Back in Black!
World Update
“—The world waits abuzz as Tony Stark or Iron Man makes his first debut after months of complete silence. We’re here at the Stark Industries Tower watching anxiously for the briefly MIA hero.”
Michelle watched bemused and slightly curious as the screen changed to the News Anchors desk. “To recap, Tony Stark was reported as missing in the 54 hours that followed a confrontation with what many are calling the Rogues or Team Cap. The criminals: Samuel Thomas Wilson, Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, and Scott Lang had been apprehended after much damage and destruction to the Leipzig Airport in Germany. The other accused fled the scene. Representative Johann Dupont of Belgium has stated that the criminals were apprehended and transferred to a black site to be tried in the court of justices. He also states that when Tony Stark had been reported missing, footage of Mr. Stark at the site was reviewed as well as a confrontation with Secretary General Thaddeus Ross. Mr. Stark requested permission to extradite and detain Mr. Rogers and Mr. Buchannon from Russia per Accords guides and was granted permission. Virginia Potts, CEO of SI, stated that contact with Mr. Stark had been terminated when he verified their presence in Russia as he arrived at an undisclosed location in search of the remaining criminals. Russia freely allowed several search parties organized by the FBI, SI, and Interpol. Tony Stark was found, transferred immediately to the nearest undisclosed hospital, treated, then transferred once more to New York. The world waited with bated breath for confirmation that Mr. Stark was well and alive.”
Michelle thought it was a bit dramatic, that last line, made her question the station's journalistic integrity. Not because she thought The Rogues were innocent (she was one of the marchers for the Sokovian Accords and she had eagerly wasted 45 minutes of her life arguing with Flasb about sovereignty and the powers of the U.N.) but just because it has been almost four months since this whole debacle went down. It was confirmed rather quickly that he was alive just not well. She got the feeling that the reporter was quite firmly on Team IronMan and she thought that was a load of crap. People were romanticizing this quite important world-changing period of time, dramatizing it as something petty and silly. Mostly Americans and not the rest of the world, but America made quite a bit of the world’s population and contributions to the ergonomics of society.
These laws and how people reacted and obeyed them would dictate the future of their world. And people were treating it like a drama.
She was pleased that Ms. Coppola was actually interested in the preceding of these press conferences and their impact. She glanced to left out of habit, forgetting that Peter was pretending to be sick today.
“-Back at the Stark Tower, CEO Virginia Potts, is beginning the conference.”
Michelle caught the end of her idol's name, swinging her head forward much too quickly.
“Hello, I am Virginia Potts, CEO of SI and close friend of Tony Stark. Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone for being here and being courteous of the rules. Secondly, Tony is here not to explain himself nor reveal any evidentiary information currently being reviewed for the case against the listed individuals: Steven Grant Rogers, Samuel Thomas Wilson, Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, and Natasha Romanova. He is here to reiterate information already known. He is here to talk about the Sokovia Accords. He is here to be as transparent as safely possible. He is here to thank every well-wisher. He is here to tell how SI plans to move forward.”
Michelle appreciates her curtness and knows that she must be absolutely tired of all this bullshit. Dr. Tony Stark walks on the platform, his gait unsteady.
There’s a long pause, then Mr. Stark smiles. “Hi.”
Cameras flash, and several voices clamor, trying to be heard. Mr. Stark raises a hand and everyone quiets. He looks to the side, says some words, and a chair is brought. He looks back at the crowd, pushes the chair away, and goes to sit on the floor. A worried hand tries to guide him to the chair but relents and helps him to the floor. The worried hand has a familiar bracelet.
Several reporters' laughs can be heard from the live recording and Mr. Stark cracks another shaky smile.
“This is familiar for some of you I think.” He pretends to scan the crowd. “Ah, Bob, Jean, Christine. Nice to have you three back at one of these where we’re sitting down. If your feet don’t smell, you can take off your heels; that goes for your too Robert.” Mr. Stark smiles as he looks down. “yeah those look, uh, uncomfortable. Don’t miss my days in those. Uh- well-“
Michelle doesn’t laugh, but she almost smiles. In all the interviews she’s observed of Mr. Stark, he’s always more uncomfortable than people assume. It wasn’t until she met Peter that she realized rambling people were just as socially awkward and nervous as her kind. She supposes that’s why he never really did press conferences or interviews unless it was something big.
“The Veterans of these types of press conference thingies are sitting down already, thank you, everyone else: follow the leader. Which won’t be me! Uh-anymore.” Several reporters beg what he means but he’s looking at his hands. “Sorry. Let’s order this conference. Let’s start with me.”
He looks straight at the camera as he speaks, with a soft smile. “I am alive and I am mostly well. I will admit that it was touch-and-go for a hot minute. A very hot minute. Like Hell hot. a damned eternity minute. But thanks to some faithful friends and some brilliant doctors, I have been mostly repaired. I am very glad to have my family some old and some new by my side through these times and I am so thankful for everyone’s well wishes. That being said: no more calling blood in my name. That’s not what I want or have ever wanted.”
The sad thing is that Michelle believes him. Any other person would have felt vindicated at the way people were frothing at the mouth to avenge him.
“I am unsure of whether or not I should continue as Iron Man.”
The sound of outrage was deafening even in the classroom. The large majority were dismayed but a few outsiders seemed pleased. Michelle counted herself as neutral if a bit saddened.
Tony looked stern. “Please be quiet. I said I’m unsure. This is due to health reasons that I will not go into. There are many reasons I do not think I am ready to step back, the world needs heroes, but I am not naive enough to think that it will only ever be and ever was just the individuals known as The Avengers. However, I do think leading by example of how to cooperate with others and respect the sovereignty of the people that make up the 117 nations are part of that reason as well. I will be stepping back as the official spokesperson and benefactor of the organization: The Avengers. I will no longer be the sole leader nor the director of the organization as it was written in the original Avengers bylaws. My new role has yet to be defined but it will be soon.”
Michelle’s respect for the billionaire was growing. She really didn’t like any rich people, especially her parents, but she almost got why Peter had a heart boner for Mr. Stark.
“I will be acting as interim leader until a new leader will be appointed but rest assured, this is temporary. Until we can have an unaffiliated individual step forward, I am the safest option for neutrality. This decision was already made and announced by the Accords Panel and backed by the U.N. That being said, once again, I am legally not the director or sole benefactor of The Avengers.”
Michelle was skeptical. He was an American but at least he didn’t have a flag painted on a shield.
“The team as of now consists only of Vision, War Machine, and I, Iron Man. The aforementioned individuals: Steven Grant Rogers, Samuel Thomas Wilson, Clint Barton, Wanda Maximoff, and Natasha Romanova are no longer members of The Avengers Initiative. The events that occurred several months ago, were grave insults to the laws that we are all beholden to— such as the consequence of the destruction of property, manslaughter, and injury. I, however, understand that many of the individuals were acting on limited information and a debilitating bias. That being said, these individuals have caused heartache for many families and individuals and while I acknowledge their intentions-- I ask that they consider what their actions caused. I ask them to consider the families of the Romanian and Hungarian officers. The families of the doctors in Lagos. The burden that the people of these countries must carry after the destruction of property in Germany, Hungary, Romania, and Nigeria.” Mr. Stark smiles tightly. “Thank you.”
Then he left, standing stiffly and walking away from the podium and off the platform. Michelle itched for her charcoal to draw the aggrieved profile of the right side of Mr. Starks face. So much emotion. Ray Bans quickly replaced all expression. Bracelet guy helped him, arm wrapping around his left side to mid back.
Michelle didn’t listen more after that, not really caring about the Maria Stark Foundation's pledge to help those countries and those families. She didn’t even listen to Ms. Coppola's discussion and only briefly glanced at the assignments on the board when class was dismissed.
Instead, she thought of Tony Starks words. ‘I understand’ he had said. ‘limited information’ he mentioned. ‘debilitating bias’ he had added. All for their benefit. He was saddened. His gaze directly on the camera, with no glasses insight. And she knew he wore glasses frequently to these things. He was begging them to understand. He was begging them to see reason. He knew they must be watching. He was showing his underbelly in an attempt to have them reconnect. After everything.
It aggrieved her.