Chapter 53 – Mexico?
The chamber at Kamar-Taj grew quiet again. The faint echo of the Emperor's voice faded, leaving only the whisper of the wind and the smell of incense. Gaius sat still, his posture straight and unyielding.
Across from him, the Ancient One calmly sipped her tea. Her presence seemed unchanged, as if nothing extraordinary had just taken place, though Gaius felt the Emperor's essence still stirring within him. He wondered, now that the task was complete, should he return to his own universe? the mission that the multiversal chat and The Emperor Issued are now completed.
His thoughts had barely formed when her voice broke the silence.
"If I may say, Gaius…" she spoke with her usual calm, her eyes steady, "you should not return to your universe just yet. There is an event that will take place in Mexico."
Gaius turned toward her, surprised. For a moment, he wondered if she had read his mind. The idea unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
The Ancient One gave a faint smile. "No, I cannot read your mind, Gaius. But I have seen what your actions may shape in the future."
Her words carried no force, no pressure, yet they held weight. He knew she spoke truth, or at least a version of it. He gave a short, solemn nod. The Emperor's voice inside him had gone quiet, offering no counsel. For now, it seemed, his path lay here.
The Ancient One set her cup down. "Our business here is finished."
She rose to her feet and with a graceful motion drew a circle through the air. Sparks flared, swirling into a glowing portal. Beyond it lay the familiar sight of Stark's modern home.
"You may stay here for reflection… or return," she said, her tone gentle but final.
Gaius rose first. His heavy steps carried him to the edge of the portal. Without a word, he passed through, disappearing in the golden light and followed by Tony Stark. Coulson followed with a cautious glance back at the Ancient One. Natasha, as calm as ever, slipped through behind him. Fury lingered the longest, his one eye locked on the sorcerer. Then, with a low exhale, he stepped through.
The portal closed with a faint hiss, leaving only the faint scent of ozone.
On the other side, Fury finally let out the breath he had been holding. "What the F*ck was that?"
Coulson gave a dry chuckle. "It seems we may have wizards in our world, sir."
Natasha folded her arms, her tone cool. "Future soldiers, an emperor of mankind… and now wizards. It's getting crowded."
Fury scowled but didn't answer.
Tony was waiting when they returned, leaning casually against the bar with a glass in his hand. He smirked when his gaze landed on Gaius.
"Guess my world isn't so ordinary after all."
Gaius looked at him, his voice steady. "It is indeed not very ordinary."
The humor faded from Tony's face when Fury stepped forward. His attention fixed on Gaius.
"What do you think that wizard meant about an event in Mexico?" Fury asked bluntly.
Gaius shook his head. "I don't know."
That answer didn't sit well with Fury, but he gave a small nod. "Then we'll have to prepare."
Bruce Banner had stirred awake not long ago and was now sitting at the dining table with Betty Ross, a plate of food in front of him. His expression was tired but calmer than before. Fury paused to check in.
"You good, Doctor?"
Bruce nodded slowly. "As good as I can be."
Betty gave Fury a polite smile. "Thank you."
Fury gave the smallest of nods. "Take care of him."
With that, he motioned to Coulson, who gathered his things and headed toward the door. Natasha followed, her movements smooth and unhurried. She glanced back at Gaius once before slipping outside. Bruce and Betty left with them, heading toward a waiting car.
The house quieted again.
Only Gaius and Tony remained in the living room. The hum of hidden machinery filled the silence.
Tony set down his glass. "Looks like you'll be sticking around for a while." He eyed the armored giant in front of him. "Want to get out of that walking tank? I've got a setup that'll strip the armor clean in minutes."
Gaius hesitated, looked around and felt the Emperor Presence inside him. He gave a slow nod.
Tony grinned. "Follow me."
Tony led him into the workshop. At the center of the room stood a circular platform ringed with robotic arms and scanners. The lights overhead glowed bright as Tony tapped a console.
"Step up," he said.
Gaius obeyed, the platform groaning under his weight. With a whir, the arms came to life. They latched onto the sockets of his armor. Piece by piece, the war-plate was disassembled.
The massive golden auramite pauldrons lifted away first, followed by the chest plate splitting open with a hiss. Greaves were detached, gauntlets unlatched, the gorget loosened. Each section clattered onto nearby racks.
Beneath the armor was the undersuit, tight across a frame far beyond human. As the last layer peeled away, Gaius stood revealed. His skin was scarred and ridged with dark lines of the Black Carapace, the implant that linked him to his armor. Muscles corded like steel shifted beneath his skin, and sockets studded his body like ports for machinery.
Tony stared openly, his usual jokes lost for a moment seeing the ports in his body. "You're built like a fortress," he muttered. "No wonder the armor doesn't slow you down."
Fortunately, Tony had anticipated this. He walked over to a nearby table where folded clothes waited, massive by any normal standard.
"Had these made after I scanned your armor the other day," Tony said. "Custom job. Figured you'd need something that doesn't scream 'invader from the future.'"
He handed over a thick hoodie, reinforced cargo pants, and scaled boots.
Gaius slipped them on, the clothes fitting surprisingly well though they strained against his broad frame. The casual outfit was a sharp contrast to his usual warlike image.
Tony shook his head, muttering, "Still looks like a tank, but now he's a tank in streetwear."
Later, Gaius sat in the living room again, now in a chair Tony had reinforced earlier to hold his weight. His size made the furniture look small regardless.
A soft voice came from the speakers. "Would you like food, Master Gaius? Or perhaps coffee? I can also display the news," J.A.R.V.I.S. offered politely.
"Food," Gaius said. He thought for a moment. "And the news."
"At once."
Moments later, Pepper was notified of his order, while the television flickered to life. News anchors filled the screen, reporting on global events both great and trivial, conflicts across the seas, political debates, celebrity scandals.
Gaius sat in silence, a heavy mug of coffee in one hand, watching the screen as if it were another battlefield. His thoughts drifted to the what the Ancient One said. Mexico. An event yet to unfold. He did not know what awaited, but what ever it was, he would be ready.
The house was quiet except for the low hum of machines and the steady voice of the newscaster. Somewhere deep inside, the Emperor's presence stirred faintly, as if watching alongside him.
The day moved on.
~~~
ps.mexico should been a new mexico, i got that wrong.
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