[๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐ซ ๐ข๐ง ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ]
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ฐ.
๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฒ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ.]
Howard and Maria shared a questioning look : they could hear their dear butler's voice but weren't able to see him anywhere. Rhodes decided to help them a bit since they had missed a couple milestones in their daughter's life.
"Jarvis died a few months after both of you - heart attack". He pointed towards the screen where they could see Toni's workshop in all its glory. "She created an artificial intelligence soon after she came back from New Orleans and replicated Jarvis's speech pattern. And, well, Just A Rather Very Intelligent System was born. Until now, we thought he was her first born."
He shared a conspiracy look with his goddaughter (at least, if Hope accepted, but in what world was he not the godfather of his sister's kids?). Even though everybody was now aware of the truth, seeing her childlike smile was enough. It was almost like sitting with Toni when she had been a scrawny teenager at MIT and was being picked on by the older students. Well, regular college students actually. She was the midget.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: [๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐.] ๐'๐ฆ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง, ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐'๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ค๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐. [๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐.] ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ฅ๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ๐ฐ'๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐จ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ฒ, ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐.
Howard could not help but smile - it was clear the company was doing quite well and that his daughter's life was as calm as ever. He had trouble believing that she would run towards the fighting since he had previously established with her the importance of knowing your place. Antonia was too smart and sharp to be lost on meaningless endeavors such as SHIELD and their missions. Just the prospect of his daughter being involved in the organization he had helped create (to his despair) was enough to make him shake in his boots. His wife was just as worried as him, even if she decided not to display her emotions as freely as some of them. Instead, she kept throwing quick glances towards Hope, their granddaughter, who shared an uncanny resemblance to her mother when she was the same age. If she was not so well-behaved and shy, he would have mistaken her for "Toni" as she liked to be called. Unlike what he had predicted, the nickname had stuck (he seriously thought it was another phase to attract his attention, instead, it was Maria who had complained about the masculine misconception when you heard about the CEO heir of Stark Industries).
While the warmonger was in deep thoughts, the former Avengers team were sneering at the billionaire's behavior. "Hank was right, Starks know nothing of respect. You can't trust a Stark."
It was Mrs. Stark who heard him first and even though she tried to stir away from conflict as much as possible, she could not help but inquire more about the subject. "Oh, Hank has not changed then. How is Janet ? Last time I saw her, it was when Tony and Hope had a robot contest at home" lightly chuckled the blonde woman.
The "owner" of the Ant-Suit looked at her in disbelief. "You know the Pym family ?" he inquired. It was Howard's turn to get involved and offer them more explanation while huffing at his older rival for the trouble he must have given his daughter after his passing. "I knew the Van Dyne family, yes, that's for sure. Hank was just an unforeseen nuisance."
Rhodes looked at his father's best friend in complete shock and could not help but openly laugh. "You...Did you clone yourself and put your personality in Toni or something ? Because...it's creepy."
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข, ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง, ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐. ๐๐'๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ฒ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ค ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ. ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ? ๐๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ง๐จ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ข๐จ๐?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐ฆ, ๐ง๐จ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐๐จ๐ซ๐ก๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ญ๐จ๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐--
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐จ๐ญ "๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ " ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ง. ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐. ๐๐ฆ.. ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ค ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ฎ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ญ.
Wanda sneered at the screen. "See, people are dying around the world and she's flaunting her money for useless things."
Hope wanted to interject and get involved - after all, she was a Mikaelson and they defended their own. Even though her biological mother did not share the same name, she had been screwed over by Mikael just as much as any of them and it was through no fault of her own if she could not have made contact with her daughter. It was a tough pill to swallow, especially when you take into account that Iron Woman was always busy saving people somewhere on the globe. But the "Scarlet Witch" as she heard others call her, was hostile towards everything related to the Stark family, which made it Hope's issue to resolve.
Klaus had seemingly followed his daughter's train of thoughts and jumped at the occasion. "That's how she helps artists : Toni Stark buying your paintings is a sure way to make a name for yourself."
Elijah looked deep in thoughts, discovering a new facade of Toni Stark. He had heard of his brother's involvement with her, but never tried to understand how a human could have enraptured the feared Niklaus Mikaelson. Looking at the genius on the screen, it was easy to see how the hybrid got dazzled by her easy-going attitude.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐ค๐๐ฒ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ก...
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐. ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐, ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ, ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง...
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฒ'๐ซ๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐, ๐ฌ๐จ ๐'๐ฆ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐๐ฌ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ? ๐๐ก๐๐ญ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ, ๐ ๐๐จ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐'๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ฒ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ฒ?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ฌ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ. ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐๐๐ก. ๐๐ฌ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐? ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐๐๐ซ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ง๐ข๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ง๐?
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐ก, ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ง๐ข๐๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐๐ก.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ. ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ. ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฌ... ๐๐ค๐๐ฒ.
[๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ.]
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค : ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ, ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐ ๐ ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ง ๐.
๐๐๐๐๐๐ : ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฐ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ฉ, ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ.
Vision smiled at the screen - and he was not the only one. An older man that had been hid by the towering figures of most of the Avengers sniffed and garnered people's attention as well as their suspicion. It was only when the Stark couple focused on what was bothering everyone that the atmosphere felt lighter. "Oh my dear ! Jarvis, we had no idea you were here !"
At her proclamation, Clint rose on his feet and looked at the well-groomed "butler" if his uniform was right. "I was so overwhelmed by little Miss's kidnapping I could not be preoccupied by much else. My apologies Mr. Stark and Mrs. Stark." The archer furrowed his brows and shivered at the butler's voice - the same one as the Artificial Intelligence their former teammate loved. "Toni has never spoken about you. Who the hell are you?"
With a light chuckle (even though the pain in his eyes was as clear as day), the man walked towards his former employers. "Edwin Jarvis, nice to make your acquaintance. I am, well, was, the Stark family butler."
"You mean her father figure" interjected Rebekah. She had barely spoken since the movie had started. SHe still felt guilty - she should have known her friend would not leave her daughter without as much as an explanation and go back to her merry life of booze and sex. Instead, she had played right into other people's expectations and had let her judgment overpower her feelings concerning her sister-in-law.
Howard and his butler exchanged a look - they only needed a few seconds to communicate with each other. The deceased millionaire turned towards the 1000-year-old female vampire and smiled at her, turning on the Stark charm and offering her a smile to placate her. She was about to press the issue but shivered when the posture and the countenance was identical to her dear friend. Hope was silently watching their discussion while glancing at "Team Cap" with suspicion before finally getting enough bravado to inquire the Stones about her mother's whereabouts.
A yellow halo advanced towards her, seemingly floating before taking the form of the famous Loki, God of Mischief (Kol had a temper tantrum when he was forbidden to follow him with his plans to enslave the planet, thank god Davina knows how to deal with him. "I rather like this face. He was the first victim of the Mad Titan, tortured for years before finally answering to his whims and "conquering" Earth. And still, no one noticed his predicament, not even his brother" joked the yellow Stone under the hurtful gaze of Thor - but even the God of Thunder was aware he could not do anything against an entity as powerful and volatile as an Infinity Stone.
"Well met, Hope Klausdottir, I am the Mind Stone. To answer your question, your mother and a few others are in a form of limbo because of the physical and mental injuries they sustained. We are trying to stabilize them and pluck them from the right time period. Besides, this was the worst era for Antonia Stark, the Stone Guardian. We don't want her to relive it" explained "Mind" in a rare show of compassion towards the genius and her heir.
The tribrid took him at face value and faced the screen, watching how her mother skillfully drove. It surprised her to see the ease she felt behind the wheel since her own parents had died this way a few years prior.
[๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐ซ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ .]
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐. ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ: ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ข๐, ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ. [๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ค.] ๐ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ? [๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ญ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ซ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ.]
Even he was surprised with the venom in his own voice - and how he had somehow ignored the distressed and tired look of his best friend at the time. Now that he knew better, he understood her reluctance to create weapons this destructive. The problem was the precedent because they will always want more from her and one day, they would not give her the choice. HYDRA and the participation of "Thunderbolt" Ross had shown to the Army man that governments could not always be trusted and the chain of command could be screwed over easily if you had power and people who owed you favors.
He felt a pair of eyes fixing him - and meeting the heated and furious glare of the famous hybrid he had heard so much about (without his "furry" problem at the beginning, he had known that a few weeks earlier actually, just after he had woken up and his legs were working because she had given him vampire blood and kept him in observation for twenty-four hours to reduce the probability of him dying and turning into Count Dracula 2.0).
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ก๐๐ญ?
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ. ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ. ๐๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ. ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ง. ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฉ! ๐๐จ๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ!
[๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ญ.]
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ?
Bruce looked at the screen, smiling and a bit nostalgic. Toni was the youngest of their team - even though most of them seemed completely alright with leaving her with most of the work since they had deemed her the genius of the group. From the first time he had met on the SHIELD Helicarrier, he had felt a sort of kinship with the billionaire - and she was completely alright with his alter-ego. She was not even fazed by the Hulk and even with the threat of his transformation hanging over her head, she had made conversation and focused on his ability as a Doctor with multiple PhDs instead of the raging beast that could level cities. "So she was always prone to nicknames ?"
"They make people uncomfortable but she doesn't care how others feel. Typical of white Americans and Stark is the perfect embodiment of those values with her promiscuity and her habit to spend money on useless things" sneered Wanda, clearly raising many red flags (no pun intended).
"Let me get this right, it's not only Toni Stark you don't like, but our culture ?" asked Harley who had been mostly silent once he felt comfortable with Peter, his mentor's other protege. It had taken him two minutes to figure out he was the spangled vigilante roaming around New-York (and his reaction was wholesome enough that it burned a little bit of the ice around Harley's heart - he could understand why the Mechanic had almost adopted the damn kid. Well, his new brother if everything went well.)
Wanda was about to answer before she was interrupted by Natasha, the spy throwing her daggers with her eyes. She huffed and decided to huddle up closer to Steve - even though he was definitely colder after her little speech. She had thought his proclivity to hate governments and his disdain with Stark would help her with her attempts at manipulation.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ .
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ง, ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐๐ก.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐'๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐'๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐๐. ๐'๐ฆ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ, ๐จ๐ค๐๐ฒ?
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ #๐: ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ข๐ณ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐๐ง.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ข. ๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ก๐...
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ #๐: ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ?
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฌ๐๐ฅ๐, ๐ฌ๐จ ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ. ๐๐จ, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ข๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐๐... [๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ] ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐'๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐, ๐จ๐ค๐๐ฒ?
Klaus certainly did not enjoy the "friendship" between Rhodes and Toni - and even though she had tried to show him the depths of their quasi-familial relation, he had gotten jealous and spiteful. The fact that she was pregnant at the time which seemed ludicrous when he first heard about it had cemented his suspicion of an affair between them. The hybrid investigated and was delighted to learn he had been wrong. But the paranoia had not left him : and seeing the look of unease and heartbreak in his mate's eyes while her brother was chastising her was wrenching. He had been at the other side of the same stern reprimands (a few carnages do not count as an alarming situation in his mind).
"Everyone who has ever worked in close contact with Howard would share your grievances James" joked Maria Stark while looking at her daughter's best friend. "He could not manage a day without me around the manage him."
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ฒ! ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ค๐, ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ? ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ, ๐'๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ... ๐๐'๐ซ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐๐'๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ฆ๐ข ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ค๐.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐ซ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ค. ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐๐๐ฉ.
๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ #๐: ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐ค๐?
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ฌ, ๐ญ๐ฐ๐จ, ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฌ๐.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ. ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ-- ๐'๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ฒ.
[๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ง๐ค ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฆ.]
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐'๐ฆ ๐ญ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ. ๐๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ณ๐? ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ค!
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ? ๐'๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ. ๐'๐ฆ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ...
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ, ๐ง๐จ. ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ฆ๐! ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ'๐ซ๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐'๐ฆ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ๐? ๐ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ .
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐จ! ๐๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ! ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฆ๐! ๐๐'๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐.
Klaus knew Toni was not particularly attracted to women - but she always said that the feminine body was truly a work of art so he's not even surprised to see her ogling the dancing "troupe" that had accompanied them. "She can take me with her anywhere" chipped in Kol who had managed to make himself scarce while amassing information about this additional member of their family. He would not lie, after spending an eternity with his dull brothers and (bratty) capricious sister, the inventor was like a breath of fresh air.
"She never went all in for us like this," complained Clint.
"That's not professional Clint, you know that" berated him the super soldier. They had spent less than an hour in the same room and they were already enraptured by the enchantress that was Antonia Stark. Steve would not lie : from the first moment he had seen her, he had been hooked on her. Still, he did not appreciate some facettes of her personality so he took it upon himself to help Howard's daughter and attempt to "fix her". He knew his friend would be grateful for his intervention : after all, the genius inventor had spent countless millions and hundreds of hours searching the Arctic to find him. That's loyalty ; something Toni does not share with her father.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ.
๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ: ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ซ. ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค. ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ค๐ฌ.
They all watch as Antonia "Toni" Stark does what she does best : turn on the charm and dazzle those around her. It's almost jarring for the people that do not know her to see her change into a relaxed and regal smile, instead of the troubled facial expression she had a few seconds earlier. Natasha furrowed her brows at the scene - she had profiled the billionaire herself and nothing could have led her to believe the woman had any type of coping mechanisms nor that her ease at selling dangerous weapons was a facade. She filed the information for later and scanned the room, noticing the brunette teenager throwing angry glares at Wanda.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐? ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ, ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ๐จ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ก? ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐, ๐ ๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฃ๐๐ฐ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค ๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ' ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ง๐. ๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฉ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐๐๐ก๐ง๐จ๐ฅ๐จ๐ ๐ฒ. ๐๐ก๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ง๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐. ๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐. ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐๐. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ. ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐จ ๐๐๐ซ. ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐ญ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ง, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ง'๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฌ. [๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ฅ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ก๐๐.] ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ก๐จ. [๐๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐จ๐๐]
The rest of the room was completely silent, even Fury did not know how to react to the scene in front of him. They were aware of the capacity and strength of her inventions but from the moment they had met Toni, she was entirely focused on fixing her mistakes and green energy for the sake of their planet. They had never encountered the famous "Merchant of Death" - and even the Mikaelson shivered at the intensity of the explosion on the screen. The only ones that seemed delighted by the range of destruction were the Stark couple who were exchanging theories on how she had managed to create such precise explosives.
"I knew she was...talented and that she would take the company to new heights. It's reassuring to know that my mission to protect my country has transcended my own existence."
Steve was the first one surprised by his friend's words but especially at his expression of pride and longing. "You're proud of...of this ? She's no better than HYDRA if that's what she creates" protested Captain America with his usual tone of voice while Wanda and Clint heartily agreed with him.
Rhodes could not help but laugh, as if mocking him. Before anything escalated, Sam Wilson decided to add his grain of salt. "Without Stark Industries, the United States would have lost countless wars and territories around the world. They saved American soldier lives. You have to remember that Toni's a civilian who has been raised for this role."
"She made her first bomb at six" proudly informed Howard before noticing the looks of horror he was receiving. "Did I say something wrong?"
"You mean...that making weapons was literally her childhood hobby?" asked Rhodes, a little bit horrified after this information. He had heard from his "sister" that she had been practically groomed to become the next warmonger, but he had never understood the depths of her words. A child has a maniable brain : when you make him think that engineering dangerous weapons are akin to protecting her own country, no wonder she continued on the same path.
"Well, of course. She did not want to inherit S.I, but you were military and it convinced her to work towards the company and create better weapons" added the famous socialite. Rhodes felt almost sick at the news ; Toni was the type of individual to blame herself for every mistake made in the world and if he had been hurt on the field, she would have blamed herself.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: [๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐จ๐ก๐จ๐ฅ]๐'๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐. ๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐! [๐๐จ๐ง๐ข'๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐ก๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ .]
๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐: [๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ญ] ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ข๐, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ?
๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐: ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ. ๐๐จ๐ฐ'๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ ๐จ?
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ญ ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ. ๐๐จ๐จ๐ค๐ฌ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐ ๐ข๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ ๐จ๐ง๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐ก๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ.
๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐: ๐๐๐ฒ! ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐จ, ๐ฆ๐ฒ ๐ ๐ข๐ซ๐ฅ! ๐ ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ - ๐ง๐จ ๐ฆ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐๐. ๐'๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ, ๐ฒ๐๐๐ก?
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฌ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ?
๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ก ๐๐ญ๐๐ง๐: ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ, ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข. [๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐ฌ ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฅ๐.]
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐๐ฒ, ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข. [๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข'๐ฌ ๐ข๐ง.]
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐'๐ฆ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ "๐๐ฎ๐ง-๐ฏ๐๐." ๐๐ก๐ "๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ-๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ-๐ฏ๐๐" ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐.
๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฌ: ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐.
๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ค: ๐๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ๐.
Scott cringed a little bit after hearing their conversation : he would have never let anyone speak to his own daughter this way. He had heard a lot about Stane and his loyalty to the Starks, how he had handled the company after their CEO was busy traipsing around the globe and only bothering to send the bare minimum to her office. He had empathized with the man, but in hindsight, he wondered if Stane was the reason why she stayed away. With a quick glance at the other side of the room, he was met with a confused look on Howard's face and a curious Maria.
"I have...never judged her for her sex. I was actually glad I had a daughter and not a son" explained a mortified inventor. "Did she really think that?"
It was Fury's turn to intervene in order to bring order to the room and watch more about her time in captivity. "Stane was a bastard who groomed your daughter into being complacent, pushing her to drink in order to drown her sorrows over your death and cut all ties with her formed friend. Turning her against you was the least of his offenses." Barnes had stayed silent but had to learn more about the famous Stark that held her power with an iron fist. "Was ?"
The one-eyed spy smiled - and if that was not enough to break everyone's brain, he had to talk and stun them even more. "Peggy Carter taught her something important : it's not paranoia if they're really out to get you. You learn not to let your enemies live and plot against you." The entire "Captain America Team" was surprised to learn Toni had any type of relation with the former SHIELD Director and flame of Rogers. "SHIELD belongs to her after all, she's the last one eligible to take it over."
[๐๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐๐ค ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฑ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ . ๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ฐ๐๐ค๐๐ฌ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐, ๐ฅ๐๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ฎ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ค ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ, ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ซ๐๐ฌ.]
๐๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐๐ง: ๐ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ง'๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ.
[๐๐จ๐ง๐ข ๐ซ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ณ๐๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐'๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฒ. ๐๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฒ.]
Hope had seen her fair share of violence : she had never begrudged their family for what they had to do in order to survive because she understood their vow better than most. Always & Forever is more than a promise and she intends to make right by the Mikaelson's decision to stay together through hell and high water.
Learning she was actually Toni Stark's daughter and that she had been forced to abandon her had shook her to her core and the only way she could cope was to extend the vow to the woman who had given birth to her and had wanted to keep her, even though she had a clear aversion for motherhood. Hope's life would have been completely different : she would have had threats after her since she was a Stark, but the supernatural life would have seemed impossible if she was raised by someone so adamant about "everything has a scientific explanation". Seeing her writhing in pain because of a terrorist group (didn't her "Uncle Rhodey" say their location was completely secure?) was enough to awaken her instinct and let escape a growl of indignation. At the same moment, she met her grandparent's eyes and braced herself for their disgust and fear. Instead, Howard (Pops soon) decided to tear his concentration from the screen and almost jump in excitement.
"See Maria, every generation of Starks surpasses our expectations" whispered the old inventor while receiving looks of complete bewilderment from the Mikaelsons.
They were not even afraid of her... Instead of musing about the implications, she focused on the green monster that decided to make his apparition. "TIN GIRL HURT. BAD MAN TOUCH TIN GIRL HEART." Before he could make any type of carnage in their beloved Abattoir, the teenager vamp-sped and subdued the beast with a few punches. She was about to regain her seat and let Dr. Banner recuperates when she meets the consterned looks from the room.
"What? You've never seen a sixteen-year-old punch the Hulk?" she joked. "Happens every Sunday around here."
"Did Stark experiment on you young lady?" asked Rogers while gripping her arm. He was not hurting her, but she did not appreciate the gesture nor his familiarity with her. Besides, he was keen on criticizing her mother at every turn and she was not about to give him any type of leverage on him. "It's genetic douchebag" retorted Hope.
Klaus interrupted their confrontation by finishing his drink, breaking the glass with his hands (leaving everyone stunned at the speed of his healing) and threw the shards at the Captain. "That will teach you to touch my daughter without her explicit consent, bloody wanker."
That was the moment Banner decided to make his apparition - looking warily at Hope and the rest of her family (but still, pleasantly surprised that there were people on Earth who could actually stop him on going on a rampage, little did he know they would rather follow him).
"Can we just talk about the fact she's awake during the surgery while they were...touching her heart with their bare hands?" he passionately asked before puking on the floor.