Peachy

Unexpected

Narrator's POV

"Urgh..." Tony groaned when he sat up from the ground. He stretched, arching his back. Every vertebrae in his back popped. His stomach growled. It had been maybe four days since he had had a full meal. "Urgh." He groaned when his stomach growled again. He got from the ground and yawned. He looked down the map he had in his hand, he still couldn't find it. None of the locals here seemed to know about it either.

Is this place even real?

He began to wonder. He reached in his pocket to check if the little bell was still in his pocket. It was. He smiled down at it and rang it. He closed his eyes and inhaled, smiling. It was pure music to his ears. It brought joy to his heart. He opened his eyes and saw a butterfly fly around him. He laughed a little as he watched it flutter around. It came close to him and tapped him on the nose. He laughed.

The butterfly began to fly away. "Hey, where are you going?" He asked it. He began to follow it. He smiled as he followed the butterfly. It lead him through part the village he had never seen. It was a lot calmer, quieter, full of more beauty. There were flowers on the side of the road and green grass.

There were people out in their gardens, collecting their produce. A man looked up from his garden with a basket in his arms as he saw Tony walk by. Tony looked at him and smiled. The man smiled back at him and offered him a peach.

"Oh." Tony was a little surprised. The man nodded at him. Tony took the peach and looked at it. It looked so juicy. The man smiled at him, gesturing him to take a bit. Tony did just that. "Mmm~" Tony moaned at the sweetness and softness of the peach. He swallowed what he had in his mouth. "That is really good." He smiled at the man. The man laughed a little. "Thank you." Tony said, lifting the peach up a little and bowing a little. The man bowed back and went back to his garden. Tony looked around for the butterfly. It was sitting down on a fence post. He went over to it, and it fluttered it's wings. "Hey." Tony laughed and followed the butterfly.

He continued following the butterfly for a few more minutes until he came to a some steps. He stopped and looked up at the butterfly. "Hm." He said, but then continued to climb the stair case.

///0///0

"Dark magic roars like a thunder, viciously and strong. Merciless and fierce." The ancient one said, making a red flame come from her palm. Stephen watched. "But within it, there is also life." She said. The red flame turned into a red rose. Stephen smiled. "You must learn how to balance the good and the bad."

Stephen looked up at her. "When do I learn to do that?" He asked.

She smiled at him. "Patience, Stephen." She told him. "You will learn soon enough, but for now..." She opened her fan. "...let's stick to the basics."

///0///0

"Ah!" Tony gasped for air as he helped himself up to the last stair step. He pulled himself up and laid on the ground, panting for air. There was another village here. "Oh god..."

Some small children came running behind him, chasing each other. They laughed. Tony watched them run.

"It's the altitude." He said. "The air is thinner." He said. The butterfly flew in front of him. He groaned. "Can we rest for a while?" He asked. The butterfly just fluttered around him. "Ah..." He sighed, getting up. He made his way through the village. It was a little calmer than the one down bellow, but still equally beautiful. He followed the butterfly into an empty alley, to a door of a brick building. The door was wooden. "Here?" Tony asked, looking around. "Looks a little shady." He said. The butterfly touched the doorknocker that was on the door. "Well, okay..." Tony said.

///0///0

"The artillery gun that disappears and reappears was is by far, the coolest weapon ever." Wong told Stephen as they walked through the temple. Wong had the comic book Stephen had lended him, along with other books.

"Oh, just you wait for the-" Stephen stopped when he heard thuds.

"Oh, I'm suppose to have these in the library by now." Wong looked at the books, then at Stephen.

"Don't worry about it." Stephen smiled at him. "I'll get it."

"Oh, thank you Stephen." Wong said, beginning to walk to the library.

"I'll get you some more of those comic books once you're done with that one." Stephen said opening the door. He turned to the outside world he had introduced to the temple. "Namaste-" He stopped once he saw who was at the door.

The person at the door turned to him. "Oh, hel-"

It was Tony.

They both stared at each other in silence for a few moments.

"Stephen. Hi." Tony said, breaking the silence.

The butterfly that had led Tony to his destination, floated in between the two. Stephen look at it. It looked like one of the butterflies in the gardens. He watched it flutter inside.

"Stephen, who's at the door?" Came The Ancient One's voice.

Stephen stepped aside and bowed a little. "This is Anthony Stark." He said. "He's one of my friends from the academy."

"A friend?" She asked him. She looked at Tony. "Hello."

"H-Hi." Tony said, looking at her.

Is this a woman? Where's her hair? And what is she wearing?

His eyes fell upon Stephen. He observed at Stephen. He wore manila colored harem pants and a red colored sleeveless shirt that had cloth crossed over each other.

And what is he wearing?

"Anthony." A female voice rang in his ears, interrupting his thoughts.

"Tony, please." He told her.

The Ancient One looked at Stephen, then back at Tony. "Of course." She smiled at him. "Would you like to come in? You seem exhausted and hungry."

"But my train-"

"Of course I'm hungry." Tony said, stepping in.

"We will give you something to eat. After that Stephen can take you to the nursery to wash up."

"Sounds delightful." Tony looked at Stephen, who's mouth was slightly opened in shock. He closed it and closed his fists. His cheeks grew pink with the lightest bit of anger as he looked down at the floor.

"Any friend of Stephen's is a friend of our's." She smiled at him. "This way, please."