Elemental Mimicry

6: New York fears

A groan escaped Crystal's mouth as she sat up, her head spinning and eyes unfocused. Everything around her was dark, causing her to frown deeply. The last thing she could remember was sparring with Wanda, teaching her how to react to different attacks effectively. Without warning the brunette had knocked her onto her back, a gasp escaping the blondes lips as she met the concert ground with her back. It had come so quickly, so out of the blue, but why did she feel so bad after it?

She hadn't been knocked out, she was still wide awake as she lay on the floor. What had happened? "Wanda?" Crystal called out, standing to her feet. "Ruby?" Her wings tucked in behind her as fear crept up her back. "Pietro."

"Crystal!" Ruby's voice screamed, causing the sixteen year old to spin on her heels. "Crystal! Help!" Mimic screamed again. Instantly Glimmer jumped into the air, her wings carrying her in the direction of the cries for help. Suddenly a figure slammed into the flying female, sending her spiralling to the floor. Her eyes blurred once more for a few seconds before focusing on the person above her.

"Ruby." The green eyed female whispered, taking in the sight before her. The seventeen year old was covered in blood, her entire outfit dripping with the thick red substance that was meant to be inside her body. Several wounds littered her smooth skin, her eyes dark as she stared almost lifelessly back at her best friend. "Ruby what happened?"

"It hurts C." Ruby whispered before coughing up blood. Quickly the green eyed enhanced shuffled backwards, avoiding the liquid dripping from the blue eyed enhanced lips. "Everything hurts so much, I can't heal this much."

"No! You can, you can. Please." Mimic feel heavily to the floor, causing Glimmer to hover over her almost instantly. "Stay awake. Ruby please just look at me, stay awake, you can fight this."

"No I can't, I've taken too much damage trying to protect you."

"Please save you breath, you can get through this Ruby please! Just listen to my voice." Sobs began to escape Crystal's lips as she pulled Ruby's torso onto her lap, blood still seeping from her wounds and lips. Ruby groaned and closed her eyes, her body becoming weaker by the second. "You can't leave me!"

"I'm so sorry." Ruby whispered before taking her final breath, her whole body falling completely still on her friends arms.

"Crystal!" A voice yelled, almost unheard through the sixteen year olds sobs. "Crystal!"

"Crystal!" The blonde bolted up, her who body jerking as she sat up quickly. Wanda was knelt beside her, her hands firmly on the younger girls shoulders and tears in her eyes.

"Wanda? What happened? Are you okay?"

"It was an accident, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do it!" The brunette cried, burying her face in her hands.

"Hey, calm down. Okay, breathe in and out. Slowly does it." The pair began taking breaths in sync, their shoulders rising and falling rhythmically. "You're okay, you're okay. Now, can you tell me what happened?" Wanda nodded shakily.

"We were sparring and I finally managed to knock you down using my hexes. I was so proud of myself I forgot what else I could do, I just showed you your worst fear Crystal. I'm so sorry, please don't report me to Strucker." More tears escaped the brunettes eyes as she clung to her trainer once more.

"I won't, it was an accident. I'm okay, everything's okay." Miss Evans assured Miss Maximoff as she cradled her lightly. Suddenly the door flew open, Pietro and Ruby speeding inside with the female ahead of him slightly. Instantly the twins embraced each other while Mimic knelt down beside her partner in the field.

"You've been crying." The older female noted, brushing Crystal's cheeks with her thumb. Hearing the new news the element controller lifter her hands up and sighed, feeling the wetness of tears staining her checks. "What happened?"

"It was an accident, Wanda-"

"Well done." The mimic cut off the blonde on the floor and looked over to the twins. Both turned to face her in confusion. "Come here Wanda." Once she was close enough Wanda was pulled into yet another hug, Ruby holding her tight for a few moments before letting her go. "I know you don't want to hear this but you've done well. You've shown you can switch what your hexes can do without much thought."

"But I-"

"Wanda please I'm fine." Everything fell silent for a few moments, each young enhanced exchanging glances until the training room door was swing open once more. Ruby groaned and stepped in front of the trio, holding her stance and raising her chin slightly as guards filtered into the room.

"Mimic, Glimmer, Strucker has requested to see you." The guard at the front spoke up. "Twins, he wants you back in your rooms, these lot are going to escort you there." Pietro mumbled something under his breath earning a glare from his sister. The trainers and trainees said their goodbyes like everyday as the elder two were lead from the room and back to their shared room. That left the guard that had spoke to the four, Mimic and Glimmer alone in the room. "Now." The guard finally demanded.

Grumbling slightly Crystal took Ruby's hand and together the Duo hurried down the stone hallways and towards the control room where Baron Strucker was waiting patiently for them, for once. "Girls!" He jeered happily, causing caution to instantly radiate off the teenagers. "I need you back out in the field for an undercover mission." Baron threw the pair a folder each, both filled with all the information they'd need for the mission ahead.

Crystal flipped open the first page of her folder and frowned slightly, her green eyed narrowing as she read quickly. "You want us to go and live in New York?"

"Yes as foreign exchange students from England and Norway. We've managed to get you both an internship at was once Stark Tower." At the name of the billionaire the pair growled slightly, they had heard the tales of the Maximoff parents death. "You are to keep us informed on the Avengers progress in finding the sceptre while pretending to be on their side. All the information you need are in your packs. You leave in an hour, good luck Agents."