The Avengers new member

chpt 5

I sat on the stairs watching Tony set up his robots of varies sizes and designs. He and Natasha decided to use a few dozen of his robots to test my skills, but would start out easy and get harder as I went along. I was nervous though, I don't fight much, and wasn't a fan of it, but mostly didn't want to make a fool out of myself.

They were a team of heros, I was just a simple scientist who had a simple mutation from an accident. I could never really be one of them, they were legends. Two secret agents with mad fighting skills, a brilliant scientist who could grow in size, a super solider who fought in WW II, a millionaire with a robot suit, and a alien prince with the power to control lightning with his hammer. I could never match up to them.

I wrung my hands nervously, unsure if I could do this. Suddenly I felt a cold damp nose poke me arm from behind and realize that Fang was sitting behind me. I smiled a little petting him gently, they could always make me smile. I picked him up and held him close to my chest, "You'll do great, Auntie Ember," he barked. I smiled, "Thanks, but your still sitting out of this one."

"Ahhh, fine. But I know I can fight just as well as you," he whined in annoyance. I chuckled at the pup's comment as I placed him on the bottom of the stairs, standing up. "Well, that should do it. Natasha and I are all set on the robots and she brought you a staff for you to use for practice until you get yours made," Tony said excitedly. I nodded, taking the steel staff Natasha held out to me. I silently twirled it around, feeling its slight weight.

I took a deep breathe, "OK let's do this, alright?" I walked towards the make shift arena they build, easily jumping over the ropes. It was a large space with a few short octagon shapped tables standing randomly around the room. Snowpaw barked beside me, "I'm ready, you?" I nodded in agreement, "Tony we're ready." "OK, well let's start you girls out on easy, so you don't break a nail or whatever," Tony said from the other side of the rope fence as he pressed a few buttons on a console.

I smirked nervously, break a nail? Seriously? I'm not a prissy teenager. I thought to myself. I stood ready, watching as a door opened on the far side of the wall and out came robots of various shades of gray and sizes emerged. Once out they quickly spread out, some flying others running, and began to attack. I breathed out and sprinted forward at the nearest robot.

I quickly swung my staff at the legs of the robot, knocking it over, and allowing Snowpaw to snap the circuits inside its neck. As I stepped aside I ducked as a robot flew directly over head, trying to tackle me down. I then grabbed another one nearby an threw it across the arena at the robot that just flew overhead. I smiled as they fell into a messy pile of parts.

Suddenly I was tackled by a robot who knocked the air out of my lungs from the impact. I clawed at the robot's face, trying to shove it off, but it only grabbed me around the neck an started to strangle me. I squeaked out to Snowpaw, but then noticed she was too busy with a huge robot blocking her way. I finally managed to kick it off and pulled the circuits out of the throat. I sat up coughing, as I heard a high pitched click then many thuds as the robots began to shut down.

"Are you alright, Ember?" I heard a voice shout as the others ran over. I nodded in response, not trusting my voice. Suddenly I felt a pair of large cool hands gently touch my face. I turned my attention to Bruce, who somehow out ran the rest of the team to my side. "It looks like it only bruised your jugular, but I think we should check it in the clinic just in case," he said as he examined my throat. I blushed slightly as I realized he was still holding my face. "Why were your robots so f'ing hostile, Tony?" Natasha asked in a accusing tone.

"I don't know, red. I programmed only to spar, not to kill," he replied as he jogged off to check the robots programs. Steve squat beside me an asked, "You alright, miss?" "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little spooked from being chocked by a robot, but I would be a little better if you just called me Ember" I replied hoarsely, turning my head to him. He smiled slightly with a chuckle an nod.

Bruce stood up offering me his hand, which I took, an stood up also. He quickly let go of my hand, an rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He silently lead the way to the clinic, a slight blush on his face.

___________

I sat on a examination table as Bruce examined a xray of my throat with Tony. After a few minutes Tony walked over with a small smile, "the xray doesn't show any damage, but you should still take it easy on any shouting or fast head movement." I rolled my eyes, "Great," I said with a groan, hiding my face in my hands. "What's wrong, Ember? Your alright, no serious injury," Bruce asked with a concerned voice.

"You mean besides the fact that I embarrassed myself in front of the biggest superheros of the world," I said not raising my head at all. I heard Bruce and Tony chuckle, which caused my ears to rise along with my head, "Its not funny," I glared.

"Just because we've saved the world multiple times from aliens, terrests, and crazy people doesn't mean we are anything special. Of course I'm a billionaire genius though, but still human," he said as he sat beside me with a flirty smile.

Bruce chuckled, "Tony means that we are just people who used our skills, abilities, and well mutations to protect other people. We are no better then other people." I smiled slightly, "Thanks, but I still feel humiliated." Tony chuckled as he walked to a computer screen, analyzing the information.

"Did you find out why your robots went crazy, like I was a Quarian and it was a hostile geth?" I asked rubbing my sore muscles. Bruce raised a eyebrow in confusion. I chuckled an explained, "its a video game analogy, my younger brother got me into a game called Mass Effect a few years ago."

"Never took you as the gamer type, Wolfie, and almost but its a bit confusing. It almost looks like my programming was hacked into, but the way it is changed is so it only attacks certain people," Tony said as he examined his screen. This caused me to raise a eyebrow, "I don't remember having any one want to hurt me, not with that type of computer skills anyway," I stated.

"Maybe its just a copy an paste glitch when you programmed the robots," Bruce said as he pushed his glasses up. Tony shook his head, "No, these robots were all programmed to only disarm, not to kill people." I shrugged, "I'm fine, don't worry. Only my pride is majorly wounded really." Tony only shook his head as he left the room to investigate the programming by himself, leaving Bruce and I alone.

I look down at my feet, unsure what to say. I remember the look in Bruce's eyes when he ran to my side to examine my injuries, they held panic. His touch felt warm an calming against my sore red throat.

Bruce clears his throat nervously, "I'm glad your alright, I was- I mean we were, worried that those stupid robots would harm you." I smiled trying not to blush, "I'm fine. You don't have to worry, really. I heal quickly, so it will be fine by later tonight."

He nodded, "OK, good." I nodded and sat there in akward silence. After a few minutes I stood up, "Well, I should probably head home," I swiftly grabbed my sweatshirt an walked out the door. I walked down the hallway, to the elevator and pressed the button. My ears perked to the sound of fast footsteps from Bruce, causing me to turn. "Ember, could I ask you a question?" He asked once he caught up with me. "You just asked one, but I'm sure you ment a different question," I answered with a smirk as I stepped into the elevator that just arrived.

Bruce chuckled nervously at my remark as he followed into the large elevator. "Main floor please, Jarvik," I said as I waited for Bruce to ask. He scratched the back of his neck nervously as his eyes scanned the floor, as if searching for something. After a few minutes he finally asked, "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out sometime, maybe go to a restaurant or something."

I couldn't help the full blown grin that appeared across my face. "Sure, sounds like fun," I answered. He finally met my gaze an grinned, "OK, umm how about tonight? Your choice on were to go." I nodded, "Alright, text me where and when." The elevator suddenly came to a gentle stop, an opened to the main floor. I smiled shyly at him and walked out of the elevator towards Firefang an Snowpaw, "see you then."