'She most certainly is!'
Tony's doubt ignited the old man; fury filled Jack's aged features. 'She's the Forest Maiden—you have no idea how extraordinary she is!'
'She'll outlive me by years. I bet she's hiding somewhere right now, laughing at us!'
Rose stroked her husband's hand. 'Easy, Jack—your heart.'
The old man leaned back on the sofa, catching his breath.
Tony didn't know what to say.
The name Sen Getsusa had threaded through his life; since childhood his father had spoken of her.
'She never kept her word; I even called her big sister.'
Sounded like someone older than Dad?
'I lost the bet—the only wager I ever lost.' Yet Howard had looked anything but defeated, his eyes bright with anticipation: 'So I'll make her a one-of-a-kind travel coat and the finest weapon on earth.'
His father was right: he lost only once, and everything afterward succeeded.
Jack and Rose traded memories, and Tony was eager to hear of his father's childhood follies.
'Follies? He never had any—he was far more grown-up than you.' Rose shot Tony a look. 'Your father was clever from boyhood; on that ship he followed Sen Getsusa like a little tail most of the time.'
It was hard to picture the mighty Howard Stark, founder of Stark Industries, as a tiny tail.
'A cute little tail,' Jack laughed. 'He was the last to see her. Didn't he ever tell you anything?'
Tony shook his head.
Though Howard had spoken of Sen Getsusa often, the search party never found her.
Tony was certain she was dead.
Only his father—and the two old people in front of him—refused to face that fact.
Rose seemed to read Tony's mind. "Relax, she's definitely alive."
The certain Rose tapped the file. "Just wait; one day she'll come back."
"But we won't be here to see it…"
Jack and Rose looked a little sorrowful.
Years ago they'd thought they would die on that giant ship, but a strange mist had nudged the whole sea into a safe harbor.
Because of that, every passenger and crew member was investigated for half a year.
In the end, nothing was found.
"We're leaving together. If she ever returns, tell her—we've missed her every single day."
Jack drifted into memory. "I miss her, and her wonderful paintings. I still remember her pouting, teasing me, then cheerfully pulling Howard along."
The two old people sank into remembrance.
Even Tony was quietly swept up in the mood.
Across decades these two still recalled every soul they'd met on that great vessel—every survivor who should have perished, its Captain, First Mate, Second Mate, the food, the cabins, the deck, the dancing, the night sky.
The promise.
'Live well, Mr. Hanhan and Lady Rose!'
Hair streaming, the girl lay across the railing of the sinking leviathan, shouting down to them while stars above and roaring waves below bore witness to their love.
Mr. Hanhan—Jack—and Lady Rose, two people deeply in love, had kept that vow.
The three traded memories; when the elders tired and prepared to leave, Tony made a decision.
"All right, let me say first—it wasn't intentional secrecy."
He stood up and spread his hands in a theatrical shrug. "How was I to know you were so entwined with Mr. Howard and Miss Sen Getsusa?"
"You think we're here to swindle you?" Rose rolled her eyes; though her face was creased with age, Tony had to admit she must have been a great beauty.
"Coming with a mountain of Picassos to cheat you out of cash?"
Tony muttered, "How would I know they're real…"
"Fine, my mistake."
He walked to the wall, fumbled, pressed a button, and turned back with a grin. "I ought to have an ambulance waiting—just in case your hearts—"
"I was holding a gun on Cal while you were still—"
"Still a tadpole. Enough, Mr. Jack Dawson; showing off your age isn't impressive."
"Should I give you a thumbs-up?"
After a quick exchange, machinery hummed inside the wall, then beneath their feet—steel grinding on bearings, electricity hissing, gas sighing.
The three stepped back.
A modest hatch appeared at their feet.
Stairs led downward; strip-lights glowed in the walls, the depths immaculate.
Tony started down, glancing back. "Only I can enter here—today's an exception. No butler to help, so don't push yourselves, old gunhand Mr. Jack."
Jack flipped him the bird.
The brat was as obnoxious as his father.
They descended slowly: a white spiral, not a speck of dust. The hush was absolute, their footsteps soft on the pale, nameless steps.
Soon the spiral ended at a small chamber. Before an odd door Tony began a string of checks.
Fingerprint, pass-code, iris—assorted verifications—until Rose yawned and the final door slid aside.
A broad underground space, bright as noon, held only scattered cryptic machines and two glass display cases.
The left case rose high, glass on every side, lit and spotless.
Inside hung a cloak.
A traveler's cloak.
Like something from the bedtime stories of childhood, only far more costly and refined.
"This was my father's stake," Tony said, hands in pockets. "He hired the top designers of the era to create it."
Jack led Rose closer.
The cloak was black.
A deep hood could hide nose and mouth; its rim was stitched in gold thread, and dark patterns circled the hem.
Gold on black—like starlight in night.
Motionless on its hanger, it began to sway in the breathless room, and from the hood's shadow came a faint, familiar laugh.
Jack's mind slipped.
He saw Sen Getsusa trying it on, grimacing at the fussy cut, then winking playfully.
"Fits perfectly…"
The young billionaire nodded.
To get the fit, Howard had sampled thirty-odd girls, tailoring only when the silhouette matched the one in his memory.
"The real work wasn't the design—that was trivial." Tony pointed at the cloak and the neighboring case. "Adamantium—every gram is inside it."
"Hundreds of Adamantium plates are sewn in; the trailing edge can slice through any known substance on Earth. Nothing can penetrate it."
Silver tips peeked from the hem; when worn they flare out so the wearer can't cut herself.
It even survived a missile strike unscathed.
Tony rattled on to the two old men about the wonders of Adamantium—he even quoted the current market price. A merchant's instincts seemed to drive him to coax some promise out of them.
Unfortunately, the old man was unmoved.
'That's right.' Jack didn't understand alloys, but he was delighted that Howard had spared no effort to give Sen Getsusa the very best.
'Right?'
Tony shook his head. 'This metal can't be reproduced; it was born by chance. I believe it belongs somewhere useful, not hanging here waiting for a dead woman.'
Sensing her husband was about to explode, Ruth grabbed Tony's hand and pulled him to the second display case.
-------------------------------
Hope you enjoy this fanfiction if you do and would like to read the next 30 chapters in advance, pls do check out my Patreon.
patreon.com/TLScarlet
Also don't forget to give me a Power Stone if you do like this fiction. Your support really motivates me to continue doing my best in translating, Thanks!!