Rising from the Ashes

Mark Training

Ash's POV

I could feel the thrum of the Quinjet engine underneath me before I could even open my eyes...

"The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is..." Maria Hill's voice sounded from the background so I decided to open my eyes a bit more.

Right as I did, though, they felt like the time I was taken to the beach and I got a faceful of sand from a misplaced volleyball shot.

"Owwwww..." I rubbed my eyes with both my hands before they were taken away from my face and I heard someone say,

"Don't... you might get rubble in your eyes..."

I opened up my eyes as far as they would allow me to see Xavion sitting next to me on the floor in a corner of the Quinjet while Bruce was sitting in front me and both of us were given weighted blankets.

"What... happened... Xay...?" My voice rasped a bit before I coughed to clear it out.

"You went out of control." Xay explained before his tone lightened up and he told me, "On the bright side, you have your marks now."

"Marks?" I questioned before he handed me a small mirror and I saw the neon orange marks on my left eye; four circles in a curved line under my eyebrow and slightly above my eyelid and four upside-down teardrops under my eye.

"How...?" I traced the shapes with my finger as I continued to stare at them in the mirror.

"Well... I had to kick you into a fiery, crashed vehicle to fully surround you with enough fire to bring you back, but I think given the situation it was alright."

"Aside from the world having seen the both of us in our most uncontrollable state." Bruce interjected as he came to.

"Yeah aside from that..." Xay looked down with a sheepish expression.

"What happened after Ultron..." I asked Bruce and he sighed before explaining,

"After you left to go down to the labs, Ultron attacked us, said he killed someone and would 'turn the liability' so I got worried when I didn't see you after the attack."

"After Ultron destroyed JARVIS, I went to try to protect the Scepter, but I didn't get very far... Then he said he was going after all of you upstairs and when I tried to warn you, he used the Scepter against me to take me hostage."

"You said when Loki tried to use it to control you it only made you stronger, how is it this time it weakened you?"

"It was probably because you were beginning to experience Tayen," Xay remarked, "It makes us think less rationally and messes with our abilities."

"Your father told me about it, I just didn't think it would've gotten that bad." Bruce directed to Xay, making him look at him in surprise.

"You know my father?"

"We met him when this alien came down to try to get Ash for his master's 'dual arsenal of destruction.'" Bruce tiredly mimicked the Oajin's voice, making Xay smile before looking worriedly at me.

"I'm OK and now that you're free from HYDRA and Ultron, you can go back to the clan and your dad." I told him and he looked contemplative before suggesting,

"I think I should stick around a little while longer, y'know to help you adjust to your new powers." Xay gave me a sheepish smile.

"And maybe you can tell me more about home..." I added softly.

"Whaddya me-?" Xay was interrupted when Clint announced,

"We're here." Right before landing the Quinjet in a grassy field and we all got off to walk toward a house in the distance.