Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 85 - Whatever It Takes

Clint and Natasha just glanced at each other, faintly shaking their heads at the mutant. But the smiles tugging on their lips were unmistakable. "If only, Key. If only..."

Keira hopped over a small gap, grabbing the cliff wall for support to not lose her balance and fall back. "Shut up, you two. You adore me. Just imagine how dull this trip would be without me. May I remind you that none of you thought of bringing snacks." Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she was just met by silence. "Yeah, thought so."

Damn, why was she suddenly talking so much? Did her brain just feel the need to try and make up for the last five years that basically had passed in silence compared to the previous years?

Or was her old self finally daring to make herself seen with the possibility of being reunited with Wanda again?

Whatever it was, it sure gave her the energy to not tire of the mountain climb. It didn't take long until the sand blowing through the air was replaced by snowflakes as their altitude increased. The cold wind nipped at their cheeks, and Keira wouldn't be surprised if one, or all of them, caught a cold after this.

And it finally dawned on her why the planet had felt vaguely familiar at first glance. She had seen it before, in her dreams.

Before Thanos, during the years on the run after the Accords.

Among the various nightmares that had plagued her sleep, she could recall a dark planet, hidden by an eclipse. With everything going on at that time, she hadn't paid the strange vision any mind, but now, her stomach seemed to twist in on itself.

Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, for she could not recall the end of the vision. And besides, it was only a dream, right?

"Anyone up for a vacation once we're done with all of this? I want a beach, and turquoise water. Oh, and I'm craving some good Piña Coladas." One of her hands trailed along the cliffside to her left, feeling every irregularity in the cold rock. They didn't have much left now, their mountain climb nearing its end. "If they're served out of a pineapple, well, even better." She added in an afterthought, feeling her mouth water at the idea.

"Count me in, minus the pineapple." Natasha panted, keeping a firm grip on Keira's belt, letting the mutant take the heaviest load while climbing. Besides, the blonde didn't mind it, so why not let her do the hard work? "And I bet the raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain." She put a hand on her ribs, trying to massage away the stitch in her lungs when Keira finally slowed down on a more flat patch of rock.

"Technically, he's not a raccoon, you know." Clint panted, grateful for the small breather.

"Oh, whatever. He eats garbage."

Keira just chuckled, shaking some snow out of her hair. Feeling a presence behind her, she spun around with her katana at the ready just as the shadowy figure uttered a single word.

"Welcome."

Natasha and Clint also whipped around with their weapons at the ready. A tall figure loomed in the shadows, its robes billowing around it.

"Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint, son of Edith. Keira, daughter of Nikolay."

In the corner of her eye, Keira saw Natasha's grip on her gun slacked just a fraction. The fact that she didn't know much about her parents had always haunted Natasha. Her mother's name had remained a secret, even after the whole ordeal with Dreykov and taking down the Red Room for a second time. And to hear her father's name for the first time, it rattled her more than she let on. "Who are you?" She said cooly, trying to mask her shock.

"Consider me a guide. To you, and all who seek the Soul Stone."

"Oh, good." Natasha sarcastically cut in, regaining control over her façade. "You tell us where it is, then we'll be on our way."