The Girl Who Held the Universe in her Hands | marvel [1] ✔

TWO

CHAPTER TWO
' WHO THE HELL
ARE YOU ? '

Ash stared out onto Asgard from her balcony, forearms leaning against the metal bar and allowing her shoulders to hunch over. A catsuit covered her body, pieces of Asgardian armour painted black sitting over her torso. Blood stained the ends of her hair, which hung down her back, the breeze pushing it away from her face. Her eye no longer had the plastic covering, and an ugly scar ran across her face. White plagued parts of her eye while the other parts were a permanent black, creating a marbled effect.

Loki had damaged her eye to the point that even her magic couldn't fix it, but she could use it to see through some parts. Sure, it took some time to get used to, her other eye having the brunt of filling in the blind patches in her vision. It also meant that she relied more on her magic to protect her vulnerable side. It was also something she had to adapt. For a large part of her life, Ash was indestructible with no natural weakness, but now it was different. Much different.

Ash found herself somewhat worried when going into battle. At least when she fought for Thanos, she was under his protection. Thanos might have been a bastard to her, but he made sure nothing had a chance to harm her (apart from himself, of course). However, going into battle with the Asgardians meant she was utterly alone. Utterly alone and vulnerable.

She knew what he would say to her at that moment. Something along the lines of, "I told you so."

Ash heard Thor's heavy footsteps approaching her, and she broke from her thoughts. She didn't turn to face him, a frown overtaking her previously impartial face.

"I need you to accompany me to Earth," he declared.

Ash couldn't hold in her scoff. "Earth? I thought I was banished from there."

"It's Jane."

She straightened slowly, head turning first before her body followed. Her eyebrow rose as she leaned her back against the balcony. "Jane?" she repeated, tongue finding every syllable. "I don't know whether Asgardian lingo has advanced enough for you to understand the word 'sike', but I sure hope there is an equivalent."

"Heimdall has lost sight of her," he replied, ignoring her jab.

"Humans are very much like animals and migrate. Jane is a scientist. It's not foreign for her to travel."

"Jane is brilliant, but she is not brilliant enough to leave Earth herself."

Ash stared at him for a moment. "Alright," she yielded. "At least you're not making me kill anyone this time around." As she pushed past him, she grabbed her trench coat, threw it over her shoulders and moved to the door of her room.

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The duo had landed a few feet from where Jane and Darcy argued when something foreign picked at Ash's senses, and she straightened, eyebrows pulling into a furrow. She glanced at Thor, who seemed to notice the same thing. He replied with a nod at her silent question, and she split away from him and followed the tingling sensation in her fingers.

The intensity grew as she made her way to a wall, and her head fell into an unconscious tilt. She stopped before the brickwork and hesitantly placed a hand on it. Her eyes fluttered shut before she jumped away. Black mist formed around her palm, and she lifted it towards the wall, pushing her middle finger forward slightly, and the darkness flowed and encircled the wall.

"There's some weird shit going on around here."

Ash didn't flinch at the sudden intrusion, but she glanced at Jane's friend before reverting her attention to the wall. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Darcy," she replied in the same tone. "Who the hell are you?"

"Ash," she replied distractedly, a frown playing on her lips before she looked over her shoulder at Jane and Thor.

The woman walked furiously over to the officers "Excuse me?" she shouted.

"Are you Jane Foster?" the officer asked. Something set Ash on edge, and she made her way towards the confrontation, Darcy trailing behind.

"Yes."

"Do you know this man?" he asked, pointing to a man who looked on sheepishly.

"He's my intern," Jane paused. "My intern's intern."

"This is private property, and you're trespassing, the lot of you. You'll have to come with me." The police officer went to grab Jane's arm, but suddenly a force exploded from her.

Ash's magic reacted quickly, the bad feeling causing the energy to brew under her skin. The black mist pushed the red which burst from Jane upwards and away from the others, swirling above their heads before driving into her outstretched palm. She stumbled back, squeezing her eyes shut as her hand found the car to steady herself. A strangled gasp escaped her, and when her eyes snapped open, a dark red absorbed them.

Thor ran towards Jane, who lay on the ground. "Jane! Jane?" Thor shouted as he helped her stand. "You alright?"

"What just happened?" Jane asked, voice slightly slurred.

The officer approached her apprehensively, hand outstretched with his other holding his remote. "Place your hands on your head. Step back!" he shouted. Ash rolled her eyes and stepped between Jane and Thor and the man.

"This woman is sick," she spoke in a quiet but commanding voice.

"She's dangerous."

"So am I," Ash replied, voice low with annoyance. Her irises flickered red before they turned black as her fingers twitched, mist forming around them.

He shifted his grip on his radio. "Requesting armed response officers-" he rushed out before a burst of magic erupted from her, and the man flew back. She let out a low hum, teeth snapping to clench shut.

Thor grabbed Jane and pulled her closer to him. "Hold on to me," Thor spoke. Ash looked back at him before moving over to him and grabbing his cape, pressing herself into his back.

"What are you doing?" Jane asked, but before either of them could reply, the Bifrost opened, and they disappeared.