How it all began ...
Chapter 1: How it all began ...
We all have these moments where we question our life, why we do what we do and how we got into it. Lately, I had a lot of these moments. Like right now, kneeling in a gobble of green goo surrounded by giant pink bunnies.
It all began with Capsicle.
2 months prior
The day began pretty good for Toni. She had put up an all-nighter in the workshop, again, and managed to finish five projects for SI. The board wanted to keep up with the competition and wants to release like a dozen projects at once. Doesn’t matter if their boss suffers from it. Now, all she wanted were several cups of coffee (nothing against DUM-E’s smoothies, but no), go back down to the shop and then take a short nap. In that order.
But as always, someone thought it was a good idea to interrupt her plans.
And that someone was Steven Grant Rogers.
As Toni entered the kitchen, she was hoping for a hot, freshly brewed cup of coffee. But when she walked through the door, she was immediately confronted with Steve’s ‘Captain-America-is-disappointed-in-you-face’.
“Toni, when was the last time you slept?” It was kind of a rhetorical question. Everyone knew about Toni’s sleeping schedule.
Steve took a look at the girl and could only shake his head. The genius looked like hell, like she was about to faint any minute. She had huge bags under her eyes and was barely able to stand straight. Steve wondered how she was even able to walk.
“A good morning to you, too, Spangles. It’s nice to see you, but how about you stay out of my life?” She wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. At least not before coffee number three. She decided to ignore him. She made a beeline for the coffee machine and poured herself a cup just to down it in one go.
“I normally try to, but you look like you are about to faint any second. Not to mention that you probably haven’t eaten in days!” How could this woman run a multi-billion-dollar company but on the same side is unable to take care of herself?
Okay, Toni thought, make that five coffees. She was about to get another cup when her phone started to ring.
A message from Pepper.
~ Board meeting in two hours. If you don’t come I will make you! >:( ~
Oh oh. Angry smiley. Pepper never uses smileys unless she really wants to underline a point. Like right now. She probably already planned Toni’s upcoming death.
Great, as if her morning couldn’t get worse. Board-meeting. Just the thought made Toni being bored out of her mind. Meetings in general are tedious, but when the board is present, they are even worse. These guys just don’t care about anything accept money. And the public opinion of the company - hence money. Doesn’t matter if Toni has like a dozen jobs or that she wants to bring products on the market that don’t fail.
“Toni, are you even listening to me?” While he was waiting for an answer, Steve saw this look in Toni’s eyes. The look that means she’s thinking about anything but the matter at hand. He really started to get frustrated.
“Come on Cap, what is your problem? “Toni asked. She just wanted this morning to end. And there is only one way. It is time to piss Tightpants off.
“My problem is that you don’t want to listen! “
“Maybe I don’t want to listen because you don’t say things worth listening to. “
“Not worth list- it’s about the well-being of the team, Toni! I am the Captain and I have to be sure that we can count on you when it’s necessary. “
“I have a meeting now, oh mighty Captain, so if there isn’t anything worthwhile for you to add, I am off. “
“TONI! “
“Bye! “With that she grabbed another coffee and snuck into the elevator.
So, how did that led to giant pink balls of fluff, you ask? Well …
While Steve still tried to comprehend what just happened, Bruce and Natasha walked into the kitchen. “Unbelievable. That woman is simply unbelievable. How can she walk off like that? “he mumbled while making breakfast. Both could just sigh. It was always like that. Every day, Toni and Steve would bicker about something. No matter how minor it is. All of them were used to it by now. The team didn’t even try to be annoyed anymore.
“Steve, give her some slack. She does have a lot of responsibilities. “Bruce answered. He wasn’t looking forward to more fighting and yelling from these two. Especially in the morning. Can’t they just talk about things like normal people? “I know that she has a lot to do but it is necessary that she has her priorities right. As hard as it is to admit it, we need her on the field. “
Natasha became pretty good friends with Toni after she apologized for the ‘Iron Woman, yes. Toni Stark, not recommended’-stuff. She won’t have Steve talking about one of her friends like she’s something you have to tolerate. ‘“Maybe you should calm down first before you say more stupid things. You know Toni will be there when we need her. You’re just frustrated because she defies you whenever she can. Go for a run, punch the hell out of one of your punching bags. “She suggested. “And you should really watch what you’re saying.”
That was, when the Avengers-alarm went off. J.A.R.V.I.S. put on the holo-screens. Apparently, some kids had too much free time and let a bunch of pink bunnies loose.
“Toni just went out and now the alarm. What did you say about her always being there?” It was a wonder that Steve was able to get even more annoyed.
Bruce just gave Steve a look. As if Toni wouldn’t use any chance to get out of a meeting.
“Never mind. Natasha, get Clint. Suit up in fifteen minutes. Bruce, I don’t think this is a Code Green, but be on call.”
With that they went on getting everything ready.
‘That idiot of Capsicle! Did his time in ice burnt out all off his brain cells? That guy is in no way the man Aunt Peggy told me stories about.’ Toni was furious. Not only did she had to endure one of Rogers speeches, nooo, she had a board meeting now.
She didn’t want to go but Pepper would have her if she blew it off. Toni did not think a Louboutin heel sticking out of her head would suit her.
As expected, the meeting was tedious. And we’re talking here about the first five minutes. There’s no way this could get any better. All the board did was nag at her for taking so much time. Toni actually had the, though fleeting, thought that she rather get yelled at by Spangles.
So, she tried to figure a way out of this, while also telling the board to fuck up and ‘yes, I am a woman but also smarter than you and even more capable to run this company than all of you old geezers combined’. But for some reason even pissing of the board didn’t managed to lift her mood.
That’s when the alarm in her phone went off and J.A.R.V.I.S. send her a text about the situation. Was it bad that she silently thanked New York for getting attacked?
“Well, gentleman, as captivating as it is, there’s an emergency. I am deeply sorry, but I have to go.’’
Toni left the room and told J.A.R.V.I.S to send her a suit.
As soon as it arrived, she stepped in it and took off.