Six • Synergy
The Avengers stood in the HQ watching a large, transparant screen that hung from the ceiling. On it was live footage of the former change ones, each person trapped inside their own small white cell, some pacing, others sitting on the floor with their heads stooped. They looked tired, worn and weak, a far cry from the powerful tyrants that had wreaked havoc on New York City just a day before.
"The guys at the facility wanna know what we think they should do with them," said Rhodey as he stared up at the grainy footage.
Scott thought for a moment. "Well they don't have powers anymore so..."
"Doesn't mean they're not still evil," Hope interjected.
She was wearing her sweats, hair tied back, deep shadows under her eyes. She stepped closer to the screen, bringing herself face to face with the woman who had tortured her with a single touch.
"They shouldn't walk free from this."
"I agree, I say we keep them locked up," said Rhodey. "Plus we might need them to help us find this... entity thing."
"You think they'll tell us anything?" asked Sam.
"Maybe... with the right persuasion."
"That won't be necessary," a voice came from behind them.
They turned around to see Stephen and Juno standing in the doorway.
"Sorry for dropping in like this," said Stephen.
"Portals," Juno added. "Super handy, kinda intrusive."
"What do you mean it won't be necessary?" asked Sam.
"We know where the entity is," Stephen replied. "And we know what it is."
He told them about Mephisto, about the succubus and Spencer's accidental death. The others could see the grief on Juno's face as he explained how it happened, the way she dipped her head and wandered towards the screen, watching the people she had helped capture and eyeing them carefully, almost relieved to see they were okay. They were imprisoned, but they were alive, and they wouldn't be able to harm anyone else.
"So how do we get rid of this thing?" asked Sam.
"That's actually why we're here," replied Stephen. "The only way to destroy a succubus is to attack it from the inside, make it implode on itself. Usually I'd be able to do it alone, but this one's been growing for too long; it's too big, too powerful."
"Destroy it from the inside." Scott thought for a moment. "So we could like... send in a bomb?"
"Kind of," said Juno.
They all looked at her, and one by one the dots began to connect.
"You're going inside that thing?" asked Bruce as he sat at the back of the room, still weak and recovering from the attack.
She nodded. "I think I can destroy it. But I need help."
"What do you need us to do?"
"Not you guys, just her." Her eyes flitted to Wanda.
"Why not us?" asked Scott.
"Because I can't make a blast strong enough by myself, and let's face it, she's the most powerful avenger by a landslide."
The rest of them grumbled quietly, almost offended.
"And her powers are connected to the mind stone." She turned to Wanda. "That's why you can feel it, why we can feel each other, it's why you're able to destroy it." She paused, glancing over at Stephen for reassurance. "I think there might be a way for you to amplify my powers."
Wanda furrowed her brow, as if she could predict Juno's words before they had even formed on her tongue. "You want me to charge you up?" she almost laughed. "Jump start you like a car battery? It's ridiculous."
"Completely ridiculous. But I think it could work..."
"Juno, I don't think you realise how dangerous my powers are."
"I know it's risky. But I really feel like this'll work... we've done it before." She took a step closer. "That day when you guys captured me and put me in that machine, you shot a beam of light right into the stone. If you wanted to kill me, you could've done it right there in the street. But you were able to control how much energy you used. And right before I blacked out, I felt my powers intensify. I know you felt it too."
"This is insane."
"If it was insane would he be agreeing with me?" She gestured to Stephen.
"I don't like the idea," he said. "But I figured if you can do it, I could put a protection spell around her before she goes into the succubus. You can charge her from the outside."
Wanda hesitated, shifting on her feet and crossing her arms over her chest. "Alright," she finally said. "Alright let's- let's try it."
Juno smiled with relief, straightening her posture and taking a deep breath.
"You should probably take this outside..." said Rhodey.
*
It was mid afternoon, a soft, warm breeze brushing through the luscious grass and thick trees that bordered the perimeter of the HQ. Juno and Wanda walked out into the middle of the open grounds.
"Okay," said Juno. "Ready?"
"Ready." Wanda nodded.
"Try not to kill me."
"No promises."
They turned their backs on each other and began to walk in opposite directions, like two gunmen preparing for a duel, until finally they stopped. Wanda turned around, staring across the space between them, at the stone glowing on the back of her neck.
She looked down at Juno's hands, at the swirls of golden matter beginning to form around her fingers; the signal that she was ready. She raised her arm and pointed her hand at the stone, letting a cloud of scarlet energy pour from her palm.
The rest of the group stood inside, watching anxiously through the tall windows as a stream of light left Wanda's hand and sent Juno flying through the air. Stephen gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to run and help her.
"Oof, that had to hurt," said Scott.
Juno clambered to her feet, sucking in a deep breath of air and shaking off the pain that was radiating down her spine.
"Are you okay?" Wanda shouted.
"I'm good, I'm fine," she insisted. "Let's go again. Maybe bring it down a notch or two?"
"You think?" she replied sarcastically as she bent her knees and prepared to fire again.
Juno braced herself, igniting her powers and letting them coarse through her body, ignoring the burning beneath her skin and fighting against the pain, just like Wanda had taught her.
She felt the beam connect with the stone, planting her feet firmly in the ground and resisting its force. Her eyes glazed over with yellow light, her power climbing up from her hands to her arms until it was everywhere. She groaned in pain, willing herself to stay focused, but she was slipping.
"Is it working?" asked Rhodey from inside the HQ.
"No," said Stephen, his eyes never leaving the two women.
They watched as Wanda let her arm fall to her side, and moments later, Juno collapsed in the grass.
*
She was standing at the end of a long corridor, a beam of sunlight filtering through the window behind her. Her heels clacked against the shiny wooden floors as she began to walk, eyeing the rows of doors either side of her as she passed them. She stopped halfway down the corridor, turning slowly and narrowing her eyes at the small metal plaque on one of the doors.
Juno Wolfe
She ran her fingers over each letter, realising she had never seen her name written down before; it made her feel more real, somehow, to see her name forged in metal. She reached for the door handle and opened it, stepping into a bright, modern office with tall windows that looked out over the city.
She wandered around the room, running her hands over the pictures that hung on the walls, the cushions on the couch, the books that lined the shelves. In the middle of the room stood a large white desk. She sat down and slid open the drawers curiously, her brow furrowing as she began looking over the papers and folders inside.
"Juno."
She looked over her shoulder to see Stephen standing in the doorway. He was wearing his sorcerers robes, his cloak cascading from his shoulders, eyes as blue as the sky outside.
"Juno," he said again.
"What are you doing here dressed like that?" she asked. "Someone will see you."
"Juno, can you hear me?"
"What do you mean can I hear you? I just talked to y-"
"Wake up."
She furrowed her brow in confusion. "What?"
Suddenly, the room plummeted into darkness, as if the sun had been stolen from the sky. She looked around as everything around her began to disappear into the shadows, leaving her alone in the middle of a cold, empty void.
"She's coming around, I can feel it," said Wanda as she crouched beside Juno in the grass.
Stephen was knelt at her other side as he continued trying to wake her. He reached down and tapped her cheek gently, his breath catching in his throat when her hand came up and gripped his wrist tightly.
Her eyes opened and she looked around, bewildered to find herself in the same spot on the HQ grounds, Stephen and the Avengers crowded around her with concern. She loosened her grip on him and let her arm fall to her side.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"It's okay." He laughed.
She glanced at Wanda and sighed. "We almost had it."
"Yeah, almost," she replied.
"Let's try again."
"Maybe later," said Stephen.
He let his cloak float down and slip under her, gently lifting her from the ground like a hospital stretcher.
"I'm fine, I really just wanna keep going," she said.
The cloak tilted her upright onto her feet, as if it had understood her and agreed to put her down. It returned to Stephen and settled on his shoulders as he turned his head, speaking directly to it.
"Since when do you listen to her?"
It moved slightly in response, almost shrugging.
"I really think we should wait," said Wanda.
"We can't. The longer we wait, the bigger this thing grows and the harder it'll be to destroy. I can do this- we can do this."
She sighed, finally giving in with a slight nod and stepping back slowly. "You guys should go back inside."
Everyone walked away, leaving the two women alone again. Juno turned her back, taking a deep, shaking breath. She wiggled her fingers, letting the light spread as she dug her heals into the ground.
Wanda clenched her fists, staring intensely into the stone that had made her what she was, the stone that had somehow given her everything and taken it away all at once. The first two times she tried Juno's plan, she had been filled with the same fear, grief and anger that would overcome her whenever she was in the presence of the Mind Stone. But now, as she stood across the open landscape, watching the glow radiating around Juno's hands, she finally let herself give in to their synergy. She raised her hand and sent a blast through the air, pouring her deep red power into the back of Juno's neck.
Just as before, Juno's eyes began to glow, the energy expanding into a ball of intense, golden light that shone like pure sunlight. She felt her limbs turn rigid, her head falling back as her mouth fell open. She had never felt so powerful, like there was pure electricity coursing through her veins.
"Something's happening," said Sam as they observed from the safety of the HQ.
There was a rumbling, the ground shuddering, windows rattling in their panes. Then suddenly, there was a blinding light that sent a shockwave through the air. They covered their eyes, crouching down and shielding themselves from the blow. But after a moment, there was quiet.
Stephen was the first to look up, his eyes widening in awe as he laid eyes on the sight before him. She was like an exploding star; her light rippling through the air, so bright he couldn't look straight at her. Swirling veins of yellow energy spilled from her body as Wanda continued to direct a steady stream into the stone.
Another strong blast rippled through the air, making the earth beneath them shudder and the trees rustle around the perimeter, sending flocks of birds scattering from the safety of the leaves. Car alarms began to screech from the garages nearby as the lights inside the HQ flickered violently, the windows cracking as they tried to resist the pressure.
The blast sent Wanda flying backwards through the air, making her lose connection with the stone. She landed amongst the trees, her back skidding through the dirt before stopping with a hard thud against a stump. She stood up, her knees almost buckling with exhaustion as she stared in wonderment through the vast, empty space between them, watching as the light slowly began to fade.
Juno turned around, staring down at herself in amazement before lifting her head and smiling.
"It worked," she said, too far away for Wanda to hear.
"It worked," said Wanda breathlessly.
*
Night was falling over the old factory, the wind whistling through the cracks in the foundation, metal creaking, water splashing from broken pipes. It was dark and eerie, even without the sinister, otherworldly force, it was still completely uninviting.
Stephen and Juno sat in the basement at the bottom of the concrete steps, waiting for the others to arrive. There was a spell surrounding the succubus like a cage, but its hissing was still loud enough to hear, like the white noise of a rainstorm trying to draw them into the cold.
Juno rested her elbows on her lap, looking over at the spot where Spencer's body had lay that very morning. She wanted to ask what he'd done with it, but she didn't. Instead she looked up at him and cleared her throat.
"You know, when I was out cold back there, I had another dream."
"Your parents again?"
She shook her head. "I was at my job."
"Your job?"
"Mhm. Get this... I was an architect."
"You're kidding?" He almost laughed.
"Nope." She smiled. "There were plans all over the office, little models of buildings and a huge drawer full of sketches."
"Are you sure it was your-"
"My name was on the door."
"Hm." He thought for a moment, a slight glimmer of amusement on his face. "I never thought you'd choose such a... technical career."
"Why?"
"I just can't picture you behind a desk. Y'know, working on a computer, ordering around an assistant, wearing a power suit." His voice broke with a laugh.
She elbowed him.
"I just always imagined you doing something more physical," he said. "Like a sculptor or a painter or a gardener..."
"You don't think I could be a professional lady?"
He laughed again. "I just mean you're... good with your hands."
They glanced at each other quietly, intensely, before Juno looked down at her hand and conjured a soft ball of light in her palm.
"I'm also deadly," she said, returning her gaze to him. "So you should watch your back."
The beginnings of a smirk began to curl at the corners of his mouth, but a loud noise above them stole his attention away.
"They're here," he said. "Are you sure about this?"
"Are you?"
"No."
"Cool. Me neither."
*
She stood in front of the succubus, staring into the vast absence of light and wondering what lay beyond it. She wondered if it would be cold, if there were creatures residing inside, if Stephen's spell would fail and she would find herself trapped, a prisoner of darkness for the rest of her life.
Bruce had brought her a suit to wear - one of Tony's many experimental creations that had sat untouched inside a cabinet in the Stark's home since his death. It was unfinished, with facets of black and gold nanoparticles clustering together to reveal gaps of thin, sheer fabric that moulded to her body like a second skin. She had never worn a super suit before, proving she was no less powerful in a dress or a shirt than any of the elaborate armour she had gone up against. But she was thankful for it, feeling a little less vulnerable, somehow.
"The blow will be powerful," said Stephen to the group. "I have sorcerers lined around the building to hold back the explosion. You guys should go and help too."
They all nodded and began to walk out, leaving Stephen, Wanda and Juno alone inside.
He stepped towards Juno, leaning down to speak to her quietly. "If anything feels wrong, you swear to me that you'll-"
"I'll come back out," she reassured him.
He gave her a stern look.
"I promise," she said.
"Okay," he sighed as he took a few steps back.
Wanda watched as he moved his hands intricately, surrounding Juno in a forcefield of orange light that slowly melted over her body and disappeared beneath her skin. He conjured a long rope that sparked and shimmered through the darkness, swinging it around and wrapping it around her waist like a tether.
He looked over to Wanda. "Are you ready?"
She rolled her shoulders and steadied her stance. "Just say when..."
Juno glanced back at them and nodded before taking a deep breath and lighting her hands. "Now."
Wanda forced her energy into the stone, keeping her stream steady, eyes focused. Juno felt the electricity rippling through her, her powers expanding as she began walking into the void.
It was just as cold as she had imagined, and she could feel the pressure of darkness trying to engulf her, surrounding her like a wave and deflecting off Stephen's magic. Her feet were wading through thick, black sludge, and the darkness above her was scattered with thin, bluish purple strands of light connecting to each other like synapses. It was almost beautiful, she thought, or at least it could have been.
Her bright, golden light began to swell, the succubus hissing and groaning as if it were alive, as if it could feel pain. Wanda lifted her other hand, directing two strong beams into the stone as Stephen held tightly to the tether, ready to pull her out.
Juno's spine stiffened as light poured from her eyes and flowed out of her hands, swirling around her like a cloud and travelling to the darkest depths of the void. She raised her arms and gave in to her power, to the synergy between herself and Wanda, until finally, she exploded, like a firework in a pitch black sky.
For a moment, there was quiet. An eerie, thick silence that made hearts stop in the chests of everyone waiting outside. But quickly, the rumbling came; the ground shuddering, rubble shaking as cracks began to form in the earth.
Rhodey, Scott and Hope flipped up their helmets while Sam held up his shield. Peter braced himself and Bruce clenched his fists, ignoring the twinge of pain that still ran through his bones. Around them, the sorcerers moved in unison, creating large square shields, like a wall of magic around the building.
And then the shockwave came.
Inside the basement, Stephen conjured a disc and held it up above his head, widening it just in time to shield Wanda from the falling concrete. The succubus began to deteriorate. With his other hand, he pulled on the tether, dragging Juno from inside moments before it finally imploded.
"We need to get out of here!" Wanda shouted before igniting her powers and soaring through the air.
Stephen grabbed Juno by the shoulders. "Are you alright!?"
She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, allowing his cloak to lift them from the ground and follow Wanda to safety.
Sam ran up to them as they landed. "How long can they hold this back?" He was breathless, panicked. "One slip and everything within five miles of this place'll be blown to smithereens."
Stephen stared over at the sorcerers as they held back the shockwave. Their knees were bent, jaws clenched as they contained it inside their sparkling square barricades. But it was strong, and they were struggling to keep it under control.
He took a sharp intake of breath and approached it, releasing the time stone from the eye around his neck as he walked. A string of green light wrapped around his wrist and he began to move his hand like he was turning a dial.
Everyone watched on in awe as the shockwave seemed to retreat, the building sucking it back in and folding in on itself until it was nothing more than a large heap of rock floating in the middle of the open grounds.
Juno walked up behind him and shot a large blast of energy at it, shattering it into dust. And just like that, everything was quiet again, the cold air breathing a sigh of relief as the particles floated up into the night sky.