-----
-----
Morning sunlight spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting warm patches of light across the bedroom floor.
Jiro slowly opened his eyes, golden pupils shrinking slightly in the brightness as he absorbed the gentle energy.
He turned to the side. Wanda was still asleep, red hair spread across the pillow, her breathing steady and peaceful.
Their "exploration of life" last night had clearly worn her out. That first time had taken a toll.
Jiro got up carefully, not waking her. With a wave of his hand, a silky black robe draped itself over his shoulders.
Barefoot, he walked out of the bedroom. The living room was quiet, only the distant sound of ocean waves coming through the windows.
"Good morning, sir."
Turing's voice echoed warmly in the air. "Mr. Stark has requested a call. He's been waiting for three minutes."
Jiro raised an eyebrow and walked toward the kitchen. The coffee machine kicked in automatically, filling the space with a rich aroma. "Tony? This early?"
"Yes, sir. It appears urgent. Shall I connect?"
Jiro picked up his coffee and took a sip. "Go ahead."
A hologram appeared in the middle of the room, projecting Tony Stark's image.
He looked exhausted. Dark circles under his eyes. Coffee in hand—his looked more like straight espresso.
Tony's voice came through, hoarse and tired. "Jiro, I should've killed that bastard last night."
Jiro stood by the window, sunlight outlining his silhouette. "And?"
"Coulson recognized him," Tony said grimly.
"That damn Hydra agent… he used to be part of the Howling Commandos. One of Captain America's best friends."
Jiro tapped the glass with his fingers, the crisp sound breaking the silence. "So?"
"So?"
Tony raised his voice, then quickly lowered it again. "Coulson showed me the files. That guy went missing in 1944, fell off a cliff. Hydra found him, brainwashed him, turned him into a killer."
A clink of glass sounded on Tony's end. He downed more coffee and continued. "JARVIS intercepted a file. Surveillance footage… of my parents' murder."
Jiro could still sense Wanda was asleep. "Did you watch it?"
"Yeah."
Tony's voice suddenly went flat. "Every frame. I watched that bastard choke my dad with a metal arm. Watched my mom beg. Watched them…"
The sound of glass shattering came through the comm.
Jiro sat on the couch. "So now you're wondering whether to kill him."
"Wanda didn't kill me," Tony said suddenly. "Even though she hated me."
Golden energy flickered briefly at Jiro's fingertips before vanishing. "I'm not you, Tony. Only you can decide."
"If I kill him…"
Jiro cut in, "If you don't…"
"I'll regret it." Tony gave a bitter laugh. "Damn if I do, damn if I don't."
Jiro looked out the window. The ocean shimmered in the morning sun. "You're right. This isn't easy. He was controlled by Hydra. But it's your choice. I won't make it for you."
The comm went quiet for a long moment.
"You know what?"
Tony finally spoke again, softer now. "My dad… he never told me he loved me."
Jiro didn't respond.
"But when that bastard was choking him… his last words were 'Save Maria.'" Tony's voice shook slightly.
"He always loved my mom. Always."
More silence.
"I get it now." Tony's voice grew steadier. "Thanks, Jiro."
(Alright, that's it for the Winter Soldier arc. I'll leave the ending up to your imagination—whether he lives or dies, people will complain either way.)
The call ended.
Moments later, footsteps echoed from the stairs.
Wanda came down rubbing her eyes, hair a messy halo of red, wearing Jiro's black shirt from last night—just long enough to cover her thighs.
"Who was calling so early?" she yawned, voice still sleepy.
Jiro turned off the hologram and pulled her into his arms. "Tony. He was struggling with a decision."
Wanda curled up in his lap, cheek resting on his chest. "What kind of decision?"
"Maybe whether he wants to be a better man," Jiro said as he gently stroked her hair.
Wanda looked up, eyes half-lidded but smiling. "Like me?"
Jiro kissed her forehead. "No. You always have been."
Wanda's face turned red. She buried her face in his neck and mumbled, "Since when did you get so good at sweet-talking?"
Jiro patted her back. "Go get dressed. I'm teaching you teleportation magic today."
Wanda's eyes lit up. She jumped up and ran upstairs, then suddenly stopped, turned back, and asked slyly, "You sure it's not because of last night…?"
"Go." Jiro cut her off, lips twitching into a helpless smile.
Wanda laughed and dashed up the stairs, her red hair flying behind her.
Ten minutes later—
Jiro stood at the center of the training room, golden magical runes slowly rotating beneath his feet.
Wanda stood opposite him, her red hair gently swaying in the energy field, her eyes glowing with focus.
"Chaos magic is fundamentally different from the spatial magic used in Kamar-Taj," Jiro said as he raised his hand. His fingertips traced through the air, releasing golden sparks.
"It doesn't rely on incantations—it's all about your intent and emotions."
Wanda nodded. Scarlet energy flowed from her palm as she tried to mimic Jiro's movements.
Red sparks burst out, but quickly faded before forming a proper portal.
"Don't rush it." Jiro stepped behind her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Feel the flow of space. Imagine it like water that your energy can part."
Wanda took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
The scarlet energy around her started swirling, gradually becoming more solid.
She raised her hand again, and this time, the red sparks carried a faint crimson glow. A shaky portal slowly formed in front of them—only to collapse and disappear a moment later.
"I can't do it," she muttered, frustrated, opening her eyes.
Jiro chuckled lightly. "You managed to stir the space on your first try. That's already impressive."
Standing right behind her, he gently placed his hands over hers, guiding her movements. "Try again. But this time, don't try to control it—let it respond to you naturally."
Wanda felt the warmth of his touch, her heart skipping a beat, but she quickly forced herself to focus and tried again.
This time, her scarlet energy intertwined with the red sparks, and a fully-formed portal opened up in front of them, connecting to the other side of the training room.
"I did it!" Wanda spun around, nearly crashing into Jiro in excitement.
Jiro smirked. "Not bad. But you've still got a long way to go."
He waved his hand, and the portal expanded. "Real spatial teleportation means crossing dimensions, not just bouncing around the same room."
Wanda grinned teasingly. "Then why don't you show me how it's done?"
Jiro didn't say a word. He simply raised his hand and drew a new portal in the air. On the other side was the snowy peak of a mountain, howling wind pouring through the open gate.
Wanda's curiosity peaked. "Where's that?"
"The Himalayas," Jiro replied calmly.
"When the sorcerers of Kamar-Taj were just learning how to teleport, they often accidentally stranded themselves up there."
Wanda burst out laughing. "So, you ended up there too, huh?"
Jiro gave her a sideways glance. "I mastered it on my first day."
"Wow." Wanda pouted, but the admiration in her eyes was obvious.
"Keep going," Jiro said, closing the portal. "Once you can reliably open portals across continents, I'll teach you how to use the Mirror Dimension."
Wanda nodded and focused again.
Her fingertips glowed crimson, and red sparks spun through the air.
This time, the portal she summoned was far more stable—its edges were smooth, no longer flickering, forming a clean, round gateway.
"Look! I did it again!" Wanda turned to Jiro, her eyes lighting up with joy.
But Jiro narrowed his eyes.
His super vision pierced through the portal—and what he saw wasn't the other side of the training room. In fact, it wasn't anywhere on Earth.
It was a strange city full of towering skyscrapers, with a deep blue sky above and, in the distance, a massive globe with the words "Daily Planet" on it.
Something was off.
"System," Jiro said silently, "what's going on?"
[Ding! Anomaly in spatial fluctuations detected.] The system's voice remained calm.
[Wanda's chaos magic has accidentally opened a multiversal portal. This action is not part of the host's mission objectives, and no related instruction was issued by the system.]
Jiro frowned slightly. "You're saying she opened a rift into the multiverse on her own?"
[Correct.] the system confirmed.
[According to energy analysis, Wanda's chaos magic has the ability to alter reality. Under strong emotional fluctuations, it may unintentionally tear through dimensional barriers.]
(Reference: the portal opened by Mister Fantastic in Universe-616.)
Jiro stood silent for a moment, then turned to look at Wanda, who was still buzzing with excitement.
She was reaching out to touch the edge of the portal, curiously examining the other side.
"....."