"You are clear for the drop zone." A male voice came over the radio.
"Get up." I snorted. Currently I was in almost full armor, wearing everything but the mask. My eyes had bags under them and about three years of my life to. My skin was paler then six months ago, hell then two days ago, even with a slight tan still hanging around from Italy. My hair had grown long enough where I had to install a suction cup in the back of the helmet to secure it.
Tony was acting like an idiot. He was bent over the toilet and I admit he looked pitiful but really. There was only so much exaggeration that I could take.
"I'm dying. This is it." Tony groaned, getting up and picking at the toilet paper to wipe his mouth. "I want 'Best Superhero' written on my grave." He was in his Iron Man suit and was taking up all of the room in the bathroom, and nearly crushing the roll of toilet paper there with his fingers, even as he wiped his mouth. Six months since what I like to call, the great reveal. He was practically unstoppable with his big head. I admit it was ego boosting to be Iron Woman. I'd even grown fond of the stupid title.
While I looked pale, so did Tony. The bags under his eyes were showing and his hair was a bit greasier than usual. Who has time for a bath when you're too busy vomiting whatever you've eaten that day into the toilet?
"I'm thinking about writing, 'World's biggest Asshole' on it instead." I told him as I helped him up, clutching the upper arms of his armor. "No more dramatization. I've vomited two times today, and you don't see me complaining. We've got to get ready to drop." I released him so that we could walk together to the back of the plane. "Now, do you remember what to do?"
"Yeah, yeah." He waved me away even if he still looked quite woozy himself. "I need to just ask you one thing. It's important."
"What is it?" I asked, raising my eyebrow.
"How does my hair look?" Tony asked, flipping his head in an exaggerated fashion. I chuckled, and grinned. Tony always knows how to make me laugh, even sickly looking.
"Greasy." I snapped playfully, putting my helmet on. Automatically it lit up and as the door opened, and Tony opened his mouth to complain, I took a running jump start off of the platform. Technically this 'Stark Expo' was for Tony but he had insisted I go to this with him. Granted that he'd insisted while I'd been snuggled in his arms, about to fall asleep. Who was I to say no?
"JARVIS, kick us into the sound they're playing." I ordered, kicking the thrusters on to avoid the over the top fireworks that were going off. Tony laughed, and I rolled back. Tony was going to be landing on stage, but I was going to be subtly landing backstage. I wasn't even supposed to be on the actually drop plane. It had been his stupid idea, so we could 'spend more time together' as he put it.
"Have fun." I shouted over the ACDC currently flooding our ears. I liked the band as much as the other fans, but it must be his signature music. He loves ACDC.
"See you after." He told me back, as he landed and I maneuvered expertly through the bars of the roof in the back of the stage, landing peacefully at the back.
"JARVIS, activate case mode." I ordered, and waited as the suit fell off and made a briefcase, with the hole for the arc reactor in the middle. Good times. I picked it up by the handle, and a piece of the handle shot out to latch on to my bracelet. This was a way to make sure that nobody could simply snatch it from my wrist. Easy, and a firm way to tell everybody I wasn't letting go of it.
Instead of bothering to make small talk, with people I didn't know, I walked to the edge of the stage, where they had set up a nice little chair for me to watch from. I'd told them to have me a seat waiting because tonight was only the beginning. The Stark Expo was going to go on all year, and I can almost guess that I was going to be here for most of it. Tony would be at the heart of it though.
Why did he even still want to do this with death nipping at our heels, I have no idea. I guess it was a moment of pride for him, a way to leave a legacy. That's how he put it to me anyway. When I arrived the dancing girls were just heading off stage, and I rolled my eyes and wrinkled my nose at them. That was still a fight waiting to happen but it was necessary. I mean the suits they wore were skinny at any point and probably chaffing. I know I wouldn't be caught dead wearing them. They were a complete misrepresentation of my suit.
The crowd itself was massive. No one was in a seat, instead pilled as close as they could get together so that they could hold up their little LED lights that worked for fake gauntlets. We had a patent, of course, on anything related to the Iron suit's as they were being called.
The Iron Couple was practically all over the pages. Again, a name that I really thought was overly cheesy. Maybe that's what they wanted though. I'm sure Gold-titanium alloy woman wasn't nearly as catchy. Or Tony tried to persuade me.
The crowd was screaming for Tony and I saw a few cosplayers with a plastic version of my suit. I was fond of the cosplayers, most of them weren't stupid, and took it seriously. And that means I don't have to see them wearing the new Victoria Secret's version. A joke from Tony about the incident with my panties.
"Oh, it's good to be back." Tony said, facing my direction and clapping his hands. I twisted the golden MIT ring on my finger, tucking my feet under me. I wore a tan and black short dress, that was easy enough to get into the suit seeing as it was pretty tight. JARVIS was programed to work around my outfit when he put the armor on me. It didn't mean it wasn't uncomfortable. And my hair was merely tied back at the sides by a clip.
Tony was wearing a sort of tux, with pinstripes and a strange jacket, a black bowtie and a white dress shirt. He turned around, holding out his arms. "You missed me?"
"Blow something up!" A fan close to the stage, and rather loud over the screaming, shouted at Tony.
"I missed you to." Tony looked in the general direction of the shouting fan. "Blow something up? I already did that." He pointed before turning around and trying to be serious. He looked dead, a kind of cocky serious. It looked delicious on him, but most anything he wears makes him look delicious. It may just be because I'm bias. Six months of being taken on random vacations, or dates as he insisted calling them, makes up for all of his daily shit. Not because he has money, but because he wants to show me he cares. Or I guess that's the reason. Tony may be a romantic, but God it's hard to get a straight answer out of him sometimes.
"I'm not saying that the world is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of Anna and me. I'm not saying that from the ashes of captivity, never has a greater phoenix metaphor been personified in human history." He threw out his arms and bowed his head for the applause that came. I giggled at his dramatization. It was working, but it made me giggle just because. "I'm not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sipping on an iced tea because I haven't come across anyone whose man enough to go toe to toe with me on my best day."
Narcissistic bastard. He was going to get himself into a lot of trouble with his big head one day. "Excuse me." I heard a small voice. I blinked and looked down seeing a small, maybe six year old girl there. "My Mommy is working and she told me not to get in the way for a little bit. Can I sit with you?" She asked, shuffling her feet. I noticed the battered action figure of me in her hands and I grinned down at her cuteness. She was even wearing a little dress.
"Of course. Can I pick you up?" I asked, and she held out her arms in answer. The Iron case would adjust to my hold on her, just like it did when I sat down. "Let's watch Tony be overly dramatic, okay?" I picked her up, and sat her back down on my lap, squirming back to get comfortable. I figured her mother would come for her soon anyways. It doesn't mean I can't enjoy the time I have with one of my adorable fans. The little ones are always the best, and cutest.
"-about legacy." Tony continued. I wrapped my arms around the girl's waist when she began to move around trying to get balanced. "It's about what we choose to leave behind for future generations." His arms were behind his back and I set my head, tentatively on the girls as I sighed. It was almost a little cue to the public, we weren't exactly healthy. "And that's why for the next year and for the first time since 1974, the best and brightest men and women of nations and corporations the world over will pool their resources," He cupped his hands. "Share their collective vision, to leave behind a brighter future."
The crowd started to cheer but Tony didn't let them. "It's not about us. Therefore, what I'm saying, if I'm saying anything, is welcome back to the Stark Expo." He finished. His charisma was wonderful. The crowd went wild for a second or two with approval.
"Hey, I need you to move for a second, okay?" I asked. I put her on the stool and hurried on stage, making sure to smooth my dress down first. Glancing back right before I became visible I could see her pouting but sitting in my chair quietly, right next to the case which was sitting down, automatically detached by JARVIS.
As soon as I was on stage the crowd started screaming again and I smiled, swaggering up to Tony's side. His arm went around my waist in a familiar, comfortable half embrace as I did my part.
"And now, making a special guest appearance from the great beyond to tell you what it's all about," I said, gesturing back to the large screen behind us that currently had the Stark Expo logo lazy twirling across it.
"Please welcome, my father, Howard." Tony also gestured back to the screen. As the video started, and the screen cut to black Tony and I walked off stage, unseen. Tony walked to the refreshment table, a few feet off to the side of my chair but I walked back to the little girl whose eyes were wide.
"You're Ms. Anna!" She shouted with surprise.
"I sure am." I told her, bending down so I could pick her up and balance her on my hip. She really was adorable with her saucers for eyes and brown hair. She was adorable in all senses of the word. "Would you like to meet Tony?" I asked her, walking towards him. She pouted. Grabbing my case I let it sink back into my bracelet. I really love JARVIS.
"No! I want to meet you!" She announced, pushing the action figure into my chest. I took it with a chuckle and grinned at her.
"Well you can. I'm Anna Vinci, or Iron Woman. And who are you?" I asked, holding out my fingers for her to shake, since my palm held the action figure.
"I'm Amanda." She puffed out her chest. "And I'm six!" She flipped her hair out of her face and I stopped beside Tony. He had the portable toxicity device out and was just sucking on his finger, hopefully to get the blood off of it.
"And who is this little cutie?" Tony asked, looking at the girl.
"She's my number one fan of course. Aren't you?" I made a pouty face, trying to imitate Tony. She giggled and poked my cheek.
"Amanda? Amanda?" I heard from behind me. I turned to see a woman running around, a short black dress and long brunette hair. She was frantically looking around for her daughter.
"Momma!" Amanda called out. The woman turned towards the sound of her daughter's voice and I winked at Tony. She nearly ran over and took her from my arms hastily. I missed the weight of her on my hip, but my hip didn't miss it.
"Oh, thank you Ms. Vinci. I hope she wasn't a problem." She told me then looked lovingly, if not a little still worried, at her daughter.
"Oh, she was wonderful. She's really adorable." I told her Mom, picking through Tony's jacket looking for what I knew would be there, ah a sharpie. I opened the sharpie and signed the action figure, to the squealing of the little girl. I handed it back, tugging on a lock of hair. "Why don't you put a call in with my PR manager? I'd love to get to know little Amanda here." I told the mother, holding out my hand. "I'm Anna Vinci."
"Amelia Parker." She said, her cheeks flushed. "I'd love to let you spend time with Amanda, she never shuts up about you." Now the mother looked exasperated. I chuckled while Tony could no longer hold his tongue.
"How can you not love me?" He finally burst, pouting for Amanda. She wasn't affected.
"Because Ms. Vinci is a girl! She kicks butt and names names!" She exclaimed.
"Kicks butts and takes names." I corrected, winking at her. "Don't mind Tony. He's a little bit of a jealous bee, tonight." I told her. "I've got to go now, okay? But if you want to talk to me just let my PR know. Okay?" Currently my PR was as close as they could get. Not because I was some uptight superstar. I didn't have a secretary yet and neither does Tony. With the amount of secretaries Tony has gone through I was thinking that I was going to have to do it.
"Bye, Ms. Vinci!" She called as I walked away, dragging Tony by his tux lapel.
"Don't be jealous Tony." I told him, as he took my hand from his lapel and twined our fingers together loosely. "Now let's get changed so we can leave. I'm looking forward to a night or two with the armor before we go off to Monaco."
"All right, it's a zoo out there, watch out." Happy said, taking Tony's jacket. I had changed into a lime green blouse and a pair of black skinny jeans with heels about the length of my hand. Why high heels were the only thing they had, I'll never know. I think it was Tony's scheme to be truthful. He says they make my ass look better. I should have hit him harder when he said that because apparently he didn't get the message. I sighed, waiting as he put the jacket on his back. I was going to have to test my own blood soon, and I didn't look forward to it.
"Ready?" Tony asked, looking back at me. I grinned, even as the last of my energy was leaving me. Before we even did this show we had been in the Iron suits for a good four hours, helping people to work with an explosion that happened by a terrorist attack in Boston. All of those poor people left dying on the streets and the best that we could do was carry them to a hospital or medical personnel. At least we did that.
"As I'll ever be." I said, reaching my arm forward and winding our fingers together. Still the level of affection he shows me now takes me by surprise.
"At least we have Monaco to look forward to in a few days." Tony told me, holding me close, nodding to Happy to start our track out the door, before he squeezed my hand. We'd have to let go to get there because of the fans that needed our attention. And there were a lot of fans.
"Hi!" I exclaimed, laughing as a couple came up to me, rambling a general I love you story. "Thank you; oh I love your jacket." I complimented. I really try to make my fans feel like I appreciate them. I mean, I can't remember all of them but it's nice for them if I make it remember able to them. And plus her jacket was really nice. "Where'd you get it?"
"Belk." She said, flushing. I smiled as I began to move to the next person to shake their hand.
"I'll have to get one. JARVIS add to my list." I told JARVIS, who was in my phone in my pocket. In one hand I still held the Iron case but it didn't hinder my shaking of hands. Even as a man with a complete business suit was the next in line. I only smiled and laughed. Tony and I walked through the crowd, with Happy trying to get us through, having to yank Tony away from a female who was whispering for him to call her. I took the number from his hand and threw it over his shoulder, scowling.
Then two little kids waited for us, one I knew.
"Hello Amanda. And how did you get out here so fast?" I teased, taking the picture of Tony and me together, signing it. I kicked Tony who was shaking the hand of some fake busted lady. He turned around and saw the little girl and took the picture I was handing out to him. I took the picture that the boy standing next to her had in his hands. "Who is this, your brother?"
"He's my brother!" She confirmed. The boy had a mask, an Iron man mask on but I laughed.
"Can I sign your mask? It's so much better than mine." I asked, pouting. He nodded quickly and rapidly, almost causing it to come off. I laughed and used his sharpie to sign it right across the forehead. I leant forward and kissed it, leaving a lip mark. "Keep Amanda safe for me, okay?" I asked him, shaking the embarrassed father's hand. I could tell he was also confused as to how I knew his daughters name. I figure he'd get the story from their mother later.
"Remember what I told you!" I called as I was ushered away by Happy, with Tony who had ruffled the back of the brother's hair and kept going through the line. I shook hands, even laughing with Larry from the Oracle or something I had a feeling that by Happy's introduction I was supposed to know him. I just kept moving down the stairs and following after Tony, trying to catch up. Then Larry King came along at the bottom. A nice old man, with thick glasses and white hair smoothed back.
"It's good to meet you, Larry." I told him, kissing his cheek. "Have a good night?"
"Yes, yes." He assured me. "I loved it."
I kept walking, even as we went into a sharp corridor where everybody clapped us through the doors, where we broke free from the fans. "That wasn't bad." I noted, slowing to walk next to Tony and Happy as security stopped the fans from coming through the doors to us.
"Yeah, mellow, wasn't it?" Happy said, now somehow holding Tony's jacket. I grinned when Tony put his arm around my shoulders for a second and agreed.
"No, it was perfect." He told us, and Happy opened the door so that I could slide into the passenger seat of Tony's new Audi. It really was a nice car, and since Tony pretty much built it was good. He worked on this thing for at least two days when he got it. While I was getting inside a woman came up to us. My eyebrows rose as I realized she wasn't a wayward fan.
"Hello, and what is your name?" I asked, smiling anyways.
"Marshal." She said. She looked rather nice I guess.
"Irish. I like it." Tony said, walking to get into the car, while also putting the hood down with the car keys. Happy stayed off to the side as he was taking his black SUV to his house, so that he could be ready in the morning to come with us to Monaco. "Where you from?" He asked, almost absent-mindedly. I buckled my seat belt and leaned back into the seat. It had such comfortable seats.
"Bedford."
"And what are you doing here?" I asked her, looking back up from the seat.
"Looking for you two." She said. "I'm here to serve you a subpoena." She told us, holding out a subpoena, predictably reaching over me to give it to Tony. If I had a million for every time a woman decided to try to get at Tony, I'd be even richer. After a second of Tony staring at the paper and screwing his face up I rolled my eyes and took it while he turned to look forward.
"He doesn't like to be handed things." I told her in explanation as I began to open the envelope.
"Yeah, I have a peeve." Tony said. I scowled sideways at his face. A peeve was not this big. He wouldn't say as much but I knew it was a side effect of the cave. We both have side effects of the cave.
"You are hereby ordered to appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee, tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m." This Marshal told me. I raised my eyebrow when I realized it was only Tony's name on the order. Looks like they were going to try and separate us. This has happened once before, though they've tried multiple times to get us to go to court with them. Now we were being ordered.
"Can I see a badge?" Tony asked, after trying to smooth out his forehead, or his headache, with his hand. He's been getting a lot of headaches and I was starting to feel one coming on. Probably another palladium poisoning thing. I wouldn't put it past it now. I was becoming skinny again with the amount of times I've thrown up lately. I was eating at least every forty minutes to try and counter act the weight loss.
"You wanna see the badge?" She asked, raising her eyebrow at him in what I suppose was supposed to be a sexy manner because she was making eyes at him. If I could have the energy right about now I'd be offended. Instead I just put the paper back in the envelope.
"He likes the badge." Happy supplied for Tony. The 'Marshal' woman held up her little badge.
"You still like it?" She asked, as Tony turned the car on.
"Yep." Tony answered and she moved back. Tony turned to me.
"How far are we from D.C. Anna?" He asked me. I pursed my lips and tilted my head.
"D.C? 250 miles I'd say." I told him, and squealed quietly when he hit the gas, with no more words to the woman. "Ugh, don't think you're getting out of this." I warned. "You are still taking me to Monaco. I haven't seen the race there before." Now that we were alone I took his jacket, which had been put in between our seats. Inside of the pocket was the toxicity checker. I put my index finger to it. As I waited Tony answered.
"We'll still go. How long do you think it'll take for me to annoy them?" He asked me in return, still speeding through traffic. I winced as we almost got boxed in by a truck and a van.
"First few minutes. I give them ten all together." I told him, pulling my hand away.
16%.
Here it is guys.
I am so sorry it took me so long to get this out. I really wasn't exoecting it to take me so long. Recently I went on vacation and the hotel had wifi but it was literally so bad that I couldn't pull up my profile. It was horrible. I've been going through withdrawal. But I'm here and so is this story.
I hope it'll live up to your expectations. I've run into some problems with how I'm going to make Iron man 3 with this, but hopefully I can think it out. I'm hoping when IM3 comes out on DVD I'll be able to watch it until I come up with a good idea. I've typed out a good bit of Thor so I'm putting it up soon. I'm going to make an icon for me where both Anna and Thor's OC is on it. Nonetheless it's for me to worry about.
I have a question though.
Can you tell me what you think of Anna? Or maybe your impression of her? I'm curious because I went through a lot of effort on her.