//------------------------------// // Chapter 190 – Change the World // Story: Infinity Era // by JDPrime22 //------------------------------// 190 “Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn’t always roll that way. Maybe this time. I’m hoping if you play this back… it’s in celebration.” The time of mourning had passed and the world celebrated. A normal version of life had been returned the morning the sun broke through the clouds and graced the worlds in warmth, strength, and love. Cities were repopulated, families found one another and shared an embrace molded with hugs and tears and kisses. Businesses were reopened alongside schools, droves upon droves of children, teenagers, and young adults entering back into the realm of education to either continue or finish the year they left. It should have been chaos. Worlds were left in shambles without a sense of togetherness or even a semblance of being whole again. When everyone came back, confusion and uncertainty should have spread. It should have been too much for the worlds to handle in one single instant. But they did it. They found a way and they persevered. It just felt right. It felt like everyone knew what to do. “I hope families are reunited. I hope we get it back and something like a normal version of the planet has been restored, if there ever was such a thing.” Confetti rained from crowded cities as parades stormed the streets. Parades of celebration, love, comradery, of both human and pony alike. Across every nation, the world cheered and cried tears of shaken joy. Children and foals ran down sidewalks, in neighborhoods, all carrying their Avengers actions figures and waving smaller versions of their nation’s flags. The smell of barbecues covered every front and back lawn across various homes, a slew of multiple creatures, races, and people coming as one to have some food, share a drink, and smile for a victory worth celebrating. The festivities lasted all day, into the burning oranges and reds of the afternoon, and even into the darkening hours of the night. By then, the global celebrations had only just begun. “God, what a world. Universe now. If you told me ten years ago that we weren't alone, let alone you know to this extent... I mean, I-I-I wouldn't have been surprised, but come on, who knew… the epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play.” It was like the Fourth of July, but shared with every nation, with both worlds forever caught in each other’s hold. With an entire universe. From the rebuilt Golden City in Wakanda, with King T’Challa and his little sister Shuri, the Black Panthers, watching the bustling world they helped craft scream in cheers and love for their victory. Even across the whole inhabited earth, that victory was shared. Families and friends watched together from their homes, from the streets, and cheered as fireworks exploded and colored the night skies in dazzling colors. Vibrant blues and fiery reds, scorching yellows and luscious greens, with an array of rainbows so majestic and so powerful that none could help but gaze in awe. A certain dysfunctional family watched from their home’s porch, Scott Lang draping his arm across Hope’s shoulders and holding her hand tightly. To his left, his daughter Cassie leaned against the father she would never lose again, Scott holding her gingerly. His eyes fell back to Hope, seeing her gaze glisten with the lights of a thousand fireworks. She sat on his right, the two looking to one another and smiling sweetly. They leaned forward and kissed tenderly, breaking off just as the fighter jets soared over their heads. Cassie pointed to them, breathless and grinning, holding the youth of a child in the body of a teenager. No one saw it, but Scott had tears in his eyes simply seeing that smile grace his daughter’s lips. He kissed the side of her head and held her closer. Held his family, his love, so much closer and watched the skies ignite. “And for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's going to find a way to grow up in…” Like all things, the celebration ended. The night died and morning came. With it, another trial awaited, another day with more tribulations than any could have ever hoped to face alone. They weren’t alone when they faced it. They all came together to pay their respects and honor the life, victory, and death of Anthony Edward Stark. The visionary. The genius. The American patriot. The hero. Close friends and family stood and sat together in the living room of the Stark residence, all watching in silence as Tony’s final message played for those he loved. The piercing blue light shot forth from one of Tony’s Iron Man masks resting on the table, playing a near-living and breathing hologram of Tony Stark himself for all to pay witness. It was as if he was actually there, actually leaning against the holographic chair and speaking to the many before him. Of course, he spoke only to a mask. But his eyes, his shimmering blue expression, washed across the entire room as if he expected to see them there since the very beginning. And they were. From his best friend James Rhodes openly crying to Harold Hogan, the man who had been by Tony’s side for as long as he could remember. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were either scattered about or sat together, each of them wearing dark and depressing dresses alongside the black and white suits accompanying Rhodey and Happy. All of them wore a different shred of pain and loss in their expressions, all of them gazing to the hologram with some kind of memory flushing into them. A memory of Tony Stark. Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy sat on a couch alongside James. Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood with Happy behind the main couch, Rainbow leaning against the wall and trying to hide her pain. Unable to. Tears swelled in her burning eyes as she gazed to the carpet and listened in to Tony’s voice one last time. For Twilight Sparkle, her mind was nearly too far gone to remember anything. Even from the moment she first pulled him out of the dirt in Ponyville, to some of his last words spoken solely to her, it was almost too painful for Twilight to remember. She focused, instead, on the now. On the man shimmering before her. She sat directly beside Morgan and Pepper, all of them dressed appropriately, all of them frozen in a state of pain and silence. Morgan clung onto her mother, Twilight gazing to her every now and again with more tears swelling in her eyes. Even if she was just a child, Twilight could see the expression on her face, that sense of deepening loss clouded by the childlike innocence. Almost as if she knew what had truly happened and what she had lost. She was much, much smarter than Twilight could have known. She was a Stark after all. As for Pepper, the wife made a widow was left with only a daughter to care for, but knowing that among her there was a family that would always be by her side. Even when she had lost so much, Pepper knew she had gained more than enough. There was love to cloud the pain. From that, she remained strong. She held in her tears and maintained her composure as Tony’s last message was spoken to her, to them, to his family. “So, I thought I better record a little greeting in case of an untimely death, on my part. I mean, not that death at any time isn’t untimely. If it’s all the same with you, Pep, I don’t want a big funeral. I don’t want my name in lights, or… droves of people coming from across the globe just to pay homage to someone they may have considered to be a hero. Let’s keep it small. Short, sweet, with only the people we care about. And… people those people care about.” It wasn’t the first time Pepper had watched that recording. She had found his mask lying on their bedroom desk, informing her of what was going to happen and what might be needed. Never could she have imagined she would be fulfilling such requests. Pepper nearly broke at that, but remained strong for a second longer. Tony’s hologram seemed to ponder, hand rubbing his goatee, a tiny smile gracing his saddened expression. “Never wanted you to worry… You won’t have to anymore. If I leave you, let it be known it was for something bigger than myself. Yeah, imagine that.” He gazed off to the ceiling, scoffing lightly and shaking his head. “This time travel thing that we’re going to pull off tomorrow... it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of all this. But then again that's the hero gig. Part of the journey is the end. What am I tripping for? Everything is going to work out exactly the way it's supposed to.” He rose from the chair that didn’t exist in that room at that moment, stumbling forward to the Iron Man mask he used to record the message seemingly a lifetime ago. Tony paused momentarily, raising his eyes and gazing to his family. To Twilight, Pepper, and Morgan all sitting together directly in front of him. He assumed they would be there. He assumed the best and smiled warmly to each and every one of them. “I love you 3,000.” The hologram fizzled away, the last thing any of them saw being that of Tony Stark’s assuring and loving smile. A single tear slipped down Twilight’s cheek, the building wetness in her eyes finally breaking free. She closed her eyes and dipped her head, contorting her expression to find some semblance of strength and togetherness. He would want her to. Pepper gazed longingly to where her husband used to be, feeling the tightness grip her arm and her eyes gazing down to her daughter. She held Morgan softly, rubbing a hand through her hair in a silent assurance of love. For today. For tomorrow. For the rest of her life. Hand in hand, mother and daughter exited their home with a caravan behind them, from Happy, James, Twilight, and the rest. They entered into the morning light with the trees barely able to conceal the rays of the sun. The sounds and sights of the forest around them filled their world with peace, entrapping them in a safe and secured life. They descended the steps with Pepper holding a bundle of flowers in her left hand, the other gripping her daughter’s own. Between the masses, they walked, Pepper casting her eyes to all who had made it. To all who were willing to give their morning for the person they cared about. The one who had saved them all. She smiled gratefully and moved on to the lake dock. The many more followed behind them. Stopping just at the end of the dock, Pepper bent down and laid the flowers on the crystal surface of the lake. Small ripples danced outwards, and with a weak push, the bundle floated off. Atop the decorated and embroidered bundle of flowers, a small and circular device rested in the heart of the beauty. A tiny Arc Reactor, a relic so ancient that it was rusted, scratched, but held together through all the years. From its creation that saved Tony Stark’s life, to its end where it honored the life it had saved. That first Arc Reactor shimmered under the morning light, a small engraving along its face glowing even brighter. A set of words that Pepper wrote herself and never could forget. Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart. Holding her daughter close, Pepper watched it sail off into the lake. She watched her final farewell slip away for all to see. Morgan held her eyes to the Arc Reactor, not knowing what it meant that day, but would understand completely in the future. By her right, Twilight Sparkle held her lingering gaze to the Arc Reactor before dropping her tear-filled eyes, feeling the wing drape over her withers and turning to Rainbow Dash beside her. Together the two stepped closer together, watching in fellowship, in friendship, as their friend drifted off to a better tomorrow. Rarity stood behind them, with Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy holding strong in the bonds of friendship. Happy and James stood side by side, both of their arms resting and rubbing one another’s back, both men having lost a best friend and watching him leave them. Stepping forth, Sunset Shimmer and Spike joined the group of mares, molding in seamlessly alongside Applejack and Rarity, sharing in that friendship and tenderness. They accepted them. Spike stepped forward in his miniature suit and tie, pausing by Twilight’s side opposite to Rainbow and resting his claw on her foreleg. Twilight smiled sweetly down to her number one assistant. Her little brother. She opened her wing and wrapped it around him, bringing him in close as they both gazed to the lake. Behind them, Peter Parker and his aunt May Parker were side by side, dressed appropriately and respectively for the man who had single-handedly changed their lives for the better. May, having lost Peter for five years, ensured that he traveled nowhere without her for some time. And Peter, having lost his third father figure, kept his composure as strong as he could have managed. He had to, just like he had for his actual dad. For Ben. And now for Tony. Beside them, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo stood together and leaned against one another for support, Scootaloo being taller among them but not caring in the slightest. Stephen Strange and Wong gripped their hands directly in front of them, holding straight postures and expressions cemented in stone. In his eyes, in his thousand-yard stare, Strange saw an eternity of peace for the Stark family. All of it thanks to the efforts of one man. Beside them, Sunburst and Starlight turned to one another before Starlight leaned against her best friend for support. He draped his foreleg over her withers, feeling the unicorn nuzzle him tenderly. He closed his eyes and nuzzled her back. Outside of the dock, on the grassy hills just next to the Stark household, the remaining masses stood in attention, in that moment of silence, and gazed together to the glimmering lakeside and the flowers that graced it. Scott Lang stood with his daughter Cassandra directly in front of him, Hope van Dyne and her mother and father—Janet and Hank—joined in unity. Even Hank Pym had arrived for Tony Stark’s funeral, having held a great deal of resentment towards him for many years. None of that mattered anymore. Next to Scott, his best friend Luis was by his side through thick and thin, laying a hand on his shoulder and staring off into the lake. Behind Luis, Grubber and Captain Celaeno were present and accounted for, with an entire band of parrot pirates alongside their captain. Liz Spittle, Squabble, Mullet, and Boyle all with their heads low, eyes closed, and standing in silence. The Guardians of the Galaxy were also present and dressed appropriately, to the best of their ability. They were even united with a certain band of ponies they had come to know and love. Peter Quill stood alongside Trixie, Rocket, Derpy, Nebula, Maud, Drax, Mantis, Groot, Yondu, and Kraglin. They all wore some form of black clothing eerily similar to their own regular set of clothes. Even with Drax’s sensitive nipples, he wore a shirt in respect for Stark. Royalty had arrived in the form of a king, a prince, and princesses. T’Challa and Shuri held their hardened gazes respectively to the lake’s edge, to the Arc Reactor. Shining Armor, Cadance, and Flurry Heart were right beside the rulers of Wakanda, the young infant resting on her mother’s back while Shining kept his foreleg resting on his wife’s shoulder. All of them were stilled into that quiet realm, frozen and calm to the world’s elements around them. And among those calm into the world’s embrace, the Barton family stood together on the hill overlooking a great portion of the lake. It gave them an overview of the water, of the flowers drifting off towards the heart of the sun-streaked lake. It showed Clint the Arc Reactor, the legacy, and the final image of his friend and Avenger Tony Stark. His family was with him, his hands resting on the shoulders of his daughter Lila and son Cooper. His wife Laura stroked their youngest son’s hair, Nathaniel leaning against his mother. Off and alone in their own band of misfits, broken souls, and twisted pasts, Wanda Maximoff stood alongside James Buchanan Barnes and Sam Wilson. Wanda and Bucky had a particularly scarred history with Tony Stark, but nonetheless had buried the hatchet and arrived to honor his passing. Sam rested his hand on Bucky’s shoulder. Discord was with them, his lengthy neck bent low, eagle claw and lion paw held together, and eyes shut in that silent declaration of honor for the one greater than he. For the being who had done something even the Lord of Chaos could not. New York’s finest were united once more, at long last. Matthew Murdock gripped his cane as his dark red shades shimmered against the light of the sun. Elektra Natchios intertwined her arm with his own, leaning onto her beloved Matthew. Danny Rand and Luke Cage were side by side, suit and ties, with Jessica Jones directly beside them in a simple and easy black dress. She wore no scowl, no underlining resentment for anyone present at the funeral. She arrived on her own accord, knowing that her presence alone spoke more volumes than she ever could. If there was anything left she needed to do, she owed Stark that. Directly behind them, Harley Keener came alone. He stood alone, gazing with heavy eyes, hands deep in his pockets, as he stared for the last time to the man who had directly changed his life for the better. More than he could have ever known. A mass of government agents was scattered around, starting with Maria Hill, Thaddeus Ross, and Phil Coulson. Alphonso Mackenzie, Elena Rodriguez, and Melinda May. Leopold Fitz, Jemma Simmons, and Deke Shaw. Lance Hunter, Bobbie Morse, and Michael Peterson. Even Glenn Talbot emerged, joining the large group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to gaze together in the same direction. Towards the light glinting off the lake. And standing tall and alone upon the steps of the Stark home, Carol Danvers gripped her hands and gazed heavily to the scene before her. Queen Novo, Dragon Lord Ember, King Thorax, Pharynx, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna all stood together on the porch, all rulers of such vast and powerful nations uniting for one purpose, for one reason. To celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Tony Stark. And out of those shadows of that same porch, stepping forward to observe all who had come together, to observe it for himself, Nick Fury laid his hand on the wooden railing and gazed on. He saw all who had arrived to see off the man who had directly or indirectly affected their lives. Teams were forged, friendships were built, and entire worlds were brought together just from the start of one man. Just a man who got lucky. Just a genius with a suit of armor and the biggest heart in the universe. Nick Fury came to him one last time. As they all did. The morning proceeded forth and the guests lingered on even into noon, where lunch was provided and the masses mingled amongst themselves. Many gave their condolences to Pepper and Morgan before they said their goodbyes. Hugs and handshakes were exchanged, so many heroes and people of various nations and worlds shipping off to help build the next steps towards tomorrow. Morgan was getting tired, and Happy obliged in taking her inside the house to rest for a bit. Not before she could get away without a hug from her aunt. Twilight embraced Morgan loving and longingly, meeting her eyes and telling Morgan that her daddy was a hero. He was Twilight’s hero. She may not have fully understood, but she would later on. Morgan simply smiled and hugged her aunt one more time for good measure. When it was time for Happy to take her away, Twilight heard him ask her if she wanted something else to eat other than the lunch provided. Curiously enough, she said she was hungry for cheeseburgers. Happy really seemed to like that answer. Away from the many and stuck in their own world of peace and serenity, Clint Barton and Wanda Maximoff gazed onto the flushing waves of the river. Emerging to their right, Starlight Glimmer paused and took a seat on the grass and leaves overlooking the river, staring off into it almost as blissful as the other two. Wanda cast Starlight a quick glance, an even quicker smile that the unicorn gladly returned. Both of them perked up when they heard Clint gasp lightly. “You know, I wish there was a way… I could let her know…” he mumbled, expression stricken with painful memories and even more powerful scars. His face contorted from broken to whole, tears threatening to form but his smile holding against it. He turned to her, faced Wanda with that same smile. “… that we won. We did it.” Wanda breathed in those words. She nodded softly. “She knows,” Maximoff replied, gazing off into the sparkling waves. “They all do.” Clint smiled even wider after that, somehow earning that assurance just with Wanda’s words alone. He raised his arm and settled it on her shoulder, Wanda replying with her arm holding his side. Two broken spirits, two wounded warriors, both having lost equal to what they had gained in the aftermath, found solace and comfort in the arms of one another. They breathed in that comfort and listened to the waters rush by. “What are you gonna do now, Clint?” Starlight asked after a moment of warming silence. Clint and Wanda turned to face the unicorn on their right. “Both of you… now that this is all over?” Pondering that, Clint felt his arm fall away from Wanda’s shoulder, noting that her hand broke from him as well. He stared beyond the river and onto the unforeseeable future ahead of him. All of which seemed to be clouded by his past. Licking his lips, he sighed. “I need to right some wrongs.” Wanda smiled. “I need a break.” Clint smirked at that, turning to her. “Don’t we all?” he jokingly asked. “We’ll be here for you.” With a smile fading away and an expression practically crumbling, Barton spun to face the source of the familiar voice and nearly lost his breath when he saw them approach him. From the voice that originated from the radiating Sunset Shimmer, the mare was joined by Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike. The whole cast of ponies and one dragon who Clint had known for the better portion of his life. The ones he met one fateful day after crash-landing in Equestria. They all stepped up to him, seeing him as the one friend they didn’t lose. The one who had survived it all and stood with them in the light of another day. Each mare was practically beaming with happiness, tears in their eyes, and Spike keeping his arms crossed and trying to remain cool. Even he gave in when Twilight took that next step, when she smiled to Clint and assured him with every ounce of her will and power, with as much strength as the bonds of friendship could offer, one simple promise. Twilight told him, “And this time we won’t look away, Clint.” Though he had lost one family with the Avengers, Clint realized that he always had another, one that wasn’t connected by blood. One that crossed barriers and even entire worlds. One that had always been with him. His face broke at that, the tears swelling and smile faltering. Regardless, he grinned and fell to one knee, bending low and holding out his arms to them. With a collective rush, the six ponies impacted Clint and held him in a loving group hug. Sunset and Spike were quick to join in, laughter, cries, and giggles shared all around. Starlight, too, joined them, crashing against the crowd and wrapping her forelegs tightly around Barton’s neck. Wanda watched the loving display with a smile on her lips, dabbing at her eyes with her fingers. Hawkeye held each and every one of them, close to his self and even closer to his heart. He held his fellow Avengers.