Iron Soul [2]

Chapter 20

"So why are you living with Steve?" Natasha asked. "I'm sure Tony could have some of SHIELD in New York."

"Dad got in trouble for child endangerment. It wasn't his fault when I got kidnapped, but they viewed the whole fighting and being hospitalized as his fault. So the social worker told me until it came to trial that I'd have to live with someone else. Dad trusted Steve with me. Steve's trying to lay low, but I'd have to be in DC."

Natasha nodded. The hot sun beat down on them as they continued their journey through the streets. The streets were bustling, but none of the crowd could answer the simple question: where is Kamar Taj?

Ada was ready to admit defeat, go back to Steve, and accept her new life. Her Stark stubbornness was not showing at that point, but what more could she do when she was searching for a place that the people who lived next to it didn't even know it existed?

"Natasha-" Ada started.

'You're looking for Kamar Taj?'

A voice startled Ada as she heard it come from behind her. She looked around for who spoke, but the only thing there was a street dog who looked up at her expectantly. She furrowed her brows as she knelt in front of it. She scratched behind its ears as she tried to ponder the strange voice.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Natasha.

"Hear what?" the red head stared worriedly at the girl. 

Ada was partly convinced she was loosing her mind when the voice spoke to her again. 

'Follow me.' 

The dog stood up and then turned as it walked back through the streets. Ada looked back at Natasha and shrugged as she followed after the canine. The dog wove through the crowds and darted from street to street. Eventually, she stopped in front of a building with a black door. It looked back at Ada and sat down. 

'This is Kamar Taj.'

Ada took a few hesitant steps forward and pushed open the door to the building.

"Ada, are you sure about this?" Natasha asked. "You just followed a dog to a random building. This could just be a set up." 

Ada looked down at the dog again only to find it already looking at her. She tilted her head to the side as she realized the pure insanity of it. She couldn't tell Natasha the dog spoke to her, then she'd surely end up in a psych ward and by hope of escaping her therapist would be gone. 

"If it's a set up, I'm looking at one of the greatest assassins in the world, and I have claws and fangs." 

She tried to convince herself that she was right and that this was what they had been looking for.

"What if you're wrong?"  

"We have nothing else," Ada opened the door wider and stepped in. 

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Ada and Natasha made their way through the building until they found a large room with a bald woman standing in the middle of it facing them.

"Adalene Stark," the woman noted. 

Ada stepped towards the woman as she tried to make sense of this place. 

"Ada," she corrected. "How do you know my name?" 

"I've been expecting you. You ask to alter your body. Why is that?" 

"I want my life back. Not the one I've been forced to live," Ada took a few more tentative steps towards the woman while Natasha stayed back. "Who are you?"

"I am the teacher of the students Kamar Taj. I am the Ancient One.  Can I interest you in some tea?" 

A cup was placed in her hand by one of the several other people in the room. 

"Um...yes, thank you," Ada smiled slightly as the Ancient One poured some tea into her cup. Natasha stayed by the door, simply observing the interaction. 

"You're very welcome. Is your friend always like this?" the Ancient One motioned towards Natasha. 

"She's just here to keep an eye on me." 

"So, you're here to correct the change on your body? Is that correct?" 

"Yes, actually. I read on an Eye of Agamotto? A relic that is said to alter age and time?" Ada asked. 

"That is correct. It is here. But what you don't realize is the threat its use has on time." 

There was a flash and then the Ancient One had a book in hand as she turned through the pages.

"If we're not careful, it could cause unstable dimensions and openings to occur."

Another flash occurred and then the Eye was around the Ancient One's neck.

"Wait, so just like you'll do what I want? No conditions or anything?" Ada spoke with concern. She honestly expected a much bigger fight to convince the woman. 

"As keeper of the time stone, I also know what must happen for the future to occur as it should. This is one of those events," the Ancient One explained.

Ada still looked skeptically at the woman. She gestured for Ada to take a seat in the middle of the room. Ada obeyed and sat with her legs folded. She nodded at the Ancient One. The Ancient One started to do several hand gestures, and the Eye opened up to reveal a glowing green stone.

"Wait," Natasha finally spoke up. "Ada, are you sure about this? We don't know what this can do to you."

Ada pondered over the question and looked up at the Ancient One. Her eyes darted back over to Natasha as she gave out her definitive answer, "I'm sure."

The Ancient One then continued to do several hand gestures and a green light started to emit from her hand in a pattern, until the light stemmed to create a glove on her right arm. She kept her hand faced away from Ada. She looked over at her and then with a slight smile brought her hand in front of Ada. She started to slightly turn her hand and that was when Ada started to feel the effects. It started out as a small ache in her bones, which progressed to excruciating shots of pain throughout her body. She let out a yell as she felt her claws and fangs grow in. The Ancient One dropped her hand, but Ada still felt the pain shooting through her. She looked over at Natasha. Natasha stood with wide eyes. Ada felt the room spin. Black fuzzed around her vision. She collapsed as her vision became nothing but black.

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A/N - IM SO SORRY. This probably sucked so bad. I knew what I wanted to do but wasn't quite sure how to get there. I wanted to get this update out, but please stick with me. I promise it will get better again.