Chapter 42
I glanced around as I stepped into the new Avengers base that had been built after the events involving Ultron. " What are we doing here?" Chloe asked appearing next to me and the others soon followed as I ignored Chloe's question. I had changed out of the training uniform, not needing the weird looks at the moment. I stopped as I rounded the corner, and a smile crossed my face when I saw a dark haired man standing with his back to me. " Tony." Marley cried startling him, before she ran over to hug him around the middle. He stared at her in shock before his eyes met mine and relief crossed his face. The 5 of us walked over to join Marley, and I crossed my arms.
" Where have you been?" He asked and I shrugged. " Places. I needed some time to think things over."
" You and everyone else." He muttered and I frowned. " What happened?"
Marley glanced passed me as footsteps sounded and I followed her gaze as a man and women approached. " Aria, this is King Ta'Challa." Tony told me but as I reached forward to shake his hand. Chloe stepped between us with an annoyed look on his face." Aria, we don't have time for this."
I rolled my eyes at her, before using my powers to slide her to the side and shake the guy's hand. " Sorry, Chloe tends to forget her manners." I told him. Chloe let out an annoyed huff before disappearing in a blast of bright blue light.
" What's her problem?" Tony asked and I glanced between T'challa and him unsurely. " He's safe, Aria. Trust me." He nodded and I let out a sigh before scratching the back of my head. " It's been a weird few months." I admitted leaning against a nearby railing.
" Alien threats?" He asked and I shook my head. " No sign of that. More like unanswered questions about existence and fate." I muttered.
" Can't help with that."
" Never asked you to, tin man." I said before Marley pulled on his sleeve causing him to look down at her. Knowing what she wanted, he shook his head. " Sorry kid, I haven't really had the time." he told her and she made a face before Dahlia conjured a bunch of random parts for her to play with. " Is the training room still open?" I asked Tony and he nodded.
*******
I raised my pipe to block as Dahlia brought hers down toward my face, only to find myself falling flat on my butt as she swiped it underneath me. " Come on, Aria. Anticipate." Jami called out and I glanced at her before lightly hitting my head on the matted floor. " Why don't we try something else." Dahlia suggested before the two pipes disappeared in a red light. I got up as Avery walked over with a frown. The 6 of us were dressed in black workout fits and as I faced Avery I straightened my ponytail. I raised my arms before sidestepping as he threw a punch at me, grabbed his elbow and shoved my knee into his gut.
He stumbled back, before throwing another punch toward my face. I tried to sidestep again, but he saw it coming and grabbed me around the waist and slamming me to the ground, where he tried to pin me, only to find our roles reversed as I used his weight against him. He let out a sigh a he submitted before I got off of him, but as I turned to walk away he came at me again. Time seemed to slow as his punch came for my face, but at the last second I ducked under his attack, and aimed a quick, clean jab to his throat. He coughed and sputtered before falling to the ground with gasp.
" What else you got?" I asked walking away, leaving Avery on the ground in a heap.