Me: Yay! Chapter 2! Finally! I hope this is good. And yes, I am working on We Are Family, just not right now. The second chapter will be up as soon as I can finish it. This chapter has caused me to go insane.
Nikki: More so than normal…
Me: Shut up! …ok…she's right…
Nikki: Of course I am. By the way, Ash forgot the disclaimer in We Are Family and Malyutka's first chapter, so she edited them. She does not own the Avengers, nor will she ever, except in a freak chain of events.
Me: he he he… IT WILL BE MINE! *ducks items thrown at her* I'm sorry! Forgive me!
Nikki: *rolls her eyes* Why am I friends with you? By the way, please review or I will be forced to deal with this until the next update.
Me: Because you love me! Now on with the story!
*BIG FLOURISH*
Malyutka Chapter 2: Who? What?
I groaned. I had a major headache, not something you want to wake up to.
"Miss, if you are awake, there is a pair of painkillers on the nightstand beside you, along with a glass of water. I believe they will help you with your headache." The voice was odd, computerized with a British accent, but it didn't aggravate my already frazzled nerves, for which I was thankful. I sat up, still slightly woozy. I looked to the right, spotting said nightstand. I reached over for the pills and water, causing my neck to twinge and my head to pulse slightly. I took a mouthful of water, and drank down a pill. I then repeated the action with the other pill.
"W-who are you?" My voice cracked, hoarse from disuse. "I am JARVIS, a computerized system created by Mr. Stark. I suppose you could refer to me as his butler, of sorts." Well, there's that. JARVIS' answer also answered another question of mine: where was I? Stark Tower, obviously. But, that left another puzzling question. What does Tony Stark want with me?
I looked up, gauging the room I was currently residing in. The walls were bare, covered in a light, sky-blue paint. From the door, the bed sat in the top left corner, a window a few feet past. On the wall opposite the bed, was another door, leading either to a closet or a bathroom. The bed I laid upon was also blue, but this was midnight blue. The nightstand was the only other piece of furniture in the room.
I looked down at myself, the comforter having slid down when I sat up. I wore a thin, light-green, spaghetti-top pajama shirt, and fluffy long green sweats.
"Mrs. Potts changed you last night. Your clothing was too dirty to sleep in." JARVIS explained. That made me feel slightly better. "So, JARVIs, do you have any clue as to why Tony Stark wants me, of all people, here?" I asked whilst climbing out of the large bed. "Unfortunately, no. I avoid attempting to read into Mr. Stark's actions and decisions." I sighed; of course not. "But Mr. Stark is walking down the hall way right now, mostly likely to check on your welfare, if you wish to ask him."
I squeaked, and jumped back into the bed. My clothing wasn't suitable to go strutting around in at the minute.
A knock rapped at the door, and I cleared my throat. "Come in." The door opened slowly to reveal the famous Tony Stark.
"Hello. How are you?" "Better. The painkillers were very effective. Thank you." Mr. Stark waved off my gratitude with his hand. "No thanks necessary. I knew you would most likely wake with a headache." Mr. Stark paused, and peered at me, as if trying to read my mind. "Why were you on the dark side? Were you trying to kill yourself?" I reared back, as if he had slapped me. "No! I hate my life, but I'm not that desperate. My friend and I had separated ways after leaving a diner, and I was just trying to find somewhere to stay. I ended up walking, not paying attention, into the wrong side of town. Then you and the Captain arrived." I explained in a rush, desperately, for some unknown reason, attempting to rid Mr. Stark of any bad impression of me.
Tony nodded. If he noticed my desperation, he didn't speak of it. He then gestured to me. "As you can tell, Pepper changed your clothes last night. They have been washed, and Pepper will return them shortly. Then you are welcome to leave, or stay."
Tony turned to leave. "Though, I do hope you stay." He said, before leaving, and shutting the door behind him.
I stared at the door. "Mr. Stark is baffling." I said. "Yes he is." JARVIS agreed. A few minutes later, Mrs. Potts appeared. She was blonde, quite tall, and Tony's assistant. She handed me my clothes, made some small talk, then left, leaving me to my business. I took off the sleep wear, and folded them neatly on my bed. I then slid on my clothes, relishing the comfort they gave me. The t-shirt I wore was an old, Faded Glory Jim bought me. My jeans were stonewashed, stolen from Goodwill.
Oddly though, my shoes were missing. I sighed. If I knew anything about the elusive Mr. Stark, it was that if he wanted something, he got it. No matter what. And if he wanted me to stay at Stark Tower, he would lose no sleep over stealing my shoes and hiding my shoes.
"I bet Mr. Stark and Sherlock Holmes would get along famously. The stealing of shoes, for goodness sake!" I muttered. "JARVIS, do you have any clue where my shoes might be?" "No, unfortunately."
The image in my head of JARVIs was an elderly British gentleman, belonging more in the eighteenth-century than the twenty-first.
"Perhaps you should go ask him?" JARVIS offered. I shook my head; I wasn't giving Mr. Stark the satisfaction. "No. I'm just going to search for them." I decided before exiting the room.
The hall I entered was pure white. White walls, ceiling, floor, and doors! I thought Tony Stark was creative and colorful, not hospital-obsessed! Trying to ignore the strange absence of colors, I followed my intuition and headed down the hall to the right. Within ten minutes I was thoroughly lost. Not that I knew my way in the first place. "Uh, JARVIS, where am I?" I asked hesitantly. "You started on the 12th floor, now you are on the 14th, close to one of Mr. Stark's many labs and what is usually used by the Avengers for rest." JARVIs answered. Well, at least I was close to where Mr. Stark had run off to.
I opened my mouth, to ask JARVIS exactly how to get to Mr. Stark, but my stomach interrupted. I glared at it, mock-angry. "Continue forward, and then turn right. First door on the left is the kitchen. "I grinned. "JARVIS, you might just save my life." "Much obliged." The AI replied.
I followed JARVIS' directions, continuing forward, until I noticed the hall on the right. I then approached the door, uncaring of anybody who might be inside. I opened the door, only to be face to face with an arrow.
I let out a high-pitched squeal, something I will never admit to. Thinking on instinct, using the butt of my palm, I shoved the arrow up, away from my face, and then kicked the owner in the chest, swiftly knocking them away as well. Before the arrow-wielder could regain their composure, or anyone else could attack, I slammed the door shut, and took off down the hall, the way I came.
~breaker breaker, just a little breaker~
Twenty minutes later found me in a small cabinet on an unknown floor in the Tower. The adrenaline rush had left me shaken. Even after living on the streets for so long, I was not used to having weapons shoved in my face, or the need to retaliate when it does happen. The fact that it was Hawkeye I kicked in the chest didn't help matters. (Information courtesy of JARVIS)
My stomach, which had been oddly silent, now made a reappearance. I glared at it, mad that it had gotten me into this mess.
"Mr. Stark is searching for you. Should I inform him of your whereabouts?" The AI's voice echoed through the cabinet. I shrugged. The events had left me exhausted, and I couldn't bring myself to care. At that moment, my give-a-damn was busted. Within five minutes, a knock rapped at my cabinet door. "It's open," I said.
The door was gently pulled open, light flooding the darkness of my hidey-hole. Mr. Stark's chocolate eyes peered into my own as he kneeled down to my level. They held mainly amusement, but there was a hint of concern as well. "So, I heard you met Bird-brain?" I giggled slightly, at the nickname, before nodding. "Yeah...I don't think he was too happy, huh? Of course, you don't just point an arrow in someone's face and expect repercussions."
Mr. Stark's eyes darkened slightly. "I wasn't aware it was aimed at your face." I inched away from the angering man a fraction. He must have realized my discomfort, because he smirked. "But I bet that swift kick in the chest was revenge enough." The engineer stood, dusted himself off, and extended his hand towards me. I grinned, and grabbed the offered hand, using it as leverage to stand.
"C'mon, let's eat. I'm sure you're starving, and I'm going to introduce you to the rest of the team. Properly." Mr. Stark said as I stood. We then exited what I realized was an empty, unused bathroom. We then approached what seemed to be elevator doors down the hall. I glared at the ceiling, using it as a focal point to glare at JARVIS.
"Might I ask why you're glaring at my ceiling as if you want it to burst into flames?" Mr. Stark eyed me warily. "Because your stupid AI neglected to inform there was an elevator." I huffed. "I am not stupid. And you did not ask." I swear, if JARVIS had a body, he'd be sticking his freakin' tongue out! "Sassy," I muttered. "I heard that." JARVIS replied. "You were supposed to." I answered, in a sweet, sickly, sing-song voice. Loud laughter pulled me from my argument with the AI. I stared at Mr. Stark, as if he had gone 'round the bend.
"Y-you're arguing with JARVIS! It-it's funny!" Mr. Stark managed to say whilst laughing. I blushed slightly. "What? Have you never argued with JARVIS?" I challenged. "Well, yes, but I created him! I'm allowed!" Mr. Stark replied.
Ignoring the man, I pushed the button for the elevator. I stepped inside, but before Mr. Stark could follow, I said,"JARVIS, could you do me a favor?" "Yes?" The AI replied.
I looked Mr. Stark in the eye. "Close the doors." He did so, immediately. I only had a few seconds to enjoy the shock on Mr. Stark's face before the doors closed. I quickly punched the button for the 14th floor, and when I felt it move, I laughed. Hard. Harder than I have in a long time. "JARVIS thanks a lot." "My pleasure." Was it my imagination, or did JARVIWS sound slightly smug? I shrugged, brushing it off. According to JARVIS, I had managed to make my way down to the 9th floor, five floors below where I kicked Hawkeye in the chest. I then realized what I had gotten myself into. Going up to where the rest off the team was, without Mr. Stark? What was I thinking?! I felt so stupid. I just kicked a very dangerous man in the chest, and was headed to meet him. Alone. Because I was freakin' childish, and had wanted revenge on Mr. Stark.
I went to head butt the doors, only to realize they were open, and I was on the 14th floor. "Uh, JARVIS? Not sure I want to do this anymore…" I said. "None of the Avengers will harm you. Mr. Rogers will make sure of it." JARVIS replied. I hesitantly exited the elevator. "Just in case, where is Mr. Stark?" "Headed up the stairs now. He is currently on the 12th floor." Wow. Two floors below. Either he was a really slow walker, or I was really fast.
I was far too impatient (hungry) to wait, so I walked to the kitchen, without waiting for Mr. Stark.
I opened the door, to a very odd sight.
-END!-
Me: By the way… could I get some reviews? I'm not sure how to make a poll, but I wanted some reader insight. Should I bring in Deadpool? I love him, but I'm not sure if this story needs the Merc with a Mouth. I'm depending on you guys!