The Variant [Part One] [Wanda Maximoff [FF] | Elizabeth Olsen

Chapter 2

Scarlet Witch pulls the oak door and went inside the premises; she is greeted by decorations of archaic runes, wooden nightsticks, and the lucid feeling of tranquillity you wouldn't expect to feel inside an establishment where liquor is sold and offered.

The bar looked entirely deserted - there were only four customers in it each minding their businesses and doesn't bother to look in her direction. Despite the barstools being empty, the Scarlet Witch picked the vacant barstool at the edge of the polished oak table and sat on it. Her hands are clasped together as they lay trembling and tensed on the smooth surface of the table.

She closed her eyes for a moment to ease the throbbing heaviness in her head - A falling boulder on top of your skull hurts like hell, literally.

Her eyelids open when she heard a voice coming from in front of her.

"Hello,"

The Scarlet Witch gazes back at the fellow standing at the other side of the table. It's a little girl. If she could guess correctly: the girl appears to be at least younger than her twin sons residing with her variant in another world.

The little girl has dark brown tousled hair, is blue-eyed, has a peaches and cream complexion, a warm youthful glow, and an otherworldly calmness and sanctitude that reminded her heavily of Vision when they first met. That innocence... That serenity... The cleanliness of character that she craves to have once more.

"Is there anything you need?" The little girl said.

"Um," The woman stammers.

The girl slightly tilts her head sideways - The same manner she (Scarlet Witch) does when she's about to launch her psionic attacks. Even the Scarlet Witch is taken aback by the seemingly harmless gesture.

"Do you have something heavy?" The Scarlet Witch said, she could still hear her thick Sokovian accent trying to pierce through every word she says.

The little girl scans the older woman's appearance - those bright blue eyes for some reason made the Scarlet Witch self-conscious even though she knew that the child is just looking at her out of curiosity - after all, she is a new face in town.

"You need something lighter," The girl said.

"Why is that?" The Scarlet Witch said, raising an eyebrow.

Despite being calm, the woman realizes that her tone of voice has raised unintentionally in an unnerving pitch as the girl reacted with a slight discomposed flinch that she (Scarlet Witch) notices.

The girl's reaction immediately brought back the torturous image of fear she sees on Billy & Tommy's faces.

She now realizes the true lingering, detrimental effects of the Darkhold book - Not only in her powers but how it affected her overall personality as well.

"I mean.. What would you recommend for me," The Scarlet Witch said trying to quell her sudden irritation as she feels the pang of guilt wash all over again.

Instead of replying; the girl faces the shelf behind her and picks a cask bottle that contains some kind of light-coloured liquid that fizzes and sparkles a bit, she pours the contents into a glass.

"Don't worry it's just hydromel, mead brewed with more water..." The girl said as she pours and stops midway, then pushes the glass toward Wanda.

The woman gave the little girl a small smile in her attempt to assure the child that she means no harm.

Thankfully, the girl smiled back in a friendly manner. Wanda didn't realize how thirsty she is until she started chugging the beverage in her glass; she could have sworn she wishes to have another shot but is hesitant and shy to ask for more.