Chapter 46: The Art Of Not Taking Things Seriously
The heavy air in the crumbling Ten Rings base seemed to still as Commander Reinhardt leveled his vibrostaff at Wanda Maximoff. The weapon hummed with energy, vibrating with deadly intent. Behind Wanda, Natasha Romanoff leaned casually against a crate, her pistols holstered, a smirk playing on her lips.
"Go on," Natasha said, her tone light. "Show me what you've got, Maximoff. No magic, no Fracture. Just the scepter."
Wanda glanced over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "You're just going to sit there and watch?"
"Think of it as a pop quiz," Natasha replied, her smirk widening. "Besides, I'm curious how far your training has come. And who knows? Maybe you'll impress me."
Commander Reinhardt narrowed his eyes. "You're letting her fight alone?"
Natasha shrugged. "She's resourceful. You should be worried."
Wanda twirled the Chitauri Scepter in her hand, her crimson eyes glowing faintly. "She's just here for the show," Wanda said with a sly smile. "Let's see if you're entertaining enough."
Reinhardt lunged first, his vibrostaff slicing through the air with a deafening hum. Wanda sidestepped, the vibrations from the staff cracking the floor where she had stood moments before. She countered with a sharp thrust of the scepter, its energy clashing against the staff in a burst of light.
"Not bad," Natasha called out, her arms crossed. "But your footwork needs work. You're leaning too far forward."
Wanda gritted her teeth as she parried another blow. "Maybe you should get in here and show me how it's done."
"Oh, I will," Natasha replied, her grin playful. "Later."
Reinhardt swung the vibrostaff in a wide arc, forcing Wanda to duck and roll. She came up behind him, aiming a quick jab at his back, but he spun, deflecting the attack with a sharp twist of his staff. The vibrations sent a shockwave through the air, making Wanda stumble.
"Your form is sloppy," Reinhardt sneered. "Didn't anyone teach you how to fight properly?"
"I'm working on it," Wanda shot back, her voice tight. She adjusted her grip on the scepter, her movements becoming more calculated. Reinhardt pressed his advantage, striking with relentless precision. Wanda deflected most of his attacks but felt each blow rattle through her arms.
Natasha's voice rang out again. "You're doing fine. Just stop relying on brute strength. Use the staff's energy to guide your movements."
Wanda huffed, her breath coming faster. "If you're so smart, maybe you should come over here and—"
"Only if you ask nicely," Natasha interrupted with a teasing smile.
Reinhardt growled, his strikes growing more erratic as Wanda started to adapt. She parried one blow, then another, using the scepter's energy to counter his attacks. He swung low, aiming for her legs, but Wanda leaped over the strike, landing lightly on her feet.
"Getting tired?" Wanda asked, her tone mocking.
"You're insufferable," Reinhardt snapped, swinging wildly. Wanda dodged with ease, spinning the scepter in her hand like a dancer twirling a baton.
"You're getting there," Natasha called out, her tone maddeningly calm. "But you really should work on your stance. You're too stiff."
Wanda smirked, her voice turning flirtatious. "Maybe you could use your body later to show me how it's done?"
Natasha raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Careful, Maximoff. I might take you up on that."
Reinhardt let out a strangled roar, his frustration boiling over. "You're not taking this fight seriously at all, are you?"
Wanda and Natasha exchanged a glance, then said in unison, "Not really."
Reinhardt stepped back, his chest heaving with rage. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, shiny red button attached to a remote. His grin was wide and maniacal.
"You insolent fools!" he bellowed. "In all my years as a loyal Hydra commander, I have never been so disrespected! If I can't even be taken seriously as a villain, then I'll take this entire base—and both of you—with me!"
He held the button aloft dramatically, clearly savoring the moment.
Natasha sighed loudly, shaking her head. "Aww, man. And here I thought we'd get to blow this place up ourselves. What a waste of explosives."
Reinhardt froze mid-monologue, his finger hovering over the button. He stared at her in disbelief. "You… you two are insane."
Natasha turned to Wanda with a thoughtful look, gently touching her chin. "You know, Maximoff, maybe I've been exposed to a bad influence."
"Maybe," Wanda agreed, her tone light. "But I'd say it's mutual."
Reinhardt's momentary distraction was all Wanda needed. Her crimson eyes glowed as she reached out with her telepathic powers, yanking the remote from his hand with a flick of her fingers. The device floated to her palm, and she crushed it effortlessly, the pieces clattering to the floor.
Reinhardt's face twisted in shock and fury. "You… you—"
"You talk too much," Wanda interrupted, her voice cold. She turned to Natasha with a smirk. "Guess what? We still get to blow the base up."
Natasha grinned, gesturing toward the exit. "Then I suggest we run."
Wanda pulled out the trigger for the explosives that Natasha planted and pressed the button, detonating them.
The two women sprinted through the crumbling corridors as the explosives detonated one by one. Fire and debris rained down around them, the ground shaking beneath their feet. Wanda led the way, the scepter glowing brightly as she cleared obstacles with quick, precise strikes.
Behind them, the muffled sound of Reinhardt's enraged shouts echoed through the collapsing base.
"Do you think he'll make it out?" Wanda asked, glancing at Natasha as they rounded a corner.
"Probably not," Natasha replied, her tone casual. "But honestly? He didn't deserve to."
They burst through the final doorway just as the last explosion ripped through the base, sending a plume of fire and smoke into the night sky. The ground trembled as the facility collapsed inward, burying its secrets forever.
Wanda and Natasha stood side by side, catching their breath as they watched the destruction.
"Well," Natasha said finally, "that was dramatic."
Wanda smirked, twirling the scepter in her hand. "You're welcome."
Natasha chuckled, shaking her head. "Let's just hope Hydra doesn't have any more surprises waiting for us."
"They will," Wanda said, her gaze steady. "But next time, we'll be even more prepared with bigger bombs."
Fracture's voice purred in Wanda's mind. "Beautifully done, Scarlet Queen. But the game is far from over."
Wanda nodded slightly, a determined glint in her eyes. "I know let's see what they throw at us next to blow up. I'm excited "
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