The night was ablaze with chaos. Explosions shook the city streets, buildings smoldered with smoke, and screams filled the air as civilians scrambled for safety. In the center of it all, Stephen soared above the pandemonium, his small feline form floating thanks to the bandana around his neck. From this height, he could see the path of destruction left in the wake of Obadiah's Iron Monger suit, its heavy footsteps carving through the streets like a monster out of legend.
He darted through the air, sharp gaze scanning for those who needed help. The cloak responded to his every thought, twisting and dipping as if they shared the same mind. Stephen's tail flicked with determination as he flew down to street level, landing gracefully on a broken lamppost that teetered precariously over the chaos below.
A crowd of people was trapped near a collapsed building, their only exit blocked by crumbling debris. Stephen leaped down from the lamppost, his paws landing softly on the ground as he summoned a burst of telekinesis. With a flick of his tail and a low growl, the chunks of concrete and twisted steel shifted aside, creating a narrow path for the civilians to escape.
"Go!" Stephen shouted, his voice calm but commanding. The group stared at him, startled by the sight of a flying, talking cat. But the urgency in his tone snapped them into action, and they rushed toward the opening. A little girl at the back tripped and fell, crying out as her mother reached for her. Stephen didn't hesitate—he flew toward her, scooping her up with his telekinesis and gently placing her in her mother's arms.
"Move quickly!" he urged, the glow of his magic illuminating the smoke-filled street.
As Stephen helped another group of civilians escape, a deafening crash came from a block away. The Iron Monger's suit had slammed into the ground after missing a repulsor blast from Tony. The massive machine stood up again, its glowing arc reactor casting an eerie light across the street as it turned toward the fleeing people.
Stephen hissed softly, his fur bristling as he darted forward. The Iron Monger raised its arm, and Stephen could see the flicker of a missile about to fire. He acted on instinct, summoning a shimmering golden shield that spread out in front of the civilians like a dome.
The missile struck the shield and detonated; the explosion shaking the ground. People screamed, but Stephen's barrier held firm. The force of the blast sent him skidding backward, his claws digging into the asphalt to keep his footing.
"Keep moving!" he yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I can't hold this forever!"
The civilians didn't need to be told twice. They ran, disappearing into the shadows of the city as Stephen dropped the shield and turned his attention back to the Iron Monger. He wasn't here to fight Obadiah—that was Tony's job. His priority was keeping people alive.
Stephen soared back into the air, the cloak guiding him toward another cluster of civilians. But this time, he spotted a familiar face among the chaos. Agent Coulson was coordinating a group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, his calm demeanor standing out amidst the panic.
Stephen landed lightly on the hood of a nearby car, his cloak fluttering behind him as he called out, "Coulson!"
The agent turned, his eyebrows raising slightly at the sight of the flying cat. "I was wondering when you'd show up."
"Where's Pepper?" Stephen asked without preamble, his eyes sharp with concern.
"She's safe," Coulson assured him. "We've moved her to a secure location. She's being protected."
Stephen exhaled, some of the tension leaving his body. "Good."
"What about Tony?"
Now it was Stephen's turn to answer, "He's holding his own for now, but Obadiah's suit is more dangerous than anticipated, but Tony can handle him."
"If Stark doesn't end this soon, the collateral damage is going to be catastrophic."
"I know." Stephen glanced toward the distant flashes of light and the faint sound of repulsor blasts echoing through the city. "I'll stay here and keep the civilians safe."
Coulson nodded, his professional demeanor never wavering. "We've set up a perimeter, but the more help we have, the better. Can you handle it?"
Stephen's tail flicked with determination. "Just keep your agents out of my way."
.
As Stephen guided one of the last group of civilians to safety, the battle between Tony and Obadiah escalated. The Iron Monger's suit was a terrifying sight, its crude design compensated for by sheer size and power. Stephen perched on the edge of a rooftop as he watched the two suits clash below.
Tony was holding his own, his red-and-gold armor sleek and agile compared to the bulky Iron Monger. But Stephen could see the strain in Tony's movements, the way his suit faltered slightly with each repulsor blast.
"JARVIS," Stephen murmured, using the communicator Tony had given him. "What's Tony's status?"
"Mr. Stark's power reserves are critically low," JARVIS replied. "He has 15% remaining."
Stephen frowned, his claws digging into the rooftop. Below, Tony's voice crackled through the communicator. "Take me to maximum altitude," he said, his tone clipped.
"Anthony, don't be reckless," Stephen warned, his tail lashing as he watched the two suits rocket into the sky.
"I know what I'm doing," Tony replied, though Stephen could hear the weariness in his voice.
As the two suits disappeared into the clouds, Stephen's ears twitched, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. He couldn't see them anymore, but he didn't need to. He could feel the tension in the air, the weight of the moment as Tony pushed his suit—and himself—to the limit.
Stephen stayed on the rooftop, his senses attuned to the distant battle. He could feel the timeline shifting around him, the threads of fate twisting in unpredictable ways. This was a pivotal moment, one that would shape Tony's path—and the future of this world—in ways Stephen couldn't fully predict.
"Don't die up there, Anthony," he muttered under his breath, his claws flexing against the stone. "You've still got work to do."
As the seconds stretched into minutes, Stephen's eyes remained fixed on the sky, waiting for the outcome of the battle that would determine everything.
Through the communicator, Tony's voice crackled to life. "Steph, what's your status? You still playing neighborhood watch down there?"
Stephen leapt onto the hood of an abandoned car, his tail flicking in irritation. "I'm ensuring the civilians survive this madness. Someone has to clean up after you."
"Hey, I'm doing my part!" Tony shot back, his voice strained as the sound of missiles exploded in the background. "Obie's in that oversized tin can, and he's not exactly making this easy."
Stephen glanced upward, spotting Tony weaving through the air as Obadiah's suit fired a barrage of missiles. The Iron Monger roared, its bulk tearing through the city like a battering ram.
"Anthony," Stephen said sharply, his voice cutting through the comm. "You're getting reckless. Focus."
"Thanks, Mom," Tony quipped, though his voice lacked its usual humor. " Anyway, this isn't working. We're going to have to overload the reactor of the company and blast the roof."
"What?" Stephen hissed.
"Just listen. You're going to do it. Go to the central console, open up all the circuits JARVIS tells you to. When I get clear of the roof, I'll let you know. Then you hit the master bypass button. Got it?"
Stephen jumped from his perch, his cloak spreading out to catch him as he glided to the edge of the roof. His paws touched down lightly, his feline form looking impossibly small in the face of the massive suits battling mere meters away. "I'm going," he said through the comm. "But you'd better not die before I press the damn button."
"That's the spirit," Tony quipped, though his voice was weaker now, each word laced with pain.
Stephen sprinted toward the central console, his cloak helping him maneuver through the wreckage littering the rooftop. Behind him, the sound of Obadiah's suit whirring and stomping grew louder. His small paws worked quickly as he used telekinesis to pull levers and open circuits he couldn't reach. The interface sparked to life, and Stephen growled softly as he focused, his tail flicking in irritation.
"It's ready, Tony!" he called, his voice carrying over the chaos. "Get off the roof!"
Obadiah's mocking laughter echoed across the rooftop. "How ironic, Tony! Trying to rid the world of weapons, you gave it its best one ever!" The Iron Monger suit stomped toward Tony, raising one massive arm for another strike.
Stephen hissed under his breath, his fur standing on end. He watched as Tony dodged, barely avoiding the crushing blow.
"Anthony," Stephen said sharply, his tone brooking no argument. "You need to move now."
Tony's breathing was labored as he responded, "Just a few more seconds. I'm buying time."
Stephen's claws dug into the console as he watched Tony fire another repulsor blast at Obadiah. It barely fazed the larger suit. "Time is the one thing you don't have!" Stephen snapped.
"I don't think you understand the concept of stalling!" Tony shot back, his voice cracking.
The Iron Monger roared, slamming a massive fist into the roof, causing the entire structure to tremble. Stephen steadied himself, his glowing blue eyes darting between the two combatants.
"You ripped out my targeting system!" Obadiah bellowed, his voice distorted through the suit's speakers. "Hold still, you little prick!"
Stephen's paws tensed on the console. "Anthony, get out of there!"
Tony's voice came through, strained but determined. "Do it. Just hit the damn button."
Stephen's heart clenched. "You're not clear!"
Tony wheezed into the communicator. "Steph… do it."
Stephen hesitated for half a second before conjuring a portal from under Tony and pulling him in with telekinesis as he slammed his paw onto the button with a telekinetic push.
The reactor overloaded in an instant. A deafening explosion tore through the rooftop, sending a shockwave rippling outward. Stephen's cloak flared out instinctively, shielding them from the worst of the blast as the bright blue light engulfed the area.
Obadiah's suit was caught in the full force of the explosion. It let out a metallic groan before collapsing, the hulking machine toppling over the edge of the roof and into the streets below.
Stephen landed heavily, his feline form trembling from the effort of maintaining the cloak's protective shield. His ears flattened as he called, his voice tight. "Anthony, are you okay?"
A faint groan reached his ears, and Stephen's heart sank. He saw Tony sprawled on the ground, his suit scorched and sparking. The arc reactor in his chest flickered weakly.
"Anthony," Stephen whispered, his voice soft with worry as he approached. Tony's helmet had retracted, revealing his pale, bloodied face. His breathing was shallow, and his body twitched faintly as he struggled to stay conscious.
"Steph," Tony rasped, his lips curling into a faint smirk despite the pain. "Told you… I had it covered. Though thanks for the save."
Stephen's tail twitched in frustration. "You're an idiot," he muttered, his voice thick with relief and anger.
Tony's smirk faded as he coughed weakly, his chest heaving. Stephen's eyes narrowed, and he made a decision.
In a swirl of golden light, Stephen transformed into his human form. The sudden shift startled Tony, who blinked up at him in confusion. Stephen knelt beside him, his red bandana transforming into a cloak, with hood included, now fluttering around his shoulders as his hands glowed faintly with magic.
"What…" Tony rasped, his voice barely audible. "You finally… decided to join the party?"
Stephen ignored him, his hands hovering over Tony's chest as he muttered an incantation. The golden glow spread from his fingertips, enveloping Tony's torso as Stephen worked quickly to stabilize him.
"You're lucky I'm here," Stephen said quietly, his voice steady despite the tension in his shoulders. "This could've been worse."
Tony's eyelids fluttered as he fought to stay awake. "You… look good. For a not-cat."
Stephen rolled his eyes but didn't respond, focusing instead on the spell. The glow grew brighter as Tony's breathing steadied, the arc reactor in his chest flickering back to life with a steady hum.
As Stephen finished, a faint sound of footsteps reached his ears. He turned his head sharply, his hood obscuring most of his face as Agent Coulson approached cautiously, his gun drawn.
"Stark?" Coulson called, his sharp eyes flicking between Tony and Stephen. "What happened here?"
Stephen stood slowly, his cloak shifting to conceal most of his form. "He's alive," he said, his voice low but calm. "That's all that matters."
Coulson frowned, his gaze lingering on Stephen. "And you are?"
"Just someone who doesn't want to see him dead," Stephen replied curtly, turning back to Tony.
"You've got the voice of the cat," Coulson said, and while his grip on his gun didn't relax, he didn't press further. Instead, he nodded toward Tony. "We need to get him out of here. Can you move him?"
Stephen glanced down at Tony, who was trying—and failing—to sit up. "Not yet," he said, crouching back down. "Give me a moment."
.
.
Also, if you want to support me and read more than ten chapters ahead, go to my p@treon: JorieDS