Aqua's P. O. V:
I was watching Disney Pixar's Brave later that night when the TV suddenly flicks to the Mandarin again.
"True story about fortune cookies: the look Chinese. They sound Chinese. But they're actually an American invention. Which is why they're all full of lies, and leave a bad taste in the mouth. My disciples just destroyed another Chief American knock off. The Chinese theatre! Mr. President, I know this must be getting frustrating, but this season of terror is drawing to a close. And, don't worry! The big one is coming. Your graduation."
The Mandarin fires a bullet at the TV and it goes to the stripy screen.
I text Cap, "Did you see that?"
"Yeah. You alright?"
"I'd be better if you were here. How's it going with the research?" I respond.
"Still have no clue as to who this guy actually is, but we're trying," Says Cap.
"I'm worried about Tony. When Rhodey and I were with him today at lunch, he just... snapped. It was almost like he'd had an anxiety attack, or something," I say.
"I'm sure he'll be fine. You know how he is. I'll be back soon for Christmas, okay?" Says Cap.
"Okay, Cap. See you soon," I reply before I close my phone.
I look back at the TV to see the news reporter talking outside of New York hospital. She's got blonde hair and dark eyes.
"We're waiting for the arrival of Tony Stark. We're hoping he'll give us the reaction—his reaction—to the latest attack..." The woman trails off as the others rush over to the Stark who has now appeared on screen, looking extremely furious and worried for his friend. Happy had just been caught in an explosion that left him severely wounded and unconscious in the hospital. "Mr. Stark! Mr. Stark! We'd like to know your thoughts on the new Mandarin attack. Anything else you can tell us?"
"Mr. Stark! When is somebody going to kill this guy?" A male reporter asks as Tony reaches his car. Tony freezes before slowly turning around to him. "Just saying!"
"Is that what you want?" Tony demands, making him nod. "Here's a little holiday greeting I've been wanting to send to the Mandarin. I just didn't know how to phrase it until now. My name is Tony Stark, and I'm not afraid of you. I know you're a coward, so I've decided," Tony whips off his shades, "that you've just died, pal! I'm gonna come get the body. There's no politics here. Just good old fashioned revenge. There's no panic gone, it's just you and me! There's the off chancer, man. Here's my home address: 10 8 80, Malibu Point. 90265. I'll leave the door unlocked. That's what you wanted, right?" Tony takes the reporter's phone before chucking it at a brick wall behind him, making people gasp. "Sue me!!"
My jaw hits the floor and stays there as everyone goes absolutely nuts over what he'd just said, but Tony had just driven right out in his white sport's car.
After the news, I immediately call Tony to give him a stern talking to.
A moment later, and he picks up. "Yo, Seaweed Brain!"
"What the fuck were you thinking, Tony?!!" I scream into the phone, my face a little pale as I was really scared for him. "Do you have some sort of death wish?!"
"Oh, you saw me on the news. I was just thinking about getting revenge on my friend," He says flippantly, and I hear the sound of a screen moving as well as JARVIS talking in the background.
I get to my feet and pace as I talk, my free arm crossed over my chest. "Look, Tony, I know you're pissed off, but that doesn't mean you can just throw yourself at the enemy! You could get killed!"
"Awe, I appreciate you care so much, Bubbles," Tony says with a hint of sarcasm.
"Tony, I think I know what just happened back at the restaurant. You have all the signs of PTSD. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Trouble sleeping, panic attack, staying awake all night. Why did you keep this to yourself?"
"Great, so now you know, just like Pepper. There wouldn't happen to be any cure for this, right, Dr. Rivers?"
"No. I think you have to get through this on your own. And I'm not exactly a doctor. Just know I'm here if you need someone to talk to," I offer in a gentler tone.
"You kinda are, what with your mystical healing powers, and glowy white hands. Thanks, Seaweed Brain. Listen, if you got any info on the Mandarin, send it through," Tony says.
"Tony, please! Don't go through with this! This is suicide!" I try pleading him.
"This is exactly what happened when The Lightning Man attacked you way back when. I got so angry seeing you like that. I can't afford to go through the same thing again," Tony says, surprising me as I pause my pacing, blinking my crystal blue eyes.
"You were that angry?"
"So much so I nearly did this exact same thing. But I couldn't put your parents in that kind of danger. I have to do this. Don't worry about me, Blondie, I'll be fine! I know what I'm doing," Tony says before hanging up.
"No, No—Tony!!" I try screaming into the phone, but it was too late; he'd already hung up. I stare at my phone screen in numbed shock, wondering what the fuck just happened tonight,
I dump myself back on the couch and groan into my hands, mentally cursing the Stark for his stupidity.
Heaving a huge sigh of exasperation, I decide to go to bed, Scarlett curled up beside me.
🌊❄️🌊❄️
The next morning, after breakfast, Bloom and Leo come over and I am riding Glimmer, practicing for the Melbourne Olympics happening this May.
Leo perches on the white fence while Bloom sits on a crate, Sarah and Ben with her.
I'm wearing a shirt sleeved pink polo shirt with the collar folded down and a front pocket, and a pair of white jodhpurs, tall black boots and my helmet with my pink riding gloves, my long blonde hair in a ponytail.
As I practice dong a leg yield, my left foot forward while my right foot presses against Glimmer's side, trotting to towards Bloom, Glimmer's head bowed toward her chest, the redhead says, "I still can't believe Tony did that last night. It's like he wants the Mandarin to find him."
On his phone, Leo mutters, black earbuds in his ears, "I'm guessing that's exactly what he wanted."
I reach the side of the arena and Glimmer continues trotting forward.
"Leo's right, but I still say that Tony is a dimwit," I say, keeping my gaze ahead.
"Do you really think the Mandarin will even show?" Bloom asks as I trot to the A and nudge Glimmer into a steady canter, rocking with the movement.
"I'm betting he will," I say. As I reach E, halfway down the arena, I turn Glimmer to the right and shift her into the flying change.
"So, you still have no clue as to who this guy actually is?" Leo asks as I finish the manoeuvre, and canter back toward A.
"None," I say. I do a canter 20 metre circle before trotting in a diagnal towards M. "S. H. I. E. L. D. and The New Avengers are doing everything they can." I do another trot leg yield back towards Bloom, and reach her right as my phone rings, almost startling the mare as she snorts and tosses her head. "Whoa, whoa, girl!" I shush her as Leo sits up straight. Once Glimmer has calmed down, I stroke her neck and reach into the pocket of my polo shirt to pull out my cell phone. It reads "Pepper Stark."
Wondering what could've happened, I press the green call button to pick up, gripping the reins with my left hand. "Pepper, what it?"
"Oh, thank god you answered, Aqua! It's bad! The Mandarin just blew up the house and Tony fell into the ocean. I was hoping you could use your Liquid Communication to find him?" Pepper says, sounding panicked.
"Whoa! Slow down! The Mandarin attacked? And Tony went under?" I say, trying to understand it.
"Yes. So, do you think you could find him?"
I say, "Give me a few minutes and I'll get back to you."
"Okay, thank you," Pepper says before we hang up.
I dismount and lead my mare to the mounting block and place it next to Bloom.
"What happened?" Bloom asks.
"Tony went under. I'm going to try and find him," I say as I take my plastic water bottle and spill some liquid onto the bottom mounting block step. Leo hood off the fence and comes over as I hover my hand over the water and concentrate on locating Tony.
The image of the ocean surrounding Tony's house comes into view, and I search it for the Stark. I see nothing but rubble in the ocean, so I search it several more times, just to be sure.
Still nothing.
I exchange worried glances with Bloom and Leo before I summon Pepper into the surface screen.
"Did you find him?" She asks.
"No. I've searched everywhere. I'm sorry, Pepper," I say guiltily.
"It's not your fault; you tried to find him. Thank you," The blonde woman says, giving me a small smile.
I nod as I say, "We'll find Tony. He will come home. I know it."
"Thank you again, Aqua," Pepper says before I cut off the communication and pour the water back into my bottle, using my Hydrokinesis.
Glimmer chomps at the bit slightly as Bloom asks, worry in her features, "What do we do now?"
I gaze up at them as I say, "Now we just wait and pray Tony will make it home on time for Christmas."
🌊❄️🌊❄️
A few days pass by and Cap returns, just before midnight, bearing gifts. He put them under the huge tree in the Christmas decorated living room at my parent's house, which was where I'd moved to yesterday. The Christmas tree has been set up and it even has some Disney designed decorations like Ariel, Alice and Rapunzel, as well as some Christmas horse decorations.
We'd also just finished celebrating my mum's birthday on December 1st. My dad's is 23rd of August.
I'd hugged Cap and shared a kiss with him the moment I'd opened the door, wondering who the hell it could be at this time on Christmas Eve.
Cap has asked if he was late, but I'd told him he wasn't and was right on time, before I took his free hand and lead him into the living room where my parents were.
I'm wearing a long sleeved red turtleneck dress with knee high black boots, a red Santa hat, and my blonde hair loose around my shoulders. I'm wearing reindeer shaped earrings with a leaping reindeer necklace and a Christmas charm bracelet my mum got me when I was fourteen.
Cap, mum, dad and I eat the rest of the chocolate chip cookies and drink cocoa while I sing a couple of Christmas songs, as per the tradition of our Christmas, in the living room. Mum and dad are wearing their own Santa hats, and I make Cap wear one, since he's celebrating Christmas with us.
I sit at the piano in the living room, my cocoa on the stool beside me, and Cap, mum and dad sit in recliners, laughing and smiling along with me.
"Deck the halls with boughs of holly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
'Tis the season to be jolly,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
Don we now our gay apparel,
Fa-la-la, la-la-la, la, la, la
Troll the ancient Yule-tide carol,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
See the blazing Yule before us
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
Strike the harp and join the chorus
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
Follow me in merry measure
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
While I tell of Yule-tide treasure
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
Fast away the old year passes
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
Hail the new, ye lads and lasses
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
Sing we joyous all together
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la.
Heedless of the wind and weather
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la,
Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la, la."
I take a mouthful of cocoa before I sing the next Christmas song. I notice Cap was grinning as his blue eyes shine. While I sing these last two songs, dad takes mum's hands and pulls her to her feet. Mum sets down her mug of cocoa as she and dad start slow dancing, the four of us laughing.
"Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away (you gave it away)
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
Once bitten and twice shy
I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby, do you recognize me?
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
"Merry Christmas" I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying "I love you", I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away (you gave it away)
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
Ohh
Oh, oh, baby
A crowded room, friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice
My God, I thought you were someone to rely on
Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A man under cover but you tore me apart
Ooh, ooh, now I've found a real love
You'll never fool me again
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away (you gave it away)
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special (special)
Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special
Special
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart (I gave you mine)
A man under cover but you tore him apart
Maybe next year we'll give it to someone
I'll give it to someone special
Special
So long..."
Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer is my most favourite Christmas song, and movie. It's the song I'm going to sing next.
"You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Rudolph, with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
You'll go down in history"
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Had a very shiny nose
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows
All of the other reindeer
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
Join in any reindeer games
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Rudolph, with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
You'll go down in history"
Cap smiles at me happily as I have another two mouthfuls of cocoa, and start my next favourite Christmas song, Jingle Bells.
"It's Christmas
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Hey, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Hey, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
It's Christmas
Hey, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Hey, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
It's Christmas"
Once I finish the song and my cocoa, Cap and I dance with my parents and we change partners after awhile, as I dance with dad and Cap dances with mum.
At around 12am, we all head to bed after making sure the presents were under the tree and there were cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for his reindeer.
"See? I told you we go all out for Christmas," I say to Cap as we leave the kitchen. I didn't fail to miss the mistletoe hanging above us.
Chuckling, Cap says, "You weren't kidding. But, it was a lot of fun. I'm glad you invited me over, Aqua."
"Me too. You do realise we're standing underneath the mistletoe, right?" I ask, causing the blue eyed male to look up in surprise.
"Does it hold any significance?" Cap questions, raising an eyebrow as he looks back down at me.
I slowly wrap my arms around his neck as Cap wraps his around my waist and I explain, "It just means you have to kiss me. It's tradition, after all."
Cap chuckles sheepishly at that as he leans in and our lips meet.
Since the attack on his house, Tony has been declared dead.
Pepper had been kidnapped by an old acquaintance of theirs named Aldrich Killian. He'd inserted Pepper with some sort of fire substance that briefly gave Pepper fire powers, but Tony was able to defeat the Mandarin and Aldrich, saving his wife in the process.
Upon reaching Christmas, Tony had given Pepper the present of destroying all the suits he'd made in the past months.
I woke up early on Christmas morning and got everyone out of bed for pancakes and presents. Bloom and Leo later arrive with Sarah and Ben for gift giving and Christmas lunch.
We each got each other something and I feel the most elated I'd been in the past year.