Chapter 117: Making Friends
24th February 2006, New York City
(Wanda Maximoff POV)
“Ah, Ms. Maximoff, I was afraid you’d gotten lost.”
Here in front of her was her guardian, Jasmine Sayre. Wanda knew that expression on her face, this was her teaching face. She’s very strict when she’s teaching, especially when it comes to magic.
Wanda just nodded, used to her strict tone. She looked around and found that her class was the same as the X-men and the brotherhood. Pietro was absolutely gaping at her, his eyes as wide as saucers.
“Alright class, this is your new transfer student, Wanda Maximoff. I hope you’ll get along well.”
Wanda ignored the curious stares of her new classmates and tried to forget Pietro’s horrified gaze. He really was terrified of her. Some of the students noticed that they had the same last name and were looking at him to confirm their relation.
The teenaged witch looked at her teacher imploringly, begging for a way out of the awkward situation. Wanda could feel her guardian’s amusement from there. Damn it, she won’t get any help from there. To avoid anymore awkwardness, Wanda found the closest available seat and made her way there. It was next to the redhead X-men, Jean Grey.
With that done, class continued, “Alright, last time we started up on the events of the second world war, especially against the Hydra branch. Is there anyone who can tell me what Hydra actually is?”
A few people raised their hands, Wanda knew the answer but felt uncomfortable looking like a know it all on her first day of school. Thankfully, Jasmine didn’t call her out on it, “Ms. Jackson,” she gestured towards the black haired kid in the corner who was raising her hand.
The boy answered, “Hydra was an authoritarian paramilitary-subversive terrorist organization that came into existence shortly after the rise of Nazism in Germany under the leadership of Johann Schmidt as the scientific branch of the Nazi party. During World War Two, Schmidt, who named himself the Red Skull, separated HYDRA from Nazi Germany to start his own conquest of the world. The organization was later stopped by Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America.”
Jasmine nodded, “A textbook answer, Ms. Jackson. But that’s all well and good, but Hydra is an organization that included thousands of people. Captain America did not eradicate Hydra by attacking one outpost, he simply cut of the head so to speak, before his untimely death. The rest was hunted by the combined efforts of the SSR, the CIA and MI6 for decades later. Now let’s talk about economical ramifications of Hydra’s destruction…”
Wanda was surprised how much she paid attention to Jasmine during class. She had been taught all of this during their sessions but the teenager realized how much her guardian was in her element when she was teaching. It was different that their apprenticeship. Don’t get her wrong, Jasmine was an amazing Master but seeing her teaching an entire class, keeping everyone engaged, it made her see just how good a teacher she is. History is a frankly boring class, but every single student was paying attention to what she was saying. It was beautiful.
And just like that, the lesson was over. It went through very quickly. She had barely noticed the time pass. She got up; it was time for lunch.
The witch walked towards the cafeteria. She had refused to bring a lunch box since people her age seem to prefer eating the school lunch, and then complain on how bad it tastes. Wanda doesn’t understand it much, but that’s what happens on TV.
Wanda stood in line and paid using her allowance, which was a ridiculous amount, if she was honest with herself. Did Jasmine just don’t care about money at all?
Anyway, with her lunch in hand, Wanda looked around her to sit somewhere. Not actually knowing anyone, she chose to sit at an empty table in the back and started to eat in silence. The food was as disgusting as it was advertised. But Wanda had no one to complain to; she was alone. The teenaged witch had no idea how to actually start talking to someone her age. How the hell is she supposed to make friends?
Suddenly, another person sat down next to her. It was the redhead again, Jean Grey. They had somewhat similar powers, at least the telepathy and telekinesis part, at least.
“Mind if I join you?” the redhead asked.
Wanda simply nodded. Damn, why was she nervous? This was just another girl that wanted to talk to her.
“I don’t know if you remember but my name is Jean Grey.”
“Wanda Maximoff,” the witch replied.
“Any relation to Pietro?”
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“We’re twins.”
The answer seemed to have stupefied her, “I didn’t know that. Why didn’t you stay together?”
Before she could say anything, Jean interrupted her, “Sorry for prying, that was rude.”
Wanda didn’t realize that she was frowning. “You just surprised me, that’s all. Pietro and I, we used to be inseparable, you know. But then, we got our powers. I just couldn’t control mine and hurt him. Our father deemed me as a lost cause and decided that it would be better to lock me up instead. I stayed there until Jasmine rescued me.”
Why had she said that? Why was she confessing to what is basically a stranger?
As she was berating herself, Jean answered, “Damn, that’s rough. Jasmine helped me too, you know. I was kinda trapped in my own head, the Professor was scared because I was really powerful when I was a kid, he tried to lock my powers in my head, but ended up locking me up too. I was like a puppet. Almost went crazy when the bindings were destroyed. But she was able to control me, and give me something to help me control my powers. I guess we have that in common.”
Wait, what? Wanda knew that the redhead was offered to be Jasmine’s student but she didn’t know the specifics. The teenaged witch couldn’t help but draw a comparison between the two of them. Both of them had problems in their heads, both of them had little control over their powers, both of them were saved by Jasmine. The only main difference was the fact that Wanda had accepted Jasmine’s offer of apprenticeship while Jean didn’t. And Wanda was a full blown witch while Jean was a mutant. But there was something more to it. Jasmine would never offer someone to be her apprentice if they weren’t special. Being a telepath and a telekinetic while rare, is not enough for someone of Jasmine’s caliber to pay attention to them. Wanda had her reality manipulation magic which was an absolute cheat, if she could say so herself. If she’s able to fully control it, that is. Wanda had seen what Jasmine could do with reality magic and it absolutely blew her mind.
Wanda replied, “I guess we do.”
Jean asked again, “What’s she like really? I didn’t accept her offer because she scared the living hell out of me. I don’t regret my answer, my current teacher is amazing, but I always wondered, what if I said yes?”
Wanda unconsciously smiled, “She’s amazing. She knows so much, about everything really. She could so things you couldn’t imagine. She’s really nice, very kind. She just understands, you know. I learnt so much, but I know it’s just a drop in the ocean of what she could actually teach me. But I don’t think you would have benefited of her teaching as much as I did”
Jean looked at her, with her eyes narrowed, “And why is that?”
Wanda shrugged, “Your powers. Don’t get me wrong, Jasmine is a master of telekinesis and telepathy, but that’s all you could learn from her. You would only learn just a small smidgen of her skill. Mine and Jasmine’s powers are a lot more diverse.”
“Ah, so you’re a witch like her too.”
Huh, what? What does she know? How does she know that?
The redhead chuckled at her alarmed face, “Don’t worry about it. Jasmine told me that she was a witch. I just assumed you would be one too since you said that your powers were similar to her.”
Wanda relaxed, so she hadn’t broken the statute of secrecy thing, “You scared me there for a moment…”
“Is magic really that hard?”
Wanda nodded, “I’m just starting to learn but from what I understand, mutants use their powers instinctively. Magic doesn’t work like that. You have to understand what you’re doing. It’s a lot more exhausting, mentally and magically. You’re not as efficient with your energy as a mutant. It really depends on your affinities. Like mutants, every mage is different, after all.”
“Really, so what can you do, with your magic, that is.”
“Not much. My affinity is very dangerous and very hard to control. I have been focusing on the telekinesis aspect of it to build up my control. You chose to focus on your telepathy, right? Your telekinesis was strong, but nowhere as diverse or powerful as it should be.”
The redhead mutant nodded, “Yeah. Telepathy is the more dangerous one if I lose control. Telekinesis can be fought, telepathy, on the other hand, can be only be fought by another telepath.”
“That’s all well and good, but you are a member of the X-men, right?” at Jean’s nod, Wanda continued, “with how technology is going, a lot of people have gadgets that stop telepaths. And a lot of metal don’t let psionic energy through them, which means that they can use them to stop you. If they want to wear and ugly metal helmet, that is. You saw with the Juggernaut. Your telepathy was useless there and you had to rely with your mediocre telekinesis. It wasn’t bad, per se. But you could have done a lot better in that fight. Telekinesis is your main attacking power, so don’t neglect it.”
Jean nodded at the witch’s wisdom, “Yeah, I asked Dr. Strange to up my training for my telekinesis. Thank you by the way. You saved me from the Juggernaut. I would have ended up as a pancake without you.”
Wanda smiled and nodded once more. This wasn’t so hard. Talking to people her age wasn’t as bad as she thought would be. Shit, what is supposed to say now. Why was she panicking. Why is she overthinking this?
While she was having her inner meltdown, another girl sat down next to Jean, “Hey Jean. What are you doing all the way over there?” the girl noticed Wanda sitting next to them, “Oh, hey. You’re the new student. Aren’t you the one who came with Ms. Sayre when she beat the Juggernaut?”
“Yeah, I’m Wanda.”
“Kitty. You were so awesome out there. Your powers look amazing. You just threw him in the air like he was nothing.”
Wanda smiled at this, “Yeah, I could have beaten him, if he didn’t power up in the middle of the fight.”
“Power up?” Kitty titled her head, confused. She looked like an adorable puppy looking like this.
Stifling her laughter, Wanda answered, “His powers came from the gem that connected him to some sort of God. I’m not sure on the specifics. But when he noticed that I could beat him, he asked for more powers or something. He suddenly started glowing and was a lot stronger and faster. Stupid cheater. Anyway, you can go through stuff, right?”
Kitty nodded, proud of her powers, “Yeah, no wall can stop the mighty Kitty Pryde.” She exclaimed in an exaggerated manner.
“You could be like the ultimate spy. Like the American girl version of James Bond.” Wanda returned.
“The name is Pryde, Kitty Pryde.”
The three girls burst into laughter.
“You know what, Wanda. You’re really fun.” Kitty exclaimed, “From now on, the three of us are friends. No, not just friends, the best of friends in the world.”
Friends, she never thought that she’d ever had any. She always assumed that she would be alone for as long as she lived.
Wanda grinned brightly, “Yes, Friends.”
Jean nodded, also smiling, “Friends.”
Huh, she had friends now. Wanda liked the sound of that.