Ultimate Iron Man
Ch: 116 [The human beneath the rock]

Ben stood in the center of the room, hunched over, skin cracked and steaming. His breaths came in rough gasps. Purple and white energy pulsed from inside him as large pieces of his rocky shell sloughed off and hit the floor with heavy thuds. The ground beneath him vibrated, but the floor held.

Tony stepped forward.

"Ben. Stop panicking. You aren't dying. Your powers are stabilizing."

Ben's eyes were wide. "It hurts."

"I know," Tony said. "But that's because you're fighting it. Let go. You've already passed the hard part. Let your body finish what it started. If I'm right, you'll be able to switch forms between human and rock. Maybe more."

Sue moved toward him, but Tony raised a hand and activated a containment field before them.

"Both of you stay back," he said. "If this goes wrong, you don't want to be caught in it."

Johnny didn't argue. He stood beside Sue and, for once, he looked worried.

Ben let out a roar. Energy surged through his body. He dropped to his knees, fists clenched. His skin cracked wider. Pieces of orange rock exploded outward. A shockwave blew through the space, but the containment field absorbed the blast.

Then there was silence. Ben collapsed forward, steam rising from his back. He groaned as he slowly pushed himself up. No more stone. He was human.

His skin glowed with faint purple veins that pulsed beneath the surface like living circuits. His muscles appeared denser, tighter, and more defined than ever before. He stared at his hands, turning them over slowly.

"Tony?" he said.

Tony lowered the field and walked in, scanning Ben with his forearm module. Sue and Johnny followed him.

"You're fine. Better than fine. Your body just rebuilt itself from the inside out. The cosmic energy is fully integrated with your cellular matrix. And very naked," Tony said with a chuckle. He noticed the nanite bracelet was still on Ben's arm. Well, it survived the explosion. He quickly pressed the button. The nanites gushed out, forming pants.

"Thanks," Ben said, sitting back, breathing hard. "I feel… light."

"You are. Your density is variable now. You're no longer stuck in one form. You can shift between human and enhanced mode at will. And you're still stronger than a wrecking crew."

Sue knelt beside him and grabbed his shoulder.

"Welcome back," she said.

Johnny clapped once. "You look like a purple version of yourself after a five-year gym binge. I'm not gonna lie. It's kind of cool."

Ben let out a weak laugh. "I thought I was dying."

Tony helped him up.

"Now, all you have to do is learn how to use it."

Ben's hands curled into fists. The purple glow faded slightly, then flared again when he opened his palms.

"I can feel it," he said. "Like it's part of me now."

"It is," Tony said. "Now, suppress this purple energy and visualize your human form without a glowing body."

Ben closed his eyes. His breathing steadied, slow and controlled. The faint purple glow around his body began to dim as he focused. He took a deep breath, held it, and then exhaled through his nose. The veins beneath his skin stopped pulsing, and the light retreated like a wave pulling back from the shore. A moment later, his skin returned to normal. No glow, just human Ben.

Sue gasped softly.

Johnny gave a low whistle. "Okay. Now that is cool."

Ben opened his eyes and looked at his hands again. 

"Haha. I'm back," He laughed, clenching his fists.

Tony watched every second of it, tracking cellular activity, molecular density, and neural patterns. The energy levels stabilized, sitting dormant under the surface.

"Perfect," Tony said. "You're stable."

Ben looked up. "So I can change back?"

"Just be normal for now. We've got a press event to attend at night. I actually planned to AI create your face over a holographic frame, but with you back to normal, all of us can go," Tony said before closing his scanner. "So, for now, don't mess with it and just be yourself."

[5:00 PM – NEW YORK] [STARK TECH TOWER – PRESS EVENT FLOOR]

Inside, the lights flickered to life. Rows of elevated seats quickly filled with scientists, officials, students, and reporters, all buzzing with anticipation. Giant Stark holograms hovered above the stage, pulsing slowly in blue.

At the far end of the hall, a podium stood center-stage. Behind it, a vast screen scrolled with a looping message:

"RETURN FROM BEYOND – THE STARFIRE TEAM LIVES"

The atmosphere was electric. Every major news outlet was present, and NASA officials were already seated, whispering with excitement. Their security detail stood firmly along the aisles, yet none of them noticed the discreet Widows in black blending into the shadows and within the guests scanning everyone in real time.

Up above the main stage, hidden inside the walls, tiny spheres no bigger than coins glowed with a faint blue light. Skrull detectors and disruptors. Yelena's team had set the grid meticulously. Well, the entire place is being monitored.

Backstage, Tony adjusted the collar of his suit in front of a mirror. It was a high-tech nanoweave suit designed to look like an expensive tux. 

Yelena entered, holding a slim tablet.

"All systems green. Everyone's been scanned, and no disruptions have occurred so far," she stated. "Your mom and dad are both clear. I double-checked. They're not Skrulls."

Tony adjusted his blazer. "Thanks. Would've been a hell of a plot twist."

"Widows and bots are in position," she added. "Nothing gets out if something kicks off." She placed the tab on the table and walked toward him.

Yelena stopped in front of him, brushing off a speck of dust from his shoulder with casual precision. Then her eyes flicked up to his collar, and without a word, she reached in and adjusted his tie. The move was smooth, practiced. She fixed it, gave it a little tug, then stepped back and tilted her head.

"You're not terrible-looking when you try."

Tony gave her a crooked smile. "You know, I was thinking..."

Yelena narrowed her eyes. "That usually ends in explosions."

He chuckled before wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. He looked into her eyes. "Wanna go out on Monday? With everything buzzing up more than usual, we aren't getting any time for ourselves. So..."

Tony's words hung in the air, soft but steady.

Yelena's lips curled into a slow smirk, the kind that always came before either a sharp retort or a kiss.

"So, you finally decided to focus on your personal life, huh?" she said with a smirk, moving her face closer.

Tony gave a little nod. "Yeah, I can't always drown myself and others into work all the time. It's just that I try, but there is so much to do, and I sometimes lose track of time. So, sorry. It took this long to ask you out on a date."

"Alright. Apology accepted," She wrapped her arms around his neck. "But Monday, 24 hours. You and me. I want your full attention, Mr. Stark." 

Then—

Click.

The door creaked open an inch.

Johnny's face slid into view, eyes wide, brows raised, smirk already in place.

"Ooohh," he whispered with his signature grin. "Am I interrupting a tender Stark moment? Should I come back with popcorn or condoms?"

A blur of black flashed past Tony.

Yelena was already halfway to the door, one hand forming a plasma blade, the other balled into a fist. "I swear to God, I will make your jaw reverse-evolve, you flaming little..."

"Woah! Hey! Friendly fire! I'm fragile!" Johnny backpedaled with speed only possible by someone who had already survived several beatdowns this week.

Just as Yelena reached him, Sue appeared behind him and grabbed his ear with pinpoint accuracy. She twisted.

Hard.

"OW! OW! WHAT IS IT WITH WOMEN AND MY EARS..."

Sue yanked him back through the hallway. She looked at Yelena for a moment and said, "I'm really sorry for his stupidity." Then her eyes went inside the room to Tony. "You two... just continue."

She then twisted Johnny's ear.

"You just had to open your mouth," she muttered.

"I was checking the vibe!" he whined.

"It was private, idiot."

"I didn't see a sign!"

"Because it's called basic human decency."

Their voices faded down the hallway.

Yelena stood in the doorway, arms crossed now, pulse blade deactivated. She looked back at Tony, who had one hand to his forehead.

"I'm still going to break his nose," she said flatly.

"I'll get you the gloves."

She stepped inside again and gave him a once-over.

"Monday," she said, voice softer now. "Don't screw it up."

Tony gave her a lopsided grin.

"As long as you wake me up with a nice kiss."

Yelena smirked, moving her face too close to him. Her lips were just so close, one little move and they would touch.

"Mumm~ I'll do more than just kiss."

Then she pulled back, turned, and left the room with a smiling face.

...

[Backstage Hallway]

Too much noise outside. Spotlights shifted behind the curtains. The countdown had begun.

Tony stepped out of his dressing room and met the team in the narrow hallway behind the stage.

Sue was radiant. Her midnight-blue dress shimmered under the flashing lights. Her hair was pinned back, understated but elegant. She stood with her arms crossed, posture flawless, and no glasses today. 

"You look gorgeous," Tony said as he approached.

Sue raised an eyebrow. "Thank you. You look great too, and sorry about earlier."

"Never mind that."

Johnny was leaning casually against the wall in dark jeans, boots, and a white t-shirt with a leather jacket slung over one shoulder. He sipped from a metal flask and flashed a lazy grin.

"I told you I wasn't doing a monkey suit," he said. "You should be grateful I didn't show up in shorts."

"You're a walking PR crisis waiting to happen," Tony muttered.

"Hey, the fans love me."

"No. They follow you because they can't believe you're real."

Ben stood beside them. He was wearing a black tux. 

"You good?" Tony asked.

Ben nodded once. "Weird day."

"You'll get weirder ones," Johnny chimed in. "Try not to explode on stage."

"Haha. Very funny," Ben said dryly.

Tony glanced at the countdown on his wrist. 00:42.

He turned to the team.

"No pep talk today. Just be yourself and answer smartly," He looked at Johnny. "As for you, don't even talk about superpowers. Keep that mouth of yours in check unless you want the government on your ass."

"I'll just sit there and act cool. No worries," Johnny said, giving him a thumbs up.

"Well, let's go."

---

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