The Girl Who Held the Universe in her Hands | marvel [1] ✔

EIGHT

CHAPTER EIGHT
' NO ONE EVER SAID IT WAS COOL BEFORE . '

Ash reared up, trying to inhale every molecule of air in her vicinity as she collapsed forward almost instantly. Whimpers escaped with her breathing, her hand coming to steady herself against a rock. She tried to shake away the fogginess in her brain, confusion settling alongside it. She only ever felt like this when-

"Shit!" she shouted, whipping around as tears layered in her eyes. "Shit-shit-shit-shit-shit." Her eyes flickered over the rubble of the building as she turned in circles. "No-no-no-no-no-no-" She shook her head, hands coming to link over her stomach as she began to pace. "You had control over it. You were fine. This is just a dream. You didn't kill anyone. Your days of that are over, right? You had a hold on it. You goddam idiot!" Her voice rose to a shout, hand coming to hit herself on her forehead. "You stupid, goddam, shitty-" She turned to hit her hand against a piece of rubble with every insult slipping from her mouth. Ash dropped to her knees and launched a punch at the rubble. Her knuckle split, and she felt a few bones in her hand shatter at the force. She bared her teeth as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Ash!" Rushed footsteps caused her to turn around, backing up and lifting her hands before her. "Stop that," Banner didn't look at the black mist forming in her palms. He didn't focus on her threat, gaze settled only on her bloody hand as he continued to move towards her.

"Stop!" Ash shouted, black mist forming in her palm. "Stop right there, or I-" Her voice trailed off, but the magic remained. 

Banner stopped, his hands coming up as if reassuring a caged animal. "Ash, I know what you're going through." His voice became soft, and the magic in her hands dulled a little. "You need to take a few breaths, okay? You're still overwhelmed, and you're angry, but you need to calm down. This wasn't your fault. Loki was manipulating you, he was manipulating all of us, but you need to calm down, so you don't lose it again." 

Ash swallowed, shifting her weight between her feet before the magic extinguished in her palms. "Okay," she whispered, eyes dropping to the ground. 

"You want me to look at your hand? I can't promise much. I'm a doctor of science, not medicine." 

"No, uh," she swallowed again, lowering to sit on the rubble she had hit. "It'll sort itself out." Shaking her injured hand, black ribbons formed around it, the bruising slowly fading as the magic worked. 

"Huh," Bruce marvelled quietly. "Pretty cool." 

Ash let out a piece of air through her nose. "No one has ever said it was cool before." 

"Do you know what 'it' is?"

She looked up at him, eyes flickering over his face before she shook her head and turned away. "I don't wanna talk about it." Ash looked around the destroyed building, feet kicking rubble absentmindedly. "Did I do this?" she asked quietly. 

Bruce shook his head. "No, I think it was me when we fell." 

She turned to face him. "We fell?"

"Apparently," he replied. "No one was hurt, thankfully, although we did scare the hell out of some pigeons." 

"Oh. That's a shame. I like pigeons." 

A small smile formed on Bruce's face. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." 

"Their little hops are adorable." Ash's voice was still quiet, and she didn't turn to look at Bruce, gaze turned to a pigeon who sat a few metres away. "They were domesticated to help send messages, and they're so loyal. But when humans found no use for them, they cast them out. They can't make nests very well, and they feed off of scraps." She shook her head. "Even though they should struggle and die out, they're here, and they're flourishing."

Something caused the pigeon to fly away, and Ash turned to watch it leave. Something zoomed overhead, and a furrow formed on her forehead. Meandering out of the rubble, she moved to get a better look at the sky. Her eyes widened, and her hand shot out, black ribbons launching forward and dragging something to the ground. It collided and shattered. 

"What the hell is that?" 

"A Chitauri soldier," Ash replied quietly. "The invasion has begun."

\_|_/\_|_/\_|_/

"Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us, and that's what we need. Without him, these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he's gonna need us..." Rogers' voice stopped as an old motorbike pulled up in front of them.

"So, this all seems horrible," Bruce commented as he and Ash stepped off the bike.

"I've seen worse," Romanoff replied.

"Sorry." Bruce winced as he joined Ash.

"No, we could use a little worse."

Destruction swarmed around New York, and Chitauri soldiers ran riot. Explosions littered the sky. Screams echoed around the buildings like a continuous beat. Ash scanned the air, practically a war ground, and everything was pure chaos. Her hand shook, and her gaze landed on the black veins.

"Stark? We got 'em," Rogers relayed into his earpiece.

"Banner and Ash?"

"Just like you said."

"Then tell 'em to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." As Ironman curved around a building, blasters propelling him forward, a massive Chitauri Leviathan nipped closely at Stark's heels. Ash straightened, eyes pulling away from her veins, and towards the giant creature.

"I... I don't see how that's a party..." Natasha tilted her head. 

It swooped down the street, mimicking Ironman's movements. Ash shifted, hands dropping to her sides behind Bruce. 

Rogers looked over as Bruce and Ash started to walk towards the monster. "Doctor Banner. Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret, Captain. I'm always angry."

Ash widened her stance behind the growing Hulk. He pulled his hand back and punched it into the Leviathan's nose. Ash's hands rose in front of her face, and magic shot out, forming a force field underneath the falling Leviathan. She pushed outwards and lifted her hands over her head as the creature moved with her. Fists balling, the monster collapsed into a ball when the pressure proved too great.

The Avengers formed a circle, with everyone taking a battle stance.

Captain America readjusted his shield.

Black Widow reloaded her guns.

Thor spun his hammer.

The Hulk roared.

Hawkeye sorted his arrows.

Ironman landed and scanned the terrain.

With a swipe of Ash's hand, a black catsuit fitted around her body like plates and a long green trench coat formed on her shoulders.

The Avengers had assembled.