Chapter 85: Iron Man & Iron Maiden

[Third Person's PoV] 

Tony and Melissa hovered beside Star and Stripes, who stood firmly on top of one of the jets. The hero nodded approvingly, "I've got to say, you kids are strong—not to mention you work well together, which is vital for any hero. I won't have to worry much about you two when we go on missions."

"We're already going on a mission?" Melissa asked, surprised by how quickly things were progressing.

"Yes," Star and Stripes confirmed with a nod. "Our exchange just now was to see in what direction I need to train the both of you. You're both strong and great fighters, but what you lack is genuine hero experience. I did a quick background check and saw what happened at the USJ, but that's not enough."

Star tapped her ear and said, "Alright, bros, lead us to where people need the most help. It's time these newbies gain actual experience," she added with a smirk.

One of the pilots gave her a thumbs-up. "You got it, Star! Just tell those two to follow closely."

The jets made a quick U-turn before blasting off. Tony and Melissa flew alongside Star and Stripes, who stood on the jet with her arms crossed, her American flag cape billowing in the wind.

Tony then hacked into their comms, surprising everyone when his voice came through. "You know, I have a satellite in the sky. It can scan the area and detect trouble as soon as it appears."

Star and her pilots exchanged glances. The pilot flying the jet next to Star shrugged, "He's a Stark, so I don't doubt it would work. We could give it a try."

Star pondered for a moment before asking, "How effective is this satellite of yours?"

Rather than respond verbally, Tony demonstrated. He flew closer to Star and extended his arm, projecting a hologram from his wrist. The hologram displayed a clear, picture-perfect image of two giant men fighting, wreaking havoc in their vicinity. "This is the closest disaster to us currently," Tony explained.

Star and Stripes' expression grew serious as she took in the destruction the giants were causing. "Where is this happening, and do you know why they're fighting?"

"I've already sent the coordinates to your pilots," Tony informed her.

While Tony provided the data, Melissa was analyzing the footage from the area where the giants were battling. Star and Stripes then asked, "Do you know the reason for their fight?"

Melissa sighed before answering, "From what I was able to gather, they bumped into each other and started pushing, which escalated into a more physical brawl and then turned into a competition over who's stronger."

Star and Stripes nodded, processing the information. "I've seen how fast the two of you are. Go ahead of me, evacuate as many people as you can, but do not engage until I get there."

"Yes, ma'am!" Tony and Melissa shouted in unison. Their nanites shifted around their legs, transforming into giant thrusters. With a powerful burst, they shot forward, leaving only a blue trail in their wake as they sped ahead to begin the rescue mission. 

Tony and Melissa shot through the sky, their nanite-enhanced suits humming with energy as they sped towards the scene of destruction. The two giants were locked in a brutal battle, each blow causing shockwaves that threatened to topple nearby buildings and send cars flying through the air. People were running in every direction, trying to escape the chaos.

As they arrived, Tony immediately began assessing the situation, his suit's AI, FRIDAY, highlighting the most critical areas on his HUD. "Melissa, you take the east side, I'll handle the west. Prioritize getting civilians to safety and stabilize any collapsing structures." Tony ordered calmly

Melissa nodded, her face set in determination. "Got it!" Her suit morphed, forming additional thrusters and stabilizers to increase her speed and precision. She zoomed towards a building that was on the verge of collapsing, nanobots streaming out from her suit to form a temporary support structure that held the building steady while she guided the people inside to safety.

Tony, on the other hand, was busy using his suit's nanobots to create barriers around a group of civilians trapped under debris. The nanobots quickly formed a protective dome, and with a flick of his wrist, he lifted the rubble off them, allowing them to escape. He then turned his attention to a nearby car that had been tossed into the air by one of the giants' blows. With a burst of energy from his thrusters, Tony flew up, caught the car mid-air, and gently placed it down away from the danger zone.

In the midst of their rescue efforts, Tony's satellite feed alerted him to a new threat: one of the giants was preparing to throw a massive piece of a building at the other, and it would land directly in the path of several fleeing civilians. "Melissa" Tony didn't need to say much, simply her name and Melissa was already on it. 

She activated her suit's energy shielding and flew at top speed towards the incoming projectile. Just as it was about to crash down, she unleashed a burst of energy from her suit, vaporizing the debris into harmless particles. Tony arrived a second later, using his nanobots to form a massive net that caught the remaining smaller pieces before they could cause any harm.

Tony and Melissa moved seamlessly, coordinating their efforts to evacuate civilians and minimize the destruction left in the giants' wake. The arrival of Star and Stripes brought a wave of relief to the other civilians, but the situation was still tense. The hero quickly assessed the scene, then jumped into action.

"☆First New Order: Anyone I touch will lose the will to battle!☆" Star and Stripes declared as she leaped from the jet.

"☆Second New Order: I will be able to Float!☆"

With that, she descended between the two colossal giants, who were just about to collide with devastating force. With perfect timing, Star and Stripes intercepted their blows, catching both fists with her hands. The impact created a powerful shockwave, but she remained unfazed, her strength and durability evident even without the use of a ☆New Order☆ to enhance them, as she held the giants at bay.

As their fists connected with her hands, the giants' aggression drained away, their will to continue fighting completely sapped by her power. They looked at each other in confusion, their desire to battle gone. With their resistance nullified, they were quickly apprehended.

Once the giants were secured, Star and Stripes joined Tony and Melissa, who just finished working to rescue civilians. "You two did an incredible job," she said with genuine admiration. "I didn't have to worry about you at all. With a bit more experience, you'll be among the best."

Tony and Melissa exchanged a glance, a mixture of pride and relief on their faces. "Thank you, ma'am," Melissa said respectfully.

Tony couldn't resist adding with his trademark confidence, "If I become any better, I might just steal everyone's spotlight."

Star and Stripes chuckled at Tony's remark, finding his confidence both amusing and endearing.

As the situation calmed, some of the rescued civilians began to return, recording the aftermath on their phones. They looked at Tony and Melissa with teary-eyed gratitude, expressing their thanks for the heroes who had saved their lives.

One of the civilians, overcome with emotion, called out, "Excuse us, but what do we call you two? I want to properly thank the heroes who saved my children and me just now!"

Tony's face mask morphed down, revealing his young face, which surprised many of the onlookers. He flashed a charming smile and said, "You can all call me Iron Man."

Melissa's mask also retracted, and though she blushed slightly from the attention, she managed to say, "I am called the Iron Maiden."

"Thank you, Iron Man and Iron Maiden!" the crowd shouted in unison, their voices filled with heartfelt gratitude.

Star and Stripes smiled at the scene before her. "Come on, you two, we still have more people to save today."

Tony and Melissa nodded, their masks sliding back into place as they prepared to head back into action. As they floated back up to the jet, Star and Stripes glanced between them teasingly. "I bet that felt amazing, didn't it?"

Even though their masks were back on, Star and Stripes didn't need to see their faces to know they were smiling ear to ear like little children. 

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