First Time For Everything (1)

First Day of Training

Wanda was amazed that she could keep standing still and quietly among her new teammates, eyes and ears trained on her new superior, without her legs giving out underneath her and sprawling facefirst onto the floor. Her head spun, and she hadn't even started training yet. So much had happened so quickly. Uprooted from her homeland, losing her remaining family, her twin brother, switching allegiances from the quest for revenge and annihilation to saving the world, placed into a foreign country and joining a new team…it was all so overwhelming. How her head had not burst open yet was beyond her.

"You got that, Wanda?"

"What?" She snapped out of her reverie, and noticed with embarrassment that Vision, Rhodey, and Sam no longer looked up at Steve and Natasha, but at her. The captain had just asked if she understood everything that must have been meant for her in particular. Lost in the raging turmoil of her thoughts, Wanda hadn't gotten any of it.

"Er, sorry." Her cheeks warmed. "Could you repeat that, please?"

"Sure." Instead of berating Wanda, Steve regarded her with brief empathy before going on, "I was saying that of all the New Avengers, and unlike the other three here, you have abilities that aren't based on technology, machines, or science. Agent Romanoff and I have a different training approach for you in mind—no pun intended." He cleared his throat and shifted his weight. As he continued to address her, discomfort flickered across the authoritative confidence usually worn on his face. "We think it's best if you begin training in isolation, Wanda. When we can get a better assessment of the scope and limits of your abilities, we'll feel more comfortable about having you work in a team."

Wanda understood his discomfort. She had been a threat, a force to be reckoned with, when she sided with Ultron. She had almost singlehandedly compromised the entire team with her illusions and mind-tampering tricks in South Africa. Now she would rather not pose any more danger to her new teammates.

"I'm okay with training alone," she told everyone. "Accidents might happen, and I don't want to hurt anybody."

"With all due respect, Captain Rogers," Vision said, "Miss Maximoff and I are both powered by the stone that sits in my head now. Furthermore, unlike Colonel Rhodes and Mister Wilson, I lack formal combat training and am quite new to all of this. Miss Maximoff and I are not so different. Given our similarities, I don't see any harm in having me train alongside her." His bright blue gaze flickered at Wanda, then back to Steve. "In the event of any mishap, I have the build and power to withstand it."

In that brief exchange of glances, Wanda felt a swell of appreciation for him. At first she accepted Steve's preposition and understood his intentions, but now that Vision spoke up, she agreed that he would make an ideal training partner. With him, she wouldn't feel so alone in this new team and new home.

"Vision, Wanda, are you two okay with training together?" Natasha asked.

At the same time, they replied, "I am."

Steve inclined his head at them. "All right, slight change in plan. I'm glad we have this worked out."

The team split up to proceed with the first day of training, with Steve taking Rhodey and Sam outside to discuss flight tactics, while Natasha remained inside the facility with Wanda and Vision.

"I know there's been a lot on your mind lately," Natasha said to the newest female Avenger. "You did really well back in Sokovia, for someone who switched sides on a whim, but today we'll take it slow and start from ground zero." She put her hand on Wanda's shoulder and her voice softened. "Of course we want you to take this seriously and do your best, but don't ever feel like you have to push yourself too hard, okay? This isn't HYDRA."

Assured by that, and nearly sagging with relief, Wanda nodded. "I understand. Thank you."

Back when she and Pietro had gained their powers under HYDRA, they toiled like dogs. They had to follow orders without objection, and exert themselves without proper rest to the point of collapsing. Sometimes Wanda and Pietro were pitted against each other, like gladiators in a Roman arena. His enhanced speed and reflexes couldn't stand up against her more potent powers. Guilt always wracked her when she was forced to stop him in his tracks and fling him around. Despite the bruises, sprains, and even fractures, Pietro had never blamed her for that. Steve and Natasha certainly didn't seem like people who would make her endure the same kind of hell. Wanda would follow them gladly.

Vision's polite inquiry pulled her from that dark place. "What do you have in mind for us today, Agent Romanoff?"

Natasha cracked a smirk. "Nothing cerebral for now. We'll cover self-defense and hand-to-hand combat. Get ready to rumble, you two."

The seasoned spy and martial artist taught with a deft hand, going over practical maneuvers that left Wanda sore, sweating, and smarting. Fighting temptation to fall back on her powers, she was no match against Natasha's experience. Cutting short the flurry of fists and feet with a flick of her hand would have been so easy. But Wanda had to be ready for the event that her powers might be compromised in any way. She didn't want to be a useless, sitting duck without them.

Vision underwent the same treatment, though appeared much less bruised and ruffled than Wanda did. Could an android even get bruises? No blood coursed under his synthetic flesh, so most likely not. Like her, he refrained from using his abilities by not altering his density. Against Natasha's fighting demonstrations, he appeared to weigh as much as an average man. Otherwise, she would have cracked her back from trying to grapple with him.

Wanda came away from that first day of training with her head still spinning, this time from Natasha repeatedly submitting her to the floor and all the self-defense techniques she had learned. Steve, Natasha, and the New Avengers convened again for closing remarks and what to expect for the next few days of training. After that, everyone split up to enjoy the rest of their day. Well, almost everyone. Wanda thought about hitting up her room for a nice, cool shower, then her bed for a long nap, but as she crossed the facility floor after filling up a bottle with cold water, she noticed Vision not budging from the facility floor.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I'm functioning just fine, Miss Maximoff," he replied. "I'm at a loss on what to do next."

Wanda found his standing around and wandering gaze oddly endearing. She could relate to his awkward position. She was new to this group of people and this country. He was new to…well, everything. After the first day of training had finished, only she and Vision remained in the training facility. Sam had already left for the weekly meeting with his veteran support group. Rhodey went out to grab a few drinks with Tony. Steve and Natasha had to discuss confidential SHIELD affairs with Fury, and inform him on how the New Avengers were faring.

"Let's find something to do," Wanda suggested.

"How can we do that? Training for the day is done, and we are not yet ready for any missions."

For the first time since Pietro had died, amusement tugged at her chest and made her heart lift a bit, if not smile. "Life is so much more than training and missions, Vision. Life can be fun."

"I know the accepted dictionary definition of 'fun,' but have not experienced what it's like to have it." Being an android only days old, he regarded her with a curiosity that somehow appeared both scholarly and childlike. "I was created to possess a wide breadth of knowledge. I know about many things, but have yet to experience them. Knowledge and experience are not the same, just as explicit memory and episodic memory are two different kinds of memories."

Wanda blinked. "Explicit memory? Episodic memory?" Growing up on the streets after her parents died, and not making past primary school, she couldn't help feeling somewhat stupid in front of Vision.

Vision lowered his gaze to the floor before bringing it back up to her. "Forgive me, Miss Maximoff. I shouldn't have assumed that you'd know. Not all memories are made alike. According to the current understanding of human thought, your brain sorts memory into various categories. Explicit memory deal with strictly facts and concepts, while episodic memory consists of lived experiences." Vision gestured to the windows and the lot outside. "I am a database filled with explicit memory, more or less. I know everything about New York, from its demographics, economy, history, and even weather forecast for the next week, but I do not know what it's like to be a New Yorker."

"Not yet, anyway. You'll find out soon, and so will I. Until now, I've never been to America." Then she admitted, "I'm more nervous than anything about being here, but I would feel better if you want to explore our new home with me."

His reply was cordial. "I would like that very much, Miss Maximoff."

"Please, just call me Wanda." She knew it was in his nature, or rather programming, to be polite, but he didn't have to be so formal with her.

Vision nodded. "If you insist. Well, Wanda, I am very keen on learning about the many ways that people can have fun."

She hadn't yet recovered from the whirlwind of these past few days to smile back, but she looked forward to the little adventures that lay in store for them. "There's a lot to do and see, but we'll take it like with training. Take it one day at a time. Maybe we can get you a hobby or two while we're at it." In an attempt to speak his language, she added, "Let's go get you those episodic memories."

This is more of a prologue chapter. The next ones will be more humorous and fluffy in tone, I promise. I have a few chapters planned, though feel free to give me prompts and suggestions.