Tony Stark's Story

Pepper dashes through the halls looking around for three figures. “Happy! Happy, have you seen Tony or Gene or Rhodey? Well really I am looking for all three, but you find one you usually find the others. Anyway not the point, well sort of the point! Have you seen them?!” she asks as Happy tries to get a word in. “Oh never mind I think I see them!” She proclaims as she dashes past him and wraps her arms around Tony and Genes' shoulder.

“Tony! Gene! I have great news! Well news anyway, not sure if it is great news, but definitely news, news. Not as news, news as that freak lightning storm! I mean it hit the street from what I hear, not any of the tall buildings and then there was no power! That was tough! I didn’t have my computer for hours! I was just researching into-” she shakes her head, “That isn’t important at the moment, and it is technically classified…as in I wasn’t supposed to look into it and probably shouldn’t speak of it at school, I will tell you later. Maybe. If I remember to. Anyway remember when I got kicked out of class for talking to much during a test cause they were gonna put me in a separate room to take my test so I wouldn’t ‘disturb’ the other students by my talking? And I protested that, that was unfair. Not to me, but to the students cause ya know I could cheat and that being in the room was actually for their own good cause if they can’t tolerate me then how are they gonna survive the real world? And that spiraled into a talk about life choices and job goals…which wound up to a moral debate, ya know about cheating and stuff? Anyway when I was sent to the princpals room for talking back to a teacher, which by the way is totally uncool. After all you are supposed to question the teachers to learn and to make our own choices, even if it means back talking…and I wasn’t even back talking that much. I mean yeah the test had to be rescheduled because I took up the entire class time, but that wouldn’t have happened if the teacher had just let me stay in the room and listened to me. I mean come on!” Rhodey looks at her, “Pepper get to the point.” He urges her as he looks at the clock. “Right! Where was I? Oh yeah the waiting outside the office! Well I overheard the principal and vice principal talking and they sounded in a bit of a fit! Like not so much as the Pop Corn incident in the cafeteria but very close. Speaking of lunch what are we having today? Is it sloppy Joes or tacos…I hope it is tacos less messy, I don’t wanna get any on my shirt.” Again Rhodey interrupts her, “PEPPER! The point. Please?” he proclaims

Pepper frowns, “Right sorry. So I was waiting out of the principal’s office and the two were talking, and the door was open a crack, so I did what anyone would do at that point. I snuck closer and listened in.” she looks at the three with eager eyes and a huge grin before continuing. “We are going to have two new students! Two! The teachers are like freaking about it! Cause their enrollment came like, so quickly! We haven’t had a new student since you Gene....well I guess Whitney counts as well...but anyway, Two! Isn’t this great! Oh and I know their names. One is Luke Lawson, and the other is Kurt Wagner. I never heard of them before…but I will research them when I can, might be hard for the Lawson one cause ya know that is a pretty common name. But how many people have the last name Wagner in the city, shouldn’t be too hard. Aren’t you guys excited! Oh! We should give them a tour, maybe a welcoming party! Should I bake them a cake or a pie? I mean most people like cake, but there are the few that prefer pie…Oh! Maybe Pizza! Nobody dislikes pizza! I haven’t met anyone who has…Hmmm but would that be cheap? Cause I would just order it…So that leaves cake and pie? But what type of cake? Chocolate, or vanilla? That is if I even go with cake. With pie man the choices are like endless! They even have Rhubarb pie! Rhubarb! Can you believe that?” she asks as Rhodey sighs and rubs his brow. Pepper looks behind her eagerly, “Oh! Look that must be us! I mean them!” she says as she points to two kids walking in the hallway, separately. One a black haired boy a bit older than them, wearing a freshly pressed white shirt, black dress pants. His black hair was slicked back and on the longer side, his eyes scan the crowd behind his glasses, he walks confidently, almost a bit arrogantly. “Hey Gene he has the same hair as you, not the same eyebrows as you though... maybe you could be friends!” she comments.

The other looked about their age with indigo hair that seemed to hit the back of his neck, his clothing was baggy and he wears a brown button up shirt over a long sleeved maroon shirt, his shoulders hunched as if he was shy or timid with a backpack slung over his shoulder. “Huh…he must be scared, I would be to. I mean coming to a new school with no friends here. Must be rough, was it rough for you Gene? I mean I know Tony was the new kid before you but he knew Rhodey so that was different…” she exclaims her hand still pointing at them.

Nightcrawler holds his blades, his chest slowly rising and falling as he looks across from him at the Neyaphem Azazel, his father, blood trickles from both their arm. “Well boy you haven’t gotten stronger in the least. I am disappointed.” He hisses.

The mutant known as Nightcrawlers’ usual friendly face turns into a scowl as his tail flicks a bit behind him, the cutlass being held by his tail gleams in the moonlight. There was a BAMF as Nightcrawler and Azazel teleport, “I. AM. NOT. YOUR. BOY!” Nightcrawler proclaims, each word punctuated by a BAMF and attempt to subdue his father, the sound of steel hitting on steel fills the quiet night forest air.

They soon are on the ground Nightcrawler blocking all of his fathers’ swords, being pushed back by the stronger man makes him move back. Nightcrawler BAMFS once more, but this time something unexpected happens, Azazel grabs him, a mark forming on his ankle before punching him into the BAMF with a cackle.



A purple smoke forms in the side alley as a figure slams into the wall with a groan, the smell of burning brimstone slowly dissipates. Kurt sits up as he rubs his head, “v-vhere… am I?” he whispers as he sits up with a groan, spying his cutlasses on the ground nearby as he reaches for them…and jerks his hand back in shock. “Mein Gott…” he whispers as he stands up and looks at his hands, they looked…well human. “V-vhat in zhe vorld?!” he proclaims as he picks up a cutlass, catching his reflection, it clatters to the ground as he takes a step back. “I am…I am a teenager? But zis impossible! How did zis happen?!” he cries out before taking a few deep breaths, “Calm down Kurt…just…one step at a time.” He whispers as he picks up his three blades as he peeks out of the alleyway, he spies no one about as he looks around. “Am…I in Manhattan? But…I vas in Winzeldorf.” He mutters as he quietly walks out, things however looked…different it was the same, but…not. There was some differences he could not place his fingers on though and that worried him. “I…need to find a place to stay…” he mutters.

After searching around he soon finds on and flops on the bed. “If I am a teenager again…I vill have to enroll in school…could be interesting since I technically never vas in a highschool until ze end...und that was Xaviers...” He remarks as he sits up with a sigh. He quickly finds a net café as he fills out the form for Tomorrow Academy and sends it off before heading back to his apartment complex and falling asleep.

His first day at the high school arrives as he gets up, his image inducing watch around his wrist as he heads to Tomorrow academy, opening the doors as someone with slicked black hair and green eyes brushes past him. He shuffles in, his shoulders hunched as he clutches his backpack. The catches of conversation he does hear sound like…regular high school talk. Though the pink haired girl pointing and seeming to chatter away to three others gave him pause. “Vhy am I so…nervous? Vell…I never vas in a high school before…” he thinks to himself as he gives a little wave in that direction.

“The prisoner has escaped!” a guard cries out at the empty cell as he enters it. A chuckle appears behind the guard as he turns around to see Loki behind him as the cell seals up. “I must thank you…I didn’t think it would be that…easy.” Loki chides him as he strolls away, disappearing from sight behind a pillar as his form takes one of a guard of Asgard. Once out of the prison, he takes a form of a civilian, real guards rushing past him as he smirks. He would be far gone before they realized what happened.

Or so he hoped.

However things did not seem to go as planned for Laufeyson, he starts to open one of his secret ways as he hears stomping footsteps on the broken bridge Bifrost, he turns to see Odin and, “Frigga…” he mutters as he spies his mother, and for a brief moment he looked like his oldself, though that soon is replaced by his now usual look of indifference. Odin points his spear, Gungnir at Lokis’ chest, his one eye looking like ice. “Well what do I owe this family reunion? I see my dear…brother is not here, too busy protecting his precious Earth is he?” Loki hisses out as Odin reacts quicker than Loki could have imagined, grabbing him by the neck and hoisting him off the ground. “I should run you through so you will not cause Asgard anymore trouble creature.” Odin growls back at him. Loki looks him dead in the eyes. “Then do it, Odin. If you think you can, kill the Jotun you fed lies to about being your son!” Loki taunts him. Odin roars at him about to run him through when a voice cries out.

“STOP!”

Odin turns to his wife who walks forward and places a hand to lower the spear. “Do not kill my son in front of me, my love.” She begs him. “Your son, after all that he has done how can you consider him such?” Odin asks her. “Because he is my son! I raised him.” Frigga states, “I will not have you kill him, punish him in another way if you must, but I implore you…do not kill him.” She begs him. “If we let him live he will only kill more of our kind and others, who have no way to defend themselves.”

“Then send him away to another!” Frigga pleads to him as Loki tries to get out of his grasp. Odin brings the god of mischief to him. “Thank Frigga for her soft heart, Laufeyson, for if it was just me I would have run you through.” He growls as he tosses Loki into the way, that he himself had open.



It starts with one small rumble of thunder, though no rain spilled from the sky. Soon a lightning bolt followed, and then another…and another, finally a giant bolt of lightning struck the empty street with a CRACK before vanishing.

In its place on the ground was a figure that opens his green eyes with a groan as he stands up. “I live?” he whispers as he looks around. “Did he send me to Earth?” he hisses in annoyance as he catches a glimpse of himself in a window, his green eyes widen in shock as he spies his appearance. “I am…a child?” he murmurs. “I will get you for this Odin…” he growls out as he tries to shatter the mirror with a blast of ice, only to find he could not, instead he felt…pain. He grabs his hand holding to him. “he stripped me of my power? Oh he shall pay for this…” he thinks to himself as he formulates a plan, he knew that he had to blend in here, and to do so he had to enroll in school. He looks around as he walks to a computer, not really knowing how to operate one at first, drawing…many strange looks before he finally figures it out. He looks at the form forging the information as well as his name, choosing a bland name yet one he could remember before submitting it. He then walks to high class apartment building and manages to use his silvery charms to rent a room, that and the gold coins he had on him did not harm his cause.

He arrives in the penthouse looking around displeased, “…they call this a room? I suppose it will do for now. It is not like I will stay here long.” Loki mutters as he looks at himself in the mirror, “I look like a weak mortal.” He growls out as he takes off his coat to feel he still had some weapons he had pocketed away, a dagger and a few throwing knives. “I suppose those will have to do.” He comments as he crawls into bed. “I will think of a way out of this.” He mutters as he drifts off.


Loki has been spending most his time in the library before the day where he had to go to the school arrived. With a sigh Loki and gets dressed in a white shirt and black pants as he makes glasses form on his face, “It seems not all my sorcery is sealed I will explore more on that when I can.” he thinks to himself as he heads on out to this Academy, brushing past an indigo haired boy as he enters the school, already disliking it for the loud noises and throngs of mewling quims, he frowns as a mortal girl with pink hair points in his direction.

When Pepper starts to really hit her stride, Gene tunes out. It's very soothing to listen to her babble about things he doesn't care about - it's like a free pass for him to think about his own concerns. Like finding the last ring. And running the Tong. He has a sneaking suspicion that his ruse is falling apart and that some of the Tong are getting suspicious, but soon that won't matter anyway.

He only tunes back into the conversation when he realizes Pepper has said his name. "I don't think that basing a friendship on hair is necessarily viable," he says. "And it wasn't so hard being by myself in a new school. I'm sure that guy will get along just fine."

No, he really doesn't care about the new kids. At all. He's got way more important things to worry about.

Tony struggles to follow Pepper's rambling train of thought - she's even more talkative than usual today, which is quite a feat. "Wow, Pepper, no more soda before class for you," he says totally seriously jokingly. Maybe it's just excitement about the new arrivals. It is odd: it's pretty late into the school year to be enrolling. "You should probably give them some time to settle in before pouncing. If you throw them a party before you've barely even met them, they might be a little... overwhelmed." Terrified. They might be a little terrified. "Maybe we can invite them up to the roof for lunch?" he suggests instead.

He sizes up the new kids as he's talking. The blue-haired guy looks nervous; an understandable attitude on one's first day in a new school. The other kid is walking down the hall like he owns the place, all haughtiness and perfectly-groomed hair. Tony grins. "I dunno, Gene, I think Pepper might be right. I bet you two will get along great." As great as two territorial cats, he bets. The fireworks should be very amusing to watch.

Pepper grins, “Oh it totally is viable and I am going to prove it!” she proclaims as she hears Tony, “I didn’t have soda. I have only had water today, we had soda but we don’t anymore, it was Happy. He was at my house I was helping him with English and though I don’t think he learned anything…or much, that could because of me, I was trying to explain it but we got off topic and then I don’t think we ever got back on topic and I think we ended up watching T.V. Well he did I was researching…then the power went out.” She replies to him as Rhodey sighs.

Pepper turns to Tony with a gleaming smile on her face, “Awww you think I am overwhelming? Cool! Maybe I can use that against villains. Like if I am kidnapped…again. Maybe I could be a superhero! The Overwhelmer! She who has the power to overwhelm her enemies without even lifting a finger, talking down villains and downright mean people. Teaching them a lesson to forgo their ways!” She obviously didn’t take it as an insult.

“See Gene, Tony agrees with me. Two against one, that means I am right and you are wrong.” she proclaims giving a fist pump and sticking out her tongue. The two new kids draw closer to the group.


Kurt walks down the halls weaving through the crowd subconsciously as he looks at the schedule, he had no idea where anything was! And no one seemed that willing to help him. “Maybe zis vas a bad zing to do…” he mutters to himself as he spies the group with the pink haired girl, who moments before had been pointing in their direction. He walks over to them as he shifts his backpack, “Ah, um Guter Tag to you all…I vas vondering if you could help me out. I do not know vhere anyzing is…” he explains to them as he rubs the back of his head, “Oh…right I am Kurt Wagner.” He offers them as he holds his hand out to the group.

Pepper takes the offered hand eagerly as she gives an…energetic shake. “Hi Kurt! Sure we can help you, we were actually just talking about you, well you and the other new kid, Luke!” she offers. “We were gonna invite you on the roof for lunch, wanna come with us? Up to you of course, I mean not everyone likes roof tops. Fear of heights and all that. I don’t have a fear of heights, I mean I love them! It is exhilarating to be high above the ground…well unless you fall to the ground that isn’t so fun. Falling is the downside, but I mean what goes up has to come down!” she explains without even taking a breath.
Kurt has a very bewildered look on his face…and honestly he is slightly impressed by her ability to…go on and on. It could have been a mutant ability in itself…maybe one to catch someone of guard while an ally came to attack from behind. Kurt nervously glances behind him just in case, only spying the black haired boy who brushed passed him earlier.

“Erm…o-okay? Sure I vill join you on ze roof.” He says, feeling it would be wiser to say yes than no. “A-anyvay…can you help me? I am looking for ze maths room.” He explains as he shows his schedule.

Pepper however is looking at the other, Luke. “Hey! You! The one with the perfect locks of Ebony!” she shouts.


As Loki tries to pass by the group Pepper manages to delay him by the…outburst. He turns towards them, an eyebrow quirked up as he doesn’t say anything. Pepper walks on over to him, “You must be the other new kid, Luke Lawson right? Why don’t you join us on the roof? It will be fun, we can have tacos or sloppy Joes and drinks! We can talk about nothing at all! Oh I know your name cause I overheard the conversation between the principal and the vice principal.” she says happily. A brief look of confusion passes on his face, “What in Asgard is…Tacos and sloppy Joes? A Midgardian food or a person?” he thinks to himself. Pepper takes this confusion to mean he is debating it.

“Come on, we are buckets of fun! Well if you can stand Tonys’ yammering on and on about some flaw in the physics textbook and all…Gene, that is the guy with your hair who I think you will get along with very very well, he won’t say much…he will just be broody and sulky while the wind blows through his pretty locks.” She says with a grin. “Oh! Not that your hair isn’t pretty and all, yours is good too, like shampoo commercial good.” She offers as she waves her hands in front of her face.
“Will she ever be quiet?” he thinks to himself, starting to tune her out a bit as she continues to rant. He rubs his brow a bit, a light frown crosses his face. “So you will come right?” she asks giving him her face Pepper Puppy eyes. Loki however seems immune, “There is nothing in it for me to go with you.” He states bluntly.

Pepper sighs, “Oh come on, pleeeeeease? I will…” she seems to think about it, “I will overwhelm you with talking if you say no, I will learn everything about you and repeat it if you don’t.” she says half-jokingly, in all seriousness.
“Trust me…she will she knows things about me that no one else does.” Rhodey comments, “Just…indulge her this once and she might leave you alone.” Rhodey adds as Loki sighs with a shake of his head, he did not wish to hang out with these mortals! However, they may be able to provide him with some sort of information. “…Very well.” He concedes to them as he readjusts his glasses. "I will join you in the mid day meal."

Good God, Pepper.

Gene continues to be in awe of her ability to go on and on and on. He'd come to accept it, and so had Rhodes and Tony, but these poor bastards had done nothing to deserve her talking them to death. Nor did it seem like they'd be getting out of this one easily. They'd made the classic mistake of slowing down and listening to her rather than just speed-walking away. He'd been about to respond to Tony with a witty rejoinder when Pepper had launched into her speech, and as a result he'd quite forgotten what he'd been about to say. Annoying, but there you are.

"Pepper..." he says in exasperation when she began discussing his hair. Yes, his hair is great, that doesn't mean she can discuss it with, with...with these nobodies! Especially not one who's aping his style already! There's only room for one brooding dark-haired arrogant guy in this school, and Gene got here first!

Instead, he turns his attention to the one with the German accent. Kurt? Bah. He doesn't care. "It's on the second floor, two doors down from the men's room," he says. Not like he's trying to be helpful or anything. He's mostly just trying to get out from Pepper's chatter beams.

The blue-haired kid, the poor guy, walks right into Pepper's line of fire. All he asks for is directions to math class, and by the time she's done with him, he looks a little shell-shocked -- and still lost. Once Pepper has turned her attention to snagging the other new kid, Tony smiles apologetically at Kurt.

"Sorry about that. That's Pepper," Tony says, because in all that, Pepper never actually got around to introducing herself. "You get used to her. I'm Tony Stark." He shakes Kurt's hand as well, much less vigorously than Pepper had. The shaking hands thing seems a little formal for high school, but Kurt started it, so Tony'll roll with it. "The antisocial guy who just gave you directions is Gene Khan, and the fourth musketeer is Rhodey." Tony grins. "Welcome to the Tomorrow Academy: home of the tri-state area's richest and nerdiest."

By the time he's finished introducing himself to Kurt, the other new kid - Luke, was it? - has finally managed to get a word in edgewise. A rude word. Jeez, this guy's a jerk. Tony notices Gene glaring at Luke, and elbows him playfully and snickers. "What's the matter? Afraid of another haughty shampoo model competing with you for my affections?"

Kurt smiles, “Pepper? Vell zat is an uncommon name…” he says with a chuckle, “But it suits her.” He adds as he shakes the red shirted boys’ hand. “Vait vhat?” he says, his blue eyes widening as he hears his name. “…Tony Stark? How…vell if zis is another dimension then it vould make sense zat zere vould be another Tony, but…I zought he vould be…more Tonyish…” he thinks to himself before snapping out of it, “Ah sorry…” he says as he let’s go of his hand, rubbing the back of his head, “I just didn’t zink I vould meet someone from Stark industries.” He explains to hide his surprise. He turns to Gene, “Ah, zank you very much, Gene.” He offers as he looks at Rhodey and the rest memorizing their faces. They looked…well so different than the ones he knew, yet similar as well. “And zank you for ze velcome.” He offers Tony with a carefree smile, seeming to loosen up now. “Ah, and for ze directions Gene.” He adds with a nod of gratitude.

Pepper smiles, she had actually been quiet for that exchange and looked like she was going to burst. Luckily for everyone Rhodey stops her as he shakes Kurts’ hand, “James Rhodes…everyone calls me Rhodey though.” He offers as he gives his hand a firm shake. “Nice to meet you, and as Tony said…welcome to Tomorrow…and not all of us are the richiest or the nerdiest, just most of us…he also forgot awkward.” He offers him with a warm chuckle.

Then Pepper explodes, “Right! We are all friendly, well not Gene, Gene is broody but he is nice once you get past all the broody outside to find his not so broody center. He is like…dark chocolate with a sweet nougaty center.” She explains to both of them. “Which is why I think you two would get along Luke, you look the same and acted like he did when he first arrived. All broody and mysterious…and well he still is that, but he is also our friend! Like he has helped us out from some tough situations, and we have helped him as well. Even if he didn’t ask.” She rapidly explains to them.

Lokis’ look of surprise is much shorter than Kurts’ at the name, a hint of anger that is quickly smothered out. “Ah so those are your names…you seem to already know mine, so I was at a disadvantage.” He offers them with a chuckle. He turns to Tony and Gene as he hears Tonys’ comment, “Oh he is more than welcome to have that spot.” He remarks with a nonchalant shrug. “Tomorrow Academy…odd name, but not the oddest name for a place I suppose.” He mutters, looking lost in thought for a bit.

Pepper looks at him, “Hey what are you thinking about Luke? Are you lost as well? What classes do you have? Maybe we can help!” she asks him, snapping him out of his thoughts. “I am…fine, I have a study period for the first lesson I am sure I can find the library, Pepper.” He says calmly, more of a smirk than a smile was on his face. “I need to do some research anyway, but I will be there for the lunch.” He promises them when it looks like Pepper was about to object.

"...I'm not a chocolate," Gene points out, utterly nonplussed. Pepper was very...Pepper, today.

Gene's all tsun and no dere today. He rolls his eyes theatrically at Tony, but doesn't deign to respond. It's beneath him. But that better not have been a dig at Tony. Not like he cares. Yep. All tsun today.

To Kurt, he shrugs indifferently. No skin off his back. Hell, he'd been new here once too, though he wouldn't have stooped to ask for directions. But don't think he didn't see that little spark of suppressed anger in Luke's eyes. He's known what it's like to hide that emotion and hide it well, so he doesn't comment on it. He has filed it away for later perusal. Interesting.

Pepper thinks they'd be friends. Gene's not so sure. He doesn't like the cut of this Luke character's jib, for one reason or another. And if there's one thing Gene's learned, it's to trust his instincts.

"Stark International, you mean?" Tony corrects Kurt. That's a weird mistake to make, but he's got that heavy accent, so maybe it's because English isn't his first language. "I'm probably not the only person from Stark International you'll see. This is our headquarters, after all. The city's crawling with Stark employees," he points out with a smile. Then he grimaces, the smile souring. "Though, I'm not really... associated with the company right now. Not until I turn eighteen."

Tony oblivious lovable dork that he is doesn't catch Luke's fleeting look of anger, so he just says, "great, see you there!" He's not sure it is great, actually, because there seems to be a distinct possibility that this Luke guy is a huge tool, but hey, it never hurts to give somebody a chance. Except when that person's name is Donnie Gill.

He does notice Gene bristling at Luke's words, though. He gives him a sly smirk and says under his breath, quiet enough that only Gene can hear, "you're so cute when you get all territorial." Just in case anyone had forgotten that Tony Stark is an obnoxious pain in the ass.

Before Gene can respond with a scathing retort or a smack to the head, Tony scoots out of range, acting like nothing had happened. He claps Pepper on the shoulder and says, "Okay, Pepp, I think you've interrogated them enough for now. The bell's in three minutes; we should all get to class. I don't know about the rest of you, but if I get one more tardy I'm going to be spending the next decade in detention."

Kurt nods, “Ja, that sorry…” he says as he rubs the back of his head, “Still having trouble grasping ze English language.” He comments. “Vell yes, but still…” he adds as he shifts his backpack. He covers a frown as he hears the souring tone in his voice. A light frown crosses the Germans’ face, but he is wiser than to ask it.

Loki listens calmly, like Kurt keeping his mouth shut, not really out of a kindness or anything silly like that, but to not get more attention drawn to him. As Pepper is clapped on the shoulder he gives what could be considered a wave as he heads towards the library, and Kurt heads to Math. As Pepper sighs, “Fine, fine I will go to class and not talk through it all…” she comments to Tony as Rhodey sighs.



As Lunch time rolls around Pepper bursts onto the roof as she spies Kurt Wagner hanging upside down on the scaffold reading a book, “Wow! You are good!” she comments as he lifts his head up…er down, as he smiles, his hair hanging down. “Zank you. I had lots und lots of practice.” He explains as he swings a bit, looking like he belonged in the circus. “Vhere is everyone else?” he asks with a tilt of his head.

As he says that Loki walks onto the scene, some books on him as well as some food. He gives a nods to the two. “First three here I see…” he comments as he looks out at the view, seeing down below a chunk of road being repaired. “You interested in what happened there? See a few days ago there was this freak lighning storm and BOOM! It hit the road.” Pepper proclaims as she climbs up and sits by Kurt who moves his legs a bit to allow her to do so. Rhodey soon joins the scene with some food, “Hey Kurt do you need any food?” he asks him. Kurt shakes his head. “Nein, I had some earlier and feel quite full actually, but zank you for asking.” He says as Rhodey looks at Loki, who seemed to be jotting down something in a notebook, he catches a word on the spine of the book. “Oh no, did you catch that weird interested in magic and occult thing too?” He comments with a sigh as Loki puts down his notebook taking off his glasses as he rubs his eyes. “What? I have always found subjects such as these…interesting.” He comments with a smile, this one seeming genuine. Rhodey nods, “Uh-huh…Well to each their own…” he says as he sits down. “Pepper I am surprised you are not talking your head off.” He says as Pepper grins. “I am waiting for Tony and Gene before talking! Well…was waiting…I was but now I broke it.” She says as she bites into her sandwich as she gives the door a hard stare waiting for the rest to arrive…before getting on her phone and starting to research…something.

Tony. It literally always hurts to give someone a chance.

Gene had been in his classes, but he'd barely been listening. Something about that Luke kid just really got under his skin! And the more he thought about it, the less he was able to explain it. Maybe Tony was right. Maybe he was just territorial. It wasn't his fault that he thought this kid was trying to ape his style - which he was, by the way, he has a patent on tall, dark, and bitchy - and Tony noticing it made it worse. Stark had quite wisely opted to get out of smacking range after that remark. Or out of heinously public makeout range, anyway.

By the time he makes it up to the roof, he's compiled some research of his own - namely, research about the Makluan rings. Happily for him, nobody else around can read Chinese...or so he thinks.

He does his best not to scowl when he gets to the roof for lunch. Oh, great, that Luke kid. That Kurt kid seemed okay, maybe a little too eager to please, but that Luke kid. Ugh. And Pepper's new pets seemed to be as into weird shit as the rest of them.

"Nice acrobatics," he says to Kurt, and pointedly being indifferent to Luke's presence.

Tony arrives last, carrying a large, flat cardboard box.

"Who wants pizza?" he asks, flashing a smile and looking very pleased with himself. "I skipped study break to get a pie from down the street. Two new kids at the Tomorrow Academy seemed like an occasion for pizza." Okay, pretty much any occasion is an occasion for pizza. Mostly he got bored with his history homework and wanted an excuse to procrastinate.

Tony notices Kurt just in time to avoid running straight into him. "Whoa. Hey Kurt. How's it hangin'?" He grins at his own joke, then walks into the middle of the group and opens the pizza box to distribute the spoils. "Pepperoni, extra large. Everybody can have two slices. Two. I'm looking at you, Pepper."

Pepper was already reaching for her third slice as Tony says that and sighs, "Fine. Two." she says placing it back, "Even if you did get one with Pepper in its name. Isn't that right Rhodey?" she asks, before he answers it looks like Pepper had just seen Gods' face, while Rhodeys' looks...the opposite. "Pepper n-" he starts to say. "PEPPERRHODEY! Guys, guys, guys! PepperRHODEY! We are a pizza!" she states with stark clarity as he sighs, "At least it is better than when I tripped over a rock path and you said Rocky Rhode..." he mutters.

Kurt grins at Gene, "Zank you, circus life can do zat after a vhile." he says with a laugh, if he was telling the truth or a lie that was hard to tell. He waves at Tony before hopping off, "It is hanging vell, I am slowly getting used to it here...I vill say it is much different zen vhat I am used too." he explains as he grabs two slices of pizza. "Debates class vas...interesting, many opinions on mutants." he says with a shrug as he sits crosslegged on the roof, not saying what he thought of the situation, but it did make him realize that he would have to be careful here, more so than in his world. He laughs at Peppers sudden clarity, "is she alvays like zat?" he asks them. "Yes." Rhodey says without missing a beat.

Loki lifts his head up from his book as he spies Tony, he closes the book shut, it looked old...some loose leaf notes were stuck inside, his notes one would assume. He walks over looking at the pizza curiously before grabbing a slice and taking a bite of it and swallowing, “odd mortal food…” he thinks to himself as he looks at the group, “So there was a Thunderstorm here?” he asks as Peper turns to him a face full of pizza as she swallows. “No that is the odd part, well…one of them. It was a Lightning storm, yeah thunder was in it…but there was no rain. Only Lightning and thunder it was all like KA-BOOM! And then it struck the street.” She says pointing to the area. “Like we have lightning rods and tall buildings, the last place it should have hit that would have caused damage was the street. Why? Are you sad you missed it?” she asks him. Loki shakes his head, “…not particularly, curious I suppose.” He mutters. “Odin must have sent me with the lightning and thunder…” he concludes. “Was there anything else odd about it?” he asks as she tilts her head and looks to the others. “Ummm it took out the cities power for a bit?” she says with a shrug.

Oh...pizza. Gene will cease being haughty for pizza. A little. Maybe.

"That is not a pie. That is a pizza." Fuckin' regional slang, how does it work?

Seriously though. He wants that pizza. He takes a couple of slices from the box and chews, thinking. That lightning storm was pretty weird. And...had Kurt said 'circus life'?

"Shame I missed it," he says. He's only mildly interested, but weird things happening is definitely his wheelhouse. He glances at the book Luke was reading, and the paper sticking out of it. Was that...were those Norse runes? Clearly he doesn't want anyone to know what he's writing...which of course makes Gene all the more interested. He's no stranger to writing in code to keep interested parties from peeking over his shoulder...or to making plans that are too sensitive to ever be written down.

"In New York, it's a pie," Tony says haughtily, taking a bite.

He raises his eyebrows at Kurt's exchange with Gene. "Circus life? That sounds like a story. So, what, did you run away from the circus to go to high school? Usually it's the other way around, you know."

Tony notices Gene giving Luke's notebook the hairy eyeball, and he glances over to see what the fuss is about, only to immediately decide he definitely doesn't care. He's got his hands full enough already with all the Makluan ring stuff: he doesn't need another project that involves deciphering ancient wingdings or conieform-whatsit (try "cuneiform," Tony). Whatever weird research Luke is working on, he's on his own. Though, the similarities are starting to get uncanny: rich, snooty, aloof, great hair, fixation on ancient cultures... what next, does Luke have a stepfather that he can't stand, too? Adoptive father, but close enough.

Kurt nods, “It isn’t zat much of a story. And nein I didn’t run away. My mother sent me away, to have a bit of a normal life. You know, go to a school and have social interactions.” He explains to him as he takes a bite of his pizza slice. “said she did not vant me to grow up to be…anti-social.” He comments with a shrug. “Not sure if it vill help, but vho knows? It could be fun here.” He says with a warm chuckle.


Loki listened with a mild interest, he saw Gene looking at his book as he brings it to him pushing the paper back in. Kurt turns to him, “So…Luke right? Vhere do you come from?” he asks as Loki snaps back to attention. “…Norway.” He offers as Pepper sneaky sneaks another slice of pizza. “Norway, huh? Interesting, have any interesting tales?” Rhodey asks him. Loki shakes his head, “I…had a pretty normal life.” He offers. “Any siblings?” Pepper asks as he frowns, “A…brother, mother and…father.” He says calmly. “Oooo older or younger?” Pepper asks him. “Older.” He answers. “And where is he now? Ack!” she asks just as she bites her tongue. He sighs, “In Norway. I came here, he stayed there.” He comments. “Why did you come here?” Pepper rapid fires. “Why does this matter? I do not wish to talk about that. Look my family situation is...complicated can we leave it at that?” He asks as he looks down below at the lightning struck ground, his legs dangling off the edge. "Okay, fine." Pepper says looking like she has given up. she totally has not.

Rhodey tries to break the awkward silence, "So...anything interesting happen in class today? Anyone?" he asks as Loki shrugs, "Found the books I required, and won a debate." he offers, trying to seem friendly. "Maths vas interesting. English...vas boring." Kurt comments.

"Pizza," Gene says back to Tony, just as haughtily.

Then, to Pepper: "Give it a rest, okay? He doesn't want to talk about it." Because he sure didn't appreciate Pepper's prying, that was for damn sure. It was a miracle that he'd managed to get her to stop bugging him about his own home life. Which...was not at all the family picnic he pretended it was. But he had to keep up a front, right?

"It's just class. Pretty boring," he says. Really, it hadn't been that interesting. He'd been spending most of his time in class coming up with more ideas to deal with the turf war between the Tong and the Maggia. Honestly, there weren't enough hours in the day.

Tony doesn't dignify Gene's obstinacy with an answer. Gene just doesn't appreciate the rich culture and fine subtleties of pizza. Like the proper name for a pie. And anchovies.

Instead, he says to Kurt, with playful sarcasm: "Wow, that's the same reason I'm here! Grades, homework, boring assemblies, terrible cafeteria food... Normal life is just great. It's all very... What did your mom call it, Rhodey? Oh, yeah: 'character building.' I'm getting my character so built."

Meanwhile, Pepper keeps haranguing Luke. Tony doesn't intervene, but only because Luke ought to know what he's getting into before Pepper latches onto him permanently. (Not because Tony thinks it's funny to watch Pepper pester him. Noooo. Nothing like that.) Surprisingly, it's Gene who comes to Luke's rescue. Interesting. Tony could have sworn that the other kid had gotten Gene's hackles up, but apparently he empathizes with Luke's plight. Pepper actually backs down - a minor miracle - and an awkward silence ensues. But Rhodey asks an innocuous question about class, and the conversation starts back up again.

"Yeah, pretty boring on my end too. This week's topic in physics is optics. Optics. I'm like, one of the world's top experts in lasers, and I have to do problem sets on refractive indexes," Tony complains. "What debate did you win, Luke?"