Time passed swiftly, like a river flowing unchecked.
Since Sebastian Shaw absorbed the Hellfire Authority, he had finally tasted a rare period of tranquility. Over the past six months, he enrolled as a freshman at the State University of New York, where he crossed paths with Victor von Doom. Their shared classes sparked a genuine friendship, a bond forged through late-night discussions and mutual respect.
At Stark Pharmaceuticals, Sebastian's ingenuity shone. Using Kilgrave's genes and cells as substitutes, he successfully recreated the Veritaserum, refining its formula to perfection. He also harnessed Bruce Banner's blood to develop the Berserk Potion. True to its name, the potion induced a frenzied state, amplifying the user's strength, speed, and endurance for a fleeting ten minutes. Yet, its flaws were glaring—those with weak mental fortitude or malicious intent succumbed to irrational rage.
Deeming Berserk Potion 1.0 too unstable, Sebastian kept it under wraps, dedicating himself to optimizing its effects in secret.
----------
Early one morning, Sebastian bid farewell to Alisha, her warm embrace lingering as he dragged his suitcase to the apartment building's entrance. Happy Hogan waited there, leaning against his car with a grin.
"Happy, good morning," Sebastian called. "Why did Tony send you again?"
Happy chuckled, opening the trunk. "I volunteered. Sure, the company has plenty of drivers, but none keep secrets like me—or handle those… unexpected incidents, you know? Besides, we're friends now, aren't we? It's only right I drive you to college."
Sebastian stowed his suitcase, shaking his head with a laugh. "You've got a point, Happy. Fair enough."
"Then hop in!" Happy urged. "I'll take you to the house near campus. Tony's got it all set up for you."
Sebastian froze mid-step. "Wait, Happy, you said Tony prepared it?" A sinking feeling stirred in his gut.
Happy, oblivious to Sebastian's unease, nodded as he started the car. "Oh, yeah. Tony's been planning this for ages—ever since you mentioned wanting a place off-campus last month. He said he's making it as good as the top floor of Stark Tower. Trust me, you'll love it. Tony's work is always top-notch."
The corners of Sebastian's mouth twitched, a resigned nod his only response. "Right… let's hope so."
Sebastian had always found Tony's aesthetic—flashy, high-tech, and unrelentingly modern—clashing with his own preference for quiet, understated spaces. If Tony had taken charge, this house would likely resemble a futuristic fortress, much like Stark Tower.
I should've known better than to ask Tony for help, Sebastian thought, inwardly cursing his oversight.
The house, at first glance, was a modest garden villa, blending seamlessly with the neighboring properties. Its low-key exterior belied its true nature. Beneath the surface, its underground expanse dwarfed the modest above-ground structure, a fact Sebastian would soon discover.
Accompanied by Happy, Sebastian stepped inside. A vibrant, youthful male voice greeted him. "Hello, Mr. Shaw. I'm LucyDay, the primary artificial intelligence of this residence. From now on, I'm exclusively at your service. You may connect your phone to me for remote control of the house's systems."
As LucyDay spoke, a sleek device rose from the living room table, resembling a charging dock. Sebastian recognized it instantly as the interface for his phone. He inserted his device, and the screen lit up, displaying a data transfer in progress.
Guided by LucyDay's voice, Sebastian toured the house, familiarizing himself with its layout. Satisfied with the above-ground structure, he and Happy descended a hidden staircase in the study, leading to the underground complex.
The subterranean area was vast, far surpassing the villa's surface footprint. Its centerpiece was a state-of-the-art laboratory, nearly identical to Sebastian's workspace on Stark Tower's top floor. As he inspected the equipment, a large screen lowered from the ceiling, and Tony Stark's face appeared, grinning broadly.
"Sebastian! How's the new digs?" Tony's voice boomed.
Sebastian took a sip of soda water, poured by a mechanical arm, and settled into a chair. "It'd be better if you hadn't turned it into a tech showcase."
Happy, nursing a glass of wine from another robotic arm, chuckled. Sebastian shot him a mock glare before turning back to the screen. "Don't get too smug, Tony. Your taste and mine don't exactly align."
Tony waved off the jab. "Don't knock tech, man. We've already shown magic and science can play nice together. You'll come around."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "If you've got something else to say, spit it out."
"Alright, straight to the point," Tony said, his grin widening. "This house is my first college gift to you. Now, here's the second. Hope you like it."
As Tony spoke, a vertical bio-cabin in the corner slid open, revealing a sleek, form-fitting suit. Part metal, part fabric, it resembled a streamlined version of Iron Man's armor, radiating cutting-edge sophistication.
Tony's voice crackled with enthusiasm from the screen. "Forget that old mask and clunky metal boots I gave you before. This suit is the upgraded deal, designed to keep you safe from most threats. It's not indestructible, mind you, but unless you're taking direct hits from heavy firearms or catching grenades and missiles up close, you'll walk away with minimal damage. It's got a constant temperature system and a pressure regulator, shrugging off water, fire, and electricity under normal conditions. I kept the arc reactor's cluster gun on the chest and the laser system in the mask's eyes for emergencies. All the original mask's functions are still there—magic-friendly materials, identity concealment, the works. So, what do you think of this gift?"
Sebastian studied the suit in the bio-cabin, its sleek, metallic sheen screaming Tony Stark's signature flair. The technology was impressive, a pinnacle of Tony's current capabilities, addressing many of Sebastian's vulnerabilities. But the bold, flashy color scheme—quintessential Stark—grated against his preference for subtlety. "It's great, Tony, except for the style. That's… very you."
Tony smirked, undeterred. "I figured you'd say that. I keep hoping your taste will catch up to mine, but clearly, you're still stuck in the dark ages. So, to appease your refined sensibilities, I've got one more thing for you."
As Tony spoke, a second vertical bio-cabin rose from the floor. It slid open, revealing a pure black windbreaker with a hood, its fabric shimmering faintly. "This windbreaker's made from similar materials," Tony explained. "It's mostly defensive, no fancy bells and whistles, but it's perfect for you. The hood doubles down on head protection—extra insurance."
Sebastian nodded, genuinely pleased with the windbreaker's understated elegance. But his attention returned to the first bio-cabin. He approached it, inspecting the suit's controls with a practiced eye. Ignoring Tony's protests crackling through the screen, he adjusted the settings, repainting the suit in a black-and-white color scheme.
White dominated, with black accents blending harmoniously, the mask now a sleek ivory. The result was refined, aligning with Sebastian's aesthetic.
Stepping back, Sebastian admired the repainted suit. "Now that's a proper suit, Tony. My magic can handle storage and equipping it, no problem. Thanks for this."
Tony groaned dramatically. "If you're so grateful, how about switching the colors back to my design?"
"Not a chance," Sebastian shot back, a grin tugging at his lips.
He ended the call, turning to Happy, who was polishing off his wine. "Happy, you've had quite a bit. You sure you're good to drive?"
Happy waved him off, chuckling. "No worries, man. The car's got autopilot if I need it. Anyway, you've talked to Tony, so I'll head out." He paused, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Oh, and Tony said if you're bringing someone over, use the house's cloaking function on your phone. It'll make this place look like any old house—keeps the fancy stuff hidden."
Sebastian smirked. "Got it. Thanks, Happy."
"Catch you later!" Happy called, sliding into the passenger seat. The car's autopilot engaged, and it glided away, leaving Sebastian alone in the villa.