Forged

Sparks flew all over the place, giving their light to the darkness. The sounds of cracking and cutting metal filled the air with the soft blue glow of a plasma torch sending more of the glowing orbs flying. It gave light to everything in the area, shaded boxes brightened as a red, metallic lay lifeless as if an unknown hero had fallen.

A single body hovered over a mark table, or maybe a medical table, with a welder mask covering its face. The person bent over it and made minor adjustments. It allowed the torch to die down and back off, softly lifting the protective gear off.

Her face was beautiful, almost elfish, with the mask resting on top of her head with some grease marks making her look like a knock out grease monkey. The black mop of hair was styled into a pixie cut that swept toward her right eye. "Well?" She asked as a dark boy of African descent moved next to her. "What do you think?"

"Colorful..." The boy offered as unphased as possible and turned to his friend. "But you know your dad is just to invent something to top it." He paused as a smirk threatened to split his face. "I mean, come on, you to are like dueling evil geniuses."

"Haha, very funny Rhody, not going to happen." She said with a mock laugh. "Hey come with me and show him, he's going to freak!"

"Sorry Megan, I can't." He shook his head and grabbed a backpack before heading to the door. "Some of us school, ever heard of it?"

"No, but it sounds awful." Megan chided as she playfully started to push Rhody out the door. "I'll call you tonight and let you know how it went."

Rhody shook his head as I looked at the little wolf of a girl. She was his best friend since childhood, back before she started down her path. Its just some times it felt like she was his little sister. A little sister with a genius level skill of mechanics and skills with blow torches.

[i]/This is going to be awesome!/[/i] A voice yelled in her mind as her ees glazed over and she surrendered herself to space.[i] /Daddy won't beat us today!/[/i]

[i]/Sorry to ruin this moment./[/i] A calmer voice intervened before she got her hopes up. [i]/Daddy may have taught us everything we know, but not everything he knows./[/i]

The young heiress shook the daze out of her eyes as she prepped her creation for transport. "Spoilsport." She whispered to her rationale. "Just me dream about topping him."

-Later That Morning-

Megan walked up to the tallest building in New York, piercing the heavens with the giant 'Stark' logo on the side. She wore a red v-cut t-shirt that clung to her body, a denim pair of capri pants with red patches on each knee, and a pair of red flats with a soft white trim. She moved with an air of royalty within her being, and for good reason as the massive door to the building parted to allow its wayward princess passage.

"Hey Megan." A security guard in a blue uniform called out as she passed by him. "Your father just came in an hour ago."

"Thanks John." The teen answered, an impish grin turning her face into a mischievous faye-like being as she moved into the crowd. Megan began her usual morning routine as she started to dance through the crowd before her. It was if she had done this dance millions of times.

"Megan!"

"Hey Jorge." Megan replied as she moved around him and got a wave from another man and she waved back. "Hey Matt."

"Hello Miss Stark."

"Hi Carol."

The confirmed Stark heiress walked calmly after navigating the morning rush crowd. She moved up to the receptionist desk and leaned over it. "Hi Trish." Megan got the attention of a young redhaired secretary. "Is my dad in his office."

"Yes he is Megan, and love the new hair." The secretary replied cheerfully and motioned to the door on her left. "It suits you better that pig-tailed look you insisted on keeps, and also glad you finally decided to leave the lab."

Megan just smiled back as she walked into the large and shaded office. Her father was going over some readings from a ring and going over the final points for the demonstration later on. [i]Typical daddy, always stuck in the past.[/i] She thought while moving ever closer.

ever since he found it, Howard has been going on and on about that ring. He looked up to see his daughter entering and ended his conversation before turning completely toward the young woman.

"Megan, you made it." Howard said as he fixed his shirt and went to put on a tie so he would look more formal.

"Of course daddy, but have you upgraded to modern excavation," She looked up to the painting of an ancient city before yanking the tie out of his hands. "Or are you still stuck in the stone age? And a tie, really?"

"Very funny baby girl." The elder Stark admitted and pulled her into a hug. "You ready? After all, it's your hardlight accuracy system being tested out there today."

"The Earth-Movers?" Megan asked before shaking her head. "Nevermind, daddy. I have something to show you. Something big!"

"Something big, huh?" The senior Start questioned with a grin. "I can't wait-"

"Howard!" A much older, and balding, man in a suit interrupted as he waved a file around in his hand. "Why was my proposal rejected?" He walked past Megan, not even acknowledging her, and slammed the file down as rage filled his being. "The Military would be willing to pay millions-"

"For a weapon!" Howard finished for the older man as he sat behind his large desk. Megan's father was the only man she knew who would sit down and still intimidate people. He would lock his fingers together in front of his face and his eyes, which would remain seen, would go ice cold. "I told you Obediah, the Earth-Movers, and Stark International, will help improve lives, not destroy them!"

"You're wasting millions-"

"Of the board's money, I know." Howard interrupted Obediah again. "But last time I checked, it was my name on the side of the building, the lease, and all business transactions. Not to mention all the patents are signed under either myself or Megan. And as such, we will not make weapons."

Said teenage girl was simply standing back and watching. She knew her father was a kind man who detested violence, but he also knew when to be rough. Plus he always kept his cool and that made him look larger than life. It was like no one could touch him, and that made him cooler than ever.

"But-"

"That's enough Stane." Howard finally raised his voice to silence that older man. "Stark International never has, and never will, make weapons as long as a Stark family member is in charge." He paused for a moment as he looked at the old man and calm his voice. "Do you understand?"

Obediah crushed the file in his fist as he threw his arms up in defeat and proceeded to storm out of the room. The old man mumbled something under his breath as he passed Megan, surely nothing food, but she didn't pay no mind. It was just insane how Stane acted like a child despite his age.

"Why do you keep someone like him around?" Megan asked as she sat on the edge of her father's desk. "I mean he acts like a child throwing a tantrum...even worse me." It was also no secret that Howard and Obediah butted heads all the time about contracts.

"Because he can get his hands on the best contracts despite his obsession with weapons." Howard said rubbing each temple as he contemplated the best course of action. "But I may have to let him go if he keeps arguing against me." The king of Stark International reached out and gripped his daughters hand, rubbing his thumb across her knuckles softly. "But nevermind that, what did you want to show me?"

"Later, after the Earth-Mover demo." She had that impish smile on her face again and her father chuckled. She always wore that when she was keeping a secret from him, and usually about a new invention. "Come on, let's go!"

-Demo Site-

[i]Oh my god, why did I have to get him started on that ring?[/i] Megan thought to herself as her father went on about how the Makluan Rings were considered magic relics in ancient China, but may have been a form of technology. If so the rings were at least hundreds to thousands of years before the industrial revolution.

"Amazing history lesson, daddy." Megan interrupted with mock enthusiasm before she began to joke. "You know, for someone shaping the future, you sure are stuck in the past."

"Haha, smart guy." Howard retorted which provoked a pouty puff from his daughter made him laugh. "But it's you who will be shaping the future."

The heiress just shook her head. She knew her father wouldn't be in control of Stark International forever, and knew she would have to step up once he stepped down. Yet it would still be a long time before she took over. However, Megan always knew that her daddy was grooming her to take over the company when he did decide to retire.

"Just think Megan." Howard began as he held his daughter's shoulders as they stood on a platform and saw a massive skyscraper walking around and blasting dirt but leaving anything harder in tact. "Your hardlight and laser accuracy systems can revolutionize archeology. No more months of digging, and not just that, just imagine the benefits in disaster relief."

"Don't forget, daddy, it also makes your last invention look like a fifth grader's science fair project." Megan retorted as she leaned on the rail. She pulled the designer sunglasses down over her eyes as she saw her inventions going to town.

"And I was very humbled by that." Howard squeezed her shoulders and looked at the test area. The Stark heiress reached up to her shoulder and gripped her father's hand. It was a relief to feel him so close by, especially after both of them lost her mother six years earlier. At first only two people knew her secret, then it was up to four, and it remained there even after her mother died. Somehow Obediah had found out.

Megan would always wonder if she would ever be able to tell anyone else. If not, at least she could trust her daddy, Rhodey and his mother. Stane was a different story.

-Stark International Jet-

Howard say in a very comfortable arm chair across from Megan. A grin stretched across his face as he watched the young woman fidget. It was another sign he to look for when she had something to show him. It was amazing how well he could read her, but then she was his child. He leaned forward and was about to say something a voice and redheaded holographic head interrupted him.

"Mister Stark, Obediah Stone is demanding to speak with you." The woman informed Howard as he nodded to connect him to the old man.

"Million dollars says it's about the Earth-Movers." Megan said as she began to rise from her current seat, not wanting to be in the crossfire.

"You're on princess!" Howard shot back with a cocky grin as Obediah's holographic head appeared.

"Howard, I'm too as you one more time to allow us to weaponize the Earth-Movers for the military." Obediah asked as he tried to remain calm and not have a repeat of early.

"Yippy, I'm rich." Megan said as she moved to the back. "I demand payment in the form of a diamond studded pony." She stopped to giggle for a second before getting serious. "I'm going to go prep what I wanted to show you."

"Okay sweetie." Her father answered with a laugh as he turned back to Stane. "And once again, Obediah, I'm going to reject that offer."

Megan tuned out the following arguments. She didn't have to worry about Stane, daddy would take care of him. All the heiress was worried was the container in the back of the plane. The punched in the four digit code to start the prep process.

A light caught the corner of the youngest Stark's eye and she light grew brighter and brighter through the air vents. Megan crossed her arms over her face as the light grew brighter in front of her. Anyone outside would not have seen the tail of the plane explode out but instead a bright ball of light engulf the plane.

-10 Years Earlier-

"Maria, is he ready?" A much younger Howard Stark asked his beautiful wife. His was darker, and had kept his mustache shaved. He was a father, but didn't consider himself an old man yet.

"Yes…" The woman said. She had shoulder length black hair in curls, bright blue eyes that analyzed everything, and a hesitant smile.

Howard knew that smile from anywhere. He knew his son and wife all too well. He knew that Tony would come down in something outrageous. At first he thought it was just a phase, a little game Maria and their son played for fun and he would grow out of it. However the young boy began to want to dress up more and more.

"What did he choose?" Howard asked, already working through his son's problem and ways to remedy it. He didn't want to hurt his own blood, so he would have to think of something else.

"The schoolgirl outfit." Maria smiled as she heard Howard sigh and watch him shake his head in defeat.

Just then, the child jumped from the last step. 'He' wore a tartan dress with a white child's blouse under it, and a black sweater. To complete it was a pair of white stocking and black Mary Janes. Anyone looking in would think the Stark family had a very beuatiful baby girl.

"Mommy, daddy?" The child began as he, or maybe he was meant to be a girl,walked into the room. "I'm ready for my birthday."

A small part of Howard wanted to scream, a very small part. The rest wanted to help his child be himself, or herself, whatever the child chose. He could not bring himself to yell at the child as he saw the happy smile on his son's face. He couldn't ruin his/her happiness.

"Do I need to go change?" Tony asked as his father lowered down on to his knees. Howard looked into his child's eyes and shook his head. He smiled at his baby, his blood, and he wouldn't let the child suffer.

"No, you don't need to." Howard said as he hugged his child. "You never have to again if you don't want to."

"Thank you daddy!" Tony squealed as he hugged his father's neck. "Mommy already knows my name."

Howard looked between Tony and Maria, with the latter flashing an impish grin. "Megan, happy birthday." She joined her husband and soon to be daughter. "Time to start a new life."

[b]Ending Notes[/b]

First time writing, so give me some credit. Plus I know it isn't the full episode of Iron Forged in Fire Part 1, but it started to get wickedly long so I cut it down. If I'm lucky I can break it into three parts and and then start doing one episode per chapter. Also, some episodes won't make it in, and a few other things will change.

If anyone has read elusivetruth's Invincible then you will recognize this version of Tony. I was reading her fic and started to think "What if Megan was in the Armored Adventures universe?" Then I asked permission and got the go ahead. There will be a couple of things different, for instance this Megan wasn't adopted, and her father never made weapons.