192 Scarlet Witch.

I opened a portal out of the grotto and rushed to Wanda's side, kneeling down, as I slid an arm around her shoulders.

She curled into my arms, burying her face in my chest, shaking like a leaf in a storm.

And she wept like a thousand widows in one.

I looked down at the red stained concrete, the blood making patterns as it flowed along the lay of the tiles.

There before me lay the body of Pietro Maximoff. Dead, a hole torn through his chest.

"He's gone. Just like that....." She sobbed, "I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye...."

I rubbed her back, and kissed her head.

"Shhh.....It'll be okay. I'm here. Everything is going to be a-okay." I comforted her.

"Unnnn!" She sniffled.

"Wanda. Look at me." I raised her head by the chin, gently, and looked into her eyes.

"Look. At. Me. It's going to be okay. Okay? Trust me. I won't let him die. You two are like family to me. And all that matters in the world is family." I subtly began to indoctrinate her.

Wanda nodded, holding back her tears.

"Good. Now time is of the essence so let's get this done fast."

I lied. I can revive mummies from thousands of years ago if needed. A guy with a hole in his chest that died minutes ago is barely an effort.

But what matters isn't the truth. What matters is what Wanda thinks I did.

The more effort she think I put in, the more she will come to believe in my values, if only out of gratitude.

After all, once we get to the Magicians, I will need her to do some horrible things, things that she might not do out if some moral framework or something bullshit like that.

That's why it is important that I break her.

Originally, I had planned to slowly indoctrinate her but this is a golden opportunity. Trauma can help set behavioural trends in people faster and better than slow indoctrination.

And what better trauma to use than the death of a loved one, the only family she had.

Not that I was going let him die either way.

He's a valuable pawn, a safe and secure method of getting me something else that I desired.

The Soul Stone.

The stupid bauble that requires a 'sacrifice of love', that whole crap.

I'm certainly not sacrificing my kids, or Offee's body, or myself.

And sacrificing us, or C.C. might not work since she's not of this world.

That's where Pietro comes in, with his big heart, all that nice and loving.

He'll make the perfect sacrifice.

That's the whole reason I had tolerated him instead of just taking his sister.

Sure, I could probably hold a kid hostage and force their parents to sacrifice themselves to save the kid's lives but that risks the kid accidentally using the soul stone to mess things up.

Too many wild cards and errant factors in that route.

Nope.

I'll choose the safe Pietro route 10 out of 10 times.

I smiled evilly.

Reaching into my coat, I pulled out a vial of CodeRed, and injected it into Pietro's neck.

One of my tentacles reached over to his chest and a freeze ray fired off, frosting the wound on his chest to critical levels so that it would be easier to just break the scarred tissue out.

"Now stand back. And watch me wirk the real magic." I smiled reassuringly.

My tentacles reached it and formed into a point, carefully chiseling away the scarred flesh in his gaping chest wound so the new tissue could regenerate, as the healing blood coursed through his veins, regrowing the lost organs back, and he shrunk visibly as the muscke mass was pulled from other parts of his body to compensate for the lost tissue, turning him from a muscled hunk to a lanky dudebro.

Wanda watched with bated breath as seconds passed then minutes, and suddenly Pietro's eyes shot open.

He jerked back up, spraining his hip in the process.

"Owowow!" He cried out gripping his back, as I patted him.

"Welcome back to the world of the living, buddy."

"I'm alive?" Pietro asked, looking down at his chest in disbelief.

"You idiot! Why did you have too go and die!?" Wanda cried out, bear hugging her brother.

"I'm ...sorry?" He said, confused, looking at me.

"Why did you get killed anyways? Aren't fast enough to avoid these things?" I asked.

"Ultron, he..... calculated my speed and put two children in damger, just out of my reach. I couldn't dodge. I had to save them, but in that he...got me." Pietro said, turning back only to find two charred corpses half biried under the rubble.

His face dropped, and he gripped his fists tight.

"I failed...all this power...and I still fail...." He muttered.

"You didn't fail. It's Ultron! He did this! It's not your fault!" Wanda assured him, grabbing his face in her hands.

"I... know. I understand." He replied, putting on a brave face, but inside, I knew it was eating at him.

Even Wanda seemed to notice it, but she ignored it for now, just happy to get her brother back.

Just then a portal opened up before us and the Ancient One stepped out, looking down at Pietro, alive and well.

"So you saved him after all." She said, disappointed.

"Why? Should I have let him die like you wanted me to?" I snarked, setting up a hint for Wanda to pick up.

Her eyes went wide in realisation, as the hamster wheel turned in her head

"I did not say-"

"You knew?!" Wanda blew up, "You knew it would happen and you hid it from me? From us? And you wanted him to let it happen? What's wrong with you?"

"No, you must understand, Wanda.

This is for the better. If Pietro had died the prophecy wouldn't come true. It was for the greater good!" The Ancient One explained.

Or tried at least.

"Wait a minute. You're still on about the prophecy? Seriously? All this over a maybe true prohecy? Which, let me remind you, I have already broken by the mere act of existing!" I interjected.

"Why are you acting like you didn't know this was going to happen? This was the best case scenario for you? With Pietro dead, you would have had the perfect opportunity to woo Wanda and she'd have fallen in love with-"

"Is that what you think of me?!" I excalimed in faux outrage, putting on my best 'offended' look, "That I would stoop so low as to manipulate her into what? Loving me? I have a wife that I'm trying to revive. The mother of my children, Jesus fucking Christ, Ancient One. I'm not looking to bang Wanda!"

"What are you talking about?" Wanda asked, confused.

"Oh don't even begin to act like you wouldn't manipulate someone into loving you-" The Ancient One argued.

"SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!" Wanda shouted, her eyes glowing red as she pushed us apart.

"What prophecy? Explain it to me." Wanda turned to me, deflating, "Jay, please....."

"Uh...sure. So, there is this prophecy, about the Scarlet Witch." I gestured at the enchanting red glow hovering around her like small wisps of smoke.

I turned to the Ancient One, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I remember right, the prophecy went something like this.

'The Scarlet Witch is not born; she is forged. She has no coven or need for incantation. Her power exceeds that of the Sorcerer Supreme. It is her destiny to destroy the world.'

I get that right?" I asked.

"Yes. It is a prophecy a thousand years in the making. And now, with her powers, I have no doubts that you have doomed us all!"

I chuckled.

"Really? Because think about it. Why would she destroy the world?

Does she seem like the world ending type?

The only reason I can think of, would be if she was all alone, no loved ones, bo family to hold her close, sent to madness with her grief and loss. Like say, losing her goddamn brother to your superstition!"

"Be that as it may, I rely on certain certainties and the one I know is where she marries you and lives happily ever after. It is the only way!" The Ancient One replied.

I slammed my head into my palms and Wanda looked between me and the Ancient One with that look of suspicion.

"What? Don't look at me like that! I didn't know about her stupid plan either. We are both victims here." I shrugged, turning to the Ancient One.

"And you! Are you mad? Did you not hear why I came to this world?" I asked.

"To revive yo-"

"To revive my wife. I am not going to just marry someone else because you think it'll stop them from going nuclear.

And if you think Wanda is such a headcase, if you think she can't be trusted with her own powers, why even teach her?"

"Because you asked me to! Because it is better that she know to control her powers under my tutelage than under wherever else she would have learnt it! Because there are those out there who would abuse her innocence to their own ends! And you know it too!"

That...was surprisingly decent as a reason.

I almost relented.

"Well ...damn. Those are actually some good reasons. I do agree. She is too naive and pure. Easily taken advantage of." I nodded.

"Um...I grew up in war torn Sokovia...." Wanda interrupted.

"And you still got taken by me, a guy who just walked up to you and offered superpowers. You followed me into a portal, no questions asked. I find that cute and endearing. But others....they are not so nice, let's just say." I patted her head only to have my hand slapped away.

I pouted and continued, "That's why I have been warning you about the Ancient One all this time, to cultivate an understanding that people will try to use you for your powers. Or in her case, fear you like a monster."

"I never said she was a monster!" The Ancient One sighed and corrected.

"You didn't need to." Wanda glared at her.

"Wanda...you have gone through a lot. Go home and rest. We will talk about it tomorrow."

"I'm sure we will." Wanda scoffed.

"This.... has been a productive conversation. But uhm... let's get back home? It's getting late." I offered, teleporting the kids to us.

"Home..." She looked at Pietro, then back at me and smiled.

"Yes. Let's go home."

_________________

The extra chapter for 200 powerstones as promised!

Next extra chapter at 400 powerstones!

Next time, an interlude and some wholesome moments with the family and even a Star exclusive section.

Thanks for reading. See ya!