Goddess | Natasha Romanoff

Chapter 2: Natalie Rushman

Happy Taps Tony on the back of the head with a light punch, not enough to hurt him "Lesson one. Never take your eye off..." as Happy goes to finish tony cuts him off with a kick and he goes crashing into the corner of the ring.

"That's it. I'm done. What's your name, lady?" Tony turns to the woman as he speaks, briefly glancing to Pepper.

"Rushman. Natalie Rushman" Natalie says. Aloisia suspects something is up with this woman, she doesn't know exactly what it is but she doesn't completely trust her words. Aloisia grew up analysing everyone and everything, searching for potential threats. He planet had enemies and would fight back, that is why Zafia was so military, they had to fight back and protect themselves. Aloisia could tell when a person was lying, even if they were particularly good at it, like Natalie was. It was a gut feeling but a gut feeling that Aloisia relied on, sometimes you need to if you want to survive. Aloisia always trusted her gut. Sometimes she doubted it, but for the most part trusted it. Aloisia nodded at the woman though, giving her acknowledgment.

"Front and centre. Come into the church" Aloisia let out a gentle sigh. 'Why couldnt tony just not be Tony for once second' she though 'he knows how to make a woman uncomfortable sometimes, even if he doesn't exactly mean to'

"No. You're seriously not gonna ask..." Pepper said, she was concerned.

"If it pleases the court, which it does." Tony said, smiling slightly. Aloisia had to refrain herself from slapping Tony, he could really be an ass sometimes.

"It's no problem"

"I'm sorry. He's very eccentric" pepper said, inwardly sighing at Tony, he really got on her nerves sometimes.

Natalie enters the ring as Tony speak once again, turning to Happy "Can you give her a lesson?"

"No problem" Happy replies

Tony Steps out of ring and towards Pepper "Pepper." Tony says, a slight smile painted upon his lips.

"What?" Pepper asks, irritated.

Tony as he sits down next to Pepper says "Who is she?"

"She is from legal. And she is potentially a very expensive sexual harassment lawsuit if you keep ogling her like that" Pepper offers

"I need a new assistant, boss"

"Yes, and I've got three excellent potential candidates. They're lined up and ready to meet you"

"I don't have time to meet. I need someone now. I feel like it's her" Tony replies to Pepper offer, swiftly denying it.

"No, it's not" Pepper says, quickly shutting down his idea

"She really isn't" Aloisia whispers to Tony, unheard by anyone else in the room

"You ever boxed before?" Happy asks Natalie

"I have, yes"

"What, like, the Tae Bo? Booty Boot Camp? Crunch? Something like that?" Natalie's face shows brief annoyance at his statement before Tony distracts her.

"How do I spell your name, Natalie?"

"R-U-S-H-M-A-N" Natalie spells out.

"What, are you gonna google her now?" Pepper snaps slightly, raising her voice the tiniest amount.

"I thought I was ogling her. Wow. Very, very impressive individual" Tony says as he bring up Natalie's file.

"You're so predictable, you know that?" pepper says, Aloisia can't help but agree, as Tony looks towards her for an opinion, only to find her nodding her head.

Moving on quickly Tony speaks once more "She's fluent in French, Italian, Russian, Latin. Who speaks Latin?"

"No one speaks Latin"

"No one speaks Latin"

"It's a dead language. You can read Latin or you can write Latin, but you can't speak Latin" Pepper replies

"Did you model in Tokyo? 'Cause she modelled in Tokyo." Tony says pulling up a picture of Natalie, Aloisia quickly looks away, not wishing to disrespect or invade Natalies privacy. Natalie does not miss this, as she gently smiles at the gesture that does not happen often. No one has ever respected her privacy like that before, even if Natalie didn't exactly mind that much as she had gotten used to it.

"Well..."

"I need her. She's got everything that I need" Tony says, Aloisia is yet to speak as she notices Happy and Natalie listening

"Rule number one, never take your eyes off your opponent" He goes to take a swing, she grabs his hand and flips him over, legs over his head. Aloisia smiles, she knew this women was strong.

"Oh, my God! Happy"

"That's what I'm talking about" Tony says, grinning.

"I just slipped" Happy lies

"You did?"

"Yeah"

"Looks like a TKO to me" Tony says as he ring the bell. Natalie gets out of the ring.

"Just... I need your impression" She says

"You have a quiet reserve. I don't know, you have an old soul"

"I meant your fingerprint."

"Right"

"So, how are we doing?" Pepper interrupts.

"Great. Just wrapping up here. Hey. You're the boss." Tony says, smiling at Pepper.

"Will that be all, Mr Stark?" Natalie offers

"No." Tony says, strongly

"Yes, that will be all, Ms Rushman. Thank you very much." Pepper says and Natalie walks out of the room.

"I want one" Tony says

"No." Pepper shuts him down, once again, immediately.

"You know Sia, you have been unusually quiet today" Tony says, grinning once more.

"Tony, even though the last part of my name is spelt like that does not mean it's pronounced that way, okay. It's pronounced like a 'zer' sound okay" spotting Tony's grin Aloisia sighs "doesn't mean you're going to stop does it" Aloisia assumes right as Tony nods.

"Stop avoiding the question" Tony says

"You know I'm not great with new people. I don't trust them. I would much rather observe instead, and then make my initial judgment" Aloisia spoke. Ever since her planet had been invaded and she had travelled around her ability to trust in other slowly disappeared. She had been to many places where they used her, and many lied to her. She was hesitant when it came to new people. The idea she knew so little about someone and that they could just turn around and rib her limbs off her body scared her. Like most humans she feared the unknown. It scared her deeply. She didn't know what anyone was capable of until they showed her, and that could be too late.

Ignoring the sympathy that radiated from Tony and Pepper Aloisia bid them goodbye and walked away.