Where They Are: A Wanda Maximoff and Vision Story

Castle Confrontation

Wanda stormed through the halls of the ancient castle, holding back tears as her emotions consumed her. She wanted to get away from Vision at all costs but was soon surprised to see that armored men stood in a line in front of her. They aimed their weapons at her and shouted profusely to stand down. "Get down! Get down right now!" they all ordered, causing Wanda to feel scared and intimidated. She spins around in the hope of an escape path, but other soldiers are blocking the way and directing civilians to safety.

While she was looking down the other end, one of the soldiers in front of her tossed a canister out near her feet. It clanged as it bounced off the stone floor and by the time Wanda had noticed it, a stream of gas started leaking from its interior. The gas rose to meet her mouth and nose, causing her to build a heavy cough. She could tell the gas was meant to sedate her, but she held strong. The gas turned into a massive cloud that consumed Wanda's body from the surrounding area. None of the soldiers could even make out her shadow in the mist. All they could hear was her heavy coughing behind the swirling cloud of gas.

Thinking that the gas was working, each side of soldiers sent a few men to approach the knocked-out witch. The cloud started to settle and before the soldiers knew it, scarlet streams of magic entangled their bodies and roped them into the cloud. The lines of soldiers were startled, some even thought about opening fire. Suddenly, the ensnared soldiers were flung from the cloud and sent flying back to their lines, taking out a couple of men.

Wanda, still fighting to keep her breath, muscled enough energy to make an escape plan. She extended her arms to the side while her fingers danced, allowing her energy to create a grip on the gas. Feeling her connection, she raised her arms slowly in a circular motion until she had her hands holding the force of her energy into a ball. She closed her eyes, and released her magic, tossing her hands outwards in a Y-shape. The gas then split into two fronts, each floating away from her and in the direction of the two lines of soldiers.

Wanda spent no time and followed one of the cloud fronts as a way to sneak past the soldiers, as they couldn't see through it or they would be knocked-out by it once it passed by them. As soon as she saw bodies on the ground from the gas, she hid inside it so that no survivors would see her. She stayed in the cloud for as long as she could take the gas, and quickly stepped out in-front of it when she couldn't take much more of it.

The soldiers were all laid out, either passed out or just immobilized for the moment. Vision soon phased out from the office and saw the mess of people she had left behind. He advises the remaining soldiers to stand back and let him take care of subduing her. He floats quickly to the ceiling into the air above the castle. He searches the grounds for any place that he could intercept her. He sees a courtyard off to his left and floats down toward it.

Now free of any soldiers, Wanda quickly paces through the tourists along the footpaths, trying to make herself lost amongst everyone. She rounds a large tower with a massive brick wall when she suddenly hears her name being called out from the crowd. She turns and finds her neighbors all smiling and waving at her, and she instantly smiles back, trying to hide the fear already inside her. The neighbors approach and embrace her in a hug, which Wanda awkwardly reciprocates. She parts from the last hug and stressfully explains, "It's great to see you guys, but I must be going."

"Oh, don't be stranger," they said, "come, spend some more time with us. We like having you around. Plus, it's getting pretty dangerous around here, it's better if you stick with us." Those words stung Wanda's heart, as she was the danger they were referring to and they didn't know.

"I can take care of myself, thanks," she replied anxiously, earning a puzzled look from their faces, "I'm sorry guys, but really have to..."

"WANDA" Vision shouted from the air. His caped wrestled with the violent winds, beams of sunlight outlined his body, making his image more awe-inspiring to the crowd below him. They took out their phones and started recording the robotic Avenger and he floated. He stared directly at Wanda, who quickly stepped forward to protect her friends. "Please," he spoke softly, but sternly, "don't make me do this, I would regret it for the rest of my functioning life."