Chapter Text
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“Weapon of mass destruction cult leader? Great idea!”
“Magical terrorist”
“But IS there a witch?”
“Powerful new enhanced takes hold of our streets”
“You are not safe with the witch”
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“This is ridiculous!” Shouted Pietro, slamming the 6th newspaper down on the table.
“Just when I thought our government couldn’t get any more stupid, they go and say that you are in the wrong. You clean up the streets, you’ve single-handedly dealt with the homelessness crisis in just 2 months, you give people a safer space, and YOURE the bad person?! AND they haven’t even mentioned me once! I know you’re doing the most of it, but they’re making it out like you run this place. Idiots.”
Wanda just looked at Pietro, a look perfected over years of sibling hood. The I love you, but I’m done with this look.
“I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t exactly give of the cult leader terrorist vibe they’re going for quite like you, and well, you did build this place, but still, if they would just come here, they’d see your neither a terrorist, or a leader. You’re just my lovely sister, who just happens to be able to make buildings and food out of thin air.”
Finally wanda spoke. “Pietro, shut up. Firstly, this is our- let’s bomb the houses of half the city then leave them to stave on the street’s government were talking about, and secondly, they don’t know I’m the witch, they don’t even know the witch exists. They’ve just heard one juicy rumour, and they’re latching onto it, because they’re idiots. It doesn’t MATTER what they think of us, because they’re idiots, and we’re safe here without them”
She sighed, and exhausted sound.
“Now, I may not be the crazy cult leader they say, but I will still tell my brother that there are better things to be doing than sulking about the news. It’s 10pm! Go be social or sleep or something”.
And with that, Pietro was banished, and Wanda had some sweet, sweet peace. She loved her brother, but she could feel the annoyance seeping into her voice, and she doesn’t want to hurt her brothers feelings. She just needed some time alone. spending her free time building buildings from red smoke, conjuring up food and blankets and talking with her extremely energetic brother all whilst being an introvert and telepath too, was an extremely tiring life. But, it was a necessary one. Since she was a child, the streets of Novi grad, and really sokovia as a whole, had been ravaged by bombs and violence, the cruel weapons of a civil war. Now she was 20, the bombs had stopped, but the government had done nothing to help the people whose lives had been ruined by the war. Her and her brother had been those people, and they had most definitely seen the harm being ignored by the government and the world could do. The war had ruined her life, but the loneliness and feeling of abandonment is what fuelled the anger which lead to these strange, strange powers, and all the pain and misery that came from getting them. That was a dark time she does not like to dwell on. the opportunity arose to help people, and she for sure had the power to, and so, she became the “witch of Sokovia”. Really, at first she was just re-building the old debris of apartment blocks, whilst making all the necessities her and her brother needed. Then, she was filling those apartments with food and lighting. Then, she was looking after a community of 100s, all abandoned by society. First people just stumbled spin them, then the rumours began to spread.Not what she had expected, but she was grateful to be able to save her people’s lives, to do something good with her monstrous powers. She was not, however, some perfect hero of Sokovia. Doing this was physically easy, so she did it. Simple as that. She was not the hero the people said, nor the villain the news said.
She was still sat at her desk, but despite the uncomfortable chair and thoughts swirling in her head, Wanda drifted off to sleep.
—
“Waaaandaaa”
“Sisterrrrrr”
“Eeeehhhm, Wanda come on now sister. You’ve got to wake up. Wandaaa”
Wanda awoke with a jolt. Her head was pounding, and her stomach seemed all wrong and turned inside out. Around her was a familiar red glow, and papers scattered across the room. Pietro was watching her, tinted red and in obvious pain. Yet still, he looked worried.
Wanda swore under her breath. “Did you see it this time?”she asked Pietro, bracing herself for the answer and so when he nodded at her, she knew it was coming. “Did THEY all see it?” Again, Pietro nodded, trying to look sympathetic, and Wanda put her head in her hands. She could feel around her the red mist was turning thick, but she couldn’t stop it. It was so horrible. Now she had regained a bit more consciousness, she could feel the worried thoughts of hundreds of people whipping around her head. The pounding stated again. All these people came to her, looking for safety and understanding, yet what they really get is a home, yes, but a home plagued with an unstable girls nightmares and occasional red explosions. She knew she wasn’t the leader, but she was the one person everyone in the Novi Grad Apartments knew about, and she let them down. She was the “saviour” that they had to put up with.
“Wanda they don’t mind” came Pietros Voice.
“They don’t Mind?! They don’t mind that some girl they live with is making the floor they stand on shake, making them see horrible things just because she can’t control herself? Of course they mind.”
“ they know the struggle you face, because they live it themselves. They knew the risk of coming here, and they still stay. You saved them! Of course they don’t mind!”
Wanda knew Pietro was right. Not because she trusted people cared about her since she had saved them. She knew that idea was stupid. Hydra had saved them, and still she despised them with her whole being. She knew he was right, because she talked with those people every day, and she had friends! Friends, whose minds as well as words told her that she was loved. She didn’t understand them, but being unjustly loved is still better than hated.
The glow around her began to fade.
“I really love you pi, you know that.”
“Awww I love you too sister! So sappy today! Now go to bed, REAL bed. If your going to tire yourself out every day, your going to rest every day! We agreed that!! Go to sleep!” He laughed down the corridor.
It was true, Wanda loved her brother. The immensely powerful witch of Sokovia was just a self-hating, destructive girl without their twin. He reminded her of the change she had made, the society she built. Just his presence made the world feel warmer and positive thoughts clearer.
Novi grad was safe.
Pietro was safe.
Her people had a home.
She was ok.