Soldier Of Summer: The Equinox

Growing Flora

Auri's POV

When she ripped the branch off the tree, I knew one of us was gonna get hurt.

"Evyr no!"

The branch changed faster than I remembered it could. My eyes widened as the leaves melded into it and it transformed into a jagged bowstaff.

"Whoever you are, let me go," she threatened. She jabbed the stick at us, particularly at Vision and Wanda, who were now standing together in a ready stance.

"Ev, I-" I made the mistake of taking one step too close to her, and she lunged.

I grabbed the stick and tried to pull it out of her grasp. She came with it and kicked my legs out from under me.

I fell to the ground and called for Steve. He rushed to my aid and grabbed Evyr by the arms. She kicked her legs back and rolled him back over, but he pinned her to the ground and ripped the staff out of her hands and threw it across the room.

She kicked and fought, and if she was at full strength, I think she could have kicked him off. In her exhaustion though, she was too tired to do it.
That didn't stop her from struggling though.

She was kicking and screaming when FRIDAY came onto the speakers.

Mr. Stark, there's something that you may want to see.

A screen projected onto the wall. It was a camera feed right outside the tower on the ground level. It was in the view of the street.

"What's happening?" I asked. Nothing was different, and nothing was happening. Of course, I was still a little disoriented from Evyr's screams, which were still going on. At this point, Steve was struggling to keep her down.

Given the new entity in the tower, I can only assume that this is why the flora around the tower is growing at an alarming rate.

At first I didn't see anything, until Peter pointed it out to me.

"Look at the flowers." He zoomed in closer to the trees planted around the tower for decoration.

It was as if seasons were going by, flowers and leaves grew and fell off each tree at a rapid rate. They were growing too. Really quickly.

We were on the sixth floor, and I was starting to see the tops of those trees outside, still growing. Peter rushed to the windows to get a closer look. I couldn't see his concerned face, so he kind of looked like an excited child looking at animals at a zoo.

I looked back at the magnolia in the room. It was as if no one had ever cut it at all. Its branches turned to vines and were crawling toward Evyr and Steve, and Winter ran to keep them away from the both of them.

"Evyr, you need to calm down!" I cried and rushed over to them.

"NO! Get off!" She grunted and finally kicked Steve off, which finally gave her enough time to get to her feet.

"Evyr-"

"WAIT!" She snapped. "If you want the trees to stop, then you'll have to get away from me!"

Steve was going to lunge again, but I stopped him with my metal arm.

"Auriana-"

"NO Steve!" I threw him to the ground.

Evyr stood still, eyes closed, concentrating. The room stood still.

Finally, she moved to the potted plant, and held out her hand. The vine like branches snaked off the floor and wrapped around her hand.

"What the hell?" Steve asked, shocked. We all stood in confusion and awe as Evyr moved and manipulated the plant. It shrank and untwisted and uncoiled until it had returned to its original position.

"Look," Peter's voice came from behind me, turning my attention back to the trees that were no longer there.

I walked back to the window, watching the trees "degrow" until they were back as if nothing happened. The only evidence that anything had happened was the insane amount of dead leaves on the ground. People that had been there to witness what had happened were standing there wideyed, unsure what the hell they had just witnessed.

I never knew she could do this. I mean I knew she could manipulate life, but I didn't realize she could do that.

I looked at her. She was still at the magnolia tree trying to calm herself. I cautiously approached her, my metal arm turned toward her.

"Evyr, when did you learn to do that?" I asked incredulously. She looked back at me with a sincerely happy face. Her cheeks raised and her eyes sparkled with glee. It was as if the previous scene had never happened. Now this was the Evyr I knew before. The smiling one.

"This is the first time I've done it right!"

"Oh my god! Congratulations!" I knew she always worked really hard to improve herself and her abilities, and she hated when she failed.

"I did it, finally!" She jumped and cheered. Everyone else in the room was so confused at the HYDRA escapees jumping up and down in excitement.

"I've never been able to do it with so much before!"

"I didn't know you could do that!" I shouted.

"Me neither!"

"HEY!"

We stopped jumping and turned to Steve.

"What the hell was that?" he asked aggressively. Evyr was just about to answer when the elevator dinged and Fury stormed in.

"What the hell just happened outside?" he roared. He pointed at Evyr. "What the hell are you?"

All excitement from her face vanished, replaced by stone.

"My name is Evyr Green," she simply said after a pause. "I am The Equinox."