The New Avenger

Chapter 2

I was pretty much OK to walk around and stuff after I met Natasha and my chest stopped aching every time I breathed. I was pretty happy with the way she'd taken to me. I think we were on an okay track, y'know? Things started out a little rough, but there were definitely foundations laid out which we could build on. I saw Steve again, which was great, and he offered to escort me to a meeting room where I could meet the other Avengers. At this, my face lit up. I was going to meet the Avengers! The one group of people who I looked up to in this world, and devoted my 'night shifts' to (I'm going to call them 'night shifts', but they're just the times I take to help people on the streets). Wow. I absolutely couldn't wait, but we had half an hour to kill before the meeting, so Steve and I just chatted. We talked about our lives, what we'd done, I described how most of my nights played out, and he told me how he was frozen in ice for a while. He also told me about before then, in the 30s when he'd been experimented on, and it gave me shivers to recall something extremely similar had been done to me. He asked me lots of questions about me, and I asked him just as many about him. What I didn't answer was how I obtained my powers; that was a looooong story, and it could wait for the meeting. I kept glancing at the clock hanging on the wall beside my bed. The meeting was scheduled for twelve noon, and it was now eleven-fifty.

"Well," Steve said. "We'd better head off now, you ready?" he asked.

"Hell yeah!" I replied, ecstatic at the thought of seeing my heroes.

He helped me up out of bed and I got a proper look at myself. My face was a mess of dark rings and wild eyes. The grey pants and shirt they had put me in while I was under were too big, and I still cringed at the thought of someone dressing me whilst I was unconscious. Oh, well I thought.

"Do you need help getting there?" he asked me, offering his hand.

I shook my head and prepared to stand. My legs still buckled from misuse and Steve caught me and placed me back on the bed with his strong arms.

"Let me try again," I asked him. He hesitated but didn't stop.

I had used my arms more than my legs in my time in the bed, so I changed into something able to fly. That was another cool thing I had learnt to do. I could fly. I became a hawk and tested flight.

I rose to the ceiling and happily flew around the room, before landing back on my bed. Apparently, my body was still too tired to cooperate. I changed into a ferret, one of my favourite animals, and asked if I could ride on his shoulder. He said yes, but I made sure he wouldn't tell ANYONE I had asked for help. I was a small, weak twelve year old girl; the last thing I wanted was for people to know that.

 It was now eleven fifty-five, and by the time we arrived, passing through numerous rooms, it was eleven fifty-nine. Steve took a seat, and I jumped down to the seat next to him, changing into a human again. We were seated at a circular table, on my right was Steve, and to my left was Natasha. I looked up and every eye was on me, so I dropped my gaze after a quick glance at the others seated around me.

Directly opposite me was Nick Fury, and on his two sides were Thor and Bruce Banner, The Hulk.  Also around the table was Clint Barton, Agent Hawkeye, and of course Tony Stark, Ironman. I could feel adrenaline coursing through me and a heat spreading from my chest.

Finally my current position registered in my brain. I was sitting at a table with the Avengers. And, better still, it was a round table. The implications were that I was equal to the Avengers.   Holy crap.

Nick Fury announced we should introduce ourselves. He started by saying,

"I am Nick Fury, head of the Aven-"he was cut off when Tony interrupted,

"Coordinator, really. He's not head of the Avengers, we have no leader. I'm Tony Stark by the way." he finished, returning the glares of some people at the table. I noticed Natasha roll her eyes.

The rest of the Avengers were looking at me, obviously waiting for me to say something. I was so nervous, but I managed to say,

"Uh, I already know all of your names." I squeaked.

"And your name is...?" Director Fury asked me.

"I'm Ash," I said. My eyes flitted about the room, avoiding eye contact with them, save for Thor. I looked to him when I added, "Askr" with a smile.

He smiled at me, knowingly. 'Askr' means 'ash' in Old Norse, and, being a Norse god I figured he would understand that. He obviously did.

Next the Hulk introduced himself with a forced smile; I doubt he wanted me here. Hawkeye seemed nervous as he introduced himself and asked how I was doing so far.

"Uh, not bad. I guess I'll be better when I'm all healed." I managed a small smile. Going round the table from there was Natasha and then Steve, and they both smiled at me when I looked to them.

And with those smiles, I had met the Avengers.