The Daughter of Iron Man

The Science Project

-Alice's POV-

I never expected to make it to nationals for my science and technology competition, and I was extremely excited when I did! The competition was organized so you'd be competing with those in your same grade, so I'd be competing with the other 5th graders.

When I was 5 my dad put me in a private school called Riverview Academy. It was a school meant to accelerate learning by working more one on one with the students. It's a k-12 school, so we were planning on keeping me there until I graduate.

For my project, I invented an exoskeleton brace to help in medicine with hand stabilization and physical therapy. My dad gave me a small space in his lab to work on my project after I accidentally lit the carpet on fire. I had very little help from my dad on the project and finally finished it after 6 months.

The national science and technology competition was held in Massachusetts and hosted by MIT. It was held in an echoey gym packed full of roughly 50 students and their projects all organized on individual tables. Many others were wandering the floor whether it be the students families, friends or judges.

When we first arrived Pepper, my dad and I were given lanyards. On the card was the location of my project, and the time I needed to meet the judges there. I was terrified.

I still had time before my judging, so I chose to walk the floor and see some of the other projects. One high schooler created an AI in the form of a hologram, and you could have a full conversation with it.

"Are you another contestant!?" I jumped and turned around to see a girl my age smiling at me.

"Yeah, I am!" I replied nervously.

The girl was slightly shorter than me. She had dark skin with long, tight black curls that fell around her shoulders. She radiated energy.

"Which project is yours?" She asked, and I lead her to my project.

"Wait wait wait wait wait, this is YOUR project? I thought a high schooler designed this!" She said way too fast and enthusiastic. I laughed.

"Yeah, this is mine!" I smiled shyly. 

She smiled back, and then got super excited again. "Oh! Did you see that Tony Stark is here!?"

Now, I was embarrassed. "He's my dad." I told her sheepishly. Her eyes grew wide.

"I guess the smart brains run in the family!" She smiled, looking at my project again.

"So, where are you from?" I asked, desperately wanting to change the subject. I love my dad, but it's a little weird being the kid of a celebrity.

"Queens. You?"

"California." I replied. I was a little disappointed to find out she lives so far from me.

"Hey, Alice!" I heard a female voice call. I turned around and saw Pepper walking towards me. She offered me a warm smile. "The judges are ready." 

"Okay." I told Pepper, then quickly turned back to the girl. "What's your name?"

"Sarah Prince! You?"

"Alice Stark."

The judges and my dad came to join me, and I gave my demonstration to the judges.

After Sarah and I had both finished giving our demonstrations, we got to hang out for a few hours until the award ceremony. I got to meet her family, and learned that she's the oldest of 5 kids in her family. She did gymnastics for a few years and then switched to dance, so I knew she was pretty athletic. She got to meet my dad, and truthfully I thought she was going to pass out.