Heart Of Stone

Chapter 15

"So this is where you live? Not bad for you. I could do better, though."

"Shut it, Stark," Steve sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm just saying," Stark shrugged as though he hadn't just insulted my home. I ignored his childish antics, a very difficult task, I found.

"Your powers are strong," Wanda said to me, coming over. I backed away again, so she stopped. "We didn't even know how we'd gotten back to the tower until the others said what they knew of it. And you blocked me out. You're the first person to do that."

"The mind is my speciality," I state, my voice coming out as meek as I'm still intimidated by her without the benefit of the water. "Mind control does not effect me. I would teach you how to evade my hypnosis in turn, but I still wish to have that advantage over you."

"As long as you are considerate, I don't have a problem with this," she warily agrees. "I try to be," I manage a slight smile, which she returns.

"So how are you doing?" I don't realise Steve is next to me until he speaks up. I back away again, but my back hits the door of my house. It's so tempting to just turn around and run inside, but I keep my head high and tough it out.

"I am well," I say. "At least I was until I began getting regular visits from uninvited guests who have a tendency to attempt to take me away."

This caused all of them except Stark - who admittedly was not in the wrong at this point - to look guilty. "Bringing me with you will only result in disaster," I conclude. "I sincerely hope that it will not be brought up again. My answer will have to remain a resounding decline."

"And I thought Thor was the one who talked fancy," Stark commented. "Are you sure you're not from Asgard or something?"

I ignore him. "Is there anything else you came for? Or is this all?"

"Actually, we have other reasons," Natasha stated. "We lost Bruce after another green episode. He's in the area destroying some boulders. We could use some help calming him down. He's not in the mood for my kind of lullabies."

I reach out for the appropriate mind and find him. His thoughts are filled with rage and fury. Nothing else. I almost wince at how ferocious he is. Calm down, please, I say to him telepathically, causing him to pause when he heard my voice in his head. His mind blanked for a split second, then his only thought was to calm down.

"He is calm," I tell the others. "You... literally did nothing," Stark said, unimpressed. "The mind needs not be seen to be effective," I point out. "Though it is clear that you would not know."

"That is very true," Wanda agreed.

What the hell?

I'd almost forgotten I was still in Bruce's head. Are you okay? I question him. Uh... Lexis? Is that you? He responds uncertainly.

Yes. Some of your little group decided to come to me for help with you.

Oh.

May I ask what happened?

Got angry. It doesn't exactly agree with me.

I can see that. I felt it. It was... awful. What induced your anger?

I don't even remember right now.

Okay. Do you need anything?

Um... I think I'm good, thanks.

Alright. I am going to leave you alone now.

Bye, then, I guess...

I abandon his mind and look to the others, who are all watching me curiously. "Bruce was confused," I say simply. They understood what I meant and didn't bother to ask.

There was an awkward silence for a minute, something I've never had to suffer through before, but I didn't like it. "Will that be all now?" I ask to ease out of it. The others share a look.

"Actually, I was wondering if-" Tony was cut off, probably from some kind of remark, by someone leaping down from the trees. "Hm... yes, she seems interesting enough," they muttered, their voice cold, their eyes locked onto mine. "Who is this?" I ask the others, but they've all dropped into a fighting stance.

Natasha calls out to me with her mind so I take a peek. She's unsure who this person is, but Tony has announced then as 'bad news'. I grip my barb in its retracted form, gritting my teeth.

"I shall give you one chance to leave," I say to the stranger. "How about I leave with you?" They suggest. I can practically hear their smirk. They run at me, but I easily sidestep them and all the barb at their back, letting it increase in size. The weapon strikes their back, but all it does is cut at their black shirt, exposing some skin and a large gash I just left for them. That won't do much, but it'll hurt.

"Gah!" They yell, holding their back in pain. "What the hell?!" "Leave my land at once," I command. My voice hypnotises them and they freeze for a moment before walking off. Good.

"What in the dark realm was that?" I question the others, who are watching the stranger go, still on their guard. "No clue," Steve says. I'm pretty sure that means he doesn't know. I'm not the most knowledgable on current day slang.

"Let's get Lexis out of here," Tony suggested, turning back to me. "It's unsafe with that weirdo around. He came for you, not us."

I scowl, but I realise he's right. That guy had seen me, commented about me and then charged only for me. Maybe they wanted to use my powers to their advantage? Or maybe they want to use me for... less appropriate reasons, shall we say. I shudder at the thought.

"Lexis, you coming?" Steve asks. The others are looking at me expectantly. Hopefully, even. They want me to join them.

Please? Steve projects his thought. I sigh. "Fine. I see I have no choice. But the moment it is safe for me to return, that is what I shall do."