"So a witch is chasing you?" Tony asked while leaning back in his chair.
"I have a genuine doubt. Do witches actually look ugly like they do in movies, or do they also look normal?"
America Chavez stared at him.
She had fallen through a portal into a completely unfamiliar universe, was being chased across realities by one of the most terrifying people she had ever met, and somehow this man was asking about what witches looked like.
More importantly, both of them seemed far too calm. America looked between Tony and Luke. What the hell was going on with these two?
"Although she looks like a normal woman," America said, "she's crazy powerful and completely psychotic."
Tony nodded thoughtfully. "Good to know."
Luke, meanwhile, was thinking about something else. There weren't many witches in the multiverse capable of causing this much trouble — that narrowed the possibilities considerably.
"Hmm." He folded his arms. "It seems she really did a number on you."
America immediately looked annoyed. "She chased me through multiple universes."
Luke continued thinking. It could be Agatha Harkness, although that seemed unlikely.
Agatha was powerful, but not powerful enough to make someone run across multiple universes in terror. Which left another possibility — one Luke honestly hoped wasn't true.
"Does this witch look like this?"
An image appeared in the air. Wanda Maximoff.
America's eyes widened the moment she saw it. "Yes." She pointed at the projection without hesitation.
"That's her."
The room went quiet. Tony turned his attention toward the floating image.
For some reason, neither man looked particularly surprised — which made America increasingly concerned. If these two already knew the woman chasing her, things were about to become considerably more complicated.
Tony looked at the image before turning toward Luke. "So this is another version of her from another universe?"
"Yes. Wanda's case is a little special."
"How special?"
"She is naturally prone to falling toward the dark side if she isn't guided properly."
America immediately paid attention to that. Considering what she had experienced, it sounded frighteningly accurate.
"How much dark side?" Tony asked.
"Well, totally crazy villain type who can destroy planets."
America felt that description was far too casual. The way Luke said it made it sound like he was discussing the weather.
She slowly raised her hand. "Ummm... don't you think calling someone who can destroy planets a little special is understating things?"
Tony nodded. "Fair point." America looked relieved that at least one person seemed reasonable. Then Tony pointed toward Luke. "Although in his defense, his standards are a little different from ours."
America wasn't sure if that made things better or worse. Then another question came to mind.
"Wait." Her gaze shifted toward Luke. "You know this woman?"
Tony spoke before Luke could answer. "Well, he knows her pretty well." America suddenly had a bad feeling. "She'll soon be his wife."
America's expression froze. She slowly turned toward Luke. Then toward the image. Then back toward Luke again.
Her brain was working very hard to process what she had just heard.
America felt her entire worldview take psychic damage.
"...What?"
"Different Wanda," Tony said, pointing at the image. Then at Luke. "His Wanda."
America continued staring. The explanation did absolutely nothing to help. She lowered her head into her hands. "Is my luck really this bad?"
"Well, you couldn't have been more lucky than coming here," Tony said, pointing toward Luke. "This guy can solve almost any problem."
America looked at Luke. She didn't look very convinced. From her perspective, he looked more like an actor than someone capable of fighting the witch that had been chasing her. The white hair certainly didn't help.
Luke immediately noticed her expression. "Don't think of me as some pretty face."
America's eyes widened. "You can read minds?" She instinctively stepped back.
"Yes, but I don't need to read your mind for that." He pointed at her face. "It was written all over your expression."
America looked embarrassed. "Sorry, but she's really strong. You really don't understand."
Tony folded his arms. "Can she throw concentrated lightning attacks with temperatures comparable to the core of the Sun?"
"No."
"Can she create black holes and make them move at light speed?"
"No."
America looked at Luke. She still wasn't convinced.
Luke noticed immediately. "Well, I can help you solve your problem peacefully."
"Peacefully?"
"That's usually the preferred option."
Tony looked doubtful at that statement but didn't comment.
"And it's not easy to cross dimensions," Luke continued, his expression becoming thoughtful. "She shouldn't be able to follow you into this universe so easily."
America frowned. "But she's been chasing me through universes."
"That's because you were opening the portals."
America paused. That was technically true — every universe she had visited had been reached through her own powers.
"Besides, this universe isn't exactly normal." Luke folded his arms.
As for the possibility of dreamwalking, he wasn't particularly concerned. The Wanda of this universe might not look special from the outside, but her Chaos Magic was considerably stronger than versions that existed in many other realities.
If another Wanda tried using dreamwalking to hijack her body, it would be like trying to force open a door already being held shut from the other side. It simply wasn't going to work.
"So you might as well relax."
America stared at him. Relaxing was not something she had done in a very long time. She had spent months running — every time she thought she was safe, another monster appeared. Every time she found a place to rest, she had to leave again.
*****
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