Chapter 6

The training room was huge. More like an entire level to itself. I looked around amazed. It had everything you could want.

"Ok. So who's going first?" Tony looked around the group.

Wanda laughed and spoke up. "I cheated and already went first before you all got to breakfast. She really took it well." She looked at me. "If I may, Ariane?"

I nodded, thinking I knew what she was going to say. I couldn't have been more wrong.

"She is adaptable and very open-minded and accepting. I think with all she has seen already in her life, nothing surprises her for long. She is strong, steady, and when she gives her trust she is fiercely loyal until she is betrayed. She is someone you desperately want for a friend but definitely don't want as an enemy. She is warm with a great capacity for love that even she doesn't know about, but she also can be cold and calculating if needed. She has a temper but keeps tight control over it. She will get the job done. She has strong ethics and will do what she feels is right, even if it goes against everyone else. She would give her life to save people that are innocent. But she would burn the world down to keep the people she loves safe." 

"She knows about pain and hurt but knows how to turn it off to focus on her job. She is scared to fully love but when she does, it will be an unstoppable force. Her life is about to change, and for the better. Here she will find family and acceptance for who she is and be valued for what she can do. She is special and we are very lucky that she is here with us."

I felt gobsmacked. Never had I had anyone describe me in such a way. I was always told to try harder and that I should be better, that I would never measure up or be good enough. That I would die alone and with no one who cares. And I was shocked at what she said next.

"Oh, and by the way gentlemen. She is destined to be the soulmate of one of you here. It will be a bond that will be unbreakable, the strongest soulmate bond we have ever seen. Yes, I know who, and no I'm not saying as that would ruin the fun for the rest of us. Especially as it seems she has caught the eye of several of you here." She gave Loki, Steve, and even Bucky a glance. "Although for the several that fall for her and are not her soulmate, you will have a deep bond as her dearest friends that she would die to protect. Not to say that she wouldn't come to do the same for all of us, you will just have a special place in her heart."

Seriously? Several? Soulmate? I started to feel a little panicked. 

"Umm.... thanks. Well, would someone else like to share what they do? Tony maybe?" I asked desperately, trying to change the subject.

Tony laughed. "Sure kid." He looked at everyone. "Let's keep it brief today since I want her to still rest some. We can go into more details as we train with her." He looked back at me. "I developed a metal exoskeleton suit that is armor plated, enhances strength, and endurance powered by an Arc Reactor core like the one in my chest here." He gestured at the glowing light. "I will tell you that story another time. The public call me Iron Man." 

With those words, a red metal suit began to cover his body. Once fully encased in the suit, he flew up and then proceeded to blast rays of energy, destroying some test dummies set up on the other side of the room and doing some ariel acrobatics before landing back in front of me. The suit began to disappear as I applauded. 

"Impressive! How durable is the metal?"

"Extremely durable. F.R.I.D.A.Y hooks into the processor in the suit to assist in keeping track of what is going on in the field and with vitals, communication, and damage control. Comes in handy. Cap? You next?"

Steve stepped forward.

"People call me Captain America." 

I lifted my brows at that moniker. "Pretentious much?"

He laughed. "Hey, I didn't come up with the name. I have been called America's Ass before."

"As in your actual ass or you are an ass?"

"My actual ass. It's a very nice ass and looks amazing in this suit don't you think?" 

I shook my head and laughed. "Wouldn't know. I don't notice asses too much unless they are acting like one. But I guess in retrospect it's a nice ass. I tend to watch the eyes and hands. Keeps you alive longer. So what's your special talent, oh great Captain America?"

"I was in an experiment where they tested me with a super-soldier serum. I went in an 80-pound weakling and came out like this. Stronger with endless energy, faster reflexes, and hard to hurt. My body operates at peak efficiency for speed, endurance, strength, agility and better reaction times. Basically, when I say I can do this all day, I mean it." He gave me a wink. I noticed Loki glaring at him. 

"That's... interesting. And since this seems to be something unusual, I assume the experiments didn't take off?"

"No. But that is also a long story for another day."

"Noted. Next?"

Natasha spoke up. "I was trained as an elite assassin with superior skills in infiltration and espionage. I am also an expert in martial arts and weapons skills. And call me Nat. We are gonna be girl buddies after all."

Clint spoke up next. "People call me Hawkeye. I am a Master archer and marksman, an expert tactician, acrobat, and master in hand-to-hand combat. I use a variety of trick arrows and I never miss."

"Well, you tried to shoot me once but that didn't work so well. I caught it if I remember correctly." Loki reminded him.

"That was what I had counted on. And why it was an exploding arrow. Knocked you out of the sky didn't it?"

"Yes, that it did."

"Hey, Bucky, why don't you go next," Steve said.

With a sigh, Bucky straightened off the wall. "I was a soldier with Steve back in the 40's. I am also a master of hand-to-hand combat and martial arts and weapons skill. Like Steve I have enhanced abilities. I was captured and brainwashed by an evil group to be a superior warrior. A killing machine called the Winter Soldier Also, I lost my arm and that same group that kidnapped me gave me this as a replacement. Even longer story for another time... maybe."

"Ok then. Umm, that leaves Bruce, Thor, and Loki. So, who's next?"

Bruce cleared his throat. "Well, I was exposed to some radiation and now I turn into a large green man when I get angry." 

I stared at him. "Seriously? That's all?"

Thor laughed. "A really big, strong, angry green man that likes to destroy things."

"You are oversimplifying it, Bruce. She is going to have to meet Hulk to understand. You said you have control of him now, right? So, Hulk up!" Tony told Bruce.

Bruce sighs. "Ok. But you are paying for any damage he does. And I don't want to hear any whining about it. Got it?

I watched confused as Bruce took a deep breath. He started to growl and started to gain in size. I went wide-eyed as he grew to two times the size of the tallest man here and four times as bulky as Thor. And green. Did I mention green?! As he reached full size his growl became a roar. He started to put some serious divots in the floor with his fists.