Even the future Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver struggled with their first Apparition. Pietro recovered faster than Wanda—his super-speed gave him some resistance to instant spatial displacement.
Gemini dropped them beside Baron Zemo. "They say they volunteered for the experiments. Look like they're from your country—ask them what's going on. And to keep them from attacking you—Protego Totalum!" She cast a barrier around Zemo and his wife. Remembering the red energy in the girl's hands, Gemini bound them with Sun Xiaoxiao's Immortal-Binding Rope.
Then she vanished from the plane.
Zemo carefully positioned himself between his wife and the exhausted prisoners. Through the translucent barrier, he studied them.
"You're from Sokovia?"
The twins exchanged glances. Wanda nodded. "We're twins. Pietro Maximoff. I'm Wanda. We volunteered. For revenge."
Zemo frowned. For Sokovia, the biggest enemies were terrorists and Hydra. What else could drive them?
Wanda and Pietro stared silently.
Zemo sat cross-legged on the floor. "Tell me. I'm a Baron of Sokovia. We're on the same side."
The twins slowly relaxed and sat. "Our enemy is Tony Stark."
Zemo's heart jumped, though his face stayed calm. He nodded encouragingly.
Wanda and Pietro recounted their childhood, staring hatefully at the corner.
Zemo fell silent, then looked at them with pity. Wrong enemy entirely.
"Why are you looking at us like that?" Wanda caught the pity and frowned.
Zemo sighed. "I didn't want to say this, but if you're still in the dark..."
Wanda tensed. "What do you mean?" The plane shook. Red energy flickered around her before the rope suppressed it. Small objects rattled throughout the cabin.
"Calm down! Listen to me!" Zemo shouted, hugging his wife.
Wanda settled. The space quieted.
Zemo looked at them seriously. "You have the wrong enemy."
Pietro glared. "Impossible! Are you his lapdog?!"
Wanda stopped Pietro from standing. "Let him talk."
Zemo relaxed slightly. "Based on your ages, I can calculate when you were attacked. I know that incident—I was your age then." He explained how Hydra controlled officials to launch terrorist attacks, testing weapons and capturing people for experiments.
"I have no reason to lie. You can verify everything."
"Impossible!" Wanda stared in shock. "Then explain the Stark name on that shell!"
Zemo rubbed his temples. "If someone kills with a knife, should the victim's family hate the murderer or the knife?"
Wanda's eyes went hollow. "So all our pain, those experiments, our hatred—they did it?"
Zemo looked sympathetic. "Yes."
Red mist emanated from Wanda. Pietro's eyes widened. "Wanda! Wake up!"
Wanda screamed. Energy exploded from her. The rope snapped. A shockwave swept everything away, shredding the plane.
Zemo gripped a seat to avoid being blown away. The barrier blocked energy but not the wind. The blast bypassed Pietro completely. Still bound, he struggled toward his collapsing sister. Wanda had one outburst, then collapsed unconscious.
"What happened?? I was gone for a moment! Why is our plane destroyed?!" Gemini stepped over debris. Good thing Tony had landed instead of staying airborne.
Zemo sighed in relief. "Check the girl! It's complicated!"
Gemini pulled Pietro aside and examined Wanda with magic. After a while, she gave Wanda a Vitality Potion. "She's fine. Emotional overload caused magical explosion. The potion and rest will fix her."
"So what happened?" Gemini moved everyone outside, eyeing the wreckage.
Zemo explained the twins' situation quietly. Gemini's headache worsened. What a mess. Let Tony handle it. She couldn't be bothered.
Without the Maximoff twins, the Hydra base fell easily. Tony called Fury triumphantly to clean up, while secretly pocketing something familiar-looking. Heavily protected—definitely important. He'd check it at home.
After commandeering another aircraft, Tony returned to America with hostages and team.
On Stark Tower's roof, Tony swaggered off the plane. Gemini rolled her eyes behind him. Steve helped Zemo carry his wife to waiting doctors. The only problem: Pietro.
Pietro sat in a corner holding his sister silently. Tony only just noticed them.
"What's going on? Who are they?"
Pietro stared like he wanted to kill Tony.
Gemini fake-smiled. "Your enemies. They volunteered for Hydra experiments to kill you. They have powers. Surprised?"
Tony was shocked. "Wait! Why don't I remember?! How could I have enemies?! I'm so nice!"
Banner passed by and looked back. How could Tony say that without embarrassment? Unprecedented shamelessness!
Gemini snorted. "Ask our hostage. You'll find out. I'm tired. Going home." She turned away.
Tony looked nervously at glaring Pietro and hid behind Banner. He arranged for the twins to rest. Since Gemini brought them back, there must be a reason. He needed to understand first.
"Oh, party tonight! Celebrating our first successful mission! Come!" Tony shouted at Gemini's back.
Gemini waved without turning. "Postpone it. Handle those two first. I don't want you getting beaten halfway through." She stepped into green flames.
Tony went downstairs to ask Baron Zemo.
After learning everything, Tony fell silent. He forgot the party, standing outside the twins' door before entering despite JARVIS's objections.
Wanda had awakened. The siblings sat facing each other silently until Tony knocked and entered.
Pietro instantly appeared in front of Wanda, watching warily.
Tony smiled awkwardly. "Hey. I mean..." He rubbed his hair irritably. "Okay, I apologize. Though I don't think this has much to do with me, for you I'm the culprit. If you need it, I apologize." Tony bowed.
"Stop being fake! You butcher!" Pietro sneered.
Wanda tugged Pietro's clothes. "We don't need your apology. I just want to know—is what the baron said true?"
Tony straightened. "JARVIS, pull up the information Baron Zemo mentioned."
"Yes, sir." Multiple screens appeared, scrolling messages.
Wanda and Pietro watched, tears falling.
After reading everything, their emotions stabilized.
"Though we know this wasn't your fault, forgive us—we still can't help feeling resentful. You can't imagine facing a shell that could explode any moment for two days!" Wanda said. "The Stark name became our nightmare."
Tony relaxed slightly. Seeing their expressions, he smiled, unbuttoning his collar. "I understand. I've been there too, except I wasn't as lucky. That shell exploded. Oh look, Gemini's work is excellent—you can't tell now."
Wanda stared at Tony's intact chest, stunned. "How? Didn't you make it?"
Tony pulled his clothes together. "Be reasonable. I invented those, but factories made them. If I made each one myself, where would I find time?"
Wanda closed her mouth. Pietro pulled her behind him. "What does that have to do with us?"
Tony scratched his head. "Nothing. I just wanted you to understand we share similar experiences. Comparatively, I seem worse off—mine exploded, yours didn't."
Pietro was speechless too.
Whatever Tony said afterward, the twins calmly saw him out and agreed to attend his party.
Gemini received Tony's call. "So what did you tell them?"
Tony whistled proudly. "Everyone loves Iron Man! I'm so lovable!"
Gemini hung up.
The phone rang again. Gemini answered. "Speak properly or I refuse to talk to idiots."
Tony laughed dryly. "Will you come? I invited George too—he's going crazy in the workshop."
Gemini thought. Sun Xiaoxiao hadn't replied, and nothing urgent was happening. "Fine. Tomorrow night? I'll go."
Tony laughed. "OK! Oh, that thunder guy is on Earth. Says he'll come with Asgardian wine!"
Gemini covered her forehead. They were all the same—how dare he call others names? "I'll go. Bye."
Tony looked at the disconnected phone and snorted, pulling out the item from the Hydra base. If Gemini were here, she'd recognize Loki's scepter, dismantled by Master Lu.
Tony studied the twisted scepter tip. It still glowed yellow. He'd examined it—enormous energy inside. Maybe he could use it? Acting on impulse, Tony tossed his phone aside and began researching.
After hanging up, Gemini hesitated. Should she contact Sun Xiaoxiao again? Would that seem too eager? Only a week had passed, and no news from Harry either. After thinking, Gemini cleared her thoughts and started choosing an outfit for the party.
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