mcu - Ironheart

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### Chapter 1: The Legacy Within

The funeral was as grand as one would expect for a man like Tony Stark. The world's greatest minds, leaders, and heroes gathered to pay their respects, but to Sophia Stark, it all felt like a surreal blur. She stood beside her mother, Pepper Potts, and her younger sister, Morgan, watching as a holographic projection of her father's face flickered in the air, his voice echoing through the silent crowd.

Sophia's eyes were dry, not because she didn't feel the loss, but because she had already shed all her tears in the quiet of her own room. Her father had been everything to her—mentor, hero, and the unreachable standard she had spent her entire life trying to meet. Now, he was gone, and all that was left was the overwhelming burden of his legacy.

The service ended with polite applause, the crowd dispersing slowly as people exchanged whispered condolences. Sophia watched them go, feeling a strange sense of detachment, as if she were watching it all from behind a screen. She turned to her mother, who was speaking softly to Happy Hogan. Morgan clung to Pepper's hand, her eyes wide and innocent, unaware of the depth of loss around her.

"I'm going to the workshop," Sophia muttered, barely waiting for her mother's nod before slipping away.

The walk to the old Stark estate felt longer than usual. The halls were quiet, filled with echoes of memories she wasn't ready to face. As she reached the door to the workshop, she hesitated. This was where Tony Stark had spent most of his life, creating, innovating, and ultimately, sacrificing himself for the greater good. Stepping inside felt like trespassing on sacred ground.

Taking a deep breath, Sophia pushed the door open. The room was dim, filled with the scent of oil and metal, the workbenches still cluttered with tools and half-finished projects. Her father's presence lingered here, in the quiet hum of the machines, in the faint glow of the arc reactor that still powered the room. For a moment, she just stood there, letting the memories wash over her.

She walked slowly to the main workbench, running her fingers over the surface, now coated in a thin layer of dust. The holographic displays were dark, the tools neatly arranged as if waiting for their master to return. Her eyes were drawn to a small, locked drawer in the corner of the bench. She had seen her father open it many times, but he had never shown her what was inside.

Compelled by a mix of curiosity and longing, Sophia reached out and pressed her thumb against the biometric lock. To her surprise, the drawer clicked open. Inside, nestled among a few scattered papers, was a small metallic case. Her heart pounded as she lifted it out, feeling the weight of whatever was inside.

With trembling hands, she opened the case. Inside was a single vial filled with a shimmering blue liquid. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what it was—the Super Soldier Serum. The same serum that had transformed Steve Rogers into Captain America.

Sophia's mind raced. Why would her father have this? He had always been more focused on technology than biology. The vial was cool in her hand, and as she stared at it, she felt a strange pull. Her father had left this for her; she was sure of it. But why?

A memory surfaced, unbidden and strange. A scene from a life that wasn't hers—a man, sitting in a dimly lit room, surrounded by books and old movie posters. He was reading a comic, the story of Captain America. The man's face was unfamiliar, but the emotion—admiration, longing, a desire to be more than he was—resonated deeply within her.

Sophia shook her head, trying to dispel the memory, but it clung to her like a shadow. She looked back at the vial, the strange compulsion growing stronger. What if this was what her father intended? What if this was the key to understanding everything?

Without allowing herself to think too much, she grabbed a syringe from the nearby medical kit. Her hands were steady as she drew the serum into the syringe, though her mind was racing. Was this really the right thing to do? Could she handle what came next?

But beneath the doubt was a certainty she couldn't ignore. Tony Stark had always trusted her, believed in her potential. If he had left this for her, it was for a reason. And maybe, just maybe, it was the answer to the questions that had haunted her since his death.

She pressed the needle to her arm, taking one last deep breath before injecting the serum. The liquid was cold as it entered her bloodstream, spreading rapidly through her veins. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a wave of heat surged through her body, so intense that it forced her to her knees.

Sophia gasped, clutching the edge of the workbench as the heat turned into something else—energy, pure and overwhelming. Her vision blurred, the room spinning around her. She felt as if her mind was being pulled in a thousand directions at once, her thoughts splintering and reforming in rapid succession.

Flashes of memories, not her own, flooded her consciousness—scenes from movies, passages from books, moments of someone else's life. She saw the man again, older now, staring at a screen as the Avengers fought on the streets of New York. She felt his awe, his sorrow, his desire to be part of something greater. And she understood.

As the memories coalesced, so did something else—power, raw and untamed. The machines in the workshop began to hum and whir, responding to her presence. Tools lifted off the bench, suspended in the air as if awaiting her command. The arc reactor's light grew brighter, casting a pale blue glow across the room.

Sophia's mind cleared, the memories settling into place. She knew now that she wasn't just Tony Stark's daughter. She was more—someone with the knowledge of two lives, the abilities of a mutant, and the potential to become something extraordinary.

As she stood up, the tools gently lowering themselves back to the bench, Sophia felt a sense of purpose she hadn't known before. The serum had awakened more than just strength—it had awakened her true self. And whatever challenges lay ahead, she knew she was ready.

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