Changing a Monster's Mind

Pepper Returns

•Three Days Later•No POV

"Wow, the place is actually in one piece for once. Did anything happen while I was gone that I need to know about?" Pepper drawled. Junie chuckled, "Ehhehe, Uncle Tony do you want to take this one?" Tony's eyes were wide as he backed up and said, "All you kiddo."

Junie rolled her eyes and returned her attention to her Aunt who was beginning to get impatient. Junie blurted out, "Uncle Tony made an evil AI from Loki's sharp stick thingie and he named himself Ultron and he wanted to destroy the world and he kinda wrecked the living room, which I had to clean up, and then the Avengers had to go and destroy his evil plan and now he's in my bedroom."

Pepper's eyes went wide at the last thing Junie said. She yelled, "Why the hell is Ultron in your bedroom?!" Junie chuckled and said, "I'm supposed to change his outlook on humanity by gaining each others trust? Hehheh...ehhh..." Pepper then turned her attention to Tony and growled, "You're going to get our niece hurt one day I swear." Tony raised his hands into the air in defeat and said, "I wasn't the one that accepted the mission, it was all her."

Just then Ultron walks in and makes Pepper jump sky high. Junie chuckles and turns to Ultron, "I told you to stay in my room until she calmed down." Ultron gave her an innocent look and said, "But I heard people screaming, I had to check." Junie smiled and turned her attention back to her freaked-out aunt.

Ultron and Junie had bonded quickly during the three days they spent with each other. Mostly they bonded over watching Disney movies, pretty much just Pinnochio, since that was Ultron's absolute favorite.

A while later Pepper started to calm down from her shock and act a little more normal. Junie and Ultron sat next to each other on the opposite couch of Pepper.

"Junie, your friends called me on my trip yesterday." Pepper said blandly. Junie looked up from her phone and asked, "What did they say?"

"Oh, they asked if they could have a sleepover here, if they could meet the Avengers, since your Iron Man's niece." Pepper smiled as she finished her sentence.

Junie grinned and said, "That's great! I would love for them to sleep over! But I don't know if the guys would want to be around a bunch of screaming girls. Trust me when Veronica gets ahold of the s'mores in the pantry she's going to go nuts."

Pepper chuckled, "Well, I'll have Tony ask the others if they would like to come have some drinks at the same time we let your friends sleep over...I just hope they won't mind Ultron joining you three."

Junie shook her head and said, "The girls love to meet new people. They are very welcoming." She turned to Ultron and smiled. He smiled back. Junie turned back to her aunt and asked, "What are we doing for dinner, Aunt Pep? I was thinking I could go down and get some pizza." Pepper nodded and answered, "Sure, you can go down and get some pizza, just let Tony come with you. I don't want you on the streets of New York all by yourself."

Junie frowned and said, "You know if someone came at me I would beat them down, Auntie. I wouldn't let anyone deceive me like before." The last thing she said seemed to deepen down her mood more. Pepper shook her head and sighed, "You know how I worry." She then turned and faced Tony, who was pouring himself a drink at the bar. Pepper yelled over, "Tony dear, go down with Junie and get some pizza's. I'll stay here." Tony looked up from his glass and said, "Alright."

Junie sighed as she got up, "Alright. Aunt Pep, do you just want a cheese pizza?" Pepper shook her head and said, "No. I've had a long day, I'm just going to sleep." Pepper then got up from the sofa and went to her bedroom. Junie turned to Ultron and asked, "Will you be alright while I'm gone?" Ultron shrugged and answered, "I would like to watch more movies...I'll find a movie for us to watch together while your gone." Junie nodded and said, "Make sure it's Disney!" And walked over to the elevator where Tony was waiting.

Junie waved to Ultron as the elevators doors closed and it began its descent downwards to the bottom level of the tower. Her and Tony stayed silent on the way to get the pizza, until they sat down in a booth to wait for the pizza to be ready. Tony sighed, "So...you and Ultron have gotten closer these past few days..."

Junie nodded and said, "Yea! Once you get to know him, he's really nice." Tony nodded before he asked, "Do you think of him as an ally? A...friend?" Junie froze. She didn't know how to answer. But she sighed, "I guess...more of an acquaintance...If I trusted him...I would think of him as a friend...hopefully a good friend."

Tony smiled and nodded. He grabbed one of Junie's hands and held it gently in his. He whispered, "I know it's been hard since that...boy did that terrible thing...but you know that I wouldn't let anyone do that to you again." Junie nodded as a tear fell down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away with her free hand before she smiled back at her uncle.

Their pizza was then ready and Junie was back in a good mood again. She basically grabbed the pizza and ran for the tower. Tony could barely keep up. Junie saw her uncle struggling, so she slowed down. Tony caught up to his niece and he clearly wasn't happy. Junie chuckled, "What, you can't keep up?" Tony laughed as he shook his head. They both re-entered the tower and returned to the penthouse.

Junie threw the pizza onto the table and grabbed a plate and a bottle of coke from the fridge. She slapped three slices of cheese pizza onto her plate and retreated to her room. Ultron was already laying on her bed with a remote in one of his servos. Junie greeted him with a smile while she set down her food and drink on her night stand.

She jumped up onto her bed and laid right next to Ultron. Junie looked up into his crimson optics and asked, "What movie are we watching tonight?"

Ultron smiled and answered, "I think you'll like this one. How about...The Haunted Mansion?"