As Tony continued to fend off the mutants with his suit— explosions and sounds of battle ringing out in the town, Lily sprang into action.
Her movements were fluid and precise— her appearance alone drew the attention of the people on the battlefield, Tony included. After all, it wasn't every day you would see someone wearing a black dress like her in the desert.
That was one of the reasons she had chosen this outfit style for the first encounter with Tony— he was a person who valued appearance to an extent, and even he couldn't overlook something that piqued his interest.
After all, drawing his interest and leaving a good first impression was her plan.
Plus, it wasn't like her dress hindered her. Sure, it wasn't something you would find someone fighting around in because it could limit one's movement— but Lily wasn't a normal human.
Her capabilities were far above those of a normal human, and even in her slightly hindered state, she was better than anything they could throw at her.
Keep in mind this was a fight Tony would win— if he could win as he is now, she wouldn't lose.
Furthermore, her outfit itself was alive. It was a Hive Unit simply made to look like a dress—it could move and accommodate her needs without even so much as a thought.
It could even attack and defend her as she fought— which it did.
Lily danced around the battlefield like a ballerina— her mutant abilities were her main weapon in this situation, not her physical capabilities.
She wanted to show Tony that she was a mutant or, at the very least, had abilities— and what better way to do that than use mutant abilities. She couldn't expose too much; however, she limited herself to the elements.
Earth, fire, electricity, even wind and sand danced around her as she moved.
She swiftly dispatched several of the mutants, easily incapacitating them under her attacks. Her attacks were swift and calculated, leaving no room for error as she moved with the grace of someone who had fought many battles.
Over the course of the last few weeks— while she did use her Hive Units in the process of raiding the base— she also further trained her skills and refined her fighting style.
She could now be considered somewhat seasoned in the ways of battle— and that was a good thing because she couldn't reveal her Hive Units here.
Not in front of Tony.
Tony watched in amazement as Lily effortlessly handled the mutants that had been causing him some trouble before. Her skill and prowess left him with quite the impression—and he was sure that she was more than just a mere bystander lending a hand.
He had his suit record everything she was doing— he would look this over when he returned.
Together, Tony and Lily fought the terrorist group, which proved to be no match for their combined might. What may have been a desperate victory for Tony had now boiled down to a one-sided slaughter.
With each passing moment, they gained ground, and the Ten Rings were forced further back—they were losing not only ground but also men and weaponry.
As the battle raged on, elements covering the sky and land, they could no longer fight back— under the command of their remaining higher-up, they ordered a retreat.
But how could Tony just let them retreat? He was here to wipe out this group for using his weapons for such vile acts— and he did.
As the last of the terrorists fell, Lily had already stopped aiding the man in his assault since all the mutants were dealt with. He carried out his desires the way he wanted, and Lily felt no need to aid him any further.
Instead, she made an effort to help the survivors of the town— using her abilities, she was able to find those who were covered under rubble but still alive, those trapped in burning buildings or forced into hiding.
Many were dead— but many more were injured.
Earth bent to her will, and the winds and fire did as she ordered— the flames that covered the town dying down under the combined manipulation and the earth that held people down parting as she dragged their bodies out.
'Doing this should leave a better impression on Tony.'
That was her reasoning for helping the people— she didn't care about their lives. If they lived or died, it didn't have much to do with her; she simply wanted to leave a good impression on Tony.
Maybe.
Either way, as the battle came to a conclusion, Tony fell back to the girl's location and landed before her.
His mask is raised to reveal his somewhat young appearance— strikingly similar to Robert Downey Jr but with slight differences. His hair wasn't the same, somewhat longer and messier, and his eyes were blue.
"What did you say your name was again?"
He asked, a smile prominent on his face as his tone was somewhat cheerful. He seemed pleased with his victory, it would seem.
"I never gave you one."
Lily replied with a somewhat friendly tone as she turned to face the man— however, she then turned away and shrugged her shoulders slightly.
"Well, see you around."