• Milla - Ever Gabo Andersen
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Her green eyes bolted open as she heard the sound of crickets twittering her eardrums. 'How come she's not dead?' - The Scarlet Witch thought.
She landed on what appeared to be a differing universe, she knew well that the territory of her universe, the Wundagore Mountain doesn't have any lush dark greeneries like thick forests and mossy premises - This is a new world she unconsciously teleported in.
The Scarlet Witch stood up from the ground and ventured to the black oak forest she landed on. It appeared completely normal: Just high-risen woods and flourishing fauna. The next few hours will darken soon. She needed a place to stay for the night.
After a couple of walks, she steps onto a concrete pavement; a road, probably aiming at a nearby residence. The Scarlet Witch lightly levitated from the road she knew that it'll be perilous for any ordinary human, if there were any, to see her flying above the sky.
The Scarlet Witch couldn't help but look at her appearance and realized that she indeed looked terrifying.
And you're wondering why your kids are afraid of you? - She thought. No husband and no children... She's alone once more.
After a moment or two of roaming, the Scarlet Witch has found a beautiful countryside that despite her gloomy existence, the sight still manages to take her breath away: The rural village composed of wood-built houses, minimarts, and workshops are located on the rocky coast of a massive body of water probably a wide inky-blue lake being surrounded by the statuesque view of the ashen snowy mountains.
However it's the sky that caught the Scarlet Witch's attention - Up above are the swaying and swirling pale greens, blues, and violets. It's the Northern Lights.
As she slowly approaches the residence, the Scarlet Witch transforms into her civilian wear: Her light-red hair loose on her shoulders and wears a dark hoodie to keep herself shielded and anonymous from everyone. As she walks, she is greeted by both funny and mesmerizing looks from the local townsfolk.
The Scarlet Witch doesn't know where she's heading and instead allowed her feet to traverse freely until she spotted what looked like to be a bar nearby.
The Grimoire Bierhaus - The sign says in metal carvings reminiscent of the runes in Kamar-Taj.
What an odd name for a bar... - The Scarlet Witch thought.
The name of the tavern refers to a textbook of magic that inscribes commands on how to create magical artifacts like talismans and amulets, magical spells, charms, and divination. It's indeed an unusual name for a bar located in a rural area where a small population of middle-class citizens resides.
Scarlet Witch walked inside the wood cabin hut anyway. If someone tries to cross her... They'll be gravely sorry. But for now, she just wants a drink to envigorate her thoughts... Maybe a nice shot of vodka or an entire bottle of arsenic...
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.
The girl, however, sensing her wanting pours another round for the woman to drink. Much to the Scarlet Witch's astonishment.
The girl didn't say a word and pushes the refilled glass toward the woman. Which the woman shakily accepted.
The auburn-haired woman let out a satisfying sigh once her thirst had been quenched by the refreshing beverage.
"It's ok, Miss. We've got more of that in stock," The girl said.
Scarlet Witch drank the last contents of hydromel from her glass.
"Aren't you too young to tend a bar..." The Scarlet Witch said.
"Yes. But there are not many people here... So I took a job and besides making drinks is a good hobby... At least for me.." The girl said.
The Scarlet Witch chuckles a bit, it's been a while since she did. She also realizes how even something as simple as a light chuckle sounded dry and bitter as it exits her breath. Something hearty and kind felt allergic to the fibre of her being.
Then another thing, it made the Scarlet Witch wonder of course since this is another universe she subconsciously teleported into: Is this girl perhaps a variant of someone else? Or is she an original?
the Scarlet Witch knew to herself that she is the original one among the rest of the other Wanda variants.
Agatha Harkness, that sorceress has told her that there will be other Wanda variants living in different timelines but only one of them will be heralded as the most powerful of them all, there can only be one Scarlet Witch...
"Could you wait here?" The girl said.
The Scarlet Witch raises her eyebrows.
"Yes, of course," The woman replied.
The girl went to the back of the bar and brought out a clean wet towel and starts rubbing it carefully on the Scarlet Witch's forehead.
The woman stumbles backwards at the girl's actions as if something burning-hot touches her skin.
"I'm sorry, you must have a rough journey to get here to have a wound on your head, Miss. It'll be ok... the rocky terrains around town are indeed awful it's not the first time a visitor came here with a couple of wounds from their travel," The girl said.
The Scarlet Witch was stunned by this piteousness. Instead of resisting, she allowed herself to be mended by this little girl she barely knew. It's been a long time since she encountered someone with such warmth and treated her humanely other than a monster that needed to be slaughtered.
The Scarlet Witch looked at her hands and notices how they tremble more violently than normal. She is supposed to be comfortable with her usual self with her ordinary set of clothes not 'that dark woman that wears the red ancient dress'.
While this little girl lightly coats her head wound with some ointment - The Scarlet Witch could feel the sharp horns of her crown trying to come out as if it's attempting to reject this child's act of kindness; thinking it's an attack.
But the Scarlet Witch tries her best to control and tame down the almost-demonic influence trying to overpower her decision-making. She didn't even realize that the girl notices her shaking uncontrollably.
"Shh, it's alright, Miss. I'm almost finished," The little girl said. Despite not processing her feelings entirely, she could hear her heart calming down from the girl's cooings of comfort.
Once the girl finished salving her wound. She put a band-aid on the Scarlet Witch's head.
"T-Thank you," The woman said.
"You're welcome..." The girl said.
The Scarlet Witch faces the little girl.
"What's your name?" The Scarlet Witch asks.
"It's Milla." The dark-haired girl said.
"Milla?" The woman asks.
"Just Milla. We don't have last names here," Milla replied.
"Oh?" The Scarlet Witch said in curiosity.
"It's for everyone's anonymity," Milla explained. The woman nodded in response.
The Scarlet Witch and Milla stare at one another for a moment. The woman could feel the little girl's gaze scanning every inch of her appearance as if trying to know her better.
The Scarlet Witch realizes that the girl could read minds just like her, no wonder why this child manage to survive being a bartender-the girl could detect malicious intent in advance.
The Scarlet Witch uses her psychic abilities to mask her thoughts. It's too risky for such a young person to see everything she's been through. Nor even understand it.
"How about yours?" Milla said, her blue eyes gazing at the redhead intently.
Should I say my name? Or think of another one just in case? - The Scarlet Witch thought. But just like the girl said, they don't use last names in the town so she decided to say her real name.
"I'm Wanda," The Scarlet Witch said. The word tasted harsh as if she was referring to another person instead of introducing herself.
"That's a really pretty name," The girl smiled.
"So is your's, Milla," The Scarlet Witch smiled back.
The Scarlet Witch tries reading through Milla's thoughts but finds it difficult as the girl's mental grip and resistance are remarkably strong.
She could not read her as well. The little girl has some kind of thick barrier protecting her thoughts. Even the ancient chaos magic the Scarlet Witch possesses could not seem to comprehend this 'barrier' is the child that powerful? Or is it a new form of magic?
But whatever it is the Scarlet Witch could not read the girl's mind.