Editing Ashley Stillons II (section)

==Personality==
Ashley's personality can be said, especially by her, to be a distilled version of the original.<ref name="II3.3 e4"/> Ashley's current personality is based around the original Damsel of Distresses (hereafter referred to as DoD) with some original memories.<ref name="II3.3 e2"/> She has a hard time remembering her childhood while her actions in combat like in the '[[Boston Games]]' were much more clear.<ref>“Would’ve been in Boston.  The slang term in the ‘scene’ was the Boston Games.”<br/><br/>Ashley smiled for the first time.<br/>[...]<br/>“Heroes, like the PRT, and like my family’s team, followed, to try and keep the peace until things settled.  My family’s team was Lady Photon, Manpower, Flashbang, Brandish, Lightstar and Fleur.”<br/><br/>“The heroes without masks,” Ashley said.<br/><br/>“Yeah,” I said.<br/><br/>“I remember them.  I was one of the villains who flocked,” Ashley said. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2017/12/23/flare-2-5/ Excerpt] from [[Flare 2.5]]</ref> Remembering that she fought [[New Wave]] when the hero team came to Boston to help with the Villain situation. Similarly she remembered that, fortuitously, she was not a [[multitrigger]].<ref>Cap: I’m so glad I don’t have to deal with the cluster-trigger clusterfuck<br/><br/>Heart_Shaped_Pupil: Amen.<br/><br/>Mangled_Wings: Agreed. - [[Glow-worm P.6]]</ref><ref> - [https://www.parahumans.net/2017/12/23/flare-2-5/ Excerpt] from [[Flare 2.5]]</ref> Like the original DoD she does do dramatic monologues but it is unknown if the original DoD could distinguish this as the push from her shard that Ashley can.<ref name="II3.3 e678"/>

Like other S9000 clones, given Bonesaw's messy and inaccurate cloning process, Ashley started out with a cobbled together collection of memories,<ref name="26.3c1">Though it’s somewhat justified in this instance as they don’t retain their full memories – only cobbled-together personalities and histories. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/sting-26-3/#comment-33606 Comment] by Wildbow in [[Sting 26.3]]</ref> with some memory bleed from the shard.<ref name="I25 e2">[[Sphere|He]] followed obediently.  “Where’s my Catherine?  She’s my…”<br/><br/>“Your ''mom'', silly billy.” ''Cognitive dissonance would be bad.  He could lash out.''  Not that he was that dangerous, like this.<br/><br/>“I was going to say wife.  And I have two children.  They’re seven and five.  Except ''I’m''…”<br/><br/>“You’re seven.  You’re thinking of your sisters.”<br/><br/>“I’m confused,” he almost mewled the words.  “It hurts, so much of it hurts to think about.  [[Mannequin|I- I let a lot of people down]].  I can feel their disappointment like… like it’s pressing in on me from all sides.  I can’t hide from it and I can’t stop myself from caring.  I-“<br/><br/>“Hush,” she said.  “It all gets better when you wall yourself in, doesn’t it?”<br/><br/>He nodded mutely.<br/><br/>“Walling you in,” she said, as she put him on top of the stand.  A press of the button raised the glass enclosure.  She could see him relax a fraction at that.<br/><br/>''A bit of a problem'', Bonesaw mused, as the container filled with the nutrient fluid. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/07/16/interlude-25/ Excerpt] from [[Interlude 25]]</ref><ref name="R5">'''Greendoor65''': And Damsel snaps because she lost a training exercise. Honestly, it seems kinda really bad idea to have a former S9 member on your team, Amnesty or not for exactly this reason.<br/><br/>Also, huh, are they saying that the Clones retain some memories through the Shards (If distant and faded)? If so, that's interesting as hell.<br/>'''ughzubat''': In Riley's interlude she talks about the first batches of clones having some memory bleed over, she theorizes it's because of their shards<br/>'''Wildbow''': Good recall, yep. 15 points to Cauldryn. - [https://redd.it/39g7ma Conversation with Wildbow on Reddit]</ref> This included memories of her predecessors including the original and a child version that Bonesaw created for testing.<ref>“Do you remember having tea before?  Is that one of your memories?”<br/><br/>Ashley nodded.<br/><br/>“I wasn’t thinking we’d have a tea party.  I was thinking just… tea.  I have cake from a shop.”<br/><br/>Ashley shook her head slowly.  The water in the sink dripped again.  “I remember ''after'' the tea party we had.”<br/><br/>“Oh.  Yeah.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/05/28 Excerpt] from [[Eclipse x.3]]</ref> As well as, presumably, her clone 'sisters',<ref>[[Harbinger Clones|“They’ve picked up other things.]]  I don’t know if it’s because they copy me when they [[The Number Man|see me]] or if it’s because they’re getting it in other ways.”<br/><br/>“You should have studied more about powers,” Jeanne said.  “I think it’s the latter.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/04/07 Excerpt] from [[Interlude 5x II]]</ref> they even shared memories.<ref>“Enough,” Swansong said.<br/><br/>“Enough?  Don’t you mean ''stop''?” Damsel asked, archly.  Her tone became vicious.  “Remember?  ‘Stop?  ''You stop.''’  Wasn’t that what you said to him, before you put a hole in his chest?  I did have that dream, you know.  And I say dream, not nightmare.  ''That'' registered.  Not any of the soft friendship, not looking after lonely little girls, nor scruffy teenage boys.  That moment meant more than all of this put together, and you’re trying to pretend it didn’t.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2019/03/29 Excerpt] from [[Heavens 12.x]]</ref>

She started out with a less mature connection to her shard.<ref name="I26e1">The entity observed the ongoing conflict.  No less than five seconds after it had been trapped, two figures had emerged from a doorway between worlds.  The entity could see the paths forming, trace them back to the source.  Another world, a living world without a shard occupying it.<br/><br/>They engaged [[Harbinger|the eight]] with their own perception abilities, intervening to assist a group of others.  As a pair, they opened fire with guns, then waded into hand to hand combat.<br/><br/>[[Warrior Entity|The entity]] looked at [[The Number Man|the male]], and it saw the connection to the same shard as the eight.  His connection was stronger, more mature. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/08/10 Excerpt] from [[Interlude 26]]</ref> However Riley also tweaked the psychology of her subjects to make them more stable and effective.<ref name="I25 e3">Her test runs with the others had all worked.  They were close enough to feel familiar, even if little details were off.  Their personalities, their approaches, all would be close enough.  Here and there, she’d fixed things, corrected the most detrimental personality traits that had been turned against them and allowed them to be captured or killed. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2013/07/16 Excerpt] from [[Interlude 25]]</ref> Because of this gaps remain; she was not originally familiar with computers or Parahumans Online, likely lack of life experience and her programming, but learned quickly.<ref name=":0">Strange_Mammal:you said you hadn’t really used a computer before<br/>'''Mangled_Wings''': I hadn’t.  I’m a fast learner.<br/>Cap: this is A?<br/>Strange_Mammal: it’s A…<br/>Strange_Mammal: …we’re using first-letters to stay on down-low…<br/>Strange_Mammal: …until we figure out what we’re doing<br/>Cap: how long did it take to figure it out, A?<br/>'''Mangled_Wings''': Less than an hour. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2017/10/26 Excerpt] from [[Glow-worm P.3]]</ref>

In an argument on PHO in 2014, she described herself as a villain who was taking a break thanks to the [[Amnesty]] to educate and re-orientate herself.<ref name="P.3 e1">I am a villain. When I give you recommendations about leaving sleeping dogs alone I am referring to myself. When I tell you that you want to get out of the way if I have something I want? Referring to myself.<br/><br/>I am not one of the leeches. I pay for my own apartment. I make no trouble. Yet. Yes I am talking to the heroes. They keep their eye on me and I keep my eye on them. There are other factors. This makes degrees of sense you are not equipped to comprehend. For now it is fine and you should take my word for it.<br/><br/>I’m aiming to get stronger. I’m aiming to get smarter. - [https://parahumans.wordpress.com/2017/10/26/glow-worm-p-3/ Excerpt] from [[Glow-worm P.3]]</ref> They stated that they "don’t fly under the radar.  I know what I am and I know what I’ll be, if I don’t die first" and described herself as "restless".<ref name="P3">[[Glow-worm P.3]]</ref> Regardless she had to deal with the fact that her former approach to life had ended with her killed and made into a tool for others purposes. She decided to try something new and joined the new hero team.

Due to how her personality was constructed as well of the nature of her shard she was extremely competitive. Going all in even on training exercises.<ref name="II3.3 e2"/> She still sees herself as Damsel of Distress as opposed to 'Ashley'.<ref name="II3.3 e4">Ashley clenched one hand into a fist.  “You realize if I hadn’t been holding back, I could have annihilated each and every one of you?”<br/><br/>“''Woah'',” Tristan said, with emphasis.  “Ashley-”<br/><br/>She whirled on him, pointing, and he flinched, going silent.  I stood from my seat.<br/><br/>“Ashley,” I said, because I wanted her attention off of Tristan.<br/><br/>“I’m ''not'' Ashley,” she said, her voice hard.  “Nobody has called me that in a long, long time.  I’m only Ashley because the therapists insisted and the others needed an actual name to put on the paperwork.  I’m ''Damsel of Distress''!”<br/><br/>“Okay,” I said.  “Can we-”<br/><br/>I was spoken over.  “I was a member of the Slaughterhouse Nine.  They ''selected me''.  They had me kill and maim people.  I didn’t mind doing it then, and I could do it here without blinking.”<br/><br/>“I don’t believe you,” Sveta said.<br/><br/>“I’ve died and I came back with only the vicious parts of me intact!  All of the warmth, the good memories, the family, they’re just a fuzzy, indistinct dream.  Those memories have no hold on me.  The killing?  Taking people’s arms and legs and watching them bleed out?  ''That’s'' clear as anything.  I could do the same to any of you.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/01/13/glare-3-3/ Excerpt] from [[Glare 3.3]]</ref> Further she held herself in high regard and did not accept insults.<ref name="II3.3 e3">I started my flight toward toward Tristan.<br/><br/>“You’ll regret ignoring me,” Ashley said, behind me.<br/><br/>Pride, respect, they were key factors here.  I could remember the meeting, the narrowing of the eyes.  I knew Tristan was in a tough spot, but I paused, turning around in the air.  I had to raise my voice to be heard with the distance between Ashley and me, as I said, “We’re not ignoring you.  We’re dealing with you two against one.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/01/13/glare-3-3/ Excerpt] from [[Glare 3.3]]</ref><!--rewrite and add the therapy scenes are interesting in and of themselves and need to be used for her personalities--> She does not like showing weakness or disability,<ref name="4.4 e1"/> again much like the original DoD, and prefers to take a hit socially rather than reveal it.<ref name="4.4 e2">“Frankly,” I said, still quiet, angry now, “you come across worse and smaller as a person when you say no to something that costs you nothing than you do by admitting you’re disabled.”<br/><br/>“Temporarily disabled,” she said.  “You’re wrong.  I can’t think of anything worse than groveling before a child and telling her I’m weak when I’m the very opposite.  I could kill everyone on this train if it came down to it.  One after the other.  By the time I made my way to the next train car, they would be ready for me, and it wouldn’t matter.”<br/><br/>I tensed as heads turned.  They weren’t responding to the words.  Only the emotion behind them. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/02/08/shade-4-4/ Excerpt] from [[Shade 4.4]]</ref> Ashley is commonly candid when dealing with others,<ref name="II3.5e1">There were cases where individuals protected themselves and cases where individuals were also protected by others.  Kenzie had a role as the baby of the team, in a way.  There were things she didn’t disclose and things she was intentionally or unintentionally coy about, despite her overly open personality.  That was compounded by how others were ready to step up for her and defend her.  That was the security they’d given her.<br/><br/>I glanced over my shoulder at Ashley, who was hanging back, finishing the second of the bottles of water she’d brought back with her after going to the library.  Ashley was very similar to Kenzie in that department.  Unguarded in terms of how open she was about many things, but she had things she didn’t talk about, and she benefited heavily from the group’s defense of her. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/01/20/glare-3-5/ Excerpt] from [[Glare 3.5]]</ref> and observant, able to draw accurate conclusions based on her read of people.<ref>[[Shade 4.7]]</ref>

Had considerable initial difficulty adjusting to Goddess' influence.<ref>[[Gleaming 9.3]]</ref>
===Relationships===
Ashley is a member of the [[Chatroom group]], by her own admission she is staying with the group until they failed, so she could learn how to deal with hero teams. Sveta qualified this statement saying that 'failure' in this case meant a catastrophic unrecoverable failure as opposed to organizational stumbling. Likely because of this the group were surprised when she expressed sympathy toward [[Rain]]'s plight.<ref>of5: Mostly.  Obviously not when I’m here.  Hard to strike a balance.  It’s not good times.<br/><br/>Mangled_Wings: My sympathies.<br/><br/>Heart_Shaped_Pupil: !<br/><br/>of5: I… really appreciate that, a.<br/><br/>Heart_Shaped_Pupil: !!<br/><br/>'''Curious_Cephalopod:''' please, K.  Let it be. - [[Glow-worm P.6]]</ref> Despite her attitude and other challenges she has formed connections with various group members.

They consider her to be different from the previous [[Damsel of Distress|Ashley]]<ref name="II2.7">“Yes.  And gradually trying to get her used to the idea of cooperating with the good guys, making sure she was staying reasonably healthy.  They reached out regularly, letting her know there were better options.  Except that Ashley was a different Ashley.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2017/12/30/flare-2-7/ Excerpt] from [[Flare 2.7]]</ref> even if Ashley herself does not.<ref name="II3.3 e4" /> She tends to like small exclusive groups of people, with all others being potential enemies.<ref>Distorted perspectives aside, [...] Ashley was a staunch defender of her favored few, with thorny words for anyone who stood against those few.  - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/08/25 Excerpt] from [[Gleaming 9.2]]</ref>
====[[Sveta]]====
Had lunch with Sveta and Weld and [[Director Armstrong]] that opened Ashley's eyes to problems faced by [[Case 53]]s.<ref>[[Shadow 5.6]]</ref> Respects Sveta even if she finds her annoying sometimes.{{Cite}}
====[[Rain]]====
She sometimes listens to Rain, who is one of the more socially adroit members.<ref name="II3.3 e678">“This was an idiotic game, and I.  Don’t.  Play.  Games.”<br/><br/>“Count down from ten,” Rain said.<br/><br/>Ashley whirled on him.  I left the ground, flying closer, stopping when things didn’t escalate further.<br/><br/>“Count down from ten,” Rain said.  “That’s what Mrs. Yamada says, isn’t it?  When you’re wound up.”<br/><br/>“It’s fine when ''she'' says it.”<br/><br/>“It should be fine when any of us say it,” Rain said.  “Count.”<br/><br/>Ashley tensed.  I could see it in her shoulders and the way the tendons stood out in her hands.<br/><br/>Everyone was silent.<br/><br/>I waited.  Ten seconds passed.  Then the fifteenth, then the twentieth.<br/><br/>“Feel better?” Sveta ventured.<br/><br/>Ashley turned, staring Sveta down.  “No.”<br/><br/>“Count down from a hundred,” Rain said.<br/><br/>“I’m not going to-”<br/><br/>“Count,” Rain said, his voice soft.  “Please.  You’ve said before, when you get like this, there’s a part of you that’s saying you don’t want to act this way, and you can’t listen to it.  So listen to the numbers first, then listen to that part of you.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/01/13/glare-3-3/ Excerpt] from [[Glare 3.3]]</ref> She was able to tell that he had changed to a more martial attitude then before.<ref>[[Shade 4.7]]</ref>

Was glad that he is in the prison with her.<ref>[[Beacon 8.3]]</ref>
====[[Kenzie]]====
Kenzie was able to connect with Ashley where others could not. Such as when the the former villain had an episode following a group training exercise.<ref>[[Glare 3.3]]</ref> Ashley was fond of Kenzie in turn, and defended Kenzie and her progress to one of the Tinker's former teammates [[Houndstooth]]. Calling his assessment of her friends situation inhumane.<ref name="4.4 e5">“Frankly, I’d really lock down the school thing.  See if you can have her rotate classes or do something non-classroom.  Discourage friendships with classmates, because that’s not going to go well.  If she starts showing true ''romantic'' interest in anyone, shut it down hard.  I wouldn’t advise her being on your team, frankly.”<br/><br/>“That’s extreme,” I said.<br/><br/>“It’s dehumanizing and disgusting,” Ashley said.  “Until she’s better, no human contact or relationships.  Nobody can get close to her, nobody can show kindness, nobody can help her or accept help from her?  Just a breath or two away from you saying you don’t ever think she’ll be ''normal''.  You’re disgusting.”<br/><br/>She was starting to walk away, toward the path that had led us up the hill.<br/><br/>“Ashley,” I said.  “I get what you’re saying, but we did agree to hear him out as a favor.”<br/><br/>“You hear him out then,” she said.  “Tell me what you think I need to hear when you tell the others.  But I’m not going to stay here and listen to this degenerate imbecile reduce her to a problem that can be solved like that.  She’s ''human''.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/02/08/shade-4-4/ Excerpt] from [[Shade 4.4]]</ref> After Rain revealed his background Ashley comforted the young tinker as she processed the information.<ref>[[Shade 4.7]]</ref> Ashley worried how participating in the [[Mathers Compound Assault]] affected Kenzie.<ref name="II6.6">When I get in trouble for blasting Beast of Burden, make sure she has someone.  You or someone else.”<br/><br/>I nodded.  “Her parents?”<br/><br/>“Go to that dinner at her house or ask the others if you want an answer to that question.”<br/><br/>I tilted my head a little, trying to see more of her face.  “Usually I can count on you for straight answers.”<br/><br/>“Not about this.  She’d be upset with me and things are hard enough.  She’s upset with me and I’m upset with her. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/05/01/pitch-6-6/ Excerpt] from [[Pitch 6.6]]</ref> She is willing to protect Kenzie's privacy.
====[[Victoria]]====
Ashley told Victoria the she considered them to be pretty similar people.<ref name="II3.5e2">“Right.  Good to hear,” I said.<br/><br/>“We’re similar, I think,” she said.<br/><br/>I paused.  I’d been taking a second to think about how I would gracefully exit.  Now I was left to process what she’d said, and figure out how to gracefully answer that.<br/><br/>“Should I take that as a compliment?” I asked.<br/><br/>“Take it however you like.  Them?  They’ve experienced hurt.  They’ve known horror.  Maybe not so much for Kenzie, but she experienced enough hurt that it balances out.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/01/20/glare-3-5/ Excerpt] from [[Glare 3.5]]</ref><!--HOW!.
“She’s not hard to figure out or anything,” I said, quiet enough that only Sveta would hear me.  “At one point she said we were pretty similar people.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/02/17/shade-4-6/ Excerpt] from [[Shade 4.6]]</ref>
--><ref name="Eclipse7">[[Eclipse x.7]]</ref>

Victoria was able to teach Ashley how to be a bit more of a hero.<ref name="4.4 e3">I showed the others the picture and caption.  I got an okay from both, and sent it.<br/><br/>I held the phone where everyone could see it.  With the first excited response, half of Ashley’s tension seemed to dissipate.  With the second and third, she smiled. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/02/08/shade-4-4/ Excerpt] from [[Shade 4.4]]</ref> Ashley trusted Victoria enough to suggest she look after the Apartment.<ref>[[Torch 7.3]]</ref>

====[[Damsel of Distress III|"Sister"]]====
Ashley saw Damsel as an interesting reflection on her own choices.<ref>[[Eclipse x.8]]</ref> Was comfortable with the amount they were differentiating.

Truly appreciated her sister,<ref> “My roommate is fine.  Exceptionally beautiful and graceful,” Ashley said.  “Good genes, I think.  Clever.  Quick to learn.  Witty, even.”<br/><br/>“That joke is wearing thin,” Sveta said.<br/><br/>“I’m not joking,” Ashley replied. - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/07/10 Excerpt] from [[Beacon 8.4]]</ref> how much of this was reflected narcissism is another question. They took easily to "bantering" with each other in their own private manner.<ref>“Did you worry, when I had my claws so close?  Did you fear me?”  It was the [[Damsel of Distress III|other Ashley]], talking to our Ashley.<br/><br/>“I trust you as far as I trust myself.”<br/><br/>“So corny,” Chris said.  “I can imagine them just doing that nonstop for the next two years, and acting like it’s still cute or funny.” - [https://www.parahumans.net/2018/07/14 Excerpt] from [[Beacon 8.3]]</ref>

Their relationship did become somewhat strained when they were released from prison. Swansong was willing to forgive Damsel even when she attacked her.<ref>[[Interlude 12.x]]</ref>