His nerves are on edge. He sees strange, suspicious movement across the street. His first inclination is to raise his hand and fire. Thankfully--and regrettably--his power is drained somehow and he avoids smashing a tour group with a gazillion watts of energy."That fluffy pink flamingo dangling on a stick might make the tour guide easy to keep track of for the tourists, but it totally creeps me out. "
With no energy to fire his jets, he cannot fly home. In fact, he can't even get out of his armor.
Something is very wrong. Neither Pepper nor anyone at Stark Industries is answering the phone.
With no clear destination in mind, aware that he is likely being followed by nefarious forces, Iron Man bravely strikes out across Prague.
He thinks about drawing out his foe by posing as just another statue, but all things considered, he probably does not have the patience for that. Anyway, he wouldn't feel quite right...he doesn't have a noble steed to pose with.
At first he feels quite conspicuous in the crowd, even though most people seem not to notice anything special, or recognize him at all, in fact. However, after seeing this guy, he feels more secure in his ability to blend in to the environment.
Though the crowd does not take much notice of him, the same can never be said for pigeons. Pigeons have always been one of the banes of being Iron Man."Blast, I forgot my jets aren't working..."
"Maybe if I keep moving, the pigeons will leave me alone. And I will find some answers."
After a few blocks, he remembers how uncomfortable his boots are for walking around. The subway seems a better option.
Iron Man does not read Czech, but since he doesn't know where he is going anyway, the point is moot. He just feels the need to keep moving.
"The trains are slower than I remember. Do people actually *wait* for these things?"
So far, so good. He even almost finds a seat...until a pregnant woman gets on.
"Prague is a beautiful city. Wonderful place for a vacation, a little awkward for finding oneself with no memory and no powers. I still have not spotted my tail, but no doubt they got some nice pictures of me with the astronomical clock. I hope they at least got my good side."
"The Prague castle makes me homesick...not as nice as my joint, but I could probably work with it if I had to. Add some equipment to some of those dungeons and it would probably be half decent."
"The Charles Bridge. Maybe I could chill with some of these statues for a while..."
"That would be one unpleasant fall. I don't believe Jim Phelps could have survived, honestly."
"Really, it's quite romantic here. Maybe I should bring Pepper here sometime. When I don't have some evil presence lurking behind me, of course."
"This place definitely fits my own particular idiom. At least my nemesis didn't mysteriously drop me somewhere like...Zimbabwe."
"The date is July 4th. Independence day. Pepper and I had plans for tonight, yet here I am, a third of the way around the world. Even here, they have fireworks. Even here, they celebrate freedom. The sight gives me hope."
Settling down with a drink to consider his options, Iron Man figures that staying in Prague is not getting him anywhere. Perhaps a less crowded environment would help reveal his nemesis...
Hopping on the next train, he heads to destinations unknown.
Not wanting to fall asleep unguarded, Iron Man nonetheless finds himself lulled to sleep by the motion of the train. He has one last thought before drifting into sleep."Surely even my evil nemesis would not make a serious move with such a cute toddler across the seat from me."
Waking up fresh and seemingly with no ill effects, Iron Man finds himself...somewhere.
Hoping to startle his nemesis, Iron Man disembarks at a random station in the middle of Germany.
"I am not sure where I am, or where I will go, or what I will do, but this seems as likely a spot as any to bring my nemesis out in the open. While in Prague, I had been hearing rumors and whispers of some mysterious "Achuba"...who or what this Achuba is, I do not know, but I instinctively feel that Achuba is connected to my current predicament. I will find this Achuba, and I will find the answers I need."
Iron Man is not used to such sedate surroundings, but he makes himself at home hanging a souvenir he picked up in Prague.
Let the search for Achuba commence...
