A/N: Yes, finally I've gotten to do the sequel to 'Precious', guys... well, the first chapter anyway. :D

I've been on holidays and haven't had a chance to write (yes, odd, I know) and now I've picked up a rotten head cold so I'm not feeling overly magnificent at the moment. So, my point is I'm hoping to update as fast as I usually do, but please forgive me if I can't because of the virus I've picked up, okay? :D

Now, if you're reading this without having read 'Precious', I seriously suggest you check it out. It's not vital, but it will fill in a few blanks and make more sense of this story.

So, 'The Magnificent Octopus' is a story which is just going to have more, from what I've worked out in my head. More Pepperony, more Avengers, more action, more romance and hopefully, more comedy. And of course, for those of you who have read 'Satis' as well, more cliffhangers. :0

I've introduced most of the characters and how I see their relationships in 'Precious', and now we're going to build on that and ramp up everything... at least, that's the plan.

Okay, enough from me for now. A big thank you to everyone who's been so supportive of my other stories and I hope this one won't disappoint...

Enjoy.

The Magnificent Octopus

"As for courage and will - we cannot measure how much of each lies within us, we can only trust there will be sufficient to carry through trials which may lie ahead."

Ovid

(Ancient Roman classical Poet)

Chapter One

"Thor, where are you? Talk to me, buddy." Tony engaged his suit's thrusters to keep him one step ahead of the laser blasts being levelled at him.

Thor's resonating voice came back in Tony's earpiece. "I am here, Tony Stark."

Tony looked above him to see the blonde-haired demigod making a beeline for him from behind a line of buildings. Looking down, Tony could see the carnage the army of crazy machines which were designed to look not unlike giant, mechanical praying mantises. The twenty foot tall creature's eyes glowed red as a rays shot out of their bulging eyes and seared through metal and flesh alike. The beams also caused fires when it touched anything combustible. The scorching rays weren't the only thing to be contended with either. The front two legs were deadly pinchers which could pick up things like cars and cut them in two. They punched through brick walls and could demolish concrete with their vice like grip and powerful sweeps.

The fierce creatures were creating carnage on the helpless surrounding cityscape of New York. People were running all over the place in fear of their lives as parts of buildings rained down on them along with the laser fire. Tony pointed to a group of the death machines heading towards a nearby hospital. "It's Hammer Time, big guy, go do your thing," Tony called out to the other man. "Take down as many as you can, I'm going to find out who is controlling them."

Thor nodded at him, twirling his hammer and immediately bearing down on the thirty or so mantis machines which were closing in on the unprotected hospital. With one mighty blow of his hammer, Thor immediately dispatched the first machine he came to, shattering its body into a million pieces. The legs staggered on, no longer knowing what to do and eventually crumbled in a heap. Tony watched as Thor moved on to the machine and the next, destroying each one in turn. The trouble was, as many as they smashed; another ten seemed to pop up in their place. The city was teeming with the destructive devices. "Jarvis," Tony snapped, "have you locked in on the signal controlling these things yet?"

"No, sir," came the apologetic AI's response, "something is preventing the signal from being isolated. I can only narrow it down to a four block radius."

"Throw up it up on the map," said Tony and immediately a schematic of the streets in question were in front of him. Immediately he recognised Central Park as being in the middle of them all.

"Stark, you need to see this." Hawkeye's voice was in Tony's ear.

"I'm on my way," said Tony, immediately jetting off in the direction of where he'd last seen the eagle-eyed archer. He swooped in amongst the oncoming swarm of machines, shooting out their legs with his repulsors and chest unibeam as he went by and taking out their lasers. Tony passed by the Hulk who was grabbing the machines and tearing their legs off to then beat them into a pulp with. The green giant seemed to be having a wonderful time. Tony couldn't help but smile as he dodged a stray mechanical leg which the Hulk had flung up in the air, opting to smash the incapacitated mantis with a nearby car now. "What the guy lacked in finesse, he certainly made up for in enthusiasm," thought Tony.

Tony continued to duck and weave his way to where he knew Hawkeye had stationed himself. Whilst the mantises were powerful, they couldn't match Iron Man's manoeuvrability. He landed on the roof of the high rise Hawkeye had set himself up as a good vantage point to rain down his deadly arrows on the foes.

Hawkeye gave him a grim look and pointed to the street below on the other side of the building. "I think we've got a problem."

Tony peered over the edge of the building and saw several destroyed insect-like machines below. He looked closer, making his suit zoom in. "What is that?" Tony asked uncertainly.

The twisted and blackened metal which had been destroyed by Hawkeye's explosive arrows were moving. All the broken pieces of the machine seemed to be seeking each other out to put itself back together. Tony looked on in amazement as the metal reformed into the original machine in less than a minute. "Okay, that's just way cool," he said, unable to help but admire the genius of a machine made up of metal with an actual memory to be able to reconstruct itself.

"I was thinking more that it kind of sucked," said Hawkeye grimly. "How are we going to kill these things if they keep putting their pieces back together again?"

"I guess we know why there seems to be so many of them," said Tony, his mind racing as he tried to wrap his head around this piece of fascinating and lethal technology.

Hawkeye strung an arrow and took deadly aim at the newly reformed metallic beast and once again blew it to pieces. The pieces of metal were still smoking even as they moved to reform once again.

Hawkeye looked at Tony. "You're the genius, what do we do now?" he said flatly.

"I'm thinking," said Tony distractedly. Simply destroying them was not going to be an option, clearly. Tony's brain was racing. "We need to find who is controlling them and shut them down that way. I've got a bead on where the signal is coming from but I need some time to narrow it down."

Steve's voice came in his ear. "Then take it, we've got this." Steve sounded as though he was running and there was the noise of metal being ripped apart in the background.

"I'll help you look," came Black Widow's voice in his ear. "What are the co-ordinates of your search area?"

"It's Central Park," Tony told her.

Black Widow sounded like she was already running. "That's down the street, I'm on my way. Central Park is big, what am I looking for exactly?" she quizzed him.

"Something that could amplify a radio signal out to the machines," said Tony, taking to the skies to head to the same location. "It's going to be big, hard to miss, like a giant circle and it's probably going to be glowing."

"If it's that obvious then why didn't someone notice it going in?" asked Natasha.

"I guess we'll know that when we find it," said Tony pragmatically but Natasha was right, Central Park was a big place and they were quickly running out of time. He sped up, intent on getting to the famous park to start looking. Tony jetted over the top of Steve just in time to see him drawing away two mantis machines away from a busload of terrified tourists. "Need a hand, Cap?" asked Tony as he watched them corner the other man against a wall and close in on him.

Steve was intently watching the approaching menaces from behind his shield. "Do I look like I need help?" he asked calmly, not flinching in the least.

Tony was hovering above the trio. "Frankly, yes." He lifted his hand and directed a blast of his repulsors at the closest beast just as it lunged for Steve. Unfortunately as the creature had moved at the wrong time, the repulsor ray glanced off the machines tough metal casing and ricocheted into the wall above Steve.

Captain America was forced to leap out of the way of the explosion of bricks raining down on him from above or be crushed by them. Steve looked up at Tony with an annoyed expression. "Is this you helping, Stark?"

"Okay," said Tony apologetically, "that was my bad, the thing moved."

"They do that," Steve ground out as he dodged a powerful blow from one of the giant front pinchers, "what with those six legs and all."

Tony lifted his hand. "I've got it this time."

"Just go and look for the controlling device," said Steve curtly. "Your kind of back up is going to get me killed."

"Rude," Tony sniffed, "I was only trying to help."

Steve was dodging between the two mantises who were still trying to get him. "I told you, Stark, I don't need any help." He ran towards another wall, the two creatures hot on his heels and Tony watched as Steve then proceeded to run up the wall and then flip over backwards up in the air so he came down on the back of one of the unsuspecting mechanical praying mantises. Steve brought down his shield on the machine's neck, the vibrantium of the shield slicing through the metal like butter. The head of the hapless creature fell off and it started to stagger around, with Steve still on his back and preparing to leap onto the next machine to treat it to the same fate.

Tony made in impressed face but would never tell the other man that.

Black Widow's urgent voice came in his ear. "Stark, where are you?"

"I was supervising Grandpa," said Tony. "In case he broke a hip or something. You can't be too careful with these senior citizens."

Tony was suddenly forced to dodge Captain America's shield as it whizzed past his face enroute back to its owner and managing to take out the other mantis as it did.

"Sorry," said Steve sweetly to Tony, "I guess all that hot air you're always blowing blew my shield off course, Stark."

Hawkeye's chastising voice was in both of their ears now. "I've got an idea guys, how about we save the pissing contest until we're not trying to save a city?" he snapped in annoyance. "I'm running out of arrows and patience here."

Tony shot up in the air and left Steve to fend off more of the advancing machines and marshalled up some help for Clint. "Hulk, head north and meet up with Hawkeye," Tony instructed him. Directing the Hulk in a battle was still somewhat of a pipe dream but Tony was determined to keep working towards that goal. Bruce Banner's aggressive alter ego was just too big of a resource not to at least try and train into some kind of ability to work as part of a team. Of course, the big guy didn't have the best example in the newly formed Avengers just yet, but to Tony, that was another work in progress.

"Hulk smash!" bellowed the beast in response.

Tony flinched, his ears hurting at how loud that was. "Yes, Hulk smash, just do it further down the street, go left."

"Talky man in Hulk's head!" yelled the Hulk in distress.

"No, it's your comms, remember, Hulk?" Tony urged him as he tore along the tops of the buildings still heading for the park. "It's fine, you just have to go left and help Hawkeye."

"You're wasting your time," Steve informed him. "You can't train the Hulk."

"Oh, sorry Captain Quitsalot, guess I'm just not someone who gives up easily," Tony threw back at him. He grimaced as he looked back to see the Hulk batting at his head with a gigantic green hand.

"You know," Hawkeye joined in, "I'm not really sure I want that kind of help. I like being able to chew solid food."

"Too late," said Tony happily as he noticed the Hulk was actually running in Hawkeye's direction. "You're about to get big, green male in your in tray. I suggest bracing yourself."

"If Hulk's running in Clint's direction it's not because you told him to," said Steve in annoyance. "It's a fluke."

Tony knew Steve was right but wouldn't admit it. "I call it good training and perseverance."

"So, was it your good training or perseverance which taught him that?" asked Hawkeye mockingly.

Tony glanced behind him to see the Hulk punching at the figures on the jumbo screen on Time Square, possibly thinking they were where the voices were coming from.

"Ah, crap," said Tony in frustration.

"Go, Tony Stark," said Thor, joining in on the fun, "I shall carrel the beast to help the archer."

"Again," said Hawkeye, "not that into being backed up by a big, green, indiscriminately smashy thing."

Hawkeye's concerns were ignored though as Thor drew the Hulk away from his dismantling of the famous big screen and they both headed towards Hawkeye's location.

Tony was over Central Park now. "Jarvis, scan the area."

"I'm sorry, sir," Jarvis apologised, "but something is still blocking my scanners."

Tony's lips thinned. "Guess we're doing this the old-fashioned way then." He zoomed along the top of the many trees in the park, intently looking for the radio signaller which was controlling the destructive praying mantises.

Natasha's no nonsense voice was in his ear again. "Stark, I've found something. I'm by the rides."

It was irrational of Tony he knew, but it annoyed him that the flame-haired spy had possibly found the device before he had. Tony quickly made his way over to where a small collection of rides had been set up in the middle of the park for some family fun. It consisted of a little train on tracks which made a circle around the other rides, a miniature Ferris wheel and a few other small rides all light up with colourful lights to attract the children. It was the Carousel which Natasha was standing beside and Tony immediately alighted down in front of her.

Somehow Natasha managed to keep a neutral expression on her face whilst still conveying disapproval. "While you men were being idiots, I found this." She nodded at the Carousel.

Tony held up an armour-clad finger. "Ah, ah, that's super idiots when we've got the costumes on, if you please, Romanoff." He looked at where she was indicating. "And we don't have time for a ride, we've got grown up people's business right now. Maybe you can lie and manipulate someone into taking you for a spin later." Tony still wasn't really over the circumstances of their introduction. It still annoyed him that someone had been able to hoodwink him so thoroughly.

Natasha's expression didn't change. She just flipped a nearby switch. The lights of the Carousel immediately went off, except for the base, which continued to glow bright blue. Natasha arched an eyebrow. "Big, round, and glowing," she noted, "is that close enough?"

"Jarvis," said Tony quickly, his attention immediately taken by this revelation, "scan the Carousel."

"Very good, sir."

In front of Tony's eyes a myriad of schematics flashed up the Carousel and more importantly, what lay in the base of the ride.

"Can you just blast it?" Natasha asked him.

Tony grimaced, even though she couldn't see it behind the Iron Man mask. "No, it's rigged with explosives." His jaw hardened as Jarvis' scan provided the last piece of pertinent information. "Nuclear explosives."

"Are you saying someone planted an A-bomb in a children's ride?" asked Steve in horror, still fighting the machines on the other side of town.

"Yes," said Tony grimly.

"This bomb device," asked Thor, "it is deadly?"

"Very, it's big enough to take out all of New York in the initial blast and that's before we even talk about fallout," Tony informed him.

Thor had another question. "Can you use your electrickery to destroy this abomination, Tony Stark?"

"I can dismantle the bomb," said Tony confidently. He hesitated. "But-"

"But you can't get to it without setting it off," Natasha finished off for him. She was looking at the same thing Tony was. The bomb was actually underneath the Carousel and both Natasha and Tony were looking at the motion sensors dotted around the base of the ride. If Tony in his Iron Man suit attempted to get under the Carousel he'd rock the base, which would set off the sensors and there was no way that wasn't linked to the bombs. Natasha fixed Tony with an unflinching look. "I have to go in."

A/N: I did mention more cliffhangers, right? ;)