[OPEN] Can the city forgive;

[mindbend]

Who: Wanda Maximoff & you!
Where: Training Center & Magic Training Room
When: 10/21
Rating: PG?
Summary: Slowly but steadily, Wanda is learning to trust herself and her powers as well as her teammates, but there's always room for more practice.
The Story:

[The morning of the 21st finds Wanda in the Training Center shortly after breakfast. It's still empty when she gets there, although she's sure it won't stay that way for long-- she expects people to trickle in throughout the course of the day, teammates and other Wonderland residents alike, but she likes it best when it's quiet. Over time, she's improved when it comes to working with her teammates, but she still feels safest when she has the opportunity to practice alone. She hasn't had any accidents since arriving in Wonderland, but she still doesn't quite trust herself-- or how much stronger her powers seem to be than she first realized.

She spends the better part of the morning training with the targets provided, flinging hex bolts of various sizes and strengths, testing and aiming to refine her control over distance and impact as well as aim. Steve was right when he told her that she would learn more when there was another party involved, especially when it came to having to think on her feet, but she maintains that there are certain things she can only do by herself, things that can only be properly tested and practiced in a controlled environment.

Late in the morning, one of her bolts goes rogue and damages one of the dummies she'd been practicing on more severely than she'd intended. Grimacing, she levitates the target itself from its post and detaches it, bringing it to her rather than walking over to investigate, turning it over in mid-air before she passes a hand over its body, focusing until the metal itself begins to bend itself back into shape, mending.

The rest of her training goes mostly without incident, and after lunch she dips into the Magic Training Room. While she doesn't have any lessons planned with Billy today, she's been meaning to take the time to spend an hour or two looking through some of the books in the collection he's assembled during his time in Wonderland. As it turns out, she ends up staying there for the better part of the afternoon, and can be found either perusing the shelves, investigating potion reagents, or sitting in front of the fire with one of the books she's helped herself to.]

Comments

[mindbend]

Not well. She was assisting Steve in building the new team back home.

[Which meant she'd been through some training under Natasha, but otherwise they had been wary of one another-- something they would grow past given time, Wanda assumed, though Wonderland hadn't given them the chance.]

She vanished not long after I arrived here. There was not much time to get to know one another.

[araneidal]

[ She nods. ]

The new team? [ frowning, ] What happened to the old one?

[ Steve only said Loki, and Ultron. Was it that much worse? ]

[mindbend]

Many of its members have gone their separate ways-- for a time.

[There's no telling how long it will stick. Personally, she doesn't think Stark will be able to stay away from the Avengers for long, though she can't speak for the rest.]

In need of a well-deserved break, I think.

[araneidal]

But not you.

[ She nods, to the dummies, and raises a quizzical brow. ]

[mindbend]

[Wanda shakes her head in reply. No, not her.]

I have a great deal of work to do if I want to prove myself to be a real asset to the team.

[araneidal]

[ Wanda's not aware of her own power, then, or of its real use. She is waiting to be built — there's a few pieces Natasha could put in that'd help. A chance she didn't have at home, and was too late after No more mutants. She tucks her hands behind her back; a pose that's deceptively girlish. ]

Shall we work, then?

[mindbend]

[The offer seems to surprise her, and she raises both eyebrows in response, far more childish and unsure in her own reactions than the Wanda Natasha knows.]

You are willing?

[She supposes that even though they're from separate worlds, here they are still teammates, just as the others are regardless of origin. They all serve a common goal.]

Yes. I would-- I would like that.

[araneidal]

[ She hums. ]

We're both Avengers. Let's see what you can do.

[mindbend]

[Wanda nods, squaring her shoulders before summoning up another of her own brand of hex bolts, letting the energy hover and twist above splayed fingers, not wanting to unleash it entirely without warning.]

The other Wanda, the one you know-- she does this as well?

[araneidal]

She isn't you.

[ Which is to say: Natasha will judge her on her own merits, as she herself would want to be. Plus, she herself isn't certain of the capabilities of Wanda's powers. ]

[mindbend]

[That earns just the barest hint of a crooked smile in reply.]

Sometimes it is nice to be reminded. With her sons here, it is sometimes hard to keep that in sight.

[araneidal]

You should tell them you know. They're good kids.

[mindbend]

I plan to.

[At... some point.]

I'm just not sure how to begin.

[araneidal]

Asking if there's something they'd like you to know is a good start.

[ She shrugs, minutely. ]

Let's see what you can do, then.

[mindbend]

It sounds easy. I imagine it will not feel so easy when the time comes.

[But Natasha is right. She has to tell them.

She shifts her weight back, resting most of it on her left foot as she does what Natasha directs, letting energy pull itself together at her fingertips, enveloping her hands in a deep red glow, continually shifting, restless.]

Give me a target.

[araneidal]

[ Everything does — that's life. She doesn't need to tell Wanda that, and instead points at one of the dummies. ]

[mindbend]

[She nods, redirecting her attention as noted, taking aim to let a bolt loose with a flick of her wrist-- it hits its mark and quickly disperses, though the dummy is certainly worse for wear as a result.]

[araneidal]

[ Nobody can accuse Wanda of not being strong enough. Natasha inspects the damage, then turns to her. ]

I have a few small throwing stars; I'll throw them at you, destroy as many as you like. There's always more from the cupboard.