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Thunder and Black Wings 34
🕑 Added 2025-07-04 07:35:45 +0000 UTCChapter 34:
– Blake –
"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but there’s no way you can expect us to believe this insane story," the secret agent from some shady government agency said flatly.
I shifted in the uncomfortable metal seat, feeling the vibrations of the military plane as it soared through clouds somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean..
“What do you mean?” Tony rolled his eyes dramatically, leaning forward slightly to continue his lie. "Come on, Mr. Secret Agent, you're breaking my heart here! You think I'd lie to the U.S. government? Look at this face—would this face lie?"
"Yes," the agent deadpanned without missing a beat.
Tony looked genuinely offended for about half a second before shrugging. "Okay, maybe. But still! Look, my friend, a respected member of our illustrious armed forces, will definitely vouch for the integrity of my story."
Tony's friend, Rhodey, who’d been watching skeptically, suddenly caught Tony’s wink.
He hesitated for only a split second before sighing. "...Actually, sir," Rhodey began smoothly, "Tony's telling the truth. Crazy as it sounds..."
Okay, this dude and Tony were definitely bros if he would lie for him like that.
The agent stared back and forth between Tony and Rhodey, clearly baffled. "You're telling me," the agent said slowly, clearly struggling to keep his disbelief from spilling all over the cramped cabin of the plane, "that you have been secretly married to this woman for years—and somehow kept the entire thing off the public radar—and you've adopted her nearly adult son without a single legal record? A woman who barely looks twenty-five and a kid who’s practically an adult himself?"
My mom leaned forward, giving the agent her most charming smile. "Ara ara, thank you so much, agent-san," she purred softly, tilting her head slightly so her raven-black hair cascaded neatly over one shoulder. "I do look amazing for my age, don’t I?" She ran her hands up and down her body and winked.
The poor agent immediately turned red as a tomato, stammering awkwardly as he fumbled with his clipboard. Tony scowled exaggeratedly, giving my mom a mock-hurt look. "Hey now, beautiful, those winks should be exclusively for me—your devoted husband!"
I nearly choked at that, shooting Tony an incredulous glance.
When Tony had asked about becoming my "new stepdad" earlier, I assumed there’d at least be some dates or something normal first—not this immediate leap to a full-blown secret family cover story!
He'd bragged earlier about being a master of bullshit, but this was his genius lie? And my mom was just going with it? Leaning into him and everything.
Fuck, why did I think trusting a guy whose obviously malnourished and been trapped in a cave for months to make more reckless decisions...?
The agent turned his attention to me next, his eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. "Seriously, kid, what's the real story here? We've already pulled up your records. You're Blake Smith, a high school student from New York. You grew up in an orphanage, and you've been officially missing for several months now. Care to explain all that…?"
Not really…
I sighed deeply, dragging my hand slowly through my messy black hair. My mind raced for a believable answer, but when I glanced over at Tony, he shot me a shit-eating grin, like he knew exactly how screwed I was and was enjoying every second of it. I had to go with his story.
"No," I finally said, plastering on my most convincing innocent expression. "My name is Blake Himejima-Stark, and the Blake Smith thing was just a cover story." I leaned forward earnestly, hoping I looked sincere enough. "The truth is, my mom and I were kidnapped right after those evil terrorists captured my…dad." Saying 'dad' felt incredibly weird, especially when referring to Tony Stark of all people, but I kept going. "They used us as leverage, threatening us so he'd build them a bomb. It was pretty scary being locked up in that cave for two whole months. But we stuck together—as a family—and made it through."
I can't believe the bullshit I was spewing…
"Ara ara, that's right," Mom added with a melodramatic sigh, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder and leaning into Tony dramatically. "Our family bond is unbreakable. Isn’t it, dear?"
Tony, clearly enjoying this far more than necessary, wrapped an arm around her shoulder with exaggerated affection. "Absolutely, darling. Strongest damn family bond there is!"
I resisted the urge to groan aloud. This entire situation had officially reached peak absurdity, and somehow, I had a sinking feeling it was only going to get worse from here.
The agent clearly wasn’t buying any of our bullshit, shaking his head slightly with a tight-lipped expression. "We'll see how this story holds up once we're back on U.S. soil..." he muttered.
Tony chuckled confidently, leaning back comfortably in his seat. "Oh, you'll find it's airtight, trust me…” He paused thoughtfully, eyeing the agent with a sudden curiosity. "By the way, I didn't catch your name, Agent…?"
The agent straightened up, adjusting his tie professionally. "Coulson. Agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D."
"S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Tony echoed, cocking an eyebrow skeptically. "Never heard of it."
Agent Coulson sighed lightly, as if he'd recited this explanation far too many times already. "Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division. We're relatively new, fully sanctioned by the U.S. government and directly overseen by the President himself."
Rhodey shifted in his seat, clearly unsettled by this new revelation. He leaned forward, voice dropping to a serious tone. "Tony, listen—these guys are legit. You don’t want to fuck around with them." Rhodey shot a wary glance at my mom and me, confusion evident in his eyes. Poor guy obviously had no clue what was going on or why Tony was suddenly pretending to have a secret family.
I figured Tony would fill him in later—if he felt like it. Honestly, that wasn’t my problem anymore.
Right now, my mind was occupied with bigger questions—like what exactly I was going to do now that I was back on Earth?
Obviously, Mom and I would dive headfirst into searching for any sign of my sister, Akeno. Tony would definitely help—he had to know people who could run her name through databases Mom and I couldn't get anywhere near. That was assuming she was still using her real name. I couldn't help but wonder if she ended up like me, stuck somewhere strange with amnesia and living under a completely new identity. It felt like every question just led to ten more.
On top of finding Akeno, I knew I had to call Peter as soon as possible. Hanging out with Zuko had been alright, but it never really felt right. Zuko wasn't a bad guy, but we just didn't mesh the way Peter and I did. Peter and I were practically brothers. He was the kind of friend I knew I could trust with everything. Although I wondered if he'd believe me when I told him I got Isekai'd and made it back home...
I leaned back against the seat, shutting my eyes to block out Agent Coulson's skeptical stare and the annoyingly flirtatious giggles Mom was aiming at Tony Stark.
Tsunade and Shizune popped into my head, probably losing their minds worrying about me. I missed them already... But I'd get back to them soon enough. As soon as I mastered my strange teleportation power.
But then, more confusingly, two other faces slipped into my head right after—Emma and Jean....
—
The large military plane finally touched down on the runway with a heavy thump, jolting me fully awake. I followed Tony and Mom down the metal stairs onto the runway.
Waiting just beyond the tarmac was a black limo. Standing near it were two people Tony immediately recognized. His entire face lit up. "Pepper! Happy!" he called out excitedly, waving enthusiastically as he hurried forward to greet them.
"Tony! You have no idea how worried we've been!" Pepper Potts, his famous secretary, said with tears in her eyes as she ran up and hugged him.
Happy lumbered over and slapped his boss on the back as well. "Damn boss, glad you pulled though because my paycheck was in danger. Obi was getting ready to fire us both pretty soon since everyone thought you were dead!" Happy said with a laugh.
It wasn't a great joke really after everything Tony had been through and everyone cringed. Even the stoic agent Coulson nearby looked uncomfortable for a second.
Happy's eyes drifted past me with barely a glance, landing squarely on my mom instead. His eyes widened slightly, and a goofy smile spread across his face as he shamelessly looked her up and down. "Well, hello beautiful," he said with a playful grin, stepping forward eagerly. "I'm Happy Hogan. And who might you be?"
Mom giggled lightly, her cheeks flushing just a little, clearly amused by Happy’s enthusiasm. "Ara ara," she purred softly, placing one hand gently on her cheek. "I'm Shuri…Stark. Tony's wife. It's lovely to meet you."
Happy froze mid-step, his eyes practically bulging out of his head like he'd just seen a ghost. His mouth hung open in disbelief, words completely failing him. "Tony's… wife?" he finally managed to choke out, blinking rapidly.
Pepper spun around instantly, her face shifting from relief to shock in a heartbeat. "What the hell did you just say?" she demanded, her voice sharp and strained. Her gaze snapped over to Tony, blazing with confusion and hurt. "Tony Stark, you have exactly three seconds to explain yourself!"
Tony, to his credit, looked slightly panicked for once, raising his hands defensively. "Pepper, my perfect secretary, let’s just…can we maybe discuss this somewhere private...?"
Agent Coulson was indeed watching the exchange closely. Still not buying our bullshit.
I didn't really blame him...
Tony quickly motioned toward the limo parked a short distance away. "How about we take this family drama to the limo, hmm?"
Somehow, the limo ride managed to be even more painfully awkward than the flight. Pepper sat stiffly on the plush leather seats, her green eyes narrowed into slits as she stared daggers at Mom, clearly seething with jealousy. It didn't take a genius to see she'd had feelings for Tony for a while now, and Mom's sudden "marriage" to him clearly felt like a betrayal.
Mom, on the other hand, just sat calmly with a slight smile on her lips, completely unfazed by Pepper's glare. I guess after all the battles she'd fought and the life-threatening craziness she'd faced, dealing with a jealous woman was probably child's play for her.
When we finally got to Stark Industries headquarters in Malibu, Tony rushed inside for his press conference. Meanwhile, Mom and I stayed behind, not exactly eager to get swept up in the craziness of flashing cameras and screaming reporters. Sitting outside on a bench near the entrance, I chewed thoughtfully on a greasy, delicious cheeseburger Tony had handed me before he vanished inside.
God, I missed burgers...
I also had a cell phone gripped tightly in my other hand, Peter’s number dialed in but my thumb hovering hesitantly over the green call button. My stomach twisted nervously—what would I even say? Now that I had a phone in my hand I was second guessing whether he'd believe the Isekai story.
Mom nudged me gently with her elbow, smiling encouragingly. "Blake, just call him already. I'm sure he's been worried sick about you all this time."
I sighed deeply, staring at the screen. "I know he probably is, but it's gonna be so awkward. What if he thinks I ghosted him or something? That I ran away and just never bothered to contact him..."
Mom shook her head, her dark eyes softening with sympathy. "You didn't choose to disappear, sweetheart. Peter knows you better than that. From everything you told me he sounds like a great friend..."
I hesitated again, my thumb still frozen.
She rolled her eyes slightly, playfully exasperated. "Come on now—no son of mine gets to act shy and nervous," she teased. Before I could protest, she reached over confidently and pressed the call button for me, her grin widening mischievously. "There, problem solved!"
– Obadiah Stane –
Obadiah Stane's fists clenched tightly at his sides, the veins on his forehead throbbing painfully as he stormed across the sleek marble floor of Stark Industries headquarters. Tony Stark—goddamn Tony Stark—was back from the fucking dead and somehow had just managed to deliver the most disastrous press conference imaginable. No more weapons manufacturing? Was he completely insane?
"That reckless little shit," Obadiah growled under his breath, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he caught sight of Tony across the crowded lobby, smiling and shaking hands with reporters like some goddamned celebrity.
Those useless terrorists had just one simple job: kill Tony, collect their damn weapons, and take their payoff. Yet they'd managed to screw up even that straightforward task. Now Obadiah had to fix yet another mess. The shareholders were already panicking, his phone buzzing incessantly in his pocket with angry messages from furious investors.
His carefully built empire was teetering because Tony had suddenly grown a fucking conscience.
"Tony!" he barked sharply, forcing himself to adopt a friendly yet strained smile as he approached. There were a lot of cameras on them after all, and he couldn't afford for the public to see a divided company and tank the already dropping share values even faster! Tony turned towards him, eyebrows raised in mock innocence. Obadiah struggled to keep his voice calm, despite the fury burning inside him. "Can I have a word with you—privately? Right now."
"Sure thing," Tony replied easily, flashing Obadiah his typical carefree smile as they stepped away from the crowd into a quieter side room. Tony genuinely seemed glad to see him.
Obadiah felt his stomach tighten further in anger, but he carefully masked it with a practiced, fake smile.
Once the door closed behind them, Obadiah immediately dropped the act, his voice tense and controlled. "Tony, what the hell were you thinking out there? Shutting down weapons manufacturing? We're a fucking weapons company. It's literally the only thing we've ever done."
Tony shrugged casually, completely unfazed by Obadiah’s anger. "Things change, Obi. Being held prisoner in a cave for two months has a way of shifting your perspective," he said smoothly, leaning casually against a table and crossing his arms. "We can do better. We should do better."
"Better?" Obadiah spat out, barely keeping his composure. "Do you have any idea what kind of fallout we're going to deal with now? The shareholders are freaking out. Our stocks are already tanking, Tony!"
Tony waved a dismissive hand, rolling his eyes. "They'll survive. People are always panicking about something. Let them adjust. We’re going to rebuild this company into something amazing. Trust me."
Obadiah clenched his fists tighter, trying to hide the fury rising inside him. Trust him? Tony had just single-handedly threatened everything Obadiah had carefully built. There was no way in hell he was going to let Tony Stark tear it all down on some naive whim. And then there was the OTHER THING!
Obadiah’s jaw clenched tightly as he struggled to keep his voice calm. He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a tense whisper. "Tony, would you mind explaining why Pepper just informed me that you have some goddamn secret family she didn't even know existed? What the hell is this about a wife and a teenage kid?"
Tony blinked innocently. "Oh, right, the family thing," he said, almost casually, as if discussing the weather. "It’s a bit complicated, Obi. You know how it goes."
Obadiah’s face reddened dangerously, his breath quickening with frustration. Complicated? Was that all Tony was going to say about it? Obadiah couldn't let this stand. His chest tightened painfully at the thought that when—not if—he finally took Tony out of the picture, some hidden family could swoop in and snatch Stark Industries right out from under him!
He swallowed hard, fighting down the frustration bubbling dangerously close to the surface.
"Tony," Obadiah growled, forcing a calm tone through clenched teeth, "you can't expect me to believe you've been hiding a wife and a nearly grown son all this time. Give me something concrete here. What the hell is their story? Names, backgrounds—anything that might convince me this isn't just another one of your goddamned jokes!"
Tony merely smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling with amusement that only fueled Obadiah's irritation further. "Obi, I already told you—it's complicated. Trust me, they're very real. And quite wonderful, actually. You'd like them..."
That told him literally nothing!
Obadiah clenched his fists until they shook slightly, struggling to maintain his composure. "Cut the bullshit, Tony! I'm not in the mood for your vague answers. Who exactly are these people you've suddenly dropped into our lives? Where did they come from?"
Tony sighed dramatically, clearly enjoying Obadiah’s visible discomfort. "Oh, you'll meet them soon enough, Obi. Eventually..."
Obadiah glared silently. Tony was deliberately dodging his questions, and it was driving him crazy. He knew Tony well enough to realize the man wasn't going to give him a straight answer without a fight. But Obadiah wasn’t about to give up—this was his company, his legacy, and no mysterious woman and or another bratty teenager were going to take that away from him!
He had some calls to make, this needed to be handled soon…
– Peter Parker –
Peter Parker swung through the towering buildings of New York City, exhilaration pumping through his veins as the advanced Spider-Man suit hugged his body snugly. Every movement felt incredibly smooth, almost effortless, as the suit’s high-tech fibers adjusted automatically to each leap and swing.
Emma had given it to him casually last week, mentioning she'd secretly had her family's company design it for him. Peter still couldn't wrap his mind around it—Emma Frost, the stunning, intimidating high school girl, running a multi-billion-dollar tech company on the side.
It still blew Peter’s mind that a single bite from a radioactive spider during a routine school trip had completely changed his life. But what felt even crazier was how Emma Frost and Jean Grey—two of the most gorgeous and popular girls in school, who'd barely given him the time of day before—were suddenly helping him master these newfound abilities.
And they both even had crazy powers of their own!
Hanging out with two beauties everyday after school was a nerd's dream!
...Although, they'd made it very clear this wasn't about him. It was about Blake, and they didn't really care about Peter, but he was Blake's friend so they wanted to help him because if Peter died due to shitty gear or lack of training Blake would be sad.
Peter shrugged inwardly, deciding he'd take what he could get.
Even after months of being gone, Blake was still somehow making his life better. He genuinely missed his best friend—missed hanging out after school, joking around, and getting into trouble together. It just wasn't the same without him!
Peter swung higher, feeling the adrenaline rush as he arced gracefully between towering skyscrapers. Just then, the phone tucked securely into his belt began vibrating urgently. With his spider-reflexes, Peter easily fished it out with one hand, keeping a firm grip on his webline with the other.
"Hey, you've reached Peter Parker," he answered smoothly, "Who's this? Don't recognize this number—"
"Yo, Peter! I'm back, bro!" The voice was instantly recognizable.
Peter was so stunned that he missed seeing the tall metal lamp post directly in front of him. "Blake?! Holy shit—"
Before he could finish, he collided face-first into the pole, the impact vibrating painfully through his whole body and sending his phone crashing to the ground…
– Blake –
The phone beeped abruptly in my ear, signaling the call had ended.
"Huh?" I muttered, pulling it away from my face and staring at it with confusion. "Guess it got disconnected or something."
Mom raised an eyebrow at me. "Are you sure you didn't just hang up because you were nervous?" she teased me.
"Of course not! I'll prove it!" I quickly tapped the screen again, trying to call Peter back.
"The number you have dialed is currently not available..."
I sighed, shoving the phone back into my pocket with frustration. "Looks like I'll have to talk to Peter later, then," I said. With that conversation on hold, I settled back down next to Mom, feeling the rough stone bench pressing into my back as I stretched my arms. "So," I began slowly, looking over at her, "what should we do first now that we're back on Earth? I mean, besides trying to find Akeno."
Mom chuckled softly, a playful sparkle in her violet eyes. "Honestly, Blake, I think I deserve some relaxation after all the craziness we've been through. Maybe go shopping, eat good food, have a little fun—you know, normal Earth stuff."
"That sounds nice." I nodded. "There's so much modern stuff that I miss..."
"What I really want to do is—" She suddenly paused, her smile fading into a gentle expression of concern as she glanced to the side.
I followed her gaze, noticing Pepper Potts sitting alone on the steps nearby. Pepper had her head down, shoulders shaking slightly as she sniffled quietly into a tissue. She was muttering about "gold digging whores and stupid dumb bosses!"
Damn, that was probably our fault, wasn't it? I hated seeing pretty women crying…
Mom turned back to me with a questioning look. "Do you think I should go comfort her? I feel kind of bad..."
I hesitated for a second, biting my lip uncertainly. "Honestly, Mom, that might make things worse. She probably doesn't want sympathy from Tony Stark’s secret wife," I said that sarcastically of course.
Mom grinned mischievously. She patted me on the back. "You're probably right. This situation needs someone handsome and charming instead!"
"Wait, hold up—" I started to protest, but she pushed me back onto my feet already. Telling me to go over there and comfort the crying woman.
"Show her the charm of a Fallen Angel!" Mom declared passionately.
I just rolled my eyes and figured I could at least try my best. She was Tony's secretary and most important person in his life so getting to know her better couldn't hurt at the very least.
XXX
Comments
WhatAFungi
Great chapter!
Aeden Emrys
👍! I agree!
Ariakan
BLAKE X AKENO, BLAKE X AKENO, BLAKE X AKENO, BLAKE X AKENO......BLAKE...X....AKENO!!!!!! SWEET HOME ALABAMA!!!!! OR AT LEAST NOT AKENO X ISSEI!!!!
