Playboy: @DeepBlue — found a future version of me from another timeline. He wants to borrow the Infinity Stones. You might want to take a look.
The message hit the Interdimensional Chatroom like a flare.
Replies flooded in almost instantly.
A future self? From a parallel timeline? That wasn't just strange, it was the kind of story that made even seasoned reality-hoppers lean closer to the screen.
Tony didn't hold back. He laid out everything he knew so far, piece by piece.
The reactions ranged from disbelief to fascination.
Across the city, inside a quiet villa, Noah Vale had just finished dealing with the Chitauri invasion.
He had far more pleasant plans lined up.
Plans that involved not saving the universe for at least a few hours.
He had just started unbuttoning his shirt when the chatroom notification caught his eye.
"…A parallel version of Stark?"
His hand paused mid-motion.
Behind him, Susan Storm blinked in confusion as Noah calmly… started buttoning his shirt again.
"…What are you doing?" she asked, staring at him. "You were literally in the middle of—"
"Something came up," Noah said, rolling his shoulder and slipping into a light blue shirt like a man resigning himself to paperwork.
Camila crossed her arms. "You've been busy all week. First locked in a lab with Reed, now this?"
Noah stepped closer, pulling both women into a brief, effortless embrace. He kissed each of them lightly on the cheek.
"I'll make it up to you," he said. "Promise."
And just like that—
He vanished.
Inside the White House, it hadn't even been ten seconds since Tony sent the message.
Noah appeared between the two Starks like he'd always been there.
His gaze settled immediately on the newcomer.
"So," Noah said, "this is the alternate version of you."
Future Tony stiffened slightly under that look. It wasn't hostile, exactly.
But it felt like being scanned down to the atoms.
"Yeah," he said quickly. "I'm from another timeline—"
"You used Pym Particles to time travel," Noah cut in. "You're trying to collect the Stones from alternate timelines to undo what Thanos did. Half the universe gone. You've got a team working in parallel. Banner and the others are probably already tracking down the Time Stone."
Silence.
Future Tony stared at him.
"…How do you know all that?"
Tony leaned in toward Noah, lowering his voice. "You're enjoying this way too much."
"No mystery," Noah said casually. "Call it… familiarity with the storyline."
That didn't help.
At all.
Future Tony frowned. "What storyline?"
"No need to worry about it," Noah replied, brushing the question aside like lint.
He didn't treat the two Tonys as versions of the same person.
To him, they were just… two separate individuals.
"Anyway," Noah continued, "you're here for the Stones, right?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed two objects through the air.
Future Tony reacted on instinct, catching them.
A case.
A scepter.
The Space Stone.
The Mind Stone.
He stared at them.
"…That's it?"
No resistance. No negotiation. No conditions.
It felt less like acquiring universe-altering artifacts and more like picking up groceries.
Tony folded his arms, amused. "You thought those were priceless relics? They're tools. Useful, sure, but not exactly irreplaceable."
He gave his counterpart a pointed look.
"See what happens when you talk instead of stealing?"
Future Tony let out a breath, still trying to process how easily this had gone.
"I didn't want to risk changing history," he admitted. "Talking could've made things worse."
He paused.
Then gave a short, humorless laugh.
"Not that it matters. This timeline already went completely off the rails."
Noah tilted his head slightly, as if remembering something.
"Oh, right. One more thing."
Future Tony looked up.
"Your team's Nebula?" Noah said. "She's already been swapped. The one with you isn't yours. She's from the past. Which means Thanos is about to get a front-row seat to your entire plan."
Tony's expression sharpened instantly.
"…That's bad."
"It gets better," Noah added, almost cheerfully. "If things follow the original outcome, you'll need two snaps. The second one? That's yours."
Tony turned slowly toward his counterpart.
"That kills you."
Future Tony didn't flinch.
"…Not if we change the ending."
Noah shrugged. "You've got the information now. Whether you use it well is up to you."
Future Tony nodded, jaw set. "That's more than enough. I'll return the Stones when this is over."
"Good luck," Noah said, waving a hand like he was seeing off someone heading into a mildly inconvenient meeting instead of a universe-saving mission.
Tony hesitated, then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vial filled with red particles.
"Take this too," he said, tossing it over.
Future Tony caught it, eyes lighting up. "Pym Particles."
At this point, accepting strange, powerful items without question had officially become a habit.
"Bring everything back when you're done," Tony added.
Future Tony gave a firm nod.
Then activated the device.
His suit sealed around him as time itself folded—
And he vanished.
Tony watched the empty space where his counterpart had stood.
"I thought you'd go with him," he said to Noah.
Noah gave him a look.
"Why would I?" he said. "I just handed him the solution. If he still messes it up, that's on him."
Far away, in another universe, something stirred.
A man in a red-and-blue suit stood before a machine, eyes narrowing as readings flickered across the display.
"The web's been disturbed," he murmured. "Something's interfering with the timeline."
He straightened.
"I'll need to send someone to check it out."
In the war-torn future timeline—
Tony Stark reappeared, clutching the Space Stone and the Mind Stone.
The others were already there.
Captain America. Thor. Banner. Scott.
All present.
All alive.
But not untouched.
Their suits were damaged. Blood stained parts of their gear.
And one of them was missing.
Tony's eyes scanned the group.
"…Where's Natasha?"
No answer came.
But there was no time.
His armor deployed instantly, nanotech snapping into place.
He raised his arm.
A repulsor blast fired without hesitation—
Striking Nebula square in the chest.
She dropped instantly.
Everyone else recoiled.
"Tony! What the hell are you doing?!" Steve demanded.
"Don't move," Tony snapped. "That's not our Nebula."
The room went silent.
"She's a plant," Tony continued, voice sharp. "Thanos sent her."