Defiance

Divulging the Truth

Let the action begin :)

     Jake and CC watched in anticipation as Jinxx handled Ashley. They could hear the conversation, and it was not going well. 

     "He's going to use Andy?! Why didn't he just come after Andy then?" Jake wondered.

     "Well, it was probably easier to lure Ashley in. With his power and everything, I think it would be easier to convince him of a life where he didn't have to be afraid of himself anymore, right?" CC suggested. 

     Jake frowned, letting out a sigh, his heart aching at the thought of everything Ashley must have been going through all by himself. The four of them had always known Ashley wasn't open about how he was feeling most of the time. Sometimes he just missed when things were easier, when they all only had one power and they were only trying to stop Control. Now they had Matriarchs and Fallen Angels and all new abilities and a God. 

     "I know how you feel, man," CC replied, as if he'd read his mind. 

     "Wait, what is Jinxx doing?" Jake and CC both turned their attention back to the cavern ahead of them, where Jinxx was eyeing the coffin they now knew held Andy. 

     "I want to speak to Ashley. The real Ashley, now," he demanded. His words brought a smirk to the other's face, a brazen look in his eye.

     "Why, you are speaking to the real Ashley, Mystic! Of course, that is unless you still think he's alive in here? How can you be sure that he's even still with us?"

     "Because you don't have his voice yet. That's one of the pieces, is it not? The pieces you're now embedding into Andy? You need Ashley's voice, your spirit is only using him as a vessel, you are not yet strong enough to completely kill off his spirit," Jinxx rebutted with a knowing grin.

     Ashley laughed. "I suppose you are correct in your argument. Alright, since I can hear everything he hears, I will allow it. You can say your goodbyes!" he laughed, shutting his eyes. Jinxx could sense the shift in his aura, and when his eyes opened again, he knew he was no longer dealing with a dark, all-powerful entity, but their brother. 

     Ashley's eyes melted when they looked around. "Jinxx? But...where is everyone else?" Something seemed to dawn on him as he looked around, eyes meeting the coffin. "Andy!" he cried, though as he moved towards the water's edge, something held him in place. Desperate eyes met Jinxx's, breaking his heart as the reality of Ashley's situation sank in. He really wasn't in as much control as they had thought. 

     "Jinxx, you have to stop him. Please,  I...I didn't mean for all of this to happen, I just..."

     "Whoa, Ash, slow down, ok? I believe you. I want you to listen to me, alright? How did this happen? How did he find you?" 

     Ashley grew silent, eyes lost in thought, pictures and memories that seemed to bring tears to his eyes. "I...I went for a walk one night. I snuck out around midnight and...I didn't plan on coming back. I just wanted to get away, I wanted to run so far nobody would ever be afraid of me again. They wouldn't have a reason to if I was gone, nobody would be scared or hate me. I didn't...I didn't want to leave you guys, I didn't want to leave Andy, but I..."

     "Hey, hey, Ash! I understand, it's alright. Breathe, and keep talking to me. How did you get here?" Jinxx shushed, giving him a nudge to go on. 

     "I...I snuck out, and just ran. I didn't care the direction, I didn't care where I ended up or really what happened. I ended up in that town, slept in that old police station until about a week later. I had...a weird dream. Some voice, calling me. I woke up here, and my head...my mind, everything felt...fuzzy, like I wasn't alone," he paused, eyes glued wide to the cavern floor.