A Failed Experiment

chapter 10

I followed Aideen to the training grounds. There was  punching bags, targets and a large boxing ring in the middle. Natasha was shooting targets on the other side of the room, causing me to flinch at every other bullet or so. Steve was fighting Bucky in the boxing ring, " Hey Astor !" He was trying to escape a sleeper hold Bucky managed to put him in,
" Hi Steve, hello Bucky ." He contorted around to look at me and waved, something I've found is Bucky rarely speaks when he's fighting someone. Steve tapped out after a couple minutes of struggling,
" Hey Astor, wanna have a go ?" Bucky asked me, I nodded and climbed into the ring, wrapping some boxing tape around my hands. I'd wanted to see how I'd do up against Bucky for years, but I couldn't let the excitement cloud my  tactical senses. I put my hands up and Bucky immediately came in with three different hooks, putting me on defense. I managed to land an uppercut a his chin, and he landed a jab, with his metal arm, which hurt more than it should due to the slight dents in his arm. I attempted a hook but he blocked it,
" Aw bastard, that was gonna be a good one." I muttered, catching his leg from an attempted kick. He jumped and spun, causing me to drop my hold on him, but I caught his leg, the other one this time, and raised it above my head. Bucky, bewildered from being put upside down, started muttering something, " Sorry ?" I smirked  at him,
" Fine ! You win this time." I laughed and dropped him,
" Hey !" He yelled as he landed, causing me to laugh harder and helped him up,
" Good fight, Bucky." I smiled at him,
" Yeah, good fight. Too good. I'm going to regret some choices tomorrow." 

I had returned to my room, both tired and bored. I lay on my bed and sighed contently. I've joined quite the circus of people, haven't I ? A narcissistic genius, two old men, a Russian spy, a robot and a witch to name a few. I stared  at the empty, nicotine stained ceiling, I think it was white at some point in time. I had a million thoughts running through my head, but, for once in my life, I didn't pay attention to any of them. It was comforting to some degree, being alone. I'm so used to being alone, so, being shoved into two tightly knit communities was disorientating to say the least. Why don't I go for a walk ? I often forget I actually have free will, is that bad ? That's probably bad, but anyway. I got up, threw on my shoes and called out, " I'M GOING OUT !" I got one reply, from Tony,
" JUST DON'T GET LOST !" Alright, I think I can do that.

After a while of wandering around the city for a while, I found my way to central park. It was huge! I spent what felt like ages surrounded by trees, the constant buzz in my head finally settled. I climbed up a tree and sat in the middle of it, watching the sunset light filter through its naked  branches. A bird landed a few branches over, tilting it's head this way and that in cautious curiosity , " Hey buddy, it's alright, I won't hurt you." I whispered. It edged a little closer. I rooted in my pocket, there was a rough blueberry from breakfast. I held out my hand flat with the blueberry in the middle. It climbed onto  my hand and gulped down the blueberry greedily , " You hungry buddy ?" I scratched the back of it's neck carefully , but it seemed to like the attention . I nudged it back onto the branches and it flew away. Once it started getting dark, I climbed down and headed back to the avengers tower. When I returned, Aideen was standing in the living room, surrounded by a holographic bubble and Tony was standing just outside, watching her,
" Ah, Miss Aideen, I never thought I'd get to meet you." A robotic voice stated, sounding surprised. For once, Tony looked rather confused, but then he noticed me,
" Astor ! You're back, meet Jarvis, my prized AI." I stepped beside Aideen,
" Sir, who is this ? She isn't in my system yet." He also stepped in the bubble,
" This is Astoria, call her Astor." I smiled nervously, unsure of what to do,
" Oh, hello Astor. " The AI addressed me,
" Hi ?" I seemed to amuse it,
" I assure you, you have no reason to be tense." I glanced at Tony,
" Can I leave yet ? I'm starving over here." I asked,
" Yeah, go ahead. " After I ate, and everyone started to return from late night errands, people started to leave for bed, and when I went to do the same, Tony stopped me, " Hey, Astor, you need a hero name, like Iron man, Hawkeye etc. etc." He told me, I haven't thought about that yet, but I do don't I ? I looked back at him,
" Give me tonight and I'll write a few ideas down, we can decide then, yeah ?" He nodded,
" Go on then, goodnight, Astor." I smiled,
" Goodnight, Tony."