James's gaze drifted to a gray-white orb in the distance, a faint smirk on his lips. "Tony, ever thought about a moonlit stroll?"
Tony, admiring Earth's curve, scoffed. "The moon? It's just a barren rock. Seen it a million times in NASA shots."
"Photos don't do it justice," James said, a mysterious glint in his eye. He traced a golden circle in the air, a portal opening to the moon's rugged dark side.
Tony's jaw dropped. "You can teleport across planets?"
"Small trick," James gestured invitingly. "Coming?"
Tony's armor adjusted its thrusters. "If you strand me somewhere weird, Pepper's gonna lose it."
They stepped through, landing on the moon's surface. Tony's armor adapted to the low gravity, leaving crisp footprints in the lunar soil.
"Whoa…" Tony stared at his tracks. "Armstrong vibes."
James hovered inches above, eyes glowing faintly gold, super vision scanning for energy anomalies.
"What're you looking for?" Tony asked.
"A hidden city," James replied, his gaze piercing the lunar crust.
"A city? On the moon?" Tony snorted. "Unless it's aliens—wait, you don't mean…"
James opened another portal, revealing a sprawling domed city glowing under a blue energy shield.
"Holy shit!" Tony's breath caught. "This can't be real!"
"Welcome to Attilan," James said, flying through. "The Inhuman capital."
Tony hesitated, then followed. "Jarvis, record everything!"
Beyond the portal, Attilan dazzled—towering spires, hovering transports, and beings with scales, wings, or human-like features.
"This… this…" Tony's faceplate popped open, his face stunned. "This defies physics! How did our satellites miss this?"
"Magic barriers and Kree tech," James explained. "The Inhumans have lived here for centuries."
A squad of silver-clad guards surrounded them, energy weapons gleaming. "Intruders! Drop your weapons!" their leader barked, a crystal glowing on his forehead.
Tony raised his palm repulsors. "Jarvis, analyze those guns!"
"Unknown energy signatures. Exercise caution, sir," Jarvis replied.
James remained calm. "We come in peace. We'd like to speak with your king."
The guards exchanged glances, surprised he spoke their tongue. The crowd parted, revealing a man in a black robe, blue eyes glowing with an energy aura, beside a red-haired woman.
"I am Black Bolt," the woman translated his sign language. "This is my wife, Medusa, speaking for me. Why do you trespass in Attilan?"
James nodded. "I'm James Holden. This is Tony Stark. We're from Earth, seeking an alliance with the Inhumans."
Black Bolt's gaze lingered on James's armor, Medusa translating, "Have Earthlings advanced so far?"
"Most don't know you exist," Tony interjected. "Honestly, I just found out."
Black Bolt's expression hardened, signing swiftly. Medusa translated, "Follow me. This isn't the place to talk."
He led them to a grand palace, guards trailing. Tony whispered, "You knew about an alien city and didn't tell me?"
"Surprise," James chuckled. "Seeing it hits harder, no?"
Tony rolled his eyes. "My worldview's shattered. I need a whole bottle of whiskey to recover."
The palace blended futuristic tech with ancient decor. Medusa smiled. "Welcome, Earthlings. Breaching our shield proves you're no ordinary men."
Tony stared at her flowing hair. "That hairstyle's unreal. How's it done?"
"Inhuman gift," Medusa said with a coy smile.
James cut to the chase. "We're here to discuss Earth-Inhuman cooperation."
Black Bolt and Medusa exchanged a look. "We stay hidden to avoid Earth's conflicts," Medusa said.
"But Earth's crises could reach the moon," James countered. "The Kree are moving, eyeing the Tesseract."
At "Kree," Black Bolt tensed, Medusa's face darkening. "You know of the Kree?"
"Wiped out one of their scout ships," Tony bragged. "Well, James did."
Black Bolt approached James, studying him closely before signing. "You're no ordinary human," Medusa translated.
"Call me Superman," James said.
"Superman?" Medusa raised an eyebrow. "Bold name."
"Earned it," Tony quipped. "He dismantles ships barehanded."
Black Bolt dismissed the guards, his expression grave. "We must discuss the Kree, the Inhumans' future, and Earth's fate."
James smiled. "Exactly why we're here."
Hours of talks followed. Tony, like a kid in a candy store, marveled at Inhuman tech, especially their Terrigen Mist. James secured a tentative alliance with Black Bolt: mutual aid against threats and gradual exchange.
With my power, I don't need much help, James thought, but allies beat enemies.
As they prepared to leave, Medusa handed James a crystal. "A communicator. Use it when needed."
James nodded thanks. Tony lingered, eyeing the hover-vehicles. "Can I bring research gear next time? Your anti-gravity tech's insane!"
Medusa chuckled. "Perhaps, Mr. Stark."
At the portal, Tony turned. "Got Wi-Fi here?"
Black Bolt and Medusa stared blankly.
"Never mind," Tony muttered, stepping through.
Back on the moon, Tony was still reeling. "A super-civilization on the moon's dark side! Every astronomer should be fired!"
"Magic and tech hide it," James said, amused. "Normal telescopes don't stand a chance."
"This isn't science!" Tony flailed. "A city that big! What do they eat? Drink? Breathe?"
"Kree tech handles it," James explained. "Inhumans are Kree genetic experiments."
Tony whistled. "So they're modified humans?"
"Pretty much."
"Wilder than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secrets," Tony said, stepping through a portal to Earth. "Ready for more surprises? The universe is bigger than I thought."
Tony grinned, following. "I'm thinking my armor needs a major upgrade."
Their figures vanished, leaving footprints in the lunar dust.
-------------------------------------------
The plans are now available.
Rank A: Read 20 chapters in advance + free waifu.
Rank S: Read 30 chapters in advance + 10 waifu
patreon.com/The_Fool007