Avengers: Infinite Wars

by free man writer

The Clone Wars are in full swing with the galaxy divided. The Jedi lead the clone army against the infinite droid army of the Separatists. Yet a wild card enters the fray. The Avengers. From there, newer, more sinister and deadlier threats emerge and The Galaxy, no, the universe, shall never be the same again. Co-written by Jebest4781 and BulletStormX. Now in Season 4.

69. Knowledge and Betrayal

The end of one arc that leads into yet another.

Hmmm, gonna need to count to see where we're at in terms of timeline wise for season 3 but we're actually… still some ways off of getting close to the middle… dang it, really made this a big one.

Heh… 69….

WHATEVER, FUCK OFF, YOU'VE HAD THOSE SAME THOUGHTS TO AND YOU ALL KNOW IT.

DON'T DENY IT, IT'S THE INTERNET, YOU'RE ALL GUILTY OF IT.

Who's the perve now, huh?

Wha… still me… whatever.

Onto the start of the next arc.

Rate Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.

Avengers Infinite Wars Chapter 69: Knowledge and Betrayal

"Holy shit."

"I know, that's what I said!"

Captain Steve Rogers, leader of the Avengers, shook his head at Rhodey and Sam, smiling at the synthetic Avenger known as Vision who was standing before the group.

"It is good to see you again, Captain." Vision said with a wide smile, clasping his arm with Steve's, the super soldier clapping the newly returned teammate on the shoulder.

"Glad to have you back, Viz."

"Finally." Vision jolted slightly, laughing a moment later at the speedster of the team having thrown his arm around him.

"Viz, do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?" Pietro held up his hand. "Five. Five days! That's how much we've missed you."

"So Vision was with space Vikings the whole time?" Scott asked, turning to Hope who shook her head.

"No, dummy, space… what's our Earth equivalent to the Mandalorians?" Hope asked the rest of the group, all of whom shrugged.

"I thought they were royalty right now." Natasha remarked, holding Mara Jade in her hands, the child staring at the recently found Avenger in open wonder.

"Still, small as it may be, this should be cause to celebrate." T'challa declared. "Another Avenger has been found and brought back to us."

"You weren't even there for the first few months." Sam pointed out with a smirk.

"Yes but as a Prince, I figure an organization of such an occurrence is warranted."

"It would be a good excuse to actually help catch Vision up on everything that he's missed." Matt noted.

"I would very much like that, actually." Vision said, looking at Mara who giggled at him followed by a small green alien that had walked up to his leg and stared up at him curiously. "I hadn't realized we've been adopting."

"Mara is mine." Nat proudly stated, no longer denying her maternal affection towards the child, hefting her up to nuzzle her gently. Mara laughed, small hands reaching out to Natasha's face with Nat leaning into them.

It was a rather tender sight, one that would be considered a rarity to see, especially with those who know Romanoff's background.

Hope went up to Vision and bent down to pick up the other baby in the group for the synthetic being to get a better view of him.

"But Grogu here…" Van Dyne trailed off as Grogu was reaching for Vision now.

"He kept crying and throwing a fit after we left." Spider-Man revealed, hanging upside down in the midst of the group. "The Jedi figure he's more familiar with us so they let him stay here for now."

Vision only hummed, gently taking Grogu out of Hope's hands and into his own, looking down at the small alien baby.

"Hello there, little one." He spoke softly and kindly. "My name is Vision. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Grogu only cooed, tilting his head to the side and reaching up to Vision's face.

"Well he already likes ya." Scott declared happily.

"How can you tell?" The Vibranium humanoid asked.

"Got a daughter, remember? Experienced with these sorts of things."

Vision only huffed in a small laugh. "I truly have missed much, haven't I?"

"Oh yeah." Rhodey chuckled. "You have no idea."

"I have a girlfriend." Pietro proudly proclaimed.

"Yeah, well, so do I." Sam said with an eyeroll.

"Uh… guys?" Scott questioningly said, raising his hand with him having taken Hope's as well.

"You guys don't count, you've been together already." Natasha waved off. "We got several works in progress but that's for later. For now, we gotta catch you up on everything and you gotta do the same."

"Of course."

Just before they were able to discuss things any further, the front door to their home opened up and in walked Anakin with several other Jedi after him.

"It's one big family reunion, isn't it." Anakin wryly said.

"Did ya need to barge in like that?" Peter asked with a shake of his head.

"Oh like you're one to talk for dramatic entrances." Ahsoka wittily fired back.

"Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Barriss." Vision nodded to each of the present Jedi save for one who he did not recognize.

A beautiful blue skinned Twi'lek.

"And you are, my lady?"

She smirked at the title. "No need for such formalities. I'm Aayla Secura. It's a pleasure to meet another member of the Avengers. They've been looking for you for quite a while, you know."

"So I've been told and I them."

"If I recall, all that leaves is for us to only find your sister, correct Pietro?" Kenobi asked, looking towards the lone Maximoff.

The fastest Avenger put on a more determined expression, nodding at the Jedi master.

"Did something happen, Aayla?" Steve asked, looking between each Jedi.

"The Council wishes to speak with you all." Barriss spoke up, stepping forward.

The Avengers all looked at each other.

"What for?" Scott asked.

"Him obviously." Ahsoka admitted, pointing right at Vision. "The second we got back to Coruscant, the Council felt Visions' presence."

"It was almost immediate really." Obi-wan bluntly stated. "I received a call from Master Yoda seconds after we came out of Hyperspace."

"He is extraordinarily strong with the Force." Aayla blurted out. "I can only compare it to perhaps Anakin."

"That's rather something." Obi-Wan mused, rubbing his chin in thought.

"I have an idea as to why you may have sensed me." Vision remarked, gently passing Grogu over to a surprised Sam. "And in actuality, it is rather paramount that I meet with your Council as well. There is something important I wish to discuss with your organization. And who better than the Council itself?"

"And how can we deny such a request like that?" Joked Skywalker.

"Are they already waiting for us?" Steve asked.

Barriss answered for him. "Master Luminara informed me of their gathering earlier. They have only just come together most likely."

"Then let's not keep them waiting." Rhodey stated. "This involves all of us as well."

"Naturally." Kenobi said.

And with that, the large group of Jedi and Avengers left the latter's home and made their way towards the Jedi temple.

As the group made their way over to the temple, during the small traveling session, the four Jedi who had recently returned with the Avengers had a litany of thoughts running through their minds.

Shooting discrete looks at their friends and allies over their small journey to the Jedi Council chambers, they kept looking at each one in confusion and bewilderment.

Thinking back to their time on Mandalore, the four Jedi who were there recalled a familiar feeling that they had grown so accustomed to, they almost missed it.

With the Protectors were two other beings, the two women known as Gamora and Mantis were also void in the Force. Yet their companion HK-47 was not only present in the Force, but he also carried a distinctly familiar signature to several of the Jedi.

They did not know what it was at first as it seemed to be muffled or suppressed, so to speak, yet upon their goodbyes and departure from Mandalore, HK had lost the Force signature.

And now, back on this situation, they thought about just what it was that was to happen in this meeting.

Where a majority of the Avengers save for two of them had no presence in the Force at all, Visions was like a shining beacon to all.

He was the Force yet… something else entirely.

It was almost as if he was in tune with a higher power with the Force, a facet of it that no Jedi was familiar with.

And when they focused on it, this feeling was all centered around the gem within the androids forehead.

What was that stone lodged inside this new Avengers' head?

The power that it radiated…

Quite frankly, it was unlike anything any of them had ever felt.

The only thing that surpassed the feeling was the Force shockwave they had all experienced when the Avengers first arrived in the galaxy.

It didn't take much longer for them to meet with the Council. Yet instead of the council chambers, it was in one of the larger war rooms to accommodate for the large group they had on hand.

A number of the Jedi Council members were in attendance save for a few that were there via holo-transmission.

At the center of it all was Grandmaster Yoda, the small Jedi standing with his cane in both hands and eyes closed.

Upon hearing the arrival of the awaited heroes, the short, green Force-users' ears perked up and he slowly opened his eyes.

The centuries old Jedi Master gazed upon Earth's Mightiest Heroes who walked into the room before they settled upon the one he had yet to meet.

It was almost immediate, the signature that this newcomer conveyed for the entire Council to feel.

And he was supposedly a being that wasn't born but created to near organic likeness yet his artificialness was also picked up on.

It was… strange to feel something… unique from a synthetic such as him. Him oddly having a connection to the Force, yet not at the same time.

Yoda recalled knowing a droid in his early years as a Jedi padawan who oddly had a connection to the Force. And there were a batch of droids that were created decades ago which allowed them to use the Force to a limited degree all before they were needed to be destroyed. These instances were considered a one in a million for such a thing to ever happen, despite it having a weak grasp of the cosmic power.

And yet here was this Avenger who held so much power.

More power perhaps than any one Jedi here.

All of which was centered around that gem in his forehead.

Yoda, in his 900 years of life, had never seen or felt anything like it.

What was it?

Was it of the Force?

Was it from something far greater?

Perhaps it was.

"It is good to see you again, Avengers." Kit Fisto spoke first, his easy going smile for all to see. "And It is good to know and see that you have found yet another lost comrade."

"Welcome you, we do, to Coruscant and the Jedi Temple." Yoda said with a respectful bow.

"Good to meet you, esteemed Council members." Said Vision, giving his own little bow as well. "I have heard very little but high regards from my friends on my way here from Mandalore."

"Hmmm, polite and well-articulated." Plo Koon jokingly mused. "Are you sure you're a lost Avenger and not a lost Jedi?"

"Oi." Said several of the Avengers though there was no irritation in their voices.

"Please to see, almost complete your team is." Yoda kindly stated. "Owe much we do to this group."

"And we in turn for helping us." Steve spoke up. "But I figure there's more to pleasantries that there is to discuss, no?"

Mace Windu nodded, stepping forward now. "I think it should be rather obvious why we all called you here to speak. The Force… your comrade, Vision, correct?"

Said Avenger nodded.

"He possesses the Force but… not in any shape or form that we ourselves are familiar with or have ever even come across." Windu finished, gazing intently at the android who stood with a neutral expression on display.

"That is to be expected really." Vision said. "In my time away from my team and friends, there is much I have learned about the Force and really what this is."

"Tell us, will you?" Yoda inquired.

Vision inclined his head forward as confirmation.

"Naturally. I was hoping to meet with you all really." The Avenger revealed. "There is much perhaps that we can teach one another."

"Then please." Shaak Ti held her hand out, a silent means of saying "after you".

Vision momentarily looked back to the rest of the team, all of whom gave varying shrugs of a go ahead and he stepped up to be in the center of this large collective.

"Tell me, have any of you heard of the Bendu?"

The Jedi Council were all relatively silent, many looking to one another in the hopes that one of them would have an answer.

"Either you do know but don't wish to talk about it or you don't know at all. The first is understandable, given the Bendu is a part of a lot of sensitive information about the Force. The other is also understandable as he's a rare entity and doesn't make his presence known. Or is it perhaps with what he's named after?"

"This Bendu," Even Piell interrupted with a frown marring his scarred face. "You say he is a Force user?"

"Not exactly a user, but in fact a manifestation." Vision crossed his arms, frowning as he mulled over just how he could explain his mentor/friend until he recalled one of the many means they used to communicate with each other.

Something that he believes he can do the same with his comrades as well.

"Everyone." Vision did a quick circle of sorts, making sure to get a glimpse at all who were in attendance. "There is an ability that I had developed over the course of time I had spent with Bendu in my time away from you all from the Mind Stone and I believe I can mentally project what I wish to show you all if you are willing to see it."

"Like… a Meld?" Ahsoka said in an unsure voice.

"Something like that but not exactly." Viz said, reaching up to his forehead. "It has to do with this."

Steve, Pietro and Natasha stared at the stone embedded in their friends' head. They were there when Vision was born and when their comrade Thor spoke of just what it was.

"You sure you can do it, Vision?" Rogers asked, unsure of what may happen.

"Trust me, Captain." He said confidently.

Steve saw no hesitation in his eyes and nodded.

"So how do we do this then?" Sam asked aloud, looking between his team and the Council. "Do we like… open our minds or something like that?"

"Normally, we would just say to allow the Force to flow through you all but since none of you have the Force, perhaps you should have an open mind." Luminara suggested.

"That doesn't fill us with confidence, Lumi." Rhodey dryly said, eliciting a small chuckle from the Mirialan Council member.

"How do we keep an "open" mind?" Scott asked, rubbing the top of his head.

"Maybe…" Natasha hummed to herself. "Maybe it'll be like a nudge in your head and rather than going against it you just let go with the flow or something like that."

"Sure, let's go with that." Pietro said with a shrug.

Vision looked at everyone one last time before he closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.

Silence permeated the air until a humming of energy began to emanate from the android Avenger with the yellow stone in his forehead beginning to glow brightly.

Some squinted until many outright covered their eyes as the glow from the stone intensified to the point that it was blinding and seconds later, engulfed the entire room.

All who stood in the meeting room blinked when they were now standing in what appeared to be a barren landscape with strange coral-like rocky trees around them.

The entire Council along with Anakin, Aayla, Ahsoka and Barriss were present along with the whole team of the Avengers.

"Whoa." Peter murmured. "That was trippy."

"Amazing." Shaak Ti muttered, eyes wide in disbelief. "I am on Kamino at this time yet… you managed to reach out to me."

"This stone allows me to reach out to any mind I wish so long as I concentrate."

"So where are we right now?" Maximoff inquired, looking around the empty land.

"Atollon." Vision answered. "The planet I had spent a majority of my time whilst separated from you all."

A moment later, they all saw another Vision appear, surprising some though the one who brought them here quickly elaborated what they were looking at.

"These are my memories." He revealed. "And you are about to meet Bendu in a moment's time."

The Vision of the past basically phased through a few of them as if they weren't even there.

They all turned to see this memory of the Avenger walking down into a crater with the scenery shifting over to where he now stood.

In an instant, many jaws dropped to the ground upon seeing the ground shift and what looked like a rock formation turned out to be an actual living being.

"Whoa~~" The youngest of the group said in awe, a sentiment shared by the rest of the group.

"This," Vision held his hand up towards the large being. "Is my friend and mentor. Bendu."

"It is good to see you are back again, my friend." The Bendu memory projection spoke, it's strange and wry voice eliciting intrigue and wonder, especially from the Jedi. "Are you prepared for your next lesson?"

"Naturally."

"Naturally he says." Memory Bendu rumbled in a chuckle. "Right then, let's begin where we had last left off."

From there, the Jedi and Avengers simply observed Vision's memories, learning what he learned in his time with the Bendu.

They learned of the being in the middle, the balance of the Force, beings known to be the Celestials, the Jedi and the Sith and so much more.

Quite frankly, there was so much information to process that many just couldn't keep up with it.

But something that had stuck out to the Jedi was the mention of a woman who became one of these near omnipotent beings called the Celestials and that Bendu knew her at some point thousands of years in the past.

Then of course there was the mention of the Je'Daii Order, the schisms, so much knowledge that was lost that it became overwhelming.

A sharp tapping of a cane striking the ground was heard and all turned to Grandmaster Yoda who looked tired yet… invigorated.

"Much we have seen, just now." His voice matched his age, sounding far older than all present. He was 900 years old after all. "Much to discuss, all of us do. Very much to discuss…"

And like that, everyone snapped back into the meeting room looking very much overwhelmed.

For a moment, nobody had said a word until Plo Koon mustered up some words.

"That was…"

"Indescribable." Depa cut him off, a look of pure awe.

"So much knowledge." Mundi muttered in complete astonishment.

"I know this may come across as demanding," Windu spoke up, eyeing Vision. "But if we can-"

"I am more than willing to show you all more when we have the time." The vibranium humanoid stated with a kind bow.

"Thank you." Yoda said in total gratitude. "All of you. Grown it has, the debt we owe you."

"Think nothing of it."

"Still, this is…" Fisto laughed lightly. "I can't even begin to describe what we have all just seen and learned."

"If you believe that was a well of knowledge," Vision reached behind him, shifting behind his cape and from seemingly nowhere pulled out a hexagonal shape that had several glowing segments.

"A holocron." Plo whispered in astonishment.

"Not just any, esteemed Council Members. This Holocron belonged to an ancient Jedi by the name of Meetra Surik."

The Council openly gasped save for Windu and Yoda though their eyes had widened in stunned disbelief.

"The Exile's Holocron?"

"She who saved the Order?"

"I thought it was lost!"

"A myth!"

"Jesus Vision, you've been busy." Rhodey joked, nudging the android.

"I can say the same for you." Vision shot back. "I gained knowledge while my friends were in the midst of a galactic war."

"There is a lot we have to discuss now before the war calls for our attention once again." Windu's voice broke through all the chatter. "We must speak at a later time but for now… I believe some time to recuperate, meditate and dwell on everything we have just learned is needed."

Hearing no one disagree with him, the large group began to disperse.

Or really, a majority of the council did.

Several of the Jedi stuck around the Avengers wishing to still speak with them.

"The holocron of Meetra Surik." Obi-wan remarked in complete wonder, gazing down at the device in Visions' hand. "How did you come about this?"

"Unconventional means." Vision revealed. "There was a droid we had met on Mandalore who went by the name of HK-47. He was a companion of this Jedi and had been keeping this Holocron within his chest piece for thousands of years. Almost 4000."

"How in the hell did a droid stay together like that for 4000 years?" Sam asked, staring at the Holocron.

"I wouldn't be surprised if this Holocron had something to do with it." Anakin remarked, arms crossed and an undeniable yearning in his eyes as they too were upon the device. "Maybe Meetra enacted a Force bond or binding to keep this droid you mentioned functioning or at the very least from disintegrating away into dust until it found its way in the hands of the Jedi."

"Who is to say what she did?" Luminara Unduli said in her soft voice. "All that matters is we have something of great importance, my friends."

"From the way you guys reacted, sure as hell seems like it's more than just that." Lang commented, the Mirialan Master smiling at him.

"You are very much correct, Mr. Lang."

"Scott. Just Scott."

"Of course. Scott."

Though she wanted to stay and speak with her friends a bit longer, being a part of the Council meant that Unduli had other responsibilities to attend to.

Bidding the Avengers farewell, Luminara moved to leave when she was stopped by her apprentice.

"Master Luminara, may I speak with you in private?"

"But of course, my Padawan." Luminara saw she wasn't standing alone. "Colonel Rhodes?"

"Promised I'd help her with this, Lumi." The Colonel said in grave seriousness. "This… well… I hate to do this to ya after what we all just saw, but we need to tell you this."

Luminara frowned seeing a conflicted and torn expression on her Padawan and a grim face on James and this in turn led her to grow concerned as to the mood the two before her had.

"Very well." She slowly nodded. "Where would you like to talk?"

"This way." Barriss grabbed onto her arm, mentally startling her master. "There's a room nearby for the three of us to speak in private."

This uncharacteristic urgency was greatly worrying the elder Mirialan but she remained calm and composed, allowing her student to guide her to their destination with Rhodey right behind them.

All the while, Steve had noticed Aayla standing by her lonesome, back turned to him with her leaning on the doorframe that led into the meeting room most of the Avengers were still in. The super soldier noticed her posture, picking up on a sense of discomfort and perhaps inner turmoil judging from her she had her arms crossed and head bowed forward.

Quietly walking up to her, he stood by her side, looking ahead with the two not addressing one another.

Out of the corner of his eye, Steve saw Secura's gaze flicker over to him momentarily before back down to the ground.

They remained that way for a few seconds, standing silently by one another's' side until Steve broke the silence.

"Is… everything alright Aayla?" He quietly asked.

He heard the Twi'lek shift about, turning to her to see she adjusted herself with her back now leaning against the doorframe and her eyes firmly on him.

"I can't really answer that properly, Steve." Aayla admitted, shaking her head. "I just suddenly feel really tired. I hear all this… history about our order all in one day."

"Guess we should have had a review session to check what we should and shouldn't have shown today." Steve said in humor, getting a small derisive snort from Aayla, so unlike her.

"Ya think?" She rhetorically asked.

Rogers shook his head, smirking slightly at her as the two fell into a comfortable silence.

They heard the chatter of the other Avengers with their Jedi friends behind them yet the two opted to stay where they were.

"What's troubling you?" Steve asked.

"Did I not tell you already?"

Rogers shook his head, facing the beautiful Twi'lek again.

"That was just one answer." He stated. "There's always more than one. Come on Aayla, you can trust me. What's wrong?"

She didn't respond right away, instead staring intently at Captain America before a sigh escaped from her lips.

"I guess I just… I'm trying to make sense of it all. Of everything recently." Aayla leaned her head back, bumping against the wall. "Ultron, the chips, what Vision just showed us."

"Yeah, it can be intimidating." Steve murmured in agreement. "But that's not the only thing that's troubling you, is it?"

"No, no it is not." Aayla freely admitted. "I just… I guess I want some peace of mind. Something to help clear my thoughts because lately, I haven't been able to do so."

"I understand that feeling." He sympathetically said. "Kinda have the same problem really."

He saw her looking at him questioningly. "Waking up after being asleep in the ice."

Realization dawned upon the Twi'lek Jedi, remembering Steve's astonishingly bizarre history of coming from a different time and era from his homeworld.

She huffed in amusement and sympathy. "From a different time to a different galaxy."

Steve 'hmphed' shaking his head. "It's strange really. Even when things are quiet, something is always going on in one way shape or form. No rest for the weary, honestly."

The pair were quiet once more, only the idle chatter of the Avengers and Jedi that had stayed behind serving as background noise.

"How do you do it?" Steve hears Aayla quietly ask.

He turned to her, raised brow, silently asking what she meant by that.

Aayla shrugged. "I was taught by my Masters Tholme, Vos and Saa on how to remain calm in the eye of any storm that comes my way. But… They also told me that control is an illusion and one must allow themselves to be guided by the storm to get to where they want."

Steve didn't respond right away, sensing there was more she wanted to say.

"But how can one allow themselves to be guided along so easily when the storm they find themselves in is so turbulent?"

"Like a hurricane." Steve commented, seeing Aayla nod in agreement.

"Or a galactic storm."

"What would a galactic storm even look like?" Cap asked in bemusement.

"Lot of stars blowing up, maybe."

"Wouldn't that spell disaster?"

"More than likely."

Steve chortled, shaking his head now with a wry grin.

He heard Aayla laughing as well, finding the sound pleasant to hear.

"Maybe we just need to talk." Steve suggested. "To each other or whoever is willing to listen."

"Maybe." Secura muttered quietly.

"Guess I know when I'm not needed then." Steve remarked turning to leave when he felt Aayla's hand stopping him as she had grabbed onto his wrist.

"No, come on now Steve, I didn't say no." The Twi'lek jokingly pleaded.

He turned back to her with a wry smile, seeing her huff, lightly flicking his hand away.

"Well now I don't wanna talk anymore."

Captain America only chuckled at her response, the annoyed facade breaking in less than a few seconds as they both laughed together, not noticing several of the Avengers having looked over at them.

They quieted down, a much more pleasant air shared between them now.

"That offer to talk is always there." Steve said after a few moments of silence.

"The same to you." Secura returned the gesture. "Though… I wouldn't mind if we talked a bit more."

"By all means."

"Let's go get something to eat then." Aayla said, pushing off the door frame.

"My treat then." Steve offered. "Dex's Diner recently got down another recipe of ours from Earth."

Aayla's small smile widened considerably. "Oh~~ Do tell."

Steve only wagged his finger in her face. "Ah, ah, ah, that'll be a surprise for you to find out for yourself. Come on, we've always got a spot reserved for us."

-Scene Cut-

She was alone right now in the Jedi library, chin leaning against the table she had taken for herself.

The lone Padawan had been there for some time now since the meeting she had been a part of with the Avengers and Jedi Council and, well…

It was a lot to take in really.

And that wasn't likely the full picture.

In all honesty, if one were to review what Vision had shown them, they only obtained the cliff notes of his time with the Bendu.

Then again, he did mention that this was intentionally done as if he had shown them everything, they might have been there for a long time. And there were more pressing matters they needed to attend.

Primarily the war and Ultron.

But what they had just learned was too important to ignore.

This was the legacy of their order they're talking about here.

Lost knowledge that they now have at their fingertips. They needed to capitalize on this.

Maybe… maybe this was what can help them finally end the war with the Separatists. Or bring peace as they were supposed to do.

"As the saying goes, misery loves company."

Ahsoka looked up, opting to keep her chin on the table, watching Peter sit right by her.

"What's eatin' ya?" He asked straight away.

"What makes you think anything is wrong with…" Ahsoka couldn't really finish that question as she let out a sigh, lifting her head up just to shake it.

"So~" Parker gave her an expectant look. "What's wrong?"

"Everything? Nothing? I can't tell anymore, honestly." Tano admitted, exhaling tiredly, slumping in her seat.

The two sat in silence.

"Was it what Vision showed-"

"Yes." She cut him off. "Exactly that."

Peter nodded understandingly. "Yeah, that is a huge can of worms he just dumped on us."

Ahsoka propped her arms on the table and lowered her cheek down onto it, facing Peter.

"I just… I feel like we need to do something about it."

"Do something about what?"

"What Vision told us and showed us earlier." Ahsoka said more emphatically. "Everything about what we once were, the whole Je'Daii order, the Bendu, Ashla, Bogan, all of it. We need to do something about this knowledge."

"Wouldn't this be something the Council would normally take care of?" He questioned, yet Ahsoka rapidly shook her head.

"I don't want this to be left to just the Council." Ahsoka passionately exclaimed. "This feels like it should be done by everyone in the Order. This… this is for all our sake."

Peter let out a 'hmph', making her face scrunch up.

"What was that supposed to be?" She questioned.

"Nothin' just…" He rubbed the back of his head. "Just kinda funny to me. Seeing you all fired up about knowledge."

Ahsoka raised a brow before her eyes widened and her cheeks puffed out.

"Wait just a second." She pointed at his arm.

"Oh, I knew there was an egghead in you somewhere."

"...Are you saying that I'm not smart?"

Peter made an iffy hand motion. "It's just… ya know."

Ahsoka's brow twitched. "What do I know?"

Parker sheepishly shrugged. "Just… ya take after Anakin a lot more than Obi. Gung ho, guns blazing first with questions coming later. Plan comes later."

"I'll have you know that that is called improvising and I happen to be very good at it." Ahsoka petulantly defended herself.

"Oh believe me, us Avengers are professionals when it comes to that."

"You're an inspiration to us all." She sarcastically said.

"Yeah, we know." Peter remarked in a false smug manner. "But still, it's not that I'm saying you can't learn it's just… not you, is what I'm saying."

Ahsoka's mouth opened and closed several times. "I can be smart."

A teasing grin found its way onto Peters' face. "Are you though? I think you're mistaking smart with smrt."

"You just left out the A."

"Yeah, therefore justifying the levels of intelligence needed." Peter said, holding his hands horizontally with his left hand higher than his right hand.

"This is you right here." Parker motioned his right hand followed by his left. "And that's me all the way up there with the other geniuses. Once you get that A you can join us. Also has a great view for you to jump from since you and Anakin like doing that so often."

The Padawan trembled slightly.

"...It feels like you're insulting the two of us."

"You mean you don't like leaping from tall buildings, plummeting to possible death with Rex screaming right behind you?"

"That was one…" Ahsoka began to mentally count the amount of times that had already happened. "Two, no less than three dozen… shut up!"

Peter threw his head back and laughed, jokingly flinching at the light punches he was receiving from a half annoyed and half amused Ahsoka.

"Teach. You. To. Dis. Respect. Me." She said with every punch.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He apologized while laughing, Ahsoka being unable to contain herself and joining him a second later.

"You idiot." She murmured quietly, a calm smile now visible for him to see. "Thank you."

He looked at her quizzically.

"Just… guess I needed a laugh really." Ahsoka said kindly. "All that's been going on, we haven't had a true moment just to catch our breaths is all. Even for a moment like this. Thank you Peter."

Peter blinked slightly at her gratitude, the Queens native having a bright smile directed at him from her.

"Heh." He chuckled bashfully, cheeks brightening slightly.

Ahsoka giggled at his reaction, the two laughing together before they fell into a comfortable silence.

What the web head had not realized as he had taken a moment to check up on his suit functions, Ahsoka's eyes had yet to leave him, staring intently at the boy.

She didn't know why but she felt… drawn to him right now.

Scratch that, she always felt a draw to him.

The Padawan thought back to the moment she had shared with Barriss after Jabiim, after seeing him so battered and bloodied.

It sparked something within her and Barriss, something that both of them hadn't realized they had been ignoring up until that moment.

They had grown to deeply care for Peter. For each other.

Any time that they had for free time was time they went out of their way to spend with each other.

And thinking back to that time, it was Barriss who admitted that she had grown attached to both her and Peter.

And right now…

Well, if the deepening color of her face was any indication of Ahsoka sharing that sentiment wasn't enough to convince her of her feelings than only another extreme moment would. And she feared for that moment should it ever come.

Ahsoka shook her head, the gesture going thankfully unnoticed by Peter.

It's not the Jedi way, forming such particular attachments. And yet the contradictions keep piling up in so many ways.

Compassion for all, right?

Yet refrain yourself from Passion.

Ahsoka was about to let out an aggravated groan when a familiar voice from behind stopped her from doing so.

"Oh, I thought I'd find you here."

Glancing over, the pair saw Barriss approaching them with some datapads and crystals of some kind found in the archives.

"I take it you're here to research what Vision dropped on us." Stated Peter.

Barriss stuttered slightly, surprised at how she was figured out so easily. "I… yes."

"Anything in particular?" Asked the Togruta.

"Anything I can get my hands on." Offee admitted. "Anything and everything I can find for us to research."

"Well pull out a seat and join in." Peter said. "Or… just drop everything for us cause Ahsoka didn't bring anything."

Tano simply flicked her tongue out at Parker who returned the gesture, Barriss chuckling at their behavior as she sat down next to Peter.

"So whaddya get?" Parker asked, leaning over slightly to get a look at… whatever it was the glowing blue lights were.

"The history of our Order." Barriss said. "Well… what I was able to scrounge up at this time."

"And how far back is it?"

"The furthest back that I have right now is…. 10,000 years."

Peter wheezed slightly and Ahsoka's eyes bulged out.

"Yes, daunting, isn't it." The Mirialan Padawan said with a sympathetic smile.

"Hope the record keeping is up to snuff cause if it's rather inaccurate then I'm having words with the librarian."

"Don't blame Master Jocasta, Peter."

"...I meant her predecessors."

"That's better."

"Ahsoka."

"Barriss."

Her friend merely rolled her eyes, shooting her a false unamused look before the trio opened up the first datapad and began with the thousand year gap between now and the Seventh Battle of Ruusan.

"Can't we just skim through this?" Peter asked.

"No, we have to be diligent." Barriss stated. "Lest we miss any details."

"...Wonder if we got any good coffee here, cause it's gonna be a loooong night."

-Scene Cut-

Some would say respite was needed. A moment to regroup and figure out their next course of actions.

In war, this was paramount as it would be the key to victory.

Now, one would think with Ultron running rampant across the galaxy, a form of an unspoken ceasefire could come about and they could focus on the bigger threat at large.

But said threat including another in the background wanted to make sure the war between the Republic and Separatists kept going.

One for a thousand year old plan to enact itself upon the galaxy and the other for the eventual extinction of all life.

And that's what will continue to transpire until one comes out the other end the victor.

Currently, within the Sullust System, a fierce battle for survival went underway between the Republic and Separatist forces. Their numbers clashed in order to see who will control the territory of either expansion or holding it off from the enemy.

Zipping through the battlefield in her own personalized starship, Count Dooku's most cunning assassin, Asajj Ventress, was shooting down fighters left and right as she led the vicious attack.

There would've been more with her in this fight, but due to recent events, things have been put onto a tighter hold on who can and who can't go out on the field.

For the Dathomirian, she didn't care. The Dark Jedi and Sith Assassin was sent out and is able to do what she did best. That was all that mattered to her at this time.

Asajj's ship, the Banshee, whirled around as she shot down a number of Republic fighters. Some of her droid ships were able to block some enemy attacks on her personal vessel.

"Trident Group One, attack the starboard engines. Trident Group Two, knock out their port shield generators. I'll go directly for their bridge."

Upon her command, her droid ship guard disbursed as they went out to complete their given tasks.

Seeing things unfold before her, she had her ship go forward to take the present advantage. With no one in her way, she was able to fly in close and unleashed a volley of blaster fire upon various exposed areas of the Republic ship. Explosions soon went off as she flew away, letting her know the enemy ship was now further exposed and would perhaps perish very soon.

Meanwhile…

At Count Dooku's estate on the planet Serenno, the Separatist leader was overseeing several things.

The first were the reports of the present war effort, territory expansion and subtraction and various other issues which all stemmed from Ultron.

Ever since his arrival, many plans and efforts on the overall endgame had been derailed and thrown out of the metaphysical window. That confounded advanced droid had ruined many things and had unveiled a number of secrets he had sought to keep hidden from his supporters and others in the Separatist Parliament.

Thus he had to work overtime to mend these issues, yet they were only a partial success.

And this soon led to another issue: his plans to overthrow Sidious.

With Ultron upheaving the grand plan to reshape the galaxy, Dooku had begun questioning his Sith Master with his thoughts and ways to adapt with the present issues at hand. Unfortunately, Sidious has been rather stubborn to not work accordingly on change while considering the option of putting the grand plan on hold for an unspecified amount of time.

It made the Count realize Sheev Palpatine would become their downfall whether the Sith Lord would know of this or not.

New plans had to be made because of this and he needed his forces ready for when he would strike accordingly to get rid of Sidious once and for all.

For that to happen, he needed his apprentice and acolytes to be stronger to hopefully be a better match in overwhelming Palpatine at some point in the future.

Tyranus worked them hard during his spare time, even having Sora Bulq be more ruthless on the training regimens to make it so.

He even allowed them access to a number of holocrons he had collected over the years to hopefully expand their knowledge and skills for the eventual coup against Sidious. Even going as far as to allowing them limited access to one of his prized artifacts in his collection: the holocron of Darth Andeddu, the Sith Lord that was believed to have mastered Immortality.

As for the reason of "limited access" was due to the fact of a particular skill Andeddu's holocron possessed. Dooku didn't want any of the acolytes to know how to transfer one's spirit onto another body. Despite how fascinating it was, the Count believed it may corrupt the acolytes with such arrogant thoughts of -one way or another- being "invincible".

Then again, from what Tyranus was able to uncover, the full knowledge of "essence transfer" had been forcefully removed from the Holocron of Heresies by Darth Bane millennia ago. Only references of the ability was all that remained.

Only time will tell if the training the Dark Acolytes will undergo becomes fruitful.

Presently, Dooku was taking a break from his workload when he received a sudden call from Sidious. He soon knelt down before answering the holo-communication device.

"Lord Tyranus." Spoke Sidious.

"My master." He replied, head bowed low.

Despite his plans of overthrowing Palpatine, Dooku had to keep up appearances of being a willful Apprentice to the stronger Sith Lord.

As the Rule of Two always goes.

"There is… a disturbance in the Force." His Master spoke slowly.

Dooku raised his brow, a clearly confused look on his face.

Lord Sidious would need to be a lot more specific than that with what's transpiring in the galaxy.

"How so?"

"A number of things. But what should be of most concern at this time pertains to your assassin."

"Ventress? What about her?"

"She has become very powerful." Sidious stated.

Dooku couldn't help smirk in pride slightly. "Yes, my lord. She is quite important to me."

This wasn't a lie at all. Asajj Ventress was important to the Count in more ways than one.

She's presently in much of his plans on the eventual coup, on top of her being his strongest asset in the Separatist army. And it wasn't just that, but Dooku presently sees the Dathomirian woman as a capable apprentice in the same league as the two he had when he was once a Jedi Master: Komari Vosa and Qui-Gon Jinn.

If everything possibly goes well, once Sidious is properly disposed of, Dooku will bestow the title of Darth onto Ventress.

"Too important."

When this was said, Dooku widened his eyes in alarm, quickly realizing what Sidious was implying.

"Master-"

"Silence!" Snapped the Sith Master. "I can sense her powers growing stronger than expected. I would hate to think you are training your own apprentice to destroy me."

Dooku didn't want to give anything away, not now. So he had to relent and tell a lie and show his "allegiance" to his master.

"Never." The Count said firmly. "My allegiance is to you and you alone. And so are the Dark Acolytes."

"Then you must prove it. Eliminate her."

"But…" Dooku desperately searched for a means of countering this order. "What of latent potential? That which we have been wanting her to harness?"

"She has grown strong enough with the powers that be and will only continue to do so." Sidious rebuked. "We must not allow any loose ends or upstarts in a time where we must be focused on the greater tasks at hand. Do you understand, my Apprentice?"

Gritting his teeth, Dooku held his head downward to not show any expression to the Sith Master.

"As you wish, my lord."

Ending the transmission, Dooku needed to figure out his next move.

If his master believed that he would go through with this foolishness, then he was becoming a more senile old man than a cunning Dark Lord.

Back at the Sullust System, the battle raged on as Ventress was piloting her ship and continuing her efforts in taking down any enemy in sight. And presently, she was chasing down the crafts carrying Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker.

After getting a few lucky hits in, Asajj saw them perform some barrel rolls before splitting up.

"Who to choose…" She muttered before her eyes trained on Kenobi's ship. Adjusting the controls, she focused her attention on him while giving an order to the droids to go after Skywalker.

The chase went on with Ventress trying her best to shoot down the Jedi General. He was avoiding her fire, making things rather difficult for her. Even when he blasted the outer layer of a Separatist ship to give him some cover to hopefully evade her with the smoke and debris. Yet she was hot on his tail.

Getting close enough for some shots, she opened fire upon Kenobi and was able to deliver a few more hits on his ship. He appeared to no longer be in control and had to make an emergency landing… inside of the Separatist flagship.

Ventress smirked and was ready to take Kenobi out for good when she was suddenly hit from behind. The surprise onslaught became too much, causing her to end up in a trajectory landing inside of the Separatist flagship as well.

From the crash landing, the Banshee skidded across the platform before slamming against a wall. The Dark Jedi was more or less disoriented, due to her banging her head from the crash.

As she was trying to compose herself, she heard her console beep as she was being hailed by someone. Answering the call, she saw it was a holo transmission from Dooku.

Before he could get the chance to tell her what he intended to say, Ventress interrupts him.

"Master, I need your help quickly." Came her plea. "I'm surrounded and-"

"The battle already los." Came the garbled audio. "You mus re and-"

"No. I'm so close to destroying the Jedi." Asajj almost pleaded.

"You ▄ stop. You ▄▄▄ fail again, my apprentice. You die here…" Spoke the Count before the transmission suddenly ended.

With the heat of the moment and her disorientation, Ventress couldn't exactly tell if Dooku was disappointed in her and decided to outright abandon her after all her built up failures or something else entirely.

She called out for him again but there was no response.

He… he couldn't have…

Disbelief and rage soon took over, making her see red.

'He… He dares abandon me? After all I've done for him!?' She roared in her head.

She began to bang her fist down hard onto the console several times out of frustration before making her way out of the Banshee.

It was at this point she was greeted by Kenobi and Skywalker with their lightsabers ignited.

"Ventress, you're not looking well." Obi-wan said coolly.

"She never does." Added in Anakin.

The bearded Jedi soon aimed his weapon directly at the Dathomirian. "You have failed, Ventress. Surrender."

Failed…

That… word…

Failed.

Oh how it grates her so in so many ways.

More so now as it reminds her of another time in a different manner. Yet the weight behind it felt very much the same.

Overcome by rage, Ventress snarled. "Never!"

Igniting her dual lightsabers, Asajj leapt off of the Banshee and clashed her weapons with theirs. Swings and parries were traded about while each Force sensitive evaded and maneuvered about the platform. Before long, various Force techniques were shot about in hopes of gaining the upper hand over the other side.

As this went on, Republic fighters were starting to gain the upper hand. Various shots were starting to break through and began striking down the Separatist flagship. It would be from this would a chain of events be set off that would soon end the battle in the Republic's favor.

Asajj continued fighting, viciously swinging her lightsabers about to keep both Jedi on edge.

For a brief instance, it appeared she had the upper hand, managing to momentarily take out Obi-wan before backing Skywalker into a corner.

But Kenobi had managed to recover quickly, rushing to his friend's aid and the two pressed the assassin back.

Being shoved back by a combined Force Push, Ventress struck hard against the Banshee and nearly collapsed onto the ground. Both Kenobi and Skywalker were walking towards her when several thoughts were swiftly flooding her mind.

Failure…

Disappointment…

Abandoned…

A tool to be discarded and forgotten…

All these words and thoughts flashed through her mind until something clicked inside of her as it seemed to fuel her untapped rage far more than before.

Shooting out her hands, Ventress was able to suddenly Force Choke the two Jedi and lift them off the floor with utter ease as she was screaming bloody murder.

Her connection to the Force had suddenly grown stronger. Call it as an adrenaline spike or a heat of the moment as some excuse. Whatever the case may be, she was overwhelming them rather surprisingly.

This, however, came to an end when the explosions started going off and causing the flagship to capsize.

With her hold over them swiftly coming to an end, the two Jedi swiftly went on the offensive in hopes of overwhelming her and bringing her in, one way or another.

She tried, desperately so, to fight back against the two Jedi but she found her strength waning.

Her mind, heart and body.

Everything she felt right now was off.

The abandonment of Dooku was starting to weigh her down until at long last, the Sith Assassin was disarmed and brought to her knees.

She looked up in defeat at the two Jedi who bested her, staring down at her neutrally.

"It's over." Anakin declared, keeping his lightsaber pointed at her neck.

If only that was more easily done than said…

Obi-wan heard a swooping sound and turned to see a ship barreling right towards them from the outside. And it wasn't slowing down in the slightest.

"Anakin, look out!"

The Jedi Master pushed his former apprentice out of the way as they evaded the crashed ship. It exploded moments later as the pair got back onto their feet.

They didn't see Ventress anywhere but the explosions going on with the ship rocking had them decide right then and there to not pursue her.

"We have to get out of here."

Getting back into their respective crafts, they soon got off the floor and took off into space where the fighting resumed.

"Anakin, Obi-wan, guys, do you copy?"

"We're here Rhodey." Anakin responded to the Colonel over their comms channel.

"Jesus, what the hell happened to you guys? You weren't responding to my earlier hails."

"We got a case of Ventress on our tail leading to us crash landing in their ship."

"That explains you two going missing." Rhodes murmured on his end. "Did ya get that bald freakshow?"

Skywalker couldn't help but snort at the words used to describe Asajj.

"No, unfortunately, we had no such luck." He said. "Maybe her ship blowing up can do her in for us."

He was met with silence.

"You know that's probably not gonna happen, right?"

"Rhodey… please…"

"What? I'm just sayin'. Maybe your Force thing is gonna cause her to survive."

"Yes, well, perhaps it's better not to tempt fate like that. Or the Force for that matter." Obi-wan commented, the two Jedi flying back towards the Republic fleet.

As this all occurred…

"Abandon ship! Abandon ship!"

Climbing back onto the Banshee, Ventress closed the hatch and tried to get her ship moving. She needed to get out before anything bad were to happen to her.

Her vessel was dragging itself against the metal floor as she was pushing the thrusters with everything to just get out of the failing flagship.

She was lucky to have gotten out of the hangar. Before her ship could get far enough—

*KRISKABOOM*

Looking back at the explosion, Anakin smirked slightly.

"Think she survived that Rhodey?"

"...Yes. Seriously. You need to stab a bad guy or blow them up in person to make sure they stay dead."

"You suck, you know that?" Anakin complained. "Can't we just have this victory?"

"We won, didn't we?" Obi-Wan reminded.

"Yeah but Ventress…"

"If she had somehow survived, we'll take care of her should we run into her again."

"Ya hear that Annie, just listen to Grandpa Kenobi, it'll all work out."

"G-Grandpa?" The Jedi Master squawked out. "I'm not that old and you know it."

"And stop calling me Annie."

No one but his late mother, C3P0 and Padme calls him that.

"Tell that to the gray hairs I've been spotting on occasion."

"Dear me, are they really-"

He heard both Anakin and Rhodey laughing at his plight, making Obi-wan convey an exceptionally rare facial expression seen only by Anakin once, Satine several times and his Master Qui-gon.

He pouted.

Meanwhile…

Back at Dooku's home, the resident Count had received a report from the tactical droid from the Sullust System. It had given the report on recent scans which indicates there were no survivors when the capital ship exploded.

This left him rather disappointed.

Tyranus didn't know if Ventress was really dead or not. There was an odd disturbance in the Force, which made things extremely difficult for him to sense their connection.

He didn't know if she was in fact dead or captured and taken elsewhere.

But… if she had died, truly, he would have felt it.

The Count of Serenno was sure of it.

However, much as he wanted to make sure of it, he had an important message to deliver.

Making the call, Dooku soon knelt down when Sidious appeared in the holo transmission.

"Master…"

"What is it, Lord Tyranus?"

"Asajj Ventress is dead, just like you've desired."

Sidious chuckled once hearing this. "Once again, you've proven your loyalty to me."

Once this was said, the call came to an end.

Being left alone in his office, Dooku became extremely frustrated as he didn't know what would be done now as he had lost a very valuable asset.

-Scene Cut-

"... was a being of great po…"

"...aster? No! Master…"

"Asajj… I'm sorry… Don't-"

"...orce is strong in you…"

"...ave our Revenge…"

"There has to be another way…"

"MOTHER!"

Groaning awake, Ventress' vision blurred as a bright light flashed before her half-lidded eyes.

She could barely recall much before being knocked unconscious.

The recent battle… her failure in not defeating the Jedi… and failing her master yet again.

Perhaps for the final time as she was left for dead.

Next thing she knew, the cockpit of the Banshee was bursted open as someone pulled her out of her seat. A stinging sensation was met on her arm a moment or so later as she started to fully come to.

She looked up to see a blue, male Twi'lek with goggles crouching down in front of her with a knife in his hands and sharpened teeth.

Behind the man stood a number of Nikto men, all sporting blaster rifles.

"You took quite a beatin' there. Didn't ya missy?" The Twi'lek spoke in a derisive tone, pointing his knife at her. "Which side of the battle was you on?"

She glared spitefully at them in response.

"Aw, not too talkative, are you?" He mockingly asked.

"Dathomir…" She whispered out.

Ventress didn't know why she spoke of this planet. She honestly didn't mean to as she thought of another planet which bore a safehouse of hers. Yet the planet… her birth planet just flowed out of her mouth.

"Take me to Dathomir." Her voice was strained yet she managed to be heard by these scavengers clearly.

"Now why would anyone want to go there?" The Twi'lek rhetorically questioned. "Ain't nothin' there but fog and witches. Maybe~ it's better you stay here with us, darlin'."

She saw the lecherous looks on their faces. She snarled on what implications were about to unfold.

Not wanting them to get the remote chance of moving a muscle, she channeled much of the Force and swiftly ensnared them. After focusing a bit more, she saw them grasping at their necks in hopes of breathing again.

Yet it was all for naught as she swiftly ended their lives by crushing their throats.

Seeing them all dead, she made her way to the cockpit of the ship she was presently on.

As she began typing down on the nav-computer of a possible destination in mind…

Her mind was briefly picturing Dathomir.

Ventress held her head slightly in pain as she thought of going somewhere else. But the thoughts of Dathomir were rather persistent.

Was it the Force guiding her or the possible concussion doing all the work.

Regardless, it seemed she had no real choice in the matter as she blindly typed down the coordinates to a planet she hadn't been to since… well, forever.

-Scene Cut-

The red planet of Dathomir.

Home to the Nightsisters, an offshoot of Force users that came about 600 years ago.

Many clans and tribes lived on this planet, all adhering to different practices and customs.

Down on the planet's surface was a lone woman who, while dressed in a red motif similar to Dathomir, was an odd sight so to speak if one understood the context of this World and its views on outsiders.

She sat alone in a small clearing, cross legged on the ground with her eyes closed and arms resting on her knees.

The woman appeared none the wiser to two small figures sneakily watching her from behind a tree.

They watched her for a few seconds until both figures began moving quietly towards her, taking great care as to not be heard by the meditating woman.

The two shadowy individuals went from tree trunk to tree trunk all in an elaborate effort to remain "hidden" from view.

All the while, the woman had cracked one eye open, glancing out of the corner of her eye without looking back and fought herself from laughing and inhaled deeply as she waited for them to make their move.

Sensing the two no less than a yard away from her, she flexed her fingers slightly and waited.

Moments later, two young girls pounced from their hiding spots and flew towards the woman with their arms raised.

The woman simply waved her hands almost casually and in an instant, both girls were caught by a scarlet energy field with the two struggling to free themselves.

Their target stood up and turned to them with a triumphant and mocking smile.

"Gotcha." Teased the woman.

"Wanda~~~" They both whined at the same time.

"No fair!"

"Wasn't meant to be fair, Ilyana." Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch teased, bringing the little Nightsister over to her to boop her nose.

"Can you let us down?" The other asked, slightly dizzy now.

"What's the magic word, Merrin?"

"Please."

"That's better."

She flipped the two around and had them land on their feet before both plopped down onto their rears, dazed from some blood that had rushed to their heads.

"You did better that time." Wanda pinched their cheeks, cooing at them jokingly.

"Wanda~" They both whined out again, swatting her hands away.

She laughed at them both, using her power to draw them in and began to mercilessly tickle them.

"NOOOO!" Ilyana and Merrin cried out with tears of laughter, trying to escape yet Wanda's powers kept them close.

"To the victor goes the spoils." She proclaimed, pulling them together and rapidly trailing her fingers over their necks and stomachs.

This went on for a few more seconds until both girls were out of breath, laughing all their laughs out of their systems.

Wanda smiled at them both and hefted them up to hug them close to her.

"What am I gonna do with you two?" She muttered, pressing gentle kisses to both their temples.

"Let us win once?" Merrin asked with hope in her eyes.

"And miss my chance for my victory celebration?" Wanda rhetorically asked, nuzzling her nose against Merrin's, getting another laugh out of the girl. She then ruffled Ilyana's hair before patting it.

"But it gets so boring if you win all the time." Came Ilyana's complaint.

"True, but where's the point of testing out your lessons if you want the handicap?" The Sokovian reminded them.

"Cause winning is fun."

"Not really."

"Yes it is."

Wanda shook her head, belying their arguments to child-logic and just letting them have this little win.

The trio remained there together, the young girls slightly spent from their little game with Maximoff simply enjoying the two being in her arms.

She had settled her head upon Merrin's crown, the girl's hair serving as a barrier from the small horns she had beneath them. Ilyana ended up crawling on top of the older woman and wrapped her arms around her neck as her head rested on Wanda's own.

It was a little picturesque if one were to witness this.

The Scarlet Witch began humming quietly, an old and familiar tune that Merrin and Ilyana had grown used to hearing and became a favorite of theirs to listen to.

It was the lullaby her mother sang to her as a child. It was perhaps the only thing left she had left of her, outside of the memories.

Pietro was better at humming than her but she could sing.

She always sang whilst her twin hummed along to it, their "duet" lulling them to sleep or providing comfort in trying times.

Before long, she ended up singing the tune.

"'tie mi t͡ʃaˈjaɫəm

ˈʃiɪdeŋ ˈti e ˈʃte

ˈdrage wo t͡sto ˈmisliɫəm

ˈdom naʃ ˈʃiɪdeŋ ˈgnieʒdo

bez veˈdeɪ̆ doˈkude ˈjit͡ʃiʃ

ˈʃiʒa ˈsunt͡so nad tiˈe-"

(Translation)

"We've been waiting for you

Now you are here

More perfect than I imagined

Our house is now a home (our house is now a nest)

No matter where you go

Sunlight shines-"

Wanda paused as she sensed something in the air. It was moments later did her two charges notice the same thing.

They looked at each other and then at their guardian who still had her head up at the skies above.

"Something's coming." She murmured.

There was an unfamiliar sound that echoed across the valley, the trio turning to see just where it had come from.

Looking overhead, they saw a ship coming down and making a landing some distance away.

Wanda's eyes widened considerably.

Someone else had come to this planet!

"C'mon you two. Time to see who this arrival is." She said with a hint of urgency, her two girls complying with her request.

Trailing behind her, Wanda arrived at the entrance to the coven of Nightsisters she had been residing with since her arrival here.

They all were on guard, ready for anything as the ship had touched down on the ground with the ramp lowering itself immediately.

Wanda wasn't familiar with the ship model through what lessons she acquired since coming here. Whatever it was didn't matter in the end. All that did matter was who was coming down the ramp.

From their present distance, the Sokovian saw it was a bald woman who was shakily walking on her feet while holding her head.

This person was on the verge of collapsing. Out of reflex, Wanda used her powers to halt her from falling down and keep her upright.

As she approached her, Wanda could sense the other Nightsisters making their appearance. Either by tree hopping or walking out of the mountain to inspect the newly arrived visitor.

Taking a closer look, Wanda this bald woman looked a lot like—

"Ilsijj?" She whispered in disbelief.

Hearing the name slightly, the two little girls came up to the pair.

It was at that moment when Ilyana saw the woman Wanda was holding and looked like she saw a ghost.

"Auntie?" She whispered.

Change out the particular face tattoos and add in hair and you pretty much have a spitting image of her.

"Wanda." The disembodied voice of the Nightsister Clan leader came from behind.

"Seems someone's returned home, if I'm guessing right." Said Wanda. "Don't see any other Dathomirian showing up unannounced, or did I miss the memo?"

"You would be correct in that assessment, Maximoff." Mother Talzin said, her ghostly echo being heard around her. "She is one of us from a time long past. One who needed to be protected and in turn, she protected us."

Well there was a story she was definitely curious to hear now.

"If you would." Talzin gestured to the unconscious Dathomirian.

Wanda used her powers and levitated the new arrival into the village.

She sensed the other Nightsisters, including her friend Junn jumping down from on high and landing behind them.

They were whispering in confusion as to why Talzin allowed a random outside in but it appeared they missed the part where the Mother said she was one of them.

"Who is she?"

"She is Asajj… Ilsijj's only child." Talzin revealed.

The clan all gasped, Merrin's eyes widening in stunned silence, looking at Ilyana in shock.

Once brought into the village, Talzin conjured up a stone slab table to appear from the soil. The clan leader prompted Wanda to deposit the wayward Nightsister onto it.

"Bring out the water of life."

Wanda eyed a number of clan members who rushed further into the village and after several minutes they returned with several jugs. Other Dathomirian women came out with bowls, in which a green liquid was poured out before they went to surround the stone slab.

By this point, Mother Talzin began the healing ritual with a green mist coming out of the surrounding liquids.

"You have returned and you are safe again, Asajj."

The mist encircled the Dark Jedi as some began to seep into her exposed flesh.

"I remember the day we were forced to give you up to protect the clan… more than you could possibly imagine."

As the healing ritual commenced, Ventress began to see a litany of memories rushing through her mind. The fog around her mind began to clear and be recognizable. A possible result from her head injury to the full healing process through the Nightsister magic.

Times long since forgotten, either by her own making or by possible outside forces.

"We must have her leave. It is the only way she'll be safe."

"This is my daughter you're speaking of Tina, I would never-"

"This is for her own good. For our clan, Ilsijj." Talzin's voice cut in. "It's not just for our sake… but for her own. What would happen if-"

"He will never have her. I can't let him take our- my daughter."

She was taken by the Siniteen criminal Hal'Sted, a tribute in order for their people to be safe from harm. The infant Asajj reached out towards her mother, who tried to be strong, yet cried as she tried to take back her daughter but was held back by her fellow Nightsisters. Asajj saw only the mournful gaze of her mother, Talzin and her clan as she was taken away.

Years flashed on by as she had grown up on the planet Rattatak, living her life as a slave under the warlord family Ventress…

Yes... the same name she ended up adopting as her surname which ended up sticking to her.

On one fateful day, she returned from doing her chores from the village outskirts when she saw the chaos ensued.

In front of the home she lived and served, she saw her master lying dead at the entrance.

Asajj would later learn her master and "foster family" were killed by Weequay raiders, which left her both free and very vulnerable to just about everyone.

Luckily for her, she was saved by a Jedi Knight named Ky Narec.

And it was on that very day did she experience using the Force for the very first time, to protect them both.

"You're strong in the Force, little one. What's your name?" The Jedi Knight asked in a kind, almost fatherly voice.

"Asajj… Ventress."

"My name is Ky Narec." The man said, offering her hand for him to take which she did, a feeling of warmth, safety and comfort coming over her.

More years passed on by as she had grown into a happy young woman, a padawan of the Jedi Order.

Well… not exactly.

You see, she was never inducted into the Order to begin with. Ky Narec had unofficially made her his padawan while he was cut off from the other Jedi out in the galaxy. His ship had crashed on Rattatak and sought to leave, yet he was compelled by the Force to stay on the planet to help liberate it.

For years, they were seen as heroes by the lower class and those being suppressed by those growing fat in their wealth and power.

In that time, Asajj saw Ky Narec as not just her Jedi master, but also the father she never had. And he admitted he loved her as his daughter in kind as well as his student.

Yet not everything could remain happy.

The warlords of Rattatak had grown tired and frustrated of the two Jedi and sought to get rid of them for good. So they pooled their resources and united their forces to take care of the duo once and for all.

And on that fateful day, they were overwhelmed.

Asajj had seen her master- no, her father being shot down by a Weequay assassin right before her very eyes.

She couldn't believe what had happened, cradling her dying father in her arms.

"Master? No! Master, don't leave me!"

He reached for her, arm shaking as his life was slipping away. "Asajj… I'm sorry… Don't-"

After giving out his last breath, his eyes slowly glazed out as he passed on from life and joined the Force from beyond.

"MASTER!"

She roared aloud.

Taking up her master's lightsaber, she ignited both hers and his, letting the blue and green weapons roar as she slaughtered them all as she fell to the Dark Side

Afterwards, she finally left Rattatak and became a bounty hunter after fulfilling her master's goal of liberating the planet. She had thought of going to Coruscant to properly join the Jedi Order, but with what she had done she could never be accepted, only being sentenced to prison by her guess.

It was only once the Clone Wars commenced did an opportunity arise to become something greater.

She had caught wind of a gathering. A call by a man named Count Dooku who sought warriors to fight by his side against the Jedi Order.

Returning to Rattatak, she had infiltrated a gladiatorial event in order to impress the Confederate leader. She had heard of him through Ky Narec before his unintentional separation from the Order and she wanted to test her medal against him.

Apparently she was quite good… to some measure.

"I can sense the darkness within you." Said the Count of Serenno. "I will teach you the ways of the Dark Side. But you must prove yourself first…"

Yet it was enough for her to be inducted into Dooku's forces.

And it was on that very day she learned the Confederate leader was Darth Tyranus, the Sith Apprentice to Darth Sidious.

From then on, she faithfully served Dooku -her new master- as his apprentice while fighting against the Republic…

Until recently…

As this went on, Wanda's eyes flashed red, having picked up on the memories that came flooding into Asajj throughout the healing ritual.

She was like an open book due to the ritual basically forcibly making her remember all the memories she had either forgotten or had repressed.

Wanda then inhaled sharply at several familiar sights that she had seen from Ventress's memories.

The familiar sights being her fighting the Avengers.

She saw Captain Rogers, Sam, Natasha, Rhodey, Scott, Hope and other heroes she did not recognize.

But above all else, she saw Pietro's speedy after image.

This woman… This woman was an enemy.

Scarlet, psionic energy began emanating off Wanda's arms.

She wanted to hurt her for what she had done.

"Wanda?"

And yet… she couldn't.

She felt Merrin's hand grasping onto her own out of worry.

Looking down, she saw the girl looking up at her with clear concern at her reaction and she forcibly reigned herself in.

No, she wouldn't allow rage and anger to blindly consume her. Not in front of Merrin and Ilyana.

To them, she was their hero and protector.

And she would remain as such.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't question this… Assassin… who just so happened to be Ilyana's cousin.

As the healing ritual came to an end, Asajj shot up from the stone slab with widened eyes. Remembering the last bits of memory before making her way to this planet.

"Dooku… He betrayed me."

Talzin merely hummed a little. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."

"What?" Asajj snapped in her direction. "What do you mean? You saw what had transpired, didn't you?"

Talzin raised a placating hand. "Regardless, I had hoped you would find your way back to us sooner."

"I will have revenge." Swore the Dark Jedi.

She can feel it in the Force that she was betrayed and left to die. If it wasn't the flagship's explosion that sought to kill her then upon her return to one of the Separatist bases for recovery.

"You shall… in due time. We will see to it. But for now… you must rest."

Ventress got off the table and glared at the coven leader. "How can I rest when I can strike down Dooku when he least suspects it."

"You forget your former compatriots, his Dark Acolytes. They may or may not be nearby when you seek to enact your vengeance."

…Okay that one was on her as she had momentarily forgotten that crucial detail.

"You must rest and plan, Asajj; not rush onward like a naive youngling."

The Dark Jedi gritted her teeth as she recalled a lesson Ky Narec told her years ago. A lesson she sadly kept ignoring over the years, more during the Clone Wars.

Eyes wandering, she scanned the village built within the mountain and spotted something… or rather someone rather off.

She wasn't Dathomirian, but a human.

"Who… is she?" Ventress questioned, glaring at Wanda who glared right back at her.

The Dathomirian assassin saw movement from behind this woman and saw two young children hiding behind her whilst peeking around to get a look at her.

Her gaze softened slightly, hardening a moment later as she gazed back at the now glowing red eyes that this auburn brunette had.

"She is a guest and a friend to our clan and all of Dathomir." Talzin emphasized. "Had it not been for Maximoff's actions, our way of life may have well and truly ended."

"Maximoff…"

The name… it was familiar…

"Yes." The Scarlet woman spoke up, as if detecting her familiarity with the name. "Pietro Maximoff. My twin brother. An Avenger. Like me."

Widening her eyes, Asajj snarled as she finally recognized the name. More importantly, who was before her. One of the wayward Avengers.

Reaching down to her lightsabers, they were suddenly yanked away by the scarlet energies and flew directly into Wanda's hands.

"Give those back." Snarled Asajj.

"Easy now…" Wanda's powers flared, actually causing the former Sith Assassin to recoil in fear.

The power she possessed was oozing off of her.

It was… like the Force but not at the same time.

Asajj tried to keep up a strong face yet her eyes began to widen as she felt the breath of this woman's power.

She… She was stronger than Dooku- nay, maybe even stronger than Darth Sidious!

What was this red energy?

"We shall have none of that." Talzin placed her hands on Ventress' shoulders and kept her back.

"You may hold grievances against her, perhaps, but recall what I had just said. Our village owes a great debt to Wanda here. She will always have a place amongst our people wherever she may choose to settle."

"What could she have possibly done?" Asajj spat out but remained where she was.

"Did you not hear her?" Wanda rhetorically asked. "I helped save your clan and the planet. It's what an Avenger does."

She glared spitefully at the Sokovian who now appeared unimpressed by what she was looking at.

Biting the inside of her cheek, Asajj forcibly replayed the lesson her Jedi Master imparted on her and finally calmed down.

"Why should I not get my revenge upon Dooku?" Ventress questioned, turning to Mother Talzin. "He betrayed me. Left me to die while the Jedi closed in around me."

"Perhaps he did, child." Talzin said understandingly. "But there was a greater force at play that you were unaware of. Something outside the realm of control from your Master."

"He is not my Master." Asajj harshly said.

"Relax, Baldy." Wanda's voice cut in. "You're out of it. Follow your Masters advice and rest up. You and I will talk later."

"Wha-" Asajj recoiled. "How do you know-"

"You were an open book when they were fixing you up." Wanda said, eyes glowing red, the Sokovian tapping the side.

An advanced Force trick, it had to be. Nothing like that ever occurred as far as she knew.

Or… was it something else? The Avengers possessed abilities outside the Force, the voids that they were. What did this Maximoff possess?

Ventress soon noticed one of the little girls walk up to her with a shy, hopeful look marrying her face.

"And who are you supposed to be?" She coolly asked.

"I'm Ilyana… your cousin." She quietly revealed.

Asajj had to take a moment to process what she had just heard. "...Cousin?"

This was a surprise for her. She honestly didn't expect to have any blood relations left. She had grown used to the idea she was either abandoned or left an orphan before she was a slave.

"Yeah, your mom and my mom-"

"I get the idea." She curtly cut her off.

Ilyana's expression fell and Wanda cleared her throat, sending Ventress a menacing glare.

Asajj only glared back ignoring Ilyana slouching slightly, Merrin placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I want my lightsabers back." She grunted out.

"You will, once you cool off." Wanda retorted. "You can start by apologizing to your family."

She wanted to make a biting retort back at the Avenger but knew that she wouldn't really get anywhere.

Swallowing her pride, she turned to her cousin who was looking up at her with watery eyes.

'Oh Force me, leave it to blasted children to break a Sith's resolve.' She bitterly thought to herself.

Then again, there have been many Dark Jedi, Dark Acolytes and Sith who would kill children for a number of reasons.

"Yeah, you're right." Wanda spoke up, startling Asajj. "Kids can break most anyone. So would you kindly?"

Did… did she just…?

"Yes, I can read minds." Wanda impatiently snapped.

'She can-"

"Yes, did you not just hear me?"

Asajj flinched now, hissing as she felt vulnerable now. "Stop that."

"If you stop being rude, then I will. But first." She dramatically pointed at the still quiet Ilyana and Asajj's brow twitched in Wanda's direction before finally…

"I'm sorry… cousin."

It was near instant with the girl smiling brightly at her now.

"It's ok Asajj. I know it's not easy sometimes."

Ventress found herself moved slightly by her words.

And of course, she froze when she soon felt her cousin—

"Why are you-"

"You looked like you needed a hug."

For the first time in… well… ever, Asajj felt herself squirm a little because of a little wholesome moment.

"Ah~ that's so precious~"

And the feeling was ruined.

"I will kill you Maximoff."

"Not like that, you won't." The Scarlet Witch cheekily said, telekinetically returning one of the lightsabers into Asajj's hand.

"I would like both of them back." Asajj deadpanned.

"Oh, you'll get this one back." Wanda said, waving her second saber in her hand. "When you've earned it. Until then, ta-ta. Come on girls."

Without needing any other prompt, Ilyana and Merrin moved to follow after Wanda, waving Ventress goodbye.

Raising an eyebrow, she glanced over to see the coven leader approaching her. At that moment did she voice an inquiry that started to bug her.

"Why do they follow her?"

"She is their guardian." Talzin answered. "And they have grown to love her dearly."

"And where are their mothers?" Asked the Dark Jedi before her features softened slightly. "My… mother…"

"Both are sadly gone and will be missed, my child." Talzin said, placing a hand on Asajj's back. "But what matters now is you are back where you belong."

That statement dwelled on Ventress' mind.

'Where I belong?' She internally asked herself.

She didn't know where that was anymore.

-Scene Cut-

Count Dooku was in deep meditation within his personal chambers.

He had been this way for nearly three days now.

The battle of Sullust and its outcome weighed heavily on his mind as he searched for what he was looking for through the Force.

Moments later, just as the sun of Serenno had set, Darth Tyranus' eyes snapped open and a second later, he smirked to himself.

"I have found you, my Apprentice."

-Scene Cut-

It was a rough time for the Dark Jedi to get used to the new normal.

She was considered dead by the rest of the galaxy. She had no responsibilities to the Separatist Alliance anymore. All she could do now was relax and perhaps live out a normal life.

Training happened more often than naught under Dooku, which wasn't all too different. She had to refine her skills and not have them rust over time.

But now, in an odd way, she was experiencing a long overdue vacation.

Vacation.

No war.

No training… in a sense.

None of that.

The feeling felt so alien to her.

All her life was just one life or death struggle after the other.

To not be going through one at this time was just… surreal as it was bizarre.

Yet working for so long made her hardwired to not easily acquire a proper moment's reprieve. She would seek something to do to preoccupy her simple life and not get all antsy.

After getting her long deserved rest, she had to get used to what duties she had to take part in the clan.

In that time, she went through a number of things.

To begin with, she ended up questioning others about her mother. She barely recalled the barest memories of her, nothing more.

The only set of vivid images she always had were that of the unconditional loving smile she gave to her only for moments later to be torn from her mother's hands into that of a slaver.

Why?

Why had she been given up instead of someone else?

What was this protection that was given to her?

Who were her coven of Nightsisters protecting her from and in turn with her being taken away from the clan?

All these questions and nobody had an answer for her.

It was beyond frustrating really.

She had been relegated to "recovering" and at first she dismissed such a notion but a quick jab at her side from Junn brought her to her knees.

And it wasn't a jab.

It was more of a poke really.

Her body was just tired and the war had finally caught up to her. She needed rest and grumpily did so.

And she had to do so, just so she can get her other lightsaber back from Maximoff.

Just thinking about that woman made Ventress rage on the inside and outside.

She may not have been on Dathomir in many years but this was still her home planet. This was still her coven.

So why was this kriffing nerf herding outsider getting such special privileges and protection?

The sound of a small shriek with a separate laugh accompanying the scream caught Ventress's attention.

The Sith Assassin turned her head and immediately scowled upon what she saw.

Asajj stared in open distrust at Wanda Maximoff from afar as she appeared to be teaching the young Nightsister initiates on how to… well she really didn't know what or really how exactly she was teaching them.

Only that they seemed to be taking her words with absolute doctrine.

With how attentive she was, the Dark Jedi was able to recognize many old lessons she went through in her youth.

She found it astounding that this Avenger was teaching these two younglings the ways of the Force.

But how?

The abilities she possessed was unlike anything that she had ever encountered yet that is a trait she shared with the rest of the Avengers.

All of them had abilities and skills that either mirrored Force Users or outright outclassed them.

It was… a rather bitter pill to swallow.

For thousands upon thousands of years, whenever someone had the Force, there always came an air of invincibility around them, unwarranted as that was.

But now, with these enhanced human beings from Earth and Ultron's rampage, Ventress couldn't help but feel… inadequate.

The escalation was just too much and she had suffered many losses whenever she encountered the Avengers.

And now here she was in front of one with the two not trying to kill each other.

Yet.

She knew it would only be a matter of time before the two were at one another's throats, wanting to rip out the other.

Maximoff is considered an enemy to her.

She was not only an Avenger, who she swore to kill. Not just this, but someone who had unsettled her on many levels.

Then why—

"Are you just going to continue glaring at me like that all day?" Wanda spoke aloud, breaking Ventress out of her thoughts.

Asajj saw that the Sokovian had turned to her now with an unamused look in her eyes.

Merrin and Ilyana were now looking back and forth between the two with curious and slightly nervous gazes.

Rather than answering Wanda's initial question, Asajj had one of her own.

"Why is Talzin allowing you to teach these two?"

"I earned the privilege." Came the simple answer. "Yes they still have to learn the ways of their people, which I won't argue about. One must always learn of their heritage and accept it in any way possible. Not only that, but they wish to honor their families' memories."

"And yet…"

"Yet they're learning from me cause they want to." Wanda said, placing her hands atop their heads and affectionately rubbing them. Both girls smiled up at their guardian.

Well… not just her in particular, but Maximoff wasn't going to tell Asajj exactly who this very soon.

"You're teaching them in the ways of the Force."

"And my own power." Wanda said. "They can use their Nightsister heritage to create their own form of what I have. Not the same but close enough to make abilities unique to themselves."

"Do you even know what you're doing?" Asajj couldn't help but ask derisively. "The Force isn't something that's taught so haphazardly by one who doesn't even understand what it is."

"I understand better than you at least." Maximoff shot back, unimpressed with Ventress's attempts at goading her.

Asajj scoffed. "Do you now?"

"Yes, I do." She emphatically said.

"And what of the Dark Side?" Ventress queries. "In case you are unaware, my clan is one of the few on this world that follow the ways of the Dark Side."

Wanda frowned slightly. "And once they take their clan's little ritual, they'll be safer in using the Dark Side, unlike many practitioners out there. Losing themselves to that power and not keeping their individuality."

"How can you be so sure in that matter?"

"I pay attention to lessons. And because I'll be there for them." She protectively declared. "These are my girls. I promised their mother and aunt I would keep them safe and intend to do so."

Asajj wanted to say something crude and dismissive yet was unable to due to the fierceness the Avenger displayed when making this declaration.

No matter these past days since returning to Dathomir, she can never understand Maximoff. How she is so powerful, the specifics on how this happened, her motivation, etc.

It appeared that she had been silent for too long as Wanda had gone back to educating Merrin and Ilyana.

Being distracted, Asajj quickly took to locating her second lightsaber which Maximoff had on her. She quickly spotted the curved hilt and noticed another one being a double bladed Lightsaber attached next to it.

At first, it just seemed like any other double bladed lightsaber until she spotted writing upon it.

And not only was their writing on the saber, but it also emanated energy that was familiar to the Dathomirian.

Asajj felt drawn to the power it bore. She didn't know why.

Gazing upon the weapon, she soon realized it was a weapon of the Sith. Not because of the particular power, but it's visual appearance.

There was a Sith script edged onto the long handle, making her curious on what was written.

Perhaps it was a personal code or phrase to remind the wielder of something or—

Taking a closer look, gray eyes slowly widened when realizing what was written and taking more details of the weapon from her lessons under Dooku.

"This…" Asajj's jaw dropped upon seeing the inscription on the Lightsaber in Wanda's possession. "Where did you get this?"

Wanda stared cautiously at the woman, looking down at her saber on her belt then back at the Dathomirian.

"What's it matter to you?"

"It matters a lot more than you realize." Asajj snapped back at her. "Do you not know just what this is? Who it belonged to?"

Wanda gazed at her with half-lidded eyes, crossing her arms in annoyance.

"Ok. Enlighten me."

Ventress held out her hand, gesturing down to it with the Avenger scoffing.

"You saw the inscription, you already know what it is." Wanda retorted. "Now tell me who did this lightsaber belong to?"

"And how could you not read this? Or have you never bothered to know where-"

"I don't know the language." She cut her off. "I'm from another planet in case you forgot. One cut off from all this madness. And the ones who taught me haven't bothered to show me yet on reading it at all."

"Did you not bother to ask?" Asajj dryly asked.

"No." She freely admitted. "One's a complete bitch, the other… haven't bothered to."

"You're insufferable."

"Right back at ya. Now spill."

Asajj really wanted to choke her but knew that with her being a void, even with the small traces of the Force that she had, it would be difficult or impossible.

Maybe Force pushing her-

"Are you done daydreaming about killing me or are you just gonna stand there like that all day?" Wanda cut through her thought with an irritated look.

"Stop. Reading. My. Mind." Ventress snarled.

"Stop projecting so loudly. Just tell me about this lightsaber already."

The Dathomirian visibly grit her teeth together, hands curling whilst a few inches apart, feeling her entire body tense up until Ventress forcibly makes herself calm down.

"That," She pointed at the double-bladed saber, "is the Lightsaber known as Bane's Heart. The Lightsaber of the first apprentice under the Rule of Two: Darth Zannah."

Wanda's head reclined slightly and held the lightsaber up to inspect it thoroughly.

"...Huh, neat." She murmured.

That casual comment made Asajj freeze and Maximoff flinched slightly, her telepathy picking up the sound of a mental glass break from the assassin.

"Neat? NEAT?!" Asajj screeched, rattling the ears of the Scarlet Witch. "That Lightsaber is the first one built to represent the evolution that dictates the Sith Order to this day and that's all you can say about it?! What was the Force thinking allowing it to fall into your hands?!"

"I don't follow the Force, you moron." Wanda shot back, now getting annoyed again by Ventress' constant deprecating comments.

Off to the side, the two younglings couldn't help but comment on what was happening before them.

"Huh, your cousin looks like she's having an aneurysm."

"I think so too." Ilyana said to Merrin. "Though not as bad as XoXaan."

Merrin hummed in agreement. No one could freak out at Wanda quite like XoXaan.

The two girls continued watching the pair of older women who looked like they were ready to skin one another alive.

"I cannot believe the legacy of the Sith fell into the hands of someone as unworthy as you."

"Like you're any better." Wanda rebuked. "What makes you think you're worthy of it compared to me?"

"I actually adhere to the doctrines of the Sith whilst you are nothing more than an outsider spitting upon the legacy of those who had come before."

This ended up getting Wanda to let loose a chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, if you only knew…"

Asajj huffed, crossing her arms and looked away, ready to leave when a thought strayed through Wanda's mind.

"Since you're so insistent," Her words made Ventress halt in her tracks. "Why not a spar?"

"What?" Asajj almost didn't believe her.

Wanda simply shook her head, taking off her red robes and tossing it aside. "No abilities, no hex or Force trickery. Just swordplay."

Aiming the Bane's Heart Lightsaber downward, Wanda ignited the carmine red blade from one end.

Ventress was silent for a few moments, gauging the Avenger to see if she meant it though the saber being turned on really was more than enough of a confirmation. The Dark Jedi decided to humor her and unclipped her lightsaber, reaching for her other when she remembered…

She sighed irritably. "I would like my-"

"You have one, I have one."

"Yours has two sides."

"I don't feel comfortable using two."

Asajj rolled her eyes. "Oh~ and that's such~ a comfort to hear."

"I could just send you flying, you know." Wanda threatened, psionic energy appearing around her other hand. "Would you like to see how far I can throw you?"

"Would like to see you try, Maximoff."

Wanda shifted her stance to Form VII while Asajj went to Form II, albeit with just her one lightsaber.

The Sith assassin narrowed her eyes upon recognizing the form the Avenger had chosen to go with.

Juyo, the most aggressive of the Lightsaber forms yet from the way her feet were spaced apart, she recognized sprinklings of Form I.

She didn't realize that the woman had lightsaber training but who was it that trained her?

Her form was a bit off, not as refined as she had seen but it appears she had a grasp of the fundamentals.

Once again, it makes her wonder how Maximoff knows these things.

She said she had teachers instructing her in the Force, but who were they?

Regardless, now wasn't the time to think about that.

Lunging forward, Asajj made the first move with Wanda deflecting it quickly.

Shaky, but not entirely helpless.

"I haven't fought many with lightsabers, you know." Wanda spoke up, picking up on Ventress' thoughts once more.

Rather than being annoyed by having her mind read, she only smirked this time.

"Hmm~ lucky me."

Time to see if the prospect that one as mighty could fall due to their inexperience.

Asajj revved up her attacks, swinging her lightsaber rapidly at the Sokovian from all sides.

Wanda's hands tightened upon her saber, hastily moving it back and forth with a coating of her red psionic energy around her arms to assist her in movement.

The Sokovian winced, feeling her arms rattle from blocking an overhead strike and she pushed Asajj back.

She spread her hands apart on the hilt before having to swing around in an overarching motion.

Ventress instead slid back and away from Wanda's attack, the saber slicing the ground slightly.

"Sloppy."

"Inexperienced." Wanda quickly countered.

"Another word for that being sloppy." Asajj shot back with a smug sneer. "And full of openings."

Getting to Wanda's blind spot, instead of attacking right away, Ventress used the Force for another matter.

The Scarlet Witch felt her belt shake a little before a small yanking motion occurred. It didn't take much guess for her to realize the Dark Jedi reacquired her second lightsaber.

Acting quickly, she twirled her lightsaber to block the offending pair.

Wanda soon used a psionic blast to send the Dark Jedi back so she may get some breathing room.

Asajj fell to the ground hard, grunting aloud at the impact.

"I thought you weren't going to use your abilities." She snarled, sitting up to glare at her.

"I wasn't but you decided to cheat a little."

"I didn't cheat."

"Yes you did."

"No I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

Asajj stood up and got right in Wanda's face, the two inadvertently butting heads against each other a bit too hard.

They both recoiled, throwing their hands up to their foreheads, rubbing it in pain.

"Whaddya do that for?!" Wanda yelled out, more pissed off than hurt.

"You have a face that's begging for it." Ventress sneered, hand over where a bruise most likely would form.

"Hark who's talking." Wanda snidely said. "I can't imagine why your mother gave you up. Oh wait, I can!"

That instantly enraged the Sith assassin, the Force user unleashing a powerful telekinetic push that Wanda hastily blocked with her own powers.

"Don't you EVER speak of my mother like that again!" She screamed, turning to stomp away from the Avenger.

Wanda glared at the retreating Dathomirian, opening her mouth for a retort yet found her voice dying in her throat.

She lowered her head and shook it disparagingly, mentally scolding herself for saying such a thing.

Cursing herself in her native tongue, she exhaled a sigh and wondered what to do next. More so when she looked to the side to see Merrin and Ilyana still present.

"Sorry you had to see that girls." She sincerely said. "I didn't mean to say that last part but it just… slipped out."

Merrin and Ilyana both had sad frowns on their faces, going up to Wanda and hugging her waist whilst looking up at her.

"Why do you and my cousin hate each other so much?" Ilyana quietly asked.

Wanda sighed, gently stroking their hair. "It's complicated, little one. She has a history of being an enemy against my brother and our friends."

"The Avengers?" Merrin inquisitively said, the Sokovian nodding at her.

"Yeah. I saw in her memories that she had fought against them on numerous occasions now and had tried killing them. She's not exactly somebody I can trust so easily." Wanda admitted.

"Like how everyone else was with Ros Lai… And even you?

"That's a bit more complicated." Wanda sheepishly said. "She actually sees me and my team as her enemies and rightfully so."

"But isn't there some way you two can get along?" Merrin innocently asked.

"Unless she decides to stop being a bi-jerk, no, I don't think so." Maximoff dryly answered.

Merrin and Ilyana puckered their lower lips, trying to look as sad as they possibly can.

"Please~~ Wanda? Can you try?" They both asked in unison.

She had to look away so she wouldn't fall victim to the dreaded puppy dog pout.

"I…" She really hated the effect these two had on her sometimes. "I'll… try tolerating her."

"Really?" She heard the young girl's hopeful tones.

'Must not look.' Wanda mentally told herself. 'Keep your eyes… up… dammit.'

Seeing the comically glistening eyes made her cave in.

"Ok, ok, FINE!" She grunted out.

Merrin and Ilyana cheered, hugging her tightly now.

'Oh these two.' Wanda miserably thought, subconsciously patting their heads. 'They're gonna be the death of me.'

Over with Ventress, she stood at the edge of a small cliffside, not that far a drop and looked out at the horizon with her arms crossed.

Her hands were tightly clutching her arms, nails digging into her skin.

She didn't cry but the pain she felt in her heart was hard to ignore.

The Sith assassin wanted to be alone. She refused to let anyone see her in this state.

But of course, it appeared the Force had other plans for her.

Her ear twitched, picking up on footsteps coming from behind.

Turning around and instantly tried her damndest from lunging at the one who stood before her.

'She has some nerve coming up to me.' Was the furious thoughts that went through her mind.

No doubt she more than likely heard her with her damned mind reading abilities.

"What the hell do you want?" Asajj venomously spat out. "You'd better turn around and walk right now before I cut you down."

Rather than respond to the threat, Wanda Maximoff exhaled softly, looking Asajj in the eyes. "I came here to apologize about what I said. "

Ventress raised a brow before throwing out a responsive scoff.

"That's all? Forget it." She waved her away, turning back to the horizon. "You said your part, now leave me be."

'For the girls, for the girls.' Wanda chanted to herself, curling her fingers slightly.

"Look." Maximoff said. "I don't trust you and don't like you much."

"Oh really? I couldn't tell."

"But I do know that I overstepped myself back there. I… I should never have brought up your mother like that. That was… despicable of me."

Asajj slowly turned back to her, scowl present yet silent all the same.

She was quiet, wanting to see what Maximoff had to say.

The Avenger was on thin ice with her at this time and what will be done next may result in Ventress lashing out or something else entirely.

"Your mother was a good friend of mine. She eventually looked out for me -along with Merrin's mother- when others didn't really have to." Maximoff quietly revealed. "That was beyond disrespectful of me to say such a thing. I know your mother always thought of you and kept wishing you would return one day. I'm… I'm sorry. I saw her perish in front of me and I couldn't save her."

Asajj's eyes widened considerably, her frown disappearing momentarily until she registered the last sentence Wanda had said.

"You… you were there when she died?"

"I didn't, but Ilyana did." Wanda admitted. "The Witch Queen, Zalem. She kidnapped half of the coven and nearly killed them all. Ilsijj was one of the captives. I along with Merrin's mother -Tina- and a number of others went out to rescue who we could."

Both women were quiet for a moment, neither being able to speak for a time until Ventress found her voice.

"What happened?"

"It's a long story."

Ventress snorted. "I'm not going anywhere."

Situating herself nearby, Wanda told the Dark Jedi the tale and left nothing out.

"So, a few weeks back, this other Nightsister clan led by Zalem came to the coven…"

-Scene Cut-

The tale she heard was exhausting to say the least. So much occurred in that time that would've made things difficult for the returned Nightsister.

Asajj at least learned more about her mother, from Maximoff's perspective, to how she particularly died. Along with how she was avenged.

Ventress wondered how it was possible for the Avenger to take away all of Zalem's power, even if she is this so-called "Scarlet Witch ''. Yet Zalem met her end when she was sentenced to death by her own daughter and heir Ros Lai for the actions she had enacted.

The Dark Jedi was pleased to hear of this, yet angry.

If she had bothered to return home after all this time, let alone showing up a month prior, she could've reunited with her mother. She would have averted her death in some way or something.

Yet what happened has happened, there was no way to change it. It was her decisions and hers alone in not coming back sooner, so that was all on her.

But it was perhaps due to her belief she had nothing left for her to return to… until her betrayal.

Thus she had wandered off and away from the coven, wanting some time alone in her thoughts and emotions.

A lot had transpired with her in these last few days and Ventress was feeling rather lost, if she were being honest with herself.

Her Master had abandoned her and Mother Talzin denied her chances at revenge.

Why?

She said not all was as it seems but to Ventress, she was pretty damn sure Dooku left her for dead.

Asajj wanted to go out and try to kill him but then what?

If she's found out, she would be hunted down by all of the Dark Acolytes, the Separatist Army and maybe worse Sidious himself.

The dread of such thoughts is rather hard for her to swallow.

She was so distracted with her feelings and reflections did she not know someone had appeared nearby.

"You appeared troubled, my apprentice." Spoke an elderly and all too familiar voice to the Dathomirian.

She froze up, almost not believing what she was hearing until she spun around to see none other than her former Master.

Rage and vengeance began bursting from her like a broken down dam that had barely been able to keep everything at bay.

"Dooku." Ventress all but snarled, ready to pounce upon the man who betrayed her. "How did you find me?"

"You and I still have a connection. One I used to search and find you."

"One broken by betrayal."

The elderly Sith Lord shook his head. "Not the way you believe."

Asajj wanted to pounce on the old man. Fight him with everything she had at her disposal. Using her present emotions to drive her to see it through.

Just as she took a step forward, an invisible pressure came over her body. She found herself immobilized almost immediately, the Dark Lord ensnaring through the Force and keeping her from moving.

"Apologies, my Apprentice." He earnestly said with a slightly raised hand. "But I would rather not be killed before you see the truth for yourself."

"See what?" She was trying her damndest to free herself of the Force bonds Dooku had placed on her. "What truth? That I was a failure to you? That I was nothing more than a tool to be thrown aside and washed away as soon as the tides weren't in your favor?"

Dooku said nothing as he placed a holo-transceiver on the ground in front of her and turned it on.

What she soon saw and heard was all too familiar to her. But instead of the garbled, corrupted transmission, it was all clear.

"Master, I need your help quickly. I'm surrounded and-"

"The battle is already lost. You must retreat and-"

"No. I'm so close to destroying the Jedi."

"You must stop. You will fail again, my apprentice. You can't die here…"

The Dark Jedi stared at the placement where the recording began and ended before glancing back at Dooku.

"I wasn't abandoning you, Asajj, I was trying to have you return. You are too valuable to discard." He sternly said to her, "Whatever you heard during the battle-"

"Then why did I feel betrayed?" Ventress venomously snarled.

Dooku was silent for a moment to process this.

"The betrayal you sensed through the Force wasn't from me, but from another."

It was at this point did the Count play another message.

This one was one between Dooku and his master, Darth Sidious.

"Lord Tyranus."

"My master."

"There is… a disturbance in the Force."

"How so?"

"A number of things. But what should be of most concern at this time pertains to your assassin."

"Ventress? What about her?"

"She has become very powerful."

"Yes, my lord. She is quite important to me."

"Too important."

Like Dooku back then, Asajj could pick up on the particular tone Sidious spoke.

"Master-"

"Silence! I can sense her powers growing stronger than expected. I would hate to think you are training your own apprentice to destroy me."

"Never. My allegiance is to you and you alone. And so are the Dark Acolytes."

"Then you must prove it. Eliminate her."

"But…" Asajj heard the desperation in his voice when given this order. "What of her latent potential? That which we have been wanting her to harness?"

"She has grown strong enough with the powers that be and will only continue to do so." Sidious rebuked. "We must not allow any loose ends or upstarts in a time where we must be focused on the greater tasks at hand. Do you understand, my Apprentice?"

"As you wish, my lord."

Asajj's eyes widened upon hearing the Dark Lord of the Sith ordering her death. She saw the Count struggle with this order before acquiescing to his Master's demands.

"As you can see now, Asajj, I had no choice." Dooku said, almost sounding tired. "It was either that or risk incurring his wrath upon myself before he trained his sights on you."

She was at a loss as to how to process this.

Her Master didn't betray her. His master had betrayed them both instead.

"You could have fought back!" She retorted, almost childishly. "We could have fought back!"

"And we will." Dooku proclaimed. "But not as we are now. Neither of us are strong enough to take down Sidious and we both know it."

Asajj quieted down upon hearing this, mentally hating that she admitted this to be true.

When she had first met Sidious, Ventress' knees almost buckled from the sheer Dark Side presence this one man carried.

It was sickening really and one that made her easily fall in line.

Now?

No longer.

She will have her revenge. For both herself and her Master.

"What of the acolytes?"

"Some follow me directly, others follow Sidious instead. It's hard to tell who's allegiance they fully serve."

"And mine?"

Dooku raised a brow at her, silently asking if she had really asked that.

She scoffed, turning away from him and in response, she heard Dooku do something she had never heard him do in her entire time under his tutelage.

He chuckled.

Her head snapped in his direction, seeing an annoying smirk yet in his eyes… Was that… fondness?

Where was all this coming from?

"Do you wonder whose lightsabers you wield once belonged to?" He suddenly asked, causing her to jolt at such a random question.

"Excuse me?"

"Those lightsabers you have now. They came from someone else."

This was certainly a surprise to hear. Her weapons were… hand-me-downs?

"They once belonged to another who had a similar skill set to your own, Ventress." Dooku revealed. "I had two apprentices before you. One of which was ideal, who not only did I shape into the man he was in life, but he shaped me in turn. I miss him dearly and not a day goes by that I do not think of Qui-Gon Jinn."

"And the other?"

"My second apprentice, Komari Vosa… she was a lot like you. So eager to learn, strived to be better, yet so easily susceptible to her emotions and became lost to them. I constantly worked to temper this problem, yet I was unsuccessful; even after she was no longer my padawan. My hopes were rather high on her as I sought her as an ally… not as a liability. And she died because of her pride and arrogance."

Ventress was silent when hearing Dooku continue speaking.

"I gifted you her lightsabers as a means of you perhaps taking a different path than what Komari partook, which led to her early downfall. I had lost one apprentice through valiant righteousness, another because I failed to pry her out of her hubris. And as for you, I don't wish to callously toss you aside like what Sidious does with broken and unusable tools."

"Is that all I am then?" Asajj asked, getting a snide upturn of her lips. "A tool?"

Dooku placed a hand on her shoulder as a means of calming her down. "You and I are both tools to Sidious. The unfortunate reality for him is that you and I have wills of our own. And one should not so foolishly disregard that notion."

Stepping away from the Grand Plan to think of retaliating against Ultron, Dooku had begun to come to realize a number of things.

Something that had been building in the background for some time and he was just to blind to realize it.

From what he heard from Sora and several other Jedi prior to their defection to the CIS, Skywalker often spoke and interacted with the secret Sith Lord. When he wasn't performing his Jedi duties, either through training or undergoing missions, he would spend some amounts of time with Palpatine. And no matter how complicated his schedule was, Palpatine oddly gave Anakin the time and day to be with him.

The Chancellor had an… unhealthy obsession with him. Guiding him and apparently molding him for some odd reason.

This made Dooku figure out what Sidious' plans for Anakin Skywalker was in the future: his replacement.

That was always Sidious' intention.

To cycle through tool after tool until at last getting to the one he desired most. Not only to fully see the Sith Grand Plan to its fruition, but to have Skywalker as his ideal Apprentice.

And this was all before the Avengers made their appearance.

Yet… with their arrival, though subtle, Tyranus now saw a number of changes in behavior begin to occur in his master.

The ever present quiet fury Sidious now possessed whenever he heard mention of Skywalker spending more time with the Avengers than him.

What his spies told him of Skywalker being always with the Avengers more often than he once was with the Chancellor. A reversal of sorts in some karmic fashion.

The secret Dark Lord was losing his grasp on his supposed destined Apprentice.

And then came Ultron who threw the entire galaxy into pure chaos.

These two wild cards who existed outside the Force, the thousand year plan to upend everything the Sith had been planning in that time.

And it tore away at Sidious' psyche and above all else, his ego.

A man obsessed with control, obsessed with always making sure things had gone his way through the manipulation of the Force.

A man who's dead set on the Grand Plan but deciding to halt it so suddenly makes it seem like blasphemy.

Nothing is worse than having all those plans be ruined.

And not just one but all of them.

Dooku had a gut feeling, a gut one, not a Force premonition of the dangerous upheaval the Avengers represented.

And the galaxy was now feeling it.

As was Sidious.

And that's what they would use to their advantage, what Dooku's order would use to bring down Sidious while saving the galaxy.

"What is our next move, my Master?" Asajj questioned, looking upon him for guidance.

"You will remain here for some time." He stated. "You must rest, recuperate and regain your strength. In that time, begin meditating, exercising, pushing yourself to find out how to tap into that power that rests within you and finally reach your true potential."

"But Master, I still do not know how to draw it out." She rebuked him with a frown. "All I had ever mustered was that brief glow that one instance in training but that was it."

"But it is there." He said, pointing at her chest. "Somewhere within you is a power that may be unrivaled. I cannot fool myself into thinking that I shall continue the lineage of the Sith but you will. You will be the next step in our Order, hopefully, a change that is rightfully needed. And once you finally begin to master that power, I shall bestow upon you the title of Darth. Perhaps not through the means of Bane's Rule of Two, but from the ways of old or perhaps something new. And you will be the one to lead this new era of the Sith."

Asajj's eyes widened to the size of saucer plates upon hearing this.

She immediately dropped to her knees, almost reverently looking up to him before bowing her head.

"My Lord. I will not fail you. I will accomplish what you requested of me."

"I know you will. Meanwhile, I will have need of another apprentice." Dooku surmised. "One that can convince Sidious that I have moved on from your supposed death while serving his endeavors."

Ventress rose to her feet, thinking over this topic.

"Why not one of the Acolytes?" She suggested. "You've got plenty of candidates to ascend to the position."

He shook his head.

"Most, in the end, are only recent initiates in the Dark Side." He dismissed. "I chose you because you had long been steeped in it and have a far greater motivation and personal vendetta than the shallowness that the Acolytes possess."

"Then who, my Master?" Asajj questioned. "If not from the Acolytes, who could take my place in my exile?"

Both Sith were silent for a moment until the air shifted around them, making both on edge for a brief second.

"If you are looking for a new apprentice, Count Dooku…" Spoke a familiar disembodied voice.

Asajj relaxed upon hearing who it was, Dooku following her motion.

"Then perhaps…"

Master and Apprentice turned to see Mother Talzin having appeared through green ethereal mist.

"I can be of assistance."

-Scene Cut-

The territory that had once belonged to the Witch Queen Zalem was in the process of rebuilding.

Those who fell under its new leader, Ros Lai, worked tirelessly to restore and better their territory which had taken a great toll after the death of their former queen.

They had been diligently working to fix both their land and the strained relationships that had been developed due to Zalem's actions so Ros Lai had her work cut out for her.

The shadow she casted will be hard to step out of. Her actions will haunt their people for generations.

But Lai was all the more determined to right her clan's wrongs.

All the while, a figure unseen, had been moving through the territory that belonged to Lai.

She was garbed in a plain red hood and robe and had a mask over her face.

This figure had passed by a large crater, taking a moment to look at it before she began her investigation.

Sensing her surroundings, she focused more at a particular spot. Kneeling down, she placed her hands down to the sand and focused more in hopes of finding something.

After a while, a reaction occurred.

Pulling out a communicator, the figure spoke into it.

"I have found it, my lady."

Some moments passed before an aged voice was heard.

"And?"

"Only remnants. Whatever happened to the anomaly…"

The other line was silent for a few seconds. "I see. Acquire what you can and return."

"Understood."

Pocketing the communicator, the figure went to work.

Reaching out, the figure focused more into the earth and used the Force to dig something up.

The sand began to quake as the minutes passed on by. It began to bubble before collapsing in on itself. Before long, something rose out of it.

Once out in the open air, the object flew into the figure's grasp. She looked down and saw the remains of an unusual seed the size of her hand. It gave off a faint blue glow with an odd hive-copper net holding it together.

The figure smiled beneath her mask, a sinister aura emanating from her now.

"Soon, Mother Gethzerion. Soon the world and the galaxy shall be ours." She whispered in reverent devotion, pocketing the seed and quickly moving to leave the area.

AN

And we're back again with yet another chapter and the start of the next arc.

That's right, Ventress and Oppress's arc. Something that we have been… well, in all honesty, this entire season is filled with content we've been dying to get to.

Practically every chapter and arc is gonna have moments and events we've planned long before that we're finally able to do.

So really, this season is gonna have moments and events in almost every single chapter we've planned out.

Jebest4781: Things with this arc will drastically be different, just saying this now. And certain lead ups afterwards will somewhat be similar to a degree. Hard to really state it without spoiling anything.

FMW: Yeah, greater canon divergence as you have all just seen with the closing scenes in this chapter. Several reviewers have pointed out Dooku's discontent with Sidious and some may have issues with how Sidious may turn out in all this but think of it like this. How would you feel when a thousand year generational plan is suddenly threatened to such a degree that it has to be all but abandoned and thrown out with a new plan all together. Some may complain about the Avengers' power and all but let's be real, it's warranted. All of them save for a select few have abilities, skills and powers that exceed most Jedi and Sith.

And now, I'm gonna go on a slight tangent cause I saw this recently. I've seen crossovers where they make the Jedi side crazy OP, like OP enough to rival fucking Thor. You're telling me that Obi-wan can take on Thor and is worthy of wielding Mjolnir oh so easily? That's really, really dumb cause let's look at the rarity in which we've seen others pick up his hammer. In the MCU, a total of only four people in the 14 years of the MCU and that's Odin cause he's Odin, Hela cause she was the first wielder, Vision due to his purity at his birth and Captain America cause he's Captain Fucking America and he's earned it.

Jeb: Such things would not really work when taking everything into consideration. Certain people cannot become stronger than they could when it comes to certain media. It's hard to really process. And don't say the whole trope of "but it's a crossover, things change". And this only works if the story is written properly with the lore done the right way on the melding process.

FMW: We know that we've given a great deal of power towards the MCU side of things 'cause, well, let's be honest, that's just how it is. It's not like we want to downplay the Star Wars side, it's just that's how it is sometimes. And we're not trying to undermine Star Wars, trust us, we have some insane shit to come within this season but it's just the acknowledgement of some aspects being hard to ignore with the MCU part just having a greater degree of power.

Jeb: If this was focusing more with the Marvel comics, then things would be really different. But arguments would still apply.

FMW: Ok, tangent over, this is just something that's been building inside of me for like 69 chapters now. Had to address it at one point really.

So other than that rant that sorta came outta nowhere, thanks again for reading folks.

Rate, Read and Review and as Always Have Nice Day.