"Again, Ashley," Wong called out. Ashley groaned as fought more and more. But her energy was quickly extinguished. She tried her hardest, fighting Bucky, but she could barely breathe. Her heart could be heard in her ears. She was trying so hard, but she was holding so much back, tears of frustration began stinging her eyes.

      "I'm trying," she whispered. She fought the urge to cry. Strong, stay strong, you're the leader of the Avengers for God's sake. She punched Bucky once as she fought through the chains Wong threw at her. A fight that was impossible for her to win.

      She suppressed a yell of annoyance.

      Beside Storm, Rogue and Bobby stared at Ashley's fighting pattern, noticing the smallest of gears turning in Ash's head. "She's afraid," Marie/Rogue said, holding onto Bobby's hand. These moments made her grateful for the serum that removed her mutant powers.

      From beside them, Storm, who was standing beside Colossus, spoke up. "She should fight a mutant. Sorcerers are not as powerful as a mutant, especially against Jean. She needs to practice with someone else –  someone stronger. She's holding back her mutant powers."

    "Well, she refuses to remove the necklace that keeps her powers in control. She is terrified of leaving it off," Wong explained, pointing at her necklace. Storm looked at Ashley and sure enough saw the necklace. She then looked at Colossus before turning to Wong. "Can I add one of my own in there?"

      "You mean a mutant?" Wong questioned, raising his eyebrows.

      "Yes, Colossus will try to fight her." Storm concluded, turning to Colossus and nodding her head at Ashley. Colossus nodded, "With pleasure."

      He walked into the fight, and Ashley wanted to stop the fight. Instead, she looked at Storm with a look that reminded the mutants of Jean Grey, sending a chill down each of their spines. Ashley tried to look inside herself, finding all the chains swirling around her, trying to grab any of them.

      A golden-yellow chain made its way right under her nose, letting her try to grab at it. She tugged it, and with an annoyed grunt, pulled it harshly. But something- a force, was pulling her back and she had no idea what it was or where it was coming from.

      A large heavy punch brought her back to reality, and she realized where she was. She didn't cry, but she was bleeding. She finally just created a blind light to blind everyone as she ran out of the training area. Had she stayed a moment longer, sobs might have fallen in front of everyone.

       She didn't know where she was running to, but she wanted to be away from everyone. The one place she could think of was her mother's old room, and without thinking twice, dived there and hid, locking the door as she sobbed in a curled ball.

       Not too loud, she told herself. No one must hear you. You are weak. The voice then laughed in her head, but she only cried harder, the tears rolling down faster than before.

       A small knock was sounded on the door.

       Ashley looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy, her face red from all the heavy panting, and noticing the sweat she had that made her almost sparkle in the light. "Just a minute," she called out, washing her face before wiping it. She then opened the door and saw Storm. She saw the distraught look on the younger woman's face. "Oh no, sweetheart, come here." She cooed, hugging Ashley tightly. "You can let it all out, don't worry. I just wanted to talk, but I'm willing to listen."

          It was silent in the room for just a few minutes.

          "This was my mom's room," Ashley said, sniffling a little bit as she rubbed her stump, obvious that she removed her prosthetic. "She, um, she died while getting the soul stone. She gave her own life in exchange for it."

          "Oh, honey I'm so sorry." Storm calmly spoke, rubbing Ashley's shoulder reassuringly. "And then my father figure died in the public eye, but in reality, he was badly wounded after I snapped the Infinity Stones, which later entered my bloodstream."

          Storm didn't say anything for a small while. She held Ashley's hands, "Sweetheart, I'm sorry you had such a hard life."

           "Yeah, well, for now all I'm suffering from is little compared to what others suffer from. I feel like I can't trust anyone, or let anyone in, cause when I do- they die."

           Storm felt her heart break, but she breathed in slowly. "Ororo Munroe."

           "Excuse you," Ashley said by instinct.

           "No, that's my name," Ororo smiled bittersweetly, "my name is Ororo. And I promise I won't leave you."

           Ashley smiled sadly. "Pleasure to meet you Ororo Munroe; I'm Ashley Romanova."

           Ororo gave a small smile of comfort. She knew that she would do anything in her power to stand by her best friends' kid, so she mentally promised to herself that she wouldn't do anything stupid- like charge into a fight blindly.

           "I don't want to fight Jean Grey." Ashley stated. "I don't want to fight at all; it feels terrifying. I never fought another person with the Phoenix Force."

           "Ashley," Ororo interrupted calmly. "Wizards can try to help you with your powers and the infinity stones, but when it comes to the Phoenix Force- let me help train you. I know you're a higher rank than me, but you will still be able to learn a thing or two from fighting mutants, who still might be weaker than Jean."

          Ashley looked at Ororo with an uncertain glance, trying to figure out a way to convince Ororo not to, but she only shook her head. "Fine. How will you train me?"

         "Before the actual training, Ashley, I want you to remove your necklace when you fight a mutant. Don't be scared, I know it's easier said than done but-"

         "How can I trust you'll hold everything in place?"

         "How will you learn how to ride a bike if you don't remove the two training wheels?" Ororo asked, moving a strand of Ashley's hair out of her face. "You've been with training wheels your whole life. Try to let them go for a small while."

         Ashley thought about it for a moment before finally agreeing. She realized that everyone was telling her to take off the necklace. "Alright So, when am I fighting a mutant?"

         Ororo smirked. "Come back to the training area."

       Ashley walked back into the training area, moving her fingers after adding the prosthetic once more. While the spot was absolutely sore, she tried to rub the area, soothing it softly before spotting Wong, Bucky, and the mutants immediately.

The young girl closed her eyes before turning to face Ororo, who smiled reassuringly. Ashley then faced Wong, before finally removing her necklace, placing it in his hands. "Keep it safe, please."

Wong, with wide eyes, nodded his head, turning back around and holding the necklace with care. Ororo stood beside him, facing Ashley. "You'll first try with Colossus. Use your powers, analyze his first move, use all objects around you."

Colossus stood proud and tall, making Ashley quietly gulp in fear. She already felt a whole change in her body when she removed the necklace, as if more power ran through her blood; her heart raced, as if she was running on adrenaline.

"Don't worry, little one. I can take whatever you throw at me." Colossus stated. Ashley inhaled sharply, slightly bending her knees, her hands in front of her and slowly steadying her breathing. Ashley raised her brow before she slowed her breathing. "Please don't call me 'little one'."

"But you're tiny, aren't you?"

Ashley didn't reply as Colossus gave a taunting smirk. She took in a deep breath and looked at him, trying to enter his mind.

It came easier than before to her, somehow. She immediately saw what he was thinking of; crush her. Pin her to the ground, don't let her escape.

She focused on what he was thinking, and also thought of what was happening in reality.

She quickly rolled out of the way, leaving Colossus to try and slow down. Ashley looked at Colossus and saw him charge at her again. Without thinking twice, she mentally grabbed a hold of the closest object next to her- a dumbbell, and threw it across him. Her heart raced as he had an evident small dent on his arm, before it straightened itself, leaving it dark and scratched, but still smooth. Ashley looked around her, taking in all the extra objects and trying to use them to her advantage.

Ashley tried to grab it, but Colossus caught her and pinned her to the ground. From behind her, Ashley heard Wong call out.

"Call out to the Power Stone!"

With a grunt, Ashley fought to try and feel the stones that run inside her blood, the smallest of dust particles, but near impossible to grab.

There, a voice called out. Ashley then felt it, the chain. The purple chain that wrapped around her arm. She focused on the power, not letting anything come for it. With a strained yell, she yanked it, and when she opened her eyes and met Colossus, she smirked, a large explosive force pushing him back, a surge of power to pull apart his arms and free her.

From behind her, a voice whooped for her. It was Wong. Beside him, Bucky closed his eyes, a smile gracing upon his features. Ororo smiled proudly. The more Ororo stared at Ashley, the more she saw the resemblance between Jean and Scott.

Ashley smiled as she now fought Colossus with ease, ending up victorious. Ororo then turned to Bobby, and motioned for him to get in. She also looked at Bucky and nodded. Ashley would learn. She had to.

Bucky launched at her, not really wanting to hurt her, but still. He fought her as if he was fighting a Hydra Agent. She blocked, deflected and withstood his attacks. From behind her, Bobby froze everything and took form into his icy suit. Ashley turned around just in time to burn the icicles being thrown her way. She would fight several at once.

Colossus; use agility and strength. Enter his mind and find out what his next step is.

Bucky; use strength again, but find a weakness. Use other heavy objects and throw them on him.

Bobby, aka Icicle Man; burn everything he sent her way.

She fought hard and succeeded. Ororo and Wong smiled at her. They knew now she would have a chance. She would finally bring Jean Grey the peace she desperately needed.