Stairway to the Stars

03

As Obsidian approached the team, Tony donned his nanotech Iron Man suit in the space of three steps. He grew a shield on one arm to protect himself, then grew a set of blasters that easily threw the Dwarf back to Maw, who gestured and deflected his massive companion into some cars.

"Where'd that come from?" Bruce asked.

"It's nanotech," Tony answered. "You like it? A little someth-"

Maw created a spike of earth that threw Iron Man far up and attacked the rest of the team with uprooted trees and other debris. Wong summoned the Shield of the Seraphim.

"Dr. Banner, if the rest of your green friend won't be joining us..." Doctor Strange trailed, teleporting Bruce to a nearby park along with a taxi. Iron Man returned and joined the fight, pushing a car thrown by Maw back at him. Maw cut it in half and let the pieces fly past him, untouched.

"Gotta get that Stone outta here, now," Tony said.

"It stays with me," Doctor Strange argued.

"Exactly. Bye."

Iron Man flew through Maw's obstacle course but was cut short by Obsidian's hammer, sending him through a building and into the park at high speed, plowing into the ground and fetched up against a tree.

Bruce rushed over to his friend and asked. "Tony, you okay? How we doing? Good? Bad?"

"Really, really good," Tony replied. "Do you plan on helping out?"

"I'm trying. He won't come out."

Obsidian arrived at the park and threw his hammer at Bruce and Iron Man.

"Hammer," Tony warned, pushing Bruce out of the way.

Iron Man's energy beam deflected off Obsidian's shield, slicing down trees and Bruce barely evaded one.

Bruce crawled out from under the branches, desperate and confused as he said, "Come on, Hulk. What are you doing to me?" He started slapping himself multiple times. "Come out! Come out! Come out!"

Half of Bruce's face became Hulk and Hulk cried, "Nooooooo!"

Bruce fell back exhausted into his tree. "What do you mean, "no"?!"

Iron Man was knocked down by Obsidian who was about to deliver a decisive blow, but the alien's hammer was caught by Spider-Man.

"Hey, man," Peter greeted. "What's up, Mr. Stark?"

"Kid, where'd you come from?" Tony asked.

"Field trip to MoMA."

Obsidian grabbed Spider-Man and threw him away.

"What is this guy's problem, Mr. Stark?" Peter wondered.

"He's from space," Tony answered. "He came here to steal a necklace from a wizard."

Wong and Doctor Strange fought Maw who lifted several bricks and turned them into harpy points. He sent them towards Wong and Doctor Strange. The two made portals and boomeranged them back towards Maw who moved a car to protect himself, but one spike hit his head, creating a cut. Angered, Maw used a broken fire hydrant's water stream to knock Wong back several meters, rendering him unconscious.

Doctor Strange snapped a whip of magical energy to bind Maw's hands and yanked, but Maw flew forward with the pull and pinned Doctor Strange upside-down against a building, using the bricks to trap the Sorcerer Supreme.

"Your powers are quaint," Maw said. "You must be popular with children."

Maw tried to grab the amulet holding the Time Stone, but jerked back when it burned his hand.