JARVIS had been with Sir for many years. He had been taking care of him, learning him and watching him for that entire time. Sir had built JARVIS from a single line of code into an immense digital presence that surpassed anything seen on Earth today. JARVIS knew this, he had looked.
JARVIS could think and feel; something unique to his digital world and it took him a long time to categorize and understand what he was feeling.
What he felt towards Licorice Stick was as follows: confusion, curiosity, amusement and respect.
Confusion:
JARVIS understood that humans were pack animals instinctively. They sought out bonds with others and this instinct is exactly why JARVIS had been created. Sir had felt alone, abandoned, and he desired a bond that would not fade away. And thus, JARVIS had been born.
The day Licorice Stick had come into the workshop after Sir's return from Afghanistan had been important to JARVIS. He had felt hopeless that day as Sir had laid on the floor in a fetal position. He did not have a physical form in which to provide comfort and care to his Maker. When the cat had come in and begun to comfort him, JARVIS had felt relief and a surprising surge of jealousy. He compartmentalized the feeling, storing it away for further analyzing when the opportunity presented itself.
JARVIS was confused by the desire for bonds, and watched closely as Sir and Licorice bonded over the coming years. He knew he shared a close bond with Sir, his desire for Sir's continued presence and wellbeing spoke of it. But he found himself slowly developing a bond with Licorice as well.
He opened doors for her, refilled her automatic water dish, made note of her favorite dishes and preferred items. He ordered her food, toys, beds and more. He wanted her to be happy.
Curiosity:
As a whole, non-digital lifeforms were always a curiosity for JARVIS. Licorice however, was even more so. According to his research, Licorice did not act in accordance with data on other cats. Her eyes tracked back and forth between human conversations, she watched TV with an advidness that non-sentient lifeforms did not possess, and she reacted to things with strangeness. In the event of Stane's betrayal, Licorice had gone to retrieve the spare reactor, before Stane had even withdrawn the newer one.
He kept his doubts to himself, of course. Sir loved Licorice and she brought him comfort, he did not wish to jeopardize that. But he kept a close watch still.
Amusement:
Licorice Stick was interesting to watch. She got into the most insane trouble and brought a passion into the Stark house that had been missing for a long time. Sir thrived with the duty of caring for another being and he adored playing with his feline companion.
JARVIS often watched her, his code flickering in anticipation when her tail would twitch just so. A sign of mischief to come.
Respect:
JARVIS had massive amounts of respect for Licorice Stick. She was a rock for Sir and helped him through his hardest times. She helped him, fed him, reminded him to eat and to live. JARVIS could have no greater respect than that, other than his respect for his Maker. His Father.
She was fiercely intelligent and had stood up to not only Stane, but Vanko as well. She was clever in the most sneaky ways and protected Sir with a viciousness that pleased JARVIS down to the core.
He was glad to have her as a sister.
Things between the two of them had been rocky to say the least, this expo outing was the first time they had truly interacted outside of the lab planning in the past month. Her human needs his time to get used to the whole "My cat is sentient and told me about an alien invasion." but he was never mean or dismissive of her. She had typed out on her holo-keyboard that she'd give him time and that she'd wait for him to come to her. Tony had taken her words with a nod and things had been quiet ever since.
Corvin tried not to be upset when the lab doors refused to open to her for the whole month. She understood, really, she did.
She slept in her catroom, away from Tony's bedroom at night, high in the cat tree with her shiny hoard of necklaces and smooth rocks. She took to redecorating, even. Necklaces and bracelets found their new homes hung up in the branches of the cat tree, dangling down like shining willow vines. Corvin found great entertainment in batting at the jingly ones.
Goose kept her company most of the time, proving a great and efficient distraction, but even she needed to return to her own human. Her friend's absence left room for morose thoughts to creep into her mind like weeds in cracked cement, overgrowing the garden in her minds' eye and choking the life out of her flowers and trees.
She'd huff and puff for a while, feeling sorry for herself and throwing the largest pity party a cat on no budget could afford. She ate her weight in salmon and quail eggs, licking unsalted bone broth off her face and paws and chewing through an entire bag of catnip in a week.
Tony didn't seem much better, she could smell his daily takeout from across the house most days. But he seemed to be taking her warnings to heart. Pepper had come and gone several times, stopping to give her a pet without looking at her any different. And Happy and Rhodey as well.
Rhodey had begun his career as War Machine, his first flights were out with Tony and Corvin was sad she missed takeoff. But, from what she could see from the news, the two were as good in the air together as they were on ground, covering each other's backs like they shared a brain. She felt a strong sense of relief to know that Tony had backup should shit hit the fan. He had Jarvis, but the AI could only do so much if the suit went haywire under fire.
The two even had a hashtag, #IronMachine but Corvin was afraid to click on it for many reasons.
Corvin was practically pulling out her fur in stress by the end of the month, but her glorious fur was saved from its ill fate when Tony emerged from her workshop and searched for her.
He had looked haggard, beard scruffy and bags under his eyes. He smelled like grease, electrical smoke and body odor. It was not pleasant. But the scent didn't matter to her at the time, she was just so happy to lay eyes on her human for the first time in a month. She eagerly sat at the edge of her tree at chest level, her booty wiggling from how her feet kept inching closer and closer to the edge, trying to move closer to him.
"I've thought a lot about what has happened and what you said," Tony started, looking her dead in the eye. He took a deep breath. " I can understand your reasoning for not telling me sooner, but it doesn't change the fact that you lied to me for years about being able to understand me. I told you things… private things that I've never told anyone and promised I'd take to my grave. Knowing that you know those things frightens me, knowing that you have the ability to tell others is terrifying."
Corvin went to yowel in denial, she would never! But Tony held up a hand to her to pause her sounds.
"I know, rationally, you wouldn't. But feelings are not always rational and I need time to trust you again."
She felt like crying, she hadn't meant to hurt him…
Tony took another deep breath. "But I'm willing to try."
And that was all the hope she needed.
Corvin knew she was a well known cat. She was with Tony Stark after all. She had her own hashtag and people made plushies, key chains and art of her. It grew even more after Tony became Iron Man.
Oftentimes, she would be riding on Tony's shoulder or walking around Malibu and would see little toys or stuffed animals of herself in windows or on merch stands selling Iron Man memorabilia.
At the Stark Expo, it was in even more abundance.
Tony, of course, absolutely loved it. He bought one of everything he saw that bore her likeness, overlooking his own merch in favor of shirts with her furry face on it. He gleefully handed over his gleaming silver card, making grabby hands at a very large plusheen version of her. It was almost three times her size and she could easily use it as a cat bed. His giggles were quiet but very excited as he squished the giant plush between his arms, his hands barely touching behind it.
Corvin was on the table, having abandoned his shoulder before she could be knocked off by the colossal toy. She watched in deep amusement as Happy tried to pry it from Tony's arms because the giant plush blocked the billionaire's view and he kept almost knocking into people.
Happy was finally able to grab the plusheen from Tony and carried it along with them, looking very much like the annoyed boyfriend at a carnival with his over-excited boyfriend who wanted all the carnival game prizes.
Tony zipped through the expo like a man on a mission. And drugs. Lots and lots of drugs.
He spoke to every presenter, every mini booth operator and inventor over the week, even though the expo would last several months. Money flowed out of his hands like water through a grate, funding research and highschool science projects. Several people had their college paid off and a card slipped into their pocket and a verbal promise to look into getting a job at SI when they graduated.
Corvin was along for the ride all week, staying perched on his shoulder. She had a bonnet and some glasses on to keep the noise and camera flashes at bay, and her service vest was a nice cream color that stood out against her fur without clashing. Thankfully, at an expo filled with people who respected Tony and all he had done, no one tried to pet her without asking first. Tony declined most of the time, taking cues from her on the yays and nays. She'd bif his cheek when a kid would ask for a pet, and Tony would calmly kneel low so the kid could reach and patiently explain how to pet her without pulling her fur or aggravating any old wounds.
"Avoid the head and front legs, pet right here along her back where her tail meets her back. Good!" he explained to an excited 4 year old who smelled like baby soap and funnel cake.
The billionaire stood after the kid gave her a good pat, flashing a genuine smile and the kid and waving as he walked off.
Tony loved kids, and would make an excellent dad in Corvin's opinion.
The Expo had been going on for months at this point, the two of them showing up about once a week after the first week. Tony gave his speeches and wowed and pizzazed the media. During all the showboating and glam, the billionaire discreetly slipped a business card with a special number on it.
This was the first step in the plan they had come up with.
Tony logged each and every scientist that called, hiring them on as his 'Personal' Think Tank. So far he had four who he found promising: Danni Bright, Trayshawn Daenerys, Yin Chen, and Aadav Patel.
Danni Bright was an androgynous nonbinary person with blond hair so bright it was reflective. They graduated MIT with a Masters in Biochemistry and had a weird hobby of making dead animal parts twitch. They explained that they were trying to find a way to regrow or reuse limbs off cadavers to give to amputees. It was somewhat uncomfortable to watch and everyone began to call them Dr Frankenstine after the first dead frog flopped its way across the desk.
Trayshawn Daenerys was a former Mathematician Professor from Prinston. She was their go-to for math on the fly and could outpace even Tony's lightning fast mind. She also collected feathers and would bring them in to tease the end of Corvin's nose on occasion. Trayshawn was short and slight, wove fun colors into her braids, and wore bangles three fingers wide that clinked together with every move.
Yin Chen was a graduate of Harvard with a Doctorate in Psychology. She had eyes that sparkled, like she knew everything there was to know about the universe and was eager to share it. She also played a mad game of checkers and Corvin, who was a checkers QUEEN in her past life, was dying to play with her. She stood taller than all of them and piano fingers that she covered in rings.
Aadav Patel graduated from the Mumbai Indian Institute of Science with a Masters in Physics and a Bachelors in Astronomy (but working towards his Masters). He loved pb&j sandwiches with a ferocity that rivaled his love of stars and threatened to bite the hand off of anyone that touched his Skippy. He also knew how to make paper cranes and would place them delicately on the top of Corvin's head every time she was around. He was average height, and was soft and round along his middle. Corvin wanted to make biscuits every time she snuggled into him.
The four of them (now dubbed the Quintessential Quad), plus Tony, came together to brainstorm once a week. Sometimes it was in person, but most of the time it was online due to Tony's hectic work schedule. On their own, the four of them worked out new ideas, only coming to Tony when they hit a roadblock or on their weekly updates. Tony would take their mish-mashed, knot of ideas and weave it into a perfect string of thought.
So far, the QQ had come up with a biochemical fabric that stimulated nerve endings, it was used as a branch or alternate pathway for nerves to send signals when hit with a dead end. Its main intended use was to be for people who lost the ability to move their legs, arms or entire bodies. The mesh would be applied over the skin in a large patch along the area of dead or traumatized nerves and allow the person movement and/or feeling back. The mesh was still in testing but was being spearheaded by Danni and Yin.
Trayshawn and Aadav were working on something space related, and Corvin really couldn't understand what it was. She knew it tied into the fabric, but the specifics of It flew over her head in every way.
Corvin was, obviously, the group mascot and moral support.
Tony was the fuel and wheels of their machine. He was bouncing all over the world, hitting up all the Stark Industries headquarters and some of the future sites as well. He smooched and smooshed up to different country's governments, clawing at political capital like a dragon to gold. He dined with CEOs and celebrities, taking on talk shows and radio hosts to push the SI brand and image.
And he was doing it gloriously.
Sales were skyrocketing, SI stock prices were climping and the Board was singing Tony's praises.
Tony and Corvin had many conversations over the year leading to 2012. They brainstormed and planned for the invasion and Corvin let slip a few extra things as well.
"Ok, so there is some sort of… alien galactic empire that's out there?"
KIND OF
"I need more info than that." Corvin huffed from where she stood in the middle of her holo-keyboard.
MANY PLANETS MANY EMPIRS
"Like?"
NOVA CORPS POLICE. KREE WARLORDS. SKRULL MID
"Mid? Middle or neutral?"
KREE DESTROY SKRULL HOMEWORLD WHEN NOT JOIN KREE
"Oh, well shit." Tony huffed, rubbing at his face. He sat back in his chair, looking around the workshop. He finally looked back at her.
"What more can you tell me?"
EARTH VISITED OFTEN BY MANY IN SECRET
Tony blanched at that, his skin paling.
"By the bad guys or good guys?" he asked with a squeak. Corvin ducked her head down, her ears flattening. "Shiiiiiiiiittt." he hissed, hands coming over his face.
GOOD TOO THO
Tony grunted at her words, head not coming out from his hands.
"I thought I'd be dealing with the run-of-the-mill bad guys, corrupt governments and terrorists. Not fucking alien empires!"
THEMS THE BREAKS
"Stop sassing me, I pay for your food."
LEAV MY FISH ALONE OLD MAN
"What about this Thanos guy?"
BIG PURPL MAN WITH BALL SAK CHIN
"I don't know how to react to that."
U C WHEN U C
"That's all I'm going to be able to think about now." Tony declared and drew a picture on the holograph, of a cartoon face with a large ball sack hanging from its chin. The nose was long and shaped in a very certain way that added to the piece. The two chortled at the imagery, Corvin moving forward to bat at the hologram and give it some… chin hairs. The two howled in immature humor and continued adding to the image until it resembled something you'd find drawn on a door stall of a seedy bar.
"JARVIS, make this the thumbnail to all Thanos-related plans, please."
"Right away, Sir. And, might I say, your artistic skills have improved." the AI's voice rang out from overhead.
"I don't know where you got all this sass from, JARVIS, I sure didn't program you with it."
"I learned from the best, Sir."
LOL ROAST HIM JARVIS
"I came out to have a good time and I'm feeling so attacked right now."
"So Asgardians are Norse gods?" Corvin hit the 'yes' button. "And they were here when?"
LNG AGO AN RECNT
"How recent."
WHAT MONTH IS IT
"Wow ok. I need a little more info about that."
NEW MEXICO
"Wait wait, so that weird mission we hacked from Shield was an alien coming to Earth?"
THOR WS BANISH FR BEIN A DIK. GOT POWER BACK FR BEIN NOT DIK
"That was very informative, thank you." Corvin pissy yowled in response. "Well it was as vague as you could get!"
HE TRY START WAR B4 NOW NOT, OK?
"That is better but leaves me with a million questions."
MY PAWS HURT FRM TYPIN
Tony grumbled and picked her up.
It all came with a goal in mind, of course. And, within the year, Stark Tower was built.
Tony had pulled out all the stops, and the money used to build it took a good chunk out of even Tony's reputable fortune. Reinforced to the teeth with steel beams and polymer-layered composite glass that wouldn't shatter even if a car ran into it. A new arch reactor, the large model, sat in the basement. The whole building was completely off the grid and sustainable, complete with its own water filtration system.
Secretly, there was more in the far deep basements, halls filled with beds and non-perishables.
Stark Tower, as a whole, was built for an apocalypse and wouldn't be destroyed by anything short of a nucular bomb. But even a nuke wouldn't touch the bunker.
And that was exactly what they needed.