The stars shone brighter in the mountains.
Far from the buzzing hum of New York and the endless glow of city lights, the sky here was open and honest—sprinkled with constellations, planets, and mysteries only the cosmos could offer.
A sleek black Audi sat parked at the edge of a scenic overlook, tucked beneath a rise of pines. On its roof, two figures lounged comfortably, legs dangling over the windshield, each holding a half-eaten donut.
Tony Stark and Kai.
Just a billionaire genius and a teenage alien shapeshifter, sharing sugar and silence under the sky.
Tony took a bite, brushed powdered sugar from his beard, and nodded toward the stars. "Nice night."
Kai gave a quiet chuckle. "You brought me all the way up here for donuts and stargazing?"
"Well," Tony said, "it was either that or invite you to a board meeting at Stark Industries. You're welcome, by the way."
Kai grinned.
Then the grin faded.
He leaned back, looking up at the dark sky. "You said you've been watching me?"
Tony exhaled through his nose. "Not in a creepy way. Well—maybe slightly creepy. But someone had to. You've been flying under the radar really well for a guy with glowing tech on his wrist and access to creatures from outer space."
Kai sat up slightly. "You said something earlier… about hidden cameras?"
Tony nodded, pulling out a small device from his coat pocket. It projected a hologram—grainy surveillance footage of an alleyway. In the background, barely visible, was a shifting flicker of green.
Ghostfreak.
Tony tapped the device again. "City cameras. Security cams. Even smartphones pointed the wrong way. I've been scrubbing footage like this before it makes it to anyone higher up. Especially SHIELD. They're already asking too many questions."
Kai blinked. "You've been protecting me."
Tony shrugged. "Let's just say I don't like people being dissected because they're different."
Kai went quiet, the weight of that landing with more force than he expected.
He looked at the Omnitrix on his wrist. "Thanks."
"No need to thank me," Tony replied. "You saved my life. This is me returning the favor."
Another pause.
Then Tony tilted his head, peering at him. "But here's the weird part, Kai—before two months ago, you didn't exist."
Kai tensed slightly.
Tony continued. "I don't mean 'you had no history.' I mean there's no record of you anywhere. No birth certificate. No school files. No social media. Not even a fake ID. Nothing. You just… popped into existence."
Kai looked away. "Yeah. I figured someone like you would notice that."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "You gonna tell me how?"
Kai took a deep breath.
Then slowly, he turned the face of the Omnitrix and scrolled through the alien icons until he found the one he needed.
A sleek, silver figure appeared—black visor, streaming digital lines. He pressed down.
A soft green glow surrounded him, but the transformation was brief.
Just long enough to flicker into Upgrade, the biomechanical alien of living technology, before turning back into human form.
"I used that one," Kai explained. "A few days after I got here. I took over a public library computer in Queens. Rewrote my digital footprint. Made a fake name. Uploaded school records. Created a basic ID. Enough to rent a place and apply for a job."
Tony let out a low whistle. "Impressive. So you basically hacked reality to give yourself a paper trail."
Kai shrugged. "Couldn't risk being picked up by the wrong people. Needed to blend in."
Tony nodded slowly, tossing his donut box into the back seat. "That explains why I couldn't trace you past a certain point. You covered your tracks pretty well."
"I had to," Kai said quietly. "This world… it's dangerous. People like me don't last long without a plan."
Tony leaned back on his elbows. "I've met aliens. Fought terrorist. Built weapons that could level cities. But you're the first teenage spacewatch courier who's delivering pizza and saving people on the side."
Kai cracked a grin. "It's a niche category."
They both laughed.
But after a moment, Tony turned more serious.
"You're trying to do good, Kai. I see that. And you're doing it without the headlines, without the suits or the funding or the public image. That means something."
Kai lowered his head slightly. "Sometimes I wonder if it's enough."
"It is," Tony said. "But you shouldn't have to do it alone."
Kai looked at him.
Tony continued, "I've got space in my lab. Not just for tech—but for ideas. You've got access to things I can't even begin to study. And I've got the tools and knowledge to help you refine what you're already doing."
"You want me to… what? Be your intern?"
"I want you to stop living like a fugitive," Tony said. "Come by tomorrow. Take a day off from pizza. No pressure. No obligations. Just… see what's possible."
Kai hesitated.
He wasn't used to trust being offered so freely. In his original world, people like Tony Stark were legends. In this one, they were still becoming legends—but the burden was the same. Fame. Scrutiny. Pressure.
And yet, here he was. Not as Iron Man.
Just… Tony.
Offering a space. A connection.
Kai nodded slowly. "Alright. One day."
Tony smiled, slid off the car roof, and opened the door. "I'll send a car in the morning. You like bagels?"
"Only if they don't cost me half my rent."
Tony chuckled. "We'll work on that."
Kai watched as he got into the car, engine humming to life.
Before driving off, Tony looked back. "One more thing."
"Yeah?"
Tony gave him a sideways grin. "That whole 'friendly neighborhood delivery boy' thing? Don't lose it. It's the kind of hero people actually remember."
And with that, the car disappeared into the dark curve of the road, leaving Kai alone with the wind, the stars, and the faint taste of powdered sugar.
He sat there a while longer, legs dangling over the side of the mountain edge, eyes scanning the constellations.
Something in his chest felt lighter.
The future hadn't changed.
But it no longer felt like he'd be facing it alone.