Once Upon an Avenger

Chapter 30: Happy Birthday!

The whole team stopped abruptly when Hope flew out of the water and into the air. Time seemed to slow, allowing her to hover meters above the surface. Her back arched as she flipped her hair back, creating a perfect crescent-moon shape with her body. Soon enough, Hope's angelic form came bombing back down into the water.

Everyone stood there in shock as they wondered what on earth had just happened. Peter was the first to awaken from the trance-like state. "Mr. Stark, where is she?"

"I'm right here, Pete." Hope was just getting out of the water, a little to the group's left.

He ran towards her, wrapping his arms around her neck. "You promised me that you'd never scare me like that again."

She ran her hands through his soggy hair. "I'm sorry. Do you think you can forgive me?"

"Only if you let me be in charge next Friday."

The two of them shook on it. "Deal."

"Always making deals," a voice said from the water.

They turned, ready to pounce on the mysterious brunette walking towards them, her seaweed-like skirt floating in the breeze.

"Who are you, mortal?" Thor asked, pointing his hammer at her.

Loki flipped his daggers - that he'd somehow managed to once again procure without Hope knowing - in his hands. "Are you the one who tried to kill the princess?"

"The princess?" She turned to Hope. "You actually let him call you that? You hate the title even more than I do."

Hope shrugged. "It's endearing from him."

"Hold on." Tony stepped forwards, flapping his arms between the two women. "Do you two know each other?"

"No. I just ran towards a random thing in the ocean." She rolled her eyes at him. "I might be reckless sometimes--"

"Sometimes?" Steve scoffed, but Hope gave him a death stare telling him to shut up.

"As I was saying, I might be reckless sometimes, but I'm not stupid."

"Well... There was that time--"

"Sorry for interrupting you," Tony said to the girl before turning to Hope. "But why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't exactly have time before you went full out Avengers mode on her." Hope walked over to her friend and gave her a hug. "Everyone, this is Princess Melody, daughter of--"

"Ariel and Prince Eric." Peter went wide eyed. "Does that mean you're a mermaid?"

Melody smiled. "Part mermaid, kid. I have a tail in water and legs on land."

"That's awesome!"

Hope turned to her friend, holding both her hands. "Mel, don't get me wrong, I'm over the moon that you're here, but it isn't safe."

"I don't care whether it's safe or not," Melody told her. "It's your birthday, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"If you don't mind me asking," Tony cut in. "Why isn't it safe for you here?"

"Mermaids can travel freely between realms, that's how we escaped the curse. We left for Arendelle before it struck. But the longer I'm here, the more at risk I am of being caught."

"How did you find her?"

Melody pointed to the shell around Peter's neck. "I heard her."

"Of course," Hope laughed. "I can use magic in a land without magic."