Chapter 8) – Lights Out

Now that Mara had comfortably suited up, and was strengthened to an absurd degree. We took our first proper look at Whiplash's face, re-confirming that the current universe was identical to the movie universe Mara was familiar to. As always seems to be the case recently, she was correct, again. The man in front of us, appearing to be in his 50s, encased within a metallic torso harness, interwoven with various wires throughout, was indeed an exact replica of the Whiplash from the movie she knew. 

He had straight, greying black, hair that stopped at the base of his neck. A pencil style moustache above his lips and a goat patch on his chin, both of which were also greying from their apparent natural black. Even though his facial features matched a human age of 50, his body was packed with muscle rarely seen on someone of his advanced age. What was exposed of his tanned skin was covered in various tattoo's, too faded with the passage of time to be legible. From his waist downwards were the remains of his disguise, the bright orange steward overalls, only secured to his body via an external belt.

Mara knew from the movie that all we had to do was to remove the primitive Arc Reactor centred in the middle of his chest for the make-shift armour to become useless. Needless to say, Mara was not going to let our first fight end in such an anticlimactic manner. 

[Where's the fun in ending it instantly? We have to show-off a little for our debut after all~] She practically gushed internally with excitement through our mental connection.

"Whips, kinky. But at least take a lady out to dinner first before using them, okay~?"

Clearly not appreciating Mara's relaxed demeanour and humorous outlook of the situation they were in; Whiplash lashes one of his whips in a horizontal sweeping arc aiming at our neck whilst we appeared off-guard.

With adrenaline coursing through Mara's veins and heightened superhuman reflexes, speed, as well as agility from our suit form, time seemed to pass at a tenth of its normal speed for us through our eyes. In this slowed world, we easily ducked under the whip heading toward us, all while Mara was thinking of how to impress both Tony and Natasha, who would definitely be watching from the shadows somewhere.

[Should we use Shriek's scream against him? Nah that'll probably cause permanent damage, we shouldn't cause more injuries than he would get originally. He's necessary for the rest of the movie, even if it is just the ending. Maybe just charge at him? Potential, but he wouldn't be able to react in time, so it'd be a bit quick still. Ah ha! What if we use whips against him, a taste of his own medicine? What do you think El?]

<Should be straightforward enough. Instead of attacking directly, I would recommend using our tendrils to throw wreckage at him while standing. This makes it appear that we do not even need move beat whilst also protecting us from the heat his electricity.>

The entire manoeuvre of us ducking under Whiplash's attack, to standing up straight again after the whip had passed overhead, was all the time it took for us to not only internally discuss what the best attack plan would be, but also to visualise exactly how to carry out said plan. 

"Cute. My turn-"

Joining hair strands together until 10 thick tendrils were formed, they reach out and each grab loose wreckage. 

"-You any good at Fruit Ninja?"

One at a time we begin to throw the collected wreckage, aiming at the Arc Reactor attached to his harness's torso, ensuring he had no choice but to cut said projectiles. His weighted harness didn't exactly allow for quick movements in order to dodge what was thrown at him with a reasonable speed. He was just a normal human without the makeshift suit after all.

As soon as he cuts one piece, we throw another, holding back the speed of the throw so that he had just enough time to cut it, but too fast to dodge. Instead of just relying on already separated scraps, we designated two tendrils that had already thrown their initial ammunition to tear, wrench, and fragment the wrecked race cars to create more projectiles, continuing the game for as long as Mara's plan would require and keep him occupied. 

Mara had decided to alter the plan we mentally discussed slightly. Instead of standing still, we split up the body control for the time-being. With me controlling the tendrils and keeping Whiplash occupied, she turned away from him, changing the outward perception of 'I don't need to move to beat you' to 'I don't even need to pay attention to beat you'. She turned around to go and help Tony off the ground as he was still lying there, slightly surprised with what was happening.

"There are easier ways to get back pain than lying on the pavement Mr. Stark."

Pulling Tony off the floor, like he weighed less than a feather, and placing him down on his own feet, he finally came out of his state of bewilderment.

"For someone who's helping me, you don't look all too friendly, no offence."

Hearing Tony's comment made us smile even wider, expanding more of our mouth and splitting our face in half like it had when we first took our suit form minutes ago. Needless to say, this made our face look even more intimidating, not presenting any reproach of Tony's statement.

"I know right!? Intimidation is a key part of psychological warfare! Why would you want to look friendly to your enemies? It also comes with the added bonus of looking badass as fuck! I would highly recommend it~"

Tony was genuinely speechless at Mara's words. Or that's how it appeared anyway; the truth was that he was actually speechless at the fact she could talk to him without a care in the world whilst also holding back the random, clearly BDSM inspired, man.

'How is she able to do multiple things at once? Does she have an AI like J.A.R.V.I.S.? What is her suit made out of? It looks so organic, is it nanomachines?'

As Tony fell back into his own world for the second time, in as many minutes, since meeting us, Mara decided to turn back around and synch back up our thinking to finish off the visibly struggling Russian man. The entire time that she was talking with Tony, I had been throwing wreckage at the villain while he fought back valiantly without making a single sound. No words or shouting, just a few grunts here and there when I bypassed his twin whips by throwing the race car parts at a slightly faster speed than he could recover after a slash. I specifically didn't aim for his reactor every now and then to throw his aim off even if he could recover in time. I've had to have some fun as well.

Just as we are about to shout something at the seemingly perpetually angry Russian, slight tyre screeching can be heard accompanied by a black Rolls Royce turning round corner 18 of the track, behind the back of Whiplash. Unfortunately, either Whiplash had terrible spatial awareness, or he was just too distracted by the car parts being casually tossed his way to notice said black luxury sedan barrelling towards him.

[Stop throwing at him for a second babe, we'll see if he even notices it coming hehe~]

<Sure thing, dear>

Unsure if Mara's spike in happiness came from me using a pet name without any hesitation or anticipating what was about to happen, I lowered all the tendrils and drop the wreckage currently held in them as I did so.

Just as the car makes its way around turn 17, Mara decides to have a bit more fun now that the old whipper snapper definitely didn't have enough time to dodge the speeding lump of metal.

Pointing over his shoulder she casually states; "Watch out behind you~"

Surprisingly, Whiplash does indeed watch behind him, just in time for the sedan to slam into his chest and pin him against the barrier of the race track. 

"Huh. Didn't expect him to actually turn around."

Ducking down due to our increased height of 6'2" in suit form, so that our head was in-line with the passenger window of the Rolls Royce, we addresses the man driving the car while also giving him a thumbs up.

"Nice driving body guard!"

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"

Knowing that the adrenaline and panic fuelled the driver's reaction, we put on a faux offended tone, "Now that's just rude." 

Opening the rear passenger side door of the car, we gesture towards Tony like a trained doorwoman, bowing our head slightly, swinging our free arm to shepherd him into the vehicle, oozing sarcasm, and theatrics. 

"O' genius, billionaire, playboy, your carriage… awaits!"

Tony, out of his daze due to Happy's shouting, quickly scanned over the immobile Whiplash and began walking towards the open door. Just as he was about to reach the door, however, a lightning charged whip slashed vertically downwards right in front of his face, cutting the open passenger door clean in half.

Raising the half of the door still held in our hand, up to our face, we tilt our head to the side feigning confusion on how the door mysteriously split in two. Shrugging our shoulders to no-one in particular, we threw the half door, with slightly more power than I had been tossing the wreckage earlier, at Whiplash's head knocking him clean out.

The crazed Russian probably would have been able to protect himself if he was paying any attention at all. Sadly, for him, he was too busy laughing like a deranged lunatic straight at Tony to notice an entire half of a car door sailing at his cranium. 

With Happy and Pepper still screaming at Whiplash, apparently, coming back from the dead in their eyes, we casually walked up to his slumped form. We held him up off the bonnet of the car by his hair and grasped the Arc Reactor attached to his harness, proceeding to then rip it clean out. Thus permanently powering down his torso suit. 

[That should make sure he can't do anything even if he wakes up. We can go back to clothes now, babe~]

<Of course, dear. Good work.>

Transforming in the exact opposite way I do when enabling suit form, so un-eating Mara's head, before moving my way down her body, I transition back into a comforting clothing form. This time I make her outfit a pristine white Turtleneck, denim skinny jeans, a stone-coloured Duster, and finishing off the look with matching stone-grey ankle boots. Although Mara continuously expands my knowledge of what clothing she likes, and what she dislikes, I usually have autonomy on what she wears. Although she will let me know if she feels anything needs to change. Fortunately, I have adapted well to her fashion sense, and she very rarely dislikes the styles I copy from other humans I see, that align with her own tastes.

"Tony! Catch!"

Saying so, Mara threw the freshly plucked Arc Reactor toward Tony who caught it without issue.

"It's been fun~. Good luck with the crazy BDSM guy, maybe see ya around."

Waving goodbye, she then proceeded to start walking away in the direction Happy came from as that is the quickest way to leave the track and go back into the centre of Monaco itself.

[Now by looking like I'm not interested, either Tony will call me back and we can talk super-person business, or he'll let me go. If he lets me go, then I can al-]

"Hey! Do you mind hanging around for a bit? I never caught your name and I guess I owe you one, so let me know how to repay you."

Mara didn't get the chance to explain what her back-up plan would have been as her first plan succeeded without issue. Since she was offered what she wanted on a silver platter, who was she to refuse?

Turning around to face Tony again, she stops walking to reply, "Sure, got nothing better planned so got no reason to refuse. Name's Mara by the way, or if we're using our made-up names, you can call me Elysium, Iron Man."

"Well, you already know both my names. But still, I'm Tony, otherwise known as Iron Man. Nice to meet you Mara."

After both had properly introduced themselves, they were interrupted by heavily armoured police forces aiming their weapons at the unconscious Whiplash. They secure him and dragged him towards the nearest armoured transport vehicle, taking him to the nearest prison. 

Once the Russian was contained, the ambulances and medical staff moved in to check the conditions of the drivers and any civilians involved in the incident, further preventing much discussion between Mara and Tony.

------

"Are you sure you don't want to see what he says?"

"Nah he's your bad guy. I just happened to be at the wrong place, at the wrong time for him. I'll just hang around with your guys until you come back, I guess."

Tony had invited Mara to join him for the questioning of Whiplash, but she decided against it. The Russian was Iron Man's villain after all. It was fine to get involved in a fight or two but also becoming his target wasn't what she was aiming for. At least for this villain. There were some in the future she pretty much had to become enemies with, but for the time being, she wanted to 'ease into the superpower gig', as she put it.

Instead of having Happy drive him to the prison where Whiplash was to be held in his moderately damaged, but still operational, luxury sedan. Tony joined the Monégasque detectives remaining at the scene in their transport as they took him to interrogate the captured villain.

[While Tony is away, I can speak with Pepper, Happy and Natasha to make sure they have a positive opinion of me. Or at least a neutral one.]

Reiterating a point we had highlighted previously after Mara had expressed her desire to come into contact with the important people of this new universe. I remind her, <Just remember, technically you have never met these people before, dear. Try not to say anything private about them shouldn't know.>

Clearly having forgot said guideline in her excitement, she acknowledged my advice with, [Good shout, handsome.]

After watching Tony leave and having an internal conversation, Mara turned around to face the three of Tony's entourage waiting for him to return. On the left was a mid-30s looking man wearing a classic black suit with matching black tie. He had sun-kissed, beige skin. A round, clean shaven, face. Brown eyes, and short brown, noticeably receding, going by his rather sizable forehead, hair. He was roughly 6 foot in height but wasn't a mountain of muscle like most believe bodyguards should be. Instead, he was slightly rounder than might be expected, but one could still tell that with his stocky frame, muscle was definitely hidden underneath.

In the middle of the three individuals stood another person appearing in their 30s, but this time it was a woman. She was wearing a portrait neckline, one-piece dress that was dark navy blue, borderline black, in colour with small white polka dots in a linear pattern encompassing the entirety of the attire. She had neutral, neither warm nor cool, skin. Strawberry blonde hair tied into a single ponytail and pale blue eyes.

Finally, on the right, was a woman looking no older than 25. She had warm, clear, skin. Dark red hair that curled along its entire length, coming to a rest on her shoulders and steel blue eyes. She had a finely curved athletic figure further accentuated by her tight-fitted, scarlet, wrap dress and thin gold belt emphasising her slim waist.

Needless to say, these three were, respectively, Happy Hogan, Pepper Potts and Natasha Romanoff, or Natalie Rushman as she was currently undercover as.

Sporting a polite smile, Mara decides it best to introduce herself first to break the ice and kick-off the conversation.

"Erm, so I already mentioned it to Tony, and you two that were in the car might have overheard. But in case you didn't, and for the beauty on the right, my name is Mara. Nice to meet ya." Saying so she stuck out her hand to Happy for a handshake.

After staring at her hand for a couple of seconds, Happy proceeds to shake it saying, "Happy Hogan. Sorry about earlier, just the adrenaline, and-and the whip guy, I wasn't thinking straight you know. I didn't mean to be rude to someone helping out."

Realising Happy was talking about when he shouted at her after pinning Whiplash with his car, she brushed it off; "Don't worry about it, water off a duck's back an' all that. I get that the suit isn't exactly relaxing to look at."

After releasing Happy's hand, Mara moves over to Pepper next who immediately shakes her hand, without hesitation. "Pepper Potts, thank you for helping Tony out back there. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't stopped that maniac."

"No thanks needed, I was just lucky to be watching the race and figured I should help out. I'm confident you and Happy would have made it in time with how quick you got there and figured something out without me. I doubt Tony doesn't have contingencies in place for this kinda thing."

Pepper smiled wryly and nodded her head before repeating again, "Still, thank you regardless."

Mara nodded her head and moved onto the last member of the trio, Black Widow in disguise. [Damn babe, she's even more strikingly attractive up close and in person.]

<Just remember not to give her any reason doubt you, Mara.>

[El~]

<*Ahem* honey>

Repeating the same gesture, she performed with the other two, Mara held her hand out for a handshake that was reciprocated after a slight delay. Not as quick as Pepper, but not as long a delay as Happy.

"Natalie Rushman, Mr. Stark's assistant. All the cameras showing the race cut out after the chaos started so I didn't see what happened, but from what everyone else said you saved the day."

"Nah, like I said, I'm sure Tony would have figured something out, but better to be safe than sorry."

After the introductions and the hand shaking was over, the conversation stalled into awkward silence for nearly an entire minute until Natalie kick started it off again, asking a question directed at Mara.

"Mara, do you mind me asking how you helped Mr. Stark? You mentioned a suit when you spoke with Happy, so does that mean you have something similar to the Iron Man suit? I apologise if I'm prying."

"It's no bother. It's sort of similar, but- Hmmm, I'm not entirely sure how to describe it. Tony's suit is mechanical and can be taken off, whereas mine is biological and it's permanently attached to me. I mean technically mine isn't a suit either since it is a part of my body, I think. I can just make a suit out of it, just like these clothes I'm wearing."

Natalie looks genuinely surprised when Mara says her clothes are made out of what is essentially part of her body.

"Let me show you." Saying so, Mara requested in her head, [Babe, can you copy her dress real quick to show what I mean and then go back to this please?]

<No problem> I immediately set to work transforming Mara's current clothing – starting from her shoulders this time and working my way down – into an exact copy of Natalie's scarlet dress with gold belt.

If Natalie was only surprised before, her jaw was now on the floor alongside both Happy and Pepper. The latter two had already seen the suit turn into clothes form but they must have assumed that Mara was wearing clothes underneath her suit. Either that or they were just too panicked about the whole lightning whip man situation to pay enough attention.

While all three were still slack jawed, I change Mara's clothing back to what it was since the scarlet red dress wasn't exactly her idea of comfortable clothing. "Pretty cool right? The suit form is essentially just a different version of that, it makes me stronger and lets me do some other cool things, but a girl's got her secrets~"

All three come out of their daze at varying times with Pepper taking the longest and unable to hide how jealous she is at how easy it is for Mara to change her clothing whenever she wants, to seemingly whatever she wants.

"Do you mind me asking if you've always had this ability or did something happen to you to cause it?"

Mara expected that Natalie might ask something along those lines for S.H.I.E.L.D. or Pepper might even ask for the possibility of how convenient it would make life once that she knew about it, but, surprisingly, it was Happy that asked this. There didn't appear to be any greed or jealousy in his eyes, only curiosity.

Mara decided that it would be best if people didn't know that I was bonded to her, or even that I existed, since someone might get the 'smart' idea to try and forcefully separate us which wouldn't end well for anyone involved. That was why she previously said her superpowers were part of her body and why she had already thought of a story if someone asked how she became superhuman.

"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. I woke up in a hotel room in Hawaii about 3 weeks ago with no knowledge of who I was or where I was. The only think I knew was that I was called Mara. All my abilities came naturally to me as well, like walking and breathing. The TV was on showing the Stark Expo. Since I had nothing better to do, and I had no clues on how to figure out anything about myself, I went there. From there, I practised my abilities after discovering them, so I knew what I was somewhat capable of before figuring out my next steps. I was kinda hoping time would return my memories to me, so whilst waiting to see if it would, I decided to come over here for the race weekend because it looked interesting. Since I knew nothing about myself, feeling that something was interesting made me think that it might be something forgotten me enjoyed. Using that logic, I thought coming here might bringing some memories back, ya know?"

Yup, Mara decided that feigning amnesia would be the best way to avoid all questioning. She mixed truth and lies together as S.H.I.E.L.D. would undoubtedly check surveillance footage from the prior weeks. The reason she made her background mysterious was for a few reasons. Firstly, she didn't know if there was any record of a version of her ever having existed in this universe. If S.H.I.E.L.D. ran a background check on her, which they definitely would, after she had claimed to be a specific person, and they found she didn't exist, she would essentially be forced to admit that she came from another reality or at the very least that she was lying. Either option was 'not bueno' in her books.

Now that she claims not to know anything about herself, she could be an alien, or an experiment, or a secret weapon of any number of countries. The best part about having an unknown background, or any mystery for that matter, was that people would fill in the gaps themselves. Sometimes it is taken to such a ridiculous degree that if the person lying had said it, they would be labelled a liar, but when the accuser themselves fills in the blank with the ridiculous lie, it is suddenly believable because they thought it up. Humans are both smart and dumb like that according to Mara.

With Mara dropping that bombshell on the group, the remainder of the time waiting for Tony to return was spent with the other 3 asking her questions about either her abilities, what exactly she's done since she woke up as a clean slate and mentioning a multitude of things in the hopes of jogging her memory, like pop culture references or historical events.