A/N: I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter out. I was dealing with some personal issues. And had a serious case of writer's block. But I'm back baby. And pumping them out. Hope you enjoy this. As always, thank you to the readers who are still there. I should have the next chapter out by Wednesday. So I'll stop rambling and let y'all read on.
"Hey, Arista. What brings you down here?" Tony asked her as she strolled through the door to his lab. "Not saying it isn't a pleasant surprise or anything." He added seeing the determined look in her eyes.
"My armor is in need of repair. I had hoped you would aid me in fixing it." She said holding up her breast plate. She also held up the small bullets. "This is the only Adamantium that I know of around. It should suffice in mending the holes."
Tony took the items from her hands, "Yeah, I can fix it. Do you know the melting point of it?" He asked as he set the breat plate down on one of his tables. He turned his eyes back to her, taking notice of her puzzled look.
"I know not what you mean."
"How hot do I have to get it before it is pliable enough to blend in with your armor?"
"Oh, it needs time, not so much heat. Yes, the fire has to be excedingly hot, but it takes quite a while for it to melt down. Being as it takes so long, not many warriors in my realm use so much of it when forging their armor. Only using it in vital areas." She said as Tony walked to the other side of the room.
"Like how long? Then I can tell you how long it will take me to repair it."
"A couple hours. Maybe less seeing as they are small abrasions. It won't take much. I would do it myself, but I have no knowledge of the way your equipment works." She said glancing at one of the many screens that were scrolling information.
"Well, I'll get to work down here. You go get some sleep. By the time you wake up, this will be done and ready to go." Tony said with a smile as he took the bullets and breastplate from her.
"As Mellissande already said, one of the good qualities of being us, we don't need much sleep. One day in your realm is almost two for us. We can go up to four days with no need for sleep. Only needing to feed." Arista stated matter-of-factly.
"Well go read a book, or take a bath. Just go relax and stop making me feel inferior." Tony replied with mock hurt. "You're giving me a complex here."
Arista nodded and turned to make her way back to the main living area. Deciding take a bath and try to relax. She had always hated waiting. Patience was not one of her virtues. Always being a slaughter first, ask questions later kind of girl. Walking into the bedroom assigned to Mellissande and herself, she turns to the adjoining bathroom to turn the taps on to start a hot bath.
She walked back out to her bed to wait for the tub to fill. She glanced around the room to find that Mellissande was not in her bed. Figuring she must have gone out for a round of patrol, Arista started slowly stripping down to nothing. Ready to relax with a hot bath. Her muscles ached still from the poison she had been given. It would be another day or two before she was back up to par.
Making sure she carried her weapons into the bathroom with her, she slowly began to slip into the hot water. Taking note of the harsh marks marring her flesh. Some deeper than others.
"He will pay." She said aloud as she traced one of the larger marks with her finger. Noting the raised texture of the black marking. Following the line up, she found one of the bullet wounds. "When I find you, you will wish you hadn't been born." She said clenching her fist. She submerged herself in the water completely, letting it roll over her shoulders and into her scalp. Reveling in the relaxing properties of the hot water.
Mellissande quickened her pace as she scoured the streets for the man who attacked Arista. The trail had gone cold, but she couldn't help but think she was overlooking something. Something big. Something that would tell her what the hell had happened. She was thankful to Thor for not questioning her as she led them in circles. Ever searching for the one missing piece to the puzzle.
"Lady Mellissande, is there a way I can help you to figure out anything?" Thor asked from his position a few feet from her. She opened her golden eyes, turning them to her longtime friend.
"I'm sorry, Thor. I'm positive we're overlooking something. I can't find his scent, nor can I sense the presence anymore. It hasn't been long enough for everything to just...vanish." She said sighing in frustration. Anger rising the more she thought about it. "Let's go. The longer I stay out here, the more I can't think."
She turned and headed back in the direction of Stark Tower. Thor following closely behind. "Do not fret, Mellissande. We will find them. We already know they didn't want to kill her, only slow her down."
Mellissande stopped in her tracks, catching Thor by surprise. "That's it!" She shouted to the empty streets. "Thor, you're a genius." She planted a small kiss on his cheek and began running back toward the tower.
Arista pulled herself from the now cool water and began to towel herself off. Wrapping the towel around herself, she walked back out into the room and started rummaging through her things for something to wear. Letting out a string of curses when she found that the majority of her things were some kind of dress. Knowing it had to have been Mellissande that packed for her.
She dug a little deeper and found a pair of dark colored pants and a small shirt. She began to undo the knot in the front of her towel to begin dressing, when she heard a low chuckle. She froze.
"I wondered when you would notice I was in here." Said that melodic voice from behind her near the door. She turned to see Loki leaning leisurely against the wall.
"Have you really been in here the whole time?" She asked clutching the towel tighter to her chest.
"No, I just got here as you were getting out of the bath. I promise I didn't peek." He said with a glint in his eye. He pushed himself from the wall. "I only came to tell you that Mellissande thinks she has figured it out." He said as he reached for the door knob.
"Wait. Has what figured out?" Arista asked taking a few steps toward him. She was so close he could smell the lavender and vanilla of the soaps she had used. He wanted to reach out and taste her lips again.
"The reason why she couldn't find the man who attacked you." He said opening the door and walking out. Leaving her with a dozen more questions. She hadn't even know that Mellissande had gone looking for him. She thought it was just a patrol.
Once dressed and ready, Arista made her way to the livingroom to find everyone already sitting around waiting. Mellissande stood, a big smile plastered on her face.
"I figured out why I couldn't find the man who attacked you." She said as Arista came closer. "What did the man say to you?" She asked looking hopeful.
"He called me 'Princess'. No one has called me that since before I was imprisoned. He also said that Sylas's friends didn't want me killed, just out of the way. But what does that have to do with anything?" Arista asked as Mellissande thought for a second.
"Wait, you said you smelled home on him? As in Delvar? Which is impossible seeing as you are the last person from there. You killed everyone else." Tony said causing everyone to look at him.
"I was the only one taken from there that day." Arista replied with a sigh. "No one else... Wait."
"You weren't the only one who got out alive. Were you?" Mellissande said. "Two others made it out. People you refused to take out."
"Farren and Bennet."
"They would be the only ones who would smell like home to you. They would also be the reason you were left alive. Director Fury has told me that no one is ever spared when an attack happens." Mellissande added.
Arista let the new information sink in. After all the years of wondering, her brothers were part of Sylas's plot. How could she not have put it together herself? She had to figure out what the hell was going on.
"Tony, is my armor ready?" She asked standing up.
"Yeah, just finished about a half hour ago. Why?"
"Because I'm going on a hunt."