Chapter 12

*Alex's POV*

I gripped Loki and looked down to the Earth. We were falling so fast.

"Loki, please." I begged him.

"Just focus on the elements in the air. Move them. Morph them to stop us." He softly replied as he tightened his arms around me. The wind rushed past us and I closed my eyes tightly as I tried to focus. I connected with the elements in the air, the oxygen and water. I pulled some of them towards me, making a kind of invisible rope around us. We began to slow down and then came to a complete stop. I opened my eyes and gasped when I saw how close we were to the ground.

"Few more minutes and we would have died." Loki chuckled. I glared at him and wanted to yell at him for putting me through this. But I couldn't. He had a proud smile on his beautiful face and I knew he meant no real harm from this. He was just trying to help. I pulled the elements under us and pushed us upwards towards the Hellicarrier. We landed on the platform and I was met with an applause from the group.

"Told you." Loki said as he winked at Peter. He was so cocky sometimes. I let Loki go and adjusted my crazy hair the best I could.

"So, now you can fly. Pretty cool, huh?" Tony asked as he smiled. 

"Honestly? Yeah." I laughed. I had to admit, it was exhilarating flying up to the Hellicarrier. I felt so free. So in touch with the world around me.

"Let's get back down to my building and do some combat training." Tony said as his mask appeared on his face. He took off from the platform and flew down to the Earth. Peter followed him, leaping off as he waved to me. Clint and Natasha boarded their small plane and took off, leaving me with the God brothers.

"Fly down with me." Loki smiled. Thor began to spin his hammer and winked as he threw it, and himself, forward, leaving us. Loki took my hand and we stepped off the platform and floated in the air.

"Easy once you learn, isn't it?" He asked as we slowly descended. I let his hand go and he moved away from me. His smile gave me all the confidence in the world. I looked down to the Earth and pushed myself forward, Iron Man style, and flew to the Earth. I began picking up speed and laughed as the wind flew past me. Loki appeared next to me and smirked as he darted away, leaving me behind.

"Oh no you don't." I laughed to myself before pushing myself to go faster. I caught up with him and he spun around my back, landing on my right side. I spun under him to his other side and Loki laughed as he spun again. We continued to spin around one another as we flew towards Tony's building. I was laughing so hard it felt like I couldn't breathe. I've also never seen Loki laugh as hard as he was.

We slowed down and landed on the balcony, where the others were waiting for us. I ran my fingers through my hair and tamed it down as I greeted everyone.

"Alright kids, let's get to work." Tony clapped his hands together and a big smile formed on his face.

*A few hours later*

I exhaled hard and let my back hit the cold metal wall. Tony had been training me combat wise for the past hour and I was so tired. I'd never done this much exercise before.

"Okay. Progress. You managed to actually dodge that last punch." He nodded as he looked over at me. The others were watching from the other side of the small gym. Tony had it built when he first became Iron Man so that he could practice his fighting when he needed it.

"Let me try." Peter called out as he walked over to us.

"It won't always be hand to hand. Some enemies might be ranged." He explained as his mask covered his face. Tony shrugged and walked away from us and to the others. 

"Alex." Loki suddenly said, in my head.

"What??" I asked him.

"Focus on the elements around you. Use them to avoid Peter's webs. Feel the world and make it one with yourself." I glanced over at Loki and saw the smirk on his face. I gave him a small nod and then looked back at Peter.

"Ready?" Peter asked me.

"As I'll ever be." I shrugged. Peter suddenly shot a web at me and I hit the wall, becoming stuck to it. 

"Too easy." Peter playfully joked. I exhaled hard but Loki's words danced in my head. I felt the elements that made up Peter's web. I could feel how tight they were, holding me still. I relaxed them and walked right out of the intact web, like I did with the glass of the cage.

"Alright, not bad." Peter nodded. He suddenly shot two balls of web at me and I quickly focused the elements and relaxed them. They went right through me and hit the wall.

"Wow, that's really powerful." Clint said. He suddenly shot an arrow at me, testing me more. I locked my eyes on the arrow and forced it to split down the middle, each half going past me.

"Once you can control these powers, T.J, you'll be unstoppable." Tony laughed as he walked over to us. 

"Having the ability to control these elements like that, it's amazing." Peter added as his mask disappeared.

"Can you control fire and stuff?" Natasha asked from the other side of the room.

"She should be able to. She can manipulate the elements fire is made from." Loki shrugged at her question. Natasha pulled a match out of her boot, because of course she as matches in her boots. She ran it along her heel and it caught fire. She held the match between her fingers and out towards me.  I raised one hand in the air and gently took the match from her. It was becoming easier and easier to use my powers. I could feel everything around me, syncing together in perfect harmony with me. I raised my other hand and focused it on the fire. I slowly pulled the flame from the top of the match and made it grow bigger. I held the ball of fire in the air and gave the match back to Nat. 

"Impressive." She chuckled, tossing the match on the ground.

"Now put it out." Loki said as he nodded to the fire. I looked at the ball and pulled my other hand towards it, adding more pressure to the fire. I smashed the fire ball until it went out and nothing but smoke was left.

"I'll say it again, impressive." Nat proudly nodded at me.

"I think she's ready for a real mission, Tony." Clint said as he leaned on his bow.

"Um, no." I laughed.

"Why not?" Tony asked me as he crossed his arms.

"Yeah, why not? You seem to have great control over these powers already." Peter added.

"I- because I've never done this before." I said, gesturing to the group of heroes in front of me.

"It's not that hard." Nat rolled her eyes.

"Everyone needs to start somewhere, Lady Alex." Thor chimed in with a wide smile.

"I can't." I really didn't want to be put out there on a mission. I was terrified about saving others and fighting people. I didn't want to let anyone down. Or worse....

"Nah, you're ready. You'll come with me on the next mission." Tony smiled before turning and walking away.

"Wh- no!" I half laughed but he was gone already.

"He's kidding." I laughed again as I looked over at the others.

"Right? He's just kidding?" I asked as I looked over at Peter. The group all shared the same knowing smile as they began to leave the gym.

"Guys! He's kidding right??" I yelled out as Nat closed the door behind them.

*A few hours later*

Tony wasn't kidding. He was being completely serious about taking me out already. He had given me my own suit and I was ecstatic about that. I watched as the suit quickly formed over my arms and legs before overtaking the rest of my body. I closed my eyes as the mask formed over my face and opened them, finding everyone staring at me. Nat had a brow raised, Clint had his both furrowed as he examined me. Thor and Loki both shared the same unsure look but Peter and Tony both looked excited.

"I think it's too much, Tony." Clint finally said. I turned and looked in the mirror and immediately began laughing at what I saw. Tony had given me a suit that looked exactly like his, except the colors were pink and white.

"What? It's perfect!" Tony scoffed.

"No, I think Clint's right. It's too much." I laughed as I looked back at Tony. As much as it honored me to wear a suit made my Tony Stark, especially one that looked like Iron Man, it didn't feel right.

"You look great in it!" Peter said as he walked around me, examining the suit.

"I dunno. The colors are so...bright and it feels weird being in this suit. I mean, Pepper has a cool iron suit. This one...feels like a child colored your suit for you." I chuckled as the mask disappeared from my face.

"You're all wrong. That suit is perfect." Tony rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. The suit slowly disappeared off of my body and the Nanos returned to their place in the small container on Tony's counter.

"She needs something...more subtle. Toned down." Loki chimed in as he walked over and looked down at me with a brow raised.

"Something...like this." A leather suit appeared in his hands and he handed it to me with a smile. I held it up and slowly examined every detail on it. It looked almost identical to Loki's green and black suit, except mine was a dark blue and black. There was a small golden upside down triangle shaped emblem right where his was and the leather pads on the shoulders were black, unlike his brown ones. Bits of the sleeves were a dark purplish blue while his were brownish green.

"And black boots to match." He said as a pair of boots appeared in his hands. He set them down on the floor by my feet and took a step back as I admired the suit more. It felt right on my fingers.

"Wow, yeah, real subtle Loki. Yeah." Tony sarcastically said as he glared at the God.

"What's wrong with my suit?" Loki asked as he looked over at Tony.

"It looks just like yours!" Tony scoffed as he pointed to the suit and then to Loki's suit.

"Put it on so we can see." Natasha said, interrupting the boys.

"Um, turn around then." I said as I looked at the group staring at me. Loki snapped his fingers and the suit suddenly appeared on my body. I looked down, inhaling a little as I admired it. It fit so perfectly on me. I looked in the mirror and a huge smile appeared on my face as I slowly looked my body up and down.

"Much better." Natasha smiled.

"I actually like this on her. It fits her skin tone well, looks comfortable yet durable too." Clint nodded his approval as I looked over at the group.

"You look like a true Asgardian warrior!" Thor laughed as he looked me up and down.

"I hate to admit it, Tony, but this one does look better on her." Peter sighed as he walked over and stood next to the older man.

"You people have no idea what fashion is." Tony said as he turned and walked away from us. He stormed down into his lab and I couldn't help but laugh at how childish he was.

"You should do some combat in it before we go out." Natasha said as she nodded at me.

"Right. Don't wanna be out there and realize you have no movement in that suit." Clint laughed.

"I would offer to help buuuuut Laura texted me when we got here and told me she's making her lasagna tonight. Can't miss that." Natasha shrugged.

"Wait, my wife texted you and not me?" Clint asked as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He furrowed his brows as he stared at the empty screen and then looked at Nat.

"Yeah." Natasha shrugged again before turning and walking towards the balcony. Clint tipped his bow at us, telling us bye and then followed his partner to the small plane.

"I would offer too but Jane is waiting for me at her house. It is date night tonight." Thor smiled widely before walking to the balcony as well and flying off with his hammer.

"I gotta be at my aunts for dinner. She and Happy want a double dinner date with M.J and me. Can't be late." Peter smiled at me as he walked backwards. He made it to the balcony and leaped off as his mask covered his face.

"And I assume you're also too busy to help me out?" I half laughed as I looked at Loki.

"I did have some plans this evening, but I guess I can cancel them." Loki said as he slowly brought his shoulders up to his ears and dropped them in a slow shrug. I had a feeling he was joking with me and I couldn't help but smile. He smiled and took my hand, taking us to the gym. He let me go and walked over to the other side of the gym.

"Alright. Don't hold back." He instructed. I nodded in agreement and he disappeared and then reappeared behind me. He pushed me forward and I fell on my face. I groaned as I rolled over and sighed as I stared up at Loki. He held his hand out and helped me to my feet before walking away.

"Again." He said as he turned towards me. I watched as he disappeared and reappeared to my left. I swung my right fist over my chest and towards him but he disappeared again and reappeared on my right. I swung my left fist and he disappeared once more, reappearing in front of me. He smirked and pushed me backwards. I landed on my back and clenched my jaw as I stared up at the ceiling. Loki leaned over me and held his hand out. He helped me up and returned to his starting position.

"Again."

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