001 ✶ video

[scarletcast]

[ username reads: wanda ]

​​​​[ Having had time to recover from the fight, Wanda looks no worse for wear. She's outside in the abandoned village, out of the glare of sunlight, moving her fingers slowly. Thin red wisps of hex energy weave around her fingers. A small rock, part of a doorframe, and a water bottle are moving in a slow, lazy circle like they're being turned on an invisible Ferris wheel. ]

​​​​[ She's quiet at first, concentrating. Then, she pulls the water bottle into one hand. The other two objects keep circling. ]

What is this called, where you are from?

​​​​[ Her mouth curves in dry amusement. ]

Is it magic?

Comments

[apoptotic]

There's a name for that too.

[ anakin turns over his gloved hand. nothing seems to be happening at first. then a combination of nuts, bolts, spare cuts of wire rise from out of the screen forming to a ball that hovers over his palm. the sphere changes shape: a starfighter, his starfighter, which begins to orbit his hand. ]

The how's a little different.

[scarletcast]

[ Curious and curiouser. Once the starfighter takes shape and she recognises it as a ship, she looks back at him. ]

What is it called?

[apoptotic]

It's an Eta-2 Actis-class interceptor. I modified the original.

[ obi-wan’s disappointed, accented voice: anakin, ]

[scarletcast]

[ Wanda smiles briefly. ]

It is a beautiful ship.

[ as for the other question, ]

What is your power called?

[apoptotic]

It's not a power like most think of it.

[ there are no flashes of light; his fingers need not move. but as if guided by strings the little ship collapses into its component parts. they seem to slide across the invisible surface of a sphere, each finding an equidistant point from the other until they hold the determined shape. anakin sets the newly formed creation to rotate slowly. ]

I'm what's called a Force-sensitive. [ a touch wryly, ] I feel, I want, and I can do it.

[scarletcast]

[ It says, common enough to have a name, be treated as a natural occurrence, instead of something unusual. ]

[ Wanda's mouth curves at his description, as she watches the new form rotate. She can't do anything like that — not as well-trained, different movement, and her hex energy would give her away. The power is something cousin to hers. ]

Were you born with it?

[ maybe it's maybelline ]

[apoptotic]

[ it says common enough to be identified; it has never been anything other than unusual. they are loved and hated, sought for and treated with distrust in equal measure. ]

Yes. [ the alleged answer — the true answer — says anakin was born of it. not a topic that has ever interested him or that he cares to get into with anyone. ]

When a Force-sensitive child is identified, they're taken in by the Jedi Order. We're taught to hone our skills. [ within measure. if obi-wan were to see him now… ]

[scarletcast]

[ It is a sudden burst of emotion that Wanda'll take some time to realise as envy. What is that like, having a community of others like him, going through the same thing together? She isn't lonely, as she's said to everyone who's asked. There was always Pietro. ]

[ But they were alone, and learnt quickly not to trust. ]

So this [ she mimics the motion of his hands, with far less precision, ] is not all you can do.

[apoptotic]

No.

[ his smile is pure cheek. it says this is the bare minimum of what I can do. it says he's not divulging the full breadth now. keeping quiet sometimes has its fun. ]

[scarletcast]

[ Wanda's own smile is cheeky only because he surprised her into it. She keeps quiet about the rest of her powers — there's a value in being underestimated. And she likes not being feared. ]

[ She lets the smile run its course, thinking of a serious question, ]

How long did it take you to master? I am new to this, and yours is the closest I have heard so far.

[ Other than the people talking about real magic. ]

[apoptotic]

Years, [ he answers honestly. ] Some aspects I just…knew.

[ see: flying, heightened intuition to the point of precognition. ]

Others took time and practice.

[ see: anything that involves staying still, staying calm and staying quiet. ]

[scarletcast]

[ She nods, getting his meaning. Some things come naturally, and others — stay out of reach. ]

Did meditation help?

[apoptotic]

[ somewhere obi-wan choked on his laughter. ]

To a point. But I learn better by doing.

[scarletcast]

[ She's the same. ]

Would you like to train together? I have my own routine, but it was interrupted when I was brought here.

[apoptotic]

Hoping to acquire mastery?

[scarletcast]

I want to be better than I am now, yes.

[apoptotic]

My routine starts before dawn.

[ a heads up. the jedi are hideous morning people and judgmental to boot. ]

[scarletcast]

[ two words: natasha romanoff ]

Name the place. I will be there.

[apoptotic]

[ place goes here. ]

See you then.