In the quiet of the abandoned building on the outskirts of Sokovia, the trio of Maxim, Pietro and Wanda found shelter from the cold night.
The structure was dilapidated, with broken windows and crumbling walls, but it served its purpose. The twins were still in shock from what Maxim had done, the sight of how he so effortlessly and supernaturally dispatched a Hydra base was burned into their memories.
Maxim currently stood in the center of the room, the dim moonlight casting shadows across his face as Wanda and Pietro sat on the dusty floor, watching him with cautious anticipation.
"This will be uncomfortable," Maxim said, his voice steady as he stared at them, "Awakening powers like yours isn't a gentle process, especially when they're as strong as what I suspect lies within you."
The twins reacted in different ways, Wanda's eyes flickering, more from curiosity and trepidation, whereas Pietro clenched his fists from excitement, wanting to be as powerful as Maxim to take down Hydra himself.
Wanda's eyes flickered with both curiosity and trepidation, while Pietro clenched his fists, still buzzing with the excitement of the Hydra base raid. They had seen what Maxim could do, and now they were eager to tap into their own potential.
"Are you sure this will work?" Wanda asked, her voice a soft murmur in the quiet room.
Maxim nodded, his expression resolute. "I'm sure. Your powers are already inside you, dormant. I can see them when in Astral Form. All I need to do is bring them to the surface. But you must trust me. Are you ready?"
Wanda and Pietro looked at each-other after hearing Maxim's question, taking deep breaths before looking back towards Maxim and nodding, ready to go.
With that, Maxim took a deep breath and closed his eyes. The air around him seemed to shift as he entered his Astral form, his body becoming ethereal, a glowing silhouette that shimmered faintly in the dark.
Maxim's consciousness expanded, and he could see the entire environment in his Astral Form. He could drop smokes, create nebulas or even increase the Gravity in particular areas if he wanted.
However, that was not his current goal. Maxim brought his Astral Form towards the twins, reaching out and seeking the latent energies buried within them.
As he searched, his astral senses flared. A blinding red light burst from Wanda's core, a searing wave of Chaos Magic that pulsed like a living force. It was so intense that even in his spectral state, Maxim had to shield himself from the brilliance.
Her power was raw, untamed, and ferocious. It was just an instinctual reaction to Maxim's probing, and even though it wasn't awakened and was in its weakened stage, Maxim could sense the power and potential in it.
On the other hand, Pietro's aura was much subtler, a cool, bluish light that flickered weakly, almost hesitant, but unmistakably present. It was as if his power was waiting for the right moment to ignite fully.
This was natural, Pietro's powers couldn't hold a candle to Wanda's. Although he was a Speedster, he held no candle to the real fictional Speedsters from Alex's world like The Flash, who could probably beat Pietro while sleepwalking.
Once he pinpointed the sources of their powers, Maxim focused, his mind wrapping around their respective energies, trying to coax them to the surface. Wanda's Chaos Magic resisted, swirling and lashing out, while Pietro's energy remained stubbornly dormant.
Minutes passed, the effort draining on Maxim as he carefully manipulated their powers. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead despite his incorporeal state, and the room seemed to pulse with the power he was stirring within them.
Suddenly, Wanda gasped, clutching her head as a surge of energy shot through her. A wave of Chaos Magic energy emitted from Wanda's body, destabilizing the environment.
Maxim cancelled his Astral Form and immediately wrapped the entire area in a smoke of darkness, blocking out the energy from rioting.
At the same time, Pietro was also struggling to adapt to his new powers, his muscles tensing as if his body was reacting to an invisible force. Both twins groaned in discomfort, their bodies trembling as their powers awoke, stretching and expanding within them.
"Hold on," Maxim's voice echoed in their minds, "You'll adapt."
The discomfort intensified, their bodies shaking as their powers struggled to settle. Wanda's Chaos Magic rippled outward in faint, uncontrolled bursts, while Pietro's body vibrated slightly as his speed began to manifest, his limbs twitching involuntarily.
After what felt like an eternity, the intensity began to fade. Wanda's breathing steadied, and Pietro stopped shaking, though both still felt a strange, lingering energy inside them.
They exchanged a look, their eyes wide with the realization of what had just happened.
Maxim just stood next to them, his expression calm yet satisfied, "Your powers are awake. You'll need time to fully control them, but the first step is done."
Wanda looked down at her hands, her fingers tingling with residual energy. "I can feel it," she whispered, awe in her voice. "It's… overwhelming, I can even hear your surface thoughts Pietro, but its fuzzy, why are you thinking about pizza?"
Pietro coughed up and scratched his head, "I was wondering how fast I can go and pick up one." He said with an embarrassed expression on his face.
Maxim gave them both a small smile. "This is just the beginning. Now, we'll train until you're ready. Hydra won't know what hit them."
~RING~RING~RING!
The sudden sound of the phone vibrating in Maxim's pocket broke the silence, cutting through the tension that still lingered from the awakening of Wanda and Pietro's powers.
He reached for the device, briefly glancing at the number. A flicker of recognition crossed his face before he accepted the call, bringing the phone to his ear.
"Speak," he answered, his voice cool and collected, yet authoritative.
"Maxim, it's Natasha," came the familiar voice on the other end of the line. Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow. "We've reviewed the intel you sent us. Your name is clear, S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer considers you a hostile, and you're free to enter the States whenever you need. If you require transportation, we can arrange a secret plane."
Maxim raised an eyebrow, stepping away from the twins who were now sitting on the floor, recovering from the aftershocks of their newly awakened powers. He didn't expect things to be resolved this quickly.
"That was fast," Maxim replied, his voice low.
"You did good work, Maxim. The data you gathered from the Hydra base was exactly what we needed," Natasha continued, "Director Fury is impressed, though he won't admit it. You'll need to head to a secure location if you're ready to move."
Maxim's eyes flicked toward Wanda and Pietro. They were still in the early stages of understanding their powers, and Sokovia wasn't exactly a safe place for them to train now.
"Where?" Maxim asked.
"There's an extraction point not far from Sokovia's main city, an abandoned airfield. It's secure, and you can meet a very safe Agent there, Agent Coulson, basically Fury's right hand man. He'll take care of the rest."
"Understood. I'll head there." Maxim responded.
"Good. Coulson will be in touch." Natasha's voice softened slightly, "And Maxim… welcome to the right side."
The call ended with a soft click, and Maxim lowered the phone, sliding it back into his pocket. He stood silently for a moment, processing the sudden shift in his plans.
Wanda was the first to speak, her voice still shaky from the energy lingering inside her, "Who was that?"
Maxim turned to face the twins, a small smile playing on his lips as he adjusted his jacket. "Change of plans," he said. "We'll be heading to America. You'll be training there, temporarily."
Pietro perked up, excitement flickering in his eyes, "America? So, I get to test how fast I can run across an entire continent?"
Maxim chuckled. "Let's take it one step at a time, speedster. But yes, you'll have plenty of space to test your limits."
Wanda exchanged a glance with her brother, then looked back at Maxim, determination gleaming in her eyes, "We're ready," she said.
Maxim gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Let's move."
As they gathered their things and prepared to head toward the airfield, the moonlight continued to filter through the broken windows, casting long shadows over the trio.
Maxim led the way out of the building, the sound of their footsteps fading into the night.