TONY STARK'S POV
As Tony gradually regained consciousness, he couldn't help but feel disoriented and confused. Blinking away the haze that clouded his vision, he slowly took in his surroundings - a dimly lit room with a hard, cold marble floor and a reflective surface that seemed to stretch on for miles. It was eerily similar to the location the Mind Stone had teleported him to after saving him from Siberia, although there was an unusual white glow that permeated the space. As he tried to make sense of his situation, he realized there were only three possible scenarios: he had died and was in the afterlife, someone had kidnapped and held him captive, or the Infinity Stones had teleported him here. Of course, Tony sincerely hoped it was the latter, but he couldn't shake off the feeling of uneasiness that settled deep in his gut. Next time, he should listen to Pepper and Rhodey about needing to be more cautious and vigilant so that he could avoid these types of situations overall. It was official; Tony despised déjà vu way more than nostalgia.
He could never seem to catch a break, couldn't he? Regardless, it never helped him when he sat around and did nothing, so in an effort to gain some clarity or find a means of escape, he decided to explore his surroundings. As he made his way through the area, a sudden occurrence caught his attention: a bright blue portal materialized on the ceiling, and before he knew it, Ethan emerged from it and landed on the ground with a loud thud. Although he was unharmed, he seemed bewildered until he laid eyes on Tony.
"Ethan? Are you alright? What happened?"
"That is what I want to know, Mr. Stark!" Ethan shouted in a confused and terrified tone. He took a moment to calm down and then continued. "All I remember is this assassin-type person chasing me. He was too strong, even for me to handle. As he raised a sword to me, Josh jumped in the way to take the blow, and it just went through his skull like a hot knife through butter. Then with me just standing there in shock, the man used that opportunity to slice through my stomach. As I lay there dying, I remember seeing the man pull each of my intestines and organs out until he found the Soul Stone," Ethan recalled, clearly still shaken up by the whole ordeal. "He muttered something like, 'Five down, one more to go.' I never had a dream like that before," he whispered. It was more of a nightmare than a dream. But what did all that mean? Was it only a warning or another incident of someone messing with his mind? Two more additional portals appeared on the ceiling, leaving Tony with no opportunity to think about what the dream could have meant, as Dr. Strange and Vision arrived through them, executing a more graceful landing on the floor as opposed to Ethan and Tony's more harsher landings. Had they expected to show up here?
"I assumed that you all are here because of similar dreams?" Dr. Strange bluntly questioned.
"If you mean the one where a strange assassin-type man hunted you down and performed a barbaric surgery for an Infinity Stone, then that is why I am at least here." Dr. Strange nodded at the sentiment.
"I don't have dreams; the Mind Stone instructed me to head through the portal," Vision revealed. Well, at least that made sense, but then again, when did anything in Tony's life make sense?
"Regardless of how we all came here, it is clear that it involves the Infinity Stones in some way." 'Only what is inside you.' The only sentence uttered by the hooded man; at least Tony understood what it meant, but what was his intention? How did he find out about the four people who bonded with the Infinity Stones? Didn't only a selective and most powerful few have the ability to wield an Infinity Stone, let alone all six? What made him different? What did he intend to do with them? And what role did that galaxy-colored humanoid have in the situation?
"Relax, Mr. Stark. We will explain everything." Tony remembered that gravelly but baritone voice from anywhere. As if on cue, a luminous dark blue mist enveloped the room, and then the familiar and radiating royal blue stone emerged from the distance.
"Space Stone! Long time no see!"
"Yes, it has been, Mr. Stark. I wish it were a better time for us to become reacquainted; however, we have more important issues to discuss."
"Let me guess, it has something to do with that dream, and it has something to do with you guys?"
"Smart kid," the very raspy and tomboyish voice of the Reality Stone commented as she materialized through the mist. "But seriously, you all are about to die," she bluntly informed.
"Reality! You couldn't have said that in a more delicate way?! Don't you see that the poor kid is already scared out of his skin?!" The usually mellow and mild-tempered voice of Soul Stone angrily exclaimed. "Sorry about that. What Reality is trying to say is that a lot is happening, a lot more than you think."
"Well, thanks for the advanced warning, but surely, whatever this new threat is can't be any worse than Thanos. Right?"
"Afraid not, Kid. Not this time," the deep and quiet voice of the Time Stone responded.
"Especially since there are two of them this time, which you all probably don't think is that big of a deal because you handled much worse than that, but trust me, if you are not careful, you will all certainly die." Was the Reality Stone always so... Direct? Regardless, there were two serious threats? That galaxy-colored humanoid was also involved, wasn't it?
"Afraid so, Mr. Stark." Even the usually melodious and feathery voice of the Mind Stone sounded intensely concerned and worried.
"Well, how much do you know about them? And was there a genuine necessity for you all to summon us here instead of directly notifying us? And what was with the absolutely dark and ominous dream? No offense, but I think we all have been traumatized enough."
"Trust me, we had almost nothing to do with those dreams; it was completely out of our control," the solemn and reserved voice of the Power Stone replied. "But to answer your first question, we know as much about these new threats as you all do. And as for your second question, we have summoned you all as a notification. As the protectors of your bonded Infinity Stones, you all will be the first ones to know about any threats to our existence. These ones are no expectations."
"Whatever we must do, the whole team will be prepared for them."
"Don't be so sure of yourself, Dr. Strange," the Space Stone warned. "No one more than Tony can attest that these new threats are more powerful and aggressive than Thanos ever was. That is why we all decided on a plan that could benefit everyone."
"Well, it was all the Mind Stone's idea, but we all agreed on it," the Soul Stone clarified.
"Agreed to what? What is the idea?"
"Let me explain; even with all the teams' efforts, it will be too close of a battle, but... You all have already seen the outcome. Anyway, you all need all the help you can get, and as the most powerful artifacts in the universe, we can offer some assistance." Tony began to understand what the Mind Stone was implying. "Besides, seeing how we never helped you all during the battle with Thanos, it would be nice to offer our services this time."
"So, are you proposing the idea of having another person possessing all your abilities, or will you all appear in your stone forms in the inevitable battle?" The Mind increasingly brightened as she giggled at Tony's questions.
"Not exactly, but those ideas sound a little more... Uncomplicated and sane compared to the one I thought of." Please, that was like another Monday to Tony, as his whole life was nothing more complicated and insane.
"Well, whatever it is, we are all on board." Everyone voiced their agreement with that statement.
"Good to hear. Now how about we take you home and show you our plan?" Before Tony could ask for some clarification, the Infinity Stones instantly teleported the protectors onto the top floor of Stark Tower. What idea did the Infinity Stones have? And why were they so secretive about it?
"What was that even all about? Why must they be so dramatic about everything?" Suddenly, a bright light shined through the living room, almost blinding the protectors, and once it died down, six new figures were present in the room. What the hell? Were those the Infinity Stones?
"Surprised, Mr. Stark?" The woman, who Tony assumed was the Reality Stone, asked in a smug matter.
"So, that was your plan? Becoming human?" Ethan asked, almost shocked and bewildered by the Infinity Stones' new forms.
"Yes, although we haven't done something like this in a long time," the other woman, who appeared to be the Mind Stone, acknowledged. What did that mean? When have they done that before? Once Tony devoted a considerable amount of time carefully examining the Infinity Stones in their human forms, he acquired an appreciation for their distinctiveness and ease of differentiation.
The Space Stone: It was quite clear that the gentleman present was the oldest person of the group, as evidenced by his distinguished and wiser appearance, which indicated he was in his early to mid-forties. He was dressed impeccably in a formal ensemble of royal blue, complete with a black tie and matching black dress shoes that exuded an air of sophistication. A patch, shaped like a portal and borne his affiliation, was noticeable on his right shoulder. His aura radiated a prominent royal blue glow, which was in perfect harmony with his dark blue eyes and short hair, both of which complemented his color scheme impeccably.
The Power Stone: The elegant woman next to the Space Stone appeared to be in her late thirties or early forties, as her physique was toned and slightly youthful. Adorned in a truly magnificent and captivatingly stunning dark purple gown, she paired it with golden high heels that glistened in the sunlight. Around her neck hung a golden necklace with a purple stone enclosed at its center, symbolizing her regal stone form. Similar to the Space Stone, she emanated a dark purple aura that encapsulated her entire being. Her eyes and long, flowing hair were also adorned with dark purple shading, styled in a braided and curled royal fashion.
The Time Stone: A gentleman in his early thirties graced the scene, his appearance reminiscent of the characters in that cult-classic musical he had watched with Jessica and Peter. Why did he have to know that? His attire was carefully chosen: light brown pants complemented by suspenders, a long-sleeved cream shirt, and a green vest left unbuttoned for a touch of casual elegance. His footwear consisted of brown lace-up boots that belonged to the 1890s era, adding a touch of vintage charm to his ensemble. A stopwatch chain looped through his pant loop, and a dark green newsboy cap crowned his head, adding a touch of sophistication to his look. His eyes and hair were striking, emanating a deep green hue similar to the Space and Power Stones, giving him an otherworldly aura.
The Reality Stone: Upon closer inspection, it became apparent that the Reality Stone likely took the form of someone in their early to mid-twenties, based on her youthful appearance. She was adorned in a trendy biker attire, contrasting starkly with the other ancient stones. Specifically, she donned a pair of dark blue jeans, a black crop top that exposed her abdomen, a dark red leather jacket, dark brown boots, a gold chain necklace that sported a dark red stone, indicative of her stone form, and a black braided bracelet on her left wrist. Her long hair was straight and dyed a fiery dark red shade, perfectly complementing her deep red eyes and spiritual aura.
The Soul Stone: Based on his appearance, it was assumed that the Soul Stone in question was likely in his early twenties, indicating that he was one of the younger members of the group. His attire was both modern and casual, consisting of a simple white T-shirt, a dark orange jacket, blue jeans, and orange-checkered sneakers. Notably, his distinct ginger hair and dark orange eyes perfectly complemented his general spiritual aura.
The Mind Stone: Upon first glance, it was apparent that she was the youngest of the group. Her youthful appearance suggested an age between fifteen to twenty, similar to the age range of Harley and Pietro. She opted for a comfortable and casual outfit, donning a vibrant yellow short-sleeved dress that complemented her golden hair, which was styled in a twisted ponytail that perfectly framed her sun-kissed freckled face and accentuated her radiant yellow eyes, which matched her aura. A gold chain necklace with a unique stone, representative of her form, hung delicately around her neck, and to complete the look, she wore brown ankle boots.
Jessica walked into the kitchen, searching for a water bottle, even though it was almost sunrise. She noticed Tony, Ethan, Dr. Strange, and Vision but completely disregarded the Infinity Stones' presence. "Hey, everyone. Isn't it a little too early for some of you to be awake?" Then she noticed the Infinity Stones and ferociously rubbed her eyes to confirm that she wasn't in a dream. The Mind Stone excitedly waved at her as Jessica stared at them in bafflement. As she turned back to Tony with the same surprised expression, she only uttered one question. "... What did I miss?"
(A/N: Surprise! The Infinity Stones have human bodies! This was an idea that I initially wanted to do in the first book, but it just didn't seem to fit anywhere, but at least now it happened! And yes, I couldn't help myself having the Time Stone dressed as a newsie. One: it is in my name. And two: it was too good of an opportunity not to take.
Anyway, I wanted to ask a favor. I have noticed in the comments sections of the first book that some people decided to name the Infinity Stones, so since they are human now, they need some names.
Place in the comments section below what name should go to each Infinity Stone. Make you identify which stone you want the name as, and the most written one will go to that Infinity Stone. Thank you for reading the story! Goodbye for now!