"Let's go to America with you," Wanda said without the slightest hesitation, her voice carrying a note of excitement that hadn't been there in years. "I want to see what kind of country the United States really is."
"Excellent," Richard replied with an approving nod.
While Pietro hadn't yet voiced his own opinion, his agreement was essentially irrelevant at this point. Once Wanda had made her decision, it would be virtually impossible for her protective older brother to choose differently—even if he wanted to, which he clearly didn't.
Under the watchful eyes of both twins, Richard reached into his system storage and withdrew the Cosmic Cube. The artifact's blue radiance filled the apartment as he channeled its power to create a dimensional gateway.
The circular portal took shape with dramatic flair—swirling darkness surrounded by crackling energy that resembled black thunderclouds shot through with lightning. The effect was both beautiful and slightly ominous, like a window into the cosmic forces that bound the universe together.
Wanda and Pietro observed the formation process with fascination rather than fear. During their brief time with Richard, they had witnessed telepathy, teleportation, heat vision, and matter summoning. One more supernatural phenomenon, however spectacular, didn't seem particularly shocking in the context of everything else they'd seen.
"You two go through first," Richard instructed as the portal stabilized.
"Why?" Pietro asked, his natural suspicion making him question even simple arrangements.
Richard's response was deliberately unhelpful. "Fine, then you can go last."
Pietro opened his mouth to argue, then seemed to realize the futility of the effort and fell silent with an expression of resigned exasperation.
Unlike her brother, Wanda stood immediately and approached the dimensional gateway with curious confidence. As she drew closer to the swirling energies, she extended her right hand toward the crackling pseudo-lightning that danced around the portal's edges.
Richard made no move to stop her, his mind suddenly occupied by an intriguing possibility.
In the original Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline, both Wanda and Pietro would eventually develop their abilities through Hydra experiments involving the Mind Stone. The Mind Stone was an Infinity Stone, but so were the Space, Time, Power, and Reality gems that Richard currently possessed.
What would happen if the twins were exposed to different Infinity Stones instead? Would they develop entirely different abilities, or would their inherent potential manifest in the same ways regardless of the catalyst?
This unexpected research opportunity made Richard study both siblings with renewed interest.
Wanda's pale hand passed harmlessly through the crackling energy field, the seemingly dangerous forces parting around her fingers like smoke. The portal's defenses recognized her as a designated passenger rather than a threat, allowing her safe passage.
After examining her unharmed hand with brief confusion, Wanda stepped boldly through the dimensional gateway and vanished from sight.
Pietro watched his sister disappear, then immediately followed without further hesitation or complaint. Whatever his reservations about the mysterious portal, he wasn't about to let Wanda face an unknown destination alone.
Richard brought up the rear, stepping through his own creation and emerging in the familiar luxury of his Los Angeles hotel suite. Behind him, the spatial rift sealed itself and dissipated, leaving no trace of the interdimensional journey.
Wanda and Pietro stood in the suite's expansive living room, their expressions reflecting amazement at their surroundings. The opulent accommodations were unlike anything they had experienced—floor-to-ceiling windows offering spectacular city views, elegant furnishings, and amenities that spoke of serious wealth.
Initially, they had assumed this might be Richard's American residence. However, the subtle signs of temporary occupancy soon made it clear that this was a high-end hotel suite rather than a permanent home.
"I'm staying in the master bedroom," Richard explained after closing the portal completely. "You can choose whichever of the other bedrooms you prefer."
"What city is this?" Wanda asked, moving toward the massive windows that dominated one wall of the living area.
"Los Angeles," Richard replied.
The name immediately sparked recognition in both twins. While they had never traveled to America, Los Angeles was famous worldwide as the entertainment capital of the world. They had grown up watching Hollywood films, making the city feel familiar despite their complete lack of firsthand experience.
Wanda and Pietro gravitated toward the windows, pressing close to the glass as they took in the sprawling urban landscape that stretched to the horizon in every direction. The afternoon sun painted the city in golden tones, highlighting the distinctive mix of gleaming skyscrapers, palm-lined boulevards, and distant mountains that defined the Los Angeles skyline.
After several minutes of sightseeing, the twins began exploring the suite to select their accommodations. The secondary bedrooms were each larger than their entire apartment in Sokovia, complete with private bathrooms and furnishings that would have been considered luxurious by any standard.
Once they had claimed their respective rooms and returned to the living area, Richard asked, "Is there anywhere specific you'd like to visit?"
"Hollywood!" both siblings exclaimed simultaneously, their voices carrying identical enthusiasm.
While their opinion of America as a nation remained complicated due to their traumatic history, that didn't diminish their curiosity about the legendary entertainment district. They had consumed countless Hollywood productions during their years in Sokovia, making the area feel almost mythical in their minds.
"Hollywood it is," Richard agreed readily.
Unlike Sokovia, where evening was already settling in, Los Angeles was still enjoying early afternoon sunshine. The time zone difference meant they had most of the day ahead of them for exploration.
Rather than using the Cosmic Cube to create another dimensional gateway—which would have been faster but less educational—Richard decided to give the twins a more conventional American experience. They took the hotel elevator down to street level, where Richard arranged to rent a spacious SUV suitable for their sightseeing expedition.
Hollywood was located in the northwest suburbs of Los Angeles, world-renowned as the center of the global film industry. Major studios, production companies, and entertainment corporations had made their headquarters in the area, turning it into a pilgrimage site for movie fans from around the globe.
During the drive, Wanda—seated in the passenger seat—and Pietro—claiming the back seat—behaved exactly like first-time tourists, their faces pressed to the windows as they absorbed every detail of the passing scenery. The palm trees, the distinctive architecture, the casual elegance of the pedestrians—everything seemed to fascinate them.
Richard found their enthusiasm charming, though he personally felt no particular excitement about the destination. He had visited Los Angeles several times in the past, bringing Emma and Clarice here for vacation getaways when they needed breaks from their more serious pursuits.
The drive took approximately thirty minutes through moderate traffic, eventually bringing them into the heart of Hollywood proper. Despite being technically a suburb, the area boasted attractions that rivaled downtown Los Angeles in terms of fame and visitor appeal.
The iconic Dolby Theatre, home to the annual Academy Awards ceremony, stood as a monument to cinematic achievement. Sunset Boulevard offered glimpses of celebrities and entertainment industry professionals going about their daily business. Universal Studios provided theme park thrills alongside working movie sets, while the Hollywood Walk of Fame allowed fans to literally walk in the footsteps of their favorite stars.
Before heading to the famous Hollywood sign for the obligatory tourist photos, Richard made an executive decision to address what he saw as a practical necessity.
"We should upgrade your wardrobes first," he announced, steering the SUV toward the shopping district along Sunset Boulevard.
Wanda and Pietro looked down at their current outfits with new self-consciousness. While their clothes were clean and functional, they were clearly budget purchases from Sokovian stores—adequate for their previous lifestyle but noticeably out of place among the fashion-conscious residents and visitors of Los Angeles.
"That's probably a good idea," Pietro admitted, having observed the same disparity during their drive through the city.
Sunset Boulevard offered an impressive selection of boutiques, department stores, and specialty shops catering to every imaginable taste and budget. Richard parked the rental vehicle and led the twins toward what appeared to be a promising clothing store.
His original plan had been simple: buy a few outfits for each twin so they would blend in better with the local population, then continue their Hollywood tour.
However, Richard had seriously underestimated the transformative power of introducing Wanda to American retail therapy.
What he had failed to account for was the fundamental difference between male and female shopping methodologies. Men typically approached clothing purchases with military efficiency—identify a need, locate suitable merchandise, complete the transaction, and leave. Women, on the other hand, treated shopping as a form of entertainment in its own right.
Once Wanda's dormant shopping instincts awakened, she began displaying behaviors that Richard found both fascinating and mildly alarming. Every store window became a potential treasure trove requiring investigation. Every display rack demanded careful examination. Every fitting room session spawned discussions about colors, styles, and accessories that seemed to have no natural conclusion.
Pietro, who had initially approached the expedition with the same goal-oriented mindset as Richard, soon found himself carrying an ever-increasing collection of bags while his sister explored yet another boutique that had caught her attention.
What was supposed to be a quick wardrobe update expanded into a comprehensive shopping marathon that consumed the entire afternoon and well into the evening. By the time they finally returned to their hotel, it was past ten o'clock at night.
Despite the extended duration of their retail adventure, Wanda showed no signs of fatigue. If anything, she seemed energized by the experience, eagerly sorting through her numerous purchases with the satisfaction of a successful hunter displaying her trophies.
Pietro's haul was considerably more modest—a few sets of clothes, several pairs of shoes, and some basic accessories. He had quickly learned that attempting to rush his sister through her decision-making process was both futile and counterproductive.
Two Weeks Later
Time had a way of flowing differently when one wasn't constantly engaged in world-saving activities or interdimensional crises. For Richard, the past half-month had been refreshingly ordinary—a welcome break from the usual chaos that seemed to follow him across realities.
For Wanda and Pietro, however, these same two weeks represented the happiest period they had experienced since their parents' death over a decade ago.
Pietro, in particular, had embraced the hedonistic lifestyle that seemed to be standard among wealthy young Americans in Los Angeles. Richard had introduced him to the city's nightclub scene and social party circuit, where the young man had quickly developed an appreciation for what he termed "the decadent pleasures of American youth culture."
Wanda had taken a more measured approach to her new circumstances, though she had definitely acquired a taste for Los Angeles shopping excursions. Her exploration of American consumerism had become a regular feature of their routine.
Beyond showing them the city's entertainment options, Richard had also arranged for the twins to meet Tony Stark. The billionaire inventor had extended a dinner invitation that Richard had accepted on behalf of all three of them.
The meeting had been fascinating from Richard's perspective, particularly because Tony's current circumstances differed notably from the original MCU timeline. While the genius inventor was still developing his Iron Man technology, his motivation seemed less desperate than in the canonical version of events.
The key difference was simple but profound: Dr. Ho Yinsen was still alive.
In the original timeline, Tony had witnessed Yinsen's death during their escape from the Ten Rings' cave prison. That traumatic experience had provided emotional fuel for his subsequent obsession with perfecting his armor technology and using it to prevent similar tragedies.
In this reality, both men had escaped safely, which meant Tony's psychological state remained more stable and optimistic. He was still committed to developing the Iron Man suits—partly because he owed Richard two different models as payment for their rescue—but the driving urgency was less intense.
The dinner itself had been pleasantly civilized. Tony had brought Pepper Potts, Happy Hogan, and Dr. Yinsen, while Richard had introduced Wanda and Pietro as his... companions. The evening had proceeded without incident, though Richard had noticed Tony studying the twins with the analytical intensity of someone trying to solve a particularly interesting puzzle.
Present Day - Presidential Suite
"I need to step out for a while," Richard announced to Wanda and Pietro as they relaxed in the suite's living room. "Call me if you need anything."
Pietro looked up from the gaming console he had become addicted to over the past week. "Where are you going?"
"Personal business," Richard replied evasively.
"Fine, keep your secrets," Pietro said with mock dramatic resignation, returning his attention to his game.
Wanda, who had been browsing through a fashion magazine, offered a more supportive response. "Be careful out there. We'll wait here for you to get back."
"I will," Richard promised.
He activated his teleportation ability and vanished from the suite, reappearing instantly in Tony Stark's cliff-side mansion workshop.
After two weeks of intensive development and testing, Tony had finally completed the Mark II armor. The inventor had called Richard earlier that morning, excited to demonstrate his latest creation and eager to fulfill part of his debt obligation.
Richard materialized in the workshop to find Tony hunched over a computer terminal, reviewing what appeared to be optimization algorithms for his armor's systems. The man was clearly obsessing over every detail of his creation's performance.
Unlike the original timeline, Tony hadn't yet conducted high-altitude flight tests with the Mark II. This meant he remained unaware of the icing problem that would cause system failures at approximately 35,000 feet—an issue that would eventually lead him to upgrade to the gold-titanium alloy for the Mark III.
"Can't you use the front door like a normal person?" Tony asked without looking up from his work, somehow having sensed Richard's arrival despite the silent teleportation.
"Why shouldn't I use my power?" Richard countered with amusement.
"Even if you have power, that doesn't give you the right to break into people's homes," Tony replied with the righteousness of someone who had clearly been rehearsing this argument.
"I didn't break in," Richard pointed out reasonably. "You invited me here. I just accepted your invitation in my own preferred manner."
Tony took a deep breath, visibly choosing to abandon this familiar debate before it could escalate. "I want to fight you."
"You want to fight me while wearing the Mark II?" Richard asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
"Exactly!" Tony declared with obvious confidence. "I'm going to prove to you that human engineering can triumph over raw superhuman power!"
Richard studied the inventor's determined expression and smiled slightly. "Since you're so confident about this, I'll indulge you."
He paused for dramatic effect. "But I'll give you a handicap to make it fair. If you can survive against me for one full minute, I'll declare you the winner."
Tony's face immediately darkened with indignation. At this point in his development, he had no conception of how difficult it would be to survive even thirty seconds against someone with Richard's capabilities. He interpreted the time limit as condescending mockery rather than a generous handicap.
"You don't need to patronize me with time limits," Tony said stiffly. "I don't expect to lose to you at all!"
Without waiting for a response, he strode to the center of his workshop and assumed the position for armor deployment.
"Jarvis, initiate suit-up sequence," he commanded.
The workshop's automated systems responded immediately, mechanical arms descending from the ceiling to begin the complex process of assembling the Mark II around Tony's body. Richard watched with interest as each component locked into place with precision engineering—the boots, leg assemblies, torso piece, arm sections, and finally the distinctive helmet.
The Mark II's design was exactly as Richard remembered from the films: sleek, silver-white, and bristling with sophisticated technology. While it was still technically a prototype lacking the refinements that would characterize later models, it already possessed all the fundamental capabilities that would make Iron Man a formidable opponent against conventional threats.
The armor's weapon systems remained relatively simple at this stage—arc pulse cannons integrated into both palms, plus the chest-mounted repulsator array that doubled as both weapon and power source.
"Can you fly?" Tony asked once the suit was fully operational, his voice now carrying the electronic modulation of the armor's communication system.
"Of course," Richard replied.
"Good. Let's take this outside, over the ocean. I don't want to accidentally destroy my workshop when I win."
Tony activated the repulsors in his boots and gloves, slowly lifting off the ground. After hovering at about ten feet to test his stability, he accelerated toward the workshop's vehicle exit and disappeared into the California afternoon.
Richard waited a few moments, allowing Tony to reach whatever position he considered advantageous, then used his enhanced senses to locate the armor's energy signature approximately thirty miles offshore.
With casual ease, Richard teleported directly to a position about fifty meters in front of the hovering Iron Man suit, floating effortlessly in the ocean air.
"I should warn you to take this seriously," Richard said, his voice carrying easily across the distance between them. "Otherwise, you're going to lose very quickly."
Tony, still interpreting Richard's advice as taunting, responded with predictable bravado. "Bring it on!"
Richard sighed at the inventor's stubborn refusal to acknowledge the reality of their power disparity.
In the next instant, he moved.
To Tony's enhanced sensors, Richard simply vanished from his previous position and reappeared directly in front of the Mark II's faceplate. Before any of the armor's defensive systems could react, Richard's hand closed around the helmet's visor.
With only the slightest application of pressure, the advanced alloy crumpled like paper, the protective faceplate tearing away in Richard's grip as easily as if it had been made of aluminum foil.