A few hours later, the school looked like someone had dropped Comic Con, a science fair, and a mild riot into one courtyard. Word had spread online in seconds. Reporters who had shown up expecting a cute sponsorship announcement were now acting like they had discovered alien first contact.
Students returned from the trip in groups of ten, wearing thermal jackets provided by Stark. They were excited and full of energy. Each group came back with the same excitement: kids stumbled out amazed, talking loudly over one another and waving their phones to show proof that there were real penguins in the background.
Peter, Ned, and Gwen returned from their trip with a look that sat somewhere between joy and spiritual awakening. Peter tried his best to pretend this was his first time using the portal.
Ned looked like he had spiritually ascended. "I touched real Antarctic snow. I touched it. Me. A guy who once fainted during a flu shot. I have lived a full life."
Gwen was looking at the pictures of penguins she took. "Aww, so cute."
Peter kept rubbing his arms. "I still cannot believe it. It felt like stepping through a cold window. Like your skin knows it should be weird, but your brain is like no, this is fine."
The media had gone nuclear. Reporters crowded the barricades, talking over each other like caffeinated auctioneers. Every network was broadcasting live. Words like historic, breakthrough and civilization shift kept getting tossed around.
One reporter from a big tech channel practically shrieked into her mic. "Transportation as we know it is over. Stark Industries just changed the world in a school courtyard. You heard that right. A courtyard."
Another reporter who had gone through the portal was still shivering. "I can confirm it is real. I was in Antarctica. I saw penguins. I regret wearing dress shoes."
Pepper kept the media chaos under control. While Natasha kept the crowd under control.
Tony stepped onto the stage again 30 minutes later. The moment he appeared, the entire courtyard shut up so fast you could almost hear the silence click into place. He looked around at the sea of shaking phones, stunned students and overworked teachers trying to pretend they were still in charge.
"So," Tony said, "what do you kids think? Should we go global?"
Everyone shouted yes like they were trying to summon a genie. Some chanted Stark like a sports team. A few freshmen looked like they were about to pass out from sheer hype.
Tony chuckled. "Noted. Strong opinions. I like that."
He walked a slow half circle on the stage. "You know me. I never stop at step one. Portal to Antarctica? Cute, cool, emotional... Bit chilly. But the real question is what comes next."
He pointed at the teleportation ring behind him.
"This thing is not just for crossing continents. It is for crossing limits. And speaking of limits, I have something special in mind for the students who win the scholarship."
The entire courtyard leaned forward like a single organism.
Tony smirked. "How do you feel about going to the moon?"
Well, the cheering and yelling followed as usual...
Tony lifted both hands. "Hold on. I am not done. We are talking about walking out of one door and stepping onto the moon base. In simple words, teleport to the Stark Lunar Base. You walk in, you walk out, and congratulations, you are standing on the moon, obviously inside the base."
Students screamed again. A few teachers screamed too. Gwen grabbed Peter's arm so hard he nearly yelped.
Tony waited for the chaos to burn through a second time, then continued. "And for the record, that is not the only option. The Mars colonization project is running ahead of schedule. I could give the scholarship winners a one-week vacation on Mars."
If the moon got screaming, Mars got full hysterical meltdown. Kids jumped. Kids hugged. Someone shouted marry me, Stark. Tony pretended he did not hear it.
He raised a hand again. The noise dropped off with impressive speed.
"Now, some of you are thinking, why Stark Industries and not NASA or another agency, and why am I putting kids on the moon and Mars before I offer it to the rest of the world's brightest minds?"
He pointed his finger at the students.
"It is simple. You are the future. You are the ones who will build the next version of humanity. You are the next scientists, the next engineers, the next innovators, the next generation who will fix all the things my generation did not get to. So I am giving you a path. I am giving you motivation. I am giving you the experience that can change the direction of your life. Prove me right."
The crowd rustled with stunned energy.
Tony nodded once.
"And why fifty students and not the entire world at once? Resources, infrastructure, safety, logistics, and too many variables. Scaling something this big takes time. And if I am going to do it, I want it done correctly. One step at a time. Midtown High is where it begins. You are the pilot group. You will be the first to walk through that door and step into another world. After that, we build outward."
He spread his arms again. "So, Midtown. Are you ready to make history on purpose instead of by accident?"
The courtyard erupted again, louder than ever.
Gwen wrapped her arms around Peter's and Ned's neck and yelled. "Let's do it together. Four months from now, we'll get into the program."
Peter and Ned said in unison. "Yeah, let's do it."
...
[Stark Tower]
Tony barely had time to take his shoes off before Pepper stormed into the lounge.
"That wasn't the plan. What were you thinking?" She planted herself in front of him like a human firewall. "The press, NASA, the EU Science Council, the Japanese Aerospace Division, the UAE Mars Initiative... they are breathing down our neck. Actually, my neck. Look."
She shoved her phone in his face.
It looked like her notifications were trying to stage a coup. Missed calls, alerts, emails, five different urgent tags, and someone had texted her seventeen question marks in a row.
Tony popped open a beer like she had just asked him if he wanted the weather update. "Pep, relax. They can scream, yell, cry, form committees, write angry blog posts, and hold emergency press briefings. None of it matters."
She blinked at him. "Tony, you just offered teenagers a ticket to the moon. You offered Mars like it is a weekend beach trip. NASA is losing its mind. Half the aerospace world thinks you declared war. The other half thinks you invited them to a party they were not ready for."
He took a sip. "And? Teleportation is going global in a year or two. They can either get on board or buy a telescope and watch from a distance."
Pepper dragged a hand down her face. "You basically rewrote human history as a side activity during a school visit."
Tony grinned. "Multitasking is one of my top three talents."
"I swear, you are going to give me grey hair."
"You will look great with grey hair. Distinguished, powerful... Intimidating."
Pepper stared at him. "Do you ever get scared? Even a little?"
He shrugged. "Only when you start a sentence with my full name. Otherwise, no."
She sighed, sat on the edge of the desk, and finally let her shoulders drop a little. "The world is panicking."
"The world panics every Tuesday, Pep. This is nothing new."
He glanced at the clock on the wall.
"Speaking of panic," he said, setting the beer down and straightening his jacket, "I need to go prepare for a dinner date."
Pepper blinked again. "A date? Right now? After you kicked off a global political earthquake?"
Tony tapped his watch and the nanites tightened his outfit just a bit, like he was adjusting a tie without wearing one. "Pepper, you know my motto. Save the day, freak out a few governments, then freshen up for dinner."
Pepper shook her head. "I have no idea how you function."
"Charm, caffeine, and questionable life choices."
He walked toward the elevator.
Pepper called after him. "Who is the date with?"
Tony paused mid-step with the kind of slow, exaggerated turn that practically had sarcasm written across his forehead. Pepper crossed her arms.
He crooked an eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?"
Pepper opened her mouth. Closed it. Then pointed at him as if he had just committed a minor felony. "I am allowed to ask questions." She walked toward him.
Tony smirked as he stepped into the elevator. "Sure. Totally. But usually people ask because they are curious, worried, nosy, or jealous. Which category are you aiming for today?"
Pepper stepped in after him as the doors slid shut. "None. Absolutely none. I am simply trying to make sure you do not cause more chaos before the night is over."
"Uh huh." He tapped the elevator panel with a finger. "Totally not curious who I am having dinner with."
"I am not."
"Totally not wondering if it is someone you know."
"Nope."
"Not even a tiny bit worried or a little sad that I never invited you out to another dinner?"
Pepper pinched the bridge of her nose. "I am your assistant. I should know your schedule."
He grinned. "Pepper, you already know my schedule. You built my schedule. In fact, you are the only reason I show up to half of it. So I am guessing this is less about work and more about something else."
She narrowed her eyes. "There is no something else."
"Really? Then why did you bring it up?" he asked, stepping just slightly closer, a tilt of the head that was way too smug.
Pepper tried to maintain her 'I'm all good' expression. It lasted maybe three seconds before her frustration cracked through. "Fine. Maybe I was wondering because we have not had time for... another dinner."
Tony blinked once. "Ah. So you do want another date."
Pepper turned a lovely shade of annoyed. "I never said that."
"You implied it."
"I did not."
"You very much did. Pepper Potts, implying she wants me to take her out. Historic moment. Should I get one of the interns to engrave this into a plaque?"
"Tony."
"Yes?"
"Stop."
He chuckled, hands slipping into his pockets. "You know, if you wanted to go out again, all you had to do was ask. Why do most girls think it's always the duty of a man to ask them out?"
Pepper shot him a sharp look. "I am not asking you out. You are impossible."
"Impossible but charming."
"Impossible and reckless."
"Impossible and available tomorrow."
Pepper stared ahead at the doors, heartbeat just a touch faster. Tony watched her with a little smile that was much softer than usual.
When the doors opened, Pepper exhaled hard. "Just go to your dinner, Tony."
He stepped out, glanced back, and even he could not resist the final jab.
"I will tell you how it goes. If you want. Since you seem very invested."
Pepper groaned as she walked out and made her way toward the group of press, swarming at the left wing. "I am not invested."
"Sure. You keep telling yourself that."
Pepper didn't reply and simply walked away.
Tony walked out, activated his suit and flew toward his house.
---
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