The Bouverie street had always been a crowded, lively street of London. However, like any other street, in the dead of night, it was hollow as the world had slumbered. Only the dim light from the moon and the glowing gas lanterns saved it from total darkness. The street was so silent that you can even make out the small squeaking sound from a rat which is scurrying across the twinkling stone cobbles.
However, the silence was broken immediately by one man, who is running as fast as he could, continuously gasping for air. His choice of clothes was… odd. It wasn't like any clothes a noble could have seen. Of course it wasn't. He was the billionaire from the 21st century after all. But since when did the Ironman can travel through times? Nevertheless, why he was running in the middle of the night? Well, everybody would, when an inhuman skeleton was chasing you from behind. Or it was a mechanical monster. It's hard to say, but the thing's appearance – a skeleton with wings - obviously screamed 'Dangerous'. A mad grin. It didn't show any sign of exhaustion. It didn't even break a sweat. It was playing with him, he knew it from the start. The skeleton could easily catch him if it wants.
"Curse," Tony hissed, "that Tesseract."
Ah, right. Only the Space stone could pull something like this.
Not too long ago, the genius expected a lot of things when the Tesseract acted up. But this still didn't make it in the what-to-expect-when-an-infinity-stone-is-glowing list.
He had expected to be transported to Mars, the Moon, or even Asgard. But nooo, he groaned in his head, he just had to find himself wake up in a dark alleyway that looked like it was from the fucking 18th century.
With none of his beloved armor.
And like that wasn't enough, he just had to be chased by some monstrous machine which is after his (body) life.
Today was not his day.
The genius suddenly stopped his track and widened his eyes. He cursed under his breath. Another one looks like a flying spiky ball. Blocking his escape route. The one behind his back stopped flying and gracefully landed on the ground. It slowly walked toward him, the grin hadn't left its face. The sound of its footsteps echoed heavily.
"Too bad," It whispered. "Your life, your odd appearance, your admirable bravery, I wonder how would it taste. Like the taste of Escargot, or Cuisses de grenouille, perhaps? Exotic it might be, but good."
"Like you to know how they taste." Tony wondered out loud, eyes scanning the surrounding, finding a way to get out of there, alive.
"I know," The creature lingered for a few moments. Reminiscing, maybe. "I am made from the soul of a restaurant critic after all."
'Made?' Tony mused, eyes darting back and forth. 'So those things were human before. But who made them, and how?"
"But, enough talking." The creature took a step forward. Tony took a step back. "I'm in a good mood today, or else you would have been in my stomach by now."
"You have a stomach?" He asked sarcastically. 'And I'm still in deep shit. Come on Tony, do something…'
The creature said nothing, as it took another step.
"Running?" Another step. "Impossible." Soon, it was standing right in front of him. "Au revoir, monsieur." It opened its mouth, leaning forward. Damn it.
However, a loud voice can be heard in the sky. A voice of a teenage boy.
"Get away from the skeleton, handsome guy!"
He quickly threw himself to the sidewalk by instinct. And in a blink of an eye, the skeleton was burned by a flame pillar.
He whistled.
A shadow could be seen, jumping in the night sky, holding a gigantic hammer in his hand.
How the fuck could the boy hold it, not to mention swinging it like nothing. It might work like Thor's hammer for Jarvis's sake. But this one's cooler.
"Fire Stamp: Hellfire and Ash!"
The figure stroke the hammer on the ground. A torrent of flames rose from the ground, in the form of a snake. Yeah, definitely cooler. The flying machine after him was soon turned into ashes. The boy landed on the ground with ease, the hammer was now small as a child toy. How? The teen mused cheerfully, "A level 3 and a level 1 huh, not a very big deal. You okay there, handsome guy?"
"Well, I'm not six feet underground, or turned into ashes, am I?" He found himself grinning. He relaxed a bit, and observed his savior, as he was standing under the lantern.
"You're right. Still, that's some awesome reflexes you have!" The teen grinned back. A red head. Odd but awesome clothes, look like a uniform. (Is that a rosary?) Green bandana and a red scarf. The girls would totally swoon over the guy, Tony mentally chuckled, even with an eyepatch over his right eye. He had never met the boy before, but he looks familiar, somehow.
"Came from the guy who got a hammer," Tony came closer, still grinning, 'he reminds me of Thor', "that can burn monsters to ash, I'm flattered."
"You bet'cha!" The stranger beamed.
"Thank you for burning those assholes earlier. Name's Tony. Yours?"
"Call me Lavi, man!"
"That's a nice name! My so…" Tony trailed off.
My son is Lavi too.
Lavi? His heart seemed to skip a beat over that name. Wait a minute… Lavi – his Lavi – had said that he came from the 18th century, right? That means….
Oh dear JARVIS. Not only did the stone send him back to time, but it also sent him back to the past of ANOTHER DIMMENSION. Shit. Tons of shit right there.
"Huh, my what?" Lavi asked curiously, and Tony didn't miss the hint of suspicious and calculating in the green orb. He had expected Lavi to be intelligent before, but still, he's good.
"Nothing. Just slip my mind. And what you know, I'd wanted to say…"
OMG, are you really my Lavi? Man you turn out to be so handsome, I'm so proud of you but it's not like I had expected less when it comes to you, but still, that's some badass weapon right there, no wonder why you go all sparkling when you talked about it, and omfg you only have an eye! You ought to meet Fury, hey, that's actually a good idea…
"… that's some strange clothes you got there."
The redhead smirked at those words, "I know right? It's pretty cool. But hey, look who is talking." He raised an eyebrow at the modern billionaire's casual clothes. "Really, really weird."
Tony laughed awkwardly and quickly changed the subject. "Again, thank you for saving my ass earlier. Say, what are those creatures?"
The exorcist shot him a suspicious look but said nothing, which Tony was grateful for this, and played along, "They're called Akuma. And it's our job, the exorcists, to take care of it."
Akuma, he thought, Lavi mentioned about it once. Weapon of massacre or something. The description wasn't that exaggerating like he had previously thought.
"I'd like to see the Order, but the headquarters must be top-secret?" he wanted to see Allen, Yuu, and their comrades in this life. It could be very entertaining.
"Sorry, no can do." The exorcist shrugged, "unless you want to be a Finder."
Tony shook his head. "As interesting as it sounds, I already have something else to do." Lavi nodded in understanding as he muttered something under his breath. His green eye was flickered of some emotions that the genius couldn't see through. He was a bookman after all, and according to – his – Lavi, they weren't someone to be easily read through. (Unless you're a sadistic spiky girl, Lavi said, and Tony obviously couldn't understand the reference)
"But well," Tony patted on the redhead's shoulder roughly, causing the teen to stumble forward a bit, "I supposed we could go drinking. I saw a pub around here when I was running."
"Do you have any money?"
"We could always put the tabs to your Black Order" Tony smirked. Lavi blinked, and then did the same.
"True."
They walked to the pub. It was probably three in the morning.
"Say, that hammer of yours, can it shoot thunder?"
"Yeah. And many other elements. Why did you ask?"
"Nothing." He chuckled. "Just thinking about Thor's face when he knows about your hammer, that's all." In your face, Thor. If Lavi somehow reclaimed his hammer, then he would definitely call Thor over. He had always wanted to wipe the smile out of the god's face when it comes to the hammer.
"Thor? As in the thunder god? Norse?"
"Yep."
"And you know him?" His voice was full of eagerness and curiosity now. Right, bookman and their thirst for knowledge.
"You could say that."
xXx
- Tony's side: End -
Escargot: Snails.
Cuisses de grenouille: Frog's legs.
AN: Well it turned out shorter than I expected. This is the series of oneshots, and each oneshot will be actually a two-shots: Avenger's POV and Exorcist's POV. I don't know when will I continue writing this, but this chapter isn't the only one, that to be sure.
This story is related to the Cosmic Composite universe. Which is our beloved exorcists being reborn into the Avengers world. You should check the story out if you hadn't.
So, see you around!