"Will he be alright?" I asked Lia as she checked Pietro, fast asleep. Lia was also apparently a witch. She used her magic to stop the enchantment Agatha put in her mansion.
Lia: He will be fine, don't worry. I've wiped Agatha's mind, she won't remember any of this. Should I-
"Maybe not."
Lia: I didn't fi-
"You didn't have to. You were gonna ask if you should wipe my brother's mind weren't you?"
Lia looked at me.
Lia: Yes.
"Don't. Alter the memory. Make it more happy. Let my brother have a nice dream."
Lia smiled, and she altered Pietro's memory.
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"How'd you find me and what were you doing in my head?" I asked Lia as we walked out St. Agatha's Orphanage to leave Pietro.
Lia looked up at the gate.
Lia: Don't you think you should change the name?
I looked up at the gate and read the top which had "ST. AGATHA'S ORPHANAGE" on top.
"Yeah... we should."
Lia: Yeah... you hungry?
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"Wait, so the multiverse is real?"
Lia: Yup, it is.
"Wow."
I slumped back into my seat. Lia and I went to a pizza diner.
Lia: Why? You never believed it?
"Why would I?"
Lia: Dreams.
"What about dreams?"
Lia: You never wondered what dreams were? Why some dreams feel so real?
"Why? Those are actually our alternate selves' lives?"
Lia: Variants.
"Sorry?"
Lia: Alternate selves, the term is Variants.
"So it is?"
Lia: Ummm... yeah!
"Hmmm."
I took a bite from my pizza.
"So what brought you to this universe?"
Lia smiled.
Lia: I am from Earth-21722. This is Earth-30506. The person going after you is from Earth-82122.
"Are those numbers supposed to mean anything?"
Lia: I came here because I think you, Wanda, you are in danger.
"Danger? From who? The Scarlet Witch?"
I looked at Lia, expecting her to say I was wrong, but she didn't.
"Oh. But I thought-"
Lia: I saw the memory too.
"Then you saw she-"
Lia: Yes you managed to stop her, but only temporarily. You trapped her in Limbo.
"Limbo?"
Lia: Think of it as a pocket universe that-
"Pocket uni-"
Lia: Think of it as this way. Here.
She took one of my pizzas. She then used magic to separate the dough from the cheese and the pepperoni.
Lia: Every universe has different dimensions, thats where we draw magic. Each layer of the pizza represents a different dimension which when you put then together carefully...
Lia used her magic to put the pizza back together.
Lia: They make up reality.
I looked at Lia, a bit confused.
Lia: No?
"Nah."
Lia: Damn it. Look, The Scarlet Witch is after you.
"How do you know? You said she was in Limbo or something whatever that is."
Lia: Well she got out. And she's after more power. I traveled the multiverse before getting to her because she once came to my universe and tried to... she nearly got to me. But she left. I knew she wasn't gonna stop so I followed her to try to stop her.
"What does she want?"
Lia: She is absorbing more Chaos Magic.
"Why? What is so dangerous about her?"
Lia sat back. I knew she was hiding something.
"What... what is it?"
Lia: You are wanted by this... dangerous being... for a reason Wanda. There is something about you that draws her to you.
"Which is?"
Lia thought about it for a second.
Lia: You know what Chaos Magic is, Wanda?
"Heard a bit about it. Agatha told me some things about it. It's rare and destructive on a mul-"
Lia: Multiversal level. Chaos Magic is strong enough not just to give you passage through the multiverse Wanda. With the right amount, you can have control.
I sat back, thinking. When something hit me.
"What were you doing in my head anyw-"
Lia: Listen, are there any strange... I don't know how to-
"Strange occurrences that happened in relation to me recently?"
Lia: Yeah, is there?
"I can take you to my school if-"
Lia: That won't be necessary, give me your hand.
I gave Lia my hand.
Lia: Now, think about your school, what it looks like. Best if you keep your eyes closed.
I closed my eyes and thought about my school. Suddenly, wind blew at my face and stopped.
Lia: You can open your eyes now.
I opened my eyes and we were back in my school.
"How did-?"
Lia: I'm a witch, figure it out. Anything I should see?
"This way."
I led Lia to Pietro's locker and opened it to see runes burnt in.
Lia: Oh... still fresh. Yeah, this is her doing.
"What is?"
The floor began to shake.
Lia: Oh damn...
"What is it?"
The lights flickered then suddenly, The Scarlet Witch, in a long red robe appeared at the other side of the hallway.
Lia: Wanda, I'm sorry.
The Scarlet Witch opened her red glowing eyes and smiled.
Scarlet Witch: Hello Wanda. Good to finally see you.
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