*C47 - The Maximoff Siblings!

E/d beginning note: The major thing about MTL 40 and MTL41 is how ABRUPT the fifth entry was. Like I tried looking ahead up to MTL48, but there wasn't any continuation of the fifth entry, and since I've lost too many brain cells, I'm going to end the fifth entry abruptly as well BUT do so in a way that at least shows it ended.

'Inner dialogue/thoughts'

"Normal dialogue"

[System]

[Diary entries]

(Word count: 1,555)

~ With Wanda and Pietro, in their apartment in Los Angeles ~

'What? What did he say?' Wanda was currently in a state of turmoil. 'No this can't be right. If it wasn't Tony all this time, then have I been cursing an innocent man all this while?'

"WHY DID HE JUST STOP THERE?! IS HE NOT GOING TO WRITE ANYTHING ELSE?!" Wanda screamed in fury. It had been roughly ten minutes since Luke last wrote in the diary, signifying that Luke had decided to end the entry at that point.

Panting and incensed, Wanda had the feeling of wanting to storm the café and look for Luke to demand answers. However, before she could entertain that thought any further, Pietro had came bursting into the room with a toothbrush in his mouth.

"WHAT HAPPENED?! I HEARD SHOUTING!" As soon as Pietro roared his words, a pillow had found it's way to his face.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?! DON'T YOU KNOW IT'S IMPOLITE TO JUST BARGE INTO A GIRL'S ROOM YOU PERVERT!" Wanda yelled as she shoved Pietro out of her room. Slamming the door on his face, Wanda went back to sit on her bed as she needed to calm herself down.

A few minutes later, Wanda was interrupted by a knock on her door. Knowing who it was, Wanda replied with irritation laced in her voice, "What is it Pietro?"

Hearing the tone of voice used, Pietro did not want to enrage his sister again, "Hey sis, I just wanted to say that I am sorry for barging in like that earlier. And also, that I heard some screaming earlier, so I wanted to check in on you to make sure everything was alright."

After a moment, Wanda sighed to herself, feeling a tinge of guilt. She had inexplicably directed all the shock and anger she built from reading the diary towards Pietro.

"Come in." Wanda finally replied.

Opening the door slowly, Pietro wisely chose to stick his arm in first. Seeing that he did not get hit by any pillow or objects, Pietro then took a deep breath and stuck his head through the doorway to look inside.

"What are you doing? Do you want to come in or not?" Wanda asked exasperatedly as she saw Pietro's antics.

"Just making sure, you know. Don't want to get hit again by another pillow." Pietro said as he made his way over to sit beside Wanda.

After taking his seat, Pietro began softly, "So, want to talk about what's going on?"

Wanda wanted to answer sarcastically since Pietro had never believed her regarding the diary from the start. However, she stopped herself before she could do so. 'What should I even say to him? He doesn't believe me, but. . . it's in no fault of his.'

'Moreover, I know that he doesn't see Tony the way I see it. He would either go silent whenever it is brought up or he would agree with me. But I can see it in his eyes. He doesn't hold Tony responsible. And maybe that's why sometimes I behave distantly to Pietro.'

'Pietro. . . Ever since mom and dad died and we were taken to that god forsaken place, he has been my rock. He doesn't know that I know it, but Pietro had taken the brunt of all the testing and all the attention in my place. Just so that I could still live a rather normal life. Well, as normal as it could be in that place.'

'I think it's time that I stop this. Pietro deserves better from me. If not even I, his sister, would do right by him, then who would? Even if I can't tell him anything directly, it should be possible to speak off-handedly without revealing anything.'

With a decision made, Wanda looked Pietro in the eyes before she started, "Pietro, what do you think about Tony Stark?"

"Sis, come on, you know me. I've said this from the start but I ha-"

"Pietro. Tell me honestly. Please." Wanda cut him off before he could reply with his default answer.

As Wanda held her gaze on him, Pietro sighed as he resigned himself to his fate. "Wanda. . . To me, Stark did not kill mom and dad." Pietro looked back into Wanda's eyes as he said that, indicating to Wanda that he was being serious and honest with her.

Seeing the determination in Pietro's eyes, Wanda whispered her response, "I know."

Not knowing what to say to each other, both Pietro and Wanda remained silent. It was not until after a couple of seconds when Pietro broke the silence, "You're not mad at me?"

"Pietro come on, we're both going to be adults in a few years. If I'm still going to be mad at you for having your own opinions, then I'd remain a kid forever." Wanda scoffed. "No, in all honesty. I would have been angry about it a few months ago. But recently, I feel like I've been looking at the world with clearer eyes, you know?"

"Once upon a time, I would have blamed no one else but Tony Stark for the deaths of our parents. But now I find myself thinking on most nights, 'Did he really do it?'. It's just. . . Tiring these days to keep hold of my hatred for Stark."

Pietro had been hoping that the changes he had seen in Wanda over the past few months was because Wanda was growing up and maturing. As he finally confirmed that his sister was slowly moving on from the past, Pietro couldn't help but feel happy internally.

"Look, Wanda, I'm not going to claim that I know what the right opinion is to have or what is not. I am still too young and not wise enough for that. But would you like to hear why I don't hold Stark responsible?" Pietro asked tentatively.

Wanda nodded her head, indicating for Pietro to continue.

"What do you think of a kitchen knife? Is it dangerous?" Pietro posed a question, before promptly answering it, "I believe I speak for the both of us when I say that it is not that the knife is dangerous, but it is the way that it is used."

"A mother would use the knife to cut fruits and vegetables to feed her family. A killer on the other hand would use it to kill another person. To me, the same logic applies to Tony Stark. The knife is the bomb that was used to kill our parents."

Before Pietro could continue his reasonings, Wanda had finished it for him, "And the only questions now are who the holder of the knife was. And if it was Tony, whether he used it as a protector or a killer."

"That's right. . ." Pietro replied, surprised that Wanda was able see his point.

"But what if you knew somehow that Tony was not the holder from the start?" Wanda asked.

"Then the question we need answered is whether he knew. Ignorance is different from innocence." Pietro answered after thinking for a moment.

At his answer, Wanda once again sat in silence, her thoughts known only to herself. Pietro, seeing that Wanda was in a contemplative state, decided that he should give Wanda her space. As he stood up to walk away, Pietro left Wanda with his parting words.

"Wanda, listen. No matter what you choose, I will ALWAYS be on your side. Even if our views differ, even if we don't see eye to eye, you can count on me. Whenever, wherever. You are my sister after all." Pietro said as he gave Wanda a pat on her head, a rare display of sibling affection between the twins.

Hearing the door close, Wanda laid down on her bed fully, remaining silent throughout the rest of the night.

~ With Fury ~

"Motherf*cker." Fury said aloud. He had just finished reading the newest entry when Luke had decided to drop a bomb in the diary. 'So, it truly was Stane all along? Luke did not outright say it, but the way that his words were phrased had hinted heavily to it.'

Fury felt disappointed in himself. He considered himself a top-tier agent and spy, able to see through most people. However, he had been fooled by Obadiah Stane completely.

'This won't happen again. I'll have to be more careful with how I evaluate those around me from now on.' Fury had silently vowed to himself that he would not be fooled so easily in the future.

- End of Chapter 47 -

Next time in C48 - Super Soldier Serum!

"System, utilize the appearance of 'Ra's Al Ghul' from DC movie universe created by Christopher Nolan."

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[Generating appearance. Completed. Confirm appearance for original enemy, Marak Azathraal?]

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