Earth Under Siege: Alien Invasion Looms!

"Uh… I'm really sorry, but you'll have to leave work early today," Happy Hogan said apologetically, noticing Pepper Potts' confused reaction.

"May I ask why?" Pepper inquired, her face full of curiosity.

"Aliens are invading Earth again!" Happy replied with a shocking seriousness.

"???"

Pepper was utterly baffled. Aliens invading Earth? What was this nonsense?

"Aliens invading Earth? Happy, this isn't something you should joke about," she said sternly, her tone a mix of disbelief and concern.

"I'm not joking." Happy hurriedly grabbed Pepper's file from her desk and continued, "Right now, the safest place is with the boss. We need to get there quickly."

"Alright…"

Though unsure, Pepper felt a growing sense of unease. The last time someone rushed her like this was when Agent Coulson showed up during the Battle of New York. If this truly was an alien invasion, she knew Tony Stark wouldn't sit idly by… but still, the worry gnawed at her.

Pepper's mind was in such disarray that she didn't even notice Ned Leeds quietly joining them in the elevator. Ned, who had planned to greet her warmly, was left standing awkwardly, thinking, Pepper's usually so polite. Something serious must be happening for her to ignore me like this.

Once they reached the car, Pepper finally noticed the unfamiliar face. Glancing at Happy and realizing he wasn't reacting, she concluded this person must be someone trustworthy.

"Hi," she greeted with a polite smile.

"Hello, Ms. Potts. I'm Ned Leeds," Ned replied, smiling back.

"Hi, Ned. I'm so sorry I didn't notice you earlier," Pepper said apologetically. "It's been… a chaotic day."

"No worries, Ms. Potts. It's understandable," Ned reassured her with a warm grin.

When they arrived at Tony Stark's Malibu mansion, Happy personally escorted Ned inside. To Ned's surprise, Happy's attitude transformed into one of extreme deference, even stooping slightly as they walked.

"Uh, Mr. Hogan, what's going on here?" Ned asked, visibly uncomfortable.

"Please, just call me Happy," he replied, smiling enthusiastically. "You're a Mystic Sorcerer, and I'm a big fan. Back when—"

"Happy, what nonsense are you spouting?"

Tony Stark's voice interrupted Happy mid-sentence. Holding a glass of scotch, Tony strolled into the room, his sharp eyes subtly scanning Ned's figure before smirking.

"Well, well, if it isn't the ghost of Ned! What's the plan? Are you aiming to outshine Cap with a nationwide fitness tour? Gonna wear your granny's shawl from the '50s while selling diet pills?"

He took another sip and added, "If you do, let me know. I'll make sure Happy gets a lifetime supply."

"Boss, you're so cruel," Happy muttered, feigning hurt as he slinked away.

"Tony! Tony!"

Pepper rushed into the room, her voice filled with urgency. Seeing Tony, she finally exhaled in relief. "Happy says aliens are invading Earth again. What's going on?"

"Pfft—"

Tony spit out his drink, barely managing to avoid Pepper's sharp glare. Motioning for J.A.R.V.I.S. to clean up, he turned to her, incredulous. "What did you just say?"

"Happy said aliens are invading Earth again!" Pepper repeated.

Tony turned to Happy, who scratched his head awkwardly. "Mr. Leeds lost an arm, didn't he? Isn't that proof enough that something big is coming?"

Tony raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze to Ned.

"…Fine," Ned admitted. While the alien who injured him wasn't coming back, he knew what was looming. Thinking of the upcoming celestial convergence, he explained, "We're going to need Dr. Banner. His strength will be crucial."

"Wait… so this really is an alien invasion?" Tony's voice grew serious. He had assumed Happy was just overreacting. But hearing Ned suggest summoning Bruce Banner, his instincts kicked in.

"You've been gone for a year. Were you off-world?" Tony asked, his tone both sharp and curious.

"No, this isn't my problem," Ned replied calmly. "The celestial convergence is approaching. The threat this time comes from Asgard's ancient enemies—the Dark Elves. The battleground will likely be somewhere in the UK."

"And we need to contact Thor," he added.

"Great," Tony sighed, rolling his eyes. "Why is every alien invasion somehow tied to Asgard? I should've expected this by now."

"Well… there was one time it wasn't related to Asgard," Ned quipped, unable to resist correcting him.

"Oh?" Tony raised an eyebrow.

"You can ask Nick Fury about it. He knows the details better than anyone," Ned replied with a smirk. "But for now, we'll need to leave Hawkeye, Black Widow, and even Cap out of this. They won't be able to handle this kind of opponent."

Hearing this, Tony grew solemn. If even the combined efforts of those three wouldn't be enough, this threat was on a whole new level.

"What do we need to do to prepare?" Tony asked, his voice steady.

"Keep an eye on Thor's friend, Dr. Erik Selvig," Ned instructed. "When he starts acting like a lunatic, you'll know the war is about to begin."

Though Tony remained outwardly nonchalant, his mind raced. Ever since the Battle of New York, the image of the Chitauri fleet haunted him. He had tirelessly upgraded his suits, pushing his tech to new limits.

"Alright," Tony said finally. "Let's call the thunder god and get this over with."

Ned nodded, appreciating Tony's pragmatism. "Trust me, this is going to be bigger than anything we've faced before."

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