The Spectacular Scarlet Witch and Spider Man

by The_Jaded_Writer_23

Summary:

Being adopted as an infant into the Parker family, Wanda grew up alongside her brother, Peter Parker. Now, as they both develop super powers, they learn to navigate their chaotic lives and protect New York City as the spectacular Scarlet Witch and Spider Man.

(Work inspired by/based off of "What If... Wanda Maximoff and Peter Parker Were Siblings" - A Marvel Prose Novel Written by Seanan McGuire)

Chapter 1: School and Superheroes

Summary:

After a rough day at school, Peter and Wanda go out on a patrol.

Wanda Parker should’ve expected this by now, waiting for what felt like an eternity at this point for her brother to finish whatever he was doing in the school. He always struggled with time management, either it be from losing track of time studying or trying to juggle his after school clubs. Throwing in the fact that her brother was Spider-Man, and it makes for one scatter-brained sibling.

She typically doesn’t mind waiting for Peter outside Midtown High, enjoying the small moment of calm in between school and her and Peter walking home. However, Wanda began to notice eyes staring at her, silently judging her as if she was crazy. In an moment of bravery, Wanda looks toward a group of onlookers with a weak smile but is only met with murmurs amongst its members. Wanda quickly looked away and shrank a little in response, feeling a sudden yet familiar pang of sadness. That feeling subsides a little though when she sees Peter leaving the front entrance of the school and running towards her.

“Hey Wandy,” Peter calls out to her as he quickly approached, “sorry to keep you waiting for so long. Harry and a couple of my robotics buddies had some questions about our new design and why we have the servos where they are and when would be the next time we should meet and…”

“Woah it’s okay Peter, I understand.” Wanda quickly states, quelling her brother’s ramblings.

Briefly stunned by her words, Peter finally responds, “Oh that’s cool... anyways, you looked kinda upset when I first saw you, is something wrong?”

“No I’m fine, just had a rough day.” Wanda deflects in an attempt to not make Peter worry.

Not satisfied with the answer, however, Peter glances around to see people still staring at his sister, a look of suspicion sewn on their faces. He wants to reassure Wanda that they shouldn’t get to her, but before he does he senses and allows someone to shove him. As Peter stumbled forward, Wanda rushes to help him regain composure and soon they’re both met by Flash Thompson and a few of his lackeys looming over them.

“Wow Parker, how can someone be this clumsy?” The taller boy asks mockingly.

“Getting pushed helps,” Peter mutters back sarcastically, “What do you even want Flash?”

“What, can’t I just say hi to my ‘favorite’ egghead and his weirdo sister?” A few of Flash’s friends chuckle behind him.

Provoked, Peter angrily grumbles, “Don’t talk about my sister like that.”

“Why? That’s what she is.” Flash states, gesturing over to a sullen Wanda. Flash noticed he struck a chord with both Parkers so he seized the opportunity to continue taunting them. “Ya know, it’s actually pretty amazing how one Parker can be an obnoxious, talkative dweeb while the other is a silent freak.”

The next thing Wanda hears is Flash and his group start laughing with each other, seemingly satisfied with their cruelty towards the pair of siblings. She then looks up to see Peter, whose face is red in frustration, start to ball his hand into a fist. Before he’s able to raise his hand, Wanda reaches out to restrain her brother’s arm.

“Peter please, let’s just go.” Wanda quietly pleads. She’s met with Peter hesitantly nodding at her in agreement, and soon ushering her past the group of boys.

Noticing their retreat, Flash went to cement his victory, “See you later, ‘Puny Parker!’”

Making their way off campus, Peter’s seething about everything that has just transpired. He hates letting Flash off the hook that easily, much preferring he’d give the jock a piece of his mind. Instead here Peter was resigning himself to muttering about stupid Flash and his stupid friends. However, he was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard a choked sob from Wanda and looking over to see her emerald eyes starting to well up. In an effort to console her, Peter puts a comforting hand on his sister’s shoulder and says, “Hey it’s okay Wandy, who cares what Flash says, right?”

Wanda looks back to Peter, drying her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt, “I know… it’s just that everyone keeps saying these terrible things about me, and it hurts.”

“I’m sorry you feel this way.” Peter says, now wrapping his arms around her in an awkward sibling hug.

Accepting the embrace, Wanda mutters, “It’s not your fault dummy.”

“Mmhmm, I still feel bad though.” Peter responds, guilt permeating into every word. They both stay like that for another moment, until an idea pops into Peter’s head. He breaks the hug and asks, “Would going on patrol make you feel a little better? I promise no tests this time.”

Wanda briefly considers the suggestion, hesitantly answering with “Maybe…”

— — —

Looking up from the busy streets of Midtown, Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch can be seen swinging between buildings. A blur of red zipping past being the only thing noticeable from the ground. However, only Peter is able to see the smile on Wanda’s face, accompanied by the sounds of excited laughter as she clung on tightly. Seeing her happy, Peter couldn’t help but grin underneath his mask.

Deciding to take a break, Peter dropped off the two of them on the roof of a tall apartment complex, overlooking much of the neighborhood. Their patrol so far has been successful, with the two of them stopping three muggings, a carjacking, and a bodega robbery. Now things seemed to be at a quiet stand-still.

“Man, that will never get boring,” Wanda states, still smiling as she goes to restore her wavy hair back to its original placement, “Only downside is the hair maintenance.”

Peter asks in a smug tone, “What, you can’t use your powers to prevent the wind from ruining it?”

“I… never thought to try.” mutters Wanda embarrassed. Peter gave a mocking chuckle in response. “Hey stop that. Need I remind you of the web shooter incident last week?”

“That only happened because I was improving on the shooter’s trigger mechanism!” Peter exclaimed, his hands up in a defensive gesture.

“Yeah, and guess who had to help you remove the webbing off your face before Aunt May came home.” Wanda replies, now laughing at the memory of her brother’s webbed face when she went to help.

The two continue to make conversation as they overlook the streets in search of any new crimes. This went on as the last rays of sunlight set quickly faded behind the New York City skyline. Noticing the bored look on his sister’s face and the apparent lack of activity, Peter was about to suggest they move on. However, that’s when he spotted four men in ski masks break into a closed bank. Peter nudges Wanda to get her attention, simply says, “hey, we’re up,” and gestures for her to hold onto him.

By the time the two superheroes step through the bank’s busted doors, the heist is already underway. Three of the men were crouched by a row of ATMs, which seemed to have had the fronts of them destroyed, shoving money from the exposed interiors into duffle bags. The final man was guarding them with a shotgun, unaware of their arrival. Spider-Man approaches, standing confidently, and calls out to the thugs, “Sup fellas, here to make a withdrawal?”

The startled man with the shotgun whips around to face them, shouting, “It’s Spider-Man! And his little witchy friend!”

“So much for a warm welcome.” Scarlet Witch quips, hands rising to pull her crimson energy from the air and let it dance between her fingers.

The thug hastily takes aim at the Scarlet Witch, growing antsy at the menacing spectacle occurring before him. Sensing an opening, Spider-Man quickly thwips out a line of webbing that attaches to the gun, and with one swift pull disarms the man as he says, “Hey now, play nice.”

Scarlet Witch proceeds to throw a bolt of magic towards the now defenseless criminal, knocking him flat on the ground with a stunned groan. Provoked, the other men scramble to confront the heroes but are quickly met by Spider-Man. He dodges a flurry of punches from one of the thugs, just to catch a right hook and toss the man behind a table by the ATMs. Another man tries to rush at him, but Spider-Man evades by jumping onto a nearby wall. The Scarlet Witch follows up with an arc of pure chaos that sends the thug forcefully into the wall and keeping him there long enough for Spider-Man to restrain him in webbing. However, before the superheroes can turn their attention back on the remaining criminals, Spider-Man is suddenly enveloped by a blue haze that lifts him off the wall and suspends him midair.

“Ahhh, this feels really weird!” Spider-Man yells as he is thrown to the ground by the strange energy.

Watching the situation transpire, Scarlet Witch lets out a small gasp as the other hero got the wind knocked out of him. She turns to find two of the remaining robbers now brandishing odd looking weapons, which she guesses were the reason behind the destroyed ATMs. Before the Scarlet Witch could react, however, she’s knocked down by a still floating Spider-Man, who quickly yells out, “Sorry!”

Regaining her composure, she readies another hex bolt to toss towards their assailant, but is blocked by the still flailing hero. Deciding on a new approach, she sends out the bolt to the right, causing it to ricochet from wall to wall and ultimately hitting the weapon, twisting probability to force the machine to short-circuit. Spider-Man then is free to land on the ground and quickly takes the opportunity to web and toss a nearby table towards the confused thug, knocking him unconscious.

“How do losers like you even get your hands on hi-tech weapons?” Scarlet Witch asks to the remaining robbers.

“Like we’d tell you.” The man without a weapon sneers, snapping his fingers to signal to the other thug. He lifts up the second weapon and aims it at the Scarlet Witch, which begins whirring to life. Suddenly, a purple beam shoots at Scarlet Witch, who is able to block the shot with a shield of red light. She puts all her concentration into absorbing the incoming energy, feeling her magic surge in excess. Eventually the man’s laser overheats, forcing him to stop firing as the weapon lets out a loud hiss. However, the Scarlet Witch can no longer contain her powers, and with a pained gesture she sends out a massive wave of red energy that sends everything from chairs, desks, and the defeated criminals flying back in its wake.

With the fight now over, a worried Spider-Man rushes over to the exhausted Scarlet Witch. Beads of sweat trickle down her forehead as she breathes heavily, trying her best to recover from over-exerting her magic. Putting a comforting hand on the other hero, Spider-Man asks, “Hey, are you okay?”

“... That… was… Awesome!” Scarlet Witch says, a smile forming as she takes in the victory.

— — —

After the battle, Spider-Man detains the criminals and hands the advanced weapons over to the police when they arrive. Both superheroes then swing off, deciding it was best to call it a night. They eventually make their way back to Queens, where they drop into their usual alley where they change out of their uniforms and into their normal clothes. Once again Peter and Wanda Parker, they begin to make their way back home.

Before they make it up the steps to their house though, Peter is met by a crushing hug from his sister. “Thank you, Peter, I needed that.”

“Oh no problem Wandy,” Peter replies, happy to hear those words, “anything for the coolest sister ever. Now lets go inside, we’re already past curfew and I don’t want Aunt May to worry about us.”

Wanda let go and nodded in response, happily following her brother through the front door to end the day by spending time with her family.

Notes:

Hello everyone,

I hoped you all enjoyed this little story, which is inspired by a Marvel Prose novel written by Seanan McGuire (I recommend reading it). This is my first time posting anything like this so I appreciate any support. I might intend on turning this into a series or something but I don't know yet. If you'd like, feel free to leave a comment about anything regarding my work. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 2: Reputations

Summary:

Peter and Wanda struggle with their reputations as Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch.

Notes:

Hey, it looks like I'm back with another chapter. I honestly didn't expect to write it up this soon with how busy I've been the past week but I guess surprises happen. Anyways, please enjoy.

“Hey! Come back here you punk!” An older man shouts as he witnesses his mugger take off with his cell phone and wallet. It was a precise strike that left the man stumbling from his assailant as he gains distance between them. The mugger grows confident as he hears the man’s yelling start to die as he rushes through the busy sidewalks of Queens.

However, his confidence is short lived when he notices a girl in a red costume suddenly appear in front of him. She cast out a crimson light that hit the thug square in the chest, forcing him to veer off and run right into a lamppost.

“Ouch, that looked like it hurt,” A voice commented. The dazed mugger quickly looks up to see Spider-Man, who is crouched on top of the lamppost. In a bid of desperation, the man tries to flee but is denied as the superhero webs him against the object he collided with. Spider-Man flips down to the ground and addresses the girl, “Good job Scarlet Witch.”

“Thank you,” She simply replies as she goes up to the restrained criminal and retrieves the stolen valuables from his hands. They wait there for a moment until they both spot the man sternly walk towards them. With his approach, The Scarlet Witch politely holds out both the wallet and phone and states with a small smile, “Here you go sir.”

Her offering instead is met with the man swiftly taking his items out of her hands as he gave an annoyed grunt. “I’m calling the Police.”

“Great,” Spider-Man innocently speaks up, “maybe you can let them know that-”

“You’ll both soon be arrested, you costumed delinquents,” The man cuts him off.

A mix of worry and annoyance stir in the Scarlet Witch. “Please, we were only trying to help.”

“No you weren’t. I’ve read the news, you two go around causing problems with your strange powers. I bet you even made this man steal from me with a spell or something.” He points an accusatory finger at Scarlet Witch.

“Oookay, we’re done here. Have a good rest of your day sir.” Spider-Man begrudgingly says as he takes the other superhero and swings away from the scene. They hear the man yelling behind them to come back and turn themselves in, but it soon fades into the sounds of the city.

The Parker siblings land on a roof, silently deciding it was best for them to take a break. Instead of relaxing, however, Peter starts to pace with his arms crossed in frustration while Wanda spectates through her own spiraling thoughts. A tense air surrounds them as they continue to idle in silence.

His annoyance boiling over, Peter speaks up, “Ugh, why is it so hard to get a ‘thanks’ every now and then?”

“I know right?” Wanda plainly agrees.

“Like… he basically calls us criminals for stopping a crime. That doesn’t make any sense!” Peter calms himself down a little and continues, “I just wish he treated us better, especially you Wandy.”

“I appreciate the sentiment Peter, but I don’t think we’re gonna catch that break anytime soon.”

“Yeah, it’s just the way our luck is going I guess.” Peter pouts, his expression visible even through his mask.

Dealing in probability, Wanda couldn’t deny that she also felt a twist in their luck today. It started out with when they rescued a boy’s cat from a tree, but the use of their powers frightened the boy who ran back to his mother crying. Then they were banned from a bodega by the enraged owner after they fought an armed robber in his store. And it most recently escalated when they stopped a car-jacking, but in doing so sounded the alarm, which caught the ire of a number of angered bystanders.

However, Wanda knows the root of these bouts of misfortune can be traced back to their reputation in the papers.

“Well, it doesn’t help much that Jonah Jameson seems to be campaigning against us again.” Wanda states walking over to Peter, who was now sitting on the edge of the building.

“You’re right. Jameson has been laying it on thick lately.” Peter replies, thinking about the recent influx of articles labeling the two superheroes as ‘villains’ and ‘menaces’. “For once, I’d really like him to eat his own words.”

Wanda chuckled, “I think hell freezes over before that happens.”

“Yeah… but it wouldn’t kill to have a little positive representation right? I mean Dr. Strange has better P.R. than us.”

“That’s because my master is defending Earth from threats that lie beyond the fabric of our dimension,” Wanda explains to her brother, “and because he hardly leaves the Sanctum.”

Peter laughs a little at the comment, replying, “I guess you’re right. I wish there was just a way to show that we’re both here to help people.”

Wanda nodded in agreement, and they go back to surveying for any crime from the rooftop. It doesn’t take long though for something much more eventful than a mugging to happen. It first starts with a low rumbling that shakes the surrounding buildings, which only get worse as waves can be heard crashing against the nearby shores. That’s when Peter and Wanda witness a giant monster emerge from the Hudson Bay and make landfall in Brooklyn, towering above most of the buildings as it makes its way inland. Not long after the beast’s arrival the Fantastic Four, accompanied by Dr. Strange, are seen flying above the siblings to go confront the monster, streams of flames and magic seen as the engage in battle.

Looking back to his sister, Peter asks her, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“That we should go help them fight that large, scary monster.” replies Wanda, secretly excited at the prospect of being promoted from fighting muggers.

“Exactly. What better way to boost our reputation than saving the city from a Kaiju alongside the Fantastic Four.”

“That would be nice… plus Dr. Strange wouldn’t be mad if we helped out, I think… Okay let’s do it!” Wanda exclaimed, a smile forming across her face.

“Awesome!” Peter rushes over to Wanda and they swing off together as fast as they could, eager to join the fight. After all, this was their big chance to show the public that they weren’t menaces.

However, as Spider-Man and the Scarlet Witch quickly maneuvered through the streets and buildings, another entity was silently catching up to the duo.

All of a sudden, Spider-Man’s sense was blaring in his head that danger was fast approaching. Thus out of reflex he dropped the Scarlet Witch mid-swing just moments before being tackled by something strong. Screaming as she fell, Scarlet Witch helplessly spectated Spider-Man being slammed into a nearby apartment building, but miraculously recovering quick enough to send out a web that forms a safety net below her. To ensure she land safely, the Scarlet Witch surrounds herself in cascading red light and lets the universe guide her towards the webbing.

Noticing that Scarlet Witch landed on the net and climbing down to the safety of the ground, Spider-Man turns his attention to his assailant. Sticking to the building as well was the ominous figure of the Scorpion, a supervillain mercenary who somehow possesses the powers of his namesake. He looms over Spider-Man, the mechanical stinger of his suit twisting and swaying in uneasy anticipation.

“Hey Scorpion,” Spider-Man greets, “What do I owe the pleasure?”

“Just a little revenge for stopping me during my last job.” Scorpion growls. “I’m gonna enjoy finishing you once and for all.”

“Sounds fun, but I actually really need to be somewhere so can we maybe do that some other time?” The villain then tries to stab Spider-Man with his tail, which he dodges allowing it to smash into the building’s brick exterior. Taking that as an answer, Spider-Man replies, “Ugh, guess not.”

The two wall-crawling individuals start to battle, with the Scorpion throwing punches and tail swipes that Spider-Man evades and counterattacks with his own flurry of blows. Webbing one of his hands to the building, Spider-Man is instead met by the broad side of the tail that hits him square in the stomach. He then holds tight and uses his strength to pull the villain into a right hook to the face, making the Scorpion recoil.

On the ground, the Scarlet Witch witnesses the ongoing fight but grows anxious knowing there not much she can do at the moment. The two were fighting so close that she feared that she’d accidentally hit Spider-Man if she tried to cast a hex bolt. As she stood there, however, she noticed accumulating bystanders begin to spectate the battle. She even started to hear some beginning to root for the ‘green guy’ instead of Spider-Man, which frustrates Scarlet Witch.

The fight continues, and in a particularly vicious move the Scorpion whips his tail at Spider-Man, who dodges the blow. However, the impact of the tail on the building sends large chunks of rubble careening down towards the street. Standing below, a mother went to shield her young daughter, both frozen with fear as the debris closes the distance. The Scarlet Witch acts fast, calling a surge red energy that she hastily sends towards the falling bricks The spell connects, levitating the pile of debris mere inches above the mother’s huddled form. Noticing she’s not crushed, she looks up and locks eyes with the Scarlet Witch, who is struggling to maintain the spell yet still gives the two a welcoming smile.

“Thank you.” The mother sobs, a look of genuine gratitude being shown to the superhero. She then acts quick to pick up her daughter and move away from the rubble.

Now clear of civilians, Scarlet Witch looks up to observe that Spider-Man created enough space between himself and the Scorpion. With as much momentum as she could exert, The Scarlet Witch throws the still floating rubble back up, hitting the Scorpion with a volley of debris that seems to be effective.

“Nice shot!” Spider-Man shouts down to the other superhero before focusing again on the mercenary. “Hey Scorpion, how’s it feel to be beaten up by bricks?”

“Feels kinda like this!” The Scorpion lunges at him, first trying to skewer the Spider-Man with his stinger only to connect to the wall, but then uses the anchor to propel himself with a kick that the superhero blocks with his arms crossed.

Both recovering, Spider-Man takes the time to quip, “C’mon Scorpion, can’t we just talk this out? You know, arachnid-to-arachnid.”

“Just shut up already!” The Scorpion roars in anger, lunging again towards Spider-Man. However, as he lands back on the building a flash of red light hits him, and in a brief moment he isn’t able to find a grip on the building’s side, sending him falling towards the ground. Seeing the opportunity, Spider-Man jumps after him, sends two lines of webbing to slingshot himself down, and delivers a kick to the Scorpion’s stomach that carries the two down roughly three stories to the street below. The Scorpion landed with enough force to be knocked unconscious.

With the fight over, both superheroes look around to find a small group of onlookers, including the mother with her child, start to cheer at the villain’s defeat. Spider-Man carries Scorpion to a wall and detains the limp supervillain in a casing of webs for the police to properly arrest. He then looks back over to the Scarlet Witch and says, “Come on, maybe we can still be able to help fight that monster.”

Scarlet Witch nods and quickly runs over to Spider-Man, both swinging away with the hope that they can still help.

However, as they arrive to the scene they are only met with a crater of wreckage and the other superheroes about to leave in victory. Fortunately, both the Human Torch and Dr. Strange notice the approaching superheroes and descend to talk.

“Hey Spidey,” Johnny Storm greets, “how’s it hangin’? It’s been a minute.”

“You know, the same-old-same-old. I take it we missed the fight?” Peter asks.

“Yeah… man it was a crazy one too. Probably the third craziest giant monster fight I’ve been had, you really should’ve been there.” Johnny lightly gloats before trying to console his sullen friend. “But I bet you were doing something important as well.”

“Not really, me and the Scarlet Witch were fighting the Scorpion on our way over.”

“Wow, that’s so cool,” Johnny says, a look of admiration forming on his face, “Tell me all about it.”

Peter continues his conversation with Johnny, explaining to the other superhero the fight he was just in with exaggerated motions. Meanwhile, Wanda looks out at the shallow crater in mild disappointment as Dr. Strange approaches her. “Hello apprentice, how was patrol so far?”

“Not that great,” Wanda replies, “Mainly just angry citizens calling us delinquents and criminals. We then saw the monster and decided to help out and boost our reputations, but we missed it.”

“Well while I don’t condone you or Spider-Man willingly coming to fight such a large threat, I understand why you did it. Reputations can be an important measure to maintain in life, as it is what people use to trust others, for better or for worse. However, reputation isn’t only gained from grand gestures, but from the little acts we do as well. Do you understand?” Dr. Strange explained to his pupil.

Wanda gave the question some consideration, and thought back to the mother and her daughter that she saved earlier, and the gratitude the woman showed her. Reflecting, Wanda responds, “Yeah, I think I do. Thank you master.”

“Of course,” Dr. Strange states as he wills open a portal back to the Sanctum, “Now I must be off. I will see you next Tuesday for lessons.”

With his departure, Wanda looks back to see the Human Torch ignite and fly off as well, leaving just her and Peter at the remnants of the battle. She walks over to her brother and says, “You’re looking happy.”

“Yeah I guess I am. Hey sorry we missed the monster, I was really banking on it to turn our luck around.” Peter replies, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

“It’s fine Spider-Man. Looking back, I actually think we did a lot of good today.”

“Glad you see it that way,” Peter says while looking over the workers in the crater starting to clean up the wreckage, “Wanna stay for a little and help clean?”

With a smile, Wanda responds “Yeah, as long as you don’t make any of your usual bad jokes.”

“But they’re part of my charm.” Peter whines, which makes Wanda chuckle a little in response. They both go to help clear the debris from the battle with the accepting workers, lending both super strength and magic to make the cleanup just a little easier.

Notes:

Hello again,

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the work as a whole so far. I still have no immediate plans for this project since I will be incredibly busy this week with my education, but I feel really good about doing more once I'm a little more free. Like last time, feel free to like and/or leave a comment on my work because it means a lot. If you also have questions feel free to let me know. Thank you so much for reading.

Chapter 3: A Cozy Evening

Summary:

While Peter and Wanda are gone for the evening, Aunt May gets a visitor.

May Parker was a person who typically found solace in the simple things in life, either it be watching the sunrise from the yard or making a home cooked meal for her family. In this case, it was sitting down in the living room with a book and mug of freshly made tea. She began to read from where her bookmark told her to, soon enjoying both the contents of the novel and the moment of quiet that settled in her house.

However, when you live with two teenagers moments of peace are often short lived… and it was no different this time. Peter comes rushing down the stairs, bookbag in hand and a look of mild annoyance, “Hurry up Wandy, we’re gonna be late!”

“Don’t rush me, Peter! I’ll be down when I’m ready!” Wanda’s voice announces from upstairs.

Growing impatient, Peter shouts, “What are you even doing up there anyways!”

“I’m trying to find my study material, but someone didn’t put it on my desk when I asked them to.”

“Ugh I did put it on your desk! It’s just so messy you probably can’t find it!” Peter complains, turning back towards the front door in a pout.

Closing her book and setting it down on the coffee table, May turns her attention to her nephew, “Oh Peter leave her be. You know your sister takes her time getting out the door, its best not to rush her.”

Peter’s expression soften slightly hearing his Aunt’s words, giving a quiet ‘mm-hmm’ in agreeance. Now curious to why he’s in a rush, May asks, “So where are you two off to tonight?”

Taken off guard, Peter slowly replies, “Oh… uh, I’m going to another robotics meet and Wanda is tutoring someone at the Library I believe.”

“Sounds like a busy night then,” May kindly noted. Both Peter and May are met by Wanda rushing down the stairs with her backpack in hand. Upon seeing his sister, Peter lets out a sarcastic ‘finally’ and opens the front door for the both of them to carry out the rest of their day. However, May stops them from leaving by asking, “Would either of you like me to fix a little something for the road? I promise it won’t take long.”

Peter and Wanda quickly glance at each other in understanding along with a tinge of guilt, only to look back at their aunt as Wanda kindly says, “Sorry Aunt May, Peter and I were probably just gonna get something quick on our way. Thank you for the offer though.”

Understanding, but still feeling a little hurt by the comment, May struggles to keep her polite demeanor as she replies, “Oh, alright then… Well have a good time then, and remember, don’t stay out too late.”

“We won’t” Both Parker siblings say in unison as Wanda goes up to quickly hug her aunt. Once the hug is broken, Peter and Wanda rush out the door, and May Parker is alone for yet another evening.

— — —

Sitting alone in the living room reading her book felt completely different knowing that there was no one else in the house. Before, the quiet was a way of knowing that everyone in the Parker residence was at peace, that the events of the past wasn’t weighing on them as much. However, this quiet felt unearned, as if time slowed down to allow an uneasy presence sneak its way through the house. May was finding it hard to focus under the ever growing silence.

Fortunately, the door bell rings before May becomes uncomfortable in the empty house. She checks the door’s camera on her phone to find that her most recent next-door neighbors were standing on her porch. May sat up from the sofa and made her way to the door, opening it with a polite, “Hello Ms. Watson, what do I owe you and your daughter the pleasure.”

“Hi May, and please we’ve known each other for over 2 months now, call me Madeline. I know this is last minute, but I got called in to cover the rest of a coworker’s shift and I need someone to watch Mary Jane.” Ms. Watson explained.

“Mommm, I can stay home by myself. I’m fifteen!” The younger girl argued, arms folding in on themselves as she pouts.

“Yeah I last time I let you stay home alone, you almost burnt down the kitchen!” Ms. Watson exclaimed, a mix of mild disappointment and amusement sketched on her face, “Anyways, I know this is a lot to ask, but I figured since you already take care of two teenagers that you wouldn’t mind watching one more for a few hours.”

Without much hesitation, May says, “I’d be delighted to, Madeline. Peter and Wanda aren’t here at the moment, but I’m sure Mary Jane and I can find a way to pass the time.”

“Oh thank you so much May! I will be back back in a few hours,” Ms. Watson ushers her daughter through the threshold and towards May, who then faces her mother, “I’ll be back soon MJ, love you.”

“Love you too mom.” Mary Jane replies, dropping her annoyed expression. May then slowly closes the door as she waves goodbye to the other woman. Now with just the two of them, Mary Jane starts walking through the living room, examining all the little details present. She noticed small trinkets laid meticulously across a small table in the corner, a slightly expressive amount of throw blankets adorning the sofa, and countless pictures of the Parker siblings hanging on the walls. “Uhhh, you have a nice home Mrs. Parker.”

“Thank you so much dear.”

Mary Jane walks up to a picture with both siblings and asks, “So Peter and Wanda are busy I take it?”

“Yes, they’re both out on school related matters tonight.” May makes her way through the living room to lean against the sofa’s armrest.

“Okay, that’s pretty cool.” Mary Jane simply states. In all honesty she hasn’t really met either of the siblings since moving into the neighborhood. From what she gathered, both of them had busy lives and that they were really close, but she never went prying much further out of decency.

May follows up the younger girls question with, “Do you have any clubs or activities that you enjoy?”

“Yeah, I’m part of my school’s choir, theater group, and I play a bit of basketball too!” Mary Jane’s eyes light up a bit as she talks.

“Ooo how exciting! It sounds like you really enjoy them.” May cheerily responds.

“Oh my gosh, yes! I really like my school’s theater program!”

Curious, May asks, “Where do you go to school? Not Midtown High, right?”

“I do not go to Midtown, I go to Queens High.” Mary Jane explains. She goes over to sit on the sofa as she continues her conversation with May, reciting little, fun anecdotes of her time in her clubs. May listens intently, chiming in with her own little stories about herself and answering questions Mary Jane aks her.

Eventually, May notices the time and asks Mary Jane, “Hey, did you eaten anything tonight?”

“No.” Mary Jane plainly states.

“Oh, then I should make dinner for us,” May get up from the spot she held on the sofa and begins her way into the kitchen, “Would you like to help me?”

“Are you sure, Mrs. Parker, I don’t have the best track record with cooking.” Mary Jane sheepishly rubs her head.

“Of course, after all, I believe that everyone should learn to cook a some point.” Mary Jane follows May into the kitchen, where she sees the older woman consult a recipe book for a minute, looking back at Mary Jane as if she was gauging if what she chose was a good choice, and rummaging throughout the kitchen to attain all of the ingredients necessary. It’s only when May places all the components on a nearby counter that she ushers Mary Jane to join her. They were making a simple meatloaf.

Beginning to work, May takes her time to explain her process to the younger girl, who grows confident as they began measuring and pouring ingredients together. They are about halfway done when Mary Jane wonders, “So Mrs. Parker, do Peter and Wanda like to cook with you?”

“They do,” May sweetly replies, “Peter not as much because he’s still learning, but Wanda absolutely loves to cook in general, especially when she’s working at the restaurant.”

“Oh that’s cool, where does she work?”

“A Romani establishment in Manhattan called Dosta, the owner there teaches her to cook,” May explains, then kindly asks, “Does your mom teach you to cook?”

“Not really, between my clubs and her work we just don’t have the time. And you already know how my attempts at cooking by myself usually go.” Mary Jane gives a light chuckle.

“I understand, but if you want to learn you can always just stop by.” May offers.

“Thank you, I’d like that.” May Jane accepted, a smile forming on her face as she and May continued to make the food.

With dinner now baking in the oven, May and Mary Jane head back to the living room after cleaning up their work. As she sits, May grabs the remote out of reflex and turns on the television to show the last channel she watched, the Daily Bugle. Immediately they were bombarded by the angry words of J. Jonah Jameson who was on his usual tirade about Spider-Man, reporting on his most recent activities and routinely calling him a ‘menace’.

Upon hearing the broadcast, May scoffs and goes to turn the TV back off, “Sorry, but that man is just so dramatic, especially when he talks about Spider-Man.”

“Yeah,” Mary Jane agrees, “like Spider-Man is just trying to protect the city and stuff.”

May gave the girl a ‘mmhmm’ while nodding in response, reciprocating that she held the same opinion as Mary Jane. However, they both found themselves in a sudden and awkward silence, as if there was a unspoken agreement not to continue talking about the superhero. After a brief moment Mary Jane sought to move on by hesitantly asking May, “Sooo, are Wanda and Peter always really busy? I only ask because I don’t see them around much.”

“Yes they are, they’re at that age where they always have something to do,” May explains with a content smile, “and I won’t lie in saying that it does get lonely without them here all of the time. But I know they’re out there doing such great things… things that make me so proud of them.”

“That’s really nice.” Mary Jane gives an understanding smile in response.

May nods before quickly stating, “Oh, you should meet them at some point. I’m sure that you’d all get along really well.”

“Sure thing,” Mary Jane answers, “Thank you for asking, Mrs. Parker.”

“Please call me May.” The older woman replies, her face conveying that it was alright for Mary Jane to do so. With that, May hears the oven ding letting her know that their food is ready. “Oh the meatloaf’s done, let’s go and eat.”

— — —

A while has passed since dinner and Mary Jane has since gone back home, leaving May to continue reading her book. Right as she finishes her chapter the front door unlocks and she turns to see Wanda and Peter walking through the doorway.

“Hi Aunt May. Sorry we’re late, we lost track of time.” Peter hastily admits.

“That’s fine, dear.” May replies, putting her book on the coffee table as she stands to face them.

Wanda walks over and gives May a hug. “How was your evening Aunt May?”

Giving it a moment of though, May smiles and replies, “It was really good, Wanda, thank you for asking. Now how about I make you both a nice cup of tea and you tell me how your days have been.”

Notes:

Hello all,
Sorry that this chapter took a while, but November was an extremely busy month for me and I couldn't find a lot of time to work on this project. This might be a trend as December gets kinda crazy too, so please bear with me if I have an inconsistent update schedule. Anyways I hoped you all liked this chapter. I wanted to shift focus a little and introduce some new characters, which I hope I did well enough. As always please feel free to leave a like and/or comment below, it really means a lot to me if you do so. Thank you so much for reading.

Chapter 4: Meditation in Mysticism

Summary:

Dr. Strange instructs Wanda through a meditative exercise in the Sanctum Sanctorum.

An air of quiet swept throughout the twisting halls and the ornate rooms of the Sanctum Sanctorum, giving the many spaces a sense of creeping eeriness. The decorum of exotic murals and magical artifacts adding to the feeling of encroaching stillness. The grand foyer of the Sanctum filling with a sense of sudden, controlled stagnancy.

The manor was far from lifeless, however, with one room in particular exuding a sense of mystical tranquility. The Sanctum’s upper-most floor, which is an open space that has been filled with some of the most unique occult antiquities and esoterica found within this world, is currently occupied for a practice in meditation. Within the center of the room, sitting overtop a red carpet sewn with sets of symbology, lies Wanda Parker. Floating across from her is the person she’s apprenticed to, otherwise known as Dr. Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme.

Both of them are in the middle of the training exercise, being accompanied by the soothing scent of incense and the soft glow of magically floating candles. The seal of Vishanti beginning to loom over them in the dim room as the sun hit the large, circular window of the Sanctum just right. Dr. Strange had instructed his apprentice to align her magic and herself with the energy of the surrounding space.

Except Wanda couldn’t find herself able to reach a state of meditation, finding it difficult to quiet her mind. She often felt this way, fast and nervous thoughts chaotically running through her head whenever she was left alone with them. It made the calming nature of meditation instead feel frustrating to her, and today was no different.

Sensing something askew, Dr. Strange opens an eye to find Wanda with a stressed look as she tries to meditate. Trying to pull her attention back, Dr. Strange states, “Wanda, you must concentrate if we wish to continue.”

“I’m trying my best, sir.” She responds, her frustration permeating in her words.

“Meditation isn’t about trying,” Dr. Strange explains calmly, remaining in a state of effortless serenity, “it’s about letting your thoughts fade away and instead focus on allowing the energies within you to attune to your mind. Do you understand?”

“Yes sir, I believe I do.” Wanda says as she closes her eyes and resumes the exercise.

“Good.” The sorcerer replies to reassure his apprentice. However, Dr. Strange feels as though his student was still struggling to quiet her thoughts.

Both of them meditate for a few moments longer, but Wanda continues to fall into her mind. Memories from earlier in the day now mixing with her anxiety and self doubt, creating a sensation of stress that quickly washes over her. The innate chaos magic that she carries with her begins to surge, as if it the result of some negative reaction. It only makes Wanda spiral more.

Sensing something wrong from his meditative state, Dr. Strange opens his eyes to find his apprentice with an extremely stressed expression on her face, eyes clamped shut with worry. Her hands are exuding a bright red energy that is building and cascading around her arms. Knowing something was wrong, Dr. Strange in an attempt to reassure her calmly calls out, “Wanda.”

Instead of peacefully ending the trance though, Wanda jolts in a panic and shoots a wave of magic towards Dr. Strange. The sorcerer is quick to retaliate, however, bending his own magic to create the shield of seraphim to block Wanda’s attack. Pulses of red clashing against the intricate symbols until there was nothing but orange illuminating the room.

Dropping the shield, Dr. Strange rushes over to his student whose eyes finally snap open. Concerned, Dr. Strange asks, “Wanda, are you alright?”

“Yes sir,” Wanda answers with a mix of frustration and defeat in tone, deciding best to not meet her teacher’s gaze.

“Are you sure? I find it best to be direct about what’s troubling you.” The sorcerer reassures, hoping Wanda takes the opportunity to reflect.

Thinking for a moment, Wanda finally begins, “It’s just… A couple of boys at school today were giving me trouble, and they said some hurtful things regarding my uncle that just.. stuck with me the rest of the day. Then I got frustrated at the exercise and it got out of hand. I’m sorry, I should’ve tried harder to let my thoughts go and that I couldn’t control my powers better and…”

“Wanda, it’s quite alright,” Dr. Strange interrupted, empathy evident in his voice, “the whole reason we’re doing this is to learn to use your powers, and I don’t want you to feel as if you are not doing so. As for what happened earlier today, kids can often be cruel, not really grasping that their words have impact. However, you shouldn’t let their words define you because they are simply not true. Do you understand?”

“Yes I do, thank you so much sir.” Wanda says, giving him a small smile.

“You’re welcome apprentice. Given that, I think we should take the rest of the evening to relax. What would you like to do?” Dr. Strange asks.

Standing up, Wanda warmly replies, “I think I’d like to go down to the kitchen and cook something for the both of us and Peter, whenever he gets back from his patrol. Would you like me to make anything in particular?”

“Surprise me.” Dr. Strange states, smiling at the shift in his student’s demeanor as they descend the stairs.

Notes:

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the long wait between chapters, as I became extremely busy with responsibilities from College. I was able to finally to finish a chapter though, despite it being relatively short. Anyways, thank you for the support, and as always feel free to like and comment.

Have a good day!