Timeline Twist

The next day, Jon and Pietro arrived at the sleek, modern office building that housed Jon's burgeoning investment company. It was in a bustling part of the city, a stark contrast to the quiet seclusion of the villa. Pietro, dressed in new, stylish clothes Jon had provided, looked like a sharp, if slightly restless, young professional.

Inside, the office was minimalist and high-tech, with glass partitions and sleek, dark furniture. Elara Vance was already at her desk, a whirlwind of focused energy, her auburn hair still pulled back in that no-nonsense ponytail. She looked up as they entered, her intelligent hazel eyes assessing Pietro with a keen, professional curiosity.

"Elara, this is Pietro," Jon said, a casual hand on Pietro's shoulder. "He'll be joining our team. Pietro, this is Elara, our lead analyst. She's incredibly sharp, so listen to what she says." He gave Elara a subtle, knowing look. "Pietro won't be working directly in the main office much, but he'll be assisting you with... information gathering and logistics. He's got a knack for getting things done quickly." Jon had already stressed to Pietro the importance of not using his super speed in a way that would draw attention, especially around the company or the villa. No blur-runs through the lobby, please.

Elara offered a polite, if slightly reserved, smile. "Pleased to meet you, Pietro. Welcome aboard." She then turned her attention back to Jon, a subtle question in her eyes. "Mr. Thorne, you mentioned prioritizing something yesterday?"

"Ah, yes," Jon said, leaning against her desk, his voice dropping slightly. "I need you to start gathering comprehensive information on Stark Industries. Specifically, I want to understand all of their major connections, their key suppliers, their biggest clients, their political ties, their major investors, even any smaller shell companies or subsidiaries they might control. Think of it as mapping their entire network of influence. This is for a private investment strategy I'm developing, and I need it as soon as possible. It's top priority."

Elara's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Stark Industries? That's a massive undertaking. And 'private investment' to 'understand all connections' sounds less like a typical investment strategy and more like... a hostile takeover, or something even more intrusive. She didn't voice her doubts, however. Her professional instincts screamed caution, but Jon's unconventional approach had already proven surprisingly effective, and his calm confidence was infectious. Plus, the pay was certainly motivating. "Understood, Mr. Thorne. It's a significant task, but I'll begin immediately. Pietro, if you could assist me with data retrieval and information delivery, that would be greatly appreciated." Her tone was polite, but firm, clearly setting the expectation for Pietro.

Pietro, sensing the professional shift, just gave a quick nod. "Sure thing, Elara. Just tell me what you need." He looked eager, clearly ready for action that wasn't about running for his life.

Jon watched them for a moment, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips. Good. Elara's sharp, she'll get it done. And Pietro will definitely speed things up. With a final nod, he turned to leave. "I'll be back later. Keep me updated."

Jon then headed back to the unassuming flat he'd rented near the company office. It was a simple, functional place, a perfect cover. From here, he could open a portal back to his villa without anyone in the city suspecting he lived miles away. He stepped into the small living room, the air still, a stark contrast to the bustling office. With a familiar twist of his hands, golden sparks flared, and a shimmering portal opened, leading him directly into the quiet, wooded sanctuary of his villa.

He stepped through, the portal closing softly behind him. He immediately went looking for Wanda. He found her in the back of the villa, near the edge of the woods, leaning against a large oak tree. She was gazing off into the distance, her posture slumped, a deep thoughtfulness etched on her face. She looked... sad. The quiet peace of the villa hadn't entirely erased the shadows in her eyes.

Jon approached her slowly, deliberately, not wanting to startle her. "Hey," he said softly, stopping a few feet away. "Everything alright? You look a bit down."

Wanda startled slightly, turning her head. Her gaze met his, and for a moment, a flicker of that raw pain he'd seen in the mountains returned. But then, she seemed to consciously push it down, a practiced deflection. "I'm fine," she said, her voice quiet. She then shifted the topic, her eyes gaining a spark of their earlier intensity. "Can we... can we start? With the magic?"

Jon understood. She wasn't ready to talk about the deeper emotional wounds yet. Fair enough. Some things take time. And trust. I haven't really earned that level of intimacy yet. He wouldn't pry. Not now. He just nodded, a gentle smile on his face. "Absolutely. Let's do it."

They moved to a secluded clearing deeper in the villa's woods, away from any windows or prying eyes. Jon knew the traditional Kamar-Taj way of teaching, with its strict disciplines, ancient texts, and years of meditation, was incredibly effective for most. But Wanda wasn't 'most.' Her power was raw, emotional, instinctual. Trying to force her into rigid forms would be like trying to bottle a hurricane. He needed a different approach, one that acknowledged her unique connection to magic.

"Alright, Wanda," Jon began, standing opposite her. "Forget everything you think you know about 'superpowers.' This isn't about strength or speed. It's about will. About intention. About connecting with the unseen forces that shape reality." He didn't bother with ancient chants or complex hand movements at first. Instead, he focused on explaining how her power worked, the mechanics of it, the underlying principles. "Your emotions are like a conduit, Wanda. They don't just fuel your magic, they are your magic. But you need to learn to direct that flow, to control the river, not just be swept away by its current."

He started with direct visualization. "Think of something simple. Something you want to move. Not with brute force, but with your mind, with your will. Feel the energy inside you, that crimson hum. Now, imagine it extending, reaching out, touching that object."

Wanda closed her eyes, her brow furrowed in concentration. A faint red glow emanated from her hands, flickering uncertainly. A nearby pebble trembled, then lifted an inch off the ground before dropping with a soft clink.

"Good!" Jon encouraged, a genuine excitement in his voice. "Now, hold it. Keep that focus. Don't let your emotions overwhelm the intention."

He then moved to the 'why' and the 'dangers.' "Every action has a ripple, Wanda. Especially with this kind of power. If you lash out in anger, that anger becomes part of the spell, twisting it, making it unpredictable. If you use it to force someone's will, you're not just moving their body, you're messing with their mind, their very essence. It's a slippery slope, and it can consume you." He demonstrated, not with a dark spell, but by showing how a simple telekinetic push, if not precisely controlled, could shatter instead of move. He created a small, shimmering illusion of a fragile glass, then with a slight tremor of his hand, made it explode into countless shards, emphasizing the destructive potential even in basic manipulation.

Wanda, to his delight, was a natural. She absorbed his explanations, her mind like a sponge. Her progress was remarkable. Within days, she was not just lifting pebbles, but small rocks, making them float and dance around her with increasing control. Her crimson energy, while still raw, gained a new sense of purpose. She began to understand the subtle nuances of her power, how a shift in emotion could change the intensity of her telekinesis, or how focusing on a specific thought could make her mental intrusions more precise. Jon watched her, a deep satisfaction growing within him. She's a prodigy. A true force of nature, just waiting to be honed.

After they stopped for the day, the sun dipping below the tree line, painting the sky in fiery hues, Jon didn't want to just retreat. This was his chance. He wanted to know more about her, beyond the magic, beyond the trauma. He knew she needed a distraction, something to pull her away from the heavy thoughts of Sokovia.

"That was amazing today, Wanda," Jon said, walking beside her as they headed back towards the villa, his voice light and encouraging. "You're picking this up incredibly fast. It's... impressive." He glanced at her, a quick, subtle look, admiring the way the fading light caught in her hair.

Wanda gave a small, almost shy smile. "It's... different. But it feels right. Like it's always been there." She paused, then, as if the compliment had opened a small door, she continued, her voice softer, more reflective. "After... after our parents died, it was just Pietro and me. We lived in the streets, in abandoned buildings. Every day was about finding food, staying warm, avoiding trouble. We hated Stark, hated the world. We thought... the experiments would give us the power to make them pay. To make things right." Her voice trailed off, a familiar sadness creeping back into her eyes. "But then... we saw. It was all a lie. Hydra. They used us. Used our pain." She looked at the ground, a deep sigh escaping her. "It's like... the reason we lived, the reason we fought... it's gone. What's left?"

Jon stopped, gently placing a hand on her arm. "What's left is you, Wanda. And Pietro. And a chance to build something new. Something real. Not based on lies or revenge." He squeezed her arm lightly, then let go, walking slowly again. "You know, before all... this," he gestured vaguely at the sky, "my life was pretty normal. Boring, even. I worked a regular job, lived in a regular apartment. My biggest worry was probably what to have for dinner." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "What about you? Before... everything. What did you like to do?"

Wanda looked surprised by his question, a faint, almost imperceptible smile touching her lips. "Before? I liked to draw. Simple things. Flowers, people in the market. And Pietro... he always made me laugh. We used to steal apples from the market, just for fun, and run away as fast as he could. He was always so fast." A wistful note entered her voice. "And you? What did you like to do, Jon, when life was... boring?"

Jon smiled, a genuine warmth spreading through him. This is good. This is real. "Well, I liked reading. A lot. And trying out new recipes, even if I wasn't always great at cooking. And I loved watching old movies, the ones where the good guys always won, no matter what." He paused, a playful glint in his eye. "What about movies? Any favorites?"

Wanda actually laughed, a soft, melodic sound he hadn't heard from her before. "Movies? We didn't have many. But there was one, an old American one, about a cowboy who was super fast with a gun. Pietro loved it. He always said he was going to be like him." She looked at him, her gaze lingering for a moment, a hint of curiosity and something else, something softer, in her eyes.

Jon met her gaze, a subtle, almost imperceptible warmth spreading through him. He found himself holding her gaze a moment longer than necessary, a quiet appreciation for her presence, for this shared, simple moment. He felt a growing attraction to her, a pull that went beyond the powerful witch he knew she would become. It was the quiet strength, the vulnerability, the unexpected humor. He wanted to know every story she had, every thought, every feeling. He wanted to be there for her, to help her heal, to see that fragile hope bloom into something strong and beautiful.

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