Capítulo 21: Training the Twins!
One Week Later
The sun slowly dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, amber glow over the sprawling grounds of the secure safe house.
The once-serene estate now resembled more of a rigorous training facility, as Maxim pushed Wanda and Pietro to their limits, training them ruthlessly.
Although he was nice to them, when training, he needed to be serious, pushing their limits constantly to improve their abilities under his guidance.
The courtyard, previously adorned with neatly trimmed hedges and decorative fountains, had been transformed into a formidable training ground.
Pietro stood at the starting line of an obstacle course that stretched across the estate, created by Maxim specifically for him. Being a speedster was not only about running fast, he had to be flexible enough to change direction and objective without losing too much pace.
Pietro's chest heaved with deep breaths as he adjusted the weighted bracelets around his wrists and ankles. They were designed on the fly from Maxim with some Cosmic Power imbued in them, dynamically adjusting based on Pietro's speed and momentum.
~SWOOSH~
Pietro flashed forward, beginning the harsh obstacle course, dodging most of the obstacles with ease as he moved forward. Soon, he reached another obstacle, a wave of high gravity pressing down on him, like an invisible hand crashing onto his body.
Another test by Maxim, which meant even the slightest misstep could send Pietro crashing into the ground or one of the many obstacles set along the course, walls, poles and narrow beams.
Pietro's muscles were strained as he forced himself to keep moving. They had been doing this for hours every single day, all with the goal of holistically improving his abilities, and this didn't count the hand to hand combat training Maxim gave him and Wanda.
Although to Pietro, it was less training and more Maxim beating them down ruthlessly over and over, but he couldn't argue with results. His improvement over the past week had been too noticeable to ignore, so he pushed onwards.
"Come on, Pietro!" Maxim's voice rang out, calm yet commanding, "You're relying too much on brute speed. You need to adapt, adjust your trajectory, anticipate the shifts before they happen!"
Pietro gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he leaped over a towering wall. The moment his feet left the ground, Maxim increased the gravity again, pulling Pietro down faster than expected.
The speedster twisted mid-air, barely managing to land on the narrow beam just beyond the wall, his feet skidding dangerously close to the edge.
"Faster!" Maxim barked, his voice carrying a hint of impatience. He knew Pietro could handle more, needed to handle more, if they were to stand any chance against what lay ahead.
MCU Pietro was honestly pathetic, and Maxim couldn't accept that. Compared to other Speedsters from Alex's memories, Pietro in the MCU might as well be called a Snail, and Maxim would fix that.
"If you can't predict these shifts, you'll be vulnerable. Again!"
Pietro didn't respond verbally; he didn't have the breath for it. Instead, he sprinted forward. Instead of arguing, he had learned the best argument was his own improvement.
The world blurred around him as he dodged and weaved through the next set of obstacles, his movements growing smoother, more refined with each repetition.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the courtyard, Wanda stood in front of a series of targets, her hands glowing with a familiar crimson light.
Unlike Pietro, her training wasn't focused on physical prowess but rather on expanding her control and creativity over her Chaos Magic.
Wanda slowly controlled the objects, lifting them upwards, sideways and dropping them back onto the floor, refining her control and power levels.
As she continued, Maxim approached. With Wanda's training, it was more of getting her to the level of Multiverse of Madness and beyond.
For the majority of her time in the MCU, Wanda was wasted potential. She could only influence minds, do some energy blasts and had some form of Magical Telekinesis, when the entire time she had massive magical abilities capable of warping reality.
Thus, he had challenged Wanda to explore the true nature of her magic, using some tips and hints from Alex's knowledge of various fictional Magic systems to dig deeper and see what lay beneath the surface of her abilities
"Wanda," he called softly, drawing her attention, "You're holding back. I can feel it. You're relying on what you know, not what you could know."
Wanda frowned, her brows knitting together, "What do you mean? I've been doing everything you've asked. I'm hitting all the targets, aren't I?"
"Magic has no limits, Wanda. It's only bound by the limits of your mind." Maxim's voice was calm as he spoke, "Stop thinking in straight lines. Think of your magic as an extension of yourself, a part of you that can be anything you want it to be."
Wanda hesitated, glancing at her glowing hands. The crimson energy pulsed and flickered, reflecting her uncertainty. "I… I don't know if I can do that."
Maxim stepped closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "You can. And you will. Close your eyes."
She obeyed, taking a deep breath as she felt the familiar warmth of her power thrumming beneath her skin.
"Now, imagine the energy inside you. Don't just see it, feel it. It's more than just power; it is chaos magic. Let it flow through you, let it guide you."
Wanda's breathing steadied as she followed Maxim's instructions. She pictured the crimson energy as a living, breathing entity, coiled deep within her core.
It was wild and unpredictable, but also familiar, a part of her very being. Slowly, she reached out to it, not with force, but with a gentle, curious touch.
The energy responder to her touch, it was chaotic, wild, untamed, but Wanda sharpener her will and tried to use it, intricately weaving the Magical energy around her fingers.
Maxim watched, his expression inscrutable, "Good. Now, without opening your eyes, I want you to reshape that energy. Turn those objects into swords, or wrap your energy around them and use the objects as weapons. Remember, your energy is a brush, and the world is your canvas."
Wanda's brow furrowed in concentration. She felt the energy shift again, responding to her thoughts. The energy wrapped around the objects, and Wanda moved her hands.
Some of the objects turned into knives, some into full blown swords, but they weren't perfect, some of them were already dull, some not as sharp as a new weapon. Wanda still needed training on refining her control.
In one week, she had massively improved, and learned transmutation, so she was already shaping up to be an absolute powerhouse as long as she had more time. This wasn't even considering her potential psychic abilities.
A smile spread across her lips, and she opened her eyes, marveling at the sight.
Maxim nodded approvingly. "That's it. Now, take it further in your training. These shapes… they can be anything. Weapons, shields, constructs, whatever you need. Don't just react; anticipate, create, control."
Wanda nodded, her eyes gleaming with a newfound determination. Every time she trained, she thought of Sokovia, of her home entrenched in a war funded by Hydra, and she grew angry, annoyed.
Her emotions fueled her power, her desire to train and become stronger, and the more she trained, the more Wanda felt her power being unlocked, the potential being fulfilled.
~SWOOSH~
Meanwhile, Pietro had finally reached the end of his obstacle course, his body trembling with exhaustion. He collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath, but there was a satisfied grin on his face.
"I… did it," he panted, looking up at Maxim, "That… last gravity shift almost got me, but I… managed to dodge it."
Maxim chuckled and responded, "Why are you so happy? When you break the sound barrier, then smile. There's still room for improvement.
Pietro groaned, rolling his eyes. "Of course there is. You're never satisfied, are you?"
"Not when it comes to your potential," Maxim replied evenly. "You both have power that can change the world. But power without control, without mastery, is a double-edged sword. I'm pushing you because I know you can handle it, and because I know you'll need it."
Pietro sat up, taking a couple more deep breaths, "Yeah yeah hot shot."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, I ordered Pizza. Just one more lap and I'll give it you ya." Maxim said with a smile, and Pietro flashed off of his feet, immediately beginning another round of training.
Maxim just chuckled and continued his training, smiling as he thought of their future potential. Once he was done training them, they'd truly become powerhouses, and he couldn't wait to see it.
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