Buzz buzz buzz…
Swoosh!
A vibrant beam of light shot from the Rainbow Bridge, streaking across the cosmos and vanishing into the distance, catching the eye of every major power in the universe. This signaled that Asgard had regained its command over the nine realms, prompting restless cosmic forces to halt, retreat, and bide their time for another chance.
Standing on the Rainbow Bridge, Sebastian turned to Thor and Frigga with a grin and said, "Thor, Frigga, I'm heading back. If you need me, you know how to reach me, right?"
Thor stepped up to Sebastian, handed him two boxes, and said, "These hold branches from the Golden Apples of Idunn and a Raven feather from my father's shoulder. You know how rare these are. You've used up all your goodwill with Asgard before my father for this. Is it really worth it?"
"Of course, I have my own plans for them. Besides, the bond between you and me, and between Frigga and me, won't change one bit, will it? Just my standing with Asgard, the mightiest power in the cosmos, I think it's totally worth trading for these treasures."
"We'll always be friends, that's certain, so farewell, and please look after Jane for me."
"Don't worry, I've got it covered. Honestly, you could visit Midgard for a bit, treat it like a holiday."
"There's no time for that now, maybe later."
"Alright, I won't say more. Farewell! It's been nearly a year, and it's time I went back."
After stowing the two boxes, Sebastian waved to Thor and Frigga, then strode into the Rainbow Bridge. He nodded to Heimdall, stepped into the glowing portal, and vanished from their sight.
At the same time, in a wilderness near New York, a dazzling beam of light plunged from swirling dark clouds and struck the ground.
When the radiant column faded, Sebastian stood on the magical runes left by the Rainbow Bridge, waved his wand to wipe away all traces, and opened a portal straight to the top floor of Stark Tower. He needed to check on things at home first and review the call logs between his virtual double and Alisha from the past year before returning, lest he slip up and reveal his absence.
But when Sebastian reached the top floor of Stark Tower, he saw no sign of Tony. That was normal, though. Expecting Tony to stay at home all the time.
"Jarvis, please gather all the details about my social circle and the conversations between the virtual stand-in and my mother over the past year and send them to me."
Tony had set Sebastian's access in Stark Tower to nearly match his own, about equal to Pepper Potts, so Sebastian could command Jarvis freely.
After receiving Sebastian's order, Sebastian's phone rose from a nearby table, powered on in three seconds, and opened the file sent by Jarvis.
Sebastian's old phone lacked this ability. This phone, identical in look and even screensaver, had clearly been upgraded by Tony, packed with all sorts of advanced tech.
Pulling out his phone, Sebastian was about to review Jarvis's file when he got a video call request.
Seeing Tony's smug photo on the call request, Sebastian sighed. After a year apart, Tony was still the same. He wasn't sure whether to be amused or exasperated.
Answering the video call, Sebastian saw Tony, hair swept back, showing his thinning hairline. Sebastian said flatly, "Tony, your hairline's showing…"
"No big deal. My hair's thick enough anyway. But seriously, isn't it a bit rude to return without giving me a heads-up?"
"I just got back, and my phone was with you, so I couldn't exactly call you right away."
"Fair enough, hold on, I'll be back in a flash."
"You don't need to rush back, I can handle things…"
Beep…
Staring at the ended call, Sebastian sighed again and sank into the sofa to skim the files on his phone. A year felt long, but it passed quickly. Nothing stood out, so Sebastian read through fast. But just as he neared the end, he spotted a message that turned his stomach.
Alisha has a boyfriend!
A doctor in his thirties, well-off and decent-looking. Though they hadn't been overly close, they seemed very comfortable together!
Even if this boyfriend wasn't trouble, Sebastian still couldn't stomach it!
Not waiting another second, Sebastian stood to head home.
But at that moment, a gold-and-red figure landed on the round balcony outside. Tony, in his armor, shed it as he walked. By the time he opened the door and stepped inside, the armor was gone, and he was back in a sharp suit.
"Tony, where'd you come from?"
"Washington, handling some business with S.H.I.E.L.D."
"S.H.I.E.L.D.? You're mixed up with them now?"
Shrugging, Tony poured himself a small glass of amber whiskey and said, "Can't help it. The mess at the Stark Industries Expo got out of hand. Sure, I'm a so-called hero, but we're still on the hook for the casualties. S.H.I.E.L.D. can smooth that over. Plus, my dad helped found S.H.I.E.L.D., so I can't dodge them."
"Whatever. That's got nothing to do with me… Look, we've caught up. I need to get home now. We'll talk later."
"In such a rush? Your mother, Alisha, is fine. No big issues. Relax."
"My mother has a boyfriend. I need to go check him out."
"Check him out? What's your plan?"
"I've got a spell to peek into someone's thoughts. I need to make sure he's not hiding any shady intentions, or I'll never stop worrying!"
Hearing this, Tony burst out laughing and said, "Sebastian, you sure about this? Isn't it good for Alisha to have a boyfriend? Why're you so hung up on it?
Chill, the guy's clean. I ran a background check, and he's spotless. No issues. If you go in too hot, it'll make things tough for Alisha, you know?"
"Tony, you don't get it. Ever heard of prophecy magic? When I saw that guy's photo, I got a really bad vibe, so I've got to go investigate to put my mind at ease!"