I double check the time on my phone, 5:35am. Perfect. After checking myself one more time in the mirror, I head over to the dresser where I grab a bobble before pulling my hair back into a tight ponytail at the back of my head. As my eyes fall to the mirror, my heart begins to pound in my chest.
"You can do this Abi." I whisper to myself as I force a smile and take a deep, deep breath. I grab my jacket from the back of the dining room chair and my keys from the dresser before I head for the door of the cottage Tony built near the compound.
A cool breeze knocks against my face as I step out the door, turning briefly to lock it before pulling my jacket over my shoulders as I shiver and head through the small woods towards the avengers compound. Birds whistle around me as I push open the back door of the compound and sneak inside, carefully closing the door behind me so it doesn't make a bang. That's why I sense it, the strange presence that hangs in the air. An electric pulse that sends shivers throughout my body.
"Morning Abi." greets Rhodey as he looks up from the newspaper he's reading. Jumping slightly, I turn to face him with my hands raised, completely prepared for someone to attack me only to find Rhodey frowning at me as he stands up from the wall he's leant against.
"Rhodey. You startled me." I reply quickly as I glance down the hall to check nobody else is around. Noticing a guard approaching around the corner, I quickly duck into the room opposite me leaving Rhodey alone outside as the guard comes to a halt outside the room.
"Colonel Rhodes." greets the guard as he bows his head to Rhodey who stands up straighter as he smiles weakly at the guard as he stands up. "If you may?" he gestures towards the door that I hide behind as Rhodey shuffles closer towards it causing the guard to eye him suspiciously. "I'm under strict orders to check every room on the premises." explains the guard as he stands up straighter in an attempt to look over Rhodey's shoulder and into the small window at the top of the door.
"Whose orders?" asks Rhodey as he moves his head so that I can no longer see outside the room I'm trapped in. Pressing my ear against the door, I strain to hear what the guard says as he mumbles something under his breath.
"The secretary sir." replies the guard as I stiffen up. Alexander Pierce? Why is he searching the compound? It's got nothing to do with him or SHIELD so why search it now? Quickly, I scan the room for some kind of escape before my eyes land on a guard uniform and helmet sat in the far corner of the room. "Please Colonel step aside." asks the guard again in a more firm voice as he tightens his grip on the baton he holds.
"Very well." agrees Rhodey reluctantly as he steps slightly to the side. Pushing past Rhodey, the guard grands the door handle and pulls it open as he steps into the room, his eyes instantly landing in me.
"All clear in here." I assure him, deepening my voice until it sounds completely different to my usual tone as I raise my hand to my head and stand in attention. Nodding once, the guard does a quick glance around the room before he steps back outside and continues down the hall.
Letting go if the breath I was holding in, I relax my shoulders as Rhodey bursts into the room, his eyes narrow as he opens his mouth to say something but quickly stops when he sees me.
"Did that really work?" asks Rhodey in disbelief as he points at the guards outfit I have on. Laughing to myself, I pull the helmet from my head as my hair falls to my shoulders.
"I guess SHIELD shouldn't boast about their security." I joke as I drop the helmet on the table before shrugging the guard jacket off and heading out the door with Rhodey.
After several minutes of walking, the two of us arrive at the training field to see the rest of the team already there. Reaching into my pocket, I pull out my phone and notice that it reads 6:13am. How am I late? I literally set off 25 minutes early and yet I'm still late? Steve is so going to kill me.
"Oh finally," shouts Tony as me and Rhodey make our way onto the field and over to the team. Rolling my eyes, I drop my jacket on the bench before strapping up my hands and tightening my shoelaces. Wouldn't want to trip over and land flat on my face in front of the avengers now would we?
"I though I said don't be late." Steve reminds me as he crosses his arms across his chest and steps to the front of the group. Raising his eyebrows at me, he shakes his head before grabbing two sticks from a nearby pot and throwing one at me.
"Tell that to Alexander Pierce." I mumble under my breath as I step out onto the field and begin warming up. Stopping what he's doing, Tony looks up at me as he narrows his eyes and glances at Rhodey who just shrugs.
"What did he want?" asks Tony as he looks back to me with concern. I don't blame him for being cautious. I mean, isn't it strange how the day after I reveal myself to the team SHIELD start snooping around in the compound?
"Doesn't matter." interrupts Steve as he throws his stick to the ground and gestures for me to do the same. Muttering something under his breath, Tony pulls Rhodey to the side of the training grounds as they get lost in conversation. "Let's see what you've got Abi," Steve shouts as he steps his feet further apart in order to make a steadier base.
Closing my eyes, I focus on Steve, creating an image of him in my mind and focusing on every little detail from his stance to the color of his shirt. When I open my eyes again, a wave blasts over me as I begin to glow faintly, every muscle in my body growing stronger and faster as I transform.
As the glow fades away, I smile at Steve who stand frozen in his place, his eyes wide and his eyebrows furrowed. Following his gaze, I glance down at my body to see Steve's shield in my hand and his suit clinging to my now masculine body. "This will be fun." I chuckle in a masculine tone as I launch myself at a star struck Steve.
Before he can react, my fist collides with his stomach, making him keel over as he lets out a groan of pain. Taking advantage of his distraction, I lift him into the air easily before throwing him to the ground opposite me, careful not to do too much damage. A loud thud echoes throughout the training ground as Steve's body lands on the floor, a gasp coming from people spectating. Rolling my eyes, I walk across to the beach where I grab a bottle of water and take a large gulp, the cool liquid soothing my burning throat.
"I was not expecting that." groans Steve as he rolls onto his back, a small scrape on his cheek as he stares at the clouds in the sky. "I think I need to lie down." Steve announces as I walk over to him, offering him my hand as Tony grabs an ice pack from a nearby freezer. Grabbing my outstretched hand, Steve pulls himself up off the floor, his muscles groaning as I help him over to the bench which he collapses onto. "Alright whose next?" he asks as he takes the ice pack from Tony and presses it against his burning cheek.
"I'll go." shouts a voice from behind me as I turn to see the petit woman from yesterday, her strawberry blonde hair blowing in the breeze. Stepping away from Steve, I close my eyes as my body slowly transforms back into its natural state. "Alright, you ready?" she asks in her sokovian accent as we both step into the middle of the field.
Nodding, I close my eyes against the brightness of the sun as I focus on her core, the centre of all her powers as I draw from it. Familiarity races through my body as her power takes over and I begin to transform into her exact replica. It's almost as though I've felt this power before. Is it possible I've met her before? Before all of this?
Suddenly, the silence that once sat inside my mind is washed out as a wave of voices come rushing inside. Or rather people's thoughts.
"I think she bruised my ribs, and maybe broke a couple of bones too." thinks Steve as he groans silently inside his head, a wave of pain washing over his mind and consequently over mine. "I should've listened to Tony when he said no,"
"Cap really should've listened to me when I said no." mumbles Tony in his mind, his thoughts just as loud and confident as his words normally are. A small chuckle rings inside his head as he glances at Steve who's head is in his hands as he nurses a headache. "At least he's learned his lesson now."
"Are you going to stop listening to everyone's thoughts and start training?" interrupts the girl as she shakes in disbelief and rolls her eyes. I don't know how she gets anything done with all these voices inside her head. It's so distracting. And annoying.
Shutting out everyone's thoughts as I shake my head violently, I turn back to face the girl as she raises her hands, a bright red glowing ball forming between them. Before I'm able to form one of my own she sends the glowing blast straight for me as it hits me on the shoulder and sends me flying to the ground. As my body hits the ground, the air is knocked from my lungs as I groan, the muscles in my body seizing up as I try to pull myself back up to my feet. Once I reach my feet again, I pull the power from my core and form a glowing blast of my own, sending it flying at the girl only for her to block it with some kind of magical shield.
"Oh come on!" I shout angrily as my hands form fists, my blood boiling as my breathing becomes quicker. Smirking to herself, the girl stands back up straighter as I send another magical blast towards her only for it to fly straight over the top of her head.
"Having some trouble there are we?" asks Tony as he chuckles to himself, crossing his arms across his chest as he raises his eyebrows smugly at me. As I glare back at him I send a blast straight for his shoulder as he collapses to the ground wincing. Smirking to myself, I turn back to the girl as my eyes begin to glow bright red causing her to step backward slightly, slowly raising her hands in surrender.
Closing my eyes, I let go of the girl's powers as I transform back into my own body. The girl relaxes as she turns her back on me but I'm not quite finished with her yet. After taking a deep breath, I use all the power I have and send it towards the girl, wrapping it around her waist as she begins to float in the air. Everyone stops what they're doing as they watch the girl fly higher into the air as my power radiates around her, not only making her float but preventing her from using any of her powers. Slowly, I open my eyes again as I begin to turn her upside down, her hair falling from around her face as her head whips around her, her eyes landing on me as she gasps.
"Are you doing this to me?" she asks between deep breaths as I stand still, my arms by my side as I use my mind to keep her upside down in the air. Shrugging my shoulders, I smirk as Steve pulls himself up from the bench, his muscles groaning in response as he makes his way towards the girl.
"I wouldn't touch her if I were you," I warn him loudly as he reaches towards the magic that sits around the girl's waist. Ignoring my warning, Steve's fingertips brush against the bright golden glow that surrounds her. Suddenly, he's flipped upside down, the golden glow surrounding him as well as he squirms in its grasp. "Told you so."
A gust of wind blows throughout the training ground as a sparking sound comes from behind me, a faint orange glow projecting around us. Glancing to my left, I notice Tony stand up straighter as he narrows his eyes before they land on me. Shaking my head, my hands begin to glow gold as I sense a presence coming from the glowing spark.
"Well, who is this?" says an unfamiliar voice from behind me as Tony relaxes, his shoulders dropping down as he lets out a relieved breath. Relaxing my own body, the glow fades from my hands as I turn around and become face to face with the man as he steps out of the glowing circle behind him. A red cape hangs around his shoulders, the fabric unnaturally still in the breeze that blows a few loose strands of his short, dark hair into his face. Tilting my head to the side, I narrow my eyes at the man as I study his own deep blue ones, a thousand words hiding behind them as he stares back at me.
"Strange?" whispers Tony as he walks across from where he and Rhodey stood and steps slightly in front of me, blocking my view of the man. Strange? What an unusual name. I shuffle sideways slightly, just enough to see over the man's face over Tony's shoulder as they both shake hands. "What are you doing here?" asks a confused-looking Tony as he lets go of the man's hand and looks around him to check nobody else is coming.
"Just thought I'd drop by." mumbles the man as he shrugs his shoulders dismissively. Looking around Tony, he glances at the girl and Steve as they hang upside down still, Steve waving as my power hugs tighter around him, preventing him from moving any more. Raising his eyebrows, the man turns to face me as he frowns slightly, a small line forming on his forehead as he glances back and forth between me and Steve. "Did you do this?" he asks me politely as he points to the girl and Steve before turning back to me as Tony steps closer, attempting to block me from his view only for the man to sidestep Tony as he steps in front of me.
"Depends who's asking," I reply, my voice steady and emotionless as I narrow my eyes at the strange man who seems to be oddly interested in my powers. Crossing my arms across my chest, I tilt my chin up and stand up straighter until I'm at the man's eye level so that I can look him dead in the eye. Who is this man?
"Impressive," he comments as he steps around me and heads towards Steve and the petit woman, his finger tapping against his chin as he examines the band of magic around them. Reaching out, he places his hand near it, brushing it past it as the magic loosens slightly around the girl's waist.
"I wouldn't-"
"touch it." finishes the man as he turns to look at me, a small smirk on his face as he watches the smile falls from my face. Stepping away from the girl and making his way back across to where I stand, the man looks down at me as he smiles slightly. "I know." Silence hangs in the air as I glare at him, his body inches from mine as I breathe heavily, tension invading my body. Chuckling lightly, the man steps away from me. "Can you do anything else?"
Smirking to myself, I close my eyes and picture him in my mind. Magic overflows as my clothes fade into his, a cape hanging around my shoulders and some sort of necklace with an eye hanging from it around my neck. A small gasp escapes the man's throat as I open my eyes to see him looking down at the exact same necklace, checking it's the genuine one.
"H-How?" the man stumbles for words as he looks back at me, or rather an exact replica of himself. Rolling my eyes, I shake my shoulders as the illusion fades away again and I return back to my normal body. I go to step past the man only for him to step in my way as he stares down at me, his stern, egoistic self disappearing as his face softens. "Who are you?" he asks politely as he crosses his arms against his chest and steps slightly closer to me.
"Abigail." I introduce as I offer him my hand and smile sarcastically at him. Taking my hand, he shakes it gently, his grip firm as he smiles back at me. "Abigail Stark." I finish as he drops my hand as turns to Tony, his eyes wide as he opens his mouth to say something only for me to place my finger to his lips, stopping him. "And yes, before you say it, I'm his sister."
"Okay," he whispers as I remove my finger from against his lips as I step away, grabbing my coat from the bench and shrugging it on. Scratching the back of his head, the man turns around to face me as he offers me his hand. "Stephen. Doctor Stephen Strange." he introduces as I just stare at his hand blankly.
"We already did the handshake." I remind him as he quickly withdraws his hand and settles for a genuine smile as he takes a deep breath. A small laugh escapes my lips as I shake my head at his forgetfulness before smiling genuinely back at him. "Now how about we move this conversation inside where there are fewer people?" I suggest as I gesture towards the compound door before turning back to Stephe who nods before heading inside.
"Erm Abi," mumbles Steve as I come to a halt, turning back around to see that he and the girl are still upside down. Swishing my hands a bit, I pull the magic from around their waist and back inside me as they both drop to the ground with a thud.
Grimacing, I tuck my hands to my chest and curls them into balls as I shrug my shoulders and smile weakly at the two of them. "Sorry?" I say as they pull themselves up off the floor, dusting themselves off before they make their way inside. As she walks past me, the girl wraps her arm around my shoulder and smiles softly at me as we begin to walk inside.
"I'm Wanda." she introduces as we reach the door to the compound and she steps aside to let me inside first before following me. A guard comes racing around the corner causing my powers to kick in and before I know it, the guard is on the floor. "I think we need to work on controlling your powers." Wanda chuckles as she pushes me past the guard and towards the avengers dining room, briefly checking the guard is okay.
"Yeah so do I."