“Tony Stark. Visionary. Genius. American patriot. Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer Howard Stark quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind…”

“Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?”

“See you back at base.”

“Contact left!”

*BOOM*

“What the hell did you do to me?”

“What I did is to save your life.”

“He says for you to start working immediately, and when you're done, he will set you free.”

“No, he won’t.”

“No, he won’t.”

===

[Template: 26%]

It’s been a few weeks.

I told the adults a lot of things about myself and what I know. Enemies, allies, other important people. 

I’ve hung out with my friends. Kitty, Rogue, Jubilee, Kurt. And Ororo, who’s the DM for a Dungeon and Dragons game with the kids.

We talk shop. 

And then I meditate. On the Force. On Magic. On Pain. 

I talk with Charles about it sometimes. His best piece of advice so far? “Learn to adapt.”

But, and I’m sure it’s been noticed, I haven’t gone back to college. Why? Because I’ve got magic to learn, that’s why! Seriously, I have to learn multiple different languages and then understand what particular situations I am to use them in. 

I don’t have time for coding, or making games, even though I know it’s important. 

But, let’s go back to why you’re here: Tony Stark went missing a month ago after his convoy was ambushed. 

My thoughts? Save Yinsen and ensure Tony makes it out okay. 

My worries? Changing the established timeline. 

Now, I know I’ve already changed things up a bit by telling the X-Men about possible futures. But, they were kinda a doomed existence to begin with. I honestly don’t think things can get worse for them (fingers crossed). 

I think one man should be fine though. So, I sally forth. 

===

{In Afghan- The Mirror Dimension?}

I step out of my portal to see The Ancient One standing not too far in front of me. 

My portal closes on its own- or should I say directed by another.

“Are you here to stop me?” I ask her. 

“Maybe,” she replies.

I think for a moment. 

Why would she stop me? I’m trying to change the timeline, duh. 

Can I escape? Doubtful.

Can I fight her off? Super doubtful.

I guess I’ll just have to talk. 

“What do you want?” I ask.

She doesn’t answer immediately. 

‘Are all my plans out the window?’ I think. 

“I am fine with you speaking with Stark. But Yinsen must die,” she says calmly.

My hand clench and the surroundings vibrate.

“...Why?” I ask, already knowing the answer.

She tells me anyway, “Just like Ben Parker must die, so too must Yinsen.”

“I just don’t get it.” 

“Our heroes must learn about consequences. It builds them up so they can carry heavier burdens.”

“But I’m here now. I can still save them.”

“At what cost? For your personal satisfaction?”

“For them!” The vibrating increases for a moment. “So they can still live!”

“They would gladly pay the price. You know they would.”

The surroundings stop vibrating.

TAO nods, then says, “Go see for yourself.”

===

{In Afghanistan}

*BOOM*

“How'd that work?” Tony asks, his body strapped into the Mark I armor. 

“Oh, my goodness. It worked all right,” Yinsen says, looking at the decimated corpses of his captors. 

“That's what I do,” Tony says.

He then tells Yinsen the next steps to initializing the armor. 

And Yinsen does well, working quickly on the armor. But he hears the soldiers coming and he decides to do something.

“They're coming,” Yinsen says, decidedly. 

“Make sure the checkpoints are clear before you follow me out, okay?” Tony says, nervously.

“We need more time. Hey, I'm gonna go buy you some time,” Yinsen says. Then he leaves Tony, grabs a gun, and heads out of their cell.

“Stick to the plan! Stick to the plan!” Tony yells. “Yinsen! Yinsen!”

I follow Yinsen, noticing his frantic expression, but feeling his determination. There is strength there. To do what needs done, knowing the final outcome is death. 

Yinsen scares some off, but then he is caught unaware. He is shot and falls. 

Moments later Tony, in his Mark I armor, comes around the bend. He quickly dispatches the enemy and comes up to Yinsen.

“Come on.” Tony kneels next to Yinsen, opening his helmet. “We got to go. Move for me, come on. We got a plan. We're gonna stick to it.”

“This was always the plan, Stark,” Yinsen says, still clinging on despite the pain.

“Come on, you're gonna go see your family. Get up,” Tony says, desperately. 

“My family is dead. I'm going to see them now, Stark. It's okay. I want this. I want this,” Yinsen's voice is fading.

There is a pause, and Tony understands.

“Thank you for saving me,” he says.

“Don't waste it. Don't waste your life,” Yinsen says. Finally passing.

Tony closes his helmet and continues to the mouth of the cave.

I stay by Yinsen’s side while Tony vents his anger. 

And I feel it: the sadness, the anger, the hate. It calls to me to give in. 

‘That sadness you feel hurts, doesn’t it?’

‘That anger you feel burns, doesn’t it?’

‘That hate you feel is righteous, isn’t it?’

‘If only you had more power…’

But I do not let it. 

Not now. 

Not in front of this brave, brave man.

===

After Tony blew up the base, and nearly himself, I went to where he landed. 

I bought a Flask of unending water to drip on his face and wake him up, then handed it to him so he can have some fresh water. 

“So, who are you and what’s with the getup?” he asks.

“I’m a Magician.”

“Oh yeah? David Copperfield or Houdini?”

“Myriad.”

“New kid on the block, eh? Trying to get your name out there by approaching some big-leaguer like me, eh?”

“You’re not hallucinating, Mr. Stark.”

“Well, what do you know? You’re just a figment of my-”

I pinch him.

“Ow, hey, be nice.”

“You’re not hallucinating. Now let’s go. We don’t want to be late.”

“Late? Where are we heading to, Alice?”

“Rhodey’s coming by helicopter.” I turn and start walking, knowing he’ll follow.

…

“So, uh, how long have you been…you know?” Tony asks.

“A while,” I say noncommittally. 

“Right, right. So, uh, how long have you known…”

“You were in that cave?”

He nods.

“A while.”

“Right. And you only just showed up now because…?”

I stop walking. I feel Rhodey not far off, maybe ten minutes.

“You have a Destiny, Mr. Stark. I intervened after everything was over because I thought I had changed the course of your life by being…a magician. It seems like that may not be true, but I will keep an eye on you going forward.”

“Well, that’s not ominous.”

“Don’t waste your life, Mr. Stark.” 

He looks at me, shocked. Then I turn invisible and walk away.