[wanda forces herself out of the horizon without giving any thought as to the where or how. it's probably why she lands in an explosion of red inside nero's loft—close enough to her actual target: somewhere outside in the farm's fields—and drags along with her magic the mattress and wooden beams that hold it up. it's a mess in here, the racket likely to startle the animals in the barn, but there is also the pained yelling of one wanda maximoff in the mix.
something happened there in the horizon, with goro. clearly she's fine, her physical body uninjured, but the chaos magic inside her is, well, in chaos. it pulses out of her into her skin, escapes her and touches her surroundings, warping them into something otherworldly, destroying them once it pulls back and away.
a red crown is etched from this energy onto her head. she's holding onto her middle, lying amidst the rubble, squirming. the world around her feels like a kaleidoscope of colors and mirrors, of a prophecy forged with ash and smoke into the bindings of the darkhold. she sees images of her sons when she opens her eyes, of vision's lifeless body with a hole in his head, of pietro's vacant eyes and blood seeping out of bullet holes in his chest—]
No!
[—she closes them quickly, trying to remove the hallucinations her magic is conjuring, trying to put down the pain and the grief. she doesn't need another westview situation to take place.
she doesn't want power. she just wants— just—
a vision in gold, of a woman descending from its core. on her head a crown, the scarlet witch, your fate, agatha's words sound as loud as if she were here, is to destroy the world.
another pulse of magic, the beams of the barn's walls, now, dragging a little as their foundation breaks.]
[The only silver lining about this kind of thing is Nero's pretty used to things blowing up around him -- or cars falling out of the ceiling -- or almost getting magically nuked.
Of course, demonic energy isn't... this. And they don't just pop out of nowhere into his room.
The bed shakes around him, cracking, and he rolls off the side with a "whoa!" landing on his feet.
Just in time for this pulse to shock through him, hitting him like a brick wall. He hears Wanda before he sees her, the center of this red magic that's flicking out like a solar flare. He sputters a curse, planting his feet down, magic crackling across his skin. For only a second, he feels it trigger his power, skin turning to scales on his right arm before he tamps it down. She might know he isn't exactly human, but she doesn't need -- that -- approaching her right now.]
Wanda! Come on, man, I don't need you destroying my place --
[Probably way too late for that. Fuck. He shoves a fallen beam out of his way with a grunt, arms turning demonic as he grows claws, scraping them across the floorboards to crawl towards her. The magic is trying to push him back, but luckily, he's fucking Nero.
And he's not letting this place fall on top of her.
He makes a last jump to grab her shoulder, not light but not rough enough to hurt her, either. Unfortunately, the claws are still there.] Hey. Hey. You're safe. Can you chill, please?
[Look. He's even being polite. He just... really liked that bed.]
[after taking stock of her inventory—what she has and hasn't sent, or hasn't otherwise given away to family in solvunn—she is left with a fair amount of items that she could very well... give away. she has no desire to keep them anywhere, nor to have a stock of them.
not when magic comes so easily to her.
and so, nero will find in his loft a couple of things. the first are candles, then soaps, and several bottles with scents and lotions and shampoo for the guy. one may even smell faintly of axe body spray. hey, he acts like a jock.
there is no sender nor letter to explain the package, but it's probably not necessary. if nero had been paying attention the past few weeks, he would have known that wanda had been working on this little side project on her own anyway.]
Wanda, even if you're a troll, you're still the best. By the time he's figured it out (which, yeah, he keeps an eye around, okay?) she might've noticed a few of her usual chores were already done by the time she woke up. Look. Early bird gets the worm -- or the scented bath salts, in this case.]
Whoa! Hey. Who the -- oh, Ciri. Man, give a guy some warning. 'Sup?
[Oh, yeah, playing it cool.]
I heard about the place packing up supplies for the other factions, yeah. Thought of volunteering myself to take them out, but I couldn't just abandon the farm for two weeks when we're already down some hands. Why? Something happening?
[ Absolutely not a present—he would never give Nero such sentimental considerations—but around late December, Nero will step into the Horizon to find a raptor-like feathered reptile waiting politely for him in front of the monster-fighting arena Nero built.
In its claws is a small hourglass that measures precisely thirty seconds. No note accompanies this delivery, but the challenge is clear. ]
[This is the coolest fucking thing he's ever gotten in his life. Nero might not ever directly thank Geralt for it -- 'cause who else would be insane enough to do this -- but a few weeks later he might find a still-bloodied claw hanging from one of the doorways in Kaer Morhen. It's got a flower native to Fortuna attached so it doesn't come off too creepy.]
[it's not that they had forgotten: there was just so much going on, and nero had been back to his usual shenanigans in no time. wanda lets himeka do the honors of carrying the card early one morning, before the three of them head off into their farm chores for the day.
as for wanda, she knocks on the barn's door that leads into nero's little room.]
[Nero is totally not working especially hard on a new pamphlet when the knock comes. He shoos away one of the lizards sticking to his wall (they've gotten particularly bold after he chased them out from under the farmhouse a couple of times and then promptly given up getting rid of them) and hops from his loft bed to the floor.
Only after tucking the pamphlet under his pillow. It's still in process.
Nero opens the door with a rather questionable look between Wanda and Himeka. Both of them coming to his door is... suspicious.]
Yeah? Must be important if you both suddenly found free time in your day.
Wait. He doesn't recognize the writing (what he can read of it), but it sure as shit isn't Dante, and he only knows one guy who's high enough to call him "buddy" when they definitely aren't (maybe if the tuna had made it to the boat --)]
JERRY
FIND JOSSELYN
[Fuck, how much is even going through? What if he just turns into a shitty, repetitive fax machine?]
[ With how much shit's happened, Geralt hadn't the time to contact those left behind. Hadn't let himself think about it. He'd spent the first day to sunset finding shelter, building a fire. Spent the next locating the ones lost on the other side, hunting down some rabbits so no one starves in the snow, cleaning his wounds in the icy waters before rebinding them.
It's another day before he finally has a moment to consider what lies beyond the next hour. He shouldn't be worried about Nero. It is rare that he is. Like him, Nero is hard to kill.
But he knows death is not all that can fuck with you. ]
[Nero doesn't regret staying behind. Hell no. But he can admit -- goddamn, it really sucks. The strength he used to help get people out and to stop Ciri from killing the water boy and escaping from that bone bastard -- all of it's drained him. Nero's still going, but he's slow. He holds his side more often than not where the wound festers and splits further open, deep enough he swears he can see his organs growing seedlings.
And yet even among all this, still feels good to be remembered.]
You'll never guess. Once you guys left, they put up big screen TVs. We're watching Little House on the Prairie. There's even pizza. Been a great time.
[ steve isn't....great at whatever this is. these mental messages. it feels both way too easy and also way too difficult to keep up with. but at the same time, steve can't really just pop over to where nero and wanda live anymore, not with how it takes over a day to get to it. so, instead, this is his option.
and the thing is, he's had this on his mind for a couple of days now - whether to ask, whether it's weird, what he's even worried about. it's been eating away at him for long enough that he's finally accepted he just needs to ask someone for help, anyone, and nero happens to be one of the first people that comes to mind. ]
[ Whether he sees the woven baskets himself or Wanda shows him, there is one left for him at the treehouse with the name NEERO written in familiar, crude handwriting.
Inside are various little animal bones, shells, rocks and a very poorly made clay sculpture that perhaps Nero can assume is meant to be him - in one of its little arms is a long stick like a sword. ]
[NANAUE YOU'RE THE COOLEST SHARK GUY HE'S EVER MET
Nero's not really the type to write thank-you cards and he'd be shit at it if he was (especially considering he can count the amount of times he's gotten a gift on one hand), but he does leave a brochure in return at Nanaue's weird barn thing that has the illustrated picture of Nanaue, front and center, along with a couple of freshly caught fish still swimming in a bucket.
[the package is placed in nero's room, one morning, when he's already left the treehouse. there's no need to make this a secret, but wanda thinks it's more exciting if it's unexpected. hopefully he'll come around soon to see it. it's definitely big enough to pique the curiosity of the recipient as to open it as soon as possible, in any case. inside, an amount of homemade goods have been stacked atop each other: candles, soaps, and moisturizing lotions. these should be very familiar, as they are often seen around the treehouse.
something else lies wrapped, though, and once opened, it'll reveal itself to be a trenchcoat, like the one cool guys wear. it'll be useful for nero in whatever weather, rain or wind or sun or snow. hopefully he'll think it's cool enough for him.
a small note sits under the box.]
Happy Winter Solstice. 𝓦anda 𝓜aximoff
Edited (WHEN U EDIT BY ACCIDENT) 2023-12-29 20:17 (UTC)
[ Geralt still has the claw and flower from the previous winter. There is no shortage of monsters to select from, but one that poses an actual challenge for Nero is a different question.
The beast that eventually shows up at Nero's palace is a manticore. The tip of its tail swells with a deadly venom. Another hourglass accompanies it. ]
This thing is a little like Belial in temperament, but it sure as hell talks less and gives him more of a fight. By the time Nero comes out of it, he's black and blue in enough places it hasn't healed yet, and he's got holes from the claws in his shoulders. At one point, the manticore picked him up by the shoulders and threw him across the arena.
It was awesome.
The offering in return is a little less creepy this time. Nero leaves behind a lion claw, carefully cleaned -- hanging from the hilt of a sword that, at its base, looks similar to his own Red Queen. It's a sword from his past, from the Order of the Sword. From someone who would never wield it again. He and Credo always bonded over their swords, and it sucks to think... it'll never go anywhere again. So now the golden, demon-touched blade is stuck in the grounds of Kaer Morhen, except the blade's now been decorated with wolves. It's as selfish for Nero to see as it is a genuine gift.
A note is impaled on the claw.
Thought you'd like a new sword to play with. Don't burn your eyebrows off, grandpa. She's got sparks.
The hourglass is there, but in pieces. Broken when Nero was thrown onto it. Oops.]
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post-goro fight
something happened there in the horizon, with goro. clearly she's fine, her physical body uninjured, but the chaos magic inside her is, well, in chaos. it pulses out of her into her skin, escapes her and touches her surroundings, warping them into something otherworldly, destroying them once it pulls back and away.
a red crown is etched from this energy onto her head. she's holding onto her middle, lying amidst the rubble, squirming. the world around her feels like a kaleidoscope of colors and mirrors, of a prophecy forged with ash and smoke into the bindings of the darkhold. she sees images of her sons when she opens her eyes, of vision's lifeless body with a hole in his head, of pietro's vacant eyes and blood seeping out of bullet holes in his chest—]
No!
[—she closes them quickly, trying to remove the hallucinations her magic is conjuring, trying to put down the pain and the grief. she doesn't need another westview situation to take place.
she doesn't want power. she just wants— just—
a vision in gold, of a woman descending from its core. on her head a crown, the scarlet witch, your fate, agatha's words sound as loud as if she were here, is to destroy the world.
another pulse of magic, the beams of the barn's walls, now, dragging a little as their foundation breaks.]
Stop it!
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Of course, demonic energy isn't... this. And they don't just pop out of nowhere into his room.
The bed shakes around him, cracking, and he rolls off the side with a "whoa!" landing on his feet.
Just in time for this pulse to shock through him, hitting him like a brick wall. He hears Wanda before he sees her, the center of this red magic that's flicking out like a solar flare. He sputters a curse, planting his feet down, magic crackling across his skin. For only a second, he feels it trigger his power, skin turning to scales on his right arm before he tamps it down. She might know he isn't exactly human, but she doesn't need -- that -- approaching her right now.]
Wanda! Come on, man, I don't need you destroying my place --
[Probably way too late for that. Fuck. He shoves a fallen beam out of his way with a grunt, arms turning demonic as he grows claws, scraping them across the floorboards to crawl towards her. The magic is trying to push him back, but luckily, he's fucking Nero.
And he's not letting this place fall on top of her.
He makes a last jump to grab her shoulder, not light but not rough enough to hurt her, either. Unfortunately, the claws are still there.] Hey. Hey. You're safe. Can you chill, please?
[Look. He's even being polite. He just... really liked that bed.]
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parcel, early june
not when magic comes so easily to her.
and so, nero will find in his loft a couple of things. the first are candles, then soaps, and several bottles with scents and lotions and shampoo for the guy. one may even smell faintly of axe body spray. hey, he acts like a jock.
there is no sender nor letter to explain the package, but it's probably not necessary. if nero had been paying attention the past few weeks, he would have known that wanda had been working on this little side project on her own anyway.]
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Wanda, even if you're a troll, you're still the best. By the time he's figured it out (which, yeah, he keeps an eye around, okay?) she might've noticed a few of her usual chores were already done by the time she woke up. Look. Early bird gets the worm -- or the scented bath salts, in this case.]
end of sept.
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[Oh, yeah, playing it cool.]
I heard about the place packing up supplies for the other factions, yeah. Thought of volunteering myself to take them out, but I couldn't just abandon the farm for two weeks when we're already down some hands. Why? Something happening?
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pre-oct event.
Steve.
He's training under me, but the Horizon offers only so much.
Interested in a sparring partner?
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yule-ish.
In its claws is a small hourglass that measures precisely thirty seconds. No note accompanies this delivery, but the challenge is clear. ]
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many weeks too late after the ship
as for wanda, she knocks on the barn's door that leads into nero's little room.]
Nero. We have something important to tell you.
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Only after tucking the pamphlet under his pillow. It's still in process.
Nero opens the door with a rather questionable look between Wanda and Himeka. Both of them coming to his door is... suspicious.]
Yeah? Must be important if you both suddenly found free time in your day.
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event: invocation; mid-week 1
buddy
are you getting this?
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Wait. He doesn't recognize the writing (what he can read of it), but it sure as shit isn't Dante, and he only knows one guy who's high enough to call him "buddy" when they definitely aren't (maybe if the tuna had made it to the boat --)]
JE
RRYFIND JOSSELYN
[Fuck, how much is even going through? What if he just turns into a shitty, repetitive fax machine?]
JOS
SELYNJOSSE
LYNHOUSEHO
USEHOUSE HOUSE HOUSEHYDNEL
LIAH
YDNELLIAHYDNELLIAAS
KIFSHE'S JOSSELYNIF
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a few days later.
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towards the end of week 2
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1/2
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early week 3.
It's another day before he finally has a moment to consider what lies beyond the next hour. He shouldn't be worried about Nero. It is rare that he is. Like him, Nero is hard to kill.
But he knows death is not all that can fuck with you. ]
Still in one piece?
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And yet even among all this, still feels good to be remembered.]
You'll never guess. Once you guys left, they put up big screen TVs. We're watching Little House on the Prairie. There's even pizza. Been a great time.
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gestures vaguely beginning of august.
and the thing is, he's had this on his mind for a couple of days now - whether to ask, whether it's weird, what he's even worried about. it's been eating away at him for long enough that he's finally accepted he just needs to ask someone for help, anyone, and nero happens to be one of the first people that comes to mind. ]
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[You know Steve walked right into it.]
Lucky for you, I can find an opening in between all the goat feedin' and shit I'm doing. What's up?
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some nebulous time after the masquerade.
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rift shenanigans.
with one of the rifts?
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Tried going through one. It hurt like hell -- bounced me off like a quarter. I --
Wait. Why are you asking?
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mid-month holiday time
Inside are various little animal bones, shells, rocks and a very poorly made clay sculpture that perhaps Nero can assume is meant to be him - in one of its little arms is a long stick like a sword. ]
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Nero's not really the type to write thank-you cards and he'd be shit at it if he was (especially considering he can count the amount of times he's gotten a gift on one hand), but he does leave a brochure in return at Nanaue's weird barn thing that has the illustrated picture of Nanaue, front and center, along with a couple of freshly caught fish still swimming in a bucket.
It's not much, but it's an honest day's work.]
mail delivery •
something else lies wrapped, though, and once opened, it'll reveal itself to be a trenchcoat, like the one cool guys wear. it'll be useful for nero in whatever weather, rain or wind or sun or snow. hopefully he'll think it's cool enough for him.
a small note sits under the box.]
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You know I'm never takin' this off.
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yule.
The beast that eventually shows up at Nero's palace is a manticore. The tip of its tail swells with a deadly venom. Another hourglass accompanies it. ]
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This thing is a little like Belial in temperament, but it sure as hell talks less and gives him more of a fight. By the time Nero comes out of it, he's black and blue in enough places it hasn't healed yet, and he's got holes from the claws in his shoulders. At one point, the manticore picked him up by the shoulders and threw him across the arena.
It was awesome.
The offering in return is a little less creepy this time. Nero leaves behind a lion claw, carefully cleaned -- hanging from the hilt of a sword that, at its base, looks similar to his own Red Queen. It's a sword from his past, from the Order of the Sword. From someone who would never wield it again. He and Credo always bonded over their swords, and it sucks to think... it'll never go anywhere again. So now the golden, demon-touched blade is stuck in the grounds of Kaer Morhen, except the blade's now been decorated with wolves. It's as selfish for Nero to see as it is a genuine gift.
A note is impaled on the claw.
Thought you'd like a new sword to play with. Don't burn your eyebrows off, grandpa. She's got sparks.
The hourglass is there, but in pieces. Broken when Nero was thrown onto it. Oops.]
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