☂︎ ☂︎ ☂︎

Asher makes her way through the sweaty sea of bodies, shoving her way through the crowded airport, in attempt to make it out of there as fast as possible and avoid the same irritating questions, glaring at anyone who dares threaten to speak to her.

'Hey sweetie, are you lost?'

'Where are your parents, kid?'

'Do you need help finding your mom?'

Asher shakes her head just thinking about the stupidity when all the tv's flash 'Breaking News' catching her eye, and the news reporter begins. "Moments ago, police reported the death of the most eccentric and reclusive billionaire." A picture of him appears on screen, showing him in his usual attire and signature monocle.

"Oh shit." Asher curses to herself, quickly pulling out her phone. '10 missed calls from Pogo' flashes on the screen. No wonder.

She stares at up at the tv for a moment, puzzled, confused. She was only gone for merely three days to Hawaii to pick up something up for the old man, and now he's dead??

She tears herself away and steps outside, the crisp air nipping at her neck as she searches for a free taxi. She strolls over to one as a woman gathers her luggage and shuts the trunk. Asher bends her head down the window and taps on it.

"Hello?" She snaps impatiently. The driver finally rolls down the window and she rattles off her address.

"Uh, yeah right." The driver, a man who appears in his forties maybe, chuckles. "Get lost kid."

Asher grates her teeth together as she takes a deep breath, singeing the dollar bills crumpled her hand. She slaps a hundred on the dash of the car causing the man's eyes to light up.

"Hop in."

☂︎ ☂︎ ☂︎

As the car pulls up to the mansion, Asher grabs her backpack and quickly hops out, Pogo the resident talking monkey, but most importantly who Asher see's as more of a grandpa, is waiting for her at the door.

"Welcome home, Master Asher." He embraces her warmly and she accepts, for Pogo of course. "I tried calling." He says, giving her a look.

She looks up at him, clearing her throat. "We have much to discuss I presume."

"Ah, yes." He nods, moving them out of the doorway and shutting the door behind them. "But you should get some rest." He reminds her of her long flight and exhaustion beginning to fog her brain. "We can discuss more tomorrow when the other's arrive." He informs.

Asher huffs, the thousands of questions she has she would rather have answered now.

"All of them?" She asks, not minding seeing most as she does periodically anyways, having kept in touch with mostly everybody. Everybody except one.

"I should think so." Pogo voices, interrupting her thoughts. "Would you like me to take your bag?" He offers.

"No, that's alright." Asher waves him off, heading for the stairs. "Goodnight." She calls over her shoulder.

"Goodnight."

She's definitely going to need her beauty sleep for the long day ahead... lord knows she's cranky without it.

☂︎

I throw my backpack on the bed just as a body dressed in all black appears, bringing me face to face with the boyish Asian features as he looks up.

"Jesus, why don't you knock." I huff, rolling my eyes as does he at my comment.

"Very funny." He bites.

"Miss me?" I smirk, kicking off my converse.

"Oh, yes. Thank God you're back, what did I do without?" He says flatly, though the amusement is evident in eyes.

I throw my hands up innocently. "That's what I always wonder." I would never admit it to him, but it gets pretty lonely when I have to retrieve something for Reginald and I'm gone for a couple days.

Ben sighs, swinging his legs off the bed to stand. "Gotta go, the idiot just od'ed again."

Klaus. Ah, gotta love him.

"I thought he was in rehab?" I question, moving to grab a tank and shorts from my dresser.

"He was." Ben sighs.  "He just got out."

I snort, he's gotta be a vip there or something at this some point.

When I turn around he's gone.

☂︎ ☂︎ ☂︎

I huff, rolling over as I hear the front door slam shut for about the hundredth time this morning. They've been arriving here all morning, but I haven't graced them with my wonderful presence yet.

I guess I'll get up, finally... I toss my blankets to the side and throw on a long sleeve gray shirt and some dark skinny jeans while listening downstairs.

"Vanya, you're actually here." I hear Allison's voice ring out. Oh great. Well, my mood is already soured. Took all about two minutes to do, must be a record.

"Hey, Allison." Vanya squeakily replies. My eyes flame orange. The one Hargreeves I cannot stand.

She wrote a book about the all of us. A very personal, very exploiting book. That she did not run by any of us and definitely did not ask permission. Not that I liked her before that...

Allison says something back to hear which I don't bother to hear as I make my way down the stairs, frizzy blonde curls being the first thing to come into view.

"Wouldn't you rather say hi to me." I make my presence known as they pull away from their hug and turn to face me.

I glare at Vanya, who couldn't look more plain, and couldn't possible have a larger forehead. But that's how she's always been. Plain. Boring. Irrelevant. That's why she wrote the book of course. Relevancy, to make a buck. Well I hope the money was worth our exploitation and five seconds of notice before it went on sale and became forgotten.

"Asher!" Allison excitedly exclaims, rushing over to embrace me, which I dodge by throwing her a compliment, which I know she'll eat up.

"You look great."

"Ah, so do you." She beams. See. "I haven't seen you in a couple years since I flew you out for a visit. Claire misses you."

"Mmm, it's been a while." I hum in agreement. Allison calls occasionally to chat, but living in California, we don't see each other as much as I see everyone else. That, and she can be exhausting to be around for too long. "How is Claire?" I ask

"Oh, she's good." She nods slowly. "May catch up to you soon." She attempts to joke, only causing my jaw to tighten.

There's a glaring different between myself and the rest. Although we were all born on the same day, and the same year making us twenty-nine, they all look it. Where as I do not. I am stuck in my fifteen year old body, which of course nobody noticed until everyone else actually starting aging, feeling the growing pains, the normal experience of getting older.

"Ah. What is she doing here?" A voice pulls me out of my bitter thoughts. That voice belonging to Diego, as he saunters into the foyer with us.

"My thoughts exactly." I chime, turning to him.

"Hey, Asher." He pulls me in by the shoulders. "You don't belong here." He continues at Vanya, letting go of me he keeps walking. "Not after what you did." Amen.

"Thank you." I point to him in agreement.

Ah, Diego, where do I even begin? I haven't seen him in a couple months since I last bailed him out of jail. He plays dress-up superhero vigilante to "save the day" often getting himself arrested. I happen to be his one call, each time I come to the station full of tears pretending to be his daughter 'begging them not to throw my poor daddy in jail because he's all I have, and I would be thrown into the system.' It's a whole show, and one I play well.

"You seriously gonna do this today?" Allison clips at him, placing her hands in her pockets before turning to me. "And don't you start too."

I smirk. "You're not boss or my mommy last I checked." I click my tongue. "And we were all thinking it."

"Way to dress for the occasion, by the way." She calls after Diego as he stomps up the stairs, choosing to wisely move on from me. I keep my laugh to myself. He's wearing his vigilante gear, like always, but it is black, unlike Allison's blue top.

"At least I'm wearing black." He retorts. Well... she's not dressed like a ninja.

Allison looks down at her shirt before looking mine. Hey, at least I'm wearing gray, close enough.

"You know-you know what? I- Maybe they're right. And I shouldn't." Vanya mumbles out.

"Forget about him." Allison says firmly, smartly not including me in her sentence. "I'm glad you're here."

"And I'm not, so feel free to leave." I add with sickeningly sweet tone before spinning on my heel to go find wherever Diego ran off to.

☂︎ ☂︎ ☂︎

𝟶ʙᴜᴛᴛᴇʀʙɪsᴄᴜɪᴛ𝟽 sᴘᴇᴀᴋs!

Hello, helloooo, ADUST IS FINALLY HERE <3

After 4 years in the making, a revamp/rewrite, & teasing it on TikTok for the past 2 years lmao, Adust is finally published and y'all have finally got to meet Asher!!!

What do y'all think of Asher so far?! I've been SO excited to introduce her omg. And her relationship/dynamic with everyone so far???

Anywyas, hope you enjoyed this chapter, many more come!! And yesss who she was talking to is exactly who you think she was talking to in her room hehehe, an explanation for that is to come anddd Asher being stuck in her 15 year old body too.... ;)

Don't forget to comment your thoughts, questions, & reactions!! And happy 2 year anniversary to TUA S3, until next, mauh!