Continued from here.
Teddy grimaced as Rant's mishandling of the piano created a cacophony of noise that echoed from the ballroom and out into the waiting room. Teddy could feel a chill as if a wind was picking up. It passed down the hallway, through the waiting room, and down the opposite hallway. Noembelu felt the wind just as someone appeared at the end of the East hallway. The individual was a woman and she wore an unmistakable scarlet robe.
She passed by Noembelu without a word, moving into the waiting room where she had to step down a flight of stairs to reach the guests. It was clear to everyone then that it was the woman of the hour, Wanda Maximoff.
"Welcome, everyone! I'm glad to see you all got my letters! Look at all of you! Come to the dining room."
As she spoke, the woman seemed well-adjusted. With a smile on her face, Wanda motioned for everyone to follow her back up the stairs and down the East hallway. However, some people weren't willing to wait for answers.
"Sister! What in hell--"
"Just get inside, Pietro!"
Wanda composed herself but glanced upon the guests with a look of grim seriousness.
Billy quickly made his way toward Wanda, a look of concern on his face. "Wanda..." He barely got a word out, however, when he spotted the look she was shooting Pietro. Billy didn't want Wanda to snap, after all. Perhaps it would have been best to at least see what Wanda had prepared before peppering her with questions.
The witch did not look at Billy or Tommy, nor did she acknowledge their existence.
In any case, Wanda seemed intent on moving the group out of the waiting room despite whatever questions or reservations they had. With the choice to either wait some more or follow. It wasn't much of a choice. Teddy made sure to escort Nancy so that she could walk on her sprained ankle.
Still trying to be calm, the witch's hand shook as she pointed to the door at the end of the hallway. "Get inside the dining room, Brother. All will be explained. That goes for everyone. Please." Those who followed would find themselves led down a spacious corridor, all the way to a fancy dining room.
"More of you came than I had... expected."
With a flourish of her hand, Wanda expanded the room's size and added a second dining table, enough to fit all the guests. Teddy helped Nancy into one of the chairs and moved to look out one of the open windows, but Wanda closed the curtains with a wave of her hand. "It's getting late and the natural lighting suits this room better."
Josephine stepped into the room, followed by Captain America and Pietro. Noticing the same flowers from earlier in one of the vases, Josephine lightly brought up the subject.
"So, Wanda, I can't help but notice your interesting choice of flower. I have never seen them before. May I ask what they are?"
Sitting at the head of one of the tables, Wanda smiled at Josephine and was more than happy to respond.
"They are the Wundagore Everbloom. A very rare flower that can only be grown in the shadow-passes of the Wundagore Mountains. The family and I... we went to fetch them, just for you all. It adds a personal touch."
Billy exchanged a confused glance with Tommy, who sat opposite of him, but the silver-haired boy only shrugged. Wanda continued, never breaking her smile.
"I remember that my teacher, Agatha, and I would go to the nearby airport and watch the foolish tourists buy them from local dealers. Most of them weren't real. Just dyed roses. Everyone wanted to see if the legend was true."
"Wait, you made no mention of a legend. I'm curious to know, what is it?"
Wanda suddenly froze, frowning.
"... Forget it."
It didn't seem wise to push that particular subject further. "I'm sure you have many questions for me," Wanda said. "But do keep in mind that your food will be ready very soon! I've prepared a feast for all of us."
@Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @Gummi Bunnies @CataclysmicMandala @Ryu Keiko @Verite @Leon Moretti @Bomb @dark @Mason Moretti @Krieg @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Seishin Ryuu @Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
"..."
Perhaps as expected of her, Kyoko stayed silent all throughout as Wanda made herself known. So here she finally was, in the flesh, and of course, as expected, there was something off about her. It was something you'd see in any horror mystery novel or film. A courteous host of a strange party who can switch from inviting to unnerving on a complete whim. She was not used to Wanda carrying this sort of aura. Though she would have been hard-pressed to say that Wanda was the most stable person she met, especially after the death of Genji, she never imagined that the Scarlet Witch would have taken this sort of shift in her personality. Something was definitely wrong here; it was as though she were a completely different person. And Kyoko was going to make sure she'd get to the bottom of this.
With her guard up, Kyoko walked with everyone to the dining room that Wanda had led them all to. She remained completely stone-faced when she so casually used her powers to restructure the dining room to fit everyone in, but the one thing that caused her to raise an eyebrow was the woman's response to Josephine's inquiry concerning the flowers that she had picked out. Kyoko made a mental note of Wanda's response; it could have been nothing for all she knew, but just the tone in which that response was conveyed, as well as the phrase "just for you all" caused a wave of apprehension to surge briefly within the detective. The way she spoke felt... almost as though she were in some sort of dream-like state, if Kyoko were being honest with herself, her suspicions all the more fueled at Wanda abruptly dropping the subject in response to Josephine's continued questions. Kyoko wanted to know more about this so-called legend, but she wasn't foolish. If a reality bending witch didn't want to talk about something, then pressing would have obviously been a bad idea.
Speaking of ideas, Kyoko hatched one in her mind, and quickly began to play it out.
"Oh, a feast? I didn't know you enjoyed cooking so much, Wanda," Kyoko spoke suddenly, putting a hand on her hip, "I hope cilantro mushroom soup is on the menu. You know how much I like that, don't you?"
@Josh M @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Atomyk @Jeremi @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Leon Moretti @Kaykay @Gummi Bunnies @Everybody
"... Thank you," Kyoko simply said in response to her request. If a smile were too much to expect from Kyoko, then one would think that her gaze toward Wanda would have softened up a bit, but to the observant eye, one just might be able to tell that her look actually intensified a tad, but all too subtly, for whatever reason.
... She also gave a brief look to those who piped in on her talk of cilantro mushroom soup, such as Mason and Toffee, but did nothing more with them.
Crossing her arms, she continued to speak. "Speaking of busy bees... Yes, I haven't heard from you in some time, Wanda. You took some rather sudden time off from work. If you don't mind me asking, where have you been anyway? Just traversing through the multiverse on a whim, perhaps?" Kyoko speculated, feeling as though she were treading on thin ice for whatever reason, but decided to ever so gently push her luck and see where it'd get her.
@Mason Moretti @Atomyk @Josh M @Leon Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Everybody
"..."
Kyoko regretted that this was all familiar to her. Good thing Tharja wasn't around, at least.
"I wonder when that food will be ready," Beatrice wondered aloud to nobody in particular.
@anyone
If Wanda seemed confused by Kyoko's question, she almost looked downright alarmed at Noembelu's. She considered the question a bit longer than felt right and said, "I have not seen Edmond in quite a while. I did send him an invite, however. Why wouldn't I? He really is a dear friend. Perhaps he could be late?"
The witch seemed intent then to move on from that subject, so she happily obliged Toffee by conjuring a drink for herself. "I've yet to serve drinks, but I can provide some for any who want one now. Don't worry, it's safe." It wasn't long before she gave Kiyohime the tea she wanted, as well as any other drinks the guests desired.
Kyoko and Kiyohime then began to ask more probing questions, but Wanda seemed more on top of her answers this time. "Kyoko, I am sure you must be disappointed that I have neglected your organization, but I do have a life to live."
Captain America decided then to interject. "But Wanda, I don't believe anyone has heard from you in a while."
She looked at Steve as if he'd said something very annoying, but she managed a pleasant tone when she responded with, "That may be true, but you should know better than any other here about the difficulties we may encounter. Stress and tragedy... how does one normally deal with these? I had to get away for a time. All the better that I got to meet so many wonderful people and find a family."
She stopped and looked at Steve as if challenging him to argue with her, but he could not find fault in her words, so he said nothing at all. With that out of the way, Wanda nodded. "Anyway, to all those who are just meeting me for the first time, such as you, Leon, I warmly welcome you to my home. As for the activities you were wondering about, I was not planning on party games, don't worry! Perhaps after our meal, you can join my family and I in the lounge? Perhaps the ballroom? This was meant to just be a relaxing gathering, after all."
She extended this welcome to even Shen, who she looked at a bit warily. She didn't think long about what he said before answering. "You have my word, though I did not invite you here for talk such as that. You meet many hostile individuals when one travels alone into unfamiliar territory, so I hold no hard feelings. However, let me tell you, now that you are here, I hope you can enjoy yourself. Can you not at least stay for dinner?"
@Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Verite @Leon Moretti @Glostechk @Yun Lee @Takumi @Gummi Bunnies @ShiroKiyoshi @Otto
"You may sit wherever," Wanda said to Phil a bit icily. She seemed more put off by him walking into the dining room late than anything to do with their previous encounter. Perhaps due to Phil's actions, Wanda turned back to Noembelu with a less-than-impressed look. "A witch has her ways," was all she said.
She then fixed Adama wary look that matched his own. "How does one describe a family? Do you wish to hear about the love we share? The memories I have made with them? I know you will come to love them too, so perhaps it was wrong of me not to convey yet how much they do love me. Know this: familial bonds are not so easily broken. They tug at you, reminding you easily of what truly matters in this life of ours. Now, is that good enough?"
She was going to then respond to Leon, but Rant slamming the dining room door made her pause. She looked at it in alarm, suddenly seeming tense. "Are you fighting?" she asked quietly, before standing up out of her chair.
"Why do you think I invited you here?" she asked gravely. "If you are to meet my family, it will not do to be acting like this. My home is no place to fight petty squabbles! Do you know how upset they will be if you ruined this evening? Why, daddy would--" The woman shook her head and clenched her teeth. "I am the Scarlet Witch, and you will all sit down and enjoy the coming feast."
It took Billy a moment to register what had been said, but he stood after a moment in shock. "Daddy? You don't mean--"
"Food's here!"
A cutesy little voice echoed from behind one of the closed doors of the dining hall. A girl hummed a cheery tune as she opened the door with her foot, revealing herself to be... a...
... rabbit?
"Everyone! Wanda and I have prepared the most delicious feast for you! Please, give me a moment while I bring it out!"
The rabbit continued to hum her cheery tune as she brought out large plates filled with food to each table on her stubby hands.
@Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @Gummi Bunnies @CataclysmicMandala @Ryu Keiko @Verite @Leon Moretti @Bomb @dark @Mason Moretti @Krieg @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Seishin Ryuu @Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
Arno sat frozen in his seat, his eyes fixed on the centre of the table. Talking lizards and...was that a rabbit? They were confusing enough, but Wanda? She seemed detached, dazed, so very different to the confident woman he had met in Franciade. More questions kept floating to the surface in Arno's lake of a mind, but one stuck out above the rest. He had to humour her- scared, possessed or otherwise, he had to get through to her to get to the truth"You may sit wherever," Wanda said to Phil a bit icily. She seemed more put off by him walking into the dining room late than anything to do with their previous encounter. Perhaps due to Phil's actions, Wanda turned back to Noembelu with a less-than-impressed look. "A witch has her ways," was all she said.
She then fixed Adam a wary look that matched his own. "How does one describe a family? Do you wish to hear about the love we share? The memories I have made with them? I know you will come to love them too, so perhaps it was wrong of me not to convey yet how much they do love me. Know this: familial bonds are not so easily broken. They tug at you, reminding you easily of what truly matters in this life of ours. Now, is that good enough?"
She was going to then respond to Leon, but Rant slamming the dining room door made her pause. She looked at it in alarm, suddenly seeming tense. "Are you fighting?" she asked quietly, before standing up out of her chair.
"Why do you think I invited you here?" she asked gravely. "If you are to meet my family, it will not do to be acting like this. My home is no place to fight petty squabbles! Do you know how upset they will be if you ruined this evening? Why, daddy would--" The woman shook her head and clenched her teeth. "I am the Scarlet Witch, and you will all sit down and enjoy the coming feast."
It took Billy a moment to register what had been said, but he stood after a moment in shock. "Daddy? You don't mean--"
"Food's here!"
A cutesy little voice echoed from behind one of the closed doors of the dining hall. A girl hummed a cheery tune as she opened the door with her foot, revealing herself to be... a...
... rabbit?
"Everyone! Wanda and I have prepared the most delicious feast for you! Please, give me a moment while I bring it out!"
The rabbit continued to hum her cheery tune as she brought out large plates filled with food to each table on her stubby hands.
@Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @Gummi Bunnies @CataclysmicMandala @Ryu Keiko @Verite @Leon Moretti @Bomb @dark @Mason Moretti @Krieg @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Seishin Ryuu @Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
"Wundagore Everbloom..."
Nono couldn't help but admire them.
"... and a feast!"
This was going to be quite the party.
Nono decides to sit near Kyoko and Mason, while Leon would be a bit further, he was still near, since his seat was one seat away from Mason's.
"Morikubo thinks this is the right spot," Nono says in response to Leon's enquiry.
"Mason, Morikubo can see how you can get along with my Producer, but... how do you get along with MadokaP? MadokaP is really intimidating, and her idols are really... uh... Morikubo doesn't know the right word..."
There was never a right word to describe the Little Marching Band Girls, and Morikubo Nono learned that the hard way.
"Nonono! They're not mean or anything! They're good girls, even the one from New Jersey..."
Nono then notices Kyoko being silent.
"Is something the matter, Kyoko-san? Well, apart from that fight, of course. Rant has changed just a little, but inside-out, he's still the same. Morikubo just hopes he doesn't do anything too dumb..."
Too late.
@Mason Moretti @Atomyk @Verite @thatguyinthestore @Crow @Leon Moretti
"You may sit wherever," Wanda said to Phil a bit icily. She seemed more put off by him walking into the dining room late than anything to do with their previous encounter. Perhaps due to Phil's actions, Wanda turned back to Noembelu with a less-than-impressed look. "A witch has her ways," was all she said.
She then fixed Adama wary look that matched his own. "How does one describe a family? Do you wish to hear about the love we share? The memories I have made with them? I know you will come to love them too, so perhaps it was wrong of me not to convey yet how much they do love me. Know this: familial bonds are not so easily broken. They tug at you, reminding you easily of what truly matters in this life of ours. Now, is that good enough?"
She was going to then respond to Leon, but Rant slamming the dining room door made her pause. She looked at it in alarm, suddenly seeming tense. "Are you fighting?" she asked quietly, before standing up out of her chair.
"Why do you think I invited you here?" she asked gravely. "If you are to meet my family, it will not do to be acting like this. My home is no place to fight petty squabbles! Do you know how upset they will be if you ruined this evening? Why, daddy would--" The woman shook her head and clenched her teeth. "I am the Scarlet Witch, and you will all sit down and enjoy the coming feast."
It took Billy a moment to register what had been said, but he stood after a moment in shock. "Daddy? You don't mean--"
"Food's here!"
A cutesy little voice echoed from behind one of the closed doors of the dining hall. A girl hummed a cheery tune as she opened the door with her foot, revealing herself to be... a...
... rabbit?
"Everyone! Wanda and I have prepared the most delicious feast for you! Please, give me a moment while I bring it out!"
The rabbit continued to hum her cheery tune as she brought out large plates filled with food to each table on her stubby hands.
@Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @Gummi Bunnies @CataclysmicMandala @Ryu Keiko @Verite @Leon Moretti @Bomb @dark @Mason Moretti @Krieg @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Seishin Ryuu @Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
"Usamin-sensei? How did you-?"
Nono turns to Kyoko.
"D- do you know what's going on, Kyoko-san?"
@Verite @Atomyk @Josh M
@Mason Moretti @Leon Moretti @Yun Lee @thatguyinthestore
"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!"
That was all that could emerge from Nono's mouth upon the sight of Noembelu's sudden movements.
@Yun Lee
"You may sit wherever," Wanda said to Phil a bit icily. She seemed more put off by him walking into the dining room late than anything to do with their previous encounter. Perhaps due to Phil's actions, Wanda turned back to Noembelu with a less-than-impressed look. "A witch has her ways," was all she said.
She then fixed Adam a wary look that matched his own. "How does one describe a family? Do you wish to hear about the love we share? The memories I have made with them? I know you will come to love them too, so perhaps it was wrong of me not to convey yet how much they do love me. Know this: familial bonds are not so easily broken. They tug at you, reminding you easily of what truly matters in this life of ours. Now, is that good enough?"
She was going to then respond to Leon, but Rant slamming the dining room door made her pause. She looked at it in alarm, suddenly seeming tense. "Are you fighting?" she asked quietly, before standing up out of her chair.
"Why do you think I invited you here?" she asked gravely. "If you are to meet my family, it will not do to be acting like this. My home is no place to fight petty squabbles! Do you know how upset they will be if you ruined this evening? Why, daddy would--" The woman shook her head and clenched her teeth. "I am the Scarlet Witch, and you will all sit down and enjoy the coming feast."
It took Billy a moment to register what had been said, but he stood after a moment in shock. "Daddy? You don't mean--"
"Food's here!"
A cutesy little voice echoed from behind one of the closed doors of the dining hall. A girl hummed a cheery tune as she opened the door with her foot, revealing herself to be... a...
... rabbit?
"Everyone! Wanda and I have prepared the most delicious feast for you! Please, give me a moment while I bring it out!"
The rabbit continued to hum her cheery tune as she brought out large plates filled with food to each table on her stubby hands.
@Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @Gummi Bunnies @CataclysmicMandala @Ryu Keiko @Verite @Leon Moretti @Bomb @dark @Mason Moretti @Krieg @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Seishin Ryuu @Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
"Oh, Mr. Moretti. So you're here as well," Kyoko said, mildly surprised at Mason's appearance. Admittedly, it felt strange to have him so casually greet her after rather unceremoniously resigning just a relatively short amount of time ago, but either the boy was oblivious to such implications or had completely forgotten about the past, from what she can infer from what she knew of him at least. Of course, either way, perhaps it made little difference, considering how hush-hush the young woman realized she had been already, but again, it was simply her nature.
"Yes, I suppose you could say we're... work associates," the lavender woman responded to Nono, seeming to deliberately avoid using the other word, before turning back to Mason and Leon, "I imagine there might be another guest from the Coalition somewhere around here, knowing Wanda's connections, but I wouldn't know for sure; I came by myself."
"And it's nice to meet you too," she continued from there, but said little more, simply nodding to Leon as she maintained her curt streak, keeping a straight, neutral face all throughout the exchange.
"And I'll keep that in mind, Zenyatta. Thank you," she spoke. Perhaps the monk was right. She felt a familiarity with the tone Zenyatta had taken to her, reminded vaguely of how Genji had spoken to her when they had first met, initially at odds with each other. Kyoko was aware of what people thought of her, and how her mannerisms were always a polarized thing. Some found it an admirable trait, the ability to hide one's feelings well to everyone but themselves, while others found it worringly robotic, and that was coming from two men who were partly robotic themselves. But Kyoko simply fancied herself someone who was just able to separate professionalism from personal judgment, and even then, she found herself slipping with that lately.
The strange part was... She had to wonder if that also would cause debate on whether or not that was a good thing.
For now though, she had her mind on other things. Whether from intuition or impatience, she could feel Wanda's presence drawing closer any moment now. The witch always carried about her a certain aura, one that emanated from her being rather than any mystical power she conjured, and while clairvoyant Kyoko was not, it was simply something she came to be familiar with after spending her time working with her.
"In any case, I would hope that there is an exception to your analogy, Zenyatta. I came to this party to see how Wanda was doing, after all, and any... tomfoolery would be rather undue here. We're all civilized here, aren't we?"
@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Mason Moretti @Leon Moretti @Crow @Yun Lee @thatguyinthestore @Gummi Bunnies @Josh M @Jeremi @Kaykay
Continued from here.
Teddy grimaced as Rant's mishandling of the piano created a cacophony of noise that echoed from the ballroom and out into the waiting room. Teddy could feel a chill as if a wind was picking up. It passed down the hallway, through the waiting room, and down the opposite hallway. Noembelu felt the wind just as someone appeared at the end of the East hallway. The individual was a woman and she wore an unmistakable scarlet robe.
She passed by Noembelu without a word, moving into the waiting room where she had to step down a flight of stairs to reach the guests. It was clear to everyone then that it was the woman of the hour, Wanda Maximoff.
"Welcome, everyone! I'm glad to see you all got my letters! Look at all of you! Come to the dining room."
As she spoke, the woman seemed well-adjusted. With a smile on her face, Wanda motioned for everyone to follow her back up the stairs and down the East hallway. However, some people weren't willing to wait for answers.
"Sister! What in hell--"
"Just get inside, Pietro!"
Wanda composed herself but glanced upon the guests with a look of grim seriousness.
Billy quickly made his way toward Wanda, a look of concern on his face. "Wanda..." He barely got a word out, however, when he spotted the look she was shooting Pietro. Billy didn't want Wanda to snap, after all. Perhaps it would have been best to at least see what Wanda had prepared before peppering her with questions.
The witch did not look at Billy or Tommy, nor did she acknowledge their existence.
In any case, Wanda seemed intent on moving the group out of the waiting room despite whatever questions or reservations they had. With the choice to either wait some more or follow. It wasn't much of a choice. Teddy made sure to escort Nancy so that she could walk on her sprained ankle.
Still trying to be calm, the witch's hand shook as she pointed to the door at the end of the hallway. "Get inside the dining room, Brother. All will be explained. That goes for everyone. Please." Those who followed would find themselves led down a spacious corridor, all the way to a fancy dining room.
"More of you came than I had... expected."
With a flourish of her hand, Wanda expanded the room's size and added a second dining table, enough to fit all the guests. Teddy helped Nancy into one of the chairs and moved to look out one of the open windows, but Wanda closed the curtains with a wave of her hand. "It's getting late and the natural lighting suits this room better."
Josephine stepped into the room, followed by Captain America and Pietro. Noticing the same flowers from earlier in one of the vases, Josephine lightly brought up the subject.
"So, Wanda, I can't help but notice your interesting choice of flower. I have never seen them before. May I ask what they are?"
Sitting at the head of one of the tables, Wanda smiled at Josephine and was more than happy to respond.
"They are the Wundagore Everbloom. A very rare flower that can only be grown in the shadow-passes of the Wundagore Mountains. The family and I... we went to fetch them, just for you all. It adds a personal touch."
Billy exchanged a confused glance with Tommy, who sat opposite of him, but the silver-haired boy only shrugged. Wanda continued, never breaking her smile.
"I remember that my teacher, Agatha, and I would go to the nearby airport and watch the foolish tourists buy them from local dealers. Most of them weren't real. Just dyed roses. Everyone wanted to see if the legend was true."
"Wait, you made no mention of a legend. I'm curious to know, what is it?"
Wanda suddenly froze, frowning.
"... Forget it."
It didn't seem wise to push that particular subject further. "I'm sure you have many questions for me," Wanda said. "But do keep in mind that your food will be ready very soon! I've prepared a feast for all of us."
@Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @Gummi Bunnies @CataclysmicMandala @Ryu Keiko @Verite @Leon Moretti @Bomb @dark @Mason Moretti @Krieg @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Seishin Ryuu @Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore
"..."
Perhaps as expected of her, Kyoko stayed silent all throughout as Wanda made herself known. So here she finally was, in the flesh, and of course, as expected, there was something off about her. It was something you'd see in any horror mystery novel or film. A courteous host of a strange party who can switch from inviting to unnerving on a complete whim. She was not used to Wanda carrying this sort of aura. Though she would have been hard-pressed to say that Wanda was the most stable person she met, especially after the death of Genji, she never imagined that the Scarlet Witch would have taken this sort of shift in her personality. Something was definitely wrong here; it was as though she were a completely different person. And Kyoko was going to make sure she'd get to the bottom of this.
With her guard up, Kyoko walked with everyone to the dining room that Wanda had led them all to. She remained completely stone-faced when she so casually used her powers to restructure the dining room to fit everyone in, but the one thing that caused her to raise an eyebrow was the woman's response to Josephine's inquiry concerning the flowers that she had picked out. Kyoko made a mental note of Wanda's response; it could have been nothing for all she knew, but just the tone in which that response was conveyed, as well as the phrase "just for you all" caused a wave of apprehension to surge briefly within the detective. The way she spoke felt... almost as though she were in some sort of dream-like state, if Kyoko were being honest with herself, her suspicions all the more fueled at Wanda abruptly dropping the subject in response to Josephine's continued questions. Kyoko wanted to know more about this so-called legend, but she wasn't foolish. If a reality bending witch didn't want to talk about something, then pressing would have obviously been a bad idea.
Speaking of ideas, Kyoko hatched one in her mind, and quickly began to play it out.
"Oh, a feast? I didn't know you enjoyed cooking so much, Wanda," Kyoko spoke suddenly, putting a hand on her hip, "I hope cilantro mushroom soup is on the menu. You know how much I like that, don't you?"
@Josh M @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Atomyk @Jeremi @thatguyinthestore @Mason Moretti @Leon Moretti @Kaykay @Gummi Bunnies @Everybody
Wanda beamed at Mason, seemingly happy at his convivial demeanor. "Why, a guest? I certainly didn't plan for guests, but the more the merrier, right? It's good to see you, Mason, especially in a setting much more relaxed. That is half the reason you're here, after all..." She looked around the table, taking in the sight of her guests. "I have been very busy. Some of you haven't heard from me in some time, but that is only for good reason. Even for myself, communicating across dimensions is no small feat! I figured, if I have to go through the effort, why not get a gathering all at once?"
Wanda said it as if it made complete sense, and as far as most of the guests knew, it probably did sound like it. Before Toffee spoke, Wanda added, "Besides, you are here to relax and meet my precious family. They should be joining us once our food arrives."
"If I may, I may have an answer to your question," Josephine said, looking to Toffee. She would have addressed him properly by his surname, but as far as she heard, he did not provide one. It just felt silly to say Sir Toffee, did it not? "Some of us may not have heard from Wanda in some time due to the very nature of the multiverse. As you may not be aware, years can go by in one world while mere minutes go by in the next!" She paused. "... Well, in any case, it sounds like she was very busy."
"Oh, Josephine... Thank you! That is a wonderful explanation!"
She smiled brightly and regarded Kyoko's question with a curious tilt of her head. It seemed that Wanda needed to wrack her brain to obtain the answer to what should have been an easy question. "Ah... Yes, Kyoko. I... believe I had that prepared. And even if I happened to forget, I will spare no effort in making some for you anyway. I would never let a dear friend go without one of her favorite foods. Of course, you can have some as well, Mason. Everyone can."
Pietro grumbled and glared at Wanda from across the table, but seemed to be keeping his mouth shut for now. Billy turned to Teddy and whispered into his ear. "Uh, you think I should ask what family she's talking about?"
Teddy looked at Wanda through the corner of his eye, watching for anything odd. "... Just give it a second, okay?"
@Mason Moretti @thatguyinthestore @Verite @Leon Moretti @Glostechk
Zenyatta returned a sagely nod to Kyoko, seeming pleased that she's listening to him. The monk did not know the full extent of the Ultimate Detective's workload, but the telltale signs of stress were painted on her face with subtle tones. Try as she might to appear stoic and mysterious, there was a glimmer of humanity hiding behind those pensive eyes. It was nothing Zenyatta had any business in, however; he wasn't in the business of cracking people open like walnuts and examining everything that makes them human-- or omnic, or septarian, or. . .a rat.
One can stand to face despair, but one cannot run away from their humanity.
When Wanda made her appearance, Zenyatta turned and seemed elated at first, but the omnic's stance faltered upon listening to her speak. He silently followed the masses into the ornate dining hall that lay on the other side of the wall, deciding to hold his tongue (if he had a tongue) until he may meet with the Scarlet Witch personally. Just as Kyoko did, Zenyatta detected the changing waves in her tone and personality. Though she and Genji were never extensively involved with one another, Zenyatta would expect Wanda to carry the same burden of mourning that Zenyatta himself did. In fact, if she walked many worlds since the internal strife befelled this 'Coalition', surely she would've gotten the news long before Zenyatta did? Zenyatta sensed a. . .veil surrounding her words, which hide something that must be uncovered.
Zenyatta wouldn't think more of it. He's supposed to be at peace in this event, isn't he? Once everyone had settled in the dining room, Zenyatta approached Wanda.
"Peace be upon you, Wanda," Zenyatta clasped his hands together and graciously bowed before the Scarlet Witch. "I see that you have been well since Bright Falls. I do not know how long it has been for you, but it is delightful to see you again after so much time!"
"I'm. . ." Zenyatta briefly glanced at the food.
Strength of the spirit is greater than having a mouth. . .
Or, a stomach.
Or a tounge--
"Ahah, I am not hungry at the moment! I'm sure this food is fantastic, however!"
Commotion across the room prompted Zenyatta to gaze over.
Zenyatta stared.
How much bruising can an apple take?
@Takumi @Cromartie Sarkissian @Kaykay @Midnight Maiden @Gummi Bunnies @CataclysmicMandala @Ryu Keiko @Verite @Leon Moretti @Bomb @dark @Mason Moretti @Krieg @Yun Lee @Crow @Archmage Jeremiah @LuckycoolHawk9 @ShiroKiyoshi @Gands @York @Klutzy Ninja Kitty @Minerva @Otto @Glostechk @Seishin Ryuu @Jeremi @CrunchyCHEEZIT @J A Y F R OM T H E 6 I X @The Batter @thatguyinthestore @Atomyk
