“Such an honor sir,” Simmons said excitedly shaking the hand of the man in front of her.
“Oh, yes,” Fitz said, pushing in for a handshake as well. “You are just, so brilliant! Your thesis on radiation physics-”
“And on the biological ramifications, on the ways that it could improve medicine!” Simmons continued.
“Changed our lives!” Fitz finished, waving his hands in emphasis. “Your papers are still taught at the SHIELD Academy!” Fitz seemed to realize something. “Well, were taught I suppose.”
The man looked between them, looking befuddled but pleased. “Well, thank you. Always good to be known more for my work rather than... you know.” Bruce couldn't help but look saddened for a moment.
“Seriously?” Tony asked, annoyed. “Why weren't they like this for me?”
“Because you're a billionaire scientist, and Bruce is a regular scientist,” Clint supplied. “You're not as classy.”
“I'm classy,” Tony said, feigning like he was hurt by that.
“If it helps, I still like you,” Skye said, grinning.
Tony looked between them, annoyed. “Seriously, I don't get as much respect as I deserve.”
I ignored them to take a good look at Bruce Banner. The Incredible Hulk. Seriously, the damn Hulk. So freaking cool.
Granted he wasn't the rage monster right now, but he also wasn't some stereotypical string-bean people assume most scientists were. He actually was very well built, likely a byproduct from being on the run from the US military for so long, with curly black hair and some beard scruff that was going a bit gray. He wore a simple sweater and blue jeans and seemed nervous, but happy to speak with Fitz-Simmons.
I looked around. “Damn... You really went all out making this place,” I said to Tony.
He smirked, looking around. “Like it? I wanted it to have all the bells and whistles.”
“I could get used to it,” Skye said.
The room of the tower we were standing in was massive, the sort of place with so many zeroes on its price tag it would make me pass out at the mere thought of spending so much. It had a fancy bar on one side of the room, black tiles on the floor everywhere, plush leather couches, and a second floor visible from the first. The place looked like a nightclub.
I walked over to a nearby window and looked out on New York City. Tony and Skye followed me, Clint opting to go upstairs so he could have a view of everything.
“Great view, right?” Tony asked casually.
“Yeah,” Skye stared out at the buildings and streets of the city. “I think I can see my favorite coffee shop right over there.”
“That's my old warehouse, I think,” I pointed out into the city. “I was squatting over there... I miss that warehouse.”
Tony snorted. “Yeah, well, you moved up in the world, pun totally intended, so don't go shedding tears about it.”
“Skye!” Simmons called out, getting her friends attention. “Come to look at this!”
She gave us an apologetic look before going to join her friends. As she did, Tony looked over at me. “What do you think?”
“It's nice... Thanks for the invite by the way.”
“Wasn't as spontaneous as it seemed,” Tony admitted. “Coulson wanted his team to have a good time. You deciding to steal a Quinjet just... made it easy.”
I looked over at Tony, surprised. He shrugged. “I was always planning on taking you, Ross, and Rachel with me. And I know Fury was trying to find some way to show you some appreciation. Fury isn't exactly rainbows and sunshine, but he knows to be nice even when he's a paranoid asshole.”
“And Coulson?” I asked. “Was he in on it?”
“He gave me permission to talk to them,” Tony admitted. “But I'm the one who has to convince them working with Bruce, you, and I is a good idea.”
“Tony,” I said, suddenly suspicious. “What is it that you're planning?”
“...Even if SHIELD is rebuilding, even with the Avengers, we might not be enough,” Tony said. “I want to make something to help us protect people. Something that can stop threats before they start. To prevent anything from space coming near us without getting vetted.”
I thought about Ben 10, about the Plumbers, and the time a species of frog people had attacked. They'd had to work around something to do it if I remembered correctly. Hell, wasn't the plot of the third Men in Black movie based around something like that? And then there were the MAC guns from Halo, big cannons that could shoot a ship to pieces that were left in orbit. Plus, it was time I make something to prevent people like Davida from mind controlling me again.
“I have some ideas about that,” I told Tony.
“Yeah well, hopefully, your little red guy can make them,” Tony said. “By the way, I want to test you with something. First,” Tony put a hand on my shoulder and guided me to the others. When we joined them, Bruce was listening as Simmons enthusiastically spoke about something. As we came closer, my Omnitrix beeped, surprising me, but when I looked down at it, the watch was normal. Wondering why it had done that, I focused on Bruce, who seemed amazed.
“A disease that can spread through electromagnetic shock?” Bruce asked her. When Simmons nodded, he grinned. “That is fascinating. I mean, dangerous, but if you could use that system to transfer cures-”
“We managed to suspend the cure in a mineral-based solution that could give it to her with an electrical shock,” Fitz said. “But we couldn't figure out if other cures could be spread that way as well.”
“Weren't you guys talking about it being a way to transfer cures over the internet?” Skye idly asked.
“That would be incredible,” Bruce said in amazement. “Cures that could be stored as data! The number of people that could be saved with that, being able to send cures to people with the press of a button!”
“Yes, but we've had trouble with it,” Simmons admitted. “Without more samples of similar diseases we haven't been able to see if other cures could be created, and our attempts to make such vaccines with samples of Earth diseases have come to a standstill.”
“I'd like to see your research if you don't mind?” Bruce asked.
Fitz and Simmons looked like they had never heard of something more wonderful.
“Well that works out,” Tony said, getting everyone's attention. “I want Jury Rigg to take a look at something.”
“Jury Rigg?” Bruce asked.
“Oh, right, I guess you haven't heard,” Tony said with a smile. “Turns out you aren't the only guy who can turn into giant monsters-”
“Tony?” Someone said.
We all turned to see a woman walking into the room. She was wearing a black dress that fit her tall and thin frame very well, had red hair in a high ponytail, and freckles across her nose. She walked over to us, smiling. Happy walked in behind her and gave me a light glare that I returned with a sigh.
“Jarvis told me you brought company,” the woman said.
“Tattletale,” Tony said to the air.
“She asked why a Quinjet was parked on the roof,” Jarvis informed Tony.
“And I'm sure she broke you after hours of torture,” Tony said. “Okay, well, these are Fangirl, Ross, Rachel, and-”
“The hacker,” Happy said.
“Wait, you know me?” Skye asked, surprised.
“You hacked us too?” the woman, Pepper Potts at a guess, said, while Happy frowned.
“Uh...” Skye looked around. “No?”
“Seriously, how many holes are there in my security? I mean, I get Fanboy, but Fangirl too?” Tony asked, annoyed. “Anyways, this is Happy Hogan, my Forehead of Security, and Pepper Potts, the real CEO and my girlfriend.”
“On days when he isn't running around the world without telling me,” Pepper said, shaking my hand then moving on to the others.
Tony waited until she had been fully introduced before looking between Bruce and Pepper. “Guys. I need to talk to you about something. Happy, can you show them to the labs? My personal one.”
Happy, Pepper, and Bruce seemed shocked. Happy looked at Skye and I. “Uh, Tony, are you sure-”
“Yes,” Tony was uncharacteristically serious. “Now, I need to talk to Pepper and Bruce.”
I gave the others an awkward look that was returned. Happy led us away as Pepper gave Tony a worried look.
------
Steve Rogers/Captain America
Steve watched calmly as Fury worked the room. In all of his interactions, Steve had never thought of Fury as a politician. But he turned out to have a real skill at it, speaking calmly and with real control, taking over the conversations. Fury wasn't smooth, and he wasn't passionate. He simply spoke in a way that demanded attention.
Fury still managed to get annoyed when a woman named Senator Ellen Nadeer once again tried to intrude on the discussion. Granted, ever since the politicians of the countries invited to the discussion were informed of the change, a few controversial suggestions had been brought up, one man even requesting that the Avenger be put on call to put down political dissidents. But Ellen Nadeer was a special sort of obsessed. She was glaring out from one of the holo-screens and had once again interrupted the discussion.
“Senator Nadeer,” Fury said. “For the last time, Dial and Thor are not simple aliens, they are allies, as are the Asgardians. Hell, Dial is one hundred percent human and simply uses technology that turns him into aliens. Now, I have plans to begin equipping our forces to combat any extraterrestrial threats that come knocking on our doorstep again-”
“How can you do that when you invite the aliens to join your ranks?” Nadeer said firmly, the young Indian-American woman frowning. “We can't simply expect them to see our people as being as important as their own.”
“Dial is human,” Steve reminded her. “And Thor helped us-”
“Against a problem, his brother caused,” Nadeer said angrily. “And Dial can only barely be considered human since he apparently changes his species the way the rest of us change shirts. How can we be assured he will stay our ally? What if one day Asgard decides we might be worth invading?”
“What if, when we need our most powerful allies, we've already driven them away?” Steve said, rising up to eye her. “Senator Nadeer, these questions you're asking come from fear, and it's understandable to feel that fear. But Thor is not just an alien, he is my friend and ally, someone who put their life on the line when they could have walked away. Thor has done it three times in fact.”
“Including the time when he brought the Dark Elves,” Nadeer scowled.
“No, he didn't,” Coulson said, drawing the attention of the room. “The Dark Elves were coming all along. Thor helped stop them. That situation is not proof for your argument, it's the proof against it. When an alien enemy came to attack our world, an alien ally came to our defense, as did some of our worlds best scientists.”
Victoria Hand nodded. “And let us not forget, a massive portion of the meeting has been dedicated to making sure this new organization can defend the Earth even from Asgardians. The world's best scientists, engineers, and tacticians will be working around the clock to develop the tools and the people to stop the threat.”
Nadeer shook her head. “I still disagree with the idea that we do anything to teach and protect powered individuals. What if, by harboring and protecting them, we only give them the outlet to become our new rulers?”
“First, we work to prevent that very thing,” Fury said. “Second, we take them down if we can't.”
“And if Thor decided to do it?” Nadeer asked. “What if the 'God of Thunder' decided to become our god once more? Can we simply decide it won't happen?”
Steve shook his head. “Not at all. But in the end, we aren't dealing with that sort of situation. The men and women we are currently at war with are all humans. Sure, they are using alien technology like the Chitauri armor, or empowered individuals like Davida or Creel, but the masterminds are human. We need to accept that the issue of who to trust must be seen on a case by case basis, not based on where they were born or how they are different. Yes, they may be a threat. But immediately assuming they are is a mistake that could cost valuable allies.”
Nadeer shook her head and seemed to prepare to attack once more. Steve smiled on the outside and groaned on the inside. He really was not made for politics.
------
Mahmoud Schahed/Dial
“Tony Stark's lab,” Skye said later, staring around with wide eyes. We stood side by side, looking around at a place I'd only ever seen in comic books and cartoons. She looked at me. “You know I tried visiting the tower before?”
“Really?” I asked, surprised.
“Well, I didn't get a guided tour or anything,” Skye admitted. “I mostly stood outside in costu- Uh, I mean...”
I grinned at the harried look she gave me at her near admittance.
According to Happy, the whole top floors of the tower were dedicated to the Avengers. The place we'd left behind was the lounge area. The lab we stood in now was Tony's, with another for Bruce and one more for guest scientists and researchers.
Fitz and Simmons were walking around with a look of absolute glee in their eyes as Skye, Happy, and I watched them. There were pieces of armor and robotics everywhere, a couple of fancy looking cars in the back, and a main table in the center. More importantly, however, were the dozens of broken Iron Man suits surrounding us.
“How did he make so many?” Fisk asked, amazed as he looked at one helmet that kind of reminded me of the Hulkbuster, but where the Hulkbuster suit was red this helmet was silver and blue. That plus the tears and rips where it had been blown all to hell. “And why?”
“Tony kind of... went through a phase,” Happy said. “He ended up making around thirty of them.”
“Damn,” Skye walked up to one of them. “And he just destroyed them all?”
“Like I said, he went through a phase,” Happy looked at me. “Any idea what he wanted you to do?”
“I know what I want to do,” I admitted, thinking of Pepper and her comic book counterpart. “Although we have to wait.”
“What did he need to talk to Pepper and Bruce about?” Happy asked me as Simmons leaned over to look at the remains of a chest plate.
“...Agent Phil Coulson is alive,” I stated with some hesitance.
Happy's eyes widened. He seemed to understand the meaning behind that, based on the way his mouth opened and closed like a goldfish's. Finally, he sighed. “I miss when the world made sense.”
“That day never existed,” I said sadly. “The multiverse was always crazy. We just had ignorance protecting us before.”
People walking into the room took my attention. I looked at Tony, Pepper, and Bruce as they walked in. Clint didn't join, and I wondered briefly where he had gone. “Everything all right?” I asked with some concern.
Pepper's eyes were red, and she clenched a napkin in an angry fist, but she managed a hesitant smile. “Yeah, everything's okay.”
Tony sighed. “Okay, Fanboy, come with me. Bruce, show the nerd crew what we've got, will you?”
“On it,” Bruce stepped forward as I followed Tony, Pepper staying behind.
Tony led me to an elevator and waited until we'd gone down a couple of floors before speaking. “The first time I killed someone was in a cave,” I leaned against the wall of the elevator. “I did it using my power suit, the first one. I try not to let it bother me. I killed a lot more people afterward, guys who deserved it. And I look for distractions all the time. Sometimes though, you need help.”
I sighed. “...I thought maybe if I could help Coulson's team, maybe I'd also distract myself.”
“Yeah, you weren't exactly subtle about it,” Tony said. “I wouldn't suggest talking to Bruce about it though. I tried, but he just falls asleep.”
“Bruce is a therapist?” I asked, confused. “I mean, considering the green elephant in the room-”
“No, he isn't,” Tony scowled. “He falls asleep when he tries. But uh, I have a good one, on retainer. I'm planning to hire other ones. Coulson recommended a guy. So if you need one, let me know.”
I nodded. “Thanks, Tony.”
He smiled. “Well, don't thank me now. I'm only using you for your brains.” I laughed as the doors opened. “Come on, I'll show you your room.”
“I get a room?” I asked, surprised.
“You did say you were homeless.”
“...Pepper pushed you to do this, right?”
“I can do things without my girlfriend pushing me. Anyways, we'll go back upstairs afterward.”
The elevator opened and we walked out into the hallway. When we got to the room that Tony had offered me, we found a surprise.
“Barton?” Tony asked.
Clint Barton was sitting on a couch in front of a TV, playing video games. Some kind of Grand Theft Auto clone, based on the fact he was being chased by the army. He looked up and smiled at us. “Hey guys.”
“Don't 'hey guys' me,” Tony said, annoyed. “Get your feet off that table, it's worth more than decades of your salary.”
“You haven't seen my salary,” Clint put his feet down and kept playing the game. “So you're giving the kid a room?”
“How did you know that?” I asked, confused. “He just told me five seconds ago.”
“Spy,” Clint said, pointing at himself.
Tony scowled. “Yes, I am. But you ruined it,” Tony took my arm and pulled me away. “Jarvis, check the room for bugs and let me know next time Clint does something sneaky.”
“Yes, sir,” Jarvis said.
“Fanboy, delete his save games as soon as you can.”
“Fine by me,” Clint said, sounding immensely frustrated. “Why the hell is the army chasing me in a fishing game...”
“It's immersive!” Tony yelled back.
“You seem to get angry at them a lot,” I noted. “Clint and Coulson, I mean, whenever they do the spy stuff.”
Tony smirked, leading me back to the elevator. “Well yeah. I mean, it's part of their charm, sure, but I'm still going to call them out on it.”
The elevator went up, and Tony stood in silence with me for a bit. At a guess, he was thinking. Finally, he spoke as the door to the elevators opened.
“I've been thinking about what you said,” Tony stepped out, walking slowly, and I matched his pace. “About how you were patrolling New York. I think that's a good idea to make a thing for Avengers. Having people with powers on the street, keeping people safe, it could go a long way to making the average person more comfortable with... what was the word you used, metahuman?” I nodded. “I'll have to mention it to Steve and Fury.”
When we walked back into the room, Pepper was speaking with Skye and Happy, smiling a bit. Fitz-Simmons and Bruce were at a computer, where I could see what looked like some sort of blueprints for a taser displayed.
“Okay, ladies and gentlemen, the show is about to begin,” Tony said dramatically, waved at all the pieces of armor in the lab. “Okay Fanboy, I want you to make armor while I record you working.”
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
“What, out of all this?” I asked, surprised at Tony Stark letting anyone near his armor tech, even scraps of it.
“Why do you think I pulled these out of storage? Just make something, and I'll be able to see how much of what Jury Rigg does is him being smart, and him using some kind of superpowers.”
I thought about that. In truth, my understanding of Jury Rigg, my experience when I turned into him, told me that he didn't work that way. Jury Rigg was just a smart, stubborn son of a bitch. But hell, if Tony needed proof...
“Okay,” I raised the Omnitrix and began to twist the dial. The holograms of my aliens popped up. I scrolled past Wildmutt, Rath, Diamondhead, Swampfire, and Feedback, finally getting to Jury Rigg.
“So that's what that looks like,” Bruce said, stepping closer to look. “And the names, are those affectations or translations of the species actual word for themselves?”
“Affectations,” I said, pressing down on the dial.
“Oh, that's too bad,” Bruce said, disappointment on his face as my body was surrounded by green light. “Because it might've revealed something about them culturally... huh. Shorter than I expected.”
I grinned up at everyone, Pepper blinking at me next to Bruce.
“Tony, is that-” Pepper began to say.
“Yeah, my Black Sabbath shirt,” Tony said, surprising me. I'd wondered since my first transformation why I was wearing a regular shirt and jeans, rather than the aviator gear Jury Rigg was known to wear.
“Why would an alien have a Black Sabbath shirt?” Bruce asked, confused.
“I think because Tony wears it,” I said without thinking.
The three looked down at me, Tony confused. “Me?”
“Well, it would make sense. According to the mental memories given to me by the Omnitrix I, that is to say Jury Rigg, am one of a few aliens affected by the unconscious perceptions of the wearer,” I stated wisely. “Tony Stark is known culturally as a sort of 'mad scientist', a person who makes incredible inventions, and so, despite my clear closeness in appearance to the common traditional design for Gremlins, I instead wore the clothing of the person most closely associated with engineering of a spectacular nature.”
All of which was half a guess on my part, half a lie. But it worked as an explanation.
“Well, he's more eloquent than he looks,” Pepper said.
“Thank you!” I said, my red cheeks somehow getting redder as I looked up at Pepper, who smiled.
“Let's put a pin in that,” Tony said, looking around the lab. “Jarvis, you recording?”
“Of course, sir,” Jarvis said diligently.
“All right Mini-Me, go make something.”
“Right!” I ran over to the suits and robotic parts. “Disassemble, disassemble!” I shouted gleefully, running between Skye's legs as she came over to see what the fuzz was all about.
Skye yelped in shock, staring after me as I climbed onto a table and grabbed a helmet that was in pretty condition. “What was that!?”
“I'm Jury Rigg!” I shouted back, leaping onto another table. I grinned at Simmons as she stared at me askance. I don't know why, but both Simmons and Pepper were suddenly more interesting now. Actually, looking over at Fitz and Tony, I could guess why...
I grabbed a bunch of pieces of gauntlets, gloves, a couple of chest plates, all the servos I could grab. I knew what I had to make, and in many ways, I had a perfect blueprint in mind thanks to comics. Jury Rigg wanted to do more than just make armor, and they say inspiration should be followed...
I ran over to Pepper and stared at her for a moment. She blinked at me as I put my hands into a frame, taking a good look at her.
“Um...”
I ignored her confusion to run back to the parts I had gathered. “I need an arc reactor!”
“Okay,” Tony walked over to a table and tossed one over to me after a bit of searching.
“You just have extra arc reactors lying around?” Fitz asked, sounding amazed.
“What, you want one?” Tony threw another one to Fitz, who yelped, catching it. “They're older models, for back when I needed one for my heart. Thanks for bringing them over, Happy.”
I ignored the background noise of Happy responding. Let's see, I wanted it to be able to separate into different sections. A neural link, naturally attuned to her... Magnets? No, too primitive, so maybe...
I tapped the Omnitrix symbol and changed into Upgrade. I merged with the pieces I'd made and started in on the adjustments. The pieces couldn't just mash together, they had to be adaptive. I separated from them and looked at the armor I'd been making for a moment.
“Kid?” Tony asked, walking over. “What exactly are you up to?”
“Almost done,” I said, tapping the Omnitrix and turning back into Jury Rigg. I opened my mouth and bit down onto a section of chestplate, tearing it off so I could bend it in a different direction. I took some of the wires and twisted them into the arc reactor. Then I moved the repulsors into their positions and turned into Upgrade again. While I could do impressive things as Jury Rigg, Upgrade let me make changes at an even more precise level. I hadn't really thought about combining them this way until now, but something about working with Tony's armor made my mind buzz with inspiration. “One more second!”
I poured into the gauntlets and the repulsors and further refined them. I left and turned back into Jury Rigg. With a squeal of metal, I twisted the helmet' facemask into shape, then yelled to the ceiling. “X, Jarvis, install a basic version of Tony's armor software please!”
“Right away, sir,” Jarvis said.
“On it,” X agreed.
“Tony, Fitz, can you two help me?” I asked.
“Oh, um,” Fitz looked at Tony, who waved for him to join me. “Yes, of course.”
As they leaned down to the floor to join me, I showed them where I needed them. “Here, and here, you see? Start putting them in place”
“Oh, okay, so that the armor is connected wirelessly?” Fitz said. “Oh, that's brilliant.”
“I know, right?” Tony said, apparently forgetting in all the excitement that he was supposed to just be watching me. Soon, the two were moving the pieces of armor I'd made into place, following the connections. As I watched, they actually made some adjustments that I hadn't thought of. Interesting.
“Okay, only activate them on my say, please?” I hopped away and ran over to a computer. “Skye, Simmons!”
The two ran over to join me, Skye taking me under the armpits and helping me get on the table when I struggled to hop onto it.
“Okay, Skye,” I said, pointing at the screen. “X, show me a portion of- right, that,” X flashed the code I was thinking of. “Can you clean that up a bit?”
“What, some code I've never seen before...” Skye leaned forward to look at it. “No, wait... This is familiar. I think if I...” She trailed off, typing frantically at the computer.
“Jarvis, can you show me the bloodwork and medical history?” I asked. “On uh... that one!” As I pointed at a computer, it turned on. “Come on!” I said to Simmons, the young woman following next to me as I ran along the tables. “Okay, can you make sure that these two match up well?” I asked. “I don't want to make a mistake?”
Simmons leaned over and blinked at what she read, focusing on one bit in particular. “Extremis virus?”
“I don't want to activate it,” I explained. “I know it was removed, but if there is any chance...”
“Professor Banner,” Simmons said, understanding in an instant. “Can you look at this as well?”
“Of course,” Bruce ran over and checked the computer, putting on his glasses.
“Oh, I see what he's doing,” Tony mumbled, looking at the confused Happy and Pepper.
“All good!” Skye said, looking over at me as I hopped off the table to join Tony and Fitz.
“Um, I don't think there should be anything wrong,” Bruce said, looking over at us.
“I concur with Professor Banner's assessment,” Simmons said, squealing a moment later. “I always wanted to say that!”
“Okay, one last thing,” I tapped the Omnitrix.
In seconds, I stood tall, my skin inky black, a pair of tendrils popping out of my head ending in plugs.
“Feedback!” I cried proudly.
All the pieces were in place. Jury Rigg was smart, but he wasn't precise when it came to software, and had no experience in biology, so Skye, Jarvis and X helped with the software I needed, and Simmons and Bruce made sure the biological aspect wouldn't clash with my tech. Upgrade was very good at smoothing the rough edges of Jury Rigg's tech, but Tony and Fitz would be able to replicate it afterward if they were involved in the process. I could see them putting pieces into place, and got ready for my final part.
“Okay, Fitz, Tony, Jarvis, X, on one,” I raised my hands up and sucked out the power of the arc reactor in the chest plate. Blue power flowed into me in constant waves, and I could feel the device begin to fight me. Tony and Fitz tensed their fingers against the armor. “Two!” I held my breath, then fired the energy back. “THREE!”
With a shout, Tony and Fitz pressed down on the armor, completing the last connections that needed to be made. Jarvis and X uploaded the software, and the whole thing began to come together as I poured energy into the suit.
“Yaaaaaagh!” I yelled, putting more and more into it. Tony and Fitz stepped back from the jerking suit, both staring at it.
Finally, I stopped, tapping the Omnitrix to run over to look at the armor as Jury Rigg. I inspected it with a critical eye. Everyone walked over to join me.
“It's... female?” Happy asked.
“Only for design purposes,” I admitted.
The suit I'd made was primarily red, but it had some sections of black that were running with green circuitry. It was tall but thinner than Tony or Rhodey's suits. The arc reactor rested in the chest, glowing blue, but as we watched, a thick piece of steel snapped over the arc reactor. The whole suit shrank into a more compact form, ready to attach to the wearer in a moment.
“Do you like it!?” I asked Pepper.
Everyone looked at her. She stared back uncomprehending, before realizing what was going on. “What?” She said, staring down at me.
“Do you like it?” I asked bashfully. “It should fit really well!”
“You made that for me?” Pepper looked around, shocked. “Whoa, no, I don't want armor! I'm not a superhero!”
“Huh?” I asked. “It's not to fight in! I mean, you can if you want, but I made it so you can fly!”
Pepper stilled at that. “Fly?”
“Yeah! It'll still protect you, but this way you can fly with Tony whenever you want!”
Seriously, why was I acting like this?
“Tony,” Pepper frowned at her boyfriend. “If this is because of you...”
“Hey, this is all him,” Tony said, waving at me. “I told him to make armor, I didn't expect... all this!” Pepper glared a moment longer. “Honest!”
She looked back at me. I sighed. “Don't you want to at least try? It's probably the best thing I've ever made.” Except for the dimensional viewer of course.
Pepper just huffed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I mean... look, I've had a hell of a day,” the last bit of her sentence was said very quietly, with a hint of sadness. “I'm just having trouble processing this.”
Tony rose up and walked over to her. They whispered fiercely for a moment, Happy joining in, then Bruce. The four spoke quickly, and eventually, I heard Natasha's voice, just barely, amongst the group, coming from Tony's comm unit.
After about five minutes of speaking to those she was closest too, Pepper turned to look at me. “So,” she said, still hesitant. “How do I put it on?”
“Just think about it, slowly,” I said.
“Think about it slowly?” Pepper asked. As she spoke a gauntlet rose from the floor. The red and black armor piece floated gently over to her as everyone watched. Pepper raised a hand and watched the gauntlet calmly move over to it, the armor pieces shifting to move around her fingers, wrist, and forearm. With a click, the final part of the gauntlet moved over her shoulder. She blinked at it. “Oh, wow. This doesn't feel like the last time. It's... almost nice.”
“Skye input the program to incorporate the medical data Bruce and Simmons put in,” I explained. “Okay, try the rest. But think, 'sloooooowly'.”
“That's important,” Tony said with a wince. “Seriously, you don't want a piece of armor flying into you in a sensitive spot.”
“Experience?” Skye asked mischievously.
“Shhh,” Pepper said, frowning. “I'm concentrating-ah!” She exclaimed in excitement when a leg of the armor flew over to her. She blinked, looking down at her dress. “Wait, what about my clothes, oh, nevermind.”
The leg moved around her heel, then over her hip, leaving the dress and shoe intact. The next leg did the same.
“I figured you might want to wear it on the fly,” I explained. “I just used an upgraded version of the technology Tony uses so he can wear a tuxedo under the suit.”
“I always wondered about that,” Bruce mumbled.
Pepper yelped in surprise when the chest plate attached, giggling slightly. “It's cold!”
Then the helmet rose up, floating over to her hands. She took it and raised the helmet to gaze into its eyes. She looked over at Tony, who looked proud enough to burst, and blushed. Something about seeing Tony and Pepper happy as they looked at each other made Jury Rigg grin as well.
Pepper raised the helmet up and lowered it over her head. The faceplate snapped down over her, and she looked around. “So... how do I look?” she asked in a slightly modified voice.
She was the tallest in the room now, towering over all of us. The red and black design of her suit gave a somber, impressive look. I'd chosen not to give her the boob plate that most comic book power suits for woman seemed to insist on, instead of making her chest plate with a series of interlocking plates for flexibility. Tony and Fitz had done well to make sure each piece fit smoothly.
“I... this may be the sexiest thing I've ever seen,” Tony said, uncaring of the looks everyone gave him. “How does it feel? Any issues?”
“I feel,” Pepper turned her hand over, watching her red and black fingers wiggle. “I feel powerful. It's like it's a part of me.”
I tapped my Omnitrix and became human again.
I grinned at Pepper. “Wanna take it for a spin?” I asked. “We can fly!”
“Um, is that safe?” She asked hesitantly.
“Jarvis, what can you tell us?” Tony asked. “Safe?”
“Ms. Potts is safe,” Jarvis said immediately. “While the method of it's making is unorthodox, the suit has no issues to worry about. I'd argue it has more to protect her from harm than even your latest suits, Mr. Stark.”
“Give me time,” Tony mumbled, clearly unworried. “Jarvis, send me the Mark 43.”
“On its way sir,” Jarvis' pronouncement was followed by the suit flying over before landing and walking over to Tony. Tony opened his arms wide and the suit opened to accept him.
“What do you say?” the faceplate on Tony's armor closed over his face. “Want to go for a test flight?”
Pepper looked over her hands. “Well, it's tempting...”
“Come on!” I shouted, running towards the balcony outside. The others followed. Pepper was moving very smoothly in her armor, and soon was striding with confidence.
We all stood together, Skye moving to watch with me as Tony began to guide Pepper in her first attempts at flight.
“So, when do I get a suit?” she asked with a grin.
I smirked at her. “Stick around. I'll even let you pick the color scheme.”
Skye's grin fell. “Seriously?”
“Seriously. You want a suit, I can make you one,” I looked down at the Omnitrix. “I've been holding back to long on what I can do. So has SHIELD. I think it's time we make real headway on changing the world. And part of that is giving it some sweet toys.”
Pepper yelped, bring our attention to her. She was laughing as Tony guided her to float with her rocket boots, using the hand repulsors to stabilize. Bruce shouted something to her, and Pepper laughed back as Fitz-Simmons watched, Happy worried but also smiling.
Soon, Tony and Pepper were rising up together.
“Come on baby bird, you got this,” Tony teased. “You can't tell me you haven't been jealous of me doing this.”
Pepper floated a little higher. “How can I be jealous when you've crashed every single time you've ever flown?”
“Any crash you can walk away from is a landing,” Tony said in response. “Hey, Fanboy! Let's go!”
“I'm needed elsewhere,” I gave Skye a grin. “Catch you later!”
I twisted the Omnitrix and leaped forward off the balcony as wings sprouted on my back.
“Astrodactyl!”
With a loud squawk, I flew to join them with a blast of green energy. Pepper, startled, backed away slightly.
“How many of those can you turn into?” She asked, her impassive facemask pointed at me.
“Who cares!?” Tony asked, spinning in the air. “Come on! Let's see New York in style!”
Pepper hesitantly followed, and I joined them.
It was slow going at first. Pepper went slowly, ungainly, trying to figure things out. Tony and I stayed with her, Tony taunting her slightly, yet somehow comforting her at the same time. We flew over to the west, moving slowly. But as time went on, Pepper began to speed up. She flew upwards, then slowly moved from side to side, mimicking Tony's movements. Soon, she was moving faster. We passed by buildings, people below pointing up and photographing us.
“How do you feel!?” I called out to her after a bit.
“This is amazing!” Pepper called back, laughing.
“Come on, let's pick up the pace!” Tony said, his repulsors lighting up before he shot forward, passing over Central Park.
Pepper wasn't as quick to simply boost forward, but soon she and Tony were flying as fast as they could. I watched the pair fly together, then went in my own direction. It was their time to enjoy.
Instead, I flew towards the Empire State Building to try something I'd done a few times. I soared to the top of the former tallest building in the world and pulled in my wings when I got to the spire. I landed against it, clenching my clawed feet and hands against it. With my powerful eyes, I could track Pepper and Tony flying through the city and watched them for a moment before looking around some more.
Then I saw a man on a street thousands of feet below, getting mugged by another guy. With a smile, I dived off the Empire State Building and fired my green rockets to blast towards the crime in progress.
It was funny. In many ways, I was right back where I'd started, in the middle of New York City, stopping muggings. But I was also a whole lot further ahead.
Changing in mid-air as I came up to the mugging, I howled my battlecry, laughing within at the sound and smell of the mugger's fear.
Then Wildmutt was pushing him to the ground, and it was business as usual from there.