[I do not own Ironman, only my ideas…Enjoy. And please feel free to review~]
Chapter Three
My left arm stung as I swung it up to blast it in its face. It flew off me and crashed into a tree-splintering it. My shoulder throbbed in pain and I could just barely get my arm to move as I pushed myself up off the ground. Waves of black and red crossed my vision as I staggered unsteadily towards the trees. It was gone. I was breathing heavily and sweating. My left arm felt dead. I flew off, battered, tired, hurt and confused.
**** / ****** / *********** / ************** /
"perhaps I should inform Master Stark?" Jarvis asked worriedly. My left shoulder was an explosion of colors. Dark purple, black, yellow, green. Name it. I got it.
"Absolutely not," I replied, sitting on the kitchen counter-looking at my shoulder in the small mirrors. I had a bag of ice on it, not that it really helped. It was very sensitive to touch. Jarvis said his scans showed nothing broken luckily but serious bruising and maybe a torn muscle or two. I bit my lips to prevent crying out as I prodded my shoulder. "How long until the suits fixed?"
"…I have already repaired and modified it based on your speculations," Jarvis replied.
"Good," I replied. I removed the ice and winced as I covered it back up my shoulder with my changed t-shirt. Tony came in looking tired. He stopped when he spotted me. I held up a poptart. He glanced at the clock.
"It's four in the morning…Shouldn't you be asleep?" Tony commented, fixing himself something to drink.
"Meh…Not sleepy…" I replied, hopping off the countertop. Tony smacked my left shoulder.
"I don't care. Go to bed," he told me. Luckily I was turned away from him. I bit my lip so hard it spilt. Great. More injuries.
"Yeah okay," I muttered. He sighed and grabbed my left shoulder. Okay. You know how if you get a sunburn EVERYONE seems to want to grab it or touch it. He wasn't trying to hurt me. I jerked away, reaction based on pain. "Its…I'm sorry…I'm going to bed…Night Tony…" I said quickly hurrying to my room. I slammed the door shut and sank down, down to the ground-crying in pain. I gingerly climbed up to lay on my bed, flat on my back but trying to keep pressure off my left shoulder. I woke up later to the sound of my door opening. Pepper.
"Hey. Time to get up. S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to meet with you…Something about your friend Emma," Pepper said and I was up in a flash. I winced as I started to change, not caring that she was watching until I remembered my shoulder. Too late. "ow…Where'd you get that?" She asked and I quickly pulled on another shirt. I fumbled a bit because my arm was responding slowly.
"uh…I fell…down a flight of stairs," I replied, not looking at her. I glanced at her and received the 'I don't buy it' look. "Promise not to tell Tony?"
"I promise," she replied. So I told her a water-downed slightly warped version of the story. I got the look of 'I don't buy it' again. "You aren't telling me the full story…but…against my better judgment…I won't tell Tony." I sighed in relief. "You'll tell him." My eyes widened in disbelief.
"You're joking!" I protested as I changed pants. I laced up my shoes and grabbed my backpack purse (containing my new suit) and put the strap over my right shoulder.
"I most certainly am not…Jarvis?" she inquired.
"Yes Miss. Potts?" Jarvis asked.
"Summon Tony. Tell him its urgent," Pepper replied.
"Certainly," Jarvis replied. Pepper smiled and I glared.
"I'm not telling him," I replied and gave a half-shrug. Tony showed up.
"What's wrong?" he demanded, eyes scanning for any sign of danger
"Nothing," I said before Pepper could," Just don't want to be late for the meeting with Mr. Fury. I think you should come for motivational support…" As I got a look of shock, I smiled innocently.
****** / *********************** / **************
"You're late," Nick Fury said almost coldly.
"Traffic," I replied taking a seat by Emma. I gave her the 'we need to talk' look. Pepper and Tony took seats by Rhoedy. Fury indicated the screen before us.
"At exactly one a.m. this morning, The Chambers resident was attacked by an…A.I. system…" Fury continued and I glanced at Emma as he spoke.
"You okay?" I asked, trying to sound okay. She grinned.
"Oh yeah…I even made the news again," she replied and I hit my face on the desk. The video started to play, showing the creature I'd fought. Where did they get these things? Then I realized maybe Emma's house was being watched. Was Tony's house watched?
"Luckily we had just finished installing surveillance of the residence two hour prior," Fury told us. Mental sigh of relief.
/Video/
The metal-creature thing was seen entering the residence. I knew Emma had been alone that night. I spotted her window opening, then she and her laptop came out. She sprinted across her yard pretty quickly. I'm not sure where she went. Several minutes passed and the creature exited, hissing angrily.
"Not here," It hissed before going into the large shed they owned. It came back out. It vanished into the underbrush. A figure landed. Dark purple, black and silver. Definitely female. I did my best not to react. Tony leaned closer to the screen as did Rhodey.
"Emma?" The female Ironman called out. I thought I was going to be called out right then for that, but amazingly no. It was definitely robotic metallic female but not totally me. The figure peeked into the shed and stepped out, looking towards the house. I spotted the A.I. aiming a strange device at me. The ground exploded sending Iron Maiden flying. She crashed into some trees before getting up.
"Well well…Iron Maiden wasss it," the creature hissed out at her.
"Must've missed yours," she retorted, her arm morphing into a canon.
"heh heh…Mine iss of little importance to you," the creature snarled. Its tail flicked out rather fast to entwine around her neck. She was slowly being dragged to it. Then she blasted it with her canon and the tail came undone. It tackled her. "Thissss isss what we need!" It dug its claws into the chest plate around the ark reactor, claws sliding through like a knife through butter. She blasted it off and it crashed into the trees before seeming to vanish. The female stood up heading towards it, only to spot it was gone and then she flew off.
/End Video/
Everyone was quiet. I could feel Pepper's eyes boring into me. Didn't help when Emma smacked my left shoulder to get my attention. I gritted my teeth painfully and gave her an almost dark look. I really expected to be called out after that video but no one said anything.
"Not being homo or anything but that THING was H-O-T in battle! Did you see the creative exterior there?! The-" she started and stopped because everyone was staring at her. "Uh…" she turned red and shut-up.
"This…Ironmaiden appears to be a close replica of the Ironman suit-"Fury started.
"Told you it could be replicated," I muttered unable to help myself. I received a dark look from Tony. "What? I replicated it crudely with limited supplies…Whose to say someone else who had more access to supplies could've done better?" Valid point. Also took the focus off of me. The older adults started conversing.
:: Did that tree hurt? :: My phone flashed, revealing a text from Emma.
:: Yes. Tore muscles in my left shoulder…and it looks like an artist went crazy with colors ::
:: Ow…Hey, why's Pepper giving you that look? ::
:: She saw it this morning ::
:: And now she knows you're Iron Maiden ::
:: Basically ::
"Ladies, if you're done," Fury said getting our attention," Pepper will take you to get some breakfast." I got up with Emma and followed Pepper out.
"You are in SO much trouble when Tony finds out," Pepper told me. Emma started piling up a plate with some food for us. Considering I was one armed right now. "Besides…Your arm needs medical attention…Put that down and come with me…" Emma gave Pepper a cold look.
"Excuse me. Selena needs to eat. You need to bug off. Now," Emma snapped. Pepper was a bit taken aback. "And you won't be telling Tony"
"Give me one GOOD reason why I shouldn't?" Pepper asked. Emma smiled and suddenly the two were talking about shoe designs. How Emma could do that to someone I still don't know. I picked at my plate, digging into a feast of biscuits with gravy and sausage.
"Selena. A word in private," Fury said coming over. I got up and followed him to the side. "You are aware that you were categorized as a medium threat…That just went up to a High Alert due to the creation of Ironmaiden." He gave me a look. One that obviously stated he knew. "We usually lock up high level threatts…Whyshouldn't I do the same for you?"
"…because I can assist you in catching the 'bad guy'," I said with air quotations. I leaned against the wall, wincing when the muscles in my shoulder pulled.
"This isn't some game," Fury informed me," You can get hurt…or killed." He jabbed my shoulder hard. "Things like that happen if you aren't careful…We placed you under Tony Stark knowing you'd do this but hoping you'd prove us…wrong….You've had a suit made…and you've gotten your name out…" He gestured at a TV with a news report on 'Ironmaiden'. Amateur's bad video copy of my first 'battle' was airing. "Tony isn't dumb…He'll catch on…"
"What do you want me to do?" I snapped at him," I won't quit until the guys who kidnapped Emma are caught."
"Well….we'll stay in touch," Fury told me before walking off. I spotted Pepper's and Emma's concerned looks. I made some internal debate and hurried outside. Pepper shouted after me as I ran past Fury . He shouted after me also. I skidded out into an alleyway and flipped the mini-briefcase out. Before I could set it down to tap it someone landed beside me. The creature from earlier.
"Found you," the creature said with a light chuckle. Something flew off my suit to rejoin him. "Missssed thisss…"
"…What do you want?" I demanded, swallowing back any fear I felt.
"Your ssssuit…essspecially the ark reactor," the creature told me seriously," hand it over."
"Or what?" I snapped. He held up some sort of data-pad. Trigger to some bomb.
"I blow thisss place sssky-hight," he hissed at me. I swallowed and clutched the case closer to me.
"Y-you wouldn't," I stammered, thinking about all the people who probably worked at Stark Industries. That's where we'd been.
"Don't tesssst me…hand over the sssuit," it demanded in its calculating voice. Sounded masculine. I swallowed nervously.
"O-okay…a trade," I said," w-we place these on the ground…" I placed my suit's storage unit on the ground in front of me and he mimicked my motions," Now…slowly and carefully slide them across to each other…" I waited until the detonator was in reach before kicking the suit away. He dived after it as I grabbed the detonator. I hit the deactivate part. The creature almost had his hands on the case when something seemed to lasso it away from him . The case soared through the air before landing in the hands of…another female Ironman? She sort of resembled a cat though with cat ear attachments and a tail. Other than that it could've been Ironmaiden. Its suit was black and silver.
"You shouldn't take things that don't belong to you," the feline said, one hand on her slender hip. Her tail twitched very cat-like.
"Give me that cassse~" Lizard-creature hissed angrily.
"Are you okay?" the cat-girl called out to me, ignoring the lizard creature. I nodded. "Good…I'll be going now…" She became a blur that streaked past us. A light tug on my backpack revealed the case had been returned. The creature turned to snarl at me. I knew we weren't being filmed in this particular area, so my secret was safe. I wasn't too sure about me though.
"…I WANT THAT CASSSSE!" it hissed holding up some gun thing. Suddenly Ironman and Warmachine were present. "AH! Ironman! PAH!" It hissed before seeming to vanish. It's tail lashed out before it was completely gone-catching me and slamming me into a wall nearby. Oh. Hello bruised shoulder. Bye bye world. My eyes closed.
****** / ***************** ? *************
"Hey…Doc says you should wake up now," Emma's voice pierced the darkness. My eyes flew open. My left shoulder and arm were in a weird sling with ice on it.
"Hey…Warkitten," I replied quietly. Confusion touched her face and I thought maybe I'd been wrong.
"OH! The suit! Yeah…hmmm….nice name," she said tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"So…instead of flying…you just run fast?" I asked and she nodded," When'd you…"
"Right after fleeing my house. I went here. The door was open and Jarvis said no one was home…So I complimented him a bit and he set on building my suit…only took a few hours…Tony came back while I was there…but…You came back first…Jarvis said you were injured but he made me a suit and I-OH! I finished the poly-memory suits…" She handed me a small bundle. It was black. "It'll form to your body so it can go under our suits…" I struggled to get up and she had to assist. I was in my 'room' at Stark's place. I tossed the bundle to the side and exited the room. Pepper was having a whispered conversation with Tony. She stopped when we came in.
"How's your…shoulder?" Tony asked, sounding almost forced.
"I don't know. You tell me," I replied sarcastically.
"Your shoulder is dislocated," Tony replied, unmoved by my sarcasm.
"How long till it's better?" I asked quietly.
"A few weeks," he replied his expression and tone of voice softening. "Maybe less if you don't' use it or 'injury' it further…If you hurt it, it'll take longer to heal." He took a sip of his drink. I noticed Pepper had on some new, but very pretty high heels. The two kissed lightly before Pepper left. "Now…Jarvis informed me that you came back late last night with your shoulder already agitated…You went for a 'stroll' on the beach…Did you fall on the rocky out cove?" He was providing me with a perfect excuse. All I had to do was-
"No…It…I'm…," I sighed and gave him a look," Don't get mad okay…I kind of had Jarvis build me a suit…and I dubbed it Ironmaiden…" He had a black look on his face for a few silent seconds before his face turned furious.
"YOU STOLE-YOU-ABUSED-YOU-YOU-ARE YOU INSANE?!" he shouted, unable to decide what to do first. "YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED!" Emma touched my arm lightly before going to leave. Coward. "WHY didn't you….?!" He took a deep breath, calming down," The suit is NOT some toy to use to entertain or impress your friends w-"
"I KNOW!" I snapped back angrily," Do YOU think I HAD it MADE to do THAT?!" I shouted. "I HAD to make it on the off-chance that Emma or I were attacked by someone! SO we could stop whomever it is that's AFTER your technology!" We both fell quiet, merely watching each other. "…I'm sorry for not asking permission but I HAD to have it…Emma's house was attacked by some creature. That same creature wanted the ark reactor in the chest plate. I…propose we…work together on this." I had started to mumble and look away.
"…We can do that…But you have to follow my every command…And IF at any point I think you CAN'T do it…You have to give the suit back," he informed me. I let out a breath of relief. "…Who made it anyway?"
"Jarvis did…I provided the mechanical features…and Emma designed the…exterior shaping," I replied. He gave a slight nod.
"It's….okay," he said.
****** ? ((One week later)) ************** / ?
"Tony says I just have to easy on it," I replied as Ironmaiden landed on top of a warehouse. A brief displacement of air and Warkitten was beside me.
"Does he know about me?" she asked via our private communication link.
"He's smart…He'll put it together," I replied.
"So…what have we here?" she asked, kneeling and peering out below us. She tapped her left cat ear. "OH~ Everything's a pretty green!"
"That would be night vision," I informed her. My radar was picking up two other signals. "Incoming." She stood up, one hand on her hip. Eyes green to indicate night vision activation. Ironman and Warmachine landed on the rooftop near us.
"I thought I told you to do what I said!" Ironman snapped at me.
"I am!" I replied defensively.
"Oh really? Stay home. Watch TV?" he demanded.
"Uh…I can watch TV from this thing," I informed him.
"Oh SWEET!" Emma exclaimed, obviously figuring out how to surf the web.
"Home is where the heart is…and that's in this suit," I told him and glanced at Warmachine," Hey…I always wondered…is your gun big because you're compensating for something."
"Tony…" Warmachine said warningly.
"Whose your friend? Emma Chambers/" Tony inquired.
"Yes, and she's going home," I replied turning to look at her. She'd discovered the motion tracker.
"I see yellow dots~" she squealed over our private channel.
"Emma go home," I told her. I was broadcasting over an open frequency to all the suits.
"Make me," She retorted still on private. She struck a catty pose, hands curled and planted on her hips. She was completely ignoring me. I let out a sigh, making a shooing gesture at her but she didn't move.
"Are you seriously doing this to me?" I questioned, aware that both males were waiting for something.
"You need a partner and I've been your partner since the beginning before all of this and there's no way I'm just leaving you out here by yourself," She told me, without moving and still on a private channel to me.
"Okay, two problems. One, I'm not alone. I've got these two mother-hens pecking at me and yeah, you've always been there for me but this is taking danger to the next level and I can't have you here with me right now…I'm not putting you in a position where you're just going to wind up hurt," I informed her and knew I'd hurt her feelings when she turned slightly away from me, her hands shifting to cross around herself as she looked at anything but me.
"You can't do everything alone," she told me before suddenly bounding off the building and racing off with a blurring streak. I felt like my head officially hurt so I sighed.
"Alright, I'm going home now," I told them and went to jet off. Ironman caught my arm, preventing me from going anywhere without taking him with me.
"You can't push everyone away," he informed me and let go of my arm," I think you should go find Emma and you two should talk this out…She cares about you a lot and you don't need to be alone in this…" He seemed uncomfortable as if not sure what else to say after that.
"Thanks," I muttered sarcastically before taking to the air to go find Emma.
END NOTES: I have no idea how long this chapter has been sitting here but I don't feel like touching it persay and I figure I may as well ACTUALLY add it to the story since it's already typed and done…. Looking over this story I see "MARY-SUE" written all over it… Seriously… So I don't think this story will ACTUALLY be finished…. Because I can't think of anything to SERIOUSLY write for it… *laughs*