· OPEN ·

[carmesi]

Who: wanda maximoff and YOU
When: days prior to event
Where: around town, flophouse
Summary: doing a little exploring, some housekeeping, meeting people
Warnings: none atm!

A. GOOD HARBOR BEACH

[so they can't use magic.

ever since she came to learn to use her powers, magic was like second nature to her—it just didn't feel right to not be able to have the swathes of red fulfill whatever she commanded it to do.

now, she's been here for a few hours in quiet contemplation, until she got the urge to hop her way towards salt island, using the land bridge formed because of the low tide. this, however, she did not realize was because of the tides. now, annoyance has her squatting on the edge of salt island, hugging her arms around her knees, waiting for the tide to lower again. if only she could do magic without restriction, she would fly back to the beach, or even will down the tide.

hopefully no one shows up to witness her current problem. and yes, she would rather wait for the tide to lower than to swim, thanks.]

B. BONNIE'S FLOPHOUSE

[what bonnie wants in exchange of not having to pay rent is, actually, pretty sensible. wanda has no problems with that, and although she would rather just have a place of her own—she can't exactly twirl her fingers and have it happen—the flophouse is growing on her. even with all the little flaws it has.

not really wanting to worry about the cleaning or repairing, she sets about in helping with the cooking. it's a little bit of a relaxing, mindless activity, and although she has little to work with, wanda can think of a couple of dishes from her home that could feed plenty.

soon, the smell of food wafts throughout the floors of the building. as wanda's finishing up and setting plates down for anyone who would like to come down into communal area to get themselves some early supper. it's not much, really, but she's managed a pot of beef and onion stew and several stuffed cabbages filled with minced meat and rice. she reclines against the counter with a bowl of soup in her hand, and keeping an eye out for anyone who ventures in.

easy way to meet the neighbors, right?]

C. MIDNIGHT CINEMA

[the cinema does catch her attention almost immediately. the architecture of the place is rather difficult to ignore, and there is some kind of allure to it. and though it seems inviting and wanda has seen people go inside, she doesn't know if she wants to go in.

when is the last time she even saw a movie?

as if changing her mind halfway through her walking up the path to the entrance, wanda abruptly turns around to head back into the street—]

Sorry.

[—and walks right into someone.]

I didn't see you.

Comments

[carmesi]

[wanda heard him as he came down the stairs before he even arrived; a large muscular man with the kind of facial hair she'd expect to go in accordance with his voice. she considers another spoonful of soup, but decides against it as the question is asked.

looks like her bait to meet the neighbors is working.]

Not really. Just the neighbors.

[she motions with her chin at the food.]

Beef and onion stew, pörkölt, and also sarmale, cabbage with rice and meat. If you are hungry.

[horrifictie]

[ RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - Neighbor, in this case, are the people who live in this building. Meaning you. Though this is a lot of food and a lot of effort. No one just *does* this strictly out of the goodness of their heart, do they? ]

I can't say no to a good hearty meal.

[ he saunters over to the table and examines all the plates. the stew may be a bit too filling for him, it's the sort of meal that could easily lull him into sleep. right now he wants to stay alert. he grabs a fresh plate and picks up the sarmale, only a couple from the batch. ]

Thanks for this. Very kind of you.

[carmesi]

[she smiles at her offer being accepted. she is used to people being a little more wary around her and, really, the other tenants of the flophouse have no reason to trust her so easily. maybe perception really is everything, and it's incredibly encouraging.

pleased that he's taking some sarmale from the pile, she brings another spoonful of stew to her mouth.]

Where I'm from, meals were always eaten together. Not just with family, but with the neighbors, too. Even when we didn't have a lot, it was normal to share what little we did have.

[she can only hope that her walking towards the table to sit down with her bowl is plain enough an invitation to share said meal, if only for a bit.]

I'm Wanda. Got here a few days ago.

[horrifictie]

[ EMPATHY [Medium: Success] - The custom is not so different in Revachol, and in many of the other isolas. Your family has been gone for a long time, and the ones you found among the streets are dead. It has been a long time since you shared a meal. ]

[ he takes her invitation without hesitation, a clear signal between both her words and her walk to the table to come over. he does so, taking the seat across from her with a smile past his beard. ]

Harry. And also came here few days ago. [ he takes another smell of the food, stomach aching for it. ] Where are you from Wanda?

[ this food reminds him of something that would be made in revachol, but he knows not everyone comes from the same... world? he's still wrapping his head around that one. ]

[carmesi]

[she hopes he starts eating; the last thing she wants is for her questions to keep him so immersed in conversation that he can't even satisfy his hunger, should there be any.]

My home was called Sokovia. It does not exist anymore in the maps, absorbed instead by neighboring countries. [so, a home, she doesn't have one anymore. that's why having a home with vision had meant so much, hurt so much.] Though maybe that doesn't sound familiar to you.

[all these different worlds.]

But for the more general answer of what world I'm from... It's a world with superheroes who have powers, and some without them, and bad guys living among us and coming from space, too.

[it's complicated.]

[horrifictie]

[ the concept of a country absorbed by others, erased off the map and incorporated limb by limb to other nations, is not so far-fetched to him. he picks up his food as she explains, taking a bite to chew on it and her words at the same time. it tastes great, and he knows that isn't just the hunger talking.

he continues to eat, chew, listen - wait what did she just say? he swallows, blinks, kind of wishing he had a glass of water for additional effect. ]

Superheroes with powers, and also they come from space.

[ CONCEPTUALIZATION [Challenging: Success] - Yes. Checks out, I see no issues here.
LOGIC [Trivial: Success] - Does *not* check out, all of what she's saying is only reserved for fantastique science fiction. There is no such thing as super-powers.
CONCEPTUALIZATION - That's because you lack the basics of an imagination, square-faced nerd. ]

Well, that's... neat. [ yeah neat, he's going with that for now. he should counter this. ] I come from a world that's being consumed by vapor known as Pale. It covers 70% of the world, and will one day swallow up all living matter.

[ and then he takes another bite of his food. delicious. ]

[carmesi]

[it might all seem hard to believe, but it's normal for her—not just because of who she was acquainted with, but because of who she is, because of the dormant power within her that was neither cast nor bestowed by a shiny stone in a lab.

a brief smile crosses her features at the 'neat' statement. that settles it: it's not familiar to harry, and the words that follow next cement that their worlds are different.]

Sounds horrible.

[because extinction is horrible.]

How did that come to be?

[horrifictie]

No one knows. It wasn't so widespread a few hundreds of years ago, but it's been expanding little by little ever year.

[ true incremental progress, eat your heart out moralists. the pale is terrifying to him, but to everyone else he knows its just basic reality 101. an inevitable end to all things to not think about. ]

Have to say, superpowers sounds much cooler. But... have to imagine it'd be dangerous too. Things are never as fun as in the novels.

[carmesi]

...and there is nothing to be done about it?

[sounds ... strange, and not because she doesn't believe that no one's tried, but because in her world, despite all the bad things that happen, there always seems to be a way to fix things, no matter how bizarre or strange the solutions may be.

wanda cannot imagine the terror of it, either.]

You know what they say, the more powerful someone is, the more powerful the enemy. [a small shrug.] How do you like the sarmale?

[horrifictie]

Oh, it's delicious! [ he says before going for another small bite, giving it a couple chews before down the hatch. ] I'll have to think of a way to repay you later.

[ hmm would she be the sort of lady who would partake in some alcohol? he'll find out later. ]

There's nothing to be done about the Pale. Being exposed... it's a little like being radiated, but by the past. I've never been through it, but I've met those who have. The worst cases live in the present and the past simultaneously, both their own and of others. [ a beat, then a smile. ] Again, superheroes? A lot more cooler. No one can save my world. It's doomed. It has already been foretold.

[ RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - You know, talking about this is really not normal dining conversation right? Most people just talk about the weather or the news. Odder still, she's the one pressing it further. Curious. ]

[carmesi]

[she smiles at that; only way to find out if she'll partake in alcohol is to get it. she won't probably say no to trying.

but the conversation does remain grim. it's not normal dining conversation, no, but it's interesting nonetheless. part of wanda aches, though. she could probably fix it, with her newfound powers.]

To be stuck in time must be torture.

[not quite what she had envisioned when she stole away her own pocket of the world, but certainly a similar concept.]

Yes, cooler. Maybe. [...] It would be nice for the ADI if they had some of those superheroes here, don't you think?

[horrifictie]

[ INLAND EMPIRE [Medium: Success] - It is torture. The sort that follows you everywhere you go, and whoever you become. You cannot kill the past. It clings to you. ]

It would be nice. They would probably solve most of the ADI's issues for them. I'd like to meet a superhero! [ spoken with the sort of wonderment a child would have for the idea. ] Ah well, I doubt we'd be so lucky.

[carmesi]

[it would be nice, if wanda considered herself a hero. it's not really a badge of honor she carries, so...]

Maybe they would just spend hours in a conference room talking about what's morally right and what isn't before actually doing anything.

[you know, politics and all.]

You got any special abilities the ADI told you to stop using?

[horrifictie]

[ RHETORIC [Medium: Success] - Committees for committees. The act of talking so many words and doing so very much all in the name of accomplishing very little. That is the sort of riveting action that goes on in those conference rooms. ]

I don't have any, ah, "special abilities". Unless you count my amazing deductive skills, solving the mysteries of the natural and the supra-natural. [ he smiles, not entirely clear how serious he is. ] I'm a detective back where I'm from. Almost twenty years, basically half my life. For every case I close, five open up. Such is the chaotic nature of reality, Wanda.

[carmesi]

I believe you.

[that reality is chaotic and that the grind never ends, so to speak. but there is a bit that intrigues her—catches her attention exponentially.]

A detective. Bet you have a lot of interesting stories. What's the difference between the two kinds of mysteries?

[horrifictie]

[ he flashes his teeth and leans in, prepared to tell her a dire secret. it will change... absolutely nothing. ]

The difference is when one turns into the other. [ he winks fast then pulls back. ] All things are connected to the para-natural dimensions that are unseen. Luckily I am an investigator into the dark arts that surround us.

[carmesi]

[wow, harry really is like one of the 'uncles' from the neighborhood she grew up in. comfortable, easygoing—wanda finds herself enjoying his company because of the energy he puts out there with his words.]

The dark arts... Like magic?

[another spoonful of soup, looking a little thoughtful.]

I guess you're the right guy to be here in this place, then?

[horrifictie]

[ INLAND EMPIRE [Challenging: Success] - No. Magic is not something you can practice. You do not conjure the dark arts to perform to your whims. But you can stroke the hair of a dead man and hear his soul. This is your gift. Our gift. ]

I'm the right guy to be anywhere I'm needed. That's what being a detective means. [ his grin tempers back, arms crossing over the table with conspiracy. ] I breathe life into things without and speak to those with no voice.

[ everyone doubts him but he knows the truth. it's in him, part of him. ]

[carmesi]

[wanda tilts her head, an amused expression on her face as she considers his words. 'the right guy to be anywhere i'm needed'. she can't tell if that's arrogance or if speaks to how useful his skills are in any given situation.

regardless, she finds no reason to think that he's showing off for the sake of doing so — and so, she leans forward just the same, crossing her arms over the table, welcoming the nature of this conversation and being part of it.

perhaps his statement should come off as more surprising, but wanda just raises a brow.]

You mean the dead?

[she would like to know more!!]

[horrifictie]

[ DRAMA [Trivial: Easy] - Spin your tale, sire. With flair and wit and *panache*! ]

The dead and the inanimate. [ he pats his hand just below his neck, then stops. oh, right, his necktie is gone. cast in fire, a noble sacrifice of a dear friend. harry huffs. ] Well, only when there's a corpse. It lets me... channel.

[ yeah, channel, he'll go with that! ]

[carmesi]

[channel, the medium of by which a spirit communicates with the living realm. wanda has seen and heard of people who claim to do so, but she's not too quick to dismiss such a claim.]

Sounds like it would come in incredibly handy in your job. Can't imagine it's too pleasant.

[horrifictie]

No, it isn't.

[ dead bodies, people who aren't who they say they are, so many lies to comb through. sometimes it angers him, and other times it hurts him. his job sucks. ]

But enough about me. What about you? Any powers? Checkered past? Or you just an ordinary woman making delicious food for the public?

[carmesi]

[of course it wouldn't be, and it makes sense that he wouldn't want to get into it. she moves her spoon around the last of the soup on her bowl, thoughtful for a moment (though she smiles at the comment about delicious food).]

When it was just me and my twin brother, I would cook for the two of us. He was always so hungry.

[she sets the spoon down, leans back on the chair—an amount of distance between herself and the table.]

I've been called a witch before. [raising her hand, a small spark of red dances between her fingers, disappearing in a fizzle. accessing her powers, her magic, has been quite the ordeal. harry has trusted her with his own skillset, and she feels she can trust him; he inspires an amount of genuine thought, at least.] So I guess... magic is my power.

[horrifictie]

[ INLAND EMPIRE [Medium: Success] - Ok, wow! Woooow! You know what, forget everything I said before. This is much, much more impressive than what you can do. Can you make things sparkle with a flick of your fingers? No. She's the real deal. A whole different level.

(Hang on, I can talk to the dead and the voiceless! I'm the real deal too.)

INLAND EMPIRE - What *you* are is insane. ]

So, hang on - you're a witch? Like a real witch? [ his face slacks, completely in awe. ] Can you... can you turn people into frogs? Can you make *me* a frog?

I HATE HIM,

[carmesi]

[she blinks a couple of times at his questions—those are a lot of questions, buddy—hardly giving them any thought before she gives him a pretty amused look.]

That's a very specific request.

[could she turn him into a frog?]

I guess I could turn you into one. Wouldn't that be pretty terrible?

[(but also, it's a little wild to think that here he is, seemingly in awe over her being a witch, whereas everyone who does know her as the scarlet witch cower in fear of what she's done.)]

Keep it between us, though. It's not like I can fully use my powers anyway.