Ablaze {Marvel} ||2||

24. The Scientist and "Alia"

The heat was so much worse in July. Even I couldn't tolerate it much. Stark Tower was kept cool, but it felt like there was little air that was circulating throughout the floors.

Since last month, we'd had three more fire-wielding attacks. Three more explosions. A few more body counts in different states. We'd been slow on the first attack, but we'd tried to stop the other two. Clearly, our efforts weren't enough. S.H.I.E.L.D. acted as though it was the Avengers' job to calm the chaos down. Apparently, fire wielders were more our wheelhouse since I was one—or had been one. I was just an ordinary Asgardian now, without my powers.

For this, I knew why S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't want their hands to get dirty. They'd lost an agent at the hand of me, they didn't want to risk more incidents like that.

None of us could understand it. Why the attacks? Were these distractions? Were these intentional?

Speaking of my fellow Avengers, most of them still weren't happy with my decision.

Did I miss my powers? Absolutely. This price, as much as I missed my powers, was a good one to pay. It prolonged my life, it kept people safe. The only damage it really did was put a wedge in my friendships and downgrade me to an ordinary status.

Not long after the group had found out, Todd had been told (thanks to Natasha and Clint). That had been a fun argument. Todd hadn't spoken to me since. I wanted to believe it was solely because of his agent training, but I knew that wasn't just it. He was mad at me, too, for doing something so "sneaky" as he had put it.

I decided to let out my frustration at a gym. I'd taken a walk there, kept my phone on me in case something about Seth came through. Since I'd given his name out, Natasha and Clint had taken it upon themselves to do some research. Tony included himself in that—his Google search didn't pan out like he'd wanted.

I took my anger out on a punching bag. One punch, two, a quick lower jab, a kick. This was for the better. That's what they fail to understand. The bag quivered and rattled as I beat up on it. They'll see it in time. I'm still me. I'm just not as much of Cynder as I used to be.

Letting out a rather feral growl, I punched the bag hard, nearly sending it off the chain it was hanging by up. I reached out, stopping the swinging bag. I could feel eyes staring at me. Once I shook off the feeling, I resumed letting out my steam.

By now, this bag surely would've been lit on fire. Or possibly the entire gym. It was either one extreme or the other. There was never an in-between.

"Might I suggest having a gym at the tower if this is going to become a thing?"

I ignored and kept punching as I heard Steve's voice on my left. It wasn't that the Avengers avoided me, it was just I knew they still had a chip on their shoulder from my news. If they wanted to play that way, so would I. I could tolerate them, not like them.

"The silent treatment isn't going to keep up, Kiara," Steve sighed.

I continued to not look at him. I panted lightly, catching my breath.

"You know, you're not a bad fighter. You could use a little more power in your punches though."

I grunted, backing off, letting the bag swing in front of me. I wiped the sweat off my brow. "What could you possibly want, Steve?"

"I didn't come here intentionally, if that's what you're thinking." Judging by his outfit, he seemed to be telling the truth. A too-tight, thin, gray t-shirt and regular pants didn't suggest he was a man on a mission. "I just happened to see you."