Marvel, Rebirth:

IC: Ashley

"Woahh...." Ashley's eyes were wide and full of wonder. She reached over toward Sierra and pinched her arm, then she waited.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm...nope, don't feel it. I guess that means you're magic."

IC:

"It's just..."

"It's just gone." She said, almost numbly. "I used to live there. A little apartment with my family, a ways north of Battery Park. Not that big, but it's Manhattan, apartments are expensive. We had a cat for a while. It wasn't too far from my dojo, close enough for me to walk. There were stores nearby. I didn't have to go far for school."

"It's all gone. All of it. The deli, the school, the apartment. All of it. It's just gone, like it never existed." Her voice shook a little, a quiet tremor barely detectable beneath the surface. "They're all probably dead. My teachers, the shop owners, my martial arts instructor. The people I saved during the Battle of New York. Even the ******** who used to harass me on my way home."

"My parents are probably dead too."

IC: Aella

I struggled a bit with a lot of the words Tera used, I had no idea what a dojo was, I was fairly sure I was suppose to know what cat was, but every time I tried to reach for the memory of 'cat' I drew a blank. There were other words that I sorta understood, or just had to fill in the blank and hope it was right.

What I did understand was that Tera had lost nearly everything she ever knew and cared about. It occurred to me briefly that...so had I, I just couldn't remember losing it. In that sense I supposed I was lucky, I couldn't feel awful about losing something I didn't remember. Maybe it was better if I never did.

Parents...parents...what are parents... They sounded...they felt extremely important, but what were they? You only have two of them...wait how do I know that!? Something inside my head started to hurt, as if I was thinking way too hard.

Then it hit me...an image formed in my mind...a clouded, veiled vision of two figures...I couldn't make out anything but their basic shape...but the images made me feel safe...and loved. It all clicked.

I hugged Tera more tightly.

IC:

"I'm sorry." Tera started to let out a sob, but it was choked back, forced back down to where it had originated. Her body still shook slightly, but it was irregular, as if she was trying to force it back under control. Trying to bottle it back up. When she spoke again, her voice was similarly strained, trying to use as normal a tone as possible, though it wasn't really effective.

"You've got enough problems without listening to mine. I'm just being stupid, it's not your problem."

IC: Aella

I felt my own tears start to weld up, who knew crying could be contagious? Though Tera was trying really hard not to cry, I didn't know how she did that.

"No! Tera...it isn't good to bottle up your feelings...trust me...I know, that's what happened back by the plane..." I reflected on my little 'episode'. "They'll come out one way or another."

I lifted my head up to look at Tera. "Don't worry about me...I mean, what's one more problem anyway? We both seem to have plenty of them so, we might as well share them."

IC:

"Nah, my brain's just messed up."

IC: Ashley

"Don't let anyone tell you that!" Ashley said in a loud whisper. "You're only crazy if you believeeeeeeeeeeeeee everyone else is sane."

IC:

"I'm sorry." Tera said, seemingly oblivious that it was the third time she'd said it. The sob came again, but this time it pushed last the attempted to stifle it. Her face was still wet, but this time it was quite clearly from tears beginning to well over, rather than an attempt to disguise them.

"I'm used to keeping things under control. Bad things tend to happen when people like us lose our tempers." She paused, hugging her a bit tighter. "I'm sorry, having to deal with me crying isn't helpful in the slightest.'

IC:

"I'm pretty sure no one else loses time in huge chunks like I do." I think for a moment. "Speaking of which, what's the date?"

IC: Aella

People like us? What does she mean by that? I logged the question into the back of my mind for later, it didn't seem appropriate to ask it right now.

Tears were streaming down my face, it was becoming difficult to respond. "I don't mind...you've helped me so much already..."

IC: Ashley

"The date is...uhhhhhh...." Ashley thought about it. "I think it's a weekday....no wait it's a weekend sorry!" Ashley pulled out her phone and checked the actual date.

"Oh no...it's Monday."

IC:

"It's just... I saw a newspaper in the city and couldn't believe it." I absently started petting Mia. "A whole year of my life, gone."

IC: Ashley

"A whole year!?" Ashley gasped in shock, that was terrible! "Where did it go?"

IC:

"I haven't been that helpful." She replied, tears beginning to slow, though her tone still carried its full weight of sadness. "I've just made sure you didn't get any more hurt."

"Well, and carried you here, but that's about it."

IC: Aella

"It's more than I've ever had before...HYDRA aren't the most helpful sort..." I stifled a laugh.

IC:

"Yeah, you've got a point there."

Tera drew a deep, shaky breath finally pulling back slightly, just enough that she was properly visible again. A minute, fragile smile played at the corner's of her mouth, as if refusing to be put out by the sheer misery of circumstance. "I'm okay."

"Well, no, I'm not. Probably won't be for a while. But I'm not about to fall apart anymore, mostly because now it's out of the way. Can't have me crying when I have to watch your back, after all."

IC:

"It didn't really go anywhere, per say, I just experienced it differently. Remember what I said about the whole murder thing? Sometimes I just get really...psychopathic ." I look up at her. "I'm scaring you, aren't I? This is why I don't have any friends."

IC: Aella

"That's true." I wiped my eyes with my sleev...well arm actually. It didn't work as well. I had an involuntary shiver as I got goose bumps on my arm.

"I'm starting to remember why I didn't take off that jumpsuit when I was in my cell."

IC: Ashley

Ashley blinked at Sierra. "What do you mean? Half the students here are psychopaths."

IC:

"..."

Tera was silent for a moment, then let out a long, quiet laugh. "You're probably cold. Just a second, I'll go get the shirt for you."

Carefully extricating herself from the hug, she stood and opened the door just wide enough to slip out. Trinity was occupied by the TV remote, and Mikhail was occupied by Trinity, so she was able to cross the room, grab the shirt and socks, and return without having to stop to talk with them. She slipped back into the bathroom and quietly closed the door behind her, handing the shirt out to Aella.

"There you are. Should fit fine, but either way we'll need to get you some clothes of your own soon."

IC:

"Maybe the X gene does more than just give you powers."

IC: Aella

I eagerly took the shirt and began to put it on. Slightly awkward at first, it was a bit different than putting on a jumpsuit, but I managed to correctly put it on. The material felt really nice, the shirt was a solid green color all the way around, though it was a much nicer looking green than the jumpsuit's. After I put the socks on I stood up and looked at the mirror to see how I looked.

I was surprised how different I looked, it had been a while since I'd seen a mirror. The only one I'd seen before was when HYDRA let me take my weekly shower. I noticed my hair was a bit of a mess and straightened it out a bit, getting my bangs out of my eyes. The shirt itself fit snugly, much to my delight.

When i was through I quickly turned away from the mirror, I found when I looked at myself for too long I started to feel like I was staring at a stranger...at any rate it creeped me out.

"What do you think? Do I look normal?"

IC: Ashley

"Yeah, makes us awesome!"

IC:

One really had to marvel at Ashley's innocence. "That's one way of looking at it. I was thinking about mental illness, though."

IC: Ashley

"That's nothing hugs and kisses can't fix!" Ashley said happily, reaching down to pet Mia. "Well...eclairs can help too."

IC:

Tera had watched the proceedings silently, waiting in case Aella needed any help. Upon hearing the question, she cocked her head quizzically, looking her up and down appraisingly before nodding.

"Yep. Couldn't tell there was anything abnormal about you without knowing it beforehand. That color works quite well on you, too. Compliments the highlights in your hair nicely."

IC: Aella

I beamed at the complements, and ran my hand through my bangs at the mention of my green highlights. "Yeah I'm trying to figure out how I got them...no one else I've ever seen has any sort of green hair. Not even a little bit."

I couldn't help but wonder if I was some kind of freak, maybe that's why HYDRA had taken me?

IC:

"You're probably a mutant."

Tera commented, pausing when Aella looked at her in confusion. "Right, you probably don't know what that means. Well, it's the term that people have been using for people who develop genetic superpowers for as long as I can remember. The politically correct term is "empowered person", but frankly, that's just for speeches. Most people still say mutants."

"Some mutations manifest in physical abnormalities instead of just powers. Mine doesn't, but for some people there can be some odd ones. For example, a regular person would have to use dye to achieve those highlights, where you have them naturally."

IC: Aella

"Oh...so that's why I can do this..." I made the air around us blow around the bathroom a bit, making our hair go all over the place. I guessed I was right about being a bit of a freak, though I didn't really mind. It wasn't like I was the only mutant, Tera already admitted to being one, and Trinity must of been one as well.

"What do you do?"

IC:

"I don't know, Ashley. If Christine hadn't shot me, I probably would have killed you." I admit.

IC:

For the first time since they'd met, Tera seemed almost uncomfortable. Not with the question, it almost seemed like she was embarrassed, maybe even ashamed, of the answer. After awkwardly shifting position for a moment, she sighed.

"It's... A bit hard to explain. If I show you, do you promise not to tell anyone else?"

IC: Ashley

"Oh." Ashley stopped petting Mia for a moment, thinking it all over.

"Well, we do have Dr. Rachel Thomas, she's a psychiatrist. I've never had an appointment with her before but I heard she's really nice! She can help with those sort of things."

Ashley started petting Mia again, "And I'm sure if Christine hadn't stopped you, someone else would have managed it."

IC: Aella

"I promise." I said with a nod. I didn't know why she wanted it a secret but I didn't question it.

IC:

Seemingly satisfied, Tera took a step back, putting a little distance between her and Aella. She didn't elaborate why, but the reason would be clear shortly. The mutant closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and beginning to concentrate. She knew how to use her power, and she could use it very well. But most of the time, she worked very, very hard to keep it from manifesting, intentionally or unintentionally.

After a moment's thought, she decided on a relatively simple shape.

Before Aella's eyes, her outstretched arm began to change. Skin began turning silvery, the color of polished steel. Her arm almost seemed to flow like liquid, fingers melding together and curving, slimming down to an incredibly thin tip. The rest of her arm followed suit, slimming and curving slightly, until finally, after a few seconds, her arm from the elbow down was no longer recognizable as an arm.

It had become a katana's blade.

IC: Aella

"Oh wow..." My breath was taken away. Not surprising since Tera had just turned her arm into a freakin katana. Swords and other weapons were one of the few things HYDRA had actually taught me about, and how to use as well.

"That's.... awesome."

IC: Mikhail

"It displays moving images."

IC:

"I hate it."

Three simple words, yet the passion behind them was almost tangible. She surveyed her own limb with an air of detachment, as if she didn't really recognize it as her own anymore. Like it was an item worthy of her scorn and hatred.

"Most powers, they're neither good nor bad. How they're used decides that. Some powers, like healing, are even inherently good. But with a few notable exceptions, mutations can be used for good." She paused, her arm slowly shifting back into its original shape, before her fingers melded together again, shaping her hand into a spearhead. "Mine? Mine can only be used for destrution. All it can do is cause pain."

"I haven't used it since the Battle of New York. I won't use it, because that's all it does. It isn't meant to be kind, it isn't meant to heal, it can't even be used nonlethally without extreme effort. All it does is harm."

IC: Aella

I was a bit confounded at how much she hated her power, I thought it was so neat I almost wished I could trade with her. But she was looking at her arm like she wanted to remove it.

"I don't understand...wouldn't you only want to use it on bad people anyway? I mean, that's what I would do...heck I've done it." Plenty of HYDRA soldiers had met their end during my escape, and even a few before that, something that pleased me greatly.

IC:

"I could use it for such a purpose. On two occasions I have used it to inflict harm." Tera admitted, watching as her arm shifted form again, this time into a pistol. "The first was in self-defense. But I wouldn't kill them, and they knew it. So next time they brought more people, and demonstrated that in the end, fighting back only leads to more violence."

"The second time I was forced to use it during the Battle of New York to keep others safe. People who couldn't defend themselves/ I could use it to kill, I could use it to rid the world of people like them. But would I be any better? If I were to kill Hydra to the last man, am I any better than them? I would destroy just as many families, steal just as many lives. They would deserve it, but then I would become the monsters I started fighting."

She paused again, speaking more quietly. "I'll never use it to defend myself. Never. But if a time came when I had to use it to keep another safe..."

"I would do what I had to do."

IC:

"I used to think that way too. Until I got careless, that is." I shake my head. "One day no one was there, and my temper got the best of me. I've never gotten over that."

IC: Aella

I didn't get it, HYDRA had literally just taken everything from her, not to mention countless others, and she didn't think that maybe it would be alright to destroy them?

The idea of not fighting back, especially against people I hated, went against my very instincts. Someone tried to hurt me, I'd hurt them back. If they kept trying they'd wind up dead. It was simple as that.

Still, I felt conflicted, Tera felt really strongly about this, and the last thing I wanted to do was make her upset. Maybe I could try it her way, at least while Tera was around. Though I knew if any HYDRA agents ever showed up I was going to cause them serious harm, nothing would stop that.

Though maybe I was worrying to hard about this, they probably wouldn't find us here, so why worry about it till it actually happened?

"I'm feeling a little dizzy." I said, trying to change the subject now, it wasn't a lie either, I was feeling dizzy, I'd just been ignoring it till now. Maybe now we could go back out to the couch and forgot about this 'non-fighting' talk.

IC: Ashley

"Don't worry! We'll figure something out!" Ashley patted Sierra on the head.

"Now, I avoid violence at all cost but...if necessary I do know how to use my powers to keep everyone pacified. So don't worry about me, I'll be fine!"

IC:

"That sounds stupid, why would anyone want to see that?" Trinity asked, pressing the same button again, and to her surprise, the television became not-on!

IC: Mikhail

"Mostly for entertainment."

IC:

"I don't know what it means," Trinity said, frowning, "But it sounds stupid."