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Summary: The Harbingers pay Iron Man a visit, to relate some valuable information, and help Tony get an /in/ with the Rebellion.
Date: July 12, 2020
Log Title Add a pinch of Stark
Rating: PG
New York City- Stark Industries Flushing Plant
Down below the rubble, and twisted metal there is a functioning underground lab.
Another day, another goal for the Harbingers. With one of the upcoming changes already started by Thought, Magik has chosen to let another prime part of the puzzle know what's going on. Before he finds out at random. Thus, he's sent his magic out to search for Tony Stark. To feel for the man, and then to bring himself and another to visit the man.
The once busy Flushing Plant of Stark Industries is now nothing but a collection of blown apart buildings and twisted metal framework. However, deep beneath ground a lab still stands that houses a functioning computer system, parts, and devices that could be useful to Iron Man. After being awake for over twenty-four hours, Tony is sitting at a half broken desk pouring over information about recent attacks, and searching for anything in the communications network that sends up a red flag.
A light circle stepping disc opens in the plant, not far from Tony. As it opens, it releases two figures in armor. One with a red-tinged silvery demonic appearance. This one steps forward and speaks. "Mr. Stark. Good to see you're alive." There are no weapons present, and his hands are held out, showing his desire for peace. "My name is Magik. I am the ruler of Limbo. I'm sure you've known either myself or my predecessors." Plural.
Behind Magik, a shorter figure in silver-chased gold scale-and-breastplate armor, the helmet worked into the shape of little more or less than a cackling mad ball of fire with a hateful gaze, and draped in a wide, fluttering black cloak. As Magik makes his introduction, Thought stands silent for the moment, watching Tony Stark hard at work, contemplating the contrast between this man and the Avenger of times past.
A small welding torch drops free from Tony's hand onto the desk as his lab becomes suddenly popular. The chair he's sitting in protests loudly as he leans back regarding the intruders with a neutral expression. "Hmm, you may have to refresh my memory a bit. All I can come up with is that you've missed a KISS concert appearance by a few years." Tony folds his arms across his chest, "I should just cut to the chase, save us all a bunch of time that I don't have. What do you want?"
"Magik. Ruler of Limbo. Wielder of the Soulsword." He explains with a shrug. "What I've come here for, is to let you know what is happening. You already know where the world is. But, my divinations have told me that Iron Man rises again. Along with that, others are coming to seek you out, Mr. Stark. They will not be the ones you knew, yet… they will be symbols. People that you do not know in costumes that you do. You will soon have Avengers at your side. One is already awake in this world."
"The time for the heroes this world needs most desperately has come, Mr. Stark," a female foice says from behind the golden helmet. "We Harbingers seek to guide them back into the world. To guide them to you."
"Forgive me for not following you," Tony begins as he rises up to his feet behind the shambles of a desk. "But, what are you trying to say? Who's awake? Why would people I don't know choose to dress up like Avengers?" Tony reaches up to rub a hand over his shorn head in confusion. He turns towards the feminine voice, "Bring them back? Are you telling me you can resurrect people from the dead? I'm not sure I want to deal with a buncha zombies."
Magik can't help but place his palm over the armor on his face. "No, Mister Stark. New people will take over the roles of the previous Avengers. You, of all people, understand how a symbol can make people stand tall and act as one. With you becoming Iron Man, the other Avengers will return. Not as zombies. A new man has picked up the hammer of Thor, for instance. He rides the skies with Mjolnir in search of you, to help give the people what they need. Others will be doing the same. To help you… and to help THEM. Those that cannot fight."
Thought, for her part, seems more amused than annoyed, and the helmet shakes cloak fluttering as her shoulders shake with silent chuckles. "We come to you now, so when you meet them, you'll know what to do. Our role is merely to make sure the new Avengers find it within themselves to take up the fight. Yours, Mr. Stark, will be to lead them."
This revelation is a bit unsettling to the former billionaire. Would others stand up if they believed the Avengers were indeed still a factor? The strength that could come from a revamping of the team could very well turn things around, and into the favor of those that deserved justice. "I am not about to turn away help, nor do I fault anyone for wishing to take up the mantle of being an Avenger. The symbolism alone will light a fire to this party but what is it that you, Harbingers, are expecting me to do? Just so I know if your ideas are anywhere along the lines of my own agenda."
"Whatever you feel is RIGHT, Mr. Stark. We simply help things flow properly." Magik states. "We are not some fabled… Illuminati, seeking to control the world. We simply try to guide it back on track and to save those that cannot save themselves. When I can take my mask off for you… you will understand." He explains. "We've known each other for a very long time. It hurt when I thought you were dead." He explains before shrugging. "But you're not. And now, we'll move forward."
"We all have our parts in this, Mr. Stark, and we play them only as we can," Thought adds, bowing her head. "We don't have plans for you, and never will. You will plan enough for more than the rest of us all, and we are glad for it. All we are to do, is give you the warriors you need to allow the banner of the Avengers to fly proudly once again. All of us heard your plea to the people, Mr. Stark… Already you've struck a match, and soon it will create a fire that the people can look to for the true knowledge that hope lives again."
Well, this was certainly a strange beginning to the day or a sleep deprived hallucination. Tony snickers despite himself, "I'm glad you approve of the grand entrance. I'm sure the American people will deal with Kelly fairly quickly. I find the prospect of the near future a bit brighter than I had a few days back but I'm going to have to find a lot more incendiary methods before things get interesting." Tony comes around from behind the desk to stand near the pair of beings before him. "If you are trying to steer things to flow properly, to bring Avengers to me, why haven't you managed to help She Hulk? I'm just curious, don't take it personally," he says holding up a hand in front of himself. "I'm still gathering what I can about Ahab, but I could really use her help."
"We… actually are working on that. Her mind is shattered. Strange and I are trying to come up with a proper combination of spells to clear the fog from her mind. She IS one of the Avengers that are meant to join you." Magik offers with a bit of a wry sarcasm. "Be on the lookout for She-Hulk. Thor. Wonderman. Vision. Hawkeye. Mockingbird. And one other. That one… we shall hold in silence for now."
"Quicksilver lives also, will be glad to pick up arms as well," Thought supplies. "But he is, currently, out of action. His feet can't bear up under the stress of his speed. If you wish to correct this, Mr. Stark, I'm certain he will be more than grateful, and will prove an able ally." Of the 'one other,' however, Thought indicates nothing.
So, some of the Avengers were still around, or whomever would be taking their place, things would at least start to come together better than one man storming in and trying to handle the entire situation on his own. "I may seem ungrateful, I apologize for that, I find that even a year of forced recovery hasn't given me enough time to process everything that has happened." When Thought speaks, Tony reacts with surprise to hear that Pietro is alive, "Do you know where he is? Of course you do, you found me. I retract my inane question in favor of this; Are the two of you capable of bringing me to him? It would save me the time of trying to find someone who doesn't want to be found."
"Unfortunately… he is in a place that is protected. It's protected by a power greater than mine or Strange's." Magik says with a sigh. "He can choose to come out. I know that Thought has access to his current home. She may be able to. But without his desire or permission…" the mystic shrugs slightly. "He was, however, in a mutant encampment, depowered for a long period of time."
"I will ask, Mr. Stark. Perhaps he may be accompanied; you will need to meet with the remains of the Rebellion, anyhow. Morale is a thing more precious than gold, among the noncombatants, and news of your personal involvement in their cause can only lift their spirits." Beneath the golden metal of Thought's helmet, one can practically hear the slow smile at these words.
Tony turns away from the Harbingers to go in search of several things that are about the lab that might be of use in solving Quicksilver's problem. As he does this Tony says, "Of course, I intended to seek out the Rebellion now that I've returned from Kansas." Starks hands are busy working with various things that he's now scattered about a cluttered work table. "I'm making myself available to the Rebellion. If the two of you could get word to them that I am coming, I would appreciate it. I don't exactly have a way of contacting them, yet."
Magik looks to Thought and nods softly. "Consider your desire to meet with them sent. We will let you know a meeting spot and time. It will be… extremely soon." He says with a firm nod. "And if they give permission, we will have Thought take you directly there. Or at least close enough that you can have someone meet you."
"Currently, the best way to contact the Rebellion lies here." An armored, clawed hand disappears into Thought's cloak, emerging with a scrap of paper, upon which is written an address and GPS coordinates, extended to Tony. "That is but one of several blind message drops the Rebellion uses to contact each other and those sympathetic to their fight. It will be visited tomorrow." Stepping back, Thought gathers her cloak around her. "I will spread the word among the Rebellion in the meantime."
"Clandestine meetings in the park, oh how I've missed those," Tony says lightly. The tool in his hand drops down onto the work table with an audible clatter as he reaches to take the piece of paper. Once he's filed the information away he hands the paper back to the Harbinger. "I appreciate the help, even if this entire mad situation is about as confusing as trying to find your pants after an all night bender." With a shrug of his shoulders Tony prepares for them to leave, "I look forward to when we meet again, perhaps under better circumstances. I could have shot first, and asked questions later, which would have been a terrible greeting for the both of you."
"We also could have kidnapped you by sending hordes of demons after you." Magik says, grinning if he could be seen. "But that wouldn't have worked. And how many people know where you are, anyway?" He says, laughing a bit as another stepping disc appears near him.
"Besides," Thought supplies, stepping back to join Magik on the stepping disc. "It's not as though we haven't been used to such greetings. Farewell, Mr. Stark. It is likely you will see us again, soon."
Tony bows his head toward them. "I look forward to it, with or without the army of demons." He makes sure that he is clear of them as he doesn't know how their departure affects the space about them. "Thank you for your help, again." With that the busy inventor goes back to his work table to continue working on the device he was working on earlier, as well as something to help Quicksilvers feet. All the while his mind turns over all of the information that the Harbingers have given him, and just what he is going to do when he comes face to face with the Rebellion.
With that, Magik nods, stepping into the portal and vanishing. Nothing more needs to be said, after all.
