Ash Blackheart: The Blackheart

The Call of a Hero

I won't pretend living alone wasn't fun at first. I found a small native town in Brazil, and settled there with the flerken and Etat. The people, who couldn't understand a word I said, were very accepting, especially since they didn't know anything about modern technology, and were quite alright with that. They did welcome our help however. Etat was a great favorite with the farmers, because he could distinguish between poisonous plants, and ones that were safe to eat. Miko, despite his distaste of the water, helped with fishing. What did I do? Some how (cough cough) I happened to be a really good night guard and healer. All in all, things couldn't be better. I put the Etat glasses away, and just about forgot about them. 

Unfortunately, for me, the Avengers found me again. I don't dislike them, they seem like a great group, but we just aren't on the best of terms.

This time, I didn't do anything to provoke them. Black Widow and Black Panther just strolled into our camp one day. Miko and Etat were gone with a group of the villagers to hunt the weekly food, myself, and a group of women and children were cleaning up the camp. I never actually noticed them come in, but a friend, using a sign language we'd been using to communicate, told me that there were strangers here to talk with me. I stood from mending some reed mats and followed her to my tent and went in. I was dressed in jaguar and snake skin, making a simple tunic, and my feet were bare. Unlike the other tepee like tents of my neighbors, I'd created more of a pavilion for myself on the edge of the small settlement.

"You are a hard person to find, Blackheart." T'challa said quietly, his helmet retracting back into his necklace. I shrugged.

"Well, considering I didn't want to be found, that would seem like a logical guess." I replied with a grin. I didn't want a fight, not here, where my neighbors would notice my powers.

"We didn't come here for small talk, we need your help." Black Widow cut in quickly. I smirked. 

"Isn't Hawkeye supposed to be here? Isn't he like you recruitment manager or something?" I asked, pouring them both drinks, and handing them the gourd cups. As I said, I didn't want a fight, but they couldn't leave me the hell alone. 

"If our team could spare him, he would have come by himself." Natasha sighed, taking a sip. T'challa was just staring at his, swirling the thick gold liquid around in the gourd. "What's wrong, don't like mango?" She asked. 

"No, I do." He replied looking at me. "Why are you doing this, Ashley Victor? Hiding in the middle of the rain forest, pretending everything outside doesn't exist? Great power has been bestowed on you, why not use it?" I hesitated slightly.

"I do use it, not on a grand scale, like you, but down low where you never reach. People here need my help. I can heal, as well as kill, your highness." I told him, rather tartly. He nodded slowly.

"Let's come back to that, we need your help with a new threat. It's not the large threat we've been expecting, but a new one all the same." Black Widow busted in again. Right as we were getting somewhere. I thought, trying not to make any smirking face motions. 

"So, can you tell me what it is?" I asked, taking a sip of my own drink. By now, T'challa had finished his. Black Widow handed me a tablet. I stared at the huge flat disk like ship that was passing through some portion of space. Missiles were launched from it, and went flying towards a small planet. The planet exploded, nothing was left, but chunks of rock. The ship continued on wards. I blinked. "What do you want me to do about that? Why can't Captain Marvel come and just fly through it?" The two looked at each other. 

"We tried that." T'challa said slowly. I raised my eyebrows.

"Carol Danvers is in Intensive Care from Shuri right now." Black Widow said bluntly. I shrugged, unconcerned. 

"Look, this isn't my problem. You could defeat Thanos, you can do this. I don't aim to get involved in any extraterrestrial fights, thank you very much. If anyone harms this village, however, I will suck the life out of you." They stared at me. "Yeah, please leave." I ushered them out the tent flap. 

Fight, pain, and loss clung to these people like leaches. I just wanted to live and take care of my village. Sure, I know I sound selfish, and not much like the hero you might have expected, but the difference between me and the heroes from my comics, was that I was young and inexperienced. I was afraid that with my near limitless power, I would hurt the wrong person, or get to absorbed in the darkness. I wanted none of it. At the edge of camp, T'challa turned back to me.

"At least consider it, please. I understand you need to look after your people, I do to, and this is how I do it." He said quietly, then vanished into the forest after Black Widow. I watched them go, not allowing a single emotion to rise to the surface as I returned to mending mats for the village.

That night as I sat eating with Miko and Etat, I told them what had happened while they were away. Miko licked the rest of the meat from his paw then looked at me, his head cocked, letting me know he was thinking deeply.

"What was this threat like?" Etat asked, sitting beside us. I looked up at the tick leather ceiling of our pavilion. 

"They could destroy an entire planet with their missiles."

"Ash, if they shot this planet, it would blow, before you had time to react. I know you think the Avengers can handle this, but what if they can't? What them? I care as little about them as you do, but think about it. They asked you for help, because they don't think they can make it." Miko reasoned with me. I paused and looked down at my hands. He was right, even though I didn't want to admit it. I looked back at him. 

"I can't go, Miko, I'm sorry."