Bab 96: *C90 - The Hunter and The Prey.
'Inner dialogue/thoughts'
"Normal dialogue"
[System]
[Diary entries]
(Word Count: 1,889)
~ A few hours later with Wanda, in her room within her apartment in Los Angeles ~
It had been a few hours since Wanda had kissed Luke while dancing under the rain. Since then, they spent the remaining walk to her home in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's presence. After sending her home, Wanda had invited Luke to clean up in her apartment, worrying for his health since he could get sick the longer he spent drenched in rainwater.
However, Luke had refused. Although her intentions were pure, Luke had still wanted to avoid any possible situations that could arise with him washing up in Wanda's apartment while they were alone.
Wanda had just finished washing up for bed and was in a good mood. The day had gone incredibly well – from finally having a birthday party after a long time and celebrating it with her new-found friends, to being able to realize her feelings for Luke and vice versa.
She was just about to head to bed when she felt the same, familiar presence, appearing in her room. Turning around, she met the gaze of Other Wanda, who had a frown on her brows. "Wanda? What's wrong?"
Other Wanda simply stared at Wanda, without answering her question, trying to figure out what was bothering her. "Did something happen? Something's. . . Changed. . ."
"Changed? What do you mean?" Wanda asked.
"I mean your powers seem more. . . Distinct and apparent. Like it's more there than before. It's almost like I can feel them in the air around you." Other Wanda replied.
"Oh, that's. . . Cool? I guess."
"So? What happened?"
At her question, Wanda's cheeks began heating up as she remembered the moment of intimacy that she had shared earlier with Luke.
"I danced with Luke under the rain, and it ended with a kiss. . ." she muttered softly as she lowered her gaze, which Other Wanda was unable to pick up.
"Say that again? Why are you speaking so softly?" Other Wanda remarked, however she had a guess of what had happened judging by the way Wanda was blushing.
"I danced with Luke under the rain. . ." Wanda said.
"And?"
"And. . . it ended in a kiss."
However, instead of feeling any form of happiness for Wanda's first intimate moment with Luke, Other Wanda remained silent with a pondering look on her face. Not hearing any response to her admittance, Wanda raised her head only to notice that Other Wanda was still deep in thought.
"What's wrong? Is that a bad thing? Was I not supposed to kiss him?"
After a moment of Silence, Other Wanda finally spoke. "I don't know yet. The first time I kissed him was years from now, and by then I already knew how to use a small portion of my powers. But looking at you now, your powers. . . It is manifesting into something like a. . ."
However, just as Other Wanda was speaking, a realization hit her, and she did not like what was happening. "A beacon. . ."
Wanda raised an eyebrow in confusion. "A beacon? What's that supposed to mean?"
Other Wanda turned serious as she explained the situation. "Exactly, a beacon. Think of it this way – There are multiple parallel universes in existence, some would even argue that there is an infinite number. Both mine and yours are just one of the few that we know of. I found your universe thanks to Luke.
His very existence acted like a beacon for me to find this universe, and your powers manifesting was the key to 'unlocking' the doorway to this universe."
"I know about the parallel universe thing, but unlocking the doorway? What does that even mean?"
Other Wanda sighed. "Wanda, when I sent Luke here, I took on consequences. Consequences that I knew not off and was not prepared to take. It is the very reason that I am. . ." She said, her expression turning sullen.
"You are what?"
"It doesn't matter. What's done cannot be undone. Anyways, in the time after I sent him here, I realized and learned that our powers are connected, in more ways than I will ever know, Wanda. And that's the problem." Other Wanda revealed.
Seeing that she had Wanda's full attention, she continued. "Travelling through the universe requires the basic control over a fundamental aspect of the universe. Some people are smart enough to find a way to harness these aspects, and thereby manipulating the space-time reality to travel between worlds.
Others, such as ourselves, are able to do so using the connection that our powers share. I don't know how or why, but our powers seem to originate from a singular source. A source that spreads itself throughout the multiverse.
Now, so far, I am the only other you that has visited this world, because I am the only one who knows of its existence. And that's okay because I did not turn to the dark path."
"Wait, dark path? You're saying there are evil versions of 'us' out there?"
"That's right." Other Wanda nodded, before using her powers to create holographic-like constructs to show the different lives that other versions of Wanda had lived through. "There are versions of us who never met Luke, because he never existed in their world.
Versions where she used her powers to alter the fabric of reality to create a world where people with special abilities were the dominant species of that world. Versions where she's morally ambiguous, less stable and more manipulative."
Wanda remained silent, enraptured and curious of the different lives that other versions of herself had lived through.
"But the worst one that I've found thus far, is a Wanda that has lost everything. Unlike myself, I lost everything when my world was destroyed. But, in losing everything, I managed to save the one that I love, and he is now living a new life in this world.
But this version of Wanda, she lost her brother. Her lover. Her team. . . She lost every single person she viewed as family, all to protect her world. And in response to that, she created her own safe haven using her powers. She lived a false life in a false reality, unbothered by the world outside.
Yet, even after all her sacrifices, her world deemed it fair to have her false life ripped away from her."
Wanda winced at the latest revelations. She knew how it was like to lose her family. After all, she had lost her parents early on in her life. However, she did not know how it felt to lose family after family. And when you were finally finished and wanting to lead a peaceful life away from the world, even that was cruelly snatched away from you.
"This Wanda. . . She was not just robbed of her happiness, she was robbed of her very reason to keep fighting. To lose so much and still have the strength to carry on, even if it was false, only to have that stolen from her too, was a pain that I can hardly imagine.
It is a fate worse than death, a never-ending cycle of grief and despair, where even the smallest comforts of illusion were denied. The world had taken everything from her. And in the end, she snapped.
Since then, she has completely given into the darkest aspects of her powers, even letting herself be consumed by one of the darkest powers known to exist. And since then, she's been hunting. Searching for other versions of herself who got to live the good life.
So that she could rip it awa-"
Suddenly, Other Wanda stopped speaking as her face morphed into one of urgency. . . And fear. Her eyes widened, paling as the realization hit her all at once. She stumbled back a step, her breath quickening. Wanda had never seen such a raw expression of fear on a person's face before, and it sent a chill down her spine.
"What is it?" She asked, her voice trembling as she took a cautious step forward. "What's wrong?"
Other Wanda did not respond immediately. She seemed to be listening, not with her ears, but with some deeper sense, something that resonated within the very core of her being. Her eyes darted around the room, as if searching for something unseen. Something. . . Dark that lurked just beyond the fabric of reality.
"No. . . No, this can't be happening. . ." Other Wanda muttered.
On the other hand, Wanda felt her heartbeat spiking, with panic beginning to bubble up inside her. "What's happening? Please, tell me!"
Other Wanda's gaze snapped back to Wanda, her eyes filled with fear and desperation that made Wanda's blood run cold. "She's found us. . ." She whispered, her voice barely audible, trembling under the weight of her words.
Wanda's stomach dropped. "Who? Who's found us?"
However, instead of answering, Other Wanda remained in her fear-stricken state, "She was hunting. Looking for her prey. And now, she's found this universe. She's found us."
Wanda did not need an answer after hearing her counterparts' words. Her breath caught in her throat as the reality of her situation hit her. 'The dark Wanda. . .'
The dark Wanda, someone who had lost everything and had descended into madness, was coming for them. For her. This Wanda wasn't just dangerous, she was relentless, driven by a need to destroy anything that resembled the life she had lost.
"Wanda, listen to me." Other Wanda started, her tone urgent, snapping Wanda out of her spiralling thoughts. "We don't have much time. This Wanda, I can feel her power. She's powerful, more powerful than you or I can ever imagine. Now that she's found this universe, she won't stop until she's taken everything from you, just like she's done to the others."
Wanda's mind raced, the fear gripping her in a chokehold. "What do we do? How do we stop her?" She managed to squeak out.
Other Wanda shook her head, frustration and fear battling for control in her expression. "I don't know if we can. You certainly won't be able to. But I'll have to try. Because if I don't, she'll tear this universe apart."
Wanda swallowed hard, berating herself for the powerlessness she found herself in. 'What's the point of awakening my powers if I still can't help to change things! Even if just a little-'
"Do not use your powers. The more you use them while she is here, the more she will be able to access her own." Other Wanda stated, noticing the train of thoughts that Wanda was having.
"Then, what should I do now?"
Other Wanda did not respond. Instead, her physical visage started fading. Before she disappeared completely, she gave Wanda her final advice.
"Pray."
Confused, Wanda tried to look for the Other Wanda. "Wanda?! Hey, are you there?! What do you mean by that?!" However, try as she might, Other Wanda was already gone.
- End of Chapter 90 -
Next time in *C91 - Hubris.
As Tony finished speaking, a mechanical voice sounded out, "Pardon my intrusion sir, but I've just detected a large energy surge underneath the main headquarters."
Feeling a sense of foreboding, Tony hesitantly asked, "How much energy?"
"Enough to power a suit, sir."
(A/N)
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
TheWandaShip
TheWandaShip E/d note: So, we've got some exposition from Other Wanda. The types of Wanda that she described are the Earth-616 variant, Earth-1610 variant, and the MCU variant. But, this MCU variant is an AU variant. Instead of wanting to "live" the life of the Wanda who has had it good, she wants them to feel the same pain she has.
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