Chapter 26: Birthday Present

[Third Person's PoV] 

Tony and Melissa were seen on an airplane back to Japan after they spent Melissa's 14th birthday party with their family.

Melissa was slightly pouty as she looked out the window, ignoring Tony. Tony, seeing how Melissa was ignoring him, rolled his eyes.

"Are you really that mad I didn't get you a birthday present?" Tony teased.

"Hmmph," she said, turning her head further away. "I would have been fine with even a birthday card," she muttered.

"There's a reason I haven't given you your present yet. It's back home," Tony continued to tease.

Melissa looked towards Tony in confusion. "What?"

"What is it?" Melissa asked curiously.

"Oh? Now you want to talk to me?"

Melissa just looked down as she pressed her fingers together. "It's just you didn't seem to care much about my birthday, so I was worried…"

Tony rolled his eyes before smirking and interrupting her sentence, "Just wait till we get back home, then we will see if I care enough."

Melissa nodded her head and kept trying to guess what Tony had gotten her. Tony just denied all her guesses until they landed.

It took them about an hour before they arrived back at his lab. "Come, follow me."

When they made it to the center of his underground lab, they found a large box wrapped in wrapping paper with a large red ribbon on it.

"What is it?" Melissa asked as she looked at the side.

"Why don't you open it?" Tony said as he sat down on his chair and spun around.

Melissa walked towards the large box, pulled on the ribbon, and moved out of the way as all four sides came down, revealing the inside of the box.

It was a beautiful blue Iron Man suit, clearly designed for a woman, specifically for Melissa.

(Image)

She looked at it with widened eyes and saw that there was a note taped to its chest where the Arc Reactor was.

She reached for it and read the front, "For Melissa Shield, Happy Birthday my little secretary, from the greatest mind this world has ever seen." She chuckled and scoffed, "You're even arrogant in your birthday card, typical."

She then opened it and read the letter inside, "I know you wanted to go to the tech department at U.A., but I think that is a waste of your potential. All Might had once said it as well, 'You have the heart of a hero,' so why not become one. Join the U.A. Hero course with me, since after all… Every Iron Man needs his Iron Maiden…"

Melissa looked towards Tony with quivering lips and teary eyes. "Tony… is this a proposal?"

"Huh?" Tony asked, taken aback by the question.

"If I didn't know any better, I would have thought you were proposing to me."

"What?"

"Especially this line here, 'Every Iron Man needs HIS Iron Maiden.'"

Tony started to stutter, taken aback by how she was interpreting it. "What I meant was… I didn't mean it like that…" Tony began to blush.

Melissa giggled as she went and wrapped her arms around Tony. "I'm only pulling your leg, Tony. Thank you."

Tony let out a sigh of relief. "Don't worry about it. So what do you think?"

Melissa wiped her tears before nodding her head. "Alright, I'll join you… I'll be your Iron Maiden," she said in a teasing tone.

"Please stop saying it like that," Tony said, still embarrassed.

Which caused Melissa to giggle.

"Why don't you try it on," Tony said, changing the subject.

Melissa nodded and walked towards the suit of armor. When she put a hand on the Arc Reactor, the suit opened up, exposing its inside to her, almost like an invitation.

Melissa put her back towards it, and the suit closed like a door. She heard some things locking and spinning into place before turning on.

She then heard Friday's voice, "Retinal scan complete. Welcome aboard, Melissa Shield. All systems are fully operational."

"Still as cool as the first day I put on your suit," Melissa said with a large smile as she examined her hands while opening and closing her fists.

Tony smiled as he watched Melissa enjoy herself. She turned her head towards him and said, "Come on, put on your suit. I don't want to fly alone."

Tony smirked as he put his index and thumb in his mouth and whistled.

Melissa watched as one of the cases with a red and silver Iron Man suit opened. Its eyes glowed to life, and it began walking toward Tony.

Tony spread his arms as he stood up and walked back. The suit mirrored his movements, opening its arms. The front of the suit then split open, ready for him.

With a fluid motion, Tony stepped into the suit. It closed around him, bolting shut with a series of clicks and whirrs. "Friday, open the window," Tony commanded.

The window leading to the beach outside slid upwards. Tony turned to Melissa, a playful grin on his face. "After you, my lady," he teased.

Melissa smirked and activated her thrusters. She soared out the window, her suit's systems humming with power. Tony followed close behind, his suit a blur of red and silver.

Once outside, Melissa's voice came through the comms. "What Mark is my suit, Tony?" A facetime screen popped up in her HUD, showing Tony's face.

"Yours is Mark 24. Mine's 23," Tony replied.

"Figures," Melissa said, good-naturedly.

They soared over the coastline, performing intricate maneuvers. Melissa tested her suit's weapons systems, firing repulsor blasts into the ocean. Tony demonstrated the suit's ability to withstand high-velocity impacts by diving into the water and rocketing back out with ease.

"Let's test the unibeam," Tony suggested. Melissa nodded, aiming at a distant rock formation. The suit's chest plate opened slightly, and a powerful beam of energy shot out, disintegrating the target.

"Wow, that packs a punch," Melissa said, impressed.

"Try the flares," Tony instructed. Melissa deployed a series of flares from her suit, watching as they ignited and spread out, creating a brilliant display of light. 

"These will come in handy against heat-seeking missiles," Tony explained. 

They flew higher, testing the suits' altitude capabilities. "Activate stealth mode," Tony commanded. Their suits shimmered, blending into the sky until they were nearly invisible. 

"This is incredible," Melissa whispered, admiring the camouflage effect.

Tony smiled through the HUD. "Just wait. Let's try the emergency medical protocols next."

Melissa simulated a critical system failure, watching as her suit immediately administered a painkiller and deployed a medical diagnostic display. "This could come in handy," she noted, impressed by the suit's emergency response capabilities.

"Alright, now for something fun," Tony said, deactivating stealth mode. "Engage combat training simulation." 

Their HUDs filled with virtual targets and obstacles. They weaved through the sky, taking down simulated drones and avoiding energy blasts. Melissa's movements became more fluid as she adjusted to the suit's responsiveness.

"How's your targeting system?" Tony asked.

"Spot on," Melissa replied, hitting every mark with precision. 

"Let's test the suit's AI interface," Tony suggested. "Friday, initiate tactical analysis."

Friday's voice came through both their comms. "Tactical analysis initiated. Assessing threats and providing optimal combat strategies."

Their HUDs displayed strategic overlays, highlighting potential threats and suggesting countermeasures. They followed the AI's guidance, executing maneuvers with precision.

As the sun began to set, they hovered above the ocean, their suits casting long shadows on the water below. "Thanks for this, Tony," Melissa said sincerely.

Tony smiled. "Anytime. Now, race you back to the lab?"

"You're on!" Melissa laughed, and with that, they both took off, streaking back toward the shore in a blur of blue and silver.

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