<div class="floatleft">(http://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/d/d3/IMArmor2.jpg) </div><hr/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>  Name:</strong> Tony Stark<br/>  <strong>Title:</strong> Iron Man<br/>  <strong>Affiliation:</strong>  Humanity<br/>  <strong>Location:</strong>   Tokyo<br/>  <strong>Tags:</strong> None<br/></span></span><hr/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: comic sans ms;">Part 2</span></span><br/><br/><strong><br/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 20pt;">BOOM</span></span></strong><br/><br/>Over and over Ironclad’s fists rain down on Iron Man’s body, and now the man inside of the armor is starting to really feel it.<br/><br/><strong><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 20pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;">BOOOM</span></span></strong><br/><br/>Ironclad growls loudly as he continues the punishment, and then one of his immense hands grasps Iron Man’s head, palming his faceplate. His other hand holds down Iron Man, not allowing him to escape. Screens inside of the virtual environment of his helmet start to go red as the stress factor begins to top out, and Tony grits his teeth as he tries to think of something. He starts to hear a cracking sound, and he hopes it’s the armor and not his head.<br/>++If I may.. I believe you’ve been in a Mark VII frame of mind, sir. Not a Mark VIII frame of mind.++  Tony’s eyes widen as he realizes that Jarvis is right. This whole time he’s been fighting Ironclad like the only weapons available to him were his repulsors and his speed. But this is a new armor, a new platform. He has a lot more weapons to play with now. Okay, time to regroup. The glowing circle at his chest suddenly begins to glow even more brightly as power is diverted to his most powerful weapon, the Uni-Beam. Ironclad glances down as he notices that spot getting brighter, and his grip of Tony’s head relaxes a little. About a moment later a pillar of repulsor energy explodes from Iron Man’s chest, causing the ground under him to buckle. For a moment Ironclad doesn’t move, though. The energy pours forth from Iron Man, and the giant metal monster seems unaffected. Until he is lifted right up off of Iron Man, being carried about 10 feet into the air by the brilliant beam of light. Once he’s clear, the Uni-Beam cuts off and Iron Man is on his feet, his gaze fixed up on Ironclad. His knees bend a little, and his boot jets ignite, launching him up at the monster. Now it was Tony’s turn for some punishment. His armored fist hits Ironclad square in the face three times as he is falling, and Ironclad takes a swing at Tony again. But this time he veers out of the way, and a panel on Tony’s right shoulder slides open abruptly. A small circular device is launched from the housing, and then another. It hits Ironclad in the back as he falls, and clings to his metal skin.<br/><br/>Ironclad lands on his feet, the ground under him crumbling. He turns abruptly to glare up at Iron Man as he hangs in the sky, staring right back at him. And then Iron Man speaks.<br/><br/>“Boom.”<br/><br/>Ironclad’s eyes widen a little as he hears a soft buzzing coming from his own back, and he tries to look over his shoulder to see what’s there. The two small devices Tony planted there begin to buzz, and then explode at the same time. Ironclad is knocked to all fours, his body buckling under the pressure of the massive explosions. He’s down, but not out. And Tony knows that. Ironclad looks up now, and he sees Iron Man standing in front of him, motioning him to bring it on. Ironclad’s teeth grit as he growls furiously, and he scrambles to his feet and charges Iron Man. He draws his fist back as he charges, and he then sends it towards Iron Man’s head with all his strength. But.. he finds himself on the ground again as he passes right through Iron Man.. the image going to static for a moment.<strong>“A… fake…”  </strong>Ironclad growls out angrily, and then he is lifted off the ground again as Iron Man seems to come out of nowhere and punches him right in the side of the head. Ironclad stumbles back, reeling from the sudden attack as he glares at Iron Man, who speaks in a confident, arrogant tone.   “A hologram, actually. Didn’t you used to be an engineer or something? Shouldn’t you know that, Mikey?”<br/><br/>Iron Man’s right gauntlet seems to subtly shift it’s shape as he stares down Ironclad, speaking again.  “I’ll admit you did get the drop on me. You’re tougher than your file lets on. Or maybe someone’s been juicing you up. How about it, Mikey? You one of Apocalypse’s dogs?”  Ironclad just continues to glare at Tony, his hands in fists now.   “Didn’t you have enough of serving other people? Cut your losses and get out of here. Before you make me mad.”  Iron Man says as he tilts his head up a little. And with that, Ironclad charges again. Which is exactly what Tony expected. Iron Man is lifted off the ground only a few inches as his boot jets fire, and he moves backwards, keeping the same distance between himself and Ironclad. He then raises his right hand, and from the back of his gauntlet a beam of shimmering red light fires, hitting Ironclad in the chest. Ironclad stops his charge, looking down at the beam, and then looking towards Iron Man as he sneers at him.<strong>“You can’t hurt me, Iron Man. C’mere so I can just tear your head off.”  </strong>Iron Man shrugs as he continues to fire the beam of shimmering red light at Ironclad’s chest.   “No thanks. I think I’ll just burn through your skin instead.”  And as he says that, Ironclad looks down, his eyes widening. He’s actually starting to feel the heat from that beam.. something he didn’t think was possible. His gaze snaps back to Iron Man, and he dashes at him suddenly. Again Ironclad’s speed is underestimated, and he’s upon Iron Man.<br/><br/>Ironclad draws a fist back and then sends it towards Iron Man’s chest… but this time Tony catches the massive fist. Ironclad throws his other fist towards Tony’s head, but again Iron Man catches it. He can feel his suit straining as Ironclad pushes down on Iron Man. Tony drops to one knee as Ironclad speaks.<strong>  “You think yer so fuckin smart.. I beat the Hulk! What the fuck can you do?!” </strong>Iron Man starts to push himself up then, his brightly glowing eyes on Ironclad’s.   “No.. you.. almost beat.. the Hulk.. and I’m not the Hulk… I am Iron Man.”   One of Tony’s feet shifts back, and he now pivots at the waist, letting go of Ironclad at the same moment. Ironclad goes flying, right into a near building. A small restaurant from the look of it. Ironclad disappears into the storefront, part of it crumbling around him. Iron Man turns slowly, Tony breathing heavily under the mask as he scans the debris.   ++Nanotech repair systems have completed their work. Suit now at 97% efficiency.++<br/><br/>The right gauntlet of Iron Man’s armor once more begins to shift it’s shape, and his legs bend at the knees. He launches himself upwards about 15 feet, hanging there in the air. His voice is now amplified by his mask, his voice echoing through the neighborhood.     “Come on, Mikey! You beat the Hulk! Don’t wuss out on me now!”   As he falls silent, his 360 degree field of vision comes into play, and he sees Ironclad leaping at him from behind.<br/><br/>Perfect.<br/><br/>A repulsor beam from Iron Man’s back hits Ironclad in the chest, lifting him up a little in the air. Iron Man’s boot jets then fire, and he’s launched upwards as he holds his right hand out towards the still airborne Ironclad. A green beam of glistening energy ignites from his right hand, and it strikes Ironclad. Ironclad now freezes in the air, and as Iron Man moves upwards, so does Ironclad.  ++Suit stress factor at 19% and rising. This is unadvised.++    “Yep!”  He looks back towards Ironclad as he carries him on the beam of light further upwards, till they are far above Tokyo. Ironclad swings his fists and tries to break free, but there’s no chance of that happening.    “Yeah, it’s called a tractor beam, Mikey. Ever watch Star Trek? Well you used to be an engineer, you should know this stuff!” Ironclad screams out at Tony, and he tries to reach out towards him, but to no avail. Tony glances back again as he hears Jarvis.  ++Now entering the stratosphere and ascending. Suit stress factor at 54% and rising.++      “All power to the boosters! Keep the tractor beam on!”   His boot jets increase their output, and now the flaps along his back extend and those jets fire. Tony speaks now out loud as the sky begins to turn from a blue to a darker blue, and extending to black.    “You know what it takes to break free of Earth’s atmosphere, Mikey? Hey let’s find out!”  Ironclad roars out in anger, and Iron Man’s jets burn hotter.   ++Suit stress factor at 75%. Exceeding safety measures.++   “I know I know just keep going!”     ++We have entered the thermosphere.++   Tony doesn’t dare glance back at Ironclad, he knows if he did he would probably lose his aerodynamic profile. But he knows he still has Ironclad, he can feel him struggling against the tractor beam.   “Emergency reverse!”   Tony’s lower body lurches forward as small jets along his chest open and fire at their highest power. Tony swings his arm forward, just like he was throwing something. Ironclad goes right passed him, carried by the momentum and lower air density. Once Ironclad is fully in front of Iron Man, he deactivates the tractor beam… and Ironclad keeps going. Tony breathes hard as he starts to chuckle to himself, and he waves weakly in the direction Ironclad is going.   “Later gator!”  He now turns, and he starts to descend, the status screens of his helmet now all red.   ++Repair systems working at peak efficiency. Suit stress level at 61%. I’m not sure Ironclad will actually achieve orbit, sir.++  Tony makes a face as they head back towards the surface, the specialized coating of his armor’s skin allowing him not to either burn up or freeze over.   “Maybe not, but he won’t be back for a while.”<br/><br/><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 16pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: comic sans ms;">To Be Continued..</span></span><br/>