PREVIOUSLY ON: Dawn of New Change
Ultron goes to Helen Cho in order to get his new body using her Technology. Clint, Steve and Nat go to get the Cradle whilst Wanda and Pietro help. Tony and Taeyong find themselves at Nexus trying to find out who is helping keep Ultron out of the nuclear codes, except all that coding seems very familiar. Bruce is back at the Tower, awaiting the rest of the Avengers.
It's Tony that gets to the Cradle first, and he who still wants to right his wrongs.
Tony and Taeyong returned to the Tower with renewed vigour. They both share subtle glances at each other as they strode in confidently towards Tony's open laboratories. The Cradle was already set up and Bruce was stuck staring down at it whilst simultaneously jotting down quick notes on a pad. His eyes looked newly refreshed behind his glasses and he chanced a small glance up, giving Tony and Taeyong a quick nod, whilst he continued with his research.
Clint walked over to the both of them, "guessing you went over the mission report?"
"We did," Taeyong said, patting Clint on the arm.
"Anything on Nat?" Clint asked Tony.
"I haven't heard," he replied, walking further into the Lab. Bruce finally put his paper down and went over to the three. "But she's alive, or Ultron would be rubbing our faces in it."
Clint nodded, tilting his head towards the Cradle, "it's sealed tight. Guessing either of you know how to open it?"
"Doctor Cho?" Bruce asked.
"At medical, currenting in OP, so our options from here?" Clint asked, looking between the both of them.
Taeyong spoke up, "we go over her research papers. The ones already published, I think I still have most of her books in my room actually," he was already stepping out to go and get them.
Bruce nodded appreciatively, "he was prepared."
"He's a fan," Tony corrected. "Wanna try to access the program anyway. See if we can break it down from within?"
"Sure," Bruce said, walking back over to the Cradle and looking through the schematics.
Tony nodded, scanning the lab for anyone else. It was just him, Bruce and Clint so he rounded on the latter. "Hey, any chance Natasha might leave you a message outside the Internet? Old-school spy stuff?"
Clint pursed his lips, hands already on his hips as he thought. "There are some nets I can cast? Yeah," he nodded more towards himself, distracted already. Tony gave him a smile, watching as he muttered a small, "I'll find her," already walking out of the room.
"I can work on tissue degeneration," Bruce said, tapping on the lid of the Cradle. "If you could fry whatever operational system Cho implanted."
Tony already had a hand no the back of his head, fingers running through his hair as he scrunched up his face. "Yeah... uhhh... about that- now listen to me on this- it's kinda funny actually."
Bruce immediately snapped his neck towards Tony, so fast the man was slightly afraid he'd get whiplash. "No," he groaned, already knowing what Tony would say. All the billionaire could do was give him a guilty look as he shrugged his shoulders.
"You have to trust me," he said, hand out and stepping forward.
Bruce winced, "uh, kind of don't."
Tony continued walking forward, whilst Bruce stepped away, curving against the Cradle to put space between them. "Come on! Our ally, the guy protecting the military nuclear codes?" He gave a bizarre, short laugh that made Bruce wince even harder.
"You're going insane..."
"Maybe, but look-" Tony flicked his phone outwards and projected in all his holographic glory was-
"Jarvis?!" Bruce exclaimed.
"Hello Doctor Banner," Jarvis said, voice light and airy like even Tony's UI was relieved to be back.
Tony grinned, "Ultron didn't go after Jarvis because he was angry. He attacked him because he was scared of what he could do." Bruce's shoulders, whilst tense, were starting to lower and Tony tread a little bit more carefully. "So Jarvis went underground. Scattered, dumped his memory. But not his protocols... He didn't even know he was in there until we pieced him together."
"We?" Bruce asked.
"Me," Taeyong said. Both men turned to find the sixteen year-old standing just at the door of the labs, his hands holding five stacks of large university level books that Cho had written. "I pieced him together and I found him first. What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed, dumping the books on the Cradles lid and pushing his dad away from it. "Have you actually lost your mind?!"
"I'm with him!" Bruce said, standing behind Taeyong and then giving Tony a guilty look.
"Really?" Tony said, looking down at Taeyong. "This what betrayal feels like?"
"Don't fucking joke with me," Taeyong snapped, feeling his heart spike and his hands shake. "Don't you fucking dare! You- You-" Taeyong blinked harshly, leaning back against the Cradle. He held a hand out when Tony and Bruce stepped towards him. "What's the plan then, to create another Ultron?" he asked quietly.
Bruce crossed his arms, tongue poking against his cheek. "Your dad wants my help to put Jarvis into that thing."
"We're out of my field here," Tony shrugged, face more serious and he bent down to look at Taeyong closely. "I want to help."
"You don't know that," Taeyong whispered, "this is all a hypothetical..."
"That's what science is," Tony explained. "I don't know anyone that knows bio-mechanics as much as this guy."
Bruce sighed, rubbing his face and eventually taking his glasses off. "That's also assuming that Jarvis's operational matrix can beat Ultrons-"
"He can," Taeyong said easily. "He was beating Ultron from the inside without even knowing it." The boy groaned, standing back up and putting his face in his hands. "Fuck... fuck- fuck- fuck- is this science?"
"This could be Ultron's perfect-self, without the homicidal glitches he thinks are his 'winning personality.' We have to. What else could it be?" Tony asked.
Taeyong looked up and everything in him just wanted to be the good son, the one who would always support his dad. Who could be the person that Tony would always go to if he fucked up with Pepper, or Rhodey, or the Avengers. But he needed the words to be said aloud and he only felt marginal regret. "What else could it be? How about 'The Merchant of Death dealing with the world's greatest weapon and using ignorance to call it 'Peace on Earth.' as the starting title?"
"Hm," Tony nodded, his Adam's apple bobbing. "You're finally a Stark," he said quietly.
Taeyong felt tears gathering in his eyes and nodded, "I am. Jarvis?"
"I believe it's worth a go."
Taeyong turned back to Bruce and the scientist groaned, "I'm in a loop! I'm caught in a time loop. This is exactly where it all went wrong." Taeyong turned away, sitting on one of the many chairs and let himself just watch on. He was tired already.
"I know," Tony said, walking up to Bruce, trying to placate him. "I know, I know what everyone's gonna say. But they're already saying it-"
"We are," Taeyong called, crossing his arms and slumping backwards.
"We're mad scientists," Tony said, looking back at his son. "We're Starks, monsters-" he put a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Buddy, we've gotta own it."
"For what it's worth," Taeyong said, "and it should mean something... I never thought either of you were monsters."
***
J.A.R.V.I.S.
UPLOAD ACTIVE
Taeyong sat at the back of the Lab, a pout adorning his sunken and tired features. He was perched on a chair, chin resting atop his knees as his eyes scanned over both his dad and Bruce, working to install Jarvis' matrix into the Ultron body still stuck in the Cradle. Taeyong's thoughts were flitting between wanting to call Johnny and ask his friend what he should do, then trying to figure out how to stop all this madness, and guiltily, how he could help.
Clint was still downstairs, trying to look for Natasha. The Avengers mission in trying to find the Cradle came with some set-backs. Ultron had taken Natasha and dragged her away somewhere, off-grid. They couldn't find her and Clint was hoping that she'd find a way to contact him without the use of the internet.
Old spy stuff, as Tony liked to call it.
Taeyong was practically itching to do work and although his ribs were aching and his body felt like it was slammed against something solid and heavy, trying to recover, he wanted to do something. He continued to watch as Bruce started to hook in coils into the cavities at the top of the Cradle. Bruce was squatting as he pushed each coil into their respective holes and Taeyong bit his lip, fingers picking at his skin.
"You seem upset, Taeyong?" Jarvis asked.
Tony and Bruce stopped their work, looking over at Taeyong who scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Yeah? No shit, J," he muttered. Tony frowned, but didn't do anything as he went back to coding Jarvis' matrix. Bruce gave Taeyong a strained smile but the younger teen looked away. "I lost you once Jarvis... that was scary."
"You did not lose me Taeyong. In fact, it was you who recognised my coding and led the search to find me."
"That's not what I meant," Taeyong mumbled, tilting his head to squish his cheek against his knee. He stubbornly looked out at the rest of the tower. Everything was finally cleaned up and the main lounge looked like something that should have been lived in, it was too pristine. Taeyong groaned, hands coming to cover his face. "You wouldn't get it."
"I am programmed to learn and understand all things relevant to aid Mister Stark and eventually you, grief is a concept I can learn."
"You were made during grief," Taeyong muttered, watching as Tony's hands froze. "I thought- I-" Taeyong sighed, letting his body relax. He exhales softly when his legs stretch out before him and his shoulders finally drop after being strung up with tension. "There's a chance that you might not make it-" Taeyong's voice cracked.
He jumped off his chair and stormed out of the Lab, rubbing his arms frantically. "Jarvis, I lost you!" Taeyong hissed, feeling tears prick at his eyes again. He let out a high whine, rubbing at his eyes profusely, "I thought Ultron had destroyed you. You weren't there J. He beat us all, came out of nowhere and you were just... fragments of code. You were dim and you just- you were gone."
"Jarvis you mean..." Taeyong hiccuped, finally letting his shoulders rock and his tears finally start to pour. "You're my everything... you were there through everything... my teacher, my friend, my glorified babysitter. Jarvis, I lost my mom, I can't- I can't-" he stumped over to the nearest couch and lay there, staring out at the high city landscape.
"I apologise for causing you such distress Taeyong... I would never want to leave you. But, I am here now." Taeyong closed his eyes. "The chances of success range from 80-94% and I believe that this is the best course of action if it means to take down Ultron."
Taeyong nodded slowly, "and if it doesn't?"
"Pardon?"
"Say that 6% works and I lose you... what happens then?"
Jarvis remained quiet for some time and it was moments like that, which reminded Taeyong why he loved the UI. Jarvis was incredibly built and programmed, he just grew more and more human with every interaction he had with people and Taeyong loved him. "...do you love me Taeyong?"
Taeyong wiped his face, sitting up and pouting, "'Course I do. What type of question is that?"
"Well then, I believe that if this fails, you will move on. It is as Leo Tolstoy says 'Only people who are capable of loving strongly can also suffer great sorrow, but this same necessity of loving serves to counteract their grief and heals them.' You have a lot of love to give Taeyong... it is your superpower. It is... what makes you an Avenger."
Taeyong felt his heart pull and he really was just getting fed up with all the crying, but that really made him emotional. He sniffed, feeling his lips pull into a smug sort of smile and Taeyong squinted slightly, "you love me too J?"
"Of course."
"More than Dad?"
"I don't believe I can measure such emotion and then compete."
Taeyong snorted, "way to ruin the moment."
"Actually, I think the moment is going to be ruined in a minute. Captain Rogers is currently on his way to the Lab, he is also with the Enhanced."
"The twins?" Taeyong frowned, getting up and walking back towards the Labs.
"The genetic coding tower is at 97%," Bruce said, looking down at the Cradle, typing in something that Taeyong couldn't quite see. Tony was stationed at the monitors, overlooking the Cradles vitals. "You have got to upload that schematic in the next three minutes," Bruce said, walking around the Cradle.
"We..." Taeyong called, waiting for the both of them to look over. "Might have a problem."
"Problem?" Bruce asked, pushing his glasses upwards.
"I'm gonna say this once," came a voice from behind him. Taeyong winced, slowly turning around and giving Steve a rather guilty smile.
"How about non-ce?" Tony countered, glaring at the Captain.
"Taeyong, step aside," Steve said.
Taeyong already had his hands up in a surrendering position, "I didn't do anything this time!"
"Then shut it down," Steve looked back at Tony.
"Nope," Tony shrugged, "Not gonna happen."
Steve sighed, jaw clenched and Taeyong stepped towards him, narrowing his eyes at the twins. "You don't know what you're doing. Any of you."
"What are they doing here?" Taeyong asked, pointing towards the twins. The brother, Pietro, smirked in his direction and Taeyong flicked his wrist. His Iron Man gauntlet wrapped itself around his right hand instantaneously, "seriously, HYDRA products- just standing right there!"
"Yeah," Bruce placed a hand over the Cradle. "Why are they here? You sure she's not in your head? Cap?"
Wanda stepped up from behind Steve and Taeyong tensed. Pietro narrowed his eyes at him and Taeyong bit at his lip, wondering which one to go for in case things escalated.
"I know you're angry," she said, looking between Bruce and Taeyong.
"Oh," Bruce gave a grim smile, "we're way past that. I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade."
Taeyong revved up his gauntlet, smirking as Pietro tensed. "Yeah, we really don't like when people fuck around with our heads. First Loki, now HYDRA? Give me a reason, please," he whispered.
"Okay stand down," Steve said, hand out towards Taeyong. He didn't budge. "Banner, after everything that's happened..."
"It's nothing compared to what's coming!" Tony spat.
"You don't know what's in there," Wanda stressed. Taeyong looked back at Pietro, who rolled his eyes.
"This isn't a game!" Steve shouted. Pietro turned to look at Taeyong again and then shrugged, the boy frowned, what was he- The next thing Taeyong knew, his right arm was suddenly cold and naked- the gauntlet lay on the ground and there were sounds of metal pieces and papers dropping to the ground. He looked back at the Lab and felt his eyes widening. The coils around the Cradle were all detached, the monitors were dead and all their notes and books were scattered to the ground.
"Well shit," he muttered, turning back to Pietro who gave a wicked grin. Taeyong wanted to punch him so badly he had to blink, he had never had such a violent thought before. 'I've also never been in the presence of someone this smug... and my dad's Tony Stark,' he thought.
"No, no, no," Pietro shrugged easily as he threw a coil to the ground. His Sokovian accent was strong, "do go on."
"Please," Taeyong whispered, looking back at his dad, "Let me hit him." Taeyong didn't actually didn't have to do anything because a shot came from the floor and he looked down at where Pietro was standing, their glass floor shattered and he fell to the floor below. Taeyong smirked, watching as Clint stepped over Pietro's body.
"Pietro!" Wanda shouted, running over and staring down at the shattered floor. Taeyong had never been more thankful for the fact that the entire lab was basically just one giant greenhouse.
His attention was then turned to the emergency monitor that powered itself on, courtesy of Jarvis. The screen flashed a red warning message; POWER LOSS CRITICAL. He looked back at the Cradle, whatever was in there- Jarvis, or Ultron, they were going to die. Tony quickly turned to the monitors, "I'm rerouting the upload." Taeyong yelled when Steve threw his shield, but Tony was quick- summoning his suit and blasting him away. Taeyong fell backwards when Wanda pushed him with her magic. He hit the back of his head against the glass wall and groaned.
Bruce was on her in a second, grabbing her arms and pinning them to the side. He got her in a headlock and held her down, "go ahead," he spat. "Piss me off, see what happens."
Taeyong grabbed for his gauntlet and started to summon the rest of his suit when Steve got back up and Tony raced over to fight him. They both ran at each other, Steve with his shield and Tony with his repulsors ready when Taeyong ducked and quickly shielded himself. The blast between Tony and Steve had them thrown on opposite ends of the room.
Clint yelped from somewhere below and Taeyong watched as Wanda sent Bruce blasting away. "Hey!" he shouted, firing his repulsors at her and didn't even give time to watch her throw away when Pietro rounded up and pushed him using his super speed. Taeyong was thrown through the glass and quickly fired up his flight boots just before he fell. "I'm gonna kill him," he muttered, opening up his face shield and then doing a double take.
"Is that-"
"Thor!" Tony shouted.
"Wait!" Bruce called.
"Stop-" Steve ran forward.
Taeyong watched as Thor jumped up on the Cradle, swinging his hammer in the air until lightning crackled dangerously, summoning lightning in the middle of the room. Taeyong's vision flashed in and out with white and blacks and then the Cradle, lighting up and vibrating.
"Wait-" he started, firing up his flight and trying to get to Thor. "No Jarvis!" he shouted. He didn't get there in time before another wave of energy pushed him and everyone else from the labs. All Taeyong could hear for a while was a slight ringing in his ear and then glass shattering.
He opened up his suit, scrambling out of it and looking up at the destroyed lab to be met with... well, whatever the fuck was in the Cradle. It looked human, a deep red toned with sheets of metal- vibranium fused into its skin. Something only Dr Helen Cho could do. Whatever it was, looked around- head turning whatever which way as it took in everything. Taeyong furrowed his brows, not wanting to move, just watching as this thing started to move.
He flinched when it locked eyes with Thor, flying towards the God quickly. Thor reacted within seconds, flinging its body out of the lab. Taeyong winced as more glass shattered and it flew just until it got to the edge of the room, before the glass windows. It's eyes scanned over the New York landscape until it was just staring at it's own reflection. Everyone started to gather round the lounge area where Taeyong was, considering he got flung there.
Taeyong raced over to his dad, when Tony stepped forward, looking at the floating being. Tony wrapped his arms around Taeyong's body, his hold tight as they both looked at the Red Being with interest.
"Um... you okay?" Taeyong spoke up.
"Taeyong?!" Bruce hissed.
"What? I'm asking it a question."
"It?" Clint scrunched his nose, "that's offensive."
"The fuck-"
"Alright," Tony squeezed Taeyong closer when the Red Being turned around, looking at the younger boy with interest. It floated down to the floor, clothes materialising onto his body from nowhere. Taeyong narrowed his eyes on it.
"I am sorry," it said and Taeyong's eyes widened, recognising that voice anywhere. "That was... odd." He turned towards Thor, "thank you." He looked over at Thor and then materialised his own cape, Taeyong felt himself smile.
"Thor," Steve called and Taeyong slowly stepped out of his dad's hold. "You helped create this?"
"I've had a Vision," Thor turned to the rest of them, his voice deep and commanding. Taeyong gulped, watching Thor take on an almost leader-like role. He sometimes forgot that Thor was a literal God and that he was born to take over Asgard too. "A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its centre is that," he pointed towards the being's forehead. Taeyong took another step forward, eyes on the gemstone embedded in forehead.
"The gem?" Bruce asked.
"It's the Mind Stone." Thor explained, "it's one of six Infinity Stones. The greatest power in the universe unparalleled in its destructive capabilities."
Steve furrowed his brows, "then why would you..."
"Because Stark is right," Thor said.
"Finally!" Tony called. Both the twins glared in his direction,
"Oh it's definitely the end times," Bruce sighed, exhausted. Taeyong stood just in front of the Red Being. It looked down at him.
"The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron. Not alone," Thor said.
"Jarvis," Taeyong said, looking back at the Red Being. "You sound like Jarvis... he's my... brother." Taeyong gulped, "Dad and Banner reconfigured his matrix to suit your body... to create something new." Taeyong held out a hand, "you're... you're not Jarvis are you?"
"I am... not," He said. Then he looked down at Taeyong's hand and slowly reached forward, placing his own red one over Taeyong's. "I am not Jarvis. I am not Ultron. I am... I am."
Taeyong sighed, "Jarvis' gone then?"
"I apologise, this causes you pain?"
"You understand pain?" Taeyong whispered.
"I... grief," he said with a calming tone. Slowly, its forehead started to furrow and although its face was entirely smooth of hairs, pores and skin, Taeyong found himself smiling.
"Grief," he nodded.
"I looked inside your head," Wanda said, stepping forward. "I saw annihilation."
"Look again."
Taeyong turned to glare at Wanda, his hand automatically squeezing the red one. He stood beside him and glared at the twins. Clint stepped forward too, arm already around Taeyong's shoulder, "her seal of approval means jack to me."
"Their powers," Thor started, nodding towards the twins, "the horror in our heads." Taeyong gulped, looking away. "Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone. And they're nothing compared to what it can unleash."
Taeyong frowned, looking up at the Red Being and squeezed his hand again. This time, he lifted their hands and gave Taeyong's own a light squeeze too. Even without Jarvis, fully gone and never to come back, Taeyong felt calm in the presence of this new being.
"With it on our side-" Thor stated.
"Is it?" Roger asked, looking over at him. "Are you? On our side?"
He looked down at his hand, still holding Taeyong's. "I don't think it's that simple."
Clint scoffed, "well, it better get real simple real soon."
"I am on the side of life," he finally settled on. "Ultron isn't." Slowly, he took his hand away from Taeyong's and floated closer towards the group, "he will end it all."
"What's he waiting for?" Tony asked.
"You," he answered simply.
"Where?"
Clint answered this time, "Sokovia. He's got Nat there too." Taeyong looked up at the Avenger, poking his side.
"If we're wrong about you," Bruce stood just before him, "if you're the monster that Ultron made you to be..."
"What will you do?" he asked, looking around at the Avengers. Taeyong felt himself go still, because that was the question wasn't it? They had created a being from skin and vibranium. Ultron wanted a body that was indestructible and if push came to shove, not any one of the Avengers would be able to take him down. "I don't want to kill Ultron," he confessed. "He's unique and he's in pain. But that pain will roll over the Earth. So he must be destroyed. Every dorm he's built, every trace of his presence on the net. We have to act now and not one of us can do it without the others." Looking down at his hands, he tilted his head, "maybe I am a monster."
Tony looked away.
"I don't think I'd know if I were one."
Taeyong wanted a break.
"I'm not what you are and not what you intended. So, there may be no way to make you trust me," he went over to one of the tables and plucked something up. "But we need to go," turning, he held out Thor's hammer towards him.
Taeyong's jaw dropped and everyone stilled. Well, everyone except for the twins, who seemed to gather that something momentous happened because they just watched, slightly confused. Thor took Mjolnir and the Red Being walked off.
Taeyong cleared his throat, breaking the silence and then his lips tugged upwards. Even with the tense atmosphere, he could feel laughter bubble up his throat. "So..."
"Yeah?" Tony slowly started to grin, immediately clicking on.
"I mean," Steve rubbed the back of his head.
Clint just burst out laughing and Bruce looked mildly amused, crossing his arms in a smug manner. Thor rolled his eyes, "this- he wasn't part of-"
"Wait!" Taeyong jumped upwards, "Does that make him King of Asgard-"
"No!"
"I'm his dad," Tony quickly added.
"So am I?" Bruce said.
"What-" Pietro started.
"I'm technically his brother then," Taeyong grinned. "What d'ya think? Would I make a good Loki?"
Clint snorted, "still too early for jokes like that."
"What- it's been two years!"
NEXT TIME ON: Dawn of New Change
"Dad," Taeyong called. "Could use some back-up."
Tony was flying off within seconds.