In the desolate expanse of the alien planet, nestled amidst the barren landscape, lay a small town that seemed to emerge out of nowhere. Two neat rows of buildings stretched out before him, leading to a building that strikingly looked like a saloon straight out the Wild West. Tony couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu as he observed the scene before him. If it weren't for the very different sky above him with its three moons of different size and colours, he could have sworn he had travelled back in time. Everything reminded him of the western films. The buildings had a rustic charm that was strangely reminiscent of the old frontier villages, even though they were not made of woods here.
The town's residents were obviously not human, yet they were all dressed in long leather coats that were bringing to Tony's mind images of duels on Main Street with Colt revolvers. They moved with a purpose and determination as if they had important things to do, places to be. Tony could almost hear the music, as tension rose in the movie.
In a way, it was fitting. After all, he was here to eliminate the bad guy and allow everyone to have a better life. What child didn't want to be a cowboy growing up?
Tony was tempted to go to the saloon, but he didn't know if he would be understood or what to order. He doubted that the entire universe would understand English or any of the languages of Earth he knew. Thor had always said that Midgard's booze was much too weak to ever get him drunk. Tony couldn't help but smirk at the memory. He hadn't touched a drop of alcohol in a long time, and truth be told, he didn't miss it one bit.
But it wasn't just the language barrier or the unfamiliarity of the surroundings that gave Tony pause. He was well aware that he was not dressed appropriately and that it would make him stand out like a sore thumb. He had no intention to make himself a greater target than he already was.
Arriving early had seemed like a prudent decision at first, a chance to gather his thoughts and prepare for the task ahead. But now, as the minutes dragged on forever and the anticipation mounted, Tony found himself growing increasingly restless. He couldn't focus on anything. Building things had always been his way of dealing with everything. It was definitely not the best coping mechanism, but as long as it worked, he didn't think too much about it.
Tony really missed Pepper, more than words could express. Being away from Morgan felt like missing a limb, a constant ache that lingered in the depths of his soul. Despite everything, Tony could take comfort in the fact that their separation would be temporary. For Pepper and Morgan, it would be as if only three days had gone by. And while the separation had been difficult, Tony found solace in the knowledge that they would soon be back together, in a better world of his making.
Tony could picture Moran's bright smile and infectious laughter. She was incredibly bright and curious about the world. Spending some days in New York would just be a new adventure for her. As long as Pepper and Morgan were waiting for him at home, Tony knew that he would find the courage to face whatever challenges came his way.
For Tony, the separation would take months. In many ways, he had brought this isolation upon himself. Thanos was his primary target and was the one who really needed to be dealt with. Revenge was a dangerous game, something petty and quite ugly. And yet, Tony had decided to be judge, jury and executioner. He couldn't help but wonder if one person should wield such unchecked power.
"Friday, put the video on please," Tony instructed, his voice laced with a sense of longing.
The AI didn't need further clarification to understand what Tony was talking about. Friday had a significant portion of her space taken up by films, audios, and photographs of her younger sister Morgan. She would never tell anyone, especially not her creator, but she had found herself drawn to these recordings more than once since the beginning of their adventure, studying the images of Morgan's smiling face. She wasn't sure if she had the capacity in her coding to miss someone. In those fleeting moments, it sure felt that way.
