Westview Town is a small but well-equipped place, complete with a playground and a food street that stretches to the town's edge.
At noon, a few shops were open, with sparse guests sitting at scattered tables.
"Mexican food. The owner grew up in Mexico and learned authentic cooking," Finn remarked, settling into his usual seat.
The warm autumn sun filtered through the window, casting a golden glow across his face as he glanced at Wanda, who was quietly eating in front of him.
"I haven't had Mexican food before, but it tastes pretty good," Wanda said, using a fork to eat the food in her plate.
The faint gleam of oil on her lips mirrored the melancholy that lingered in her bewitching eyes, just as it did in the movies.
"Wanda, did you move here for work?" Finn asked directly, sensing the chance for a deeper conversation.
"I... I don't have any plans at the moment. I just want to settle down here," Wanda replied, slightly startled before changing the subject.
"You don't know me?"
"You're an Avenger. I think there are very few people who don't know you," Finn replied honestly.
"I'm not famous, and not all Avengers are popular," Wanda said with a shake of her head.
The years following the events of Endgame had dimmed her fame, and she didn't believe she was particularly well-known anymore.
Her question wasn't one of arrogance but simply an attempt to shift the conversation.
"But all Avengers are heroes, even if sometimes they have no choice in what they do," Finn said softly, noticing how Wanda's grip tightened on her fork.
He was careful with his words, knowing the turmoil she carried inside her.
"Thanks," Wanda replied briefly, her eyes revealing her reluctance to discuss the Avengers further.
"The environment in Westview is nice. I've heard it's a popular vacation spot," wanda offered, steering the topic elsewhere.
"Ahem... that's just a marketing gimmick. Westview isn't as great as it's made out to be," Finn replied, slightly choking on his words.
Others might not notice the undertone, but Finn, with his knowledge of her story, could sense the weight behind it.
Her words felt less like a casual observation and more like the musings of someone in control of the town.
"When I was a kid, I loved sitcoms. The people in them always seemed happy, like they didn't have to cry over life.
Everything always went so well..." Wanda murmured, her beautiful eyes tinged with sadness.
She sighed deeply, the weight of her memories etched across her face.
"Because they were optimistic and yearned for hope," Finn replied, feeling the shift in her mood.
He also noticed the subtle changes in the energy around her, the ripples of Chaos Magic Power responding to her emotions.
He knew her past—the war-torn childhood, the black-and-white sitcoms that brought rare moments of joy.
Even in her darkest moments, her fantasy world had been styled after sitcoms, a desperate cry for happiness and hope.
"Optimism..." Wanda whispered, seemingly lost in her thoughts.
Suddenly, she stood up and quickly wiped her mouth. "Finn, thanks for lunch. I have to go. See you later."
"See you," Finn replied, watching her leave abruptly.
He wanted to follow her, to understand her thoughts better, but he hesitated.
Her actions, along with the timeline of events, suggested that the incident in Westview could happen at any moment.
Yet, rushing after her might only push her further away.
Meanwhile, outside on the empty street, Wanda stretched out her hands.
Chaos Magic glowed faintly in her palms, enveloping her as she rose into the air and disappeared into the sky.
Moments later, she reappeared at a heavily guarded building, patrolled by armed men in black.
She descended and walked straight inside. At the front desk, a man immediately stepped forward, blocking her path.
"I'm sorry, ma'am. You can't enter," he said sternly.
"Step aside," Wanda said coldly, her eyes flickering with a faint reddish glow, the warning clear.
"Let her in," came a low voice from a nearby intercom.
"yes."
The receptionist looked up at Wanda and said slowly, "Go in."
He raised his hand and opened the elevator door.
Wanda was puzzled, looking at the camera above her head with indifferent eyes, she felt that the man knew that she was coming, and also knew what she was going to do here.
But the other party actually let her in..
The other receptionist hesitated but eventually stepped back, gesturing to the elevator.
Wanda was surprised but didn't falter. She stepped inside and descended into the underground facility.
The heavy iron doors opened to reveal a man waiting in the lab's central area.
"Hayward, Director of the S.W.O.R.D. Bureau," he introduced himself, extending a hand with a polite smile.
"What do you want?" Wanda asked warily.
"Please follow me,"
Hayward did not speak directly, but pushed open the door and walked towards the central area of the laboratory.
Wanda behind him was puzzled, but still followed through the special glass door and walked into the exhibition hall.
Then the sound of mechanical disassembly rang in her ears.
Wanda glanced down, then turned to look at Hayward, "What is this, why are you showing me this?"
"Didn't you say it before that you want to see him?"
Hayward responded lightly.
Wanda's heart tightened when she heard this, as if realizing something, she turned around stiffly and looked down.
Mechanical sounds filled the air, and Wanda stopped in her tracks, staring at the scene before her.
It was Vision. Or what was left of him.
His body, lifeless and gray, was being dismantled piece by piece.
High-speed tools disassembled his arms and legs with precision. Wanda's eyes widened in shock, her breath hitching.
"Stop... stop!" she cried, trembling as she took a step closer. "What are you doing?"
"We are dismantling the most sophisticated sentient weapon ever created," Hayward said matter-of-factly.
"Vision is not a weapon. You have no right to do this!" Wanda snapped.
"Legally and morally, we are obligated to," Hayward replied calmly.
"I just want to bury him properly," Wanda pleaded, her voice quivering.
"Are you sure?" Hayward asked, his tone suddenly sharp. "Not everyone has the ability to bring their soulmate back online "
"Sorry, Vision is not yours, and no one can bring him back to life."
"I won't let you take this Vibranium worth two billion dollars and bury it in the soil."
Wanda froze, her eyes fixed on Vision's lifeless form.
Hayward's words cut through her like a knife, his cold logic clashing against her overwhelming grief.
Her eyes glowed faintly red as the chaos within her began to stir.
-__- (*_*)
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I'm editing everything on mobile so if there are any mistakes please let me know