Chapter 4

Oh yes… they had a lot of work!

Because Tony didn't choose the easiest thing to do… of course not! That wouldn't be interesting other way …

The AI wanted to be able to look out for Jarvis by himself… because… c'mon… the other were just incompetent … and by other please understand army/government/Jarvis Industries staff/Obadiah… Everyone, except Pepper, in a way Tony liked her, Pepper was nice… sort of…

So Antony decided naturally to find an alternative to his lack of body, yep, you got it, a robot, but a badass one please! You know a bit like those in cartoons or maybe Japanese show - they had some nice looking robot there, a bit too bulky, but other than that pretty cool -.

But… even if Tony was pretty excited at the idea to have his own body … here was his first problem: he needed a power source for it.

Tony felt a bit down for few days after this, trying to find a solution, what should he use? What would be powerful enough for him to not need to charge it up too often?

After few days of frenetic research he found the solution in the well organized and quite exhaustive server of JI, in the unfinished project folder.

An Ark Reactor!

The perfect solution!

If only this technology wasn't at the prototype stage…

Tony would have cried in frustration had he been human, instead he kept going through all the data he could possibly access, which wasn't so much in fact, as nobody hooked him back to internet since his shut down and as Jarvis had his capacity limited right before disappearing.

The process was slow as Dummy and Butterfingers weren't really the efficient kind of robots …

"Okay... dummy... hey look at me!"

Tony waved his holographic hand in front of the robotic arm

"Yes that's my boy"

He smiled slightly hearing Dummy doing some interrogative noise

"Yes stupid thing it's me, Tony, now could you try to focus a bit?"

Another interrogative noise answered him.

"Why do I look like that? 'Cause I can… and yes to answer your question, it's how human looks like, no you have not the ability to do the same, and no I do not have the time or the capacity to fix that! Now please can we go back to work?"

The sound of the artificial voice was a bit annoyed at the end trying to get back his "assistant" attention.

"Dummy for the last time, let's go back to work! If I have to repeat myself again I promise to rewrite your coding!"

Not that Tony would ever do that… but Dummy wasn't aware of it.

The robot made a sad little noise and finally gets back to his task, which was actually trying to put together the different part of a mini version of the ark reactor technology… yep, a prototype of a prototype… Tony was just hoping he wasn't going to make the house burst into fire… explaining it to Pepper and Obadiah would be a nightmare… wait… he wouldn't be actually able to explain it as he would be destroyed in the process as well… nothing to worry about then, but he would feel guilty if he was to destroy his boys, accident or not.

Tony was looking expectantly at the blue glowing thing… it wasn't a pretty looking thing... not as neat as Jarvis' creations… but for the moment it will be sufficient … once he will have his own hand he will try to create something more efficient and with a nicer design.

Tony appeared to be what human call a hedonist, he never really thought about that before, but now is "alone time" allowed some kind of introspection, during which Tony decided he liked pretty thing and when Jarvis will be safe he will improve the design of his personal creation.

But for the moment he was just going through boring reading, checking if everything was okay with the ark reactor…

It… wasn't as good as Tony expected… but it should sufficient for now…

"Good boy"

The holographic tony was smiling at Dummy who finally manage to assemble the electromagnet without breaking it – at the 50th try … not so bad –

Now Tony will finally be able to work on the most interesting part of the project.

His own robotic body.

Everything went wrong, really fucking wrong.

Tony holds a metaphorical desperate sigh when looking around the devastated workshop. The Ai wasn't even sure what happened to make everything turn so bad.

At first, things started pretty well, after days of hard work with the clumsy help of Butterfingers and Dummy, Tony finally managed to have a first version of a robotic Body.

It was ugly, grey metal, a bit too bulky for the Ai's taste… but what he was trying to create anyway. Tony was so excited finally! He was reaching his aim! Finally.

And then... the explosion, he had made a slightly tiny mistake in his calculation which resulted in this mess….

Thankfully the workshop was kind of explosion-proof… but not his server, neither Dummy nor Butterfinger; he had been an inch away from destroying all of them…

Tony had felt something akin fear as much as he was able to, fear to get destroy again, fear of the dark, fear of "killing" his boys, and over all, fear of not being able to save Jarvis anymore and let him die in some dark and awful place, alone.

After this incident, Tony went back to his calculation not daring to try again before being 100% sure of what he was doing.

Preferring to show Dummy and Butterfinger how to clean the room, it wouldn't be safe to do anything in this mess anyway Tony was trying to convince himself... surely not.

The two robotic arms were slow but dedicated to their task, aiming to cheer Tony by doing a good job, feeling how depressed and anguish the main AI was feeling.

Two days were needed by the two robots to bring the workshop back to its pristine condition, and now they were waiting, waiting for their... Boss? Big brother? Father? Well for Tony to do something. But the 18 years old AI was still shy about the matter… he has been so close to lose everything.

Worried by his lack of reaction, the two units started to "nudge" his matrix and "nag" him highly disliking his apparent apathy.

After another day lost, an eternity for the super computer, Tony went back slowly to work, in the end he managed to find the origin of the explosion… The Ark Reactor, thanks programmer, still in one piece, was too powerful for the primary circuit created for the robotic body prototype…

Tony and his boys worked day and night on the new body, well at least until the two "small" robots needed to charge up. Then Tony was left alone, working on calculation, running simulation, never resting he couldn't lose any more time Edwin needed him.

The three AI were almost finished when it happened for the first time… Someone at Jarvis Industries sent him and enquiry… Antony was so surprised that he almost fried the circuit of the new prototype… since when people were sending him information request?! Tony almost ignored it, he had others things to do! Much more important than mere request, until he traced the origin of the request and mentally cringed… Pepper's computer… He HAD to answer to it, not that it was compulsory or anything, but he couldn't let Pepper think he was useless or defective and make her shut him down.

Slowly and with reluctance, Tony finally answer Pepper question, concerning some JI data, after having spent hours going through all of the company's servers it wasn't really hard for him, and even if from the Ai point of view, he was really slow in his reply as a sign of annoyance, from the human point of view the answer was almost instantaneous.

As Tony was finalizing everything for the test, another request popped out… again from Pepper, stopping anew, he answered just as he received one of those little annoying demand, but this time from Obadiah… Tony was so tempted to stop answering… but to afraid to do so, being a computer at the mercy of human being sucked, really. Gritting imaginary teeth he just keep complying to the humans nagging which keep increasing coming from most of the head office personal of JI, Ignoring the ones from normal staff.

His own server was overwhelmed; he wasn't able to do anything else! And he had other things to do! But he never learned before how to be fully multitasking not at that kind of level…

The poor AI had only one solution: to learn how and learn it quickly!

He lost another frustrating day figuring out his different aptitude and how to use them, finally somehow managing the multitasking stuff… though some mistake might have happened through the process… Pepper never asked for the board director porn folder… how well shit happens…

And he was now fully able to test his freaking robotic body for programmer's sake!

The new version was lighter than the first one, still grey, still far from stylish, but better anyway, and it didn't exploded when Tony had Butterfinger – Dummy didn't want to do it anymore- connect the Ark Reactor to the main frame.

The AI ran a few tests before starting the worst part, for him, loading himself in the metallic body… if anything went wrong, he would simply be erased, as easy as that.

Dummy and Butterfingers made some clicking interrogative noises, clearly worried, they would have preferred Tony not doing it at all… after all, they didn't know Jarvis, the human was just a stranger for them, and they had difficulty to understand why their creator would risk his existence for a human, if you asked them, all what they wanted was their Tony safe… and that's it.

Finally after awfully long second, the armor started to move, at first just flexing its fingers, then trying some hesitant steps,

"That's so great!"

Tony chuckled happily, marveled by the new possibilities offered by his body.

"Hey guys look at that!"

Starting to walk, stumbling slightly, and starting to touch almost everything, his sensory captors feeding him with new data. Tony couldn't know it, but he was acting as a child, astonished by the simplest things,

It took him few tries to be able to walk more freely and even more to learn how to hold things firm enough to not let them fall on the floor but without breaking them at the same time.

It was so different from being a holograms, to be disconnected from his own servers, to be able to "watch" the world through something else than the Malibu Mansion's security cameras.

Tony was amazed and sat down on the not-so-neat-anymore floor of the workshop, laughing warmly as his two companions came near him, buzzing and clicking interrogative, touching him full of curiosity.

"Who's the best, guys? Who? Yep! That's Tony!"

He then hugged both of the robotics arms, just because he could, and none of them were going to complain, they were far too happy to get the attention of their Tony and get cuddled by him, they just kept nudging him and chirping happily.

They stayed like for a few minutes before Tony pushed them carefully aside, not wanting to damage them by accident, and stood up slowly.

"Okay... let's start the next test... right?"

Tony was a bit anxious, looking both of his companions moving away, cautiously watching him.

Testing the repulsors was far from funny though... And Tony was glad to not be actually able to feel pain... because he ended in a wall or flat on the floor a countless amount of time, he even ended once on one of Jarvis old British car... geez he will have to fix that at one point... maybe order a new one? Because he wouldn't be able to give any plausible reason for the disappearance of Jarvis' favourite car...

Tony was proud of himself he managed to more or less master the armour and control it... and was now decided to test it in the open! You know a real flight! Even against the opinion of Butterfingers & Dummy.

He wanted to see outside, he never ever have been able to, only getting glimpse of it through the windows of the mansion.

It was the first time he felt trapped, like kind of prisoner, that never happened before... but now he was eager to discover and get out of here, this new feeling of freedom was endearing!

With this idea in mind, he ran out in the open, turning on the repulsors and left the ground, going higher and faster at every passing second, stopping briefly to look around him, the view was beautiful; he never saw something so amazing before, the human city and night with all its light sparkling as some kinds of firefly.

It was magic, The AI let out a slight cry of pleasure, rocketing toward the space, feeling almost alive, it was like a dream... well ... humans would surely say so, so Tony processed it should fit the situation.

Everything was perfect,

Until it stopped to be...

Tony felt a surge of panic going through his schematics, the robot wasn't responding anymore! It was ... It was ... Frozen?!

Tony cursed himself for being so stupid... he should have thought about the possibility that this alloy wouldn't be able to bear low temperatures.

The robot was falling helplessly through the sky, knowing far too well that if the core or the circuits get destroyed he would disappear with them.

The AI tried to order his priority to have more resources to fix the situation WITHOUT crashing down.

Only luck saved Tony this time, the fall at high speed warmed up a bit the alloy, allowing to do regain control over it and to go back to the mansion crashing a new car in the process...

As soon as he was back in the workshop both robotics arms came to check on him, fussing around the older AI, touching him, checking everything was okay with him.

"Dummy, Butterfingers... it's okay, I'm here stop worrying... shhhshhh ... I'm okay... c'mon let me get up..."

Anthony was trying to calm them but without success, in the end he just pushed them aside to get up.

"Raaah, out of my way you two!"

With the remains of his energy load himself back in the mansion serve, glad to be back there.

He was resolute now to find a solution to the icing problem, but also to the full download of himself in the armour... he couldn't stay like that, sure he never felt so alive before... but it was to dangerous to only exist in the armour... he was more planning on some ubiquity ability, to be in the suit as well as in the mansion... and anywhere else he would be needed... he couldn't let the house empty now, could he?

Especially seeing how many missed request he had received during his absence... mostly from Pepper

Pepper who was currently on her way for the Malibu house...

Which was in a deplorable state...

... oh shoot...

"Dummy! Butterfingers! We have to fix the house, urgently!"

The two robots have been sulking a bit before raising their "head" at the obvious panic in the AI voice.

"Hurry! It's a 'human emergency' We have about... 3h or so… maybe less … hurry hurry hurry !"

And every sentinent being in the house started to panic, running all around the workshop to clean everything, being even clumsier than usual, but Tony was too busy restoring the power in the rest of the house to notice it, opening the windows to get some fresh air in the room, and made the house look like what it was when Pepper left it few weeks ago.

Tony was afraid, well more exactly totally freaked out; he couldn't let Pepper or anyone discover anything... what if they tried to stop him? What if humans started to think him to dangerous?

He won't let it happen not before rescuing Jarvis and being sure he was alright!

Once satisfy with the current state of the house the Ai focused back on the workshop where Dummy and Butterfingers where doing their best to clean everything and hide the armour, they weren't too bad, but slow and Tony knew they were no chance to see the room back to its pristine condition before the arrival of Miss Pepper Potts...

Who was now 15 minutes away…

That was bad, so bad so so so so fucking bad.

Being an AI sucked …

"Okay… okay… just … hide the armor! Normally it shouldn't be a problem… Pepper usually does not get down there... but with my current luck…. Oh … and if Miss Potts comes down here … do not show yourself, do not make a noise, do not move! Better… maybe should you just … don't know hide somewhere in the workshop until she left? Yeah that sound good… go guys!"

Neither of the pair seemed to agree but they obeyed anyway not wanting to cause any distress to Tony but with obvious reluctance.

Tony had a small annoyed sound but didn't say anything; after all they obeyed, didn't they?

And maybe also because Miss Potts was at the front door, opening the lock with swift and precise movement, Tony could have opened the door himself back then… but Jarvis disconnected him from the front door after shutting him down, for obvious reason, going back to a more traditional way of keeping his door shut.

When a few days ago a desperate Pepper sent a request to Jarvis personal AI, she wasn't actually expecting an answer from it.

It just has been a long day, and Obadiah Stane had asked her for a specific document he was going to use during a meeting the following day.

She had looked everywhere, in the maze of JI servers, despite everything being perfectly ordered, it was quite difficult to find something when you didn't really know where to look for it.

In desperation she decided to ask Tony… who know, the AI was acting quite strangely at the moment… so maybe it could help…

And she actually received the lost document mere seconds after asking for it… unbelievable! With even the path used to find this document in the servers.

After this success she kept sending inquiry and request to the super computer, each time getting a prompt answer, a lot of people from JI started to do so as well… the computer was so efficient, and it was far easier than looking for it by themselves.

During a week everything was perfect, until suddenly, the AI stopped answering, she even got some error messages when trying to send data directly to it.

She was worried, Tony was almost the last real remain from Edwin, and the idea to lose it as well depressed her, because it would mean lost Jarvis for good…

Maybe JI staff had sent it too many requests? Maybe it get overloaded by those data? Did it overheat? Pepper only hopped the computer wasn't beyond repair…

Once in front the house she took a deep breath and push the door, feeling relived to see the lights turn on as she walk inside the mansion and even more when she heard the soft voice of the AI saluting her, even if still unsettlingly subdued and far too polite… Oh well at least it was still here.

"Good evening Miss Potts, I hope you had a nice journey"

Tony answered with a polite tone; he wasn't going to give any reason to Pepper to shut him down or whatever she wanted to do by coming here, he had more important things to do.

She nodded absently seeming for some obscure reason somewhat reassured …

"May I enquire the reason of your presence?"

Tony was trying to hold himself from using Jarvis British's accent… it made him felt like one of those butler in old movie… well it can't be helped after all, that was how Jarvis and everyone always wanted him to behave , wasn't it?

"I just wanted to make sure everything was alright in the house…"

She started walking around the room; satisfy to see everything was just as she remembered... except maybe a bit… cold? Was there any problem with the electrical power?

"Of course Miss Potts…"

Tony just wanted her to leave to be able to finish his body and fix the previous problems he encountered as soon as possible.

Pepper frowned; she knew something was off with the AI but right now he seemed almost annoyed …

"You stopped answering today, what happened?"

Tony sweared internally, of course she had to ask about that…

"I went into a scheduled check up and was unable to communicate for a few hours Miss Potts…"

Well… Tony was 'defective' after all… he was allowed to lie… wasn't he?

"Oh … of course …"

Pepper sighed and relaxed the AI was still functioning, but her intuition told her that something strange was happening with Tony … maybe was it just paranoia? But she had the annoyed feeling that the computer was trying to hide something… she shook a bit her head, she was starting to turn crazy, it was just a computer not a real person…. But what if…

Pepper then took two decisions, the first one was to never watch one of this stupid science fiction movie with killer AI again and the second was:

"I think I will stay here for a bit… just to make sure everything alright…"

"As you wish Miss Potts."

Wait… what?! No no no and no! Things were complicated enough without Pepper Potts looming over his metaphorical shoulder…

Why was fate always against him?!