Wanda has never seen you like this.
As she advanced into the room taking the cue from the guards before her, she reached for a chaotic scene.
It was some kind of operating room - with a stretcher in the center and work counters - and it was full of people. America was standing next to three other frightened healers, and there were at least two different sets of guards.
You were standing with what appeared to be a short dagger, and Wanda recognized it as the one belonging to America, figuring you must have gotten it by standing up.
The item was pressed against the throat of the healer you were holding.
What surprised her most was the utter panic she found in your eyes, filled with tears like the one in the reflection.
"We won't say it again, traveler! Release Healer Grey immediately!" Yelled one of the guards at the front, all armed but with items stowed in their holsters.
You only grunted in irritation, tears streaming down as you pressed the trembling blade against the girl's throat.
"I'm the one who won't say it again! Where am I? Where is my wife?" You shouted back getting more nervous by the moment.
America spotted Wanda entering, and shouted. "There she is, Y/N! Can you calm down now and let our friend go?"
Your attention fell on Wanda and you frowned. "That's not my wife. I-I don't know you! None of you!"
You pressed harder, and the healer choked, which caused the guards to conjure magic in the air, making you take frightened steps backward, dropping the healer and stumbling to the back of the room, your dagger raised in the air and your hands shaking.
"Stay away from me!" You shouted, and Jean now free, raised her hands in the air for the guards to wait.
"No! Don't charm her!" She ordered seriously. "She's just confused."
The guard made an incredulous expression, but the next moment you began to cry very hard, and put your hands to your ears, falling to your knees.
"Please make it stop!" You begged, the dagger falling at your feet. "Take it away!"
The room went into complete shock, and Wanda clasped a hand around her chest at seeing you in that state. America was startled as well, and began to cry softly, looking away.
Jean approached cautiously.
"Miss Maximoff..." She began, and Wanda blushed softly as she realized it was you she was talking to. "I need you to focus on my voice, do you think you can do that?"
You continued crying, your hands firm around your head which you shook. "No, please, it's too loud."
"I know, miss, but you need to concentrate." Jean insisted and her hands began to glow orange. She held one of them up to you, and you were crying too hard to notice. "I'll help you, okay, try to think of something happy."
You sobbed, but from the way you softened the grip of your hands, you seemed to be obeying. Jean sighed deeply the next moment, her eyes turning the same color as her hands, and when your sobbing quieted down, Wanda knew she was using telepathy.
As soon as Jean finished, you grunted and got up in a huff, running to the first sink you could find and start to vomit. The sound made half the room let out exclamations of disgust, but Jean let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Mr.Skurge, but the situation is under control." Jean informed as she turned to the guard in the center. The man raised an eyebrow at her, briefly looking at you throwing up.
"Are you sure?" He asked, but Jean didn't hesitate, nodding with a small smile.
She waited for the guards to leave, and intervened when Skurge tried to grab Wanda by the arm.
"Please, Skurge, the traveler may remain. Thank you." The guard didn't look very pleased, but he didn't resist the order. And when the room was empty except for the presence of Jean, America, Wanda, and a few other healers, you stopped puking, falling breathlessly sitting on the floor, your head resting on the wall.
"How are you feeling, Y/N?" Jean asked approaching you to help you up, and you flashed her a breathless smile.
"Fucking fine, witchy Jean." You murmured back, and Wanda's heart nearly exploded at how much it sounded like you again. You were okay. Sick, but okay.
Jean helped you stand, and you accepted whatever that colorful drink was that one of the fairies handed you, stumbling helplessly back to the stretcher. "How long this time?"
"You held out for thirteen more seconds this time. " Jean replied with a little pride, but you grunted annoyed, turning the colored potion over in one go.
"At that speed, Chthon destroys my mind before I can have any chance to expel him!" You retorted annoyed, but Jean sighed.
"Don't be such a pessimist!" She tries and her hands are working to open your jacket. "You are holding it longer. And the nausea is a great sign, I told you. It means you're expelling dark magic in a physical way."
"It's disgusting." You grumble as you let Jean undress you. Wanda clears her throat, and the attention of the room falls on her.
"Does anyone care to tell me what's going on?" She asks in a half-high-pitched voice, well aware that Jean just went back to undressing you, and that you are basically ignoring her as you exchange glances with the healer and America approaches her with a tear-stained face.
"It's a long story, but to make it short, they are trying to remove the influence of the God of Chaos from Y/N's mind." Says the child. "And it's not nice to watch."
You chuckle, now in just your underwear, moving to what Wanda imagines is a bathtub at the back of the room.
"Neither nice to watch nor easy to do." You comment wryly and step into the tub. You shudder and clench your jaw, and Wanda realizes that it is filled with ice, but you sink in anyway.
The fairies move to throw elixirs into the water, and she watches you dive in.
"Wanda, I am Healer Jean Grey, it is a pleasure to meet you." Says the woman approaching - after handing your dirty clothes to the helpers - and Wanda diverts her eyes from your tub to Jean.
"Have we met before?" She inquires about the name, and the other redhead's smile widens.
"No, not in this universe at least." She says. "But for the last hours I've been digging through Miss L/N's memories and I've seen your face and heard your name so many times that I feel like we have." She jokes and Wanda can only offer her a forced laugh. "Anyways, I must get back to work, Miss L/N insisted that we wouldn't stop until we succeed so excuse me."
Jean stepped aside to join the other healers lighting candles and drawing runes in the air around your tub. She frowned in concern as she realized that you had been underwater for a considerable amount of time.
"Is she okay...?" Wanda began in a whisper, and America murmured in agreement, looking away to the door.
"She has done it like four times, you're going to hate it." She mumbled before turning to one of the fairies. "Hey, I think I'll take that invitation to eat now."
"Oh, of course, Miss Chavez. Please accompany me to the room we have prepared." Says the Fairy with a gentle smile. "Miss Maximoff, would you like to join us?"
But Wanda gave no more than a nod in the negative - missing the way America sighed, whispering to the nursemaid that she needed to see at least once before the two-headed outside - as she was busy looking at the tub, feeling pressure in the back of her head.
You emerged at once, and all the lit candles beside you went out. The helpers shuddered, and Jean twiddled her fingers at the side of her body, but Wanda was completely mesmerized by you.
A corner smile that turned into a husky chuckle as you stretched your arms in the air. When your eyes opened, they were bright red and the white part was completely blackened.
"What a stubborn girl." It is your voice, but it is definitely not you. Jean steps forward, glowing hands that make the runes drawn in the airglow as well. You sigh impatiently. "Good, let's try that again."
Jean began muttering spells in a language very similar to Celtic, raising her hands in the air, and the healers joined her in the incantations, the runes vibrating.
You rolled your eyes, waved your hands in the tub as if you were bored, and even threw some ice on top. When your ears began to bleed, you laughed again as you raised your blood and water-soaked fingers to the redhead a few feet away from you.
"Careful, Miss Grey, you'll end up killing the host." You ironized and Wanda swallowed dryly, stepping forward in fear as she saw that Jean wasn't stopping. That made you - or whatever was in you - realize her presence, and your smile faltered. "Look who's here."
"Wanda, don't listen to the taunts." Jean warns back, gesturing another rune higher, but Wanda flinches when you try to charm the iron of the candlesticks toward Jean, only for the metal to hit the barrier of runes made around the tub.
"Look at me, Scarlet Witch!" You shouted as you stood up and left the ice, the water wetting the marble floor. "Tell me what you see!"
Wanda shuddered but moved closer. She stopped in front of the barrier, feeling a soft tingle from the spells, and stared back at the demon's eyes.
"You are Chthon, God of Chaos." She says. "You are the author of Darkhold."
Your smile does not reach your eyes, but you raise your chin slightly. "Tell me, child, have you been enjoying my teachings?"
Wanda raises an eyebrow. "All you have done is disturb me with nightmares of my children and whisper lies into my ears. Every time I meet another witch I realize I know nothing about any subject."
Chthon locked his jaw at the allegation but gave a short laugh.
"I have shown you the truth, ungrateful witch." Retorted the god between teeth. "But of course, you are as weak as all the others before you."
It is Wanda's turn to raise her chin. "Weak? Because it seems to me that Y/N and I are causing you quite a bit of trouble."
Chthon grunts angrily, punching the barrier and making the entire commode vibrate, but Wanda swallows dryly and doesn't flinch, staring back into the demon's eyes.
"Don't run away from this world yet, Wanda Maximoff." He warns in a low voice. "When I blow a hole in her head from inside out, I want you to watch."
Wanda hesitated, her eyes filling with tears - of anger, hurt, and fear - and she took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.
Jean lets out a deep sigh, drawing Wanda's attention away from the red eyes.
"Sisters, do it now." She spoke opening her eyes, her pupils orange and glowing. "Chthon, I claim Gaea's blessing on our land and banish your presence from this world!"
The other priests joined in the chorus, repeating Jean's words.
Wanda watched intently as your eyes wavered, the pupils red between normal coloration, but suddenly you were smiling again, and Wanda let out a grunt of pain as she felt a twinge in her head.
Something ran down her forehead, and she lifted her fingers to touch the blood. She didn't need to see to know that the rune should be visible from the spell you had done hours before.
"You cannot banish me from whom I do not possess." Chthon warned the witches, but his voice was weak and hoarse. "Tell them the truth, Scarlet Witch, or they'll end up killing your girlfriend before any real fun." He warned quickly before stumbling away, grunting in pain and with hands-on their head.
Wanda held her breath in anticipation, seeing that you had sat down beside the tub. Jean finished the incantation, and only when the runes faded did she approach.
"Can you hear me, Y/N?" She asked with some hope in her voice. You gasped, raising confused eyes at her.
"Where am I...?" You muttered confused, eyes fluttering gold. "Where did Thanos go?"
Jean let out a disappointed sigh. "Enough, I'm not going to hurt you anymore." She said and gestured for the healers to move and hold you by the arms, easily overpowering you. "Take her away for evaluation. Only the Wise Master will be able to help her."
Wanda lets out an exclamation as they press a needle against your neck that makes you much more peaceful, and drags you out of the room.
"Please tell me what's happening." Wanda says to Jean, and the redhead sighs, frowning as she looks at the other.
"Actually, Miss Maximoff, I'm the one who would like to ask you that." She says. "Can we start with why you have a mirroring rune on your forehead?" Jean questioned, lifting her fingers to hover over the rune etched into her skin. Wanda swallowed hard, but she was exhausted. So she decided to be honest.
Just over twenty minutes later, she had chains on her hands.
–//–
You awoke to a very soft surface, and as you forced your body to react and grope your way around, you realized that you were in a bed.
A delicious smell of your favorite breakfast filled the room, and you could also hear the sound of soft music.
It was all so peaceful, so you knew right away that it was a lie.
Grumbling a little, you sat up in bed and looked around. It was a simple room, but if you tried to focus on anything, it grew blurry, so you gave up looking for details and made your way downstairs, feeling your heart clench as you recognized the house as the one in Westview.
Your dead Wanda was in the living room working on the computer like she used to. The girls were watching a cartoon on the living room carpet.
So who was cooking?
You took a deep breath, and made your way to the commode, preparing yourself for a few more hours of torture with the god of chaos, when you felt your stomach turn around as you found your other Wanda, in modest clothes and with brown hair.
"Hey." You greeted half confused and surprised, twiddling your fingers nervously. Wanda took her eyes off the pan just for a second, an easy, bright smile appearing on her lips.
"Detka, good morning." She greeted back. "Sit down, it's almost ready."
You swallowed dryly, looking through the opening in the wall between the living room and the kitchen, but realized that your family didn't even seem to hear you two. So you accepted the invitation to sit down.
"You haven't checked if the boys are awake, have you?" she asked, and you frowned in confusion.
Boys.
"Wanda, I don't..." You started but heard the stairs, and the next minute, two little boys were running inside at high speed, and you shuddered with fright. Wanda laughed, asking them to calm down, and the boys took the free seats at the table.
When Wanda turned off the stove and set the plates, you realized that the breakfast, though your favorite, was not for you, but for the twins.
You smiled as you watched them eat excitedly, and the way Wanda ruffled their hair and had eyes shining with happiness.
"They look like you." You commented and she smiled sweetly, her hands on each of their shoulders.
"You can talk to them if you want." She says and you swallow dryly, before taking a deep breath to build courage and focusing your gaze on the one with the longest hair.
"Hi." You try, and he blinks away from the breakfast, making a funny face.
"Hi, mommy." He says, and you choke in surprise. He doesn't seem to notice anything strange. "Did you want some?" he asks over food, and you quickly deny it, dumbfounded by the whole thing.
"S-sorry, what's your, um, name?" You say, and the boy laughs.
"Mama she's doing it again!" He complains to Wanda behind him, before turning his attention back to his food. "We're not even identical twins, Mommy, that joke isn't funny." He mumbles, and you let out a tearful laugh, finding the whole thing quite incredible.
You swallow dryly, and look at the other boy, and he drinks some juice before commenting:
"Don't be mean, Tommy, mommy's just trying to make us laugh." The other comments, and his brother sighs loudly, looking at you again.
"Fine, I'm sorry, Mom." He says.
You give another affected laugh, saying it was no problem at all. You risk extending your hand across the table in Tommy's hand direction.
"Detka..." Wanda tries to warn you but you touch him. And a lump of emotion rises in your throat. Tommy smiles affectionately at your touch, going back to eating when once you stop, you gather your hand close to your chest, feeling your eyes fill with tears.
"They're warm." You murmur, and Wanda sighs, bending down to tell the boys to take the breakfast to the living room.
As soon as the kitchen is empty, Wanda sits down in the chair closest to yours. But you speak before she can.
"Wanda, they're alive." You gasp in surprise, still holding out your hand, and the brunette sighs, nodding.
"I know, that's what I've been trying to tell you."
"B-but how..."
"I don't know." Wanda cuts in, twisting her fingers nervously on the table. "When I said goodbye to them, I really thought everything that happened at Westview was a lie. But when I started reading darkhold, and when I learned about the multiverse, Y/N, I saw them. They were right there, and they were in so many places. I couldn't... I couldn't touch them, but I could visit them in my dreams. Watch them in other lives."
"Is that what you are doing now?" You ask with a frown, lifting a hand to move her hair away from her face, and feeling your heart speed up as Wanda leans into your touch.
"No, detka." She says. "I am in your head."
You swallow dryly, caressing her cheek. "Wanda, what did you do?."
She sighs, raising her hand to your forehead. "I told Jean everything I knew." She replies. "Apparently, they don't like dark witches in this universe at all, something about an ancient war that didn't end well. You, on the other hand, are what they call an Honorable Warrior. And the rune you placed to link our minds is what I'm using to be here."
You let out an exclamation, "Where is America?"
Wanda raises an eyebrow. "Thank you for asking how I am..."
You huff under your breath, getting up. "I know you're fine, you're here talking to me. You can't blame me for being worried about the kid who's all alone in an unknown universe." You comment moving to look out the window. The landscape outside is like Westview - except for the surrounding red field growing closer - and you let out a sigh. "Wanda, our memories are blending together. You need to wake me up."
She gets up too, crossing her arms. "I came to do that, but I have no idea how, this is different from telepathy. You just won't obey my voice."
You grunt softly, looking around the living room for a second before looking back at her. "It won't be pretty, but you trust me, right?"
"I do, but I don't want to hurt you." She warns with a frown as she notices your expression. And you give a short laugh.
"Don't worry, honey, I've lived all before." It's your last warning before you take control again. It was a little painful, but gradually the surroundings were transforming. You had no idea which memory would come first, but as a temple formed, you shivered.
Wanda intertwined her hand in yours, watching with curiosity as the memory stabilized.
"Where are we?" She asked.
"The Kamar Taj of my world." You replied, taking a deep breath to build courage before starting to walk toward the entrance.
Wanda muttered in surprise, but you said nothing more until you reached a room where several teenagers were practicing mystical fighting.
You stopped when you found your younger version, on one of the far tatami mats.
Wanda let out an affectionate exclamation, muttering something about you being cute, but you were watching the memory with your stomach churning, knowing exactly what you would see next.
"Who's the boy fighting with you? He's good." Wanda asked as she watched you fight back with great difficulty an older child who was attacking you with an enchanted stick like yours.
Before you could answer, your younger version received a blow to the face and fell to the mat. The boy hesitated, guilt stamped on his face. But one of the masters watching shouted:
"Samuel, in a fight, our enemies won't hesitate! Your mercy may cost your sister her life!"
Wanda's eyes widened in surprise when she discovered that you had a brother, but the surprise gave way to shock at what happened next. You gave him a nod from the floor, confirming that he should continue. And your brother landed the first blow to your cheek, but you didn't pass out, grunting in pain and spitting blood on the mat. The master stood.
"Proceed. Either we fall forever or we get up." He guided, and Samuel's eyes filled with tears, but he swallowed dry and hit it again, and again.
"Y/N, please give it up." He pleaded crying on the fifth blow when you could barely keep your eyes open from the bruises.
But you spat the blood back onto the stained tatami.
"We don't give up at the Kamar Taj." The master commented, but Samuel grimaced and threw the enchanted stick on the floor.
"I won't kill my sister." He retorted angrily and turned to leave the room, receiving a sigh of disappointment from the Master, who looked at you.
"Cowards cannot be Masters of the Mystic Arts, Miss, and there is no place in the Kamar Taj for visitors." Declares the Master before turning away. You let out an exclamation of despair, standing up with difficulty, and shouting for Samuel to come back.
"Please, Sammy, fight me!" You shouted stumbling with difficulty, grabbing the enchanted staff and running after him with struggle.
Your brother kept walking, ignoring your pleas for him to wait.
"No, Y/N! I won't keep hurting you!" He fought back, looking over his shoulder. "No shelter is worth the price, let's find another place."
"Sammy, please, we have nowhere to go!" You tried but he kept going, and you yelled back. "Fight me!" And you raised your arm to throw the stick at him. But when you threw it, golden energy flashed around and the object flew with much more force and speed straight into your brother's chest.
He stopped, choking in pain and falling to his knees a minute later. You watched the scene in complete shock.
"S-sammy?" you gasped, and he fell to the ground, dead.
Wanda covered your field of vision as she stepped in front of you with her hands on your face -the image of the mages running, of your younger self screaming and being dragged away, or the horrified looks of the other masters and students.
"Detka, look at me, focus on my voice. I'm so sorry..." She whispered, leaning her forehead against yours, her fingers wiping the tears from your skin. You sniffled softly.
"I'm waking up." That's what you told her before sliding your arms around her, burying your face in her neck.
–///–
Wanda blinked the tears away, the chains on her fists making noise as she raised her hands to wipe her face.
A dead brother. Just like her.
The similarities between you, as well as the differences, never failed to surprise her.
She grunted in discomfort as she forced herself upright after lying in that uncomfortable bed - the palace dungeon was nothing like the comfortable room they had offered her before - and stared at the dark, damp surroundings.
She turned her head as she heard a noise at the iron door, her chest filling with hope that you had already found her so quickly, and the feeling fading completely when a pair of golden horns became visible through the window sill before the door opened.
Loki nodded to the guard, entering the place with a casual smile, and Wanda grunted impatiently, hugging her legs.
"God, not you." She grumbled annoyedly surprising the man, who nodded for the guard to close the door and approached Wanda with some confusion stamped on his face.
"Sorry, have we met before?"
"Not personally, and not in this universe." She retorts watching him conjure a chair right in the middle of the room, and sit down.
"Oh, what an interesting thing." Loki said with a gentle smile. "And what was I like in your world, Miss Maximoff?"
Wanda sighs. "I've only heard stories about how you tried to take over the earth and killed several people."
Loki gave a surprised little laugh but nodded. "Yeah, sounds like me." He said, moving his hands to his jacket and pulling out a small gold item from his pocket - a scale - and as soon as she sees it, Wanda lets out an impatient sigh.
"Not that again." She complains, but Loki just smiles, ignoring her comment and aligning the item with the woman in front of him. In a few seconds, the scale stops swaying and remains unbalanced to one side.
"I see the lady has returned to crafting dark magic." He declares putting the item back away, but Wanda grunts.
"I literally have not left this cell, and your people have not returned my powers, so no, Mr.Laufeyson, I am not crafting anything."
"You can't lie to me, Miss Maximoff." Loki retorts with a small smile, surprising Wanda. "I'm very good at reading that sort of thing. And unlike my white magic colleagues, I have no problem getting the truth out of you."
Wanda clenches her jaw in a mixture of anger and fear, trying to think of the best solution for this. You and America are still theoretically, in their custody.
"I thought this world despised dark witches." She comments and Loki shrugs.
"Not really, it's more like an agreement between the two parties." He says gesturing a bit, "It's all about balance, Miss Maximoff. And no world can survive without light and darkness working together. In the past, wizards like us tried to dominate the light, and it almost tore everything apart. So now we have an agreement, to maintain order and balance between the forces. The light can take the glory, after all, people like us always work better in the shadows." Loki explains with a small smile, and Wanda swallows dryly as he stands up. "I am here to remove the rune on your head, I need you to show me the movement Miss L/N made when conjuring it."
Wanda lifted her chin to him, narrowing her eyes in suspicion as she did so. "And if I refuse?"
Loki laughs softly, and Wanda turned her face away, evading his touch when he placed his fingers against her cheek. "The order I was given was to protect a pure witch from a dark witch, that's all I'm here for, daily work. But if she is someone important to you, I would advise you to consent, Miss Maximoff. There are several types of mirror magic, and if I am correct, and I usually am, the one that was placed in your head is not only for you to play memory-watching games with your friend. It serves for her to receive Chthon's damnation in your place."
Wanda gasps softly in surprise, looking away. So that's what you were doing.
"Wife." She whispers and Loki frowns in confusion, but she sniffles softly before raising her eyes to him again. "She is my wife."
"That's a yes, I suppose?" Loki asks and Wanda swallows dryly, before nodding.
She demonstrated the movement as best she could remember, and Loki hums in understanding, tracing his fingers across Wanda's forehead.
As soon as she feels her skin burn, her eyes fill with tears. She knows she will hear the boys again.
It's not a really painful procedure, and it's really quick. Loki murmurs in a Celtic language with his eyes closed and wipes the blood that runs down Wanda's forehead before it drips.
Then he steps away, muttering that it was done. Wanda sniffles softly once the loud whispers return and is ready to lie down again when Loki hesitates on the way out and looks at her again.
"Miss Maximoff, try to remember that although demons may whisper our worst fears, witches are made to rule them. And not the other way around." He says and offers her a small smile before knocking on the door for the guard to open.
Wanda tries to remember this, but as Tommy and Billy's screams echo in her mind again, she curls up on the dirty mattress, closing her eyes tightly and covering her ears.
Chthon's wicked laughter also sounds in her head.
It's good to be back in this little pathetic mind of yours, Scarlet Witch.
She pressed her hands harder against her ears.
Good thing we were introduced. Now I can take care of you personally, no more lackeys. Aren't you excited?
Wanda sniffled. The background noise of Chthon's voice was the distant cries of her children, and they were getting closer by the second.
How about you stop playing the helpless witch, Wanda? The twins are out there, needing their mother.
"I don't have my magic." She muttered tearfully and received an evil laugh in return.
That cheap trick? Y/N underestimates me, but I'm not surprised. She is lost and weak, an unsworn sorceress. She is not like you, my sweet Scarlet Witch. Your affection for her is the only weakness you have.
"Shut up."
You don't believe me? You know she lies. She didn't even tell you about her brother. Imagine what other kinds of dirty secrets she's hiding... I can tell you all of them, you know. I was in her head.
"Stop talking." Wanda gasped, but Chthon only filled her with flashbacks of images of the boys hurting themselves, and she whimpered.
I don't care if you want to play fairy tales with her or anyone else. But stop pretending that a cheap magic trick can stop you. The only block is the trust you put in her. My chaos magic cannot be contained by anything but its equivalent, and we both know she didn't fight you for good, so stop pretending before I lose patience!
"N-no, stop talking." Wanda whined, hearing the boys clearly now. "Y/n did that to protect the sorcerers..."
But they hurt her, Wanda, have you forgotten? You saw it yourself what they did to her, all that fighting and training until she bled. And you just want to protect her, don't you? Well, you can't do that from a dungeon. Concentrate, Wanda. That trick is only for sorcerers, you're a witch, magic always flows in you. And chaos cannot be contained.
Wanda felt a gentle pressure in the center of her chest, and after that, her whole body vibrated at once without stopping. Every cell in her body electrified and her eyes glowed red.
She gasped, relaxing as she set her magic back, if somewhat, even stronger than before. But it was always like this, her power only seemed to grow.
With just a thought, the chains disappeared. She had no difficulty at all in leaving the cell.
Don't let anyone stand in your way, Wanda. And don't forget that the child is your one-way ticket to your boys.
This time, Wanda didn't ask Chthon to be quiet. Her hands glowed scarlet, and as she marched inside, her clothes were stained red.
–//–
Jean is the first person you see when you jump out of bed and try - and fail - to leave the room and find the girls without alerting anyone.
"By Gaea! Do you wish to scare me to death?" She exclaims but you grunt impatiently, lowering your hands off the defensive position. "Wait, how are you up?"
"Long story, decide now whether you're going to help me or stand against me, witchy grey."
She frowns at you. "Depends, are you still under the influence of the God of Chaos?"
You sigh, looking down the empty hallway trying to find the right direction, but Jean continues around the corner, on your way.
"No, Grey, I felt the connection break about fifteen minutes ago, just a bit after I woke up. God, why do I feel like I'm running in circles in this place?" You mumble in stress, and she laughs softly.
"You probably are." She says, raising her fingers to your forehead as if to check that the spell really wasn't there anymore. "The palace is all enchanted, Y/N. Only by using magic you can find your way forcefully, that is, if you don't have permission to be here. And you don't have it, at least not until the next three minutes."
You blink in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Jean sighs, turning around, and you take your cue to follow her. "I came to get you actually, the council wants to see you. I think they want to know your intentions, and which master you serve that sort of thing."
You swallow dryly. "And I suppose they won't be happy to hear that I serve none?"
Jean laughed in confusion. "What? Your universe doesn't require devotions?"
You give a nervous laugh, your gaze running around. "Well..."
A loud explosion outside attracts your attention. You and Jean run to the plate-glass windows, being able to see soldiers running but nothing beyond that.
"That doesn't look good." Grey comments, checking a wristwatch that has no number on it, only symbols. "But your audience hasn't been canceled. Maybe it's just something with the solstice."
"Shouldn't you check...?"
"That's what the guard is for." Jean retorts before walking back, and you stumble a bit as you follow her. "Look, just try to be honest and don't say anything that might offend the old gods, this is very important."
"Where is America?"
"She's already with them, I just came to get you so we could get started." Jean said. "She eats a lot."
You smile lightly, nodding, but suddenly remember. "Shit, where's Wanda?"
Jean hesitates, but you have reached the iron doors and she holds up your hands. "She's been taken prisoner, for the crime of worshipping chaos magic, a crime under the law of the Five Supreme Priests. You have the magic of the Order circulating in you, it is higher magic. Maybe you can convince the council to change the judgment."
"But Jean..."
The door opened, and she pushed you in by the back of your shoulder, and you grunted softly as you stepped into the large oval hall.
Jean disappeared down a hallway, and you swallowed dryly as you felt all the eyes in the room on you. Besides a small crowd of witches, there were five occupied chairs - each by a woman wearing a cloak and an infinity stone around their neck - in the center.
America was kneeling to them but waved to you as soon as you entered.
"Miss L/N, the sorceress of the Order." Announced the witch who carried the power stone into the room, who bowed slightly as you made your way clumsily to your friend. "It is an honor to welcome you into our universe." Greeted a woman as soon as you stopped in front of her chair. Exchanging a clumsy look with America, you started to bend down, but before you could do so, a red glow forced your limbs back upright as the power witch laughed softly.
"A Supreme never bows to her equals." Says the witch next seat, who carries the Reality Stone.
You swallow dryly. "Sorry, my bad I think." You mumble clumsily. "It's just that I saw everyone lowering themselves..."
"Don't worry, Sorceress, customs are different between worlds, we are understanding." Says the power witch, sitting down like her colleagues.
You clear your throat. "Sorry again, but, I think there is some misunderstanding. I'm not a supreme sorceress."
The reality witch let out a short laugh, rolling her eyes at your awkwardness. The power witch offered her a sympathetic smile, nodding to the woman next to her.
"Sister Calypso, please introduce Y/N, to her truth." Asks the power witch, and the one carrying the soul stone stands up elegantly, her black braids swaying at the side of her body as she approaches you.
Calypso's eyes glow orange as she raises a finger in your direction, but you only have time to gasp as you feel a golden thread being pulled out of her chest, and flowing through the air to the ceiling.
It forms, right there in the center of the room, your image, but without any concrete features, just a figure of the same physical size. Many golden threads float around it until they gather in the center of its chest in the same shape as the infinity stones.
Suddenly it explodes around the body, and all the witches let out soft gasps.
The enchantment then fades away, and Calypso offers you a glance before sitting back down.
"As you can see, the fate is clear." Says the power witch. "Our people have struggled to maintain balance for two centuries, and we have finally been gifted by Geae with the Supreme Missing. The Order Sorceress through which the Mind Stone runs in their veins has finally arrived."
The room applauds softly, but you frown and stare at America for a moment, before clearing your throat and raising your hand to ask to speak. The power sorceress's smile falters.
"Do you want to use the bathroom now?"
"What? No! Is that what it means to raise your hand here? That's weird." You mutter quickly lowering your arm and stepping forward. "Look, I don't want to ruin anyone's speech, but I think you guys really got the wrong person. My destiny is certainly not to be a High Priest Witch, I'm not even a witch!"
"I told you that was a mistake, Saturnyne" Murmured the reality witch, her legs crossed in her chair as she admired her nails. Saturnyne - The witch of power - let out a loud sigh as her other sisters began to whisper among themselves.
"Calypso's vision is unmistakable!" She declares irritated, slowing down the side conversations. "I admit that it had been an unusual thing for a sorceress to be chosen for the position, but we must not question the will of the gods."
"Sorry again, but why do you think the will of the gods would be a sorceress from another universe?" You try, and the reality witch lets out a laugh. Saturnyne gives her a pleading look, but she stares at you anyway.
"Our mind stone was destroyed in the great war, and even with all the sacrifices, we were never able to balance our universe again." She declares, her eyes wavering between normal and red coloration. "Suddenly, we are graced with a visit from three powerful creatures, one of them hailing to be the Destroyer of Worlds, and another with the blessing of Oshtur in her veins, plus the missing singularity and a child who carries the power to travel between dimensions, a point of contact for the gods." Continues the witch, rising to her feet. "My sisters read these events as a clear blessing from the gods, but someone among us has to be cynical about it all. And I do not recognize a strong will of Oshtur in you, Magic Thief."
"Psylocke, do not disrespect a Supreme." Asks the power witch causing the other to let out a wry laugh.
"But she didn't take the rank, sister."
Saturnyne rolls her eyes. "It's not a choice." She said waving for the other to sit down, but you let out a grumble.
"It's not a choice, I beg your pardon?" You questioned between your teeth, surprising everyone. "I have no intention of offending your customs, but I must warn you, I have no intention of staying either. I couldn't give a lesser fuck about the wills of the gods and their prophecies." You declare shocking the whole hall - Jean slaps her hand against her face from the audience - but you don't flinch. "And if it's not clear after 200 years, the stones are the problem. My advice is to destroy them all and tell the gods to go fuck themselves."
The hall exploded in shouts and gasps from accusations of blasphemy to death threats. The witches lost their temper too - the time one looked ready to attack you, along with Psylocke, both were held back by others - and you stumbled backward, patting America on the shoulder so she would stand as well.
"I can't conjure a portal for us now, can I?" she muttered to you.
"No chance, I need to find Wanda." You whispered back watching the confusion increase by the second. Some guards in the distance seemed to be preparing to arrest you at any moment, and almost all of the witches had their magics awake - eyes glowing - as they argued among themselves. "Any chance you could lead us to the dungeons?"
"I don't know where it is..." America began to justify but her speech turned into a shout of surprise when Calypso raised her hand from where she was, and one of the braids stretched long and frighteningly wide until it hooked around your neck and forced you to your knees on the floor.
You struggled for air, hands around the grip. You heard something about an escape attempt, and the guards conjured up enchantments as they approached, but suddenly all the candles in the castle went out and an icy air invaded the place.
One of the witches, the one carrying the space stone, rose into the air elegantly - her eyes and hair completely white - and her powers seemed to have something to do with the rain that began outside suddenly, because the lightning became large enough to illuminate the room in flashes.
"The Supreme Court of Witches demands that the Scarlet Witch leave not only this sacred temple but this universe!" Warns the woman in a loud voice floating in the air. All her sisters move into attack position, and Calypso's grip firms so tightly that you think it will break your neck.
Your groan of pain is enough for Wanda to start attacking.
She kills Ororo first - pushing her hard against the long glass panes to the outside, and using her own lightning to electrocute and immobilize her, while scarlet magic rains shards of broken glass down on her.
Calypso must have been next because the grip loosens in the last minute before you can lose consciousness, and you put your hands on the ground, gasping for air. America kneels beside you, trying to help you somehow, and as soon as you can breathe again, you hug her.
"Don't watch." You ask, holding her on the ground braced against you, and using the only remaining magical form to conjure a small shield to protect you both from the fight.
It's a massacre, basically because no one has a chance. You watch Wanda kill the supreme witches with ease, but when you realize that Jean is going to fight too - maybe for morality's sake - even if she's not your friend, you look away, hugging America tighter.
It doesn't take long to finish. Wanda is half out of breath, not from the effort, but from what has just happened.
She is completely covered in blood, and she is barefoot - you imagine that because she has been treated as a prisoner - and yet she doesn't mind stepping on the shards of the broken windows. She looks around in confusion, as if she didn't know exactly what was going on, trapped in a state of pure adrenaline, or as if she was expecting more people.
"America, take us somewhere nice, okay?" You whisper as you break the embrace, and the girl swallows dry, and though you both know she can't choose, she nods.
You gesture for her to stay behind, and approach Wanda with slow steps.
"Hey, sweetheart, it's me. Come, give me your hand." You said, and she blinked her distant eyes at you but obeyed. And you saw the tears welling up.
"T-they were...hurting you." Wanda tried in a broken voice, confusion and anger streaked across her face. "I made them stop."
You nodded, pulling her by the hand toward America. "It's okay, darling. Hey, don't look at them, Wanda. Look at me." You ask as soon as you see her shiver as she begins to notice the amount of bloodied bodies on the floor, and she swallows dryly, trying to focus her watery eyes on you.
America conjures a portal behind her and waits for you two. You guide Wanda out of that world, sighing softly as you feel a new atmosphere. The portal closes behind you, and Wanda reaches for your shirt, her whole body visually shaky, and you can do nothing but hug her tight.