Ablaze {Marvel} ||2||

12. The Verdict

Even though this was the last thing I should be doing, I needed to take my frustration out on something. Thankfully, with some heavy persuasion on Steve's part and my behalf, I was allowed in a training room and to walk about the Helicarrier. Of course, there was the condition still of being babysat.

Previous to me being isolated in training, some of the medical staff on the Helicarrier took blood samples to see if there was anything there. So while I was waiting on those thorough and hopefully productive tests, I refocused my mind. If this wasn't blood related, then I had no idea what was causing my powers to go crazy.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was more than happy to sacrifice a few dummies on their last legs for me. So while Steve monitored me (he'd volunteered, and I personally thought nobody but him would, not even Clint or Natasha), I took out my frustration on the dummies. I let out fire streams, missing sometimes, but scorching the dying dummies at other times. Whatever was causing my malfunctions needed to end; I couldn't be an Avenger with whacked out abilities. I couldn't properly be Cynder if my fire power wasn't in my control.

I didn't hold back. The temperature in my fire grew, so much that it was starting to burn blue. The color made my mind drift, for some ungodly known reason, to Loki. How I'd been under his control. How he wasn't an Asgardian at birth, but a Frost Giant. A Frost Giant prince to top that.

I swallowed, suppressing the negative thoughts trying to crowd their way into my head. Not when I'm practicing. You can hound me later. Go away.

But it was too late. Any motivation I had to practice and keep myself in control was gone. The fire snuffed itself out, and I was more pissed at my mind than at myself. Well, I should've been pissed at myself for letting this happen. I should've be more than irate at the fact that I couldn't bloody figure out why my powers were acting up.

I ran my hand through my hair, looking at the beat-up dummies. I jumped as one randomly caught on fire just by me looking at it. I'd never done that before.

I pretended to not hear the conversation going on behind me.

"They find anything yet?" Steve asked.

"They're still looking." It was Natasha. "It doesn't look good, Steve."

"There's got to be something."

"We're doing all we can. We can always pull in more people to take a look."

"What would they suggest, then, Natasha? Any medication isn't going to improve her condition."

"We'll just have to keep trying."

"You know, she's not gonna hurt you."

"Not intentionally, no. I know that."

"She's trying her hardest."

"I know. It's just...This is new to me, just as it's new to you, Steve. The whole magic—power, ability—whatever you want to call it, deal. We've never dealt with things like this before."

"So since this is new you feel the need to treat her like a caged animal?"

"She's unstable."

"Only her power is. She isn't." Steve sounded a little defensive.

"You know," I spoke up, "talking about me behind my back is one thing, but doing it while I'm in the same room as you"—I turned around—"that's cold."

Steve regarded me with an apologetic look, and Natasha looked about ready to go on the offensive. I sighed. I'd really spooked her, it seemed. Lately, she was treating me more like a test subject than a fellow Avenger.