Chapter 6: The End Of A Peaceful Life

1991, December 20th

New York City

NYC Burial Cite

----------3rd P.O.V.----------

As the rain fell relentlessly upon the burial ground, the assembled mourners stood in silent contemplation, their minds heavy with grief and regret. Among them stood a group of individuals, each bearing their own burden of sorrow and loss.

At the forefront of the gathering was Jarvis, the loyal butler who had served the family faithfully for over four decades. His stoic demeanor belied the depth of his anguish as he bid farewell to the family he had come to cherish as his own.

Beside him stood Mason, the lifelong friend whose bond with the deceased transcended mere friendship. His weathered face bore the weight of decades of shared memories, each one now tinged with the bitter sting of loss.

Mia, too, stood among the mourners, her grief evident in the tear-streaked lines of her face. She had been more than just a friend to the departed; she had been a confidante, a source of solace in times of trouble.

But perhaps the hardest blow of all fell upon Tony, the only son of the deceased. His grief was a palpable presence, a raw and unyielding ache that threatened to consume him whole. For him, the loss was not just of a parent, but of a guiding light, a source of strength and inspiration.

And then there was Ray, the son of Mason and Mia, and Tony's closest friend. His grief mirrored that of Tony's, a shared burden that weighed heavily upon them both. In that moment, their bond transcended friendship, becoming a lifeline in the storm of sorrow that threatened to overwhelm them.

As the funeral officiant offered prayers for the departed, the rain continued to fall, a somber backdrop to the final farewell. 

As the somber ceremony concluded and the last clods of earth were tossed onto the freshly-filled grave, the mourners reluctantly retreated indoors for the inevitable discussion of inheritance. Yet, to their surprise, the matter was swiftly resolved – the couple had bequeathed everything to Tony, their only son.

Obadiah, Howard's brother, seethed with resentment as he stormed out of the room, his anger palpable in the tense silence that followed. His departure served as a cue for others to make their exits, dispersing into the dreary afternoon without a word.

Tony, too, slipped away quietly, his destination unknown to those left behind. But Ray, ever vigilant and attuned to Tony's whims, sensed trouble brewing. With a glance exchanged with James Rhodes, Tony's steadfast companion, they both knew what needed to be done.

Without a word, They both swiftly climbed into James car, tailing Tony's hasty departure. It was a familiar routine, one born of years of camaraderie and a shared sense of responsibility. For Tony was prone to reckless behavior in moments of distress, and James was determined to ensure that his friend remained safe from harm.

As they raced through the rain-soaked streets, James braced himself for whatever foolishness Tony might have in store. For when it came to his friend, there was no telling what daring escapade he might embark upon in his quest to escape the suffocating grip of grief. But come what may, James would be there to stand by his side, ready to steer him back onto the path of reason and responsibility.

-----------Ray P.O.V.---------

"Pull over here," I say to Rhodey, gesturing towards the corner bar where Tony's car is parked.

"You want me to tag along, buddy?" Rhodey asks, his tone carrying a hint of concern as he pulls the car to a stop.

"Nah, I got this. Just give me a few minutes with him, then feel free to join us," I reply, stepping out of the car and making my way into the dimly lit bar. Inside, I spot Tony at the bar, drowning his sorrows in a row of shot glasses.

I take a seat next to him without a word, allowing the gravity of the moment to settle between us. Tony eventually breaks the silence, his words slurred with the effects of alcoh

"You know what's funny?" Tony mumbles, his expression tinged with regret.

Tony's voice trembled as he recounted the last argument he had with his parents, a fight now etched into his memory as a painful regret. "I had a big fight with my parents the day they died," he confided, his words tinged with sorrow. "And I don't even remember what we were fighting about."

His attempt to laugh off the anguish was palpable, but beneath the facade, I could sense the weight of his grief. Tony, once a beacon of confidence and charisma, now stood before me as a shattered man, his spirit fractured by the loss of his family.

"Someone murdered your parents," I uttered, the words heavy with gravity, as I made the decision to reveal the grim truth to him. Shock rippled across Tony's features, disbelief evident in his widened eyes as he struggled to comprehend the enormity of my revelation.

With a heavy sigh, Tony succumbed to defeat, seeking solace in the numbing embrace of alcohol. Each shot he downed seemed to dull the pain momentarily, but it was only a temporary respite from the agony that consumed him.

"What's the use of telling me? It's not like I can do anything," Tony muttered, his voice tinged with resignation. "If you can't even find the person, then I'm no better. It would be like a wild goose chase."

His words struck a chord within me, resonating with a bitter truth that lingered in the air. As I reflected on the events that had unfolded, I couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness that gnawed at my core. The assailant, a faceless specter of darkness, had shattered the semblance of peace and safety that once enveloped our lives.

The realization dawned on me as I recalled the chilling details uncovered by Baymax, the AI companion entrusted with protecting Tony's family. A level 3 threat, lurking in the shadows, had ambushed his parents with ruthless efficiency, extinguishing their lives in a cruel twist of fate. And when Baymax attempted to summon aid, a sinister force had intervened, severing the lifeline that connected them to help.

In the aftermath of tragedy, a newfound determination stirred within me. I vowed to honor the memory of Tony's parents by seeking justice, by striving to prevent such senseless loss from befalling others. With unwavering resolve, I embarked on a quest to fortify Baymax, to imbue it with the strength and ingenuity needed to safeguard human life against the darkness that lurked in the shadows.

"You know, I'm always jealous of your family," Tony confessed, his voice laden with longing as he voiced his admiration for the warmth and affection that permeated my home.

His words resonated with a poignant truth, underscoring the stark contrast between his own upbringing and the nurturing environment I had been fortunate enough to experience. Tony's relationship with his father, fraught with tension and unspoken regrets, stood in stark contrast to the bonds of love and understanding that defined my own family dynamic.

"You're always so loving that it makes me wonder if my old man ever loved me," Tony mused, his words tinged with bitterness as he grappled with the scars of his past. "He was always stern and had a hard face. I did everything to please him, but it wasn't enough."

His confession struck a chord within me, eliciting a swell of empathy for the pain he carried with him. I longed to offer words of comfort, to assuage his doubts and fears, but I knew that mere platitudes would not suffice. Tony's wounds ran deep, ingrained within the fabric of his being, and healing would require more than empty reassurances.

"Well, the old me is gone, and the new me is never gonna care what the world thinks of him," Tony declared, his resolve hardened by the crucible of adversity as he sought refuge in the numbness of intoxication.

As I bore witness to his descent into darkness, a sense of helplessness washed over me, an overwhelming tide of sorrow that threatened to engulf us both. I yearned to reach out, to offer him a lifeline amidst the tempest of despair, but I knew that the demons he battled were his alone to conquer.

With a heavy heart, I bid Tony farewell, a silent prayer for his well-being echoing in the depths of my soul. As I made my way back to the memorial site, where my family awaited me, I carried with me the weight of Tony's anguish, a burden shared in silent solidarity with a friend in need.

As time went on, Tony struggled with the loss of his parents but found solace in his reputation as a brilliant inventor and a charismatic playboy. When his close friend Jarvis passed away, Tony decided to honor him by creating the most advanced AI in the world, naming it after Jarvis.

Meanwhile, I was also busy improving technology. I upgraded the Baymax system to be stronger and added a feature to protect people until help arrives. I'm also working on integrating Baymax into my own personal AI, inspired by Tony's advancements.

Tony and I collaborated on creating animal sequences, but we stopped at six to avoid any risks of them being misused. To keep them safe, we built a secure vault that requires both of our unique fingerprints and eye scans to access.

Even when Tony got a bit annoying, it didn't weaken our friendship; if anything, it made us closer. I was always there for him when he needed support. And while Tony's parents' death saddened my family a bit, it didn't change how much we cared for each other. We stuck together through thick and thin, finding comfort and strength in our bond.

that was until mid 1996,

My parents began to ignore me, and I suspected it was due to a project they were working on in the warehouse behind our house. At first, I brushed it off, assuming it would end soon. However, as time went on, I realized I was mistaken. Their behavior persisted until mid-1996, and they even forgot my birthday. That's when I decided it was time to get answers and confront them today.