15.Hammered Down
"That's how it turned out, Tony. That wasn't the plan," Obadiah Stane sneered, now clad in a formidable suit of armor—the Iron Monger. This menacing suit, constructed from an alloy known as omnium steel, boasted immense strength and durability. It was a monstrous upgrade compared to Tony Stark's own armor, towering at an intimidating nine feet. The Iron Monger's design was a dark, twisted version of Stark's, featuring a gray-black color scheme, a metallic sheen, and sharp, angular features that exuded menace and power.
Charged with raw energy and equipped with high firepower, the Iron Monger was built for one purpose: the destruction of Tony Stark. "You shouldn't have escaped so quickly; you shouldn't even be alive!" Obadiah barked, his tone now tinged with frustration and anger. "I had to hire so many engineers to build this suit on such short notice!" According to his plans, Tony Stark should have perished long ago. Yet somehow, Stark had defied the odds, surviving his captivity and even engineering his own escape within a month—a feat that marked a significant shift in his character. No longer the purveyor of weapons, Tony Stark had turned his back on the arms industry, now caring more about ordinary people and peace than profit and power.
This new direction didn't sit well with Obadiah. Tony's newfound morality was a threat, one that needed to be eliminated. It is clear that Obadiah's new suit had the upper hand. Stark's own armor was in ruins, missing a glove, and the arc reactor in his chest was flickering weakly. Obadiah had even crushed Stark's helmet with his own hands.
Tony Stark's situation wasn't as hopeless as it seemed to Obadiah. Despite the bleak outlook, Tony had a plan. Initially, he intended to activate the arc reactor beneath them, unleashing a surge of energy powerful enough to disable the Iron Monger. The problem was that this would also likely incapacitate Tony, given the already depleted state of his arc reactor, thanks to Obadiah's betrayal. The man he had trusted like family, a guiding figure throughout his life, had turned on him by stealing his arc reactor and now wanted him dead.
But Tony couldn't afford to let emotions cloud his judgment; he needed to stop Obadiah. Fortunately, he had a backup plan. Jarvis's voice crackled in his earpiece, "Mister Thomas is right above you, sir." This was the news Tony needed. His task was to keep Obadiah distracted long enough for Thomas to act.
Tony smirked, almost amused despite the Iron Monger's machine gun aimed at him. As Obadiah began to taunt him, Tony cut in with an odd question, "Ever wondered how a nail feels when it's hammered in?"
The question caught Obadiah off guard. "What?" he asked, lowering his weapon slightly in confusion.
Tony's grin widened; he had set the trap perfectly. He nodded upward, gesturing to the sky. "Look up."
Obadiah, confident that Tony posed no real threat, complied with the strange request and looked up.
*BOOM*
Tony watched in awe as Thomas, a 780-pound tower of strength and muscle, descended like a divine hammer. The sight was both awe-inspiring and surreal as Thomas, all 13 feet and 4 inches of him, crashed onto Obadiah's shoulders. It was like a hammer striking a nail, with Thomas's feet landing squarely on the Iron Monger's armored shoulders, instantly tearing them apart. Obadiah was lucky his real arms weren't ripped off, but the impact was still devastating, likely enough to knock him out cold.
As Thomas landed, Tony felt a surge of strength and relief. The spectacle was both terrifying and exhilarating, a testament to the unpredictable nature of battle. Tony couldn't help but think, *That's one way to make an entrance.* Clapping his hands together, the sound muted without one glove, he couldn't resist a quip. "Woohoo, another epic landing! Seriously, we need to work on sticking the superhero landing."
Fatigue momentarily forgotten, Tony took a deep breath, feeling relief wash over him. He stepped forward, meeting Thomas's gaze. "Good to see you," he said, a genuine smile spreading across his face. It wasn't just relief; it was gratitude, tinged with hope. Tony hoped that one day, he would be the one saving Thomas. For now, he was more than happy to have his colossal friend by his side.
Thomas stepped back from Obadiah's unconscious form, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Obadiah? Your uncle wanted to kill you?" The weight of the question hung heavily in the air. Tony didn't respond immediately, his gaze dropping to the exposed body within the shattered suit. Whether Obadiah was dead or merely unconscious, Tony found he didn't much care; what gnawed at him was the painful reality that a man he had once loved and trusted like family had wanted him dead.
"As you can see," Tony finally replied, his voice devoid of emotion.
Thomas, still grappling with the revelation, asked, " How do you feel?" He stepped back, giving Tony some space, his towering form a stark reminder of his unique abilities. Tony marveled briefly at Thomas's growth—both physical and metaphorical. As the adrenaline ebbed, Tony's body began to feel the toll of the battle. He slowed his pace and slumped onto a nearby ledge, exhaling wearily. "Oh..." he sighed, exhaustion catching up with him.
Thomas immediately crouched down beside him. Even then, Thomas's sheer size made him loom large over Tony. "Any serious injuries?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Tony waved off the worry with a half-hearted grin. "No worries, my teeth are fine," he quipped, aware of Thomas's unusual expertise in dentistry—a hobby that seemed incongruous with his current formidable stature. It was a joke that only those who knew Thomas well would understand. Engineering and science is one thing, but medicine is not for Tony. Somehow Thomas managed to find the time to study dentistry, when he did, he still doesn't know.
Thomas, however, wasn't amused by the joke. "You've got the energy to make jokes, so you'll live. Though I've noticed, even when you're in a tough spot, you always find something to joke about," he said with a hint of grudging respect. Thomas stood up, glancing down at Obadiah. His Inner Solar told him Tony was fine, but Obadiah...
"Leaving your handsome bro already?" Tony called after him with a smirk.
"Definitely fine. Pepper's on her way up, so get some rest," Thomas replied, moving toward Obadiah. He reached down and, with effortless strength, lifted the entire Iron Monger suit off the ground as if it were a pillow, despite its 4230-pound weight. "Just for a second thought you'd need two hands to lift it. Silly me," Tony mused, watching him.
"You have the keys, so you know my answer," Thomas said, referring to their unspoken bond and understanding. "In the meantime..." He slung the massive suit over his shoulder, securing Obadiah within. "He's not dead, just unconscious. He'll face justice soon enough. I'll make him talk if you want.
Tony watched as Thomas carried the suit away, his mind a whirlwind of exhaustion, relief, and the weight of betrayal. For now, he allowed himself to relax, because then he'll bathe, get people to clean it all up and go get drunk with Thomas, or rather at Thomas' houses. Andre doesn't drink alcohol. At least he'll have someone to look after him.
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[ A/N: Holy cow, guys, thanks for the feedback, that's why I love you. And on for the vote, it's like this....50/50
So I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna add mutants, but only the ones that were shown in the cartoons and etc. , I mean I'm not gonna use the comic book mutants because it's a huge fuckin mess and it's too late to figure it out.
Also, Anyone want to see a drawn version of the local spider man? As in, the costume of the local Peter Parker combines parts of Thomas' armor and more... His powers. You'll see in the future.]