The dense forest stood before Tony, seemingly untouched by the passage of time. Tony did not expect that. In his mind, the forest should have been either completely overgrown, reclaiming the area with wild abandon, or entirely absent, eroded by the relentless march of time. They had ventured significantly far into the future. Tony wasn't sure how many years to plan ahead, so they chose a round number at random. Two hundred years had a nice ring to it.
Now standing in the middle of the unchanged clearing, Tony couldn't help but question the success of that particular time travel. Doubt crept in. They had only used the machine to go in the past so far. Perhaps he would need to make a few changes to the machine before he could travel to the future. Time was a formidable adversary, always capable of surprising even the most brilliant minds.
The absence of the time machine beside him was the first indicator that Tony had, indeed, travelled through time. His scientific inclinations took over instantly, and he began to investigate the area. Just as Tony was about to leave, a figure emerged from the forest and stepped into the clearing he had chosen for his time machine trips. The sudden appearance of this individual startled Tony, and he briefly took a more defence stance.
"Mr Stark! Welcome!" the newcomer exclaimed.
Tony's eyes lingered on the mysterious woman who was walking towards him, unhurried, with a calm elegance and a gentle grin on her face. It was hard to place her age or place of origin. There was something otherworldly about her that defied description.
Her hair, a cascade of white and silver strands, floated delicately in the breeze, dancing slowly like weightless feathers. Her skin had the golden quality of people who spend their days in the sun. When she eventually approached him, he noticed her grey eyes, reminding him of the fierceness of a stormy day. Her beauty, undeniable and ageless, left Tony momentarily completely breathless.
"I understand that you must be surprised, but allow me to clarify the situation." She explained, her voice a soothing melody, full of patience. "My name is Seren. I will be your teacher during the duration of your stay."
The name, Seren, echoed in the clearing, leaving Tony intrigued and curious. A teacher during his stay. The implications of those words hung in the air. The people of that time knew that he was coming, but not only that, they were willing to teach him whatever he needed for his mission. It felt like validation. The future agreed to his way of doing things.
"Lead the way." Tony simply answered.
Tony was often not as careful as he should be, he knew that. Perhaps he should be concerned since someone has been waiting for his arrival. If Seren had wanted him dead, she would have done it as soon as he came, not leaving him time to even react. Trying to manipulate him was not out of the question, but he had to try anyway. Tony needed the knowledge Seren might have to offer. A mere touch on his bracelet would transport him to his own time. His options were relatively limited, but the absence of immediate danger was reassuring.
Breaking the silence, Tony asked, "So you were expecting me?"
"Yes. You have been warning us," she said gently, as if her response was not unusual at all.
"Me?" Tony questioned, seeking further clarification.
"Schools are teaching us about you and the time you live in." Seren revealed, her words handing in the air.
"Because I invented the time machine?" Tony questioned, surprise evident in his tone of voice.
"That is important as well, but it is not the first reason we continue to teach our young people about you. In truth, what really changed the course of our world was invented before that. Mainly, three different things helped, all related to you. And then, of course, you went on to build a time machine," Seren explained, a smile playing on her lips as Tony's shocked expression.
