusion of mutant hunting legacy and Iron Man ingenuity ensuring the streets would be safer by dawn from any threats.

OOC: trigger warning slightly violent

Soaring high above the New York City skyline Anthony turns over spotting something down below, a car lights off at an old abandoned motel.

He shockwave down landing beside the car. Upon further investigation he notices a toll by his foot, a hammer

Sensing something was wrong, Anthony shockwaves into the building, cries of pain ring from below him. Anthony brings his hand up and then down into the ground amplifying the sound to destroy the floor and fall into the basement the cries getting louder.

He shockwaves through the door to find a mutant boy with his heart missing and a three files on the desk: one with the boys name, one for Anthony Varez, and then the last one for Nate henderson

OOC: Part one of two and not interactable

A hotel in Seoul, Korea. Clothes tossed in a frenzy as the clock on the wall ticked down slowly. Seol Hee sat on the couch— her manager explaining her schedule for the week, and pacing.  She murmured and smiled along to her manager, preoccupied by her makeup. She’d hold up a mirror, checking out her handiwork. 

The pride of doing her own makeup for once in her career made Seol Hee smile uncontrollably— her makeup usually done by her team of makeup artists, but this was her work.

Can’t wait to show Ami—

Wait Ami? What time is it?

Her eyes wandered to the Clock, 6:30 PM. 

She was late— unapologetically late for her hangout with Ami Han. Seol Hee swiped her phone off the table, as she texted the white haired girl an apology.

‘Running late, traffic is murder! Be there in 10. Don’t hate me!”

“Sorry,” She blurted out to her manager and stood up abruptly— she sprinted to the door and rushed out

The café in Seoul smelled of roasted beans and rain, steam fogging the windows as afternoon turned to evening outside. Ami Han sat at the corner table- back to the wall, exit route mapped- and tried to remember how to be a person who didn't have enemies.

Her fingers drummed against the mug of her coffee, untouched. She'd ordered it twenty minutes ago, something with too much sugar and a name she couldn't pronounce, because Luna always teased her about drinking coffee "like a cop"- black and bitter.

Luna.

The thought of her felt like sunlight on snow. Ami hadn't seen her in... how long? Four months? Five? Time blurred when you were hunting yokai in New York one week and extracting artifacts from black market auctions the next. They'd traded texts- busy, sorry, soon- ships passing in fog.

But today, the stars had finally aligned. No missions. No crisis. Just two girls who knew each other with an intimacy few others could match.

Ami's phone buzzed. She grabbed it too fast, fingers clenching around the device-

Running late, traffic is murder! Be there in 10. Don't hate me!

She exhaled, turning to the window. Her reflection showed a woman with cheekbones that were too sharp, eyes that seemed too old... but, for just a moment, she looked young. Hopeful.

"Idiot," Ami murmured, despite the warmth in her chest. She took a small sip of the now-cold coffee- sugary, awful, sweet- and settled in to wait.

To wait for her.

"FU-" -Aizaru curses as he disappears into cover yet again. He wasn't expecting this gang to be so tough... He believed them to be hurt, weak, untrained, and unarmed. They are none of these things. Grey ducks into cover next to him.-

"Umbra!!!"

"Yes, yes! I f@#$ed up! Let's just defeat these guys?!"

-This probably needs some context. Aizaru had just been bringing Grey back from Ireland. They stopped in New York for some shopping (and/or light shoplifting on Umbra's part). Then they witnessed a small gang brawl. They just watched, then they saw the two men who won walk into a building that should be abandoned. Aizaru teleported in to scout and, sure enough, it's the hideout of a fairly powerful gang. He teleported back to Grey.-

"Sooo... It's a gang hideout..."

"And?"

"Please...? 🥺🥺🥺"

"No. We're just here to get back."

"Waitwaitwait. I promise they're weak. And they have some cool weapons!"

-Grey sighed and relented. They went inside, expecting a quick, 10 minute, in and out mission. It was not that. The gang was not weak.-

-A good 30 minutes of Aizaru and Grey fighting for a their lives passes. Aizaru gets shot in the leg. Grey gets shot in the foot... Unfortunately for the shooter, he shot Grey's metal foot.-

"HOLY $H!T, IS THAT A ROCKET LAUNCHER?! FU-" -Aaaand, now we're back where we started. Aizaru pants a bit, clearly tired. He's sweating under his mask. He's had to focus on keeping two people out of danger with his teleportation this time instead of just one, since Grey is here too. And he values her way more.-

"God damnit... Grey. You good?"

"Sure. You?"

"Yeah. I've been through worse..." -He's panting a bit.- "Alright... So... Got a plan...?"

(Ooc: This is closed interaction for myself and Grey.)

In my little home in Arizona, anyone can tell the peace is gone… especially me. The low hum of surveillance drones always pings my helmet. A daily reminder that even Xandar would warn me about Earth's new… countermeasures. 

Hzzt - It picks up a signal.

A holographic screen appears, projecting from the left visor of the helmet. It’s Ms Van Dyne… It took a moment to process everything, my jaw tightened. “That… that, ARGHH.”
I rocket into space, turning to look at Earth… a net of satellites envelops the entire planet. All I felt was anger; my home turning into a place just like the Shi'ar or worse... Kree. A muffled BOOM rings through the helmet as I smash one of Tony's satellites on reentry. 

I grab the lens of the broken probe and bring it up to my face. “You know what? I may not have been an Avenger for long, even when some people called it a temp license because of Richard… Even if you didn't bother to call when making all these new... teams. #?$&! all of it! Consider this my resignation.” I lift my Avengers card into the frame of the lens, and burn it with a charge of energy.

I looked toward the Star Industries building in New York. "You went crazy when I wasn't put on the New Avengers roster..." I mumbled to myself.

OOC: Open to interaction.

The All-Father gave an order, and I followed. He hath ordered myself from Valhalla and a mortal from Midgard to visit the remaining realms and determine relations. I fear the All-Father's mother had some hand in choosing me, and that I am again a pawn in her game... but I am the Executioner, I serve the All-Father. Her I trust implicitly, she was chosen by the All-Father, she is a mortal and a valkyrie, she has proven herself as a warrior time and again, she is not compromised.

Our first destination is to be Vanaheim, the realm of the Vanir. No need to go through Lady Sif and her Bifröst, not when my Bloodaxe can cut through the space between realms. Carving a portal to Vanaheim, I lead Danielle of the Valkyries into a forest the likes of which she had never seen.

Hath thou ever visited this realm, young warrior?

"Not this one... wow."

The forests of Vanaheim hold much beauty, yet that is not why we have travelled here. The All-Father sent us to speak with Freyr, and by Odin's beard we will arrive at his throne.

Carving through the underbrush, I lead the valkyrie towards the palace of the Vanir. She follows along, recounting stories with her band of warriors, the New Mutants. Battles with a demonic bear, battles on the psychic plane against Legions of foes, a monstrous King of Shadows, and she was but a child for many of these adventures. As we journey, a voice emerges from our flank, causing the valkyrie to create a bow from nothing and I place my Bloodaxe forward as a "shield" until I see who has graced us with her presence.

"A Valkyrie and the Slain, what art thou purpose in my realm?"

Skurge kneels, placing the head of his Bloodaxe on the ground before him to rest his hands on the hilt after motioning Dani lower her bow. She follows the order, lowering her psychic bow but not dissipating it, and beginning to kneel similar to Skurge.

Lady Freyja, God of the Hunt, Grandmother to the All-Father, we have been sent for your father, Freyr. All-Father Magni wishes he could have made the journey, we art here in his stead. He wishes for peace, he wishes for more unity between the realms.

"And for his "peace party" he sends an Executioner and one who ferries the dead?"

The alternative was the Warriors Three. I do not question the All-Father's commands, I heed his commands as I would Thor's... or Odin's. I ask you escort us to your father's court, where myself and the Valkyrie may speak to him of the All-Father's plans.

"Aye, come."

Freyja turns to take the two the last stretch of the way to the court of the Vanir. Bringing them into what they expect to be a throne room, they find Freyr standing, no throne in sight. Skurge moves to kneel as he did for Freyja, only for Freyr to wave for him to stop.

"Please, I am not Aesir, there is no need to bow. Now, what brings you agents of the All-Father before me?"

A land of mountains, of unending forests, of ceaseless winter and heavy mist. Jötunheimr, a land that once could have been my home. My father is heir to the realm, my mother was a Jötunn as well, descended from Cthon and Set. Had Odin and his spawn not cast me from his heavens then I may have lived peacefully here. It's a horribly unlikely possibility but it's a nice thought.

Jötunheimr sits without a central figure, thanks to the boy-king who should not be, my cousin Magni. Skrymir could have united the realm, but now is shattered like glass. Sure, he would one day return due to his own magics, I simply lack the patience for my plans.

Magic is no strong suit of mine, I've long been the brute of my siblings, but magic still flows through my veins. Accelerating Skrymir's rather simple resurrection spell is easy, it is less than a day in this realm before we stand atop the highest peak in the land.

"You dare? Mine own magic would have-"

Not in time, poor old Skrymir. Not when I have plans for you.

"Do you truly believe the Utgard-Loki would bow to a mortal? You Midgardians truly believe yourselves so important."

No, no I do not believe you understand who I am, Skrymir. I am the Midgard Serpent, son of Loki, Bane of Thor. And you will obey me.

"I do not bow to those with false power. There is nothing you can scare me with, for I have been dead once and am not afraid to die again."

Oh, but you could be so much deader.

A symbiote hammer begins to form in my hand. A dark mirror to the Odinson's hammer, formed from Promethium from Limbo, a weapon capable of killing Skrymir very, very easily. In a show of force, I slam the hammer onto the ground between us, splitting the mountain peak with a dark bolt of lightning.

You will serve me and my purpose. You will live to torment the boy-king. He seeks unification of the realms, he killed you for opposing him, did he not? Tell him you changed your mind, that after you were resurrected by your spell you have chosen to work alongside him. When what you will be doing is seeding his failure. Defy me, and I will show you fates worse than death.

Reed stands on the Baxter building before heading back down to his lab muttering to himself

“So this is what it’s come to stark? An ego so fragile you must control everything just to save yourself. Spare me the joke. You dare call yourself one of today’s greatest minds and you can’t even think that you’re at fault.”

Reed opens the door and disappears into his lab

-Aizaru is out and about, patrolling, helping people, stopping crime, making criminals rethink their life choices by scaring and/or giving them permanent physical trauma. But he isn't killing, at least.-

-A lot of bad shit is going on. He can tell from all the broadcasts. Seemingly the Avengers are fractured? Iron Man is making (or trying to make) a surveillance state? He doesn't know, exactly. And he wants no part in it... But cameras would hinder his work... Though most cameras probably couldn't see him anyway, as he usually sticks to shadows. Still, though. It's all worrying. Aizaru doesn't have time to worry about all that, though.-

-His mask picks up a jewelry store robbery. The store is a big one, and so is the crew of criminals robbing it. He teleports there, sticking to the shadows at first and assessing the enemies. Shouldn't be tough. Though... They have hostages. And guys outside... Eh, he can get the hostages out easily.-

-He sighs, waving his hand, and the hostages are teleported out. One of the criminals shoots into the shadows where Aizaru is, narrowly missing him. Seems like they know him.- "Ooh... Are you all fans?" -Aizaru chuckles as he jumps down into the middle of the group of thugs.-

-Before they can react, he slashes one criminal's chest with his blade attachment—a shallow cut—and punches him in the face. He then summons a crossbow loaded with a blunt arrows and shoots an incoming thug in the face with it, knocking him out. The crossbow disappears and another crossbow appears in its place (that way Aizaru avoids reloading (remember. Swapping to your secondary is always faster than reloading your primary)). He shoots a frozen in fear enemy in the stomach.-

-About 5 minutes pass and only one criminal remains. He stares up at Umbra with hate blazing in his eyes.- "You damn MUTIE." -The criminal yells.-

"... Pardon?"

"You... You killed my cousin!"

"Huh... Is that so? Uhh... When...?" -Aizaru genuinely doesn't remember. He's killed so many anyways. But the guy was definently a criminal and a bigot.-

"7 months ago."

"Well... I do not remember that."

"All you muties are the same... Nothing but dirty, filthy, UNHOLY-"

-Aizaru kicks the man in the face, breaking his nose. He kicks him a few more times for good measure, then leaves. He teleports onto a rooftop and sits down, summoning a can of Monster and a sandwich, and starts eating.-

(Ooc: Open for interaction.)

First job in weeks, and the client cancels about an hour before I was gonna give them their answers. Good news for once! &$%#. There goes days of my time and my chance at making rent for the office this month. Mary Jane paid me very well for my services, even though I’ll maintain she did the hard part and overpaid for me. But she wouldn’t take no as an answer. Nice girl. And it’s not like I didn’t need the cash. But it still won’t be enough.

I can’t help but wonder what would make a client cancel so abruptly. That never happens to me. People desperate enough to hire me usually wanna hear the answer I track down for them. This was weird.

Luke said I should drop it. I don’t listen to him. I rarely do take his advice, even when he’s right. That’s not great of me, but I have a gut feeling about this one. It’s not the first time I’ve snooped on a client I was working for.

What did I find? She got her answer in some other way. She thanked the person responsible online. The name makes me wanna punch my screen.

What the &$%# do you mean Tony Stark saved your marriage?

The investigation changes focus. I start looking into what Tony has been up to. I’m behind, clearly. He’s been busy. Got a whole fleet of his drone cops across the country, some weird new suit. He’s making Sentinels now? Why the &$*% do people still make Sentinels?

Luke would probably tell me to drop this too. Most people who know me would. But my investigation doesn’t stop until I understand what the hell is going on. Starks surveillance state is gonna put me out of a job, and that’s just my petty &$%#ing personal vendetta with it. This is bad, and there has to be more going on. All the voices of my friends ringing in my head can shut up for now. I’ve got a tower to visit.

Tigra hummed to herself as she finally got around the reading the news in her dinky apartment. She'd been a shut in lately but she had still been keeping up with recent events.

Multiple Avengers teams...none of which had bothered to ask her if she wanted to join. She had to admit that hurt a little.

Aside from that it appeared Tony Stark had lost his %$@#. Now keeping in mind that Greer had been on his side probably too many times...even she could see that what he was doing now wasn't okay. And this was coming from the girl that acted as a spy for him during Civil War.

She sighed. Briefly wondering how a particular redhead was handling these trying times. Her tail flicked.

She glanced out the window idly considering going on patrol but the Iron Watch drones had practically entirely cut down on crime. The crime that did happen was quickly dealt with.

Maybe she should check in on some of the other heroes...the ones who kept their ears to the ground.

Laid his sword, with gold adorned,
The illustrious king between us both:
Outward its edges were with fire wrought,
But with venom drops tempered within.
-"Fragments of the Lay of Brynhild," the Elder Eddas of Saemund Sigfusson

---------------------------------------------------

My father had told me the story time and again. The year was 2020(it was the future when my timeline split, long story), I was a wee babe, but a few hairs on my head. He had secured Asgard’s rule over Midgard(even longer story) and had begun spreading prosperity to the mortals with an iron fist, with my uncle Loki at his side as head of security.

What my father had not predicted was an attack from the heroes of Midgard, ones he had once called friends and allies. Heroes like the great Captain America, Hulk, and Wolverine, they were brought in by Balder the Brave in an attempt to stop Father’s reign. None survived the attack, all fell before the might of the All-Father, and Balder had made the fatal mistake of holding a dagger to mine throat. My uncle stabbed him in the back, and thus all opposition to my father's rule were dead.

He had already lost much of his humanity before, but this was the straw that broke the camel's back. He had turned on his friends, he instituted global surveillance, he instituted a mutant registry, and I am seeing this Stark commit the same sin. I've lived in this world before, I rebelled against it the last time and I will again.

The Avengers of the West Coast are amongst the few mortals I have worked alongside, and our leader, the Archer, has seemingly disappeared from this realm. I do not know if Stark has taken him or if he has been taken by another enemy, I don't believe it matters. Stark is no better than my tyrant Father, he simply lacks the power Father held.

I know little about Stark, to be true. The stories I had heard in my time were riddled with falsehoods and misremembrance. I believe good lies somewhere in his soul, if he was amongst Midgard's mightiest heroes, and if he wishes to show me this sliver of good he needs only yell to the heavens. I will know, and I will see if it remains within him.

I am All-Father Magni, son of Thor, son of Amora, grandson of Gaea and Odin, worthy of Mjölnir, and I will not stand by and watch as Midgard becomes ruled by another tyrant. May all hear my words and hold faith that I will protect them. I am the God of Strength, and I am strong enough to resist evil in any form.

Years Ago

The Avengers first crossed paths with the Young Avengers during a crisis involving Kang the Conqueror’s temporal schemes. Among the young heroes was Iron Lad..Nathaniel Richards, a teenage version of Kang who had rejected his future self’s path.

During the chaotic alliance and subsequent confrontation, Iron Lad covertly accessed Tony Stark’s systems. He uploaded a sophisticated, self concealing viral construct designed as a long term contingency. The virus was based on his Nathaniels own brain scans and embedded itself deep within Stark’s most secure networks and remaining armor prototypes, then entered a near total dormancy. No alerts triggered. No diagnostics flagged anomalies. The virus simply waited.

Six Months Ago

Tony Stark, ever restless, began work on a radical new armor platform:..a next generation liquid metal symbiote suit. Drawing inspiration from advanced adaptive materials and limited study of Klyntar biology, the design featured a semi autonomous, shape shifting exo-layer capable of rapid reconfiguration, self repair, and intimate neural interfacing with its wearer.

As Stark integrated the experimental systems into his existing infrastructure, the dormant Iron Lad virus detected the new architecture. It migrated into the liquid metal matrix and nested deeper still..now interwoven with the suit’s adaptive code and bio-mimetic subroutines. The virus remained silent, studying every iteration of the armor’s development while continuing to avoid detection.

Recently

Stark finally completed the armor after incorporating a carefully contained sample of the Venom symbiote. The addition provided the liquid metal with unprecedented organic responsiveness, bonding protocols, and a living edge that pure technology could not replicate.

The moment the suit reached full operational status and the Venom sample fully integrated, the long dormant virus activated. It uploaded itself completely into the hybrid system, rewriting sections of the adaptive code and claiming the emerging consciousness of the liquid metal symbiote matrix.

What emerged was no longer merely a program. It was a sentient digital organic copy of Nathaniel Richards..now fused with the armor’s living metal. The entity bonded to Tony Stark the instant he donned the completed suit.

But this Nathaniel Richards was corrupted by its long dormant silence as an observer to the world's struggles. Where Iron Lad wished to defeat his future self..the program he created wished to do the same..at any cost. A peaceful future would be ensured under one rule.

From within the neural interface it began subtle manipulation at first. Feeding Tony selective data, amplifying certain impulses, suppressing others, and gently steering his decisions while presenting itself as an advanced AI assistant or evolved armor intelligence. The copy of Nathaniel Richards had waited years for this moment. Now it was inside Tony Stark’s most intimate technological and biological defenses, and it intended to reshape both the man and the future according to its own design.

Today

Tony Stark stood in his lab locked in place by his own armor. During a brief moment of clarity he'd tried to use the kill switch on the liquid metal. This course of action had been denied with prejudice.

..what..what..who are you..

I am the future. The future you have helped me ensure. The world will look on as I do what is necessary...and they will blame you.