I'M IN MARVEL

C17 What If: Iron Man Became Doctor Strange and Doctor Doom

"Iron Man! It's the real Iron Man!"

When Tony Stark descended from the sky in the iconic Mark IV suit, all the kids at the party went wild.

There were a lot of people cosplaying Iron Man at the party, but the real deal stood out immediately.

The dramatic entrance from the sky, the gleaming cold, metallic surface — it was clear the fake Iron Man suits didn't hold a candle to the original.

Even the adults couldn't help but stare in disbelief.

The owner of Stark Industries, the famous playboy billionaire inventor, Tony Stark.

He wasn't vacationing on his private luxury yacht, in his mansion, or on some exclusive island. No, he was at an ordinary neighborhood party.

"Hey, kids. Sorry, no candy," Tony said, lifting his mask and grinning at the excited crowd of children surrounding him.

"But if you're desperate, my assistant can hook you up."

Despite his joking, no child moved away. Some of them even reached out, eager to touch Tony's armor.

"If you want to, feel free. It won't break," Tony said with a smirk as the armor opened up, and he stepped out, leaving it standing by itself.

"Really? Thanks so much, Iron Man!" one of the kids exclaimed, awestruck.

As Tony maneuvered his way out of the throng of children, Russell commented, "Seems like the kids like Iron Man more than Tony Stark."

"I am Iron Man," Tony said nonchalantly, sliding on a pair of sunglasses.

"Nice acting," Russell muttered under his breath.

"Happy Halloween, Pepper. Happy Halloween, Russell."

"Happy Halloween, Tony," Pepper replied warmly.

Russell, however, seemed more curious than festive. "Why are you here?" he asked, cutting to the chase.

"The incident earlier this morning was too big to ignore. News outlets are still picking it up. Some media still managed to report it," Tony explained.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. suggested I make another big splash to divert people's attention," he added with a shrug.

Russell stayed silent for a moment, unsure if Tony was flaunting his fame.

"Is popularity really that useful?" Russell wondered aloud. "Everyone's an enemy, up close, you know?"

"I don't even know what happened this morning," Pepper chimed in, her gaze fixed on Tony, a mix of admiration and worry in her eyes.

"I woke up and realized that you saved New York," she added softly.

Tony noticed her concerned look but quickly shifted his focus, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face.

Instead of acknowledging her affection, Tony turned to Russell. "I heard the victims infected by vampires earlier have recovered. Was that magic?"

"Yes," Russell confirmed.

"Magic is incredible," Tony murmured, eyes widening slightly. Then, he leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Let's talk privately?"

Russell raised an eyebrow in curiosity. Tony's tone had shifted, and it seemed important.

Once they were far enough away from Pepper, Tony got straight to the point. "So, magic can handle vampire infections... but could it cure palladium poisoning?"

Russell gave him a curious look, realizing that Tony was fully aware of the dangerous effects of palladium on his system.

"I take it you've realized just how harmful palladium can be," Russell noted.

Tony nodded, his expression grim. "It's killing me slowly."

Not wanting to keep Tony in the dark, Russell spoke frankly. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has access to your father's legacy, Howard Stark's old relics. You could find a new element to replace palladium, one that might solve your problem."

But there was more to this plan. Russell had his reasons for suggesting Tony pursue magic. After all, if Tony learned magic, the question arose: Would he become Doctor Strange or Doctor Doom?

Russell took a deep breath. "Tomorrow, we're going to see a wizard."

Tony blinked in confusion. "A wizard? Aren't you a wizard?"

Russell chuckled, his voice teasing. "Not quite. I'm a melee mage. Do you even know what that is?"

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Melee mage? What's the point of that?"

"It's a style that gets results," Russell replied. "I don't bother with fancy spells. I fight."

Just as Russell was finishing, Pepper walked over, clearly hearing the raised voices. "What's going on here?" she asked, looking from one man to the other.

"Nothing, Pepper. Just talking about mages," Tony said, clearly hoping to change the subject. He still didn't want Pepper to know about his palladium poisoning.

Russell turned to Tony and offered a piece of advice. "The wizard you'll be meeting tomorrow is known as the Ancient One. They're the Supreme Sorcerer. You'd better watch your temper."

Tony raised an eyebrow at Russell's warning. "The Supreme Sorcerer? Sounds like a title that needs to be lived up to."

The party came to an end, and everyone began leaving, each with their own thoughts.

On the other side of the room, George and Helen stood close, whispering in disbelief.

"Oh my God, Helen, is this real?" George asked quietly.

"You mean… all my dreams were glimpses into a parallel universe?" Helen whispered back, a mixture of awe and confusion in her voice. "In another universe, we're still together, and Gwen is our daughter?"

George pulled her into a hug. "I can't imagine losing you."

Helen nodded. "Yeah, me neither. But at least in this world, we're still together."

Meanwhile, in another part of the house, little Gwen stared up at the older Gwen in confusion. "Wait, so you're me? But you're older."

"No, it's a parallel universe," Gwen explained with a smile, gently pinching little Gwen's cheek. "I never realized how cute I was when I was a kid."

Little Gwen squinted in thought. "So, you're me, but not exactly me?"

"Exactly," Gwen said, smiling. It was a strange concept, but one that made sense in their world.

Back in his room, Russell received a message from Gwen.

"I'll be staying with Helen tonight. I'm not going back to the base."

Russell paused for a moment, reflecting. Had Gwen ever stayed at his place before?

As he prepared for bed, Russell took out his phone and sent two messages. One to Gwen: "I've read it. Don't keep things to yourself. I might have a solution." And another to the Ancient One: "Master, I'm bringing Tony Stark to see you tomorrow. Are you free?"

With that, Russell settled in for the night, wondering how Tony Stark might evolve with the knowledge of magic — and how that could change the world forever.