⌜ 速度 ⌟ •° transcendent | p.maximoff

•three•

Tony awoke to the sore sight of plain black. Noticing his back was facing the ceiling while his head was shoved into what almost felt like feathers, slow to realise the comfy pillow he groaned at his awakening. Feeling weaker than his usual self.

"Morning, Honey." He heard a familiar tone. His heart was at ease by the sound of her symphonic voice, his nerves raced at a steady pace forgetting the deep wound on his lower back.

"Pepper, what-what are you..."

"Hush now. Take some time to relax. You're in pain, I know. I just want you to get all right soon, honey." Pepper's fingers brushed on Tony's bare shoulder as he was only clothed bottom down. Goosebumps erupted from all over his body over her fragile touch. The hospital sheets lowered to expose his bare back.

"Where...in the world am I?" Was all he managed to speak out.

"You know that hospital, the one that always caught your eye when we looked over from the windows in the Avengers tower?" She paused, knowing he knew the location now "These people are doing all they can for your quick recovery, Tony. They all know that the 'Iron Man' has a lot of work on his frisk little palms." She finished.

"Why'd you stress on the word Iron Man...huh." He teased "You could've taken me to Cho, she would've surely used her technology. Regeneration, muscle strength and growth, she has all that as a serum and I'd be all right in no time if you'd just give me that!" He huffed in annoyance like a small child not receiving what he wanted for Christmas.

"Hope you didn't mind the dreadful delay, Mr. Stark, but cleaning that wound was one hell of a pain for the doctors in here." A very familiar voice spoke, he felt a new presence drift it's way into the room. Tony was more than happy right at this moment. "Now, this is going to hurt, but don't worry you'll undoubtedly live." The lady giggled.

"Cho...you...here? Aren't you meant to be at the Avengers To-AHHHH." He screamed when he felt the injection glide inside him, the needle injecting a cold fluid into his system which he felt ripple throughout his back.

"Well I heard the great Iron Man was injured and probably needed my serum to recover at a speedy rate. I just had to pay a visit." Cho hummed. "Besides, Thor was busy." She finished with a smirk.

"How long until he recovers?" Tony's girlfriend asked the scientist.

"He needs bed rest for about a day or two at least and after that he should be fine, although he'll need pain killers for the next week or two. Oh and try your best to not sleep on your back for the next two weeks." Cho informed hoping Tony would take her advice. "Tony...you'll need to be on this bed for the next day. Only then can you return to the Avengers. Stark...heed my words and don't do anything stupid." Cho finally concluded.

"As much as it hurts me more emotionally than physically right now knowing I'll miss out on the action in the next few days, I'll stay, Cho." Tony grunted.

"Well that's music to my ears. I better be off then we've got work at the lab." Was all she managed to say as she placed the empty syringe in her suitcase, locking it as she exited the room and carrying it out along with her.

"What are they doing at the lab?" Stark asked Pepper quietly.

"They're searching for DNA samples, character profiles. They're really eager to know what happened that night." she sighed in grief.

"I remember." Tony's voice trembled to the mear thought of such a deadly person, such a deadly weapon. With that woman roaming free on the innocent streets, it angered him.

"Honey, calm down." Pepper placed her hand at the back of Tony's neck, massaging it. Trying her best to help him relax. As soon as Tony felt at peace the noice of the door swiftly opening perked up his ears, gaining his attention.

"Stark, I hope you're well." It was Fury who came to check up on Tony next.

"Yeah well, I just had a special needle inserted next to my wound I think I'll hold up just fine."

"We need information about that night, Tony. What happened?" Fury asked none to kindly.

Tony rolled his eyes. "It was a girl. That's all I know, although her accent was southern British, she sounded like all things sweet with a small mix of misdemeanour. She sounded young shouldn't be more than twenty." He replied slowly nudging his head up so Fury could hear him clearly and not just mumbled words from a pillow.

"Was she enhanced?" He continued questioning.

"Not entirely sure. She was pretty skilled at combat though, I mean I wouldn't mind being trained by her in the red room." He arched his eyebrow.

"Tony, why didn't you take any action? she was an easy hit."

"Easy for you to say. Try to fight her, then you'll see and don't think I'll be picking your ass off the floor either when she beats the crap out of you." Tony huffed.

"Think it could be one of the Maximoffs?"

"No couldn't have been, different accent, different style of attack. Besides, Wanda would've used probability manipulation. This girl, she didn't do anything of the sort."

"Great, now we need a search party for the Maximoff twins and another pain in the ass."

"There's something about that bitch, Fury. Whatever you do it's like you can't ignore her, I haven't even seen her yet but her combat was almost...almost Transcendent in a way."

"They're currently examining samples at the lab in the helicarrier and also in the lab at the the tower, with the help of Banner. Everyone in the tower knows about your current state so don't be surprised by unexpected visits...a bit like this one."

"I don't think you've ever uttered that many words to anyone in your life before this." Tony laughed. "Oh, what about press?" His tone quickly changed into all forms of serious.

"That satellite called Veronica you sent out? Well? she's a useful one not only during difficult situations it turns out, but Agent hill made the extraordinary decision to turn on Veronica right when she received my call asking her to help you at that warehouse. Now Veronica's decided to use a force field around the warehouse. She used sensory from your arc reactor making sure it was you, manipulating everyone outside SHIELD to think that there was never any attack in the warehouse. Now if it was Steve or Romanoff in your place, Veronica would've never activated." Nick answered.

"Hah, the way you say that makes Hill sound like some lesbian who seduced a random lady called Veronica."

"Well she definitely acts it." Both the men laughed at their own remarks, receiving a loud sigh from Pepper.

"FURY!" Tony suddenly screeched.

"Jesus calm down, I'm only an inch away."

"Veronica. That's it. Veronica would have a clear view of the girl. Veronica would've captured her face if she accessed a force field around the perimeter." Tony uttered.

"They don't call you genius for nothing." Fury realised, the quick clever call made by Stark. "Hill, get all the information from last night that Veronica can you give you." Fury pressed onto his earpiece,  connecting him to Agent Hill.

"Well many usually call me genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist. So don't sweat it eyepatch." Tony smirked arrogantly.

"And many also call you alcoholic."

Tony clenched his jaw tightly as he was usually the one who got the last laugh at people. He heard Pepper try to conceal her quick giggle. Rolling his eyes back, he was invisible as he was trying to accept his defeat.

"Well he hasn't hit a comeback yet. Performance issues aren't that uncommon while injured. Don't sweat it." Fury hummed, feeling exceptional about himself. "I best be off now though. I've got to go check the lab and SHIELD headquarters. Get well soon." Was all the old man orated, disappearing from the hospital room.

Back at the Avengers lab

"Sir, the fingerprints we scanned turned out accessible. We've found a match."