Playing With Fire (EDITING)

Resentment and Chaos

I wandered around the Helicarrier until I ran into Logan. She checked my hands and we chatted pointlessly until she was called to do something or other.

So of course, I followed.

On the deck stood Logan- the original Wolverine, Logan- the doctor girl, and Fury. And the girl look miffed big time. Her posture was stiff and aggressively leaning toward her father. Her fists were balled and her eyes were narrowed to calculating slits. This would get messy.

She finally lost it and jumped him. Honestly, inside I was cheering her on. He deserved it. I'd heard her story and I knew what was up. So, naturally, loving havoc and chaos as much as I did, I slumped with difficulty to the floor and crossed my bad arm across my torso.

It still throbbed like no one's business but I refused to let on. If anyone besides maybe Cap or Banner knew it hurt as badly as it did, they wouldn't take me seriously. And there was no way on earth, EVER that I was going to let gag Uncle Clint gag know I was in pain. He'd just go running to Fury and tell him I wasn't good enough for the team. And that I wouldn't allow.

So I faked a natural expression of emotionlessness and watched Simba beat on her miserable excuse for a dad. Not that mine was any better. In fact, now that I thought of it, I hadn't known my dad for more than a total of maybe five years. Two of which I was old enough to remember. And even then, everything except that recent night raid was hazy.

I couldn't remember him ever saying something normal to me. Only crime this or battle that. I assumed Simba felt similarly for her dad and I felt the justice of it coming off her. He deserved it.

As I watched them fight, a fat rain droplet landed on my face. Gradually, yet quickly, it began to pour until everyone was soaked to the bone and Fury was calling for a landing in the water. The turbine engines to either side were slowing down and angling for the ground.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and the wind picked up. As lightning lit the darkening sky with a crack, Thor slid Mjolnir from its spot by his side. I stood slowly and easily, pushing myself up with my good hand and drawing my sword.

Banner left our group just as calmly as ever and went inside the ship probably to keep his heart rate down. No one could have him Hulking out now.

Captain looked around uneasily and watched the sky with narrowed, cold blue eyes. He was probably remembering the night Loki appeared; the night the battle for NYC and all Earth was initially begun.

I stood and stared before seeing the roiling clouds above us begin to gather into a thicker, darker mass. "Where are we?" I asked Fury, grabbing his arm and turning him away from the Logans.

He didnt answer at first, eyeing me carefully.

"Don't make me say it again. Where are we?!?!" My hair was plastered to my face in the sheeting rain that came down so hard it stung when it hit my skin.

He checked a device clipped to his belt before answering in a set of coordinates. Having some of the DNA of a bird, I sort of had this built in compass and my brain took the coordinates as an exact location somewhere near the eastern coast of Florida. Oh. Rhino poo.

The clouds became angrier and the rain slashed in the increasing winds. "Hurricane." I muttered, now closely watching the sky turn to a mass of black clouds and flashes of eerie white lightning.

"Keep us in the water, but take us as far away from this spot as possible. We need to go east now then when we hit a headwind, go southeast until the wind stops near entirely." He stared at me for a second before I realized I'd spoken it all in French. So I switched to English and repeated everything.

He still just stared.

"You numbscull!!! Do you want everyone on this ship to die??!! At the least, have Dr. Banner go into a fit?!? Get this ship moving!!"

He seemed to snap out of his reverie when I mentioned Banner. Fury pressed his earpiece and repeated my instructions to the crew. Why on earth had he dragged us into the warm waters? Fury should've known it was hurricane season and should've known not to bring us into the area. GRRRRR! He was an idiot!!!

Either way, the crew sprang to life and all hands were called to deck including all the avengers and Logan and myself. Banner was allowed to stay inside and under watch in case of an episode.

Like a well-oiled machine, the crew got the ship secured and into safer waters. The rain lessened and the wind died away until only a warm breeze blew across my skin. I was surprised how fast this boat could go but at least we were out of danger for now. Fury had to keep us away from the hurricane zone though. If we headed toward Africa, or South America maybe, we could clear the center of the zone.

When my presence was no longer needed, I wandered back into the lab and hopped onto a table to watch Stark and Banner do science stuff. Now and then they would ask me to pass them something or help hold something.

Before I left, Banner checked my arm and pronounced it healed. He removed the bandages and coated my arm in Vaseline before pausing. "This happened only the other day. How has it healed this quickly?"

I sighed and leaned against a table behind me. "It's a long story," I said.

"We've got time," he replied, pulling up a swivel chair and taking a seat.

Seeing no way I could get out of this, I started me story. Before I'd finished the first sentence, I knew I'd gotten Stark's attention as well when he slowed his work and kept his head angled toward us slightly.

"I guess my dad is Agent Barton's older brother right?" Doc nodded. "Well, my mom, Duquesne's daughter, took care of me while Grandpére and my dad went off plundering and robbing and all. We lived on Prince Edward Island for a few years and at one point-"

I hesitated. I hadn't told anyone about what had happened on the island. There's a first for everything I guess.

"At one point, there was a...scientist friend of my dad's that watched me while my mom was away. Connections between him and my parents broke down and he took me away one night. My mother and Grandpére got me out and killed the scientist after about a month. While he had me, he did something to alter my genetic makeup and the next thing I knew, I sprouted wings whenever I was in danger. At first it was just spontaneous and the wings were the only effect. As time went on, I learned to control when my wings would appear and to use them for flight. They grew as I grew and became kinda cool to have around when I wanted them. My vision sharpened and the range of sight increased until it was roughly equivalent to the eyesight of an eagle. All my senses sharpened; my reflexes were heightened and the speed at which I can do things is unheard of for humans. My brain can work as a compass and understands coordinates better than if you told me a city on a map. Along with the rest of the genetic changes came a form of rapid healing. Kinda like Wolverine's."

When I'd finished, Stark turned to face me. "And after that?"

"After that?" I echoed. "We moved around. Grandpére taught me everything I know. He helped me forge my sword and taught me to use it. He is the Swordmaster after all."

"Welcome to the freakshow, kid," Stark said, slapping me on the shoulder. Lightning quick, I grabbed his wrist and twisted, forcing him into a position of futility.

"Don't you ever touch me again," I told him, doing my best to glare at him when he looked so ridiculous.

He nodded and I released him, forcing him to fall to his knees. Stark used a nearby table to help himself up again and sank into his chair. Banner was sitting silently with his fingers steepled in front of his face.

Neither of them spoke for a minute before I decided to leave. Banner stopped me at the door by asking, "What was this scientist's name?"

"I don't remember. I was five," I answered.

"So you've had your wings since you were five?"

"Oui. Why?"

"And you don't like being different do you?" he summed up.

I considered answering before changing my mind and closing the door behind me without a word. I rested against the wall for a minute before pushing off and heading to the top deck.