Chapter 3: Flabbergasted

[Third Person's PoV] 

"I'm sorry to say, Mr. and Mrs. Stark, but your son is quirkless," the doctor said.

Howard and Maria Stark exchanged looks of disbelief. Maria covered her mouth in surprise.

"Shocker," Tony said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he sat between them.

The doctor glanced at Tony with surprise, expecting the boy to start crying, as most children did upon hearing they wouldn't develop a quirk.

"You were expecting this, Tony?" Howard asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"A bit, yeah. I mean, I've already been gifted with so much. If I was given any more, I'd be God's favorite child or something," Tony replied.

They all looked at him in confusion, causing him to roll his eyes again. "Come on, I'm like the cutest boy around, which means I have amazing good looks, I'm hella rich, and if people say that money can't buy happiness, it just means they're too poor to know. I have good parents, and not to mention the most amazing gift I do have… This." Tony pointed to his head.

Maria and Howard began to smile, understanding his point. His genius was a superpower in itself.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stark, I'm afraid your child is suffering from a mental breakdown and is using narcissism to cope," the doctor said.

"I'm not having a mental breakdown, you quack," Tony said, glaring at the doctor. "So, anyway, now that this is over with, can we go home? You two took me away from my research. Time is a precious resource, people!" He clapped his hands for emphasis.

"Wait, there's a reason why you're quirkless–" the doctor started to say, but Tony waved him off and stood up.

"Yeah, yeah, I already said why. When God was making me, he ran out of perk slots and couldn't add quirks. So, can we go now?" he asked his parents.

Howard and Maria chuckled at Tony's attitude and the shocked expression on the doctor's face.

"Yeah, we can go now," Howard said, standing up and shaking the doctor's hand in farewell.

As they arrived back at their limo, Maria still looked at Tony with concern. "Tony, are you sure you're alright?"

Tony grinned mischievously. Then, noticing their looks, he quickly changed his expression and pretended to cry. "Boohoo, whatever am I going to do? I don't have a quirk. Boohoo, the only way to make me feel better is if you buy me more things for my lab. Boohoo."

He peeked through his fingers to see their reactions. They stared back at him with straight faces.

"Wahhhh! I don't have any quirk! What am I going to do with my life… my life has no meaning without a quirk!" Tony continued his exaggerated performance.

Howard sighed. "Alright, Tony, we get it. We'll get you more stuff for your lab."

"Yes!" Tony pumped his fist triumphantly. Seeing his parents still looking at him seriously, he wiped the corners of his eyes. "I mean, *sniff* thank you, thank you, you guys are the best."

It didn't take long for them to arrive back home. As soon as they did, Tony rushed towards his lab. It had been a year since it was created, and it had become his sanctuary.

Tony sat down on a leather chair in front of a large monitor, his little fingers flying over the keyboard. "I think a whole year is well enough time. It's time to be born, F.R.I.D.A.Y."

"Let's run one final check and add the last piece of the coding…"

Tony sat in his sleek, glass-walled lab, surrounded by an array of monitors displaying streams of code and intricate schematics. His fingers danced over the keyboard with a blend of urgency and precision, the hum of the servers providing a rhythmic backdrop to his work. The room was dimly lit, save for the glow of the screens.

He leaned back in his chair, taking a moment to survey his progress. On the largest monitor, lines of complex algorithms scrolled rapidly, each one a testament to weeks of intense labor. His creation, an advanced AI designed to assist in his myriad projects, was nearly complete. Tony's eyes flickered with a mix of excitement and determination as he prepared to finalize his masterpiece.

"Let's run one final check and add the last piece of the coding," Tony said, his voice steady yet tinged with anticipation. He typed a series of commands, initiating a thorough systems diagnostic. The AI's interface began to pulse with a soft, blue light as the check commenced.

He watched intently as the diagnostic progressed, his mind racing through the possible scenarios. The screen displayed a comprehensive analysis of the AI's core functionalities: data processing, decision-making algorithms, and neural network integrations. Each section reported back with a green indicator, signaling all systems were optimal.

"Good," Tony muttered to himself, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. He took a deep breath, feeling a rush of adrenaline. This was it—the culmination of countless hours of work, the fusion of cutting-edge technology and his own genius.

Tony opened the final script, a dense block of code that would integrate the AI's autonomous learning capabilities. He carefully reviewed each line, ensuring there were no errors or redundancies. Satisfied, he typed the last command, his fingers moving with confident precision.

"Now, let's see if you're ready to come to life," Tony said softly, hitting the enter key. The room seemed to hold its breath as the code compiled and executed. The AI's interface glowed brighter, and the screens filled with dynamic data streams, indicating the AI was activating and initializing its processes.

For a moment, there was silence. Then, a calm, articulate voice filled the room. "Initialization complete. All systems are operational. How can I assist you, Tony?"

Tony couldn't help but grin. He had done it. His AI was alive, fully functional, and ready to take on the challenges he would throw its way. Leaning back in his chair, Tony allowed himself a brief moment of triumph. Then, unable to contain his excitement, he jumped up from his seat and started dancing around his lab, singing, "I did it, I did it, I-I-I did it!" He swung his arms out before rolling back again.

*Cough*

Tony did a slow turn and saw Jarvis standing by the door, looking at him with amusement. "Don't mind me, young master, I'm just clearing my throat. You can go back to what you were doing."

Tony stood there, a bit embarrassed, before shaking his head. He wasn't going to let that stop him from celebrating. "Hey Jarvis, guess what?"

Jarvis raised a brow, waiting for him to continue.

Tony pointed to himself with his thumbs. "Guess who has two thumbs and invented an AI?"

Tony shook his thumbs to himself as he flexed. "This guy!"

"F.R.I.D.A.Y, introduce yourself to Jarvis," Tony said smugly.

"Good afternoon, Edwin Jarvis. I am F.R.I.D.A.Y., Female Replacement Intelligent Digital Assistant Youth. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," a female robotic voice said.

"Ah… hello… Friday," Jarvis said, not knowing what to say since it had just used his full name.

Jarvis sighed. "Young master, you've really outdone yourself."

Tony continued to look smug. "I know, I know. Praise me more…"

"You are amazing, master. You are fantastic. You are phenomenal," F.R.I.D.A.Y. continued to praise in her robotic voice, making Tony puff his chest with pride.

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