This chapter has been rewritten as of 4/5/21

Enjoy!

Tangible, agonizing pain rippled throughout her skull. Nothing could come close to describing the severity of her affliction; incessant puncturing of needles through her scalp and bloodthirsty flames licking at her brain. There was no throbbing—no momentary relief— of the blinding pain. Instead, it persisted perpetually in all its fury, causing the entity to regret her entire existence.

    Futile attempts at screaming were only rejected by her own body. A drowning sensation came over her, causing her throat to constrict at the fictitious water. She pleaded with her body to resist what would prove to be her eradication, but not a single muscle twitched.

    Without warning, the previously isolated pain branched off from her head and crackled throughout her limbs like lightning. Every inch of nerve in her body burned with excruciating pain. When she had wished to feel the rest of her figure, this wasn't how she had imagined it occurring.

    Even if she resented the immense torture she was experiencing, she couldn't deny that the rest of her body being brought to her attention was a relief. Her burning limbs and abdomen were finally hers to control.

    A cough resonated throughout the silence, which inflicted shock upon her when she realized that it had been hers. At last, a painful breath of air was sucked into her body, consequently inflating her collapsed lungs. Life danced across her frame, igniting energy that previously laid hidden in her bones while suffocating the darkness that had attempted to consume her.

    She was alive.

    Her eyelids fluttered open, but a mere canvas of pristine white was unveiled. A similar fate fell upon her hearing, which consisted of bleak ringing that had overtaken her coughing fit. Her fingers weakly flexed before tracing a circular path on the coarse rock she was lying upon.

    Pain still tenaciously clutched at her body, though its importance paled in comparison to the other issue that had presented itself. Despite her continuous efforts to recall the slightest bit of detail of her existence before, her searches were coming up empty. There was simply nothing stored in her mind.

    That was the most demoralizing aspect of all. She had no 'before'. She had no 'past'. No belonging. There was nothing that classified her as sentient except for the pain that racked her body. She was a shell of a person.

    Small sections of white eventually gave way to traces of darkness. The shaded lines contoured shapes, which gradually ate away at the bleached color. Even if all she could see were dull shades of black and white, it was still enough to send a small wave of positivity through her. The setting that formulated before her was proof that all was not hopeless; she had at least retained the ability to see.

    In a similar manner that had occurred with her vision, her hearing was also regained. The noise that echoed throughout her ears sounded as though she were underwater, but the instinctual feelings residing inside her were enough to assure her that her abilities would eventually improve.

    "He.. hello?" She croaked out. With an immense amount of strain and grunting, she was able to push herself off of her back. There, for a few moments while she was recovering from the spasms of agony that were tearing through her body, she rested in a sitting position.

    Walls of faded, worn brick on either side of her towered into the sky. On the sections that had once been painted, the creamy-white was peeling and cracking. Windows were also dispersed amongst the surface; all of which were dusted with grime and occasionally broken. Beneath her quivering legs, jagged pavement laid in an uneven pattern.

    A potent, unpleasant scent introduced her to the sense of smell. Her nose crinkled in distaste, which was followed by her lip twitching in disgust. In all the lands of the universe, what had brought her to such a disgraceful place?

    If someone had replied to her, she didn't hear it. Only muffled honks from transportation and garbled chattering from the lifeforms that inhabited this area filled her ears. Instead of waiting for help that was never going to arrive, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

    She tried to stifle her groans of pain as best as she could, but the intolerable torture that was inflicted upon her body couldn't be ignored. Her wary eyes would often flick their gaze down at her limbs, but the quintessential skin that covered her body didn't show any evidence of the flames that tore at her insides.

    Finally, her lanky, quivering legs had straightened out beneath her. With movements that were anything but fluid, she used the palms of her hands to lay her dark skater dress into place, all the while curiously eyeing the rest of her outfit. Her legs were adorned with black tights that had diamond-shaped cut-outs running along the sides, completed with mid-calf-high boots.

    Beyond the entrance of the alleyway, beings that had a similar structure to her walked the streets. She released the breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding; she wasn't an alien. Or, if she was, at least she was of the same species.

    Her lips pursed in concentration when she tried to figure out what the beings were called. However, with each wave of probing she sent through her memory, she came up empty-handed. A dejected sigh fluttered from her lips. There was no way she could shake how utterly lost she felt from her mind.

    Her distraction prevented her from noticing the warning the back of her mind was giving off. Not even a moment later, an invisible wave crashed into her. She staggered backward, which was greatly exaggerated by her current lack of strength and balance, then sent her hands flying up to clutch her head. Whatever amount of pain that had been easing off of her brain had immediately returned.

    Despite the pulsating pain that had now inhabited her head and the nausea that was settling in, she flashed the world a weak smile. While it wasn't much, something had returned to her memory. She couldn't explain how or what it even was, but the mere presence of it was enough to break up her despair.

    Humans, she thought triumphantly to herself. They're humans that inhabit planet Earth 66, and I am one of them. Ashley Tanner.

    Ashley's mood soared at these revelations. Even her previously dim eyes sparkled with hope and innocent joy. She might still be weakened and plagued with pain, but she chose to be grateful for the small amount of knowledge she had been granted.

    A gentle breeze stirred from behind her, kicking up scattered dirt and leaves. When it reached her, the wind tugged at the hem of her dress, and strands of her hair danced in midair. Curiosity riddled Ashley's thoughts as she realized that her hair was ghastly white, save for the occasional streaks that were an odd shade of grey. She wasn't completely sure how she knew that there were more colors in the visible spectrum than what she was currently seeing, but whatever was in her hair was one of them.

    That's not normal... she noted to herself in discouragement. There hadn't been a single human she had observed that had tan skin and hair like hers. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe she was an awful alien.

That doubt gradually converted into panic as Ashley edged towards the street. She knew she couldn't stay in the alleyway, but the bustling streets grew intimidating as she got closer. Anxious thoughts crossed her mind as the humans continued to pass. What if the others didn't like her kind? What if the moment she stepped into the light and view of the public, she would get ambushed by these humans? There had to be a reason why she ended up in such a dishonorable place and lacked memories. Were they the cause of it?

    She finally willed herself to just bite the bullet and walk out. It took several breaths to steady herself, but she eventually made it one step outside of the alleyway. The second she opened her eyes, she caught two hulking men furiously exchanging punches. Her heart rate skyrocketed in fear after seeing this, but the towering human that blindsided her and caused her to topple over was what made her reach her boiling point.

    The girl, too frightened to even push herself back onto her feet, scampered back into the alley; her heart beating practically out of her chest and her face as pale as a sheet. She had been so absorbed in her fear that she hadn't noticed the woman that rounded the corner and walked towards her.

"Hello," the dark-haired woman greeted her, but the faint coldness that was laced into her voice betrayed the meaning of the words she was speaking. "Are you alright?"

    Ashley, not wanting to appear weaker than she already was, hastily tucked her feet beneath her and used her remaining energy to push herself up. She eyed the woman warily. Was this someone that she could trust? Or would she simply take advantage of the fact that Ashley was a terrified, meek girl that didn't even know if she could defend herself?

    When the woman noticed Ashley's heaving chest and trembling stature, her eyes and tone softened. Using an intimidating voice wouldn't get her anywhere if the poor girl was already scared half-to-death. She observed the girl's actions while patiently waiting for her response. Her electric-blue, almost glowing eyes continued to shift back and forth, perhaps eyeing any routes that could serve as an exit. 

    After seeing the warmth seep into the human's facial expressions, Ashley's crudely constructed barriers crumbled to the ground. Her voice was still filled with uncertainty as she slowly responded with, "No. I don't know where I am."

    She intently studied the woman's reactions to her words. Depending on how much of a forewarning she could receive before the woman tried anything, she might have enough time to duck left and sprint around two large garbage bins that were positioned close enough to the wall. Her tiny, agile frame would easily be able to fit through the small space between the bin and the bricks, but it was a question of whether or not her legs would be able to carry her there in time.

    The woman raised her hand from her side, causing Ashley to flinch and stumble backward, though she soon realized that the woman was just adjusting a lock of her dark hair. Concern etched its way across the woman's face at the girl's reaction.

"That shouldn't be a problem," the woman assured her. She pitied the girl and truthfully wanted to wrap her in a warm hug, but she knew better than to get any closer to her when she was already so jumpy. "Just tell me where you need to go and we can sort something out."

    "No," Ashley whispered, removing her gaze from the garbage bins so her contingency plan wouldn't be suspected. "I don't have a destination. I simply don't know where I am."

    This startled the woman. Unnerved her, if you must. There was something about the way that the girl had said those words that chilled her to the bone. "Do you remember how you got here?"

    "No."

    "Well, what's the last thing you remember?" The human pried.

    Ashley didn't even bother racking her head for memories. What was the point? She knew they were not there. She knew that she had no past.

"Wa...waking up in this alley," she stammered, anxiously dragging the toe of her boot across the coarse concrete floor. Perhaps it might've been the wiser move to avoid telling others of her predicament, but what did she have to lose? There was nothing from her life that was holding her back.

    The woman hesitated for a split moment, seemingly contemplating inwardly with herself. Her eyes fluttered closed and remained as such for several seconds, which was followed by her brows furrowing in deliberation. With a sudden nod to herself, the brunette's eyes opened and she offered the girl a smile.

    "Come with me. I might be able to help you find your parents."

    It took everything she had not to jump at the woman's offer. Instead, she restrained herself from showing the excitement that bubbled within her and cast a skeptical glance at the woman.

"How do I know that you aren't lying?"

    Without missing a beat, the woman shot back, "The same way I know that you aren't lying to me. You don't."

    Ashley remained frozen for a few moments, allowing the words of what the woman had said to sink in. Perhaps this woman wasn't out to kill her. Perhaps there were people that inhabited Earth that were worthy enough to bestow her trust in.

    With those thoughts, she obediently followed the woman out of the darkness of the alley and into the light of the world.

>>>>>|<<<<<

Humans dressed in dark clothing milled about the building Ashley had just entered. One that was engrossed in the tablet he held nearly trampled Ashley, causing the girl to yelp in surprise and shuffle closer to the woman that brought her here. Most of the men and women that scurried about had dangerous weapons fastened onto their sides, which ailed her concern.

    "Don't worry," the woman said after she noticed Ashley's trepidation. "They're just the local law enforcement. They won't hurt you."

    Upon reaching the front desk, they were instructed to wait nearby while they attended to their current issues. Ashley couldn't restrain herself from eavesdropping as the employees conversed with other humans. One happened to be a distraught man filing a missing person report for his betrothed, and another was a recruitee who was inquiring about her upcoming agenda.

    "Bethany Everglade."

The human beside Ashley looked up at the front desk and nodded before standing up.

"Your name's Bethany Everglade?" She asked, tilting her head curiously and allowing a small smile to spread across her lips.

"Sure is. What about you?"

Ashley sucked in a breath before responding. There was something about her name that brought a little bit of joy to her gloomy persona. It was the one little piece of her past that she still had, and for that, she treasured it greatly.

"Ashley Tanner."

"That's a pretty name," Bethany complimented. "How about a middle name?"

The girl stared blankly at the dark-haired woman for a few moments. She wasn't really sure what a middle name was. Before she could contemplate it for too long, though, it happened again. This time, a small warning rippled throughout her senses before it hit, allowing Ashley the chance to steady herself for the painful impact.

As predicted, the wave crashed into her skull, sending tremors of pain echoing throughout her head. She winced and tried to muffle her hissing, but it was still enough for Bethany to notice.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Ashley mumbled through gritted teeth. She was quick to let go of her irritation though; she was beyond excited to learn what new information had been bestowed upon her. "A middle name..." she began, finally answering Bethany's question. "No. I don't believe I have one."

By then, the people ahead of them had finished with their business and it was their turn to speak with the attendant.

"What can I do for you two today, ladies?" The attendant questioned politely before flashing Bethany his customary smile. When his gaze fell upon Ashley, he hesitated and eyed her curiously. The girl couldn't rid herself of the self-conscious feeling that crept its way up the back of her spine and she cowered underneath his stare.

"I need you to find a file on Ashley Tanner," she explained, gesturing to the girl beside her. "I found her in an alley and she doesn't remember anything."

Sympathy flashed in the attendant's eyes for an instant, but it was short-lived since he had to maintain his professional personality. "Do you have any identification on you?"

She wasn't sure how, but in the previous painful spell she had undergone, the knowledge of identification had embedded itself into her mind as well. The idea that whatever was giving her memories had foreseen the future added to her mound of confusion.

Ashley patted down her sides to see if there was anything on her. Her hands stopped at her waist as she felt a small pouch attached to her belt. Delicately, as though the pocket would break at any moment, she undid the clasp and pulled something that resembled a wallet out of it. The pads of her fingers gently traced over the beautiful leather, then flipped the wallet open and studied its contents.

"There's this," she offered, removing a small, plastic card from one of the pockets that had some information on it.

Tanner, Ashley.

Born October 1st, '01.

5' 5"

Female

Natural EC: Blue

Natural HC: White and blue

"I'll see what I can find out," he said, taking the card from Ashley's hand. He paused in his tracks as his eyes fixated on the last line, but he eventually forced his feet to move and carry him into the backroom.

As the pair were awaiting the attendant's return, the voice of a dispatcher carried into the room. It was faint, but Ashley and Bethany could vaguely make out what was being said.

"All active units in the area, stay on your toes. The Avengers have been spotted scouting for something a few blocks away from the station."

If Ashley hadn't been undergoing another agonizing session of getting knowledge abrasively thrown into her mind, she would've noticed the small wave of tenseness that rippled throughout Bethany.

The Avengers, she thought to herself, absorbing the information being given to her while trying to ignore the immense torture her head was undergoing. Earth's mightiest heroes. Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man. Steve Rogers, a.k.a. Captain America. Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow. Bruce Banner, a.k.a Hulk. Clint Barton, a.k.a Hawkeye. Thor, a.k.a, God of Thunder.

There were many others that she could list, but her attention had strayed from the entirety of the Avengers to just Tony Stark. His name hollowly echoed throughout her mind as an abundance of information engulfed her.

Stark Industries.

State-of-the-art technology.

Weapons.

Machines.

Destruction; world-peace.

    Numbers spilled into her head like a tidal wave. She immediately clamped her eyes shut and clutched her head between her hands. So much information was getting absorbed into her brain all at once that it hurt like hell. It was so unbearable that she even let out a small whimper as she doubled over in pain. After several minutes of all the numbers and words organizing into her head, the pain finally began to fade away. Now, all that she was left with was complete knowledge about arc reactors, which just so happened to be the glowing thing that was embedded into the billionaire's chest.

    The sheer intelligence of Tony Stark baffled Ashley. Admittedly, there was a moment she spent admiring the man, but thoughts of doubt began crossing her mind. If he were to turn, he could become a serious threat. Well, for that matter, if anyone that accessed such skill like the Avengers were to turn, the human race could be severely endangered. Perhaps having powerful heroes existing was more dangerous than what they were worth.

    "I'm sorry..."

    These words brought Ashley jolting out of her thoughts. In her lack of attentiveness, she hadn't noticed that the man had returned from the other room.

    "...but I couldn't match your information with an identity. The only thing left that I can do is take a fingerprint and DNA test, but even that could be a longshot."

    Ashley's crestfallen face broke Bethany's heart. The poor child. She had already been through so much and had finally gotten her hopes up, but now they were once more crushed.

"We'll do it," Bethany agreed firmly. Ashley opened her mouth to respond, but the woman cast her a stern glance. The girl's lips slowly closed and she nodded.

    "Very well then," he said with a smile, then pointed down a hall. "Three doors down on the left, there should be someone who can take the samples."

>>>>>|<<<<<

"The results should be ready midday tomorrow." The nurse smiled, then opened the door and allowed the two to leave.

    "So..." Ashley began, running the toe of her boots in a circular motion on the white tile. "What now?"

    Bethany's first reaction was to leave her in the custody of the state. For starters, she already had an extremely busy life, and adding in a girl that she wasn't even sure she could trust would be too hectic. One day could turn into a week, and a week could turn into her being obliged to take full responsibility for the child. That was simply something that she wouldn't stand for.

    However, as her gaze met Ashley's, something in her heart shifted. The lost, innocent glimmer in her eyes was a far too painful reminder of her younger self. It was insane to Bethany that she could see so much of herself in a girl she hadn't even known for two hours.

    Ashley needed her. And — who knows — maybe Bethany might need her too.

    "I have a two-bedroom apartment in Queens. It's about a thirty-minute drive from here." Bethany watched Ashley's eyes grow wide in shock at the woman's words.

    "Are... are you sure? I wouldn't want to intrude in your life. You've already done so much for me. I don't think I could ever repay you!" Ashley stammered.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure by tomorrow we'll have everything sorted out and you'll be back with your parents." Bethany waved off the girl's concern. Once again, Bethany was walking off, leaving Ashley to scurry behind her.

    After about 30 minutes or so, they had made it into a fairly small town compared to New York City. It still had high-rises and apartments, but nothing as dramatic as the stacked skyscrapers of the Big Apple.

    "Where are we now?" Ashley questioned as they pulled into a parking spot in front of some apartment complex. Bethany waited to reply until both of them had exited the vehicle, then turned back to the street and widely gestured to all of the buildings.

"Welcome to Queens," Bethany answered with a broad smile, keeping her arms held out wide to emphasize the statement. Ashley trembled as a scene from her memories of Tony Stark flashed before her. The dark-haired man was standing in front of a desert landscape, arms raised in victory as a large explosion erupted behind him.

    Queens.

    That word echoed through Ashley's mind just as arc reactors had. Her eyes filled wide with panic and she quickly mumbled, "oh no," but it was too late. Information began to flood into her head, just as it had done previously. This time, it didn't feel nearly as painful as before, but it was still enough for her fingers to run along her scalp as she shook her head.

    "Ashley?" Bethany asked, gently shaking her shoulder in concern, "are you alright?"

    The icy-haired girl finally managed to snap out of it and return her focus back to Bethany, "Yes ma'am...  I think I'm good. It's just this whole lack of memory thing... it's messing with my head."

    "I'm sure you'll feel better after you get some rest. Let's go ahead and go in; it's a bit of a walk to my room."

    When Ashley had finished observing her surroundings and turned to face Bethany, the woman had already started making her way into the building. Without turning back, she held her car keys over her shoulder and tapped the lock button, resulting in an orange flash from the car's headlights. Now that? That was something so epic that Ashley had to do a double-take and make sure that someone wasn't filming. Seeing that her curiosity had caused her to fall several steps behind the fast-paced woman, she had to jog to catch up.

    The two made their way up the elevator of the complex and to Bethany's apartment. For such a large place in such a popular city, she was sure that the prices were probably sky-high. What did the woman have as a career to sustain something like this? Or perhaps she had a husband who worked a well-paying job that contributed.

    "It's no mansion," Bethany chuckled as she pulled her keys out of her purse, "but it's home."

    Ashley noticed some small digits on the key fob, then identified them as 364. She looked up at the corridor, seeing that they were just passing 359. They were getting close.

Suddenly, as they passed 362, a strange shiver went down her back. Senses she didn't even know she had were flying out the roof. To be completely honest, she didn't really know what her senses were trying to tell her. All that she could decipher that it was something important.

Then a thought crossed her mind. Were these sixth-senses episodes normal? She didn't think so. All of the information the little voice was feeding her told her otherwise. As far as she knew, she was experiencing something that regular humans shouldn't.

    And that?

    That sent an uneasy feeling churning in her stomach.

    That was something that was proving her theory right about her being different than everyone else. Between the seemingly natural, wild physical features, strange way of learning new information, somewhat lack of identity, and extra senses, she was beginning to get the idea that there was something off about herself.

    She didn't really like the thought of that, but it wasn't like she could change who she was.

    After standing still for several moments too long, she finally returned back to reality. She looked up to see that Bethany was already twisting her key in some lock up ahead, so she quickly rushed forward before the woman would question her strange behavior. Just as she reached the brunette, the door swung open, revealing an elegant, yet empty residence.

    Ashley filed in behind Bethany, glancing around with her jaw dropped.

"Not a mansion? You could've fooled me," she remarked, running her hands along the smooth granite counters of the kitchen. Despite the fact that it was an apartment, the ceiling's pitch was steep and rose high, then gradually flattened out to accommodate a beautiful light fixture. Lavish furniture adorned the living room, which led to a similarly sophisticated dining room.

    Bethany chuckled as she set her purse down on the counter, "It's only two bedrooms. Though I will admit, it is very much so an upgrade from the last one. Just a bit of advice— never buy a stuffy, one-bedroom apartment in the dead center of New York City."

    "Advice noted." Ashley dropped down onto a loveseat, sighing in relaxation. Her body was finally letting on that she wasn't made of iron, so some good-quality resting time was in store. A smile graced her lips as she thought of the warm, soft bed that was awaiting her in the guest bedroom. However, before she could let her mind wander too far in that direction, she began to realize something.

"You don't have any family...?"

    Bethany stared blankly at Ashley before a look of realization washed over her face. "Oh, you mean that. Well, I do have my parents and cousins and sister and things like that, but yeah, no husband. You might say that I'm a little... married to my work."

    "Why put it that way?" Ashley pointed out, adjusting her sitting position to where one leg was draped over the arm of the chair. "Why not think of it as you being passionate and committed, instead of it being a negative?"

    Bethany stood thoughtful by the counter for a few moments, then replied, "I guess you're right." She stopped momentarily and moved from her position in the kitchen to one down the hallway. She stopped in between two different doors, then turned back to Ashley, who had followed her. "On the left is the guest bathroom. It should have everything you need. On the right is the bedroom. I hope you sleep well, Ashley."

    "Thank you," she replied gratefully, excitement growing inside of her as she waited to see what the room looked like

    "Goodnight, Ashley."

    "Goodnight, Ms. Everglade."

The teenager quickly got herself ready by running a comb through her hair, brushing her teeth, and even running a cleansing wipe over her face, then made her way into the bedroom. It consisted of a full-sized bed, dresser, nightstand, and desk. All in all, it held the same elegant consistency that the other rooms had.

    Ashley ran a hand along the grey blanket on the bed. It was soft, warm, and most certainly inviting, but her body turned away. Her mind was flooded with thoughts and questions, so there was no way she would be able to sleep. Even though the joints of her body ached and pleaded for relief, it seemed as though her eyes were wired open.

    The pale-haired girl stood still for several minutes and strained to listen for Bethany. After she was certain that the woman had long gone to sleep, she pulled a large, black hoodie out of the closet and pulled it on.

Then, without even sparing a glance behind her, she opened the window and slipped into the shadows of the night.