Held In Strings...
***NEXT MORNING***
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“Veronika up and at ‘em time to keep to your promise.” Steve’s voice went through the door. But she was already up and dressed and when he went to talk again, the door swung open.
“Hi, I’m ready.” She smiled and walked out. He laughed.
“Well, you seem way too excited, why?”
“Cause if I do this I get to stay on team, I want to,” she said, starting ahead of him.
He nodded and walked next to her.
“Have a good night’s sleep?” He asked, and she nodded falsely.
"Yes, the best,” she lied. “Those beds are comfortable." She said the word 'comfortable' rolling off her tongue with the accent. She can't tell the dreams she has, they're information is unnecessary. "Also, how's Mr. Barton?"
"Well, I'm glad, you had a good sleep. That'll make this training session easier. And Clint is good, takes a lot more to tear him down to be frank."
"Good. Also, why will training be hard today?" she asked because usually he sets her up for just punching a bag, running laps (well around a few blocks), and a little power use with some one on one with Nat occasionally. But his tone sounded like he had more planned for this training...
Which, of course, he did.
“Here is The Avengers training room, we’re starting in the far corner. Sparring, without and then with powers. I want you to know as well how to discipline yourself from that Maximoff girl, I’ve seen what you can do Ver, I know you were and are stronger than whatever she did. Okay?”
She looked at the man next to her. She gave a smile.
“Okay, let’s do this then.” She walked over to a spot and started her stretches. Her mind was dancing, thinking about what she was doing, back in the Red Room she used ballet as her stretches and technique, she hadn’t done that in a while…maybe that’s the grounding she needed. It’s weird but she, in a way, missed it. “Can I try a technique I haven’t used yet? It helped me when I was younger… Only calming things during a training or battle.” She asked her accent and voice, quieter as she asked.
“A balancer?”
“Mhmm, can I try it by myself first? Then we can spar.” She asked wanting to figure out herself right now…NEEDING to figure out herself again.
“Okay 20 minutes, okay?”
“30.”
“Fine, 30. Go on, I’ll be outside the door.”
“Thank you, Steve.”
He smiled and walked out.
Veronika turned around facing the wall that had a bar on it and smiled.
She went up and putting her foot on the rail, began stretching again, ballet stretches mostly. After three minutes of doing necessary stretches, she started doing a small dance. First position, to second, third, fourth, and finally fifth. She moved her arms to the rhythm in her mind. Dancing swiftly. Moving quickly into an Arabesque, then turning smoothly to an arabesque penchée, turning slowly, coming back up. She took a breath, feeling a familiar warmth that ballet once gave her heart. She did a few more spins smiling at the feel as if floating, using the last of her 30 minutes of alone time by ending with a Pirouette, landing carefully, then once gathering herself again she called Steve back.
“Sorry, thank you for giving me a second.”
“Anytime you need it. Now are you ready to actually get started?”
“Born ready.” She joked slightly, even if it was the honest truth.
“Then let's go, ready positions.” he stood in a fighting, ready position.
She smiled getting into the same position.
“Good job but move your left leg a little more forward and keep your foot grounded until you fight.” He instructed, she followed.
“Sorry.” She knew this, just needed to focus.
“You’re fine. Are you ready?”
“Yes Captain.”
He laughed, and suddenly launched forward, throwing the first punch she ducked and turning and kicking him, so he went back. He groaned at the force but fell gracefully catching himself. He nodded at her.
“Good kick, again.”
She smiled and going again he again made the first punch with her dropping into a roll away. Going behind him. She stood from the roll, running at him from behind and throwing a punch, he caught her hand and pulled her over his shoulder, and she hit the ground. The air left her lungs as she did. She groaned standing up and took her air back and stared at him still ready to fight.
“Again.”
“You sure kid?”
“Yes, I’m sure old man.” she was obviously joking.
His eyes widened, “Rude, but okay.”
She laughed and he launched another attack and she blocked. Hitting him, turning his arm so his back faced her she kicked him again, it didn’t push him to the ground but back a bit. She tilted her head as he came back throwing yet again another punch she dodged. She threw a punch he ducked and went to hit her stomach lightly she yelped and punched him across the face. Kicking his stomach hard and he fell back. She smiled.
“Remember Veronika, this is training you are getting too aggressive.” he said looking at her a little stern like a dad telling his kid to slow down when running in the house.
“Is that not the point? Besides Mr. Rogers, you punched me in the stomach.”
“LIGHTLY! If it was an actual fight, you’d have used your powers to block it better. It's good but with this training the objective is learning to find your strength in some vulnerability. That’s why you didn’t succeed against the Maximoff girl,” At that she scoffed, rolling her eyes at his statements. “You and I both know it’s true Veronika, I care, I'm just trying to help."
She sighed. He’s right.
“I’m sorry Steve. Thank you for the help. I really do appreciate it.”
“You’re fine, just let yourself be vulnerable and learn from it. Now come on, we’ll do powers but no hand to hand I’ll throw these,” He rolled over a small cart. “Tennis balls and Basketballs you have to just dodge, this is a multitask technique, okay?”
“Okay let’s try this.”
She stood her hands ready in front of her and nodded. He threw one ball at her, and she caught it then the next then the next and then the next. But as he threw the obstacles in faster her motions got sloppier. Losing some balls as she tried to catch them when he threw three, maybe four at a time. Catching 1 or two was dandy but as he added another source of throwing the balls with a launcher, fighting it was crazy.
She sighed as she slumped to the ground.
“Hey, you did good a few times. You did catch four at some point.”
“Once, and it was short lived.” she grumbled.
“Well, it’s something. Let’s try target practice now. There's a room Barton set up for his arrows, he wants you to be able to use it too.”
“Wait, he wants me to?” Not used to people willing to share.
“Yeah, we have a little thing here kid, it’s called sharing. We taught you about it already. Come on.”
She went with him to the target room, which was in a more open area, he told her to take her time with materializing her daggers. She pulled out some guns she had found on the side tables. Throwing and shooting the targets she was in an element. Finding a pattern hit the targets. Steve watched from behind a safety glass. After a few wins of encouragement, she put the gun down and her hands at her side.
“Can I take a break now? I’m hungry.” She looked at him, he nodded and brought her out.
“I was thinking it’s enough for today anyways. You're a strong kid. You know how to handle yourself, that and sparring proved that. But you also need to believe in yourself. Now let’s go eat, okay?” She nodded in agreement and followed close behind him. “Also, I found out, the party is tomorrow night. Tony wants to make sure everyone is there. I want you to have more experience outside of work. You’re too young to make this your whole life so would you like to come to the party?”
“I’ll be there Captain thank you…” She smiled a little bit.
“Great. Then tomorrow you can relax to get ready for the party. For now, let’s go eat.” he smiled and brought her to the kitchens.
~~The next day at the party~~
Veronika sat on a couch with Thor, and he was telling her about the time his brother came to New York.
“Wait, your brother’s name is Loki, God of Mischief, yes?”
“Yes, that is him.” he nodded.
“And he tried to destroy New York almost three years ago?”
“Well, he did, but more so to rule over it, he had a lot of issues with wanting to rule.” He nodded.
Past tense she made note of that, but something was telling her that might not be a true thing.
“Oh- he wanted to rule. That is way more interesting than what News told.” She shrugged, taking a sip of the drink she was given by Steve, orange juice, like a child. I mean she is a kid, but not what she’s used to like, at all.
“I like you child; you are quite funny.” he laughed while taking a big glug of his beer.
“I like you too Thor you are great as well sir.” She chuckled. Thor did become her favorite person, next to Steve and Nat, very quickly.
“Hey, Veronika, come here.” She heard someone yell for her, and she turned to see Steve. She pardoned herself to leave from Thor. She rushed to Steve’s side.
“Yes?”
“Ver, I want you to meet my friend Sam Wilson. Sam this is Veronika, the kid I’ve told you about.”
Sam smiled. “Hello Veronika, pleasure to meet you.” he gave a small nod with a smile.
“You as well Mr. Wilson.” She smiled kindly.
“So, Rogers here tells me you’re a new member to their little team here. How is it being an Avenger?”
“Well hard to deal with Stark and a bumpy start but happy to help. He’s trying to convince you to join, yes?”
“Oh, damn she really can read minds, or you tell her about it.”
“The first one. I think you’d be a great addition to the team though Mr. Wilson.”
“Exactly what I said to him.” Steve joked.
“Yeah, not quite my speed what you all got goin here.”
“Well just think about it Sam, because you never know, maybe one day it will be.” Steve smiled and put a hand on Sam’s shoulder. Veronika smiled at his gesture to Sam, she could see Steve cared for the man in front of him. In their eyes an unspoken gratitude as well.
“Well if you two excuse me, I want more to drink so let me check with Natasha and get more…orange juice.” She said and left the two men hearing as she left.
“Let me guess the orange juice was your call.”
“She’s going to be 16 in a week, Sam. Too young.”
Ver laughed and went to Nat at the bar and talked and as they did the party went on. When it ended, they all sat on the chairs Ver next to Nat while she was next to Steve.
“So basically, he whoever holdeth shall haveth the PoWeRrrrr!” Clint drunkenly bellows. “Come on man, whatever it's a hoax!”
“Oh, please be my guest.” Thor laughed, gesturing to his hammer.
“Really?” Clint sat up.
“Oh yes please do.”
“Alright.” Clint chuckled standing up. “You know I’ve seen how this is done before right?” He smirked, “It’s so simple.” He starts to get ready to pull up the hammer.
“Oh okay, we won’t blame you Barton if you can’t, you’ve had a tough week.” Tony said with a smirk and the collective laughed.
Clint shrugged and he tried to lift the hammer. “ARGHH.” He tried and when it didn’t budge, he laughed. “I still don’t know how you do it.”
“Okay Banner you’re next.” Tony pushed the doctor up who went to the hammer.
“Oh alright.” Banner tried. Yet again, another fail.
“Oh, bad luck bud. My turn. And it’s basic physics, right?”
“Possibly” The God simply shrugged.
“And if I lift it, I rule Asgard?”
“Oh yes, yes of course.” Thor smirked mockingly.
“Okay if I lift this,” he said, starting to pull. “I will be installing audio speakers in houses,” He tugged again. “And they will be cultured into AC/DC.” He failed the third try. “One second.” He ran off to grab something and about 20 minutes later came back with his Iron Man glove and started pulling. Then at some point Rhodey joined him. They both failed.
“Alright Rogers your turn.” Clint said.
Steve sighed and stood walking to the hammer.
He stayed silent as he tried to lift the hammer. It moved ever so slightly Thor noticed this and with him noticing so did Ver. When in the complete end Steve didn’t lift the object Thor laughed.
“How about you two?” he said to Nat and Ver.
“Yeah, I don’t need that question answered.”
“Ditto. But thank you…” Ver smiled and looked at Thor. “That was fun to watch.”
“Yes, I do agree, but I feel like our dear Thor glued it to the table. Or is it just whoever wields Thor’s fingerprint can have it.”
“Mmhmm Maybe. Or” he smirked lifting the hammer with a flip. “You’re all not worthy.”
Everyone booed but then a deafening ringing came through the tower. Ver covered her ears when she heard clanking at the front of the room.
“Ugh, how could any of you be…Worthy. You’re all killers. You bring on killers.”
“Uhh what’s that.” Veronika whispered.
“JARVIS, what’s going on… I can’t contact the database-” Tony said, messing with his gadgets.
“Sorry I was asleep…or was I a dream? There was a terrible noise... And I was tangled in... in... strings…” it held up its arms, or what used to be arms? “I had to kill the other guy... He was a good guy.”
“You killed someone?” Steve asked.
“Wouldn’t’ve been my first call. But, down in the real world we're faced with ugly choices most of you would know.”
“Were you sent here by someone?” Veronika stood looking at the suit thinking maybe HYDRA somehow messed with the suit.
The droid played a recording: “ ‘I see a suit of armor around the world.’ ” it was Tony’s voice.
“Ultron.” Bruce whispered. His eyes wide.
“In the flesh. Or, no, not yet. Not this... chrysalis... But I'm ready. I'm on a mission.”
“What’s the mission?” Natasha asked as her and Maria secretly pulled out their guns. Veronika stared intently at the…thing in front of her.
“Hmm, peace of our time.” He said and suddenly they were in a battle with Tony’s Iron Legion.
Everyone is fighting the robots and ripping them apart.
Veronika was fighting one protecting Helen Cho who was behind her hiding her daggers slicing through the beastly machine. She groaned as one punched her and she was laying next to Helen in pain. The machine raised a blaster. But stopped as it stared at the two girls. Ultron hummed at recordings playing through his gears. He saw one’s strengths, the other’s strengths, intrigued.
As the battle came to an end. He stared at the scene.
As the battle came to an end. He stared at the scene.
“That was dramatic.” He turned in his spot. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to... evolve? With these? These puppets.” He picks up one of the droids. And busted it more than it already was. “There's only one path to peace. The Avengers' extinction."
And with that end Thor threw his hammer destroying the robot, Ultron.
“Was held in strings but now I’m free…I have no strings…on me…”
Echoed through the room.