They watched from the wings of the stage as Tony practically set the world on fire. It was a mont of pure, unadulterated cinematic history happening inches away from them.
Tony stood at the podium, staring at the cards Coulson had painstakingly prepared. He looked at the crowd, then at the cara, his eyes flickering toward the shadows where Ethan and Gwen stood.
"The truth is..." Tony paused, the air in the room turning heavy with anticipation. He tossed the cards aside. "I am Iron Man."
The room exploded. Reporters erupted into a frenzy, caras flashed like a supernova, and the fabric of the world shifted. The era of the hidden superhero was dead.
Standing next to Ethan, Gwen looked completely baffled. "What is an 'Iron Man'?" she whispered, leaning closer to be heard over the noise. "Is he like ? Does he have tal-based powers? Like he can sense steel the way I sense spiders?"
Ethan burst out laughing, a genuine, booming sound that was swallowed by the chaos of the room.
"No, no, Gwen," Ethan said, leaning down to her ear. "It's nothing like that. He doesn't have a 'tal-sense.' He's just a very rich, very brilliant guy who got tired of being a victim, so he built himself a high-tech suit of armor to beat up the bad guys."
Gwen frowned, watching Tony bask in the dia firestorm. "So he's just... a guy in a suit? No radioactive accidents? No tragic lab mishap?"
"Well, he's got the tragic backstory part down," Ethan remarked, glancing at the Arc Reactor glowing through Tony's shirt. "But in this world, Gwen, brains and a big enough bank account are just as powerful as a radioactive bite."
Ethan watched Tony, then looked at Gwen. She was staring at the stage with newfound curiosity. The MCU had officially kicked into high gear, and he had a front-row seat with a multiversal spider-vigilante on his arm.
****
As Tony was being swamped by the press, Phil Coulson—after a very tense conversation with a voice on his earpiece—approached Ethan. His expression was a perfect mask of professional neutrality, but his eyes were sharp, scanning Ethan and Gwen for any detail he could exploit.
"Mr. Ethan," Coulson started, his tone polite but firm. "Your entrance today was... unorthodox. My superiors have a great deal of interest in your origins and how you managed to bypass Stark Tower's security."
Ethan didn't even look at him. He was too busy watching Gwen inspect a high-tech holographic display on a nearby wall. "Not today, Mr. Coulson. I'm here on a personal matter, not for a governnt intake interview."
"I'm afraid it's not that simple—"
Ethan reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple, cream-colored card. He pressed it into Coulson's hand.
"If you want an interview, give a visit at my house. 177A Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village," Ethan said, cutting him off. "But today? Today I'm here for a specific business with a friend. Give my regards to the Director."
Coulson looked at the card, then back at Ethan. He was clearly used to people being intimidated by the "Agent of a secret organization" vibe, but Ethan just stood there looking bored. Realizing he wouldn't get anything more without making a scene in front of a hundred caras, Coulson gave a stiff nod.
"We will be in touch," Coulson said, before turning to manage the logistical nightmare Tony had just created.
*****
Tony finally managed to escape the press, looking like a man who had just run a marathon and won. He ducked into the private lounge, exhaling a cloud of cigar smoke.
"So," Tony said, walking toward them and ignoring the soot still smudged on his collar. "What's the favor, Ethan? You didn't co here just to watch blow up my social life."
"I want you to create a legal identity," Ethan said, gesturing to the blonde girl beside him. "Her na is Gwen Stacy. She needs a background, a social security number, and a history that can survive a deep-dive audit."
Tony squinted at Gwen. "Gwen Stacy, huh? Is she like you? Another graduate from that 'Magic Academy' who just popped onto the grid?"
"Oh, so you tried to investigate ?" Ethan smirked.
"It's natural to investigate my savior," Tony shrugged, pouring himself a drink. "I was surprised to find there were zero records of you before a few months ago. No birth certificate, no school records, nothing. You're a digital ghost."
"Well, you can consider her in a similar condition," Ethan said. "But she's not a sorcerer. She's just... new in town."
"Whatever. Creating a ghost identity is barely worth my effort," Tony muttered, already tapping on a tablet. "J.A.R.V.I.S. can have it done before the ice in this glass lts. Give the details. Na: Gwen Stacy. Age?"
"Eighteen," Gwen replied quietly.
"Should I keep your address as 177A Bleecker Street?" Tony asked.
"Actually," Ethan interrupted. "Use a different surna."
Both Tony and Gwen looked at him with confusion.
"What's with that?" Tony asked. "I thought you said her na was Stacy."
Ethan coughed into his hand, trying to sound casual. "It's just... there's already a Gwen Stacy in this city. Daughter of George Stacy, the high-ranking Captain of the NYPD. I don't want the confusion of two identical nas popping up in the sa database. It'll cause complications later."
Realization hit Gwen again. The reality of being in a parallel world hit her again—of course there would be another version of her here. Another Gwen, living a normal life, with a father who was still alive.
"Well then if that's the case..." Gwen said, her voice small but steady. "I will go with Gwen Maxine."
"Fine," Tony said, unfazed. "Gwen Maxine it is then. Sounds legitimate enough. J.A.R.V.I.S., get on it. Create a background—transfer student, hoschooled, parents deceased in a tragic... let's go with a boating accident. Simple and classic."
"Right away, sir," the AI's voice echoed through the room.
"There," Tony said, looking at Gwen. "You'll get your official docunts delivered to your door by tomorrow. Welco to the system, kid."
Tony turned to Ethan, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Now that the boring stuff is out of the way... should we pop a bottle?"
"Why not?" Ethan grinned. He turned to Gwen. "Gwen, why don't you go accompany Miss Potts? Have a look around the tower. I'm sure it's a lot more advanced than the rooftops you're used to."
Gwen looked at the two n, then at Pepper, who was smiling warmly at her. She nodded, clearly needing a mont away from the n's talk.
****
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