"Storm?" Ashton asks staring at me, his eyes turn to Clover, and he frowns, probably wondering who the hell she is. Ashton's wrists have been tied above his head and his ankles are tied together. Was he sent after the second cure?
"Ashton?" Clover correctly guesses, I nod. Clover knows all about my ex-friends and how we're all on different sides now. They're okay with killing innocent people, I'm not. Clover grips her knife even tighter as she observes Ashton.
There's a cut on Ashton's left cheek, he has a big bruise on his forehead, and his white top is stained with blood and dirt. I don't know why Ashton would've been sent to get the cure alone, we were all sent in pairs for almost every single mission and it's not like this one would've been considered easy by any means.
I glance around the room, half expecting to see Henry lurking around. There's a knife on a bench which has blood on it, possibly Ashton's. A chair has been tipped over and a cabinet's glass door has been smashed, but there's nobody else here.
"We've got the cure, let's go and leave him here" Clover replies, it's not a bad idea. I'm sure Henry's upstairs, there's probably other weapons and cures here too, I doubt they stopped with a mutant cure. Henry and Ashton also could have found out we were coming and staged this for whatever reason. Clover opens the cure, tipping a tiny bit out, it's just water. We both groan, maybe there was never a second cure. Well, this was a waste.
I turn to leave with Clover. "Wait, Storm, I know you didn't kill Mystique" Ashton says, causing me to turn back around. Even if this is just a trick, I need to hear Ashton out. The thought of not having lost all my childhood friends is too tempting, I can't walk away.
"How do you know that?" Clover asks, folding her arms, a knife still in her hand. I glance at Ashton, his face is emotionless like we're trained to be, his blue eyes don't give away any emotion he might be feeling. Ashton really was a perfect little solider all along, wasn't he?
Ashton looks away from us, glancing at a smashed mirror that's fallen onto the ground. Through the glass I can see all of our reflections. "Scarlett said that you killed her and stole the cure. I had my doubts, I thought maybe it was an accident and Scarlett just wanted Magneto to blame you, but then Scarlett's stories started not matching up." The fault Ashton didn't think I was capable of killing Mystique is partly comforting, but also partly annoying because the x-men will view this as my weakness in battle.
"Not matching up?" Clover asks, her arms still folded and her back straight. Her grip on her knife is a little looser, like she's considering maybe we can trust Ashton. I close my eyes, I want to believe him more than anything but I'm not sure if I can, he didn't hesitate in sounding the alarm the last time I ran into him. I shoot Clover a grateful look, glad she's asking the questions. Clover smiles at me and squeezes my hand.
"First of all Scarlett said she saw your dead body, but then she mentioned you were an avenger, she said you faked your death but it didn't make sense. I broke into her office and read about the train station and found out she tried to light a bunch of innocent people on fire and that everything you told me was true, your records mention the building" Ashton says, glancing back at me when he mentions the building. I look away, an action I didn't even know I committed is going to haunt me for my entire life. I guess it's what I deserve but I just wish it didn't have to be brought up every second day.
"How did you end up here?" I ask, ignoring the part about him finding out everything for now. If we decide we can trust him, then I'll have all the time in the world to ask him whatever I like. However, if it turns out he's lying, then we need to leave as quickly as possible.
"I ran away after Scarlett told Magneto I was a traitor then I got kidnapped by the scientists" Ashton admits.
I look into a broken piece of glass; my eyes are emotionless just like I was trained. If Mystique saw this, she'd be proud of me. A lump forms in my throat, Mystique was evil and insane, but she didn't deserve to die like that. I take a deep breath and the lump vanishes.
"Let's untie him and leave him here" Clover suggests, glancing at me for my approval. It's probably for the best, I do believe that Ashton knows the truth but that doesn't mean he's ready to stand up against the x-men. There is a slight chance he could be lying, and I can't risk anyone at Stark towers getting hurt because I made a stupid decision. Rhodey getting hurt was bad enough, no one else is getting hurt because of me.
I start to untie the brown rope that binds Ashton's ankles together. I untie his wrists and turn to walk away but Ashton grabs my wrist. Our blue eyes stare at each other, I attempt to yank my wrist back but one of Ashton's powers is super strength so it's useless.
"They're afraid of you, Magneto thinks you're the key to the avengers defeating them" Ashton tells me. "Your powers could be limitless, Storm, I can help you." How can Ashton help me? If Magneto really is afraid of me and thinks I killed Mystique, he'll be coming for me, coming to kill me. I don't think I can beat Magneto.
"Didn't Magneto used to play chess against a telepath? I think we can handle him" Clover rolls her eyes. I smile, I did once think the same thing. I never quite understood why he played chess with Charles of all people. My eyes widen, maybe that's the answer!
"Where's Charles Xavier?" I ask Ashton, if we can find him, he can certainly help the avengers. I'm half surprised he hasn't already shown up, I thought he valued humanity. If he values it so much, where is he?
"The telepath?" Clover asks me. "That's your big plan?" I stare at Clover, she doesn't realise just how powerful Charles is, not only is he a mutant but he's meant to be intelligent, like a genius. He also knows a lot about Magneto and knew Mystique well. I wonder if he's heard, Mystique was his foster sister.
"Who actually are you?" Ashton asks Clover, staring at her. I still can't believe nobody spotted Clover sneaking in and out when we were back with the x-men, but if we had, I'd probably be dead right now. Or I would've been tortured and brainwashed into fighting with the x-men again, I think I'd rather be dead.
"Clover" Clover snaps at Ashton. "I saved Storm after you pulled the alarm on her." I don't bother to ask Ashton why he did, it's over now. As much as I want to believe I wouldn't have sounded the alarm if Ashton had shown up after being declared dead, I probably would have. I trusted Mystique with every cell in my body, so I can't fault Ashton for doing the same.
"I know where Charles is" Ashton says, looking pleadingly at me. "Let me help you, Storm, we used to be friends, good friends." I close my eyes; I think that's the problem honestly. It would be so much easier if I never cared for Mystique or Scarlett or Ashton or Henry, if I could just view them as enemies and be willing to fight them, then I would have a chance of surviving.
I glance at Ashton's reflection in a piece of glass lying on the floor, it would be so easy to trust him again, to bring him back with us and argue to Nick Fury that he's on our side now. All the good memories keeping flooding through my mind, especially that day at the lake, it was perfect. Ashton splashing water at me, trying to pull me underwater. We have so many memories together, all of them involving us having fun or being there for each other.
Ashton's blond hair is messier than usual, and his eyes are filled with hope, should I take the leap and trust him? I know taking him to Stark towers could be dangerous, but I can't shake the feeling he's telling the truth.
"We can't guarantee you won't be arrested and thrown into a cell" Clover tells Ashton, glancing over at me. "Nick Fury will probably arrest you."
"That's fine, I just want to help you, Storm" Ashton tells me. I glance at Clover who shrugs slightly, I think the best option is to bring him back and let the avengers figure out if he's on our side and telling the truth. They might lock him up until they've decided, but I know they won't hurt him or anything.
"Okay, we'll bring us with you" I say, causing Ashton to stand up. I glance at Clover who nods reassuringly. Ashton might not survive out on his own, if Scarlett really does know he knows everything, then they'll be wanting to kill him in case he goes to the avengers. Two x-men who know a lot of information joining the avengers will be bad for them, Mystique and Magneto were probably furious enough when they realised that I had learnt the truth and switched sides.
"Thank you" Ashton says, I give a small smile, hoping that the decision won't backfire on me and get more people hurt.
*Author's Note* Do you think Storm can trust Ashton?
YOU ARE READING
Beautiful Ruins
Aksi"Maybe there was a fleeting moment where I wanted to be a hero and believed I could be one, but the truth is I'm not, I won't ever be. My past does define me, it made me a villain" - Storm. Fifteen-year-old Storm is the daughter of Black Widow and I...
